by Cara North
Grace hoped she would sit down, so she could escape Ethan awhile. She wanted to ask Megan more about him. He wasn’t at all what she was expecting. She liked him. Of course, he was gorgeous, but he was funny and flirty, and he paid her an unusual amount of attention. She didn’t know what to do with him really. Well she did, but he was Chase’s brother, so she wouldn’t.
Once Megan and Chase were actively in the mix, it was easy to talk, mainly because they talked while Grace listened. Ethan did his best to include her. It was really becoming uncomfortable to have his full attention. She wasn’t used to it. He pulled out her chair at lunch and dinner. He also let her order first. Mitchell never did any of those things.
He insisted she try what he had for dinner and made no hesitation to try her meal. He acted like he had known her forever, but he had only known her a day.
Of course, Grace and Megan didn’t order desserts. Ethan and Chase did. Ethan insisted Grace try his. She reached for a spoon, but he gave her a bite off his own. Having him feed her, though it was innocent enough, seemed provocative. Maybe it was the look in his eye. Whatever it was, Grace was still burning from it.
Ethan always seemed so comfortable. She started to feel more relaxed around him in some ways like talking, but more wound up in others. Like the butterflies when he was sweet, and the lightning style fire when he touched her. Ever since he put the sun-block on, he touched her a lot. Not inappropriate touching but Grace felt the simple brushes like strokes of fire across her skin.
* * * *
It was about nine thirty that night when they headed back to her house on Ann Street. She never would have believed she could spend a whole day in this town exploring, yet they had. Apparently Ethan and Chase had lived a fairly luxurious life full of travel. Though they decided against diving, they were set on surfing. Of course, Grace was afraid of the ocean, so she would delay the beach as best as she could.
The guys were both excited about the chance to surf and wondered if the waves would hold up to Hawaii. Grace had no idea what they were talking about, so she walked next to Ethan quietly. Her father died at sea, so her mother never took her to the beach. She had been a few times with Megan but never dared enter the water.
Out of nowhere, she felt his fingers clasp on to hers. It was impossible to pull away from them. They were behind Megan and Chase. Somehow that made it more thrilling. She dared a look upward to see him, and he was already looking at her. He gripped a little tighter and shook her hand slightly. Maybe her mood was too obvious. He was trying to comfort her or cheer her up.
What he was actually doing was giving her a heart attack. She relished the feel of her hand in his. The strength of his long fingers gripping hers made her feel somewhat protected. Her hand actually felt small in his. Not that she was constantly comparing, but her hand was the same size as Mitchell’s, actually bigger. He let go as they started up the stairs to the porch.
Grace unlocked the door and let them all in.
Full from dinner at the Net House, everyone piled into the living room and stretched out. Chase sat in the lazy boy and reclined it. Megan sat on Chase pushing his blonde locks around with her fingers. Grace watched them as she settled in at one end of the couch. Ethan took his seat at the other. Intimacy, she never really shared that. Mitchell would barely hold her hand in public, yet Ethan had held it all the way home.
Ethan watched Grace as she studied his little brother and Megan. Something in her eyes looked sad and lonely. He felt the urge to just reach out and hold her but fought it. Hell, he didn’t even know her other than what Megan told him and what little he found out today. Getting personal information out of Grace was proving to be a full time job.
He thought about it. She teaches high school English, her mother died four years ago, and she lives alone. Alone, in this huge house with no pets, no plants, it was creepy. The place was outdated, in desperate need of a makeover. How can she afford it? Teachers make no money. Maybe that’s why it was outdated.
Here she was alone, doing it on her own with no help, unless there was another man in her life. That could explain things. He shook that thought off. For some strange reason picturing Grace with another man seemed wrong.
“I feel like I could explode,” Megan said.
“That’s because your little belly never eats like that.” Chase rubbed her belly.
“I wish my belly didn’t eat like that.” Grace pulled a pillow over her belly hugging it. “I’m surprised the Morehead City Dunkin Donuts hasn’t called to check on me.”
