His Heart's Desire

by Julianna Douglas

  She unfastened the pendant and laid it back on the velvet mat. “And costs nearly twice as much,” she muttered under her breath.

  Turning to the salesclerk, he said, “We'll take it.”

  “Ethan!” she exclaimed.

  Ignoring her, he smiled and added, “And the matching earrings too.”

  At Becca's gasp, he turned to see her eyes wide and mouth agape. “What do you think you're doing?”

  He gave her mischievous grin. “Spoiling you.”

  She shook her head in exasperation. “You're impossible.”

  His only reply was a chuckle.

  Five minutes later, they left the jewelry store and headed back down the main thoroughfare of the mall. “You seem kind of tired. Are you up for one more stop before I take you home?”

  “Are you crazy, Ethan? I've been keeping track, and with the necklace and earrings, you've now spent over two thousand dollars on me. Honestly, I don't want you to buy me anything else.” She waved her hands in front of her in a gesture that indicated she'd had enough.

  “Please,” he said, giving her his best impression of sad puppy-dog eyes. “I absolutely promise you're going to love this store.”

  She sighed as her shoulders slumped in defeat. A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “Fine,” she said, “but only if you promise this is the last one.”

  “You got it, sweetheart.” He chuckled before coming to a halt and extending his arm like a model. “Ta-da!”

  Becca fought it, but a toothy grin spread slowly across her face as she looked into the window of a bookstore. “You know my weakness, and I think you're trying to take advantage of it.”

  “I told you I saved the best for last. Since books are your favorite thing in the whole world, I guessed this might your favorite store in the mall.”

  “You know me well.”

  “Better than anyone,” he answered with a touch of self-satisfaction. “So what are you waiting for?” He grabbed a shopping basket from the rack near the entrance and placed it in her hands. “By the time you're done, I want to see that basket filled with all the latest romance novels.”

  As he propelled her toward the romance section, Becca giggled, and the sound was like music to his ears.

  He picked up a book with a bare-chested, sword-wielding warrior on the cover. “Here, this one looks interesting,” he said in jest while handing it to her. “Hello! I stand corrected. This one looks way more interesting.” He waggled his eyebrows as he handed her a novel graced by a woman baring lots of cleavage.

  “Ethan!” She grabbed the book and used it to smack him on the arm.

  “Ow!” He put on a mock pitiful face while rubbing the assaulted appendage. “You know I'm just teasing, right?”

  She nodded and smiled.

  “Good. I'll leave you in peace while I go search out books about more manly pursuits.”

  It didn't take Ethan long to find what he was looking for. He picked up the latest sci-fi/fantasy and mystery/suspense novels by a couple of his favorite authors, and the new issue of Business Weekly. Then he headed for the non-fiction section, looking for some good books on pleasuring a woman.

  He wasn't exactly a novice in the bedroom, but having always preferred relationships to casual sex, he wasn't vastly experienced either. After Becca's one and only disastrous sexual experience, he wanted their first time together to be perfect. She deserved that and so much more. He wanted nothing less than to take her body to the heights of sheer ecstasy. What a glorious sight that would be. His cock twitched merely thinking about it.

  Ethan shook his head to clear the images of Becca in the throes of passion from his mind and perused the bookshelf headers. His height allowed him to see over the tops of the shelves, and before long, he spotted exactly what he was looking for, two aisles over.

  Rounding the corner of the aisle in question, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Becca standing there, an open book in her hands and a forgotten basket of romance novels at her feet. Not wanting to embarrass her, he didn't make his presence known and instead backed discreetly behind a cardboard display.

  From his vantage point, he watched as Becca leafed through the book, stopping every once in a while to take a closer look. Whatever she was reading made her cheeks turn a becoming shade of pink. If he could get a look at the cover, it might give him more insights into her sexual fantasies.

  Becca closed the book and placed it back on the shelf, then stood there looking at it as if undecided about something. She picked up her basket and turned to leave. After casting a wistful glance back over her shoulder and worrying her bottom lip, she quickly grabbed the book and secretively tucked it underneath the romances before finally walking away.

