by Nicki Night
“It’s great to meet you, Zoe.” Colin offered her a firm handshake.
“It’s great to meet you, too, Colin. Thanks for the invitation.”
“Anytime.” He patted the back of Ethan’s shoulder with his large hand and repeated, “Anytime,” with a warm smile. “We’ve got food, drinks, everything. Enjoy yourselves, and when this is all over, we’ll go down and meet Mrs. Cartwright. Cool?”
“Cool,” Ethan and Zoe said simultaneously.
Ethan watched Zoe look around at the impressive spread inside the suite. Gourmet finger foods lined one side of the suite. On the other side was an array of salads, crudités, desserts and wine and liquor. Inside a stainless steel refrigerator were more beverages of every kind. Ethan and Zoe ate, drank and mingled with the few other people Colin had invited to his suite until the program started.
When Leah Cartwright sauntered onstage, Zoe gave the revered speaker her undivided attention. Minutes into the presentation, it seemed like the only two people in the room were Zoe and Leah. Ethan watched Zoe’s starry eyes as she took in every word that fell from Leah’s mouth.
At the end, Zoe sighed. Ethan wondered if she had held her breath the entire hour and a half.
“I need a drink.” Those were the first words that Zoe had spoken since the show started.
Ethan looked at her bright, excited eyes and chuckled. “You okay?”
“That was amazing. She’s amazing. I need a drink so I can calm down a bit before meeting her.” Zoe laughed at herself.
“At your service.” He waved an arm like a server. “What would you like?”
“More red wine would be great.”
“Be right back.” He returned a few short moments later with two glasses of wine and sat back beside her. “I believe you enjoyed it, so tell me what you thought about it.”
“Goodness!” Zoe shook her head as if trying to think of the right words. “She’s so...so...real. Yeah. So real and down to earth. Like we could be friends. I could literally see sitting down and having dinner with her. She’s brilliant. Just... This was incredible. Thanks again, Ethan.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty brilliant.”
“And those boots! Woo. I need to find those. I mean, I probably can’t afford them, but that wouldn’t stop me from trying them on.” Zoe laughed.
Ethan thought about finding those boots for her. Wondered if they would make her smile just as brightly as she did now.
“Everybody cool?” Colin’s voice boomed through the suite.
A few yeses rang out. Others nodded their heads.
“Then let’s go meet our guest of honor.”
Ethan took Zoe by the hand and they followed Colin and their private escort to what looked like a lounge behind the scenes of the arena. Ethan watched Zoe’s face as she scanned the room in search of Leah Cartwright and smiled deep in his core when Zoe’s mouth dropped at the site of her. She closed it quickly enough.
Leah greeted everyone and thanked them all for coming. After a few sips of water, she took her place in front of a step-and-repeat and held brief conversations with people as she shook hands and took pictures.
When it was Zoe’s turn, Ethan stepped aside so she could chat with Mrs. Cartwright. Their photographer took a few shots, then Zoe had Ethan take some with her phone. She waved him over to join in, but he politely declined. He would have loved to share in the moment but thought it was best that he avoid taking pictures at this juncture. Besides, he wanted to let Zoe fully enjoy her moment.
Leah and Zoe ended their brief time together with a few selfies. Leah wrapped Zoe in a gracious hug, sending her off with a smile that spread halfway around her face.
“This was amazing. I will never forget this day. Thanks again, Ethan.”
“We have Colin to thank.”
“You’re right. But you could have brought anyone here with you tonight. You chose me. So...thank you.” Zoe planted a sweet peck on his cheek. Despite the gesture seeming more friendly than sensual, a spark ignited in Ethan’s belly.
The kiss awakened his desire for her. Simple touches from her made him weak. All evening, they had been careful to avoid any telling touches. But now she’d unleashed the passion he’d tried to keep behind his polished exterior. The air in the room seemed to have become warmer. He looked around to see if anyone was paying attention. No one appeared to notice.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
Her seductive gaze was sweltering. “Sure.” It seemed that the same desire awakening in him was also awakening in her.
Ethan said a quick thank-you to Colin and called for the driver to meet them at the VIP access entrance. They entered the car as hastily as they had said their goodbyes. For the first few seconds, they stared at each other, and then broke out into laughter.
Their desire was now palpable, pulsing in the air like a heartbeat. Ethan held out his hand. Somehow, knowingly, Zoe reached for it and laced her fingers between his.
Ethan made sure the partition in the limo was up before pulling her toward him and capturing her mouth with his. Their hands explored one another’s bodies, and they kissed themselves breathless, touching, caressing, roaming and grasping each other. Ethan felt himself grow rigid in his pants. He pulled away from her just long enough to catch his breath before going back for more. Her lips tasted like heaven. Her mouth felt like clouds. He wanted to be inside of her.
Totally unaware of how much time had passed, Ethan pulled himself away from Zoe and looked through the window when he felt the car roll to a stop. They had arrived at her complex. He huffed, trying to contain the sexual tension pent up inside of him. He didn’t want the night to end but that would have to be Zoe’s choice.
“You coming...inside?” she asked.
Ethan licked his lips instinctively. He didn’t miss the innuendo. “As long as you want me to.”
