“No way! Absolutely not,” she said, stunned, her eyes wide.
“You so want to,” he argued, sliding his hands under her shirt and not stopping until he found her breast. His thumb teased her nipple, eliciting a sweet moan from her.
“Uh,” she replied as he continued to manipulate her with his hands. “Maybe just the sex.”
“I’m pretty sure I can get you to say yes to a sex tape,” he said to her, before taking her lower lip between his and sucking on it.
“Oh, I am sure you can,” she said after he released her lip. Her hands cupped his face and captured his mouth in a deep kiss.
As they kissed, his mind wandered to his plans for this evening. He needed them to go as he’d planned. The rest of his life depended on this.
“I love you, Ethan,” she said, resting her head against his, her hands still on his face.
He smiled. From talk of sex tapes to love, she definitely was the woman of his dreams.
“I love you, Mia.”
She smiled happily and stole another kiss from him.
“Are we still set to leave for my place at noon?”
“Uh … yeah,” she said nervously. “I still have to pack though.”
“Well,” he said, giving her a gentle push off his lap. “Get to it! We only have an hour.”
“Okay, okay!” she said, standing in front of him. She offered her hand to him. “Come with me?”
“How can I resist that?” he answered, taking her small hand in his.
“You can’t!”
“No, I can’t,” he agreed, regarding her beautiful face and the amazing smile that graced it. He didn’t want to resist a thing.
She led him up the two flights of stairs to the master bedroom. He sat on the bed as she went about her packing.
“What are we doing tonight?” she asked as she studied a couple of dresses.
He shrugged his shoulders and scratched his head, the nerves rushing through him. He tried to remain cool. “I figured we could get a bite to eat downtown and maybe we can take a walk along the canal after that.”
“Oooh, that sounds nice,” she replied and tossed one of the dresses in her suitcase; the other she threw on the chair. “A date!”
“A date.”
“I forgot what those are like,” she said with a wink of her eye.
“Seriously?”
She chuckled as she headed back to the walk-in closet. “When was the last time we went out on an official date?”
“Two weeks ago. We went to the Art Institute and then we went out to dinner at that French place you like so much. Is that sparking any memory?”
“Oh yeah! I really just remember what happened once we got home,” she said with a wink of her eye.
“Why do I take you on dates if all you remember is the sex afterward?” he asked incredulously.
“No dates, no sex afterward,” she said as she returned to the room in a new outfit. She’d put on a pair of flared blue jeans, a pair of black sandal wedges and an ivory button-up shirt over a black bra. She’d rolled up her sleeves and half tucked the shirt into her jeans. Messy but so hot. That was his Mia.
“Well, you’re getting a date tonight,” he announced.
“You’ll get the sex then.”
“You mean you’ll get the sex then.”
“Yeah I will!” she agreed enthusiastically, quickly kissing his lips before heading to her dresser.
“Come back. I wasn’t done,” he playfully begged.
“Go take a shower. Cool yourself down,” she said with a knowing smile. He wanted her and badly.
“Join me?” he asked hopefully.
“No,” she said, pushing him towards the bathroom. “We have thirty minutes before we have to leave and I want my date tonight.”
He turned towards her and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his lips against hers, gently covering her mouth. He waited to speak until she found his eyes. “I hope I won’t disappoint.”
“That, my dear lover, is highly unlikely,” she said confidently. “Now shower.”
Mia
Indianapolis, later that day
Mia exited the restaurant and waited for Ethan who held the door for a cute elderly couple. The lady mentioned that it was their fifty-second wedding anniversary.
Fifty-two years together. Amazing, Mia thought.
She smiled at Ethan approaching her. She could easily spend fifty years with him. As he entwined his fingers with hers and they set off, she pictured them fifty years later, walking hand in hand, and the thought wasn’t anything but wonderful. She loved him and loved him a little bit more after the wonderful meal that they had shared.
“I’ve got to walk off dessert!” he exclaimed, guiding her across the street towards the Canal Walk. “You had to pick cheesecake.”
“Not any old kind of cheesecake—peanut butter cheesecake. It was so good!” she sighed happily. “Everything was fantastic. We are definitely going back there!”
“Makes a mental note,” he said, gazing down at her. “Take Mia to a restaurant with peanut butter cheesecake in order to obtain her dessert afterward.”
She laughed boisterously and leaned into him. He took that opportunity to kiss her forehead, lingering for a few moments before he spoke again.
“Thanks for joining me for dinner.”
“I just can’t say no to you, Ethan,” she said, looking up at him. An odd smile crossed his face before he tugged her hand and continued their walk. They remained quiet as he guided her past the Capitol building. A couple blocks later, he helped her down the steps to the Canal Walk.
Dusk had settled. The ground lights that illuminated their walk cast their glow onto the still water. She looked around and saw downtown Indianapolis surrounding her and by her side was Ethan still holding her hand—this was home.
Her ears picked up the lyrical sound of a fountain. She searched for the calming sound and found it on the other side of the canal by an old brick church.