  Ethan was too far away to see the title, but he could tell there were more copies of the book on the shelf. Desperately wanting to know what had caught her fancy, he ducked into the aisle she had vacated. When he reached the right spot and scanned the front of the book, his brows drew down into a frown. Tickle His Pickle? That certainly wasn't what he'd been expecting and was no help at all in giving him insight into the female mind.

  Come to think of it, what was his sweet Becca even doing with a book like that? If she was serious enough about a guy to want to learn how to please him in bed, she must be in love. After her horrible first time, there was no doubt in his mind that she would never have sex with anyone if she wasn't. Which led him to the only conclusion he could come up with: she'd found a guy, fallen in love, and hadn't told him about it.

  His heart plummeted to the floor.

  He'd been so sure there was no other man in her life, and now it seemed like his arrogant assumption might leave him with a broken heart. This meticulously planned weekend could be all for nothing.

  With a deep sigh, and his own idea of purchasing a sex book long forgotten, Ethan made his way to the checkout, paid for their purchases, and then proceeded to brood all the way back to the hotel.

  Chapter 18

  Throughout the limo ride to the hotel, Becca gazed out the window. Ethan was uncharacteristically quiet, but she didn't give it much thought. She was glad for the solitude, since it gave her time to think. Reflecting on the day so far, Becca was confident that Edna had been right about Ethan being in love with her. He'd bought her so many pretty things, she felt like Cinderella getting ready for the ball, and Ethan was her Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming all rolled into one. Even though she still felt a small pang of guilt for spending so much money, she was sure he wouldn't have done it if he couldn't afford it. And she couldn't deny that it made her feel like the most special girl in the world.

  Heat rose in her cheeks as she recalled their foray into Victoria's Secret. She'd found the perfect outfit for seducing Ethan tonight. When she'd tried it on, it had made her feel pretty and–dare she even think it?–sexy. Not wanting Ethan to see what she'd picked out, she'd hurried to the cash register. Luckily, by the time he'd rushed over to pay, the cashier already had her purchase bagged. Now she couldn't wait to wear it for him and see his reaction.

  Becca glanced at Ethan from the corner of her eye and saw him staring pensively out the window. She wondered briefly at his odd mood, but didn't dwell on it long before her attention was drawn to the shopping bag of books at her feet. The naughty book she'd purchased was tucked safely away in the bottom of the bag.

  As she'd passed by the shelf, the goofy title had made her giggle. After glancing around covertly to make sure no one was watching her, she couldn't resist taking a peek. The humorous drawings made her chuckle, while some of the things she read made her blush to the tips of her toes. Before long, she'd been fantasizing about having Ethan in her bed tonight.

  She almost hadn't bought the book, but Becca was glad now that she had. She wanted to learn how to please him in bed, and truth be told, many of the things she'd read about sounded like fun. If she could ever work up the nerve to practice some of the things she'd seen in the book on him, she felt certain he would appreciate t
hem.

  As the limo pulled up to the door of the hotel, butterflies fluttered in Becca's stomach. She was anxious to tell Ethan she loved him, but her old self-doubts resurfaced. The bellboy who'd carried her bags up the day before opened the door for them, and Ethan instructed him to carry all their shopping spoils up to the penthouse. As they rode the elevator to the top floor in silence, Becca remembered Edna's soothing voice encouraging her. If Edna believed in her, maybe it was time she had a little faith in herself.

  As soon as Ethan opened the door of their suite, she rushed to her bedroom, flinging over her shoulder, “I'm going to change.” She closed the door behind her, leaned back against it, took several deep breaths, and proceeded to give herself a pep talk.

  All the way back to the hotel, Ethan had tried to come up with an explanation for Becca buying that book. He told himself she was simply curious. But would a woman buy a book like that out of mere curiosity? Especially a shy girl like Becca? Somehow he didn't think so. Which meant the only reason left that made any sense was that she had a man in her life and was planning to have sex with him...if she hadn't already.

