by Linda Warren
“Do you believe that?”
“Not for a minute. If it was true, there’d be no reason to guard her like they were.”
“Will Daniel continue looking?” She was disappointed they hadn’t found the stripper, but with these new feelings the setback didn’t overwhelm her.
“Oh, yeah. Tomorrow’s another day and we will find out what’s going on, but right now I don’t want to think about anything else besides us.”
She didn’t, either. The stripper had been uppermost in her mind for days, but now Ethan took center stage, and all she wanted was to be with him. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
He pulled her up to him and they kissed deeply. She slid onto him and let herself indulge in pure pleasure. She felt his hardness and a bubble of excitement ran through her.
Drawing her lips away, she said in a teasing voice, “Didn’t you tell me you were too old to be tempted by a woman my age?”
“Yeah.” He grinned.
“Then what I’m feeling against my leg is a figment of my overactive imagination?”
He laughed out loud and rolled her onto her back. It was the first time she’d heard him laugh, and it warmed her through and through. He definitely needed to laugh more.
Ethan kissed the sprinkling of light freckles across her nose, then his lips glided down to her breasts and tasted the freckles there. Continuing the journey lower, his mouth tantalized and teased, and soon her pleasure began to spiral out of control.
He lifted his head and gazed deeply into her dreamy eyes. They stared at each other for several seconds, then he slid into her. “How does that feel?” he asked in a raspy voice.
She took a quick breath. “Ah…perfect.”
“Oh, Serena,” he groaned as his lips took hers with a fierce need that was echoed in every nerve in her body. He started to move and she met each thrust until they soared higher and higher…. Spasms of pleasure shuddered through her as Ethan moaned his release a moment later.
Neither thought about his hip.
Ethan held her close, thinking of so many things, but especially his gratitude. Gratitude for Serena Farrell. Gratitude that she’d given him back an essential part of himself—his manhood. Another world waited outside the motel room, but he decided it could wait. For now he would just think about the beautiful woman in his arms.
He reached up to turn off the light. “Go to sleep, sweet Serena,” he murmured.
I love you, Ethan.
“I’ll always remember this time with you,” he said.
Everything in her froze. Ethan’s words meant he wasn’t looking beyond tonight. That hurt. She’d told him earlier that they were two adults who could handle the consequences. Now she was wondering if she could.
When they’d made love the first time, Ethan had asked if she was protected. She’d told him she was and she hadn’t lied, but she now knew Ethan didn’t want any little surprises in the future. Did that mean he didn’t envision her in his future? Probably not. She closed her eyes, but all she could see was Ethan. All she could feel was Ethan. It would be different tomorrow, she told herself. Her problems would resume, and Ethan would be nothing but a pleasant memory.
Try as she might, she couldn’t make herself believe it. Love didn’t disappear that easily. At least not for her.
ETHAN AWOKE feeling refreshed and young again. His hip didn’t ache. He’d never felt so damn good in his life, and it was all because of the woman lying in his arms. His right leg lay across hers and his arm rested against her waist. His left arm was underneath her and had gone numb, but he didn’t care, not one bit. It occurred to him that he wouldn’t mind waking up like this for the rest of his life. He was getting in so deep that he suddenly had trouble breathing. He didn’t mind that, either.
Ethan had the rest of his life all planned out. He would live on his ranch and continue to help his family, taking the odd case when the restlessness drove him. He figured he’d already lived his life and now all he needed was peace and tranquillity. Looking at Serena, he felt like a completely different man, as if his life was just starting. He’d only known her a few days, but she was changing his way of thinking, his way of feeling. He wondered what she’d say if he told her that. They hadn’t talked about commitment or the future; it was too soon. Or was it? It had been so long since he’d had these kinds of emotions that he felt as insecure as a sixteen-year-old boy.
He’d take one day at a time, he decided, and see where the future took them. Other than that, there wasn’t much he could do but be there for her, which he intended to do.
For a moment he watched her sleep, studying each feature—the silky skin, pert nose, fine reddish-brown eyebrows and eyelashes and those adorable freckles. The copper hair that lay everywhere was breathtaking. Unable to resist, he pushed the hair away from her face and gently kissed the freckles on her nose.
“Ethan,” she murmured sleepily, as if she was used to waking up to his kisses.
“Go back to sleep,” he said. “I’m going to the county clerk’s office to check for your mom’s death certificate.”
She rubbed her head against him. “I want to go, too.”
“There’s nothing you can do, so get some rest. You had a very active night.”
“Mmm.” A smile tugged at her lips.
“I’ll be back before you know it.” He kissed her again and crawled out of bed. Within minutes he was dressed and headed for his truck.
IT DIDN’T TAKE Ethan long to reach the clerk’s office. It was early, so the traffic wasn’t bad and he had to wait for the office to open. The county clerk was out, which meant he had to deal with an assistant. She was very cooperative after he showed her his P.I. badge and explained the case he was working on. In short order, he had the information in hand, but he had to dig deeper. Something wasn’t making sense.
Thirty minutes later the mystery was solved, and it was so simple it should’ve occurred to him sooner. Now he had to tell Serena. He didn’t have to wonder how she’d take it. He knew—with courage and determination.
