by Unknown
“Well, I had planned to take you to the Austin City Limits festival. There are a couple of really good bands playing and I thought you might like to hear them. Now all I can think about is spending the time in bed with you.”
Annalise looked at his precious face and made a promise. “Ethan, if you’ll take me to the festival when we get back home I will spend the rest of the night showing you my deepest, most heartfelt appreciation.”
“Deal.” They enjoyed their meal, the dogs made two new friends—a poodle and a German Shepherd—and everything seemed to be perfect until a strong waft of French perfume caused Ethan’s stomach to turn over.
Annalise looked up into the not-so-friendly face of Ethan’s ex-wife. As always, Francine was impeccably dressed in a simple designer outfit that had probably cost a small fortune. “Ethan, I see you’ve finally got what you wanted, you’ve hooked yourself back up with the small town slut.”
Annalise felt every muscle in Ethan’s body tense. He stood up and immediately walked his ex-wife out of hearing range of the wide-eyed customers. Many were looking at Annalise with interest; she occupied herself with the two dogs until Ethan returned. He paid the check and led her and the dogs out toward the car. “I’m sorry about that.”
Annalise started to say everything was fine, but then Francine stepped out from behind a car with hands on her hips. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Ethan. I have a few things I want to say to this trash-writing bimbo of yours.” There was a man standing some distance away, looking as if he wished he were anywhere but there. Ethan put a protective arm around Annalise and they faced her together. “Ann Pace, I’ve read all your books. They’re quite erotic. How many men has she slept with Ethan? Are you tired of second-hand leavings yet?”
“Annalise is twice the woman you are, Francine.”
Annalise wanted to tell him not to engage her in any kind of argument, but before she could say anything Francine continued. “How is he in bed, Miss Pace? Is he able to get it up? I never even had an orgasm with him; Ethan was a terrible disappointment between the sheets.”
Annalise could stand it no longer. “Francine, you are pitiful. Ethan is a superb and generous lover. In the past twenty four hours, he has brought me great joy…four times!” Annalise glanced at Ethan, expecting him to be furious, but he was actually smiling. He started to lead her to his car, but Francine wasn’t quite through yet.
“You’ll never satisfy her Ethan, she’s known too many men. Soon, she’ll leave you and hunt a real man!” They finally got away from her. When Ethan opened the car door for her, his hand was shaking. Annalise put Tiny and Mojo in the miniscule back seat and waited for Ethan to get in the car. He didn’t. She looked around for him and found him standing at the back of the vehicle. She didn’t know what to do. She was about to go to him, but he finally turned and got in the car. Just as soon as he sat down, she took him in her arms.
“I’m so sorry, baby. That woman is a bitch!” She kissed his cheeks, his eyelids and then his mouth. He did not kiss her back. Without a word, he started the silver Dodge Viper and backed out of the parking lot.
Annalise didn’t know what to think. Francine had said some horrible things. She watched his face as he maneuvered through traffic. When they had gotten out of Austin, she spoke. “Please, talk to me, Ethan. Don’t shut me out.”
“Lise, I don’t know what to say. Francine is so vicious. I am so sorry you had to hear all of that.” His voice was very tight and low.
“She is to be pitied, Ethan. Don’t let what she said ruin our day. I want to be with you so badly. I cherish the time we have together. Please don’t let her lies affect how you feel about me.” Ethan slowed the car and pulled completely off the highway and into a small roadside park. He put the car into park so fast it jerked the whole car.
“Lise, I do please you in bed, don’t I?”
Her heart melted. The car wasn’t very big, but it was big enough. She crawled into his lap sitting astraddle with her back to the steering wheel. He jammed his seat back as far as it would go. Thankful she had changed out of her jeans and into one of her comfortable sundresses; she reached below and unfastened his jeans. She felt him growing as she freed him from his clothing. “Can you rip these, please?” She took his hands in hers and placed them under her skirt, so he could feel her filmy lace panties. Taking both hands, he tore the fabric as if it were tissue paper. He pulled them from between her legs and flung them in the other seat.