“Now, I don’t believe that.” Ethan responded as his gaze focused on the ceiling. Grace had an amazing body. She had to be aware of it. She did eat though and he liked that. Too many women he met were like Megan, complaining about being full, yet she barely touched her plate.
“Oh, believe it, mister. Grace eats like a man baby!” Megan winked at Grace. “I don’t know how she keeps up that fabulous body. Must be all the gymnastics and cheerleading she does.”
“Thank you, my loving cousin, everyone, last surviving relative.” Grace threw the pillow at her. Chase caught it before it hit his little princess, who squealed and balled up on his lap. “Fabulous body.” Grace mumbled.
“I’m just saying you always had a knockout body. You remember in high school. Man, we used to wear the hell out of those cheerleading uniforms.”
“You were a cheerleader?” Ethan sought her eyes now. He couldn’t imagine her being loud and bubbly. She seemed so quiet and reserved. He liked the idea of those curves in a little uniform though. Maybe she still had one around.
“Yep.” She nodded. Megan wore the hell out of the uniform. Grace always felt a little self-conscious.
“She’s the coach now. Tell them, Grace.”
“I coached high school cheerleading. You know at some colleges it’s not considered a sport.” She added that last part and hoped Megan wouldn’t pick up the past tense.
She hadn’t told her she had to give up the coaching spot. The principle told her she just wasn’t excited anymore, and the squad was falling behind. If the coach doesn’t have any spirit, how can the squad? The painful words rang in her ears again.
That was another reason she moved to the elementary school. She didn’t want to be another joke.
“She is so modest. They won the Nationals, went to Florida to compete and everything.” Megan boasted. “She’s writing a book now, too.”
“Thank you, Megan, now you have bored them to tears. I think I’m going to roll myself upstairs and take a shower.” Grace didn’t want to talk about work or the fact that she had to give up the coaching position to a younger teacher from a big city school, who just moved here.
Grace definitely didn’t want to talk about her book. She wanted to write about her mother, but that meant admitting her mother was dead. And well, Grace hadn’t really dealt with that fact yet.
“It’s still early.” Chase groaned, nuzzling his nose in Megan’s neck. “Let’s get in some more comfortable clothes and play a board game or watch a movie.”
“Yeah,” Megan chirped. “We have the best collection of old black and white movies. Casablanca, The Seven Year Itch, you name it. Plus, there are lots of great new chick flicks.”
She jumped up, forcing the chair to straighten. “It’ll be like old times, Gracie, but with boys, come on.” She grabbed Grace’s hand and pulled her from the couch.
“You’re strong for a little thing.” Grace followed her cousin without all of the bouncing up the stairs.
As Grace entered her room, she heard the groans of two men stretching and thudding down the hallway to their respective rooms. Ethan was now in her mother’s room. Megan and Chase were obviously playing around as laughs and giggles escaped the guest room walls.
Grace pulled on a pair of cheerleading shorts and a T-shirt that said COACH in big letters across the breast line. They were both a little more snug than they used to be, but they still fit. It wasn’t like Ethan was looking to get in bed with he
r anyway.
* * * *
Ethan will only be here a couple days. If I’m going to seduce him ... Her mind stopped. Seduce him, no, no, no. “Grace get it together,” she said aloud and surveyed the videos. While they talked at dinner, Grace formulated a plan. She just hoped Ethan would play along. Even with the extra pounds, she looked pretty good. Confidence? Where have you been hiding?
Grace was already in the living room when Ethan got downstairs. From the kitchen, he could see her long red braid stretched down her back over a fitted white T-shirt stopping an inch above what appeared to be a pair of blue short shorts. He was glad he just took his shoes up and didn’t change into pajama bottoms, which would have given away the sudden level of excitement he was showing.
Down boy, he thought to himself. He hadn’t been excited by a woman without reason in a long time. Sure he had been with a woman or two since his fiancé left him but nothing serious. He wanted something; they wanted something. No one got hurt. Grace had him jumping out of his skin at every turn, doing anything for a reaction.
