Complicated

by M. M. Koenig

  Our bodies had become slick with sweat. Everything inside of me yearned for a release. His tongue slid into the crook of my shoulder where he gently bit down. He pushed harder as I clenched tightly around him with the need for us to do this together. Ethan increased his pace to drive us to our shared climax. He rested his head against my neck and took deep breaths. I did the same to calm my rapid heart. My body slowly drifted back to earth from the far-off place that he took me to every time we were in bed together. He slid out and turned me to face him.

  “I love you Mia. I hope you believe that much after today,” he said softly.

  “I never doubted that. I love you too,” I whispered.

  I yawned as my body began to register how drained the last few days had left me. Ethan pulled me close to him and shimmied the covers over us. He pressed a soft kiss on my forehead before running his fingers along my eyelids to close them. Being back in his arms brought me a sense of peace. Regardless of the problems piling in by the hour, at least I knew his heart was mine.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  And Just So You Know

  I woke up to the sun shining brightly through the window. I rolled over to reach for Ethan, but he was gone. My stomach almost projected its contents across the room. There was no way he’d do it to me twice in the same week. It would be beyond cruel to do that to anyone, no matter what they did to deserve it. I leapt out of bed, grabbed his button-down shirt, and tossed it on as I left the bedroom. With each step, a new wave of paranoia swarmed through me. The shower wasn’t on, so I crossed over to the other side of the apartment.

  I skidded to a halt in the living room. It was filled with dozens upon dozens of vases. Ethan had covered every square inch with all of my favorite flowers. I took in the smell of lilacs, daisies, lilies and roses. The strings of my heart began to play. I took a daisy and tucked it behind my ear as I walked further into the room.

  Wow. This is amazing. I thought last night was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me, but this makes it look like child’s play.

  I noticed tiny lines taped to the floor. Grinning like a lovesick schoolgirl, I followed the arrows to the glass wall. It had one of my favorite views of downtown and the lake, but that wasn’t what had my attention. My breath faltered as I gazed at the message scripted in white.

  Like the ripples of the waves that glide along the water

  I've searched ceaselessly to find the one that fills my heart like no other

  I never knew what love meant until I finally got her

  Like the sands along the lakeshore

  I'll ride along with each wave, always eager for more

  Because I have your love there with me at my core

  Like the peacefulness in the air when I'm out there

  I'll spend every day showing you how much we share

  I'll love only you for the rest of my life, this I solemnly swear

  Tears of happiness streamed down my face. My heart was ready to burst with the amount of love I had for Ethan. I had no idea that a person could feel this deeply for someone else. He consumed every part of me in a way I had never experienced. I spotted a flower pinned to the window and walked over to find a white rose. I opened the card attached to it.

  You're dawdling. Now stop crying and follow the path.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I laughed at my instructions. The path zigzagged across the living room in a goofy pattern. It brought me over to the room off to the left of the entryway that was next to his bathroom. I opened the door and gasped. The bed had chocolate boxes arranged so that they spelled 'I love you' across it. Ethan had aligned the flowers on the bed in an arrow pointing to the pillow, with a tiny box in the center. My hands shook as I picked it up and removed the card attached to it. My stomach fluttered with butterflies as my heart sped along. I opened the card to read my next message.

  My mom would’ve loved you.

  She gave this to me when I was a boy.

  She made me promise to give it to ‘the one’.

  Since the day I met you, you've brought me to life.

  You are my one, so this belongs to you.

  I unfastened the clasp on the box to see what was inside. It held a stunning sterling silver necklace. It was a Celtic piece that had an entwined heart with a diamond in the center. On one side, ‘love’ was visible in script and on the bottom rested two more diamonds. When I picked up the necklace, a piece of paper fell to the mattress.

  Hurry up! I'll help you put it on later. Remember to stay on the path.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  It was incredibly scary how well Ethan had come to know me in the very short amount of time we had shared together. The way he anticipated some of my moves before I even made them downright terrified me at times. I placed the necklace back in the box on my way out of the room.

  I proceeded towards the laundry room. It confused me more than anything when I opened the door. The arrows sent me over to the washer, where a lilac was laid across it with another card.

  Sorry love, there’s nothing but dirty laundry in here.

  I love getting dirty with you though, so pick up the pace.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I rolled my eyes. It was no surprise that Ethan had infused some sort of sexual humor into this scavenger hunt. I closed the door to continue on the path that took me into the kitchen. I expected to find Ethan, but the room was empty. Our arrangement from last night was gone. A plate sat in the center of the island. There was a red rose on top of the silver cover with a card fastened to the side. I picked up the lid to see eggs and toast near the top with bacon at the bottom that spelled 'I love you'. I tore open the card to read what he had in store for me next.

  I told you I'd change your life in ways you never thought imaginable.

  I'll find a new way each day to remind you that you’re mine.

  Hurry up and eat so I can show you what I have in store for you.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  My heart expanded even more from the amount of joy I felt. I circled around the kitchen, since Ethan remained absent. The counters and the island had flowers scattered on them. As I ran my hands along the island, I spotted another card taped to the edge of it. I ripped it open in the hope that it would reveal his location, because my path ended here.