“I’ll buy you another pair.”
“Whatever.” She eased up and he entered her, full, hard, and hungry. “Now, listen to me closely, Ethan,” She said the words softly, yet with heartfelt conviction. “I tremble with desire for you. I ache just thinking about you filling me. Now that you’re inside me, I want to scream from the sheer pleasure you’re giving me. You are the most wonderful of lovers. I come every time you’re inside me and I come every time I think about you inside me.” As she spoke the words, she showed him with her body how much she cared, how much he meant to her, how much she desired him. “I could never tire of loving you.” She spoke the last word as tremors racked his body. She kissed his lips then bit his neck, gently, in her passion.
Ethan laid his head against her heart. “Thank you. You’ve proved this to me over and over. I can tell that I please you in bed. You are so open and so giving. It’s just that seeing her, listening to her, brought all these terrible memories to mind. I was miserable before you came back. I just hope I can be the one that makes you happy. I just hope I can make you forget the other men in your life.”
Annalise took his precious face in her hands and lifted it up to her lips. “What other men are you talking about, Ethan? Sweetheart, I’ve never made love with anybody but you. And I don’t intend to ever make love with anyone but you.”
Ethan was stunned. “There’s been no one?”
She shook her head.
“How can that be? You are gorgeous, smart and successful. I don’t understand how you’ve kept men beat off with a stick. Hell, I can’t be in the same room with you without wanting to make love to you. I’m sure that any other red-blooded man would feel the same way.”
She wished they weren’t having this conversation. “Ethan, I’m different with you. Other men don’t turn my head. Besides, I just don’t meet that many men. I don’t go to places where men congregate. I write for women, I have women editors, a woman agent. I shop online.”
“What if you had never come here, what if we had never found one another again? Were you planning to always be alone?” When he said it, it didn’t sound plausible. She tried to come up with something other than the truth. She couldn’t.
“Yes, I would have remained alone.” When he looked as if he were going to continue the third degree, she held up one small hand. “Please, Ethan. I have my reasons. I promise I will tell you what they are, just not now. I need more time.” She could tell he was not happy with her. It broke her heart to see anything other than a smile on his beautiful face.
* * * *
They arrived back at the Lost Maples at three o’clock. Annalise prayed Ethan was alright. He hadn’t said much since she confessed he had been her only lover. The fact that she was hiding something from him was beginning to throw up a barrier between them. Everything within her wanted to just open up and tell him about the assault, the scars, Jeffrey—all of her sorrows—but she knew that would the most selfish thing she could ever do.
He parked the car and took both dogs for a much needed walk. She picked up the little scrap of lace that used to be her panties.
As she was about to enter her cabin, Alex walked up. Annalise even felt guilty talking to Ethan’s brother. “I presume everything is going well.”
“We ran into Francine today.”
“Shit.”
“Alex, Ethan is going to be hurt. You’ve got to do something to help me.”
“What can I do?
“I want you to have a party. Invite as many young, eli
gible, sexy women as you can find.” Alex stared at her as if she had lost her mind. “Alex, Ethan loves me. He really loves me and God help me, I love him more than you can possibly imagine. But I can’t stay, Alex. I’m loving him with everything I have, but I’m also trying to protect myself and him from…from…my ugly reality. I’ve thought about more surgery, but I have no idea if that will work. We need to make Ethan realize there are hundreds of women out there that would love to be with him. Alex, please help me distract your brother.”
“That’s the stupidest plan I’ve ever heard. Why don’t you just show Ethan the scars, tell him the truth—maybe he loves you enough that it won’t matter.”
She wanted to scream, she was so frustrated. “Alex, Ethan would stay with me—that’s the problem. I’m convinced now that he would never let on. He would continue to make love to me, just as before, I would never be able to tell the difference. But I would know! I can’t live like that.”