“Oh. I want you to.”
Ethan didn’t wait for the driver to exit the car and come around to the door. Instead, he shot out and was at Zoe’s door in an instant.
“No worries, man.” Ethan waved his hand. “I’m good. I’ll call for a pickup when I’m ready. Thanks!” He took Zoe by the hand and the two made quick steps to her front door.
Inside her town house, their lips connected again. Zoe kicked the door closed with her foot, and Ethan turned the locks. Their lips never parted. She tugged at his shirt. He undid the buttons and she peeled it off his shoulders. Ethan unzipped her jumpsuit, sliding his fingers into her sleeves to maneuver it down her body. She stepped out of the outfit and removed his belt. Tearing, peeling and pulling, they relieved each other of their clothes and left them pooled at their feet.
Ethan stepped back, putting a few inches of space between them. His breath was ragged. He craved her but needed to admire her natural beauty. He took her in, feasting on her visually from head to toe. Zoe’s body was magnificent—flawless to him. Maybe he was blinded by her beauty, but every time he had the honor of seeing her in her natural glory, he felt the same way. Even her imperfections were perfect.
Zoe looked at him in a similar way. He watched her gaze rake over him ravenously, then she reached one hand behind his neck and wrapped her other hand around his erection. She pulled him toward her, and Ethan went willingly.
Their kiss was wild, unbridled and hungry. He embraced her firmly and lifted her up off the floor. He carried her to the dining table, moved her stylish place settings out of the way and laid her down.
Zoe groaned before he even touched her body again. He trailed her sweet caramel skin with kisses from her lips to her knees. Zoe reached for him—he’d grown as rigid as stone—and guided him inside of her, forgoing the tease and getting straight to the point. A sound caught in her throat for the first of countless times that weekend.
Ethan didn’t make it home that night.
Or the next.
Sev
enteen
Ethan hadn’t, as they say, rocked Zoe’s world. He’d completely shifted her universe. She couldn’t get enough of him. And he tried his best to give Zoe her fill. She’d spent so much time with him in recent weeks that she felt guilty about not spending as much time with her family.
This week, she’d taken some time off to be with her mother and sister. They were a trying few days, ending with Zoe taking Shena for a follow-up visit with her doctor. Zoe looked forward to Shena bouncing back from a manic high. One of the days had been so bad that Zoe had waited half the night for Shena to experience a moment where she could get through to her. Shena had cursed her sister, but Zoe had remained calm. She was committed to working with Shena through her ups and downs and holding her hand through it all.
Being away from work meant being away from Ethan. She communicated with him mostly by text when she was with her family. She missed him horribly. At management meetings or during his visits to her office, they avoided each other. Outside of work, they spent every night and weekend they possibly could together.
He stimulated every part of Zoe: her mind, her body, her heart... She had never dated a man like Ethan before. Her body had never hungered for a man’s touch the way hers did for Ethan’s. The sound of his lowered voice was enough to make her moist.
She chalked it all up to the forbidden nature of their relationship. That, she assumed, was what made their trysts so exciting.
They graduated from weekends in bed to exclusive romantic experiences, like when Ethan had a famous chef friend prepare an incredible meal at his restaurant on the only night they were closed. Most people had to wait weeks to get a reservation at that place, but they’d had the entire restaurant to themselves on a Monday night. After their meal, they’d danced to a playlist on Ethan’s phone, then gone home and made love until dawn. Zoe had been giddy and exhausted the next morning at work.
She wished their “fun” could last forever. She hoped no one would become suspicious. Either way, she was going to enjoy as much of Ethan as possible for as long as she could. Hopefully it wouldn’t hurt too much when they got to a point where it all had to end. If she were honest, she’d admit how much she cared about him. But being truthful about her feelings would never be enough.
Still, they grew closer in other ways, too. Being with Ethan so much, she realized how important it was for him to please his father. He worked harder than his brothers, but never seemed to feel like he could ever do enough. But as much as they talked, she never revealed the complete truth about her background or her sister’s mental illness. Her life was such a contrast to Ethan’s affluent, near-perfect lifestyle. How could they ever bring those two worlds together?
Zoe’s cell phone rang at work, startling her. The sound pulled her focus from her inner thoughts. She’d almost forgotten where she was. She picked the phone up from her desk, tapped a key on her computer to bring it to life and said, “Hello.”
“Hey.” Ethan’s voice made her heartbeat quicken.
“Hey, yourself.”
“How’s your mom doing?”
“Fine. Everyone is just fine,” she said, feeling a bit guilty for the white lie she’d told him about her prior absence from work. Instead of telling him about her sister’s episode, she’d said her mother wasn’t feeling well and she needed to accompany her to a few doctor’s appointments.
“That’s good. I miss you.”
Zoe looked around her office. The door was closed, and she was alone. No one could possibly hear Ethan on her phone. Overcautious. She chuckled at herself. “I miss you, too.”
“If you’ll let me, I’d like to take you on a little excursion. I want to show you a good time. Actually, I want to show you how much I miss you.”
Zoe giggled. She wasn’t sure how she’d allowed Ethan to reduce her to a giggling little