by Cara North
Ethan’s voice was low and hungry, sending electric pulses throughout Grace’s body. She licked her lips in anticipation, waiting for him to take her and ravage her like his voice had promised. She stood there with her eyes closed.
Waiting. Nothing.
Grace opened her eyes and found him looming over her. His body was close but not touching.
“Not here.” He smiled at her reaction. She wanted him. She was waiting for him. Tonight he would show her he was worth waiting for. “Come on.”
Grace lay on the bed, her hair wet, her skin damp. Ethan finally touched her. It was agony. He stroked an index finger along her side past her stomach, over her hip, and down her thigh. At the end of his reach, he slowly brought it back up again.
“What are you doing?” Grace was growing restless and tried to touch him, but her every effort met with his hand holding hers and gently putting it away from him. “Let me touch you.”
“Not yet,” he whispered then began kissing her neck. His hands gathered hers again and pulled them over her head. This time he held them there. She was eager to touch him, and that was his plan. To make Grace want him more than she had ever wanted anyone in her life, the same way he wanted her.
“Please.” Grace could feel his lips moving over her. His tongue teased and licked as far down as his arm allowed him to extend without letting her go. She tried to move her legs around him. Her feet aimed to slide along his calves, but he moved or blocked her. It was driving her crazy. Finally, he released her hands.
Ethan kissed, licked, and nibbled his way south as Grace franticly grabbed for him. With her hands in his hair, she begged him to kiss her. So he did, inside her thigh, each one. Her hands gripped his shoulders next, and she wiggled as her hips bucked.
Finally, he slicked a finger between the moist swollen folds. He looked to see her green-gray eyes half open staring at him. Her words were a blur of gibberish. This was going well.
Grace had lost all control. Her body had taken over, and it obeyed his touch. Her mouth called to him in tongues, none of the words complete. His mouth finally locked on her delicate swollen nub. With a gentle suckle, all was clear. Within a moment, the orgasm was so intense it was almost painful.
Grace cried out his name. He waited.
Her body had barely recovered when he launched a second offense. She was pulling him up, wanting him inside her, begging him. Her hands were firm gripping him tightly, but he resisted. She had no idea what she was in for this night. He suckled the nub and slid his fingers back in. It only took a moment before she was crushing him again with her thighs.
“Ethan, please, please, please,” she pleaded breathlessly. What can she say to catch her breath? He seemed determined to make her pass out.
“Please what?” He licked the nub devilishly. She shivered.
“Please come here.” Grace pulled franticly at his arms now. If he did that again, she might just die in ecstasy.
“Not the right answer.” He licked and circled. Her thighs flinched.
“Ethan, please, tell me what you want.” She gasped. “I’ll do anything, please.”
“Anything?” He pressed his fingers deep into the depths of her.
“Anything, I swear. Please come up here to me.” Her back arched as she pleaded. She was like a puppet on a string. He touched, and she moved.
“Tell me what you want.” He pulled his fingers out a little resting them close.
“You, more than anything, I want you.” Grace wanted to kick herself for saying it, but she was euphoric, and the truth spilled out.
“More than anything?” His voice was low and hungry.
“Yes.” Grace gasped as he pushed back in and suckled. “Ethan, I need you. I want you. I love you.” Her mind was a haze. She would have told him her eighth grade locker combination if he wanted it.
Ethan crawled over her his chest touching her all the while as he kissed, licked, and nibbled his way back up to face her. She had said everything he wanted to hear and more. He felt his naked flesh against hers. His cock was aching to slip into her. Wetness was sliding over it as he rubbed gently between the folds.
“I’ll grab a condom.” Ethan groaned and started to reach for the drawer. “Two.”
Grace pushed him inside lifting her hips. She was already pregnant. A condom wouldn’t help her now. He felt so good, so hot. She couldn’t wait for him to fill her anymore.
“Oh God, Grace, are you sure?” Ethan was loosing his breath. The naked flesh was so much sweeter. Grace had really taken him off guard almost knocking the wind right out of him with that stunt.