He had to feed her from his own spoon just to watch her lips open and curl around it. If she had any idea how much he enjoyed her mouth ... Down boy!
Ethan approached the living room with the bag of Oreos he fished from the cabinet and two glasses of milk. He set the items on the table and took his place on the couch. Following the trail of that long red braid, he realized, he could enjoy this view all night.
“AAAAAhhhh.” He stretched aloud. “Nothing like a girls’ night in.” No time like the present to get a reaction.
Grace would either stay and hang out with him or bolt for the bedroom feigning sleepiness. He couldn’t say he enjoyed chick flicks, but he was a sensitive guy, and a good old fashioned movie was always good to make a woman swoon. For the first time in his life, he needed help with that.
“What?” She turned from the DVD player to find Ethan had made himself right at home. It surprised her how much she enjoyed that fact. He seemed to be comfortable no matter where he was. She, on the other hand, was sowing the seed of doubt. It may not be a good idea to pretend like they are an item. It could lead to lots of questions, and she wouldn’t have answers. After all, she didn’t really know him.
“Nice,” he said and nodded his head. The surround sound filled the entire room. She had chosen Casablanca, one of his favorites. He tried to focus on what he could see on the screen behind her, but her breasts were emblazoned with the word COACH and screaming for attention.
“Excuse me?” She couldn’t believe he was ogling her. Of course, she wanted him to but not so overtly.
“The system.” He smiled. “Surround sound, you can hear it all over.” And nice shirt too by the way, he caught himself in his thoughts, don’t stare at her boobs make eye contact.
“Oh, yeah, I guess it’s all right.” She sat next to him, not close but not all the way to the other end. The only good thing she got out of that lousy Mitchell was this system.
“What’s keeping them?” She peered over her shoulder at the kitchen as if expecting to see Megan and Chase appear from the stairs anytime. Butterflies were building in her stomach. The old less confident Grace was fighting to get to the surface. She had to stuff her back down.
“Uhum.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t think they will be joining us.”
“Why not?” They said they weren’t tired. Grace couldn’t believe Megan would do this to her. She wanted to hang out, enjoy a movie, and get to know Ethan.
“Well, when I passed the room, it just didn’t sound like they would.” He rubbed his forehead now focused on the screen. How do you say my brother is banging your cousin like a gentleman?
“Oh,” Grace said with a faint blush. “Well then, what do you want to do?”
She looked at the screen and pushed play on the remote. She hoped he would just stay and watch Casablanca, her favorite movie.
Grace was going to stay, but now second thoughts moved into his mind. Ethan began the ticker tape of reasons to get up and go. This is Megan’s cousin. If I do anything I might regret later, I will have to live with it the rest of my life.
He looked at Grace, who was focused on the screen, but her foot was patting the floor quietly and quickly. She’s nervous, and her eyes seem so sad. I can’t just leave her. Just watch the movie and go to bed.
Ethan decided right then, as long as he didn’t touch her, no harm would be done. He really just wanted to get to know her anyway. Since he seemed to be the only one trying to touch, he could keep his hands off.
“Whatever is good for me, I’m not really tired.” He dipped a cookie in his milk. He was a little tired, but he wasn’t going to miss the chance to talk to her. “I slept most of yesterday.”
“Good.” She began biting her lower lip. Her eyes had wandered to his agile fingers, which held a single Oreo. The cookie was between the index and middle finger on his left hand. Gently he dipped the cookie into the milk.
“Do you like old movies?” She gulped. It was such a high school thing to say, and Grace felt like she was seventeen again, nervous and flirty. Her foot moved independent of her thoughts to stop tapping. She remembered how those fingers felt on her shoulders. It had been so long since a man had touched her.
“Yeah.” He shrugged. She keeps looking at the cookie. Maybe she’s afraid to eat. She seems self-conscious for some strange reason. “This ones my favorite though.”