On the way back to the motel, he picked up coffee and doughnuts. He’d been so eager to get to the clerk’s office that he hadn’t even taken time for coffee. Now he’d have it with Serena. He smiled. She’d have to talk herself into eating a doughnut and he’d enjoy every second.
SERENA SCRAMBLED out of bed feeling lonely. She missed Ethan. She missed everything about him—his touch, his warmth, his stubbornness. How could this have happened so quickly? She’d asked herself that same question last night and she still had no answer. It didn’t matter anymore. The way she felt was all that mattered.
The future was a blur, uncertain, but her feelings for Ethan were real and she would hold on to that. His words of last night came back to her. I’ll always remember this time with you. She pushed them away, determined not to let them destroy her happiness.
She’d think about her mother, her grandmother and the mysterious red-haired stripper later. Now she just wanted to enjoy whatever time she had with the man she loved. Hurry back, Ethan.
ETHAN OPENED the motel-room door and paused, looking around. The bed was empty and everything was quiet. He removed his hat and set the coffee and doughnuts in a chair. Had Serena left? His heart raced alarmingly.
Suddenly she came out of the bathroom fully dressed, her hair pinned up, and he let out a sigh of relief. They stared at each other, the morning after a little awkward for a moment, then Serena ran across the room and into his arms. They kissed until their breathing became labored.
“You were gone too long,” she murmured, trying to catch her breath.
“But I brought coffee and doughnuts,” he said, wanting a little more time before he had to tell her the truth.
“Just what I was wishing for.”
He reluctantly moved away to get the coffee and handed her a cup. “It already has cream in it.”
“Thank you.” She sat on the bed and sipped it, delighted by his thoughtfulness but not surprised—because her
heart had already told her Ethan was that kind of man.
He offered her a doughnut. “Eat it and don’t think about the calories.” His eyes darkened. “We’ll work them off later.”
She met his gaze. “I like that idea.”
He did, too, but he wasn’t sure it was going to happen. Everything would change when he told her what had taken place all those years ago. He was wondering why she hadn’t asked yet.
She finished off the doughnut and licked her fingers, eyeing him with a sheepish grin. “How’s the hip?”
When anyone else asked that question, he became tense and frustrated, but with her he couldn’t object. With her he didn’t seem to have any defenses left.
He looked into her eyes. “Great. Better than ever.”
“I’m glad.”
Ethan watched her provocative movements as she continued to lick her fingers. All he could think about was tasting each finger, then slowly kissing the rest of her body. But he forced his mind elsewhere. Other things took precedence. He got up and threw his cup in the trash then he sat beside her, needing to be close when he told her.
“You have something to tell me, don’t you?” she asked guardedly.
“Yes.”
She swallowed. “Is my mother dead or alive?” She’d been afraid to ask, but now she couldn’t avoid it.
“She’s dead,” he answered. “She died from injuries she received in that car accident, just like your grandmother told you.”
She bit her lip. “Somehow…I guess…I was hoping she was alive. It would explain the stripper, but now…”
Ethan had grown very still beside her and she knew there was more. “What is it?”
“Your grandmother didn’t tell you the whole truth.”
“She didn’t?”
“No, your mother wasn’t married. Jasmine Farrell is the name on the death certificate and there’s no record of her marriage.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t expected this, but she should have. Gran was a stickler for propriety and probably couldn’t stand the idea of Jasmine living with John Welch, so she’d told everyone Jasmine had married him. “I guess that was something else Gran couldn’t face.”
“Maybe, but I searched a little deeper and found—”
“What?”
“Jasmine Farrell gave birth to twin girls.”
“What!”
She leapt to her feet and began to pace. Twin girls. She knew the woman was her double, and a small part of her had known there was only one way they could look so much alike. They were twins—had to be. But she didn’t want to let herself believe that because it meant her grandmother had lied to her, deceived her. She had to say the words out loud. “That means the stripper’s my sister. My twin. Oh, God, where has she been all these years? Why would my grandmother keep that a secret?”
“My guess is that Sarah was raised by the Welches.”
Her eyes jerked to his. “Sarah?”
“Yes, her name is Sarah Welch. It’s on the birth certificate. Your grandparents gave you their name, and the Welches obviously did the same with Sarah.”
She sank down beside Ethan. “Hold me, please.” The plea in her voice tied his stomach in knots and he slipped his arms around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.
“Serena and Sarah,” she murmured as if in a daze.
He kissed her forehead. “I think you have to talk to your grandmother now.”
“Yes.” She raised her head. “She has to tell me the truth, but I can’t understand why they separated us and kept it a secret.”
“I’m sure they had a good reason, or at least what sounded good to them at the time.”
“No.” Serena jerked to her feet. “No reason was good enough to separate us.”
“Don’t overreact,” he warned.
“It’s hard not to.” She started to pace again. “Can you imagine what kind of life Sarah has to be living as a stripper?”
“Well, I’ve thought from the start that she’s being forced to strip. She has a fear in her eyes that doesn’t come from exposing herself.” He stood and caught Serena by her forearms. “You go home and maybe you can straighten all this out with your grandmother. In the meantime I’ll get with Daniel and do a check on Sarah and the Welches. That should give us an address—and a lot more.”
