Complicated

by M. M. Koenig

  I eased myself into Ethan. His arms enveloped me as if he’d never let me go. I angled myself so that my side was to his chest and rested my head on his shoulder. The agony in his eyes broke my heart. I wasn’t sure if it was the fight, or the words about his mom. Our server arrived with another round of drinks. We grabbed them and finished our glasses off immediately. Ethan grazed his lips across mine to lick away the few drops of alcohol lingering on them. I captured his mouth to try and bring some peace back to him. When we pulled away, his eyes weren’t nearly as tormented.

  I was almost back to a calm state when I caught two people talking off to the left side of the stage. The curtain should’ve been closed to prevent them from being visible to the audience, but the roadies had forgotten. I swallowed hard when I realized who they were – Bri’s dad and Sean Fitzpatrick.

  Fuck! Every corner I turn there’s another thing that turns my world upside down. What the hell are those two doing together?

  CHAPTER SIX

  Connecting With You

  I didn’t say anything to anyone about seeing Sean and Senator McAndrews together. Frankly, I wanted to shove it to the side of my brain that had no problem forgetting things. Some days I wished I had the ability to lose information like I had lost the first four years of my life.

  The rest of the night saw very few words exchanged on any subject other than music or drinking. Ethan and I hung out until the wee hours of the morning with the rest of the group before switching suites. Jackson crashed with the girl he had been with all night on the couch in our suite. Shane did the same but he stayed with Trey and Bri. The shenanigans after the show got out of control. Needless to say, we all got pretty wasted.

  When Ethan made a welcome call the following morning, I was still a tad drunk. I was on my back attempting to catch my breath from our hot and sweaty sex while he darted around the room. It was pitch black outside so it had to be pretty damn early, but Ethan was ready to get a move on. Given the hour, I was at a loss as to why. I propped up on my elbows to watch my crazy boyfriend – he was way too lively for me.

  “Come on Mia. Get up. Make sure you wear plenty of layers. Where are our shoes?”

  Ethan’s eyes jumped from the king-size bed over to the closet. He already had on a fresh pair of jeans with his favorite hooded sweatshirt. He hiked up the sleeves as he continued to look between our bag and the scant amount of clothes strewn across the floor.

  I rolled my eyes. “Our shoes are in the other suite.”

  Ethan stared at me like I’d told him light no longer existed.

  “We played strip poker with the band last night. It was your idea. Our shoes are over there with some of our clothes.”

  He continued to stare at me as if I’d grown an additional eye on my forehead.

  Lord, he was way more wasted then I thought.

  Following his instructions, I dressed in a clean pair of jeans and my black Eckman hooded sweatshirt before heading out of the bedroom. Jackson and his girl had disappeared. I peered behind me to take in a very confused-looking Ethan.

  “Do you remember anything after we came back to the suite?” I asked softly.

  “No,” Ethan admitted.

  “Don’t think about it. It just makes your head hurt even more,” I said, knowingly.

  “I don’t like being that way,” Ethan replied sulkily.

  I clutched his hand on our way out. Instead of going to the other suite, I pulled him to the stairwell so we could enjoy the serenity of the rooftop before check-out. We reached the roof and walked towards the far end. There wasn’t a soul in sight. A crazy fog had mixed in with the stillness of the night that had to be appreciated at this hour. Being this high up, the white clouds engulfed us as the skyscrapers dimly illuminated the city. I leaned against the railing with Ethan behind me. It was strange, yet peaceful, seeing the city this quiet. Ethan rested his head next to mine before wrapping his arms snugly around me.

  “I love you so much Mia. I get angry at times that there aren’t more words to express it. You deserve so much more than just those three words,” Ethan declared unexpectedly.

  I gave him a tender kiss. “I love you too babe. I’ll keep trying to show you just how much.”

  We watched the stillness of the night as the mystifying fog crept around us. We started to disappear with it. After a while, the sun started to slowly peek out. Ethan moved to my side with a lopsided smile.

  I squinted. “You’re up to something.”