“Mine, too.” Grace smiled. Her eyes fixed on the motion of the cookie in the glass as it pulled out and headed to his mouth. God, he had great lips.
“Would you stay or go?” Ethan loved dipping cookies. It reminded him of a simpler time. A time when the only women in his life were related to him. He missed simple pleasures—easy living. He wanted to escape, but the gallery was too important to let go of. He loved art, loved the work but hated the party scene and the fanfare that came with it.
Escape, he bet Grace felt like an escape; no, she would feel like a grand adventure. She seemed so uptight and cautious. Like he should be after this last incident with Chloe, but somehow being around Grace he felt safe. He wanted to feel more of that.
“What do you mean?”
“If you had the choice, like the movie, would you stay with the man you loved or leave with your second choice?” Don’t say leave.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been in that kind of love before.” What a weird question to ask. It’s a movie not real life. “What would you do?”
“If you were in that kind of love, what would you do?” When he asked the question, he wanted to see if she was a passionate woman not get a real life example. He only loved his art that passionately. When Emma made him choose, he chose New York. He stayed. “I’d stay.”
“Even to your doom?” Grace lit up. Was Ethan a romantic? It couldn’t be true.
“If I ever lost the love of my life, it would be because it was taken from my cold dead hands, not because I walked out on it.” Of course, the love of his life was art.
Grace sat silent for long seconds. She watched the screen, trying not to look at Ethan. She really wanted to talk to him, to know him. He was a passionate man. She had never really met one before. She had to clear some things up, but Megan was right. They may hit it off after all, as friends at least. Yeah, she was convinced they could be really good as friends. Though deep down in a dark place, she wanted to hope he may drop his standard a bit and think about being lovers, but she was a lousy lover. Mitchell had told her as much.
Ethan broke the silence. Maybe he was too strong in his convictions. She shut right up again. He watched her as she began chewing her bottom lip again. She did that a lot.
“Well, I don’t really know much about you, and we are about to be family.” He took a long drink of milk. Watching her bite on that lower lip was making him thirsty inside, and he didn’t know why. He never let a woman have this kind of effect of him. He was not about to start. He had resolved firmly over dinner that he was going to stop chas
ing her, but then she looked sad, and he held her hand.
“Fair enough.” Grace faced him and folded her legs meditation style. This will be a great way to get to know him better. With a deep breath, she said, “I go, you go, honest answers.”
“Okay.” Ethan turned the volume on the movie down. She was actually going to talk to him. YES! How many ways can I make love to you? What’s your favorite position? Is that your natural hair color? “What’s your favorite food?”
“Chocolate, you?” Grace smiled. This is fun, easy.
“Potatoes.” He shrugged. “Your turn.”
“Why would someone spike your food?” It just slipped out. She had been thinking about it since Chase laughed, but Ethan only asked questions. He never offered any information.
“Excuse me?” He really looked confused and sat up straighter in alarm. This is not what he was expecting. Miss safe and reclusive just launched an attack.
“Chase said you were probably sick because of the restaurant lady.” It was too late to turn back now. Way to take it nice and easy, Grace. The thought of Ethan being some awful womanizer just didn’t fit her thoughts of him. Especially now, so she needed to clear it out of her mind right away.
“Oh that, well I can explain that.” He began shaking his head. The thought made him angry, but he was getting used to women making him angry. Grace had already witnessed him aggravated, and he didn’t want to scare her away. After a deep breath, he relaxed again.
“I’m all ears.” Grace looked at him seriously and raised her brow. I’m a good listener, unlike you.
He looked at that left eyebrow and her expression and realized he had a captive audience. She really wanted to know, and he really wanted to tell her. That was strange. He kept his personal life very private. He didn’t like to open up to people. Certainly, he never opened up to women. They would use any information to their advantage.
“What color are your eyes?” He couldn’t help but think they were changing again. Before he drove himself mad, he needed to know. Especially now, he had made mental sketches to put on canvas when he got home.