“Yes.” She inhaled deeply. “Please, Ethan, I need you, all of you.”
Ethan swallowed hard and took her neck in his lips as he pushed deep inside. She was his, and he marked her. He felt her gripping his hips with her thighs and the walls clenched down on him from inside. His name escaped her in a faint whisper. Slowly, he moved in and out.
Grace pushed against his chest, and he followed. “Let me ride you.”
Straddling him, she lifted and bucked her hips. He lay beneath her gripping her butt in one hand and her thigh in the other. Lifting her and driving himself deep over and over again until ... Grace looked into his eyes, fighting to keep them open and focused. He praised her, worshiped her body and soul.
“I’m gonna come, Grace,” Ethan spoke desperately. Grace maintained herself, and his eyes looked into hers as he erupted within.
“Gracie,” he cried out.
She collapsed on his chest and listened to his heart beating fast. The scent of their lovemaking filled the room, and they were drenched in sweat. She felt her eyes getting heavy, and sleep was calling.
“I didn’t expect that,” he whispered.
“I’m pregnant,” she confessed.
His eyes snapped open, and his hands grabbed her quickly, lifting her to look at him. “What?”
“Are you mad?”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“No what?”
“No, I’m not mad. How long have you known this?”
“Since this afternoon, Megan wanted to surprise Chase, so she asked me to take a test for her. Guess who got the surprise?”
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“I was scared.” Grace looked away from him.
“Scared?” Ethan was processing a little slower given the circumstances. He pulled her face back to him “Of what? Of me?”
She shrugged.
“Grace, I love you. Do you understand that?” Ethan noticed a tear escape her eye.
“Do you, or are you just saying that now? I can do this on my own, you know. I’m not trying to trap you. I swear I didn’t know anything.” Again, she was weeping. He turned on the faucet in her so easily.
“Grace, I told you I loved you that first night. I meant it.” He brushed away the tears and pulled her to his lips. “Did you mean it tonight?”
She nodded. She did mean it. She remembered he had said it that first night. She thought it was a moment of passion. She loved Ethan, Ethan loved her, and they were going to have a baby. That was enough to deal with for one night.
“So, are we farther along than Megan and Chase?” he asked sleepily.
“Yes.” Grace replied in kind. She lay there on his chest, sleeping on him, still connected, his heartbeat soothing her ears.
* * * *
The next morning Grace woke up alone. Had it all been a dream? Surely he would be there snuggled up to her unless ... unless he had processed everything and then changed his mind. Grace bolted up from the bed. A note was on the pillow.
Had to take care of some business before the rehearsal this afternoon, didn’t want to wake you, will meet you there. Love Ethan.
Grace was pissed and sick.
After throwing up for twenty minutes, she called Megan. All of her clothes were at Megan’s house, so she showered, put on the tuxedo pants, and one of Ethan’s T-shirts. G
race felt so betrayed and let down. Why couldn’t he face her unless he had changed his mind? Everything looks different in the light of day.
Ethan had a lot of work to do, and he needed to get it done quickly. He hated leaving her this morning, but she looked so peaceful. His heart was full to bursting. Grace was his. She loved him. They were going to have a baby. A baby, God, he was in heaven.
Chapter 18
The church was already being decorated, and everyone was buzzing about. Grace and Megan arrived last due to Megan’s indecision about her accessories. They had both agreed to keep the baby situations under wraps until after the wedding. Grace was nervous, very nervous. It was one thing to be an almost married bride pregnant in a church. It was another thing to be there in her shoes. Besides they had been there twenty minutes with no sign of Ethan.
She thought she saw him come in, but it was actually Joshua. They were about the same size. Joshua had black hair though and green eyes. He was breathtaking. She was glad he stayed in New York. Two available young men in her house could have proved to be more than one woman could take.