“Can we go see the fountain over by the church?” she asked, squeezing his hand. He smiled in answer and they crossed over the bridge to the fountain. Stopping in front of it, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the water splashing and the beautiful song it made.
“Come here,” she ordered.
“Why?” he asked suspiciously, standing a good ten feet away. “I don’t want to get wet.”
“Come here,” she repeated. “I promise I won’t get you wet, you big baby. I just want to take a picture of us in front of the fountain.”
Ethan closed the distance between them and snuggled up to her, his rough cheek against her smooth skin. She closed her eyes and inhaled. God, he smelled so delicious. It made her want another serving of dessert. She took their picture and then turned to him.
“Want to head back?” she asked.
“You just want dessert,” he said smiling.
“I admit that could be part of the reason,” she said, taking his hand and leading him back up the stairs to the bridge over the canal. At the top of the bridge, he stopped her.
“How ‘bout a picture here?” he suggested. Mia nodded animatedly.
With their backs to the canal, she snapped a picture of them with the Indianapolis skyline in the background. She regarded the picture and smiled. They looked so damn good together.
“So, Mia, I kind of wanted to talk to you about something,” he said, interrupting her perusal of the picture. She had been so focused on the picture that she hadn’t noticed the fact that Ethan had gotten down on one knee.
One knee.
Her heart stopped. This couldn’t be what she thought it was, could it?
He extended his hand and left it in the air, waiting for her to take it. She stared at his large hand, and then quickly looked at his face. His reassuring smile had her placing her shaky hand in his.
“Ethan …” she said breathlessly, her heart now beating wildly in her chest, as he wrapped his long fingers around hers.
“Mia …” he smiled up at her. “Since the day I met you, you have made my life better. I have never smiled, laughed, been as happy or felt as loved as I do when I’m with you.”
He loosened his hold on her hand and started to get up. “That’s all I wanted to say.”
“What!?!” she exclaimed, not believing what she just heard. He chuckled as he knelt back down.
“I love you, Mia Devereux. Would you do me the great honor of marrying me?” he asked, displaying the ring he held in his other hand. She clasped her hand over her mouth as she stared at the ring, sparkling in the night light. A large diamond was surrounded by a bed of much smaller diamonds. Down the sides of the band, the diamonds graduated to smaller ones. So many freaking diamonds. It definitely wasn’t a modern ring. The word classic sprung to mind.
She couldn’t recall the last time she took a breath and consciously made herself take a deep breath before really regarding the man on his knee before her. The man who made her heart flutter with just a look, who made her feel safe in his arms, and who made her happier than she had ever been in her entire life. The man who wanted her as his wife. This was the easiest decision she’d ever made.
“Oh, hell yes!” Mia exclaimed, falling into his arms. Ethan lifted them up and twirled them in a circle. She searched for his mouth and showered kisses around his lips and along his jaw, tears spilling from her eyes.
She never thought this would ever happen; never expected him to tell her he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Oh my God, the rest of my life with him, she thought with a touch of panic before she smiled against his lips, feeling overjoyed.
He backed away slightly, studying her eyes. “You want to be my wife?” he asked again, not believing it.
Mia nodded excitedly, putting out her hand. She wanted that ring on her finger! She laughed joyously as he slipped the enormous ring on her finger.
“Are you sure you want me as your wife?”
“I am,” he laughed, wrapping her in his arms. “More than anything in this world.”
“I love you, Ethan.”
“I love you, too, suga.”
“We just got engaged!” she shouted, smacking her lips to his. “Best date ever!”
“Does that mean …” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“You better believe it!” she said, grabbing his hand. “Let’s go!”
“One sec. How about a picture?”
Mia handed Ethan her phone and placed her hands on his face, her engagement ring, glistening from the light, kissing him hard. He took the picture.
“Now that’s a picture I won’t ever forget.”
“Me either,” she said happily.
Mia
Kentucky, May 2007
Mia scanned the crowd for Luke. She needed to talk to him. She didn’t even think about what it would mean to wear her engagement ring out in public, let alone to a red carpet charity event the night before the Kentucky Derby with loads of national and local press all over the damn place.
Yeah, that mistake just made their engagement the talk of the party, she fumed. She needed to be the one to tell Luke, not some stranger or acquaintance at the party.
“Have you seen him?” she asked Ethan.
“No, suga,” he replied.
“I’ve got to find him, okay? I need to tell him about our engagement before he hears it from some stranger,” she said to him. He nodded, understanding in his eyes. He placed his lips on her forehead in a warm kiss.
“Don’t get lost. I’ve got my phone if you do.”
She smiled and shook her head at him. “Ha ha ha, funny guy. I’ll be back,” she said to him and then muttered under her breath, “I hope.”
Mia tried to make her way through the crowd but kept getting stopped by people wanting to congratulate her and see the ring, of course.
One of the well-wishers was someone from within the Flash organization. She should remember his name. Bad fiancée! At least she remembered his face. She asked him if he had seen Luke.
“Yeah, I just saw him before you. He’s over by the stairs.”