“Okay,” she said without much enthusiasm.
“You have my cell number?”
“Yes.”
“And I have yours.”
The incredible news she’d just heard was overshadowed by the thought that her time with Ethan was ending. Why did that hurt so much more? She knew the answer: because she couldn’t change the past, and the future stretched endlessly before her—without Ethan.
Ethan reached for his hat and stepped toward the door. He wanted to kiss her, wanted to turn back the clock and leave their problems outside this room. That wasn’t realistic, though; once he walked through that door, things would be different. For her, for him, for whatever they had together. But life was about changes, he told himself, and how you dealt with them.
A lump formed in Serena’s throat as he opened the door. “Goodbye, Ethan.” The words slipped out. They weren’t the words she wanted to say, but they were the words that came from her throat, not her heart.
Goodbye. They would talk on the phone until the situation about Sarah was resolved, but he knew that now they’d go their separate ways. His chest felt tight, and against his will he looked back at her, then wished he hadn’t. Her blue eyes were watery, and his chest grew tighter. Say goodbye and get it over with. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. All he could do was walk quietly out the door.
ETHAN SOON GOT his emotions under control. He would see her again. He was determined about that, but… He called Daniel Garrett to get his mind on something else. Daniel wasn’t expected in for another hour, so Ethan decided to stop by Travis’s and see Molly. He didn’t like her involvement with Boyd and he couldn’t wait any longer to tell her what he’d learned.
When he arrived at Travis’s door, it swung open and Bruce walked out. Ethan was taken aback. “What are you doing here?” he asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.
Bruce scowled. “Trying to talk some sense into Molly.”
“Oh?”
“She has a seventeen-year-old son to raise and she’s left him with Pop while she’s busy singing in a nightclub. That’s absurd! And have you seen the way she looks? She doesn’t even look like herself anymore.”
Ethan held up his hand. “That’s enough. You’re the one who left Molly, and if you’re not happy with how she’s living her life, then that’s your problem. As for your son, he’s a big boy and needs little supervision. Besides, Molly talks to him every day. I think this break has been good for Molly and Cole.”
“I guess you’re right,” Bruce admitted grudgingly. “At least Cole’s talking to me again.” His face suddenly crumpled. “I want my son back. I want…”
Ethan watched him for a moment. “I don’t think you know what you want.”
Bruce glanced off at the bright blue sky. “I thought I did, but now… I want my son not to hate me.”
This was like the old Bruce, and Ethan found he was more sympathetic than angry with him. “Give it time. It takes time for wounds to heal.”
“Yeah, if they ever do,” Bruce said.
Ethan walked into the apartment expecting to find Molly in tears, her usual reaction when she was around Bruce. But she was dressed, not a tear in sight. She slung her purse over her shoulder.
“Ethan, I thought I heard your voice.” She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
“I met Bruce outside,” he said, waiting for her reaction. None came.
“He’s upset that I’m singing in a club. Can you believe that? And of course, he talked about Cole. He wants him at the wedding. I told him that’s Cole decision, not mine.”
“You’re taking this very well.”
“I’m not crying over Bruce anymore,” was her r
esponse. “For so long he was my whole world, but I’ve found there’s another world out there. I’m still young, reasonably attractive, and I plan to enjoy my life without constantly thinking about Bruce.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Did you come to this conclusion all by yourself?”
“Rudy had a lot to do with it.”
That’s what I was afraid of. Nevertheless he had to tell her. It was going to break her heart and he didn’t know if he could stand that. Still…
“Oh.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’ve got to run.”
“Where’re you going?”
“I promised Rudy I’d do an errand for him and I don’t want to be late.”
“An errand?”
“Yeah, he’s very involved with one of the boys’ clubs. They helped turn his life around when he was a kid and he wants to repay them for that. So he provides new sports equipment every once in a while. He’s buying baseball uniforms, balls, bats and gloves for everyone, and I promised to pick them up.”
“Really?”
“The plane lands in thirty minutes and I need to be there.”
Ethan frowned. “Plane? Where are the uniforms coming from?”
Molly shrugged. “I don’t know, but he had them specially made. Isn’t he wonderful?”
Ethan couldn’t answer that. He was trying to take in what she’d said. A plane? That immediately raised suspicions.
“I really need to talk to you,” Ethan said quickly as Molly moved to the door.
She turned. “I’m fine. I can even see Bruce without getting upset. You don’t have to worry about me.” Before he could respond, she was gone.
He was worried about her, he couldn’t help it. His instincts told him something about Boyd wasn’t right. Now he had to figure out exactly what that something was.
SERENA PURPOSEFULLY PACKED her bag, refusing to think about Ethan. She thought, instead, about what she’d learned. She had a sister. A twin. Why had her grandmother lied to her? She had to find out, she had to have answers.
With her bag in the car, she glanced back at the motel. It represented a moment out of time that would always be with her. She felt tears gather in her eyes again. “Goodbye, Ethan,” she whispered, and backed out of the parking lot.