  His mood darkened, and he felt like ripping something–or someone–apart.

  The friendly voice of the bellboy intruded on his reverie. “That's all of them, Mr. Montgomery.”

  Ethan drew out his wallet and tipped the guy, then thanked him and closed the door a little too firmly. The mirror on the wall beside it shuddered.

  He scowled at his reflection. He was so sure he'd been picking up I-want-to-be-more-than-friends vibes from Becca since yesterday. The enthusiastic way she'd greeted him, the playful way she'd mentioned sharing her bed with him this morning... That one still had desire thrumming through his body. Maybe it was all in his imagination, his libido running wild from being so close to Becca all day.

  With a frustrated growl, Ethan ran his fingers through his hair and paced back and forth in the foyer.

  Then, in an instant, his restless pacing stopped and his eyes grew round as one more possibility he hadn't considered until now took shape in his mind. Holy shit! Was Becca planning to use what she learned from that book on him? Damn, if that thought didn't make his “pickle” stand up and take notice. He looked in the mirror and found a goofy grin plastered on his face.

  He shook his head to clear his lustful thoughts. Down, boy. Don't get ahead of yourself. You don't know that for sure yet. Just get a grip and think. He had a beautiful romantic evening planned for Becca, during which he intended to declare his love and do a whole lot more, but he couldn't possibly go ahead with it if there was even the remotest possibility that he wasn't the intended recipient of her sexy fantasies. He'd look like a complete fool.

  After a few minutes of contemplation, he decided there was only one logical course of action, and it was exactly what he had told Becca to do if she were ever in doubt about something important. Ask!

  He made his way though the maze of boxes and bags lining the floor to Becca's bedroom door and knocked.

  “Come in,” she called out.

  He eased the door open and stepped inside to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands folded primly in her lap. She looked a little uneasy, but he decided to ignore it and plowed on ahead. “Becca, I need to talk to you about something.”

  “Oh.” She seemed surprised. “OK, I–I need to talk to you too. Would it be all right if I go first?”

  “Um...yeah, sure,” he answered warily.

  She patted the bed next to her, so he joined her. She turned her body to face him, slipping one knee up onto the mattress. Ethan noticed her hands trembling right before she clasped them together tightly. He wondered what had her so worked up.

  “There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a very long time, and I'm not sure how to say it,” she began breathlessly.

  For the moment, his own concerns were forgotten. All he wanted to do was ease her mind of whatever was bothering her. He reached out to cover her hands with one of his and gave her a small smile. “Whatever it is, it's OK, Becca. We're best friends. I've told you before you can tell me anything.”

  Her gaze searched his for a long while, like she was looking for a sign. Finally she whispered, “Maybe I should show you instead.”

  He hoped his nod was encouraging. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

  “I think it would be easier if you closed your eyes.”

  Now he was really starting to wonder what was going on, but wanting to put Becca completely at ease, he did as she asked. She slid a hand from beneath his, and the warmth of her palm pressed against his cheek. Her touch sent a trail of fire shooting straight to his groin, but that was nothing compared to the feelings that assailed him when she leaned forward and pressed her lips gently against his.

  It was the sweetest kiss he'd ever experienced, but she ended the brief contact far too quickly, leaving his body screaming for more.

  Then her breath fanned lightly over his lips as she whispered so softly he could barely hear her, “I love you.”

  His eyes flew open, and he gazed at her, stunned.

  She blinked furiously. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and a look of uncertainty mingled with hope. “Please say something, Ethan,” she begged softly.

  In that moment, he realized she was scared out of her mind that he wouldn't welcome her declaration. Unable to bear her worry a minute longer, he gathered her into his arms and lowered his head to claim her mouth with a tender kiss.