  You really suck at following directions.

  Your food and coffee are getting colder by the minute.

  So eat up! You’re wasting precious seconds.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I grumbled as I sat down on a stool to eat my damn breakfast; I had no appetite. All I wanted was Ethan’s embrace and to thank him repeatedly for choosing me – not to mention for forgiving me. I picked up my coffee cup for a quick sip. As I took a drink, another card popped into view.

  Dammit woman, eat!

  You drink gallons of caffeine on an empty stomach.

  That’s why you’re always jumpy.

  SO EAT ALREADY!!

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I laughed and set down the card. Ethan knew some of my quirks far too well. I began to freak out a little. Either I was transparent, or he spent a lot more time watching me than I had ever noticed. I picked up the fork to dig into my breakfast. Surprisingly, it was relatively warm. I quickly ate up the food to please him. Once finished, I pushed the plate aside. I looked for another card, but there was no sign of one. I glanced around again, wondering what the hell he had in store for me. As a last ditch effort, I picked up the plate and saw another card. I eagerly pulled it away.

  Stop freaking out!

  I'll never leave you again. I promise.

  Thank you for giving me your heart.

  Hurry up and get to my office.

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I snatched all the cards and the jewelry box on my way out and practically ran down the hall. I burst into his office, fully expecting
Ethan to be there, but I came up empty again.

  “What the hell! Where are you?”

  I strode over to his desk and fumbled around for more clues. Suddenly, the room filled with the first song Ethan had put on my playlist. No matter how many times he had told me not to freak out this morning, I was. There was a card taped to the window behind his desk. I hurried over to it and swiped it down. It had better lead me to him.

  You sure do miss the obvious sometimes.

  You're adorably cute when you freak out.

  Turn around!

  And just so you know … I love you!

  I turned to see Ethan standing behind the door holding a dozen pink roses. I dropped everything in my hands onto his desk, flew over to him, and leapt into his arms. Ethan set the flowers down on the bookshelf as he caught me. I wrapped my legs around him, clutched his neck fiercely, and trailed kisses along it. He held me tightly and shuffled us over to his desk. I crushed my lips against his in demand for further access to his mouth. He gave it to me with enthusiasm. We were lips and tongues against each other until coming up for air became a pressing issue. It still wasn’t enough to express how much I loved him. Breathless, I pulled back and rested my head against his forehead. The happiness exuding from him captivated every ounce of me.

  “I love you. I can't believe you did this for me!”

  Ethan’s eyes twinkled as he squeezed me. “I'm glad you enjoyed it. It seemed like the appropriate way to show you how much I love you, especially after the last few days.”

  I cocked an eyebrow and asked, “When did you do all this?”

  I relaxed into his chest to listen to the beat of his heart. Ethan had handed it over to me and eased my worries about us with the most romantic gesture ever. The thoughtfulness of each card had my body ready for so much more than just his hands and mouth.

  He gave me a crooked grin and said, “I did most of it last night, with the obvious things like the flowers, your coffee, and breakfast this morning.”

  “Did you sleep at all?”

  Ethan rested his hands on my cheeks before placing a gentle kiss on my nose. “No, but I have the rest of my life to sleep. You deserve to know exactly how cherished you are, so this was time well spent.”

  I smiled shyly. “You’re absolutely amazing. I don't know what I ever did to get you, but I don't plan on letting you go.”

  Ethan chuckled. “Ditto.”

  We sat, lost in the love in each other’s eyes before I looked away to check the time. When I woke up, it was around six. Now, it was a quarter to seven. I loosened his hold on me.

  Ethan frowned. “Where are you going?”

  “We need to get ready. The last time I checked today was still Wednesday, and that is a day within the workweek,” I pointed out.

  His frown deepened as he shook his head and said, “I don't want to go to work today.”

  I sighed. “Ethan, we have to go. If we don't show up, Ian will only report it to Harrison. There's too much at risk. I don’t want to draw any more attention to myself.”

  “I swear, it’s taking everything in my power not to go down to his office and strangle him with my bare hands,” Ethan spewed.

  “That would be a bad idea. What kind of relationship could we have with you behind bars?” I joked.

  “It's not funny Mia. If I weren’t worried about how this affects you, I'd expose him. After I did that, I’d cripple him to his knees and make him beg for mercy. I have more power than he thinks. I'd really love to teach that asshole a lesson,” Ethan sniped.

  Each word came at a higher decibel. It matched the muscles rippling between his arms and chest as he tried to control his temper. I brought my hands to his cheeks and rubbed my palms soothingly across them. His body instantly relaxed with my touch.

  “I won't be the person that stands in the way of you completing what you promised your mom,” I whispered.

  “I don't understand you at times. Are you concerned for yourself at all? Everything you ever say is always about someone else,” Ethan grumbled, with a scowl.

  “If everyone around me remains safe, I’ll be just fine. I don't deserve to consider myself. It was my selfishness that created this mess,” I reasoned.