“Thank you,” she said, turning towards the stairs to the second floor. She spotted Luke in his tailored black suit, talking to someone on the upper floor landing. She waved up at him and he smiled. Making his excuses, he hurried down to her.
“God, you look beautiful!” Luke exclaimed, taking her hands and studying her.
Mia smiled up at him, blushing a little. She felt like a princess in her pale taupe embroidered floral dress, cinched in at the waist with a matching belt. The straight cut neckline and thin straps prevented too much cleavage from showing. She had straightened her hair and held it back in a high, sleek ponytail. “Thank you.”
“Quite a different look from what I saw today in the grocery store magazines,” he said, before taking her hand and guiding her back to the main party.
“Oh, God! You saw them?” she said, exhaling the words, so damn embarrassed.
“Yeah, me plus the whole rest of the world,” he said, his robust laughter could be heard over the noise of the crowd.
“Are you enjoying this?” she asked, looking up at his smiling eyes. They returned to the bar area and the noise level went up dramatically. Luke led them to a corner away from most people, yet it was still loud.
“Would you have really done it on the porch?” he said, his mouth against her ear, so only she could hear. “Because it sure looked like that was where it was headed.”
“No,” she lied, remembering how she wished she had been wearing a skirt. Luke raised his eyes, doubting her. He knew her too damn well. With a roll of his eyes at her, he mouthed “whatever.”
“Whatever!” she said back. “I can control myself.”
He had the nerve to laugh at her. “Now maybe the press will not be as invasive now that they have ‘proof’ that you’re together.”
She scratched her head right beside her ear. “You’d probably be right if we hadn’t done something else to cause them to get hungry again.”
“A sex tape?” he backed up, looking at her wide-eyed.
“No, perv,” she said, placing her left hand upon his. “Like the ring?”
“Yeah, it’s pretty,” he replied automatically. She smiled, watching the realization of what the ring signified cross his face. “Holy shit! Ethan asked you to marry him?”
“He did!” she answered happily.
But that happiness didn’t last long. She saw the sudden look of pain in Luke’s eyes before he recovered with a smile and hugged her quickly. “Oh, Mia! I am happy for you!”
“Are you?” she asked, fighting the unexpected tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
“I am. Really,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“I feel kind of weird about it with you, considering our past.”
“Don’t. Please. That was in the past. Okay? Now in this moment, you are my best friend and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
She didn’t believe him. He protested too much. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t push, Mia. Just let me be happy for you and Ethan,” he said abruptly, breaking the embrace. “Your fiancé is looking for you.”
Leaving her standing alone in the corner, Mia watched Luke head straight to the bar. She was confused and hurt. What just happened? She expected her best friend to be excited that she’d gotten engaged. Not abrupt and cold like he’d been.
She looked around and did see Ethan searching for her just as Luke had said. The smile Ethan had on his face washed away any thoughts about Luke.
“Hi, suga,” Ethan said once he reached her. “Come dance with me?”
“You want to dance with me?” she asked incredulously. In all their time together, they had yet to dance and she didn’t even know if he could.
“Well, it’s just an excuse to be able to touch you, really,” he said with a sly grin.
“Can’t you just wait for that until we get home?” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“No. Now, dance with me,” he demanded, holding out his hand. Taking his offered hand, Mia let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Ethan pulled her into his arms, their joined hands by his chest. She rested her head near his shoulder; his cheek found her forehead. For a moment, she enjoyed the peace being in his arms brought her.
That was until she opened her eyes and spotted Luke speaking to a beautiful blonde woman. He was charming her, Mia could see it. He asked her something and the blonde smiled and nodded. She left and before he followed, he downed his drink.
Oh, Luke, what is wrong, Mia thought. She knew something was bothering him and when it did, he closed himself off from the cause, which unfortunately seemed to be her.
Luke and Blondie made their way to the dance floor. Mia couldn’t look at them anymore. She knew what his desired outcome was. She remembered his moves, except then they were done with love. Now it was to forget. When they made eye contact and he looked away, she knew it was big and that scared her. But it also angered her. They needed to talk—tonight. She clenched her hand that was holding Ethan’s suit jacket, pulling down on the fabric.
“Suga, are you alright?” Ethan asked, a hint of concern lacing his voice.
Mia studied the handsome face of her fiancé regarding her. God, she loved the sound of that—her fiancé.
“I am wonderful,” she replied, not the entire truth but when it was just them, it was. He tilted her head up and placed his lips on hers in a kiss that took her breath away with its sweetness.
The dance floor erupted in a chorus of hoots, hollers, and cheers. With her head buried against his chest, she laughed. The crowd continued to applaud until she stepped away from Ethan and curtsied.
Right after that, the music stopped and the host made his way up to the microphone. Ethan stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his chin resting on top of her head.
“Thank you all for coming out tonight,” the host started. “I hope you are having a great time. We’ve been at this for over twenty-five years, now, raising money to help battle childhood cancers with your support and very generous donations. The auction will be coming up shortly. There are some very exciting items available. Please, if you haven’t already done so, go take a look.”
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