by Stella James
I decide on a pair of thick black leggings and a dark red tunic style top. My black boots have a slight heel and I finish my look with a pair of chunky silver earrings. My hair is already up in a messy knot, so I tame the stray hairs and leave it the way it is. I’m just finishing my make-up when I hear Anna come in the front door.
“I’ll be out in a sec!” I shout. I swipe on some dark red lip gloss and give myself a final check before heading out to the kitchen. “Hey, did Elle say where she wants us to meet, because I am not eating at one of those fancy ass places with the teaspoon sized servings,” I mumble before I nearly choke on my tongue.
“What?” she says.
“Holy shit Anna, you look hot.”
Her typically straight auburn hair is curled in big sexy waves and her blue eyes are surrounded by a dusty shadow, giving her a look that screams sex kitten. Her trim figure is being hugged by a tight black dress and she’s wearing nude heels that make her legs look ten miles long. Her outfit is by no means revealing and the parts of her that she’s sensitive about are covered up, but she’s sexy as hell nonetheless.
“You don’t think it’s too much? I mean, I can change. I shouldn’t have listened to that sales woman, she was probably lying to me to make a commission. I’m just trying to branch out a bit, is it okay?” She looks down and I can see her confidence begin to dwindle. I love my sister more than anyone on this planet and I wish she knew how beautiful she is.
“Hey, stop that. You look amazing,” I say.
“Really? Are you sure I don’t look stupid?”
I take her hand in mine and squeeze it firmly. “You are beautiful Anna, with or without all of this.”
“Thank you,” she exhales loudly. “Okay, so where are we going?”
“Ugh, I don’t know, you better text Elle and find out. She said she was going to make us a reservation. I’m serious though, none of that bullshit bird food on tiny plates.”
We both laugh as she checks in with Elle and we make our way downstairs to get a cab.
*
After we eat dinner at a restaurant with normal size plates, we decide to stop by The Nightingale for a drink before we go dancing. It was Elle’s idea which surprises me because I don’t think she’s been back since she quit when her and Blake got engaged. Business is just starting to pick up when we bypass the massive line and enter the main room. I spot Gus sitting at his usual booth and nudge Elle so she can go say hi. He stands from the booth and instantly wraps her up in a bear hug. Elle used her job here to pay her way through nursing school and stayed on part time until she met her prince charming in the emergency room. He had a gnarly case of food poisoning and she was working the night shift. The rest as they say, is history.
Anna and I head for the bar to grab us some drinks. I don’t see Ethan but he’s probably making a round backstage before the first show starts. Dean spots us and waves us over to take our order.
“Damn Anna, you’re looking fine tonight,” he praises, giving her a slow once over.
“Oh, thanks Dean. You look nice too,” Anna replies sweetly.
“You!” I point at him. “Down boy. I told you that my sister is off limits and we both know she’s way too good for you anyways,” I remind him sternly. Dean and I are friends but there is no way in hell I’d let him come near Anna.
“Oh Dru, he’s just being nice,” she says, giving him a sincere smile.
“Anna, darling, I’m afraid she’s right. I am a dirty, dirty dog. But you do look beautiful,” he winks at her and she accepts the fruity drink that he places on the bar.
“Thank you, Dean.”
“Yeah, thank you Dean,” I say with clear warning.
We make our way through the growing mass of people and snag a table off to the side. Elle takes her seat and gratefully sips her cocktail.
“Mmm, thanks, that’s delicious,” she says. “So, tell me about your exhibit.”
I fill her and Anna in on the last conversation I had with Cassie. We have a date set and she’s taking care of the advertising and other details. I’m hoping that by the time the day comes, the nerves in my stomach will be under control. I can’t even think about the show without feeling nauseous.