  “I don't—”

  I cut him off with a quick kiss before moving away. I walked to the door with an eyebrow raised for him to follow me. Ethan griped as he got up from the desk to join me at the door. I grabbed his hand and gave his wrist a light peck. He shook his head as we walked down the hallway. I linked one hand with his, and draped the other across his ass.

  “Trust me. I’ll make it worth your while in the shower,” I said, with a salacious grin.

  His face brightened as he opened the bathroom door. I rolled my eyes at his gusto. I unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it over my shoulder. Ethan removed his boxers in a flash. He cut the distance between us in two strides and scooped me up with a playful pat on my ass.

  If there was anything we did well together, it had to be getting lost in each other’s bodies. Once we were in the shower, it was a challenge to remember why we needed to leave at all. Afterwards, Ethan looked more relaxed than earlier and was smoking hot in his navy pinstriped suit with a light-blue tie. I was getting ready in the bathroom when his reflection in the mirror caught my eye. I wheeled around with a soft smile. Ethan brushed my hair aside as he pulled the necklace from earlier around my neck to fasten it. The love in his eyes as he put it on filtered down to the tips of my toes.

  “Are you ready?” Ethan asked, turning me around.

  “Yes. I need to get the rest of my stuff, but I'll be ready to walk out in five,” I answered, tossing my bathroom supplies into my bag.

  I brushed past Ethan and let my fingers linger on his biceps before heading to his bedroom to grab the rest of my things. Once everything was in my bag, I met him in the entryway. To my surprise, he was holding a laptop that was different from the one I had been using at the office.

  “Umm … something you want to fill me in on here?” I said skeptically.

  “It’s a backup in case anything happens to the one you’re using now.”

  “Try again. Everything is saved on the company drives. Why don’t you try the truth?”

  Ethan gave me a pointed look, telling me to take the damn thing without any further explanation. I refrained from pressing him on it. There was no need for a fight after such a wonderful start to our day. I sighed as I placed it in my bag. He opened the door and ushered us out. We walked in silence for a bit. Something was off with him that made me uneasy.

  The elevator arrived for us to make the journey to the garage. He went to one side as I rested against the opposite one. The ride down was uncomfortably quiet. I bit at my cuticles to keep my anxiety in check. Even with the truth out, I was on edge with the unknown that was ahead of me. The amount of mistakes I had made had left a minefield for me to navigate. One wrong step had the potential to blow everything to pieces. I deserved any consequence, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t terrified. Ethan’s unpredictable behavior didn’t do much to ease my worries either.

  I looked over to him. He was lost in thought with his eyes shut. It had to be something unpleasant for him to appear as stricken as he did. I closed the distance between us and rested my hand on his cheek. I brushed my lips along his to soothe whatever was eating away at him. Ethan hummed before sliding my hand from his face to his heart.

  “I don't know what’s on your mind, but know that I love you,” I breathed against his lips.

  The painstaking look on his face faded to a look that he reserves for me. I saw the peace return in his eyes. The elevator opened to the garage. Ethan gripped my hand on our way to my car. As he helped me in, he whispered, “Drive careful. I love you.”

  I started the engine and exited with caution. My senses were in a continuous state of override whenever other people weren’t around. It didn’t seem like anyone was following me so I rummaged through my purse to grab my cell. As I pulled out into traffic,
I hit speed dial.

  “I'm surprised you’re even available to talk. I figured you’d be thoroughly thanking your man right about now,” Bri answered, amused.

  “Huh,” I replied, utterly confused by her greeting.

  She giggled. “I know all about what you’re dying to get out. Ethan called me very early this morning. You're damn lucky he opened with a long apology for the past few days. Otherwise, I might have bit his head off for calling at the ass-crack of dawn.”

  “He did?”

  “Did you think he magically guessed your favorite flowers?”

  “I'll be damned. What else did you two plot this morning?”

  “I didn't do any plotting. Apparently, Ethan has had this planned out for a while but he didn't know the flowers. The dude has some swagger to get a florist to deliver before sunrise. Why aren't you giving him the thanks he deserves? If someone ever did that for me, I think I'd spend the entire day doing nothing other than him, just so he knew how damn grateful I was,” Bri declared, seemingly happy for me.

  “Ethan wanted to play hooky today, but I persuaded him to go to work. I did use some of my, um, motor skills, to let him know how grateful I was for what he did,” I answered, blushing profusely. Our very intimate shower crossed my mind. By the end of it, Ethan was fully aware of just how thankful I was.

  “Good. Because if you didn't do something to let that man know how much you adore him, womankind would raise their pitchforks and hunt your ass down. Ones like that don't come along very often. If I were you, I'd do everything you can to hold on to him,” Bri advised.

  I scratched my head. To say that she confused me didn’t seem to cover it. She had never really been in the Ethan-cheering section, so her support of me being with him was a tad alarming. “Now I'm concerned. Is it the early hour that has you so agreeable, or did you fall and hit your head?” I asked dryly.