  Ethan tugged at my arm. “Maybe. Let’s go to our room.”

  I arched both eyebrows. “I’m not in the mood, so spill it.”

  Ethan winked. “Who said anything about sex? Not that I’m opposed to that with you at any time of the day.”

  I trudged along with him as we made our way back to the room to collect our stuff before heading over to the other suite for our shoes. Once we found them, we went down to the parking garage. When we got downstairs, the rest of the group was waiting for us outside the elevator bank. Everyone had jeans and sweatshirts on like us, with Jackson and Shane holding backpacks. I stumbled into Ethan. It still wasn’t clear what we were doing up this early.

  He directed me towards his car to get rid of our bag. We made our way towards the opposite end of the garage. The group fell in line with us, but the boys had a glimmer in their eyes. I glanced over at Bri. She shared my confused expression. We stopped in the corner of the garage where four black crotch rockets lined the wall. The boys ran to them and grabbed the helmets from the handlebars. Bri and I stood still with tired eyes and our arms crossed.

  “We’re going for a ride,” Ethan said, gesturing for me to join him.

  I looked over at Bri and shrugged before strolling over to Ethan. He was already on the bike and handed me a helmet as I hopped on behind him. He pulled out his iPod. “I made a playlist for you. These songs will get your heart pumping during the ride. You know how I handle powerful toys, so give me your death grip. I can’t have anything happen to you,” Ethan whispered before putting in the ear buds, securing my helmet, and sliding the iPod in my pocket.

  The music was already playing loudly and I loved the first song. With my arms tightly around his waist, Ethan started the bike. The roar of the engine sent tingles up my spine. I looked to my right where Jackson and Shane were starting their bikes. I peered to my left where Trey and Bri were still talking. Bri seemed unsure as Trey ran his hands down her arms. She finally nodded, put on her helmet, and got on the bike. Trey got on and she wrapped her arms tightly around him as he brought the bike to life. Ethan took the lead as we coasted out of the garage.

  We left downtown and got on the highway. With the city behind us, Ethan scared the living hell out of me by popping a wheelie. I dug my nails into him so deeply that his skin punctured. He continued to drive along the road for a good five-hundred feet that way. His back shook from laughter so I knew he was enjoying himself. After my heart started to beat normally again, I got lost in the views as they zipped past.

  When does Ethan find time to plan these things? Either I’m oblivious or he’s a super-sleuth.

  Ethan followed the lake out of the city, almost as if it was his compass. We left the urban area behind and hit acres of forest and farmland. The amount of fields that were around us flabbergasted me. I was a city girl at heart, so this was all new to me. The forest intertwined with it and made for a beautiful backdrop to the sunrise. As we went along the lake, its color went from deep hues of blue to lighter ones. My heart swelled at the sight and I squeezed my arms tighter around Ethan. His hand traveled down my thigh for a subtle brush.

  With the open highway, there was more room for the boys to horse around without having to deal with the burden of traffic. Jackson and Shane did wheelies whenever they had a chance. Ethan didn’t do it again after I had lacerated his skin. Trey wasn’t doing it either. I assumed Bri did the same thing to him after he tried it. The speed we were traveling at was enough to keep my heart pumping.

  The road
turned as the lake weaved in a new direction. My heart jumped when we leaned into the turns – the pavement was far too close. I held my breath and squeezed Ethan even more. Before long, we had passed the fields and were headed towards a lighthouse, with white sand running along the lakeshore. We were slowing down so I figured we were stopping there. After he pulled into an empty parking lot in this quaint beach village, Ethan killed the engine and removed his helmet and I did the same. I reached into my pocket and stopped the iPod.

  Ethan rested his head on mine with his hands on my cheeks. “How was it?”

  “Words aren’t enough to describe it,” I whispered, placing my palms over his.