“I’m so proud of you Dru,” Elle says. She takes my hand and I can see her eyes beginning to glisten.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. It’s just, you’ve always done what you wanted and I just, I don’t know. I feel like since Blake and I got married that I’m starting to lose myself a little bit. I only work part time now and the rest of the time I feel like I’m just going through the motions. Ever since he made partner he’s working longer hours and when he’s not working we hardly get any time to ourselves. We always seem to have some function to attend or else his parents want to have us over. It’s just so damn busy all the time. And I put this smile on my face because I know that’s what people want to see but sometimes I just want to sit by myself and not talk to anyone. God, I just want to breathe.”
Anna and I look at each other and I know we are both shocked. I don’t think Elle has ever once complained. About anything.
“I know it sounds silly because I’m so lucky to be where I am,” she continues. “But sometimes I just want to be miserable. I just want to be unhappy, for even a fraction of a minute without feeling like the most ungrateful person in the entire world,” she says. “And don’t get me wrong, I love Blake. Sometimes it scares me just how deeply I love him, and I know he loves me too, but I feel like I’ve given him this false impression of who I am and if I unleash all this pent-up craziness it will scare him. I don’t want to lose him, but I want to be happy. And sometimes I just want to say fuck-it. Fuck the fancy dinner, fuck spending the weekend with his family at some country club full of assholes and fuck smiling until my face hurts.”
She pauses and takes a deep breath. And then bursts into a fit of incredibly unattractive laughter. I glance at Anna and see that she’s fighting back her own laughter when I decide to say fuck-it myself. I look at my perfect sister, who I believed had never had a bad day in her whole life, who has never once said the f-word and I laugh just as hysterically as she is. Anna joins in too and soon we are three women wiping the tears from our faces and holding each other’s hands like our lives depend on it.
“I had no idea how good that would feel,” gasps Elle, catching her breath. “I feel ten pounds lighter.”
“Elle, you’re allowed to be unhappy sometimes and you have to make sure that you take care of you,” Anna says.
“She’s right,” I agree. “Of course you love Blake, no one would ever question that, but I seriously doubt that he expects you to be perfect. He loves all of you, not just the bright and shiny pieces.”
“You have to talk to him,” says Anna.
“I know. I just don’t want him to think that any of my unhappiness is because of him. I don’t want him to second guess my feelings or what I want. Because he’s it for me. I knew it the minute he came into the emergency room, sweaty, sick and so unbelievably handsome that he took my breath away,” she says.
“It’ll work out, just be honest with him,” I say.
“You’re right. God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to completely lose it.”
“We’re sisters, if we can’t lose it with each other than who can we lose it with?” says Anna.
We sip our drinks and Anna fills Elle in on her neighbour from hell situation. I smile along but I can’t help replaying Elle’s words over and over in my mind. She knew from the first moment she met him that Blake was the one. I don’t know if Ethan is the one for me, but I do know that my first reaction to him was stronger than it’s ever been with anyone else.
We finish our first round and decide to go back to my place and watch a movie instead of going to another bar. I spot Ethan standing at his usual place near the side wall and after a brief explanation of who exactly he is, I tell my sisters that I want to say goodbye to him first.
“I’m
confused,” says Anna. “So you’re sleeping together, you like him and he likes you but you haven’t actually established that you’re a couple?”
“Pretty much, I guess. Although it sounds better when I say it, and besides, there is such a thing as a casual new relationship, you know. Not everything has to be serious right from the beginning.”
“Hm,” she says.
“Oh spit it out, what exactly does that mean?”
“Nothing,” she says innocently. “It’s just, if you’re not a couple, does that mean that other girl has a shot with him?”
“What other gi-.” I turn around and see the new girl Maci leaning in toward him while she places her hand on his arm. He doesn’t encourage her and seems to be politely declining whatever invitation she’s offering. I can hear Anna and Elle snickering behind me when I abruptly stand from the table and make a beeline toward them. It’s probably immature but I can’t seem to help myself when I slide up next to him and wrap my arms around his waist. I give him a lingering kiss on the cheek and watch the disappointment flash across Maci’s face.