  Oh God, he'd waited for this moment so long. Her lips were soft and sweet. His entire body hummed with desire, and as he sensed her passion rising too, he deepened the kiss. He slipped one hand behind her head and slid the other around her waist, anchoring her tightly against him. Her hands rose to circle his neck, and he gently slipped his tongue out to run it along the seam of her lips. When she rewarded him by her parting them slightly on a gasp, he plunged deep inside.

  She tasted faintly of cinnamon and honey from the sopapillas they'd shared for dessert at lunch. Over and over, he slid his tongue along hers in a primitive mating dance, and when he began to pull back, she followed him, tentatively flicking the tip of her tongue against his lips. He instantly opened to welcome her in, then hungrily devoured her, trying to pour all the love in his heart into his kisses.

  He wanted nothing more than to lay her back on the bed and release all the pent-up passion from the past year, but things were moving too quickly. With superhuman effort he brought the searing kiss to an end.

  Struggling to calm his ragged breathing, he rested his forehead against Becca's for a moment before drawing back to study her face. Her hair was mussed, tears trickled silently down her cheeks, and her lips were swollen from his kisses. Even in her tousled state, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And she stared back at him with a look of complete awe and adoration that was very nearly his undoing.

  Ethan caressed her plump bottom lip with his thumb. “How's that for saying something?” he whispered.

  Without speaking, Becca threw herself into his arms so hard he fell backward on the bed.

  Her body stretched tantalizingly atop his. Her hands cupped his face, and she plied his lips with as much ardor as he had shown her moments before. He kissed her back, tasting the salty tang of her joyful tears.

  After several minutes, he rolled them to the side and propped himself up on one forearm so he could gaze down at her.

  “I take it you were happy with my answer?” he teased while caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

  “Ethan, is this real, or am I dreaming? Because if I am, I don't want to wake up.”

  He took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, placing a light kiss on her knuckles. “I promise it's all very real, sweetheart. I love you too. More than you can imagine. But maybe we should slow down a little. I think we have a lot to talk about.”

  He rose to a sitting position, bringing Becca with him. He ran a finger down her cheek and along her jaw, th
en trailed it down to the hollow of her throat and further, tracing a path along the top of the low neckline of her dress just above her breasts. She closed her eyes and leaned into his caress. He couldn't seem to stop touching her, and her fevered responses only added fuel to the fire that was about to set him ablaze.

  Finally, he snatched his finger back and balled his hand into a fist, willing himself to stop, before clearing his throat. “Why don't you go wash your face and change into something a little more comfortable? I'll meet you in the living room in fifteen minutes for your next surprise.”

  She nodded. “Only if you swear this isn't going to end. That it isn't all going to disappear in a puff of smoke. That I'm not going to wake up.”

  “I swear, Becca, honey, this is only the beginning,” he replied earnestly before kissing her again.

  This time, he kept it short and sweet, and when it ended, he forced himself to leave the room before he got ahead of himself again.

  As the door clicked shut behind Ethan, Becca sat with her legs tucked beneath her, stunned. She grabbed a throw pillow from the bed, closed her eyes, and hugged it to her chest, trying to hold in the sensations of Ethan's body pressed against hers. She raised a hand to her lips, remembering the sweetness of his kisses. The peck he'd given her on the lips a few months ago hadn't prepared her for how skillful a kisser he actually was. She lost herself in the reverie. By the time she opened her eyes and glanced at the clock, ten minutes had passed.

  Becca leapt off the bed. She was supposed to meet him in five minutes, and questions swirled through her mind. A quick look at herself in the bathroom mirror revealed a tear-streaked face and tangled hair. She groaned at her reflection before pulling her hair back with an elastic band and wetting a washcloth. She washed her face, then pressed the cool cloth over her eyes, hoping it would reduce the redness and puffiness. After drying her face with a soft towel, she pulled out the hair band and quickly ran a brush through the honey-colored strands. She briefly toyed with reapplying her makeup but decided to go au naturel instead. Ethan had already seen her many times before without it, so it didn't seem so important.