“I hear you. I don’t agree with you, but I hear you. Let me tell you this, I know my brother. We are basically just alike and I know how I would feel if I were him. You are absolutely beautiful. If you belonged to me, I can tell you that a few scars would not deter me in the least.” Alex was so sweet and so sincere Annalise had to fight hope from growing in her heart.
“It’s not a few scars, Alex. You can’t imagine how horrible it is. I have been so careful making love to your brother. I make sure it’s dark, I try to—oh, don’t make me say it. I can’t risk it, Alex. Now, if I walk away, especially if Ethan finds someone new, I’ll be able to survive. I’ll have my memories to keep me warm, but if I were to see the light die in his eyes after seeing the real me…that would kill me.”
Ethan walked back up about that time; she’d watched he put the dogs in the main house. He looked from one to the other. “What’s going on?”
She decided to get a step ahead of Ethan’s brother. “Alex is planning a party.”
This news didn’t surprise Ethan; he had been expecting it. “In fact, a party sounds pretty good. It’s been a long time since we entertained. Let me know what I can do to help.” Alex nodded and excused himself fairly quickly.
When Ethan turned back around he was his old self. “I have a request.” He walked slowly toward her. She stood her ground. Relieved, she sensed he had let the earlier drama go.
“Anything.” Except the truth.
“Tonight, when we go to the concert wear a loose top and no bra.” She looked at him curiously, not really understanding. “Humor me. This time it’s my fantasy.”
“All right.”
Then he turned serious and took her by the hand. “Come in, I want to talk to you away from prying eyes.” Annalise looked around and noticed ten pairs of eyes were watching every move they made. There were curious people sitting on almost every porch. She followed him into her cabin.
As soon as he shut the door, she was in his arms. He held her close. He didn’t attempt to kiss her; instead he cradled her to him placing his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her eyes. “I’m so sorry about today. I had such high expectations and then everything just went to hell. I want to explain to you exactly how I feel about all of this. I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings between us. Francine is nothing to me, so her opinion means nothing. Sex with you is—hell, it’s not sex—making love with you is absolutely the most thrilling thing I have ever done. Unlike you, I have had several lovers. Francine made me doubt myself, but I can tell the difference between a woman who tolerates my lovemaking and one who revels in it. Your response to my touch, to my kiss, to my body is the most incredibly exciting thing I have ever experienced. Our fantastic chemistry is not the norm—it is extremely rare. And I want you to know I cherish you—instead of questioning why you have never had another lover—I ought to get down on my knees and thank high heaven you chose to love me instead of the millions of other guys out there that would give their eye teeth to love you. I don’t understand how or why I got so damn lucky, but I want you to know you are my world, you are my life and you are my love.” When he finished speaking, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him until they were both gasping for breath.
“Now get ready for a night out on the town. We’re headed to the UT campus for the Austin City Limits and afterward we’re taking in 6th Street. I’ll be back over after you in two hours. But remember the dress code I requested.” He kissed her one more time then he was gone.
Annalise let out a ragged breath. By the time Ethan had got through speaking, she had felt as if her heart was being ripped from her chest. She loved him so much. Her brain was going crazy. Thoughts she should never be having were running through her mind. Could she have more surgery? Could there be a way for them to be together? She sat down on her bed and shook like a leaf.
* * * *
The hands on the clock were not still. If she didn’t get up and get ready, Ethan would find her in the same clothes he left her in. In the shower, she tortured herself once more. She tried to look at her thighs and vulva with a critical eye. She tried to imagine Ethan looking at her without benefit of the cloaking darkness. It had been four years since her marriage to Jeffrey; maybe the ridges were smaller and paler. A hand mirror from the vanity drawer gave her the answer she needed. As much as she wanted it to be different, in her eyes the scars were still as disgusting as they ever were. If it had been her mirror, she would have thrown it against the wall. But it wasn’t so she replaced it where she had found it.