“Hey babe, I was looking for you earlier,” I say.
The corner of his mouth twitches as his arm snakes around behind me. “Oh were you?”
Maci mumbles a goodbye and heads back to the bar to fetch another tray full of drinks. I look up at Ethan and smile sweetly.
“I appreciate you staking your claim, but it wasn’t necessary,” he says. “I already told her no.”
“I’m sure you did. I was just coming over to say bye.”
“That’s the only reason you came over here, to say goodbye?”
“Yes.”
I press my lips to his before turning and walking casually toward Anna and Elle who are now waiting near the bar. They clap their hands dramatically and when I turn around and see a wide smile on Ethan’s face, I feel my skin flush and that familiar fluttering of butterflies.
Chapter 12
Ethan
It’s late by the time I park my Jeep and climb the stairs to Dru’s apartment. We didn’t have plans tonight but after seeing her at the club I knew I would end up here. Being with Dru distracts me from the reality of my past and whether I deserve that mercy or not, I find myself grasping onto it tightly and hanging on with all my might. I know that I’ll eventually have to tell her everything. She deserves to know what kind of man I am and I also know that once I do, I’ll lose her. I’m just not ready to let her go yet and I’m well aware that it makes me a selfish bastard, but I just can’t seem to help myself.
My last shift at The Nightingale was uneventful. The crowd was decent tonight, other than a few warning glances to a couple of tipsy college kids. I was backstage when Dru and her sisters arrived, but as soon as I was back on the floor I spotted her instantly. When the new dancer, Mary or whatever her name was came over and asked me if I wanted to grab a drink after work, I didn’t hesitate to say no. And it wasn’t because I could feel Dru’s eyes on me, although her little streak of jealousy was hot as hell. It was the fact that in the entirety of my currently disgraceful existence, Dru is the light. She’s the beacon of hope that I’m drawn to, giving me things I don’t deserve and making me feel things that I should be deprived of.
I knock softly and selfishly hope that her sisters have gone home. I can hear muffled footsteps and soon the lock clicks. She opens the door looking beautiful and sleepy, smiling up at me lazily as she steps aside.
“I wasn’t expecting you tonight,” she says.
I walk in and reach my arm around her, closing the door behind us and flipping the lock. She looks soft and inviting in a thin pair of flannel shorts and a soft blue T-shirt. Her hair hangs carelessly past her shoulders and her face has been wiped clean. She’s so fucking beautiful that it makes me ache. I bring my mouth to her neck and gently press my lips to her smooth skin.
“I wanted to see you. Did you have fun tonight?” I stay close and breathe in the faint smell of her perfume.
“Mm, yes actually. But I think the real fun is just beginning,” she says with a grin.
I lean back and see her brown eyes light up and the softness in her smile nearly unravels me. This incredible woman has me by the balls and she doesn’t even know it. She trails one dainty finger down my chest and dips it into the waistband of my jeans. The amusement slowly vanishes from her eyes and is replaced by desire as I wrap my hand around her wrist and pull her body to mine. She molds to me perfectly and wraps her arms around my neck. She’s still smiling sleepily when I press my mouth firmly to hers and take the gasp of surprise right from her lips. I wish I could take my time with her but the minute I have her soft curves beneath my hands, all my good intentions cease to exist. We stumble to her bed without breaking the tight hold we have on each other and when I feel the mattress behind my knees, I pull her down with me. She sits up and straddles me, pulling her shirt up and over her head before tossing it to the floor. I reach up and unclasp her plain white bra, freeing her perfect breasts I lean up and suck one hard tip into my mouth and bite down gently. Her fingers spear through my hair as she holds my head in place and moans softly. I release her pretty pink nipple and flip us over so that she’s caged beneath me. Pulling her shorts down her smooth sexy legs, I see that she’s bare underneath. The smell of her arousal has my mouth watering for a taste of paradise. I tug the hem of my shirt and pull it off, adding it to the pile on the floor and ignore my cock as it strains against my jeans, begging to be buried inside of her. I want to taste her first and when I lean down and nudge myself between her thighs I can hear the sharp intake of her breath. I take one long swipe with my tongue and pull her clit into my mouth. Her back arches off the bed as her hands grip my shoulders tightly.