  Ethan smiled widely before sweeping in for a quick kiss. We hopped off the bike to wait for the others. It was a tad colder here than in the city, but it didn’t really hit me. Between the ride, and Ethan in general, my entire body was burning. Jackson, Shane, and Trey coasted in and parked next to us. Bri jumped off immediately and made a circle around the empty lot before coming back to stand next to us. I eyed her to see if she was OK. Bri answered with a quick nod of the head.

  “There’s a great place on the boardwalk that serves the best breakfast around. We can grab a bite before we head to the next spot I have in mind,” Ethan spoke up.

  That sounded glorious, because my stomach was eating itself. Ethan led us out of the lot with his hand entwined in mine. The walk along the boardwalk was gorgeous. The waves crashed along the shore, bringing the only sound other than the wind. There were diners and shops every few feet. The vibrant colors from each shop were almost enough to distract you from the beautiful beach.

  Ethan made a quick right turn to a Ma and Pa diner. It was all white with red shingles and ‘Mires Diner’ in black on a rectangular sign. There were two large windows off to each side of the steel door that was in the center below the sign. Given the time of year, it was surprising to see tables outside on the wood patio that stretched out to the beach. The lights were on with the open sign displayed. Ethan gestured to the tables outside as he walked in. The rest of us sat down at the plastic tables that were painted with various murals from different cultures.

  Ethan came out moments later with a tiny old woman that had hair as white as the sand on the beach. The emerald dress she had on matched her eyes. She wrapped her frail arm around Ethan as they strode towards us. She had a love in her eyes for him that was unquestionable.

  Bri glanced at me for an explanation. Without a clue, I shrugged. She smirked before throwing an arm around Trey. He brushed her cheek, but remained in conversation with Jackson and Shane about the football game that they planned to watch that evening. Ethan came over and sat down next to me.

  “Mia, I want you to meet Yaya,” Ethan said, with a proud grin.

  “Ethan, you can’t introduce me like that to your girlfriend. Tell the poor girl who I am or she will sit there trying to figure it out,” the little old lady reprimanded.

  I like her already. She just busted his balls. I’m all for that when it comes to him.

  I cocked an eyebrow.

  “She’s my grandma,” Ethan admitted shyly.

  She sized me up. I could only imagine what my hair looked like from being on the bike, not to mention that I was without makeup. With that realization, I smacked Ethan across the back of the head. He pouted while rubbing the spot I had assaulted. Her lips curled into an ear-to-ear smile as she stood between us.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you. If Ethan ever gave me details on things, I would’ve presented myself better,” I said genuinely, and scowled in his direction.

  She laughed and settled her gaze on me. “I like you. Nikita would’ve loved how you just handled him. Ethan needs someone to keep him in line now that she’s gone.”

  I smiled shyly. I really wanted to kick Ethan’s ass for springing this on me. Not that I was surprised. This was his style. He lived for getting reactions.

  “I’ll have your order up in a few minutes. Take in the view. Ethan knows the area. I expect he’ll be a hospitable host and show you around,” she said before disappearing into the diner.

  I gazed over at Ethan with a mixture of irritation and love. He flashed his dimples before tangling his hands with mine. My heart sped up as I got lost in his chiseled face.

  “She never took our order,” Bri pointed out.

  “Yaya takes in the clientele and brings out an order that she feels fits them. She’s never wrong. We’ll be surrounded with mouthwatering food,” Ethan answered dismissively.

  “I really don’t care what she brings out. I’m starving,” Jackson spoke up.

  “Me too. I feel like I haven’t eaten for days,” Shane concurred.

  We didn’t have to wait too long before our table was full of platters of waffles, French toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. Everyone dug in to satisfy their ravenous stomachs. After we finished breakfast, we sat and enjoyed the hustle around us on the boardwalk. People were arriving fast to enjoy the last bit of good weather before winter.

  I hugged my knees to my chin and sipped on my coffee. Ethan ran his hand soothingly along my back. Every spot he grazed burned deep within me. My gaze drifted to his deep brown eyes. The world stood still as we stared at each other. The only thing flitting in and out of my brain was the soft crash of the waves. Ethan rested his hands along the small of my back before capturing my mouth. I set my coffee down to avoid dropping it, grasped my hands tightly around his neck, and appreciated every angle of his mouth.