She turned on the hot water and resolved to quit feeling sorry for herself. Ethan wouldn’t be hers forever, but he was hers tonight. She treated her body as if it were perfect; she creamed, perfumed and pampered as if it were her wedding night and she was a pure, perfect bride. When Ethan came to pick her up, he found her in a pair of soft Dolce jeans and a cotton shirt that was a throwback to the peasant blouse, gathered around the neck and swinging loose in soft pleats to just above the waist. As requested, she was braless.
Austin City Limits was filmed on the UT campus in a studio on Whitis Street. They parked in one of the nearby garages and made their way over to the performance area. The White Keys and SOFRO were set to play tonight and Annalise couldn’t help but skip a few steps as they made their way across the campus. She held hands with Ethan and her heart felt as light as a feather. She was determined they would enjoy the night. Annalise decided no one knew what tomorrow held, people lived for today and kept tomorrows at bay all the time. This is what she would do.
The studio held about three hundred and fifty. There were tables and chairs and Ethan chose one near the middle, but off to one side. It seemed he was opting for as much privacy as a crowd could offer. Soon the room filled to overflowing with an excited crowd. Ethan got a beer for himself and a margarita for her. When she looked up at him, he was watching her with such tenderness she sat her drink down and kissed him full on the mouth. When the house lights came down and the music started, Ethan’s fantasy began. He turned her chair sideways in front of his so she could sit back almost in his lap, having no chair back between them. He pulled her back against him and over the music and whispered in her ear. “I was here alone about a year ago. You were all I could think about. I imagined you were here with me, just like this. Absolutely surrounded by people, the music is wild and our hearts are racing. You have on a soft loose blouse and when I pull you back against me, there is absolutely no reason why I can’t cup your naked breasts in my hands. No one can see and I don’t have to stop.”
The bands played, the crowd cheered and Annalise lay in her lover’s arms and enjoyed the sweetest caresses imaginable. At times she closed her eyes, hovering very near orgasm. It thrilled her that Ethan enjoyed himself so much. At one point, he spread his legs to bring her closer to him and it was obvious he was completely and utterly aroused. She held her head back and he kissed her deeply and passionately.
The concert was being filmed and whenever the camera would pan their way, Ethan would attempt to ensure the camer
a could not interpret their actions. What the camera could not ignore was the look of joy on her face. Although Annalise enjoyed the music, for her the concert passed in a haze of pleasure. What the hell, she could buy a CD; but the time spent in Ethan’s arms had been priceless.
They walked back to the parking garage. He held her close to him every step of the way. When they reached the car, he walked around it carefully. “I’m always afraid somebody will ding my paint job.” He seemed satisfied the beautiful Viper was untouched. Annalise smiled at his obvious love for his car. He held the door open for her. When he joined her, he took the time to thank her. “That was the most fun I’ve ever had at a concert. The only problem was my constant state of arousal.”
“Oh, love, we can take care of that right here.” Annalise reached for him.
“Stop it, temptress.” He laughed. “Remember, what you promised me this morning—tonight is all about pleasuring you. I can’t wait for you to see what comes next.”
He paid the fee as they left the garage and drove to a similar one closer to the downtown area. He found a parking place that suited him, helped her out of the car and asked, “Did you come to 6th Street while you were at UT?”
“No, I guess I had other things on my mind.” She couldn’t tell him she had been too traumatized after her experience in Houston to walk down the rowdy avenue with crowds rivaling the festival atmosphere on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. But with Ethan at her side, she was fine. He kept her close, his arm around her as they maneuvered the throng, bars of every description and theme sat side by side. Finally, he turned into a place called Prospero’s Pub. The crowd appeared to be a little older here and the music wasn’t quite as loud. He pulled her to the very back of the elongated bar, through several rooms until they came to a back patio. A man saw them coming and he greeted Ethan with a wave of the hand. “Ethan, I have everything ready for you.”