“Mmm, Ethan,” she moans.
“Fuck, you taste so damn good.” I use my fingers to part her folds and press one finger inside of her as I suck her clit between my teeth and gently nip the tiny bud.
She’s slick and warm and so fucking ready for me. She’s always ready for me and it makes me feel like Goddamn royalty. I keep my mouth on her and sink another finger into her tight pussy as her thighs begin to shake and I can tell that she’s close to letting go. I crave her climax on my tongue like I’ve never craved anything before. She moans my name and grips my hair, bringing her hips closer to my face. A deep groan of satisfaction erupts from my chest over the notion that right now she’s mine. Her body writhes because of me, her tight channel pulses around my fingers and it’s my mouth that drinks in every drop of her sweet release when she finally falls apart, gasping for air.
As her thighs fall open and her body relaxes, I shed the rest of my clothes and cover her body with mine. Her sated gaze holds my own for a brief moment before she pulls me down and tastes herself on my lips. She moans into my mouth as she rolls me onto my back and straddles me, dragging her wet pussy along my aching cock. She slides back and forth, driving me crazy until I can’t take anymore. I grip her hips harshly, sinking into her until I’m buried as deep as I possibly can be. Her eyelids flutter as she sits up and remains still. She looks down at me and pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, grinning at me she begins to rock back and forth slowly. So fucking slowly. I keep my fingertips pressed into her flesh and continue to guide her, but she owns the pace and she’s in no rush.
“Ethan?”
“Yeah baby,” I groan.
She leans down and kisses me slowly, trailing her lips across my jaw and to my ear. “What does it feel like?” she whispers. “What does it feel like to be inside me?” she wonders with a moan.
Fucking hell. I flip us back over and pin one of her knees up to her chest, I begin to pull out before thrusting back into her. I repeat the motion until her breath is ragged and the only sound I can hear is the stream of moans tumbling from her full lips. I wait until I can feel her pussy tense around me before I bury my face in her neck.
“Heaven. It feels like fucking heaven Dru,” I rasp against her damp skin before we both fall over the edge and
I can feel every delicious inch of her throbbing around me.
She holds me close to her and when we’ve finally caught our breath and our heartbeats are no longer pounding against one another, I reluctantly pull out and roll onto my side, her body pressed firmly against mine. She trails her fingertips along my arm as we remain quietly wrapped around each other. I was by no means a virgin when I met Dru, but this is the most intimate that I’ve been with a woman in a long time. The closest thing to a steady relationship that I’ve ever had was with Lindsey, and even that is reaching. We used each other honestly and openly for nearly a year and before that I was a typical bachelor, picking up badge bunnies at the bar like every other guy on the force. Lying here with Dru, feeling her skin against mine and the brush of her touch is making me want things that I’ve never even considered. She sighs contently and I push the past from my mind, willing myself to just simply forget for a little while longer.
*
The scent of coffee pulls me from a dreamless sleep and when I open my eyes, the room is beginning to brighten and Dru is sitting up beside me leaning back against the headboard. She’s wearing my T-shirt from the night before and her sketch pad sits on her lap. She’s smiling as she uses a piece of charcoal and swipes it back and forth along the paper.
“Good morning,” she says as she continues to sketch.
“Good morning.” I reach up to pull her back down to the mattress but she swats my hand away and laughs.
“I’m not done yet,” she objects.
“What exactly are you planning on doing with these pictures that you have of me?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you? They’re the center piece for my exhibit. I’m going to frame them and sell them to some rich guy so he can hang them up in the bathroom of his country home,” she says casually.