  “We can hang out here on the boardwalk or we can explore. A great trail goes up to the dunes. If you feel like it, we can hike up there. It’s up to you,” Ethan murmured against my lips.

  I playfully bit his bottom lip while running my hands along his thighs. “I don’t care what we do. You should probably ask the rest of the group though.”

  “Let’s go hiking,” Jackson and Shane spoke up. Trey and Bri nodded in agreement.

  Ethan got up to head into the diner. He returned with a full backpack and hauled me up. We headed for the boardwalk with the rest of the gang behind us. Before long, Ethan veered onto a trail that weaved its way through tall grass. We hiked for ten minutes before Ethan deviated from the path to cut through a patch of trees. Once we broke through the other side of the trees, he sent us upward.

  When we reached the top, my breath faltered at the sight in front of me. The view of the lake was marvelous. The different shades of blue were jaw-dropping. The white sand dunes that rippled behind us were just as amazing as the water. We did some more hiking to take in different angles of the shore then crossed back down to the wooded area. As we hit the edge of the trees, Ethan squeezed my hand to stop.

  “Uh, babe … the guys wanted to get a little paintball in. There are some great shops on the boardwalk. You and Bri should go check them out. We’ll meet you at the diner for lunch.”

  “Play nice with the other boys in the sandbox.”

  Ethan gave me a quick kiss before jogging over to Shane and Jackson. He stopped to remove his backpack and the boys did the same with theirs. Bri walked over to me with a wide grin. She blew Trey a kiss, but I doubt he noticed it. The paintball guns were out and the trash talk had begun. I linked my arm with hers on our way down the trail.

  “Where does Ethan find time to plan this stuff?” Bri asked.

  “No idea, but he always amazes me with it,” I replied as we hit the boardwalk.

  “I’m happy you found him, but if he ever pulls another stunt like he did when you first told him the truth, I’ll kill him. I will say he’s redeemed himself quite well though. He’s sort of grown on me. Whether you believe in it or not, I think Ethan’s your soulmate.”

  “He’s certainly something.”

  Bri veered us into a shop that sold unique art and photos. She brushed past me on her way towards the photo section. I lingered at the front to check out the jewelry. I was staring at some earrings when Bri wheeled me around and shoved me out the door.

  “
Is the building on fire? Why the sudden urge to get out of here?” I asked, baffled.

  “We’re so stupid,” Bri replied, shuffling us towards the diner.

  I staggered my feet to get her to slow down. Bri was practically running between people.

  “I can’t argue with that, since I’ve been on a roll in that department, but care to share about this particular time?”

  She rolled her eyes. “We wasted a half-hour looking at crap neither one of us needs when we could have been grilling his grandma about him.”

  “I don’t know, Bri. I don’t want to cross any lines with Ethan,” I replied nervously.

  “It’ll be fine. Just don’t ask anything you don’t think he’d tell you,” she reassured.

  “Ah, that’s the problem. We don’t talk about that sort of stuff. The only deep details I have are that he has a brother he despises and his parents are dead.”

  “Seriously?”

  I nodded and kept my feet planted to the sand with my back against the deck railing.

  “You two need to spend less time having sex and more time using your words. You’re intelligent people, so how you struggle with the basics is beyond me,” Bri muttered as she leaned next to me.

  I gave her a sheepish look before getting lost in the water. The traffic on the beach increased as the sun began to push the morning chill away.

  “I have to agree with your friend,” a throaty voice echoed, startling us.

  We turned around to see his grandma a few feet away. My face turned bright red. She grinned, not bothered in the least by what she had heard. She motioned for us to come up to the patio. I settled into a chair and Bri sat opposite of me. Yaya took a spot in between us and pointed to a pitcher of iced tea. We filled our glasses while watching people walk along the beach.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name this morning. I’m assuming it’s not Yaya,” I spoke up.