Finally, he arrived. Just in time for the lineup. The wedding planner situated everyone, and of course Ethan and Grace walked down the aisle together. He tried to talk to Grace, but the prissy little wedding planner barked at him like a Chihuahua to pay attention.
Joshua and his sister, Stephanie, laughed and got the same treatment. Grace could have sworn Joshua growled at her. She understood completely. If looks could kill, Grace would have caused the woman to spontaneously combust on the spot. Ethan smiled and stroked her hand with his.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
“Thank you,” Joshua answered. Stephanie snickered while Grace gave Ethan the evil eye.
“What?” He looked at her again. He was going to kill Joshua.
“You do look beautiful,” he said again as they walked down the isle.
Grace gave him another raised brow, and he smiled. Ethan knew he was in trouble. He could read her moods now, mostly. Her eyes gave her away at every turn. They were turning green.
Joshua teased him relentlessly as they all lined up for the second walk down the aisle. He even lined himself up with Grace. Ethan shoved him, and he bumped into the guy in front of him.
“Gentlemen, please settle down, my grandpa’s old.” Malcolm, a friend of Chase’s and the grandson of the minister, offered a moment of clarity before the Chihuahua wedding planner started sniping at them again.
Grace was surprised at the young man and even more so at how Joshua’s sister seemed to blush all over. She was looking at the back of Stephanie, and her neck and shoulders turned pink as the young man spoke. How sweet.
The rest of the rehearsal went smooth. They went through the whole process the second time and finally were released. Megan had the rehearsal dinner planned at the Harold Pratt House. A Park Avenue mansion, it was like a museum, nothing short of exquisite.
Ethan’s mom insisted that her family ride in a limo to the dinner together. It was a quiet ride. Ethan and Chase sat on one side, and their father sat comfortably arms stretched across the back of the seat with the three women.
“A man could get used to this.” Joe Young smiled at his grown sons sitting across from them.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” Chase joked.
Ethan remained focused on Grace.
Grace looked out the window and played with her purse strap.
Katherine Young smiled and snuggled against her husband. Her sons were happy, so was she.
Once at the dinner, conversation moved easily. Megan wanted to treat her bridal party well, and by all accounts this dinner made up for the ridiculous dresses they would wear.
Grace excused herself and went to the ladies’ room. Ethan followed her and caught the door before she closed it. Stepping inside, he closed the door and gathered her in his arms.
“Miss me?”
“You left me.”
“I had to.” He kissed her forehead. “Please don’t be mad.” He kissed her nose. “You looked so peaceful. I couldn’t wake you.” He kissed her lips.
“What are we going to do, Ethan? We need to talk about this.” Grace was giving in. After all, Ethan was pretty hard to resist, and his apologies were so well presented with kisses.
She leaned to look under the stalls for feet, none.
“I know, tomorrow after the wedding. We’ll sit down and make plans.” He stole another kiss.
“Promise?” Grace looked into his eyes. He was happy, playful, and taking this too easy. She was still scared and unsure.
“I promise.” Ethan kissed her deeply this time. Stepping into her, he pressed her against the bathroom wall. His hands moved up her legs pulling the loose dress fabric with it. He pushed between her legs bending his knees, so he fit right against her. “I miss you every second we are apart. I want you every moment of every day.”
The door opened and whacked him in the back. He jumped. Grace yelped.
They both looked to see Katherine Young walking in.
“Ethan!” His mother smacked him again, this time with the back of her hand on his shoulder. “Let the woman pee in peace. Now scoot!”
Katherine Young’s face was turning pink with embarrassment.
Grace had a matching expression. Ethan barely blushed as his mother all but pushed him out of the ladies’ room.
“He gets that from his father.” Katherine was still blushing, and Grace began to fidget.
“Men.” Grace added and headed for the stall.
The less time she spent with Katherine alone right now, the better. Grace had sent her a long personal letter thanking her for her kindness. Katherine had replied with a long personal letter of her own. Grace wanted to tell her, like she would her own mother. Katherine was amazing, smart, independent, and Grace respected her.
Back at the party, Ethan was within an arm’s reach of Grace at all times. It made it easy to ward off the rest of the bridal party that wasn’t related and especially the one that was. His plan had originally been to convince people he had a girlfriend. Now, he had more than he ever imagined.
“Joshua, come tell Grace what you were telling me earlier.” Ethan pulled the man by the back of his neck though he was only an inch shorter and a little larger in bulk.
“Hi.” This was the first time Grace actually met Joshua Young. He wasn’t at the birthday party. She would have remembered. He was gorgeous. He looked very similar to Ethan only his eyes were green and his hair black. When he came to the rehearsal, he went straight to Chase then to the line up. “I’m Grace.”
“Hi. Joshua” Joshua shook her hand. Damn, he should have gone to North Carolina. Oh well, Ethan had claimed her. He knew it bugged him, so he flirted. “It’s nothing really. I was telling him how I would like to get out of here. I’m sick of the city.”
“Where do you want to go?” Grace looked at him, not understanding why she needed to know this.
“Anywhere quiet. I just went back to school for education, and I want to teach somewhere but not here.” Joshua shrugged.
“That’s not what you were supposed to tell her.” Ethan tightened his grip on Grace. She looked up at him then to Joshua who smiled then winked. It startled her.
“Oh yeah, I was supposed to tell you a joke, but honestly, I forgot it.” Grace felt Ethan inch forward, and Joshua laughed out loud. “He’s really taken with you.”
“I should hope so.” Grace spared him a confused look and moved closer to Ethan. She understood now that he was just goading Ethan. She wanted to reassure him. Yes, Joshua was handsome, but he was no Ethan. “He makes me submit to him three times a day. If I don’t, he spanks me.”
Both men stopped goading the other and looked down at Grace. Joshua blushed and took a step back. He was not expecting the sweet little thing Ethan loved so much to be just as twisted as he knew Ethan to be.
Ethan bit his lower lip and fought his own blush. She was a fireball indeed. Grace didn�
��t care who knew they were together. She made her interests clear. It was funny and a relief.
“And here I thought you only spanked me, Ethan.” Joshua shook his head and looked at his cousin. “She’s got a mouth on her.”
“Like a sailor. You should have been in the ladies’ room a second ago. My mom had to save me.” Ethan tucked Grace into his side and kissed her forehead.
“So, Grace, you live in a small town?” Joshua stopped flirting and actually talked to her now.
“Yes.” Grace felt Ethan relax, and so did she. “Why?”
“I’m looking for a job. I can’t transfer from the force and try to teach kids I have probably busted.” Joshua shrugged. “I need to get away from here. This isn’t my life anymore.”
Grace was amazed at how easily he knew that. His sister, Stephanie, called for him, and instantly he excused himself. How did he know he was ready to leave and give up everything?
“I can’t believe you said that to him, you little minx,” Ethan whispered in her ear.
“Well, he was trying to make you jealous. Clearly you have nothing to be jealous about. You’re much prettier than he is.” Grace smiled, and Ethan rocked her slowly, nibbling her ear.
“Joshua is like my brother. He’s a year younger than me, and we used to compete a lot. You’re the first redhead I ever won.” Ethan squeezed her tightly. “He has a thing for redheads.”
“I should introduce him to my friend, Evelyn. She would cure that and quick.” Grace laughed.
They continued to talk. Ethan never let his hands leave her the rest of the night.
The party finally started winding down, and Ethan practically loomed over Grace in anticipation of the end. Grace would be staying with Megan tonight, and Chase would be staying with him.
“I hate this.” Ethan growled. “Why can’t they just sleep in separate rooms?”
“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.” Grace stroked his face gently with her hand. It was a change to see Ethan pouting. “Don’t let Chase get too comfortable in my spot.”
“His ass is sleeping on the floor.”
“You’re so mean.” Grace smiled, stood on her tiptoes to kiss his pouting lips. “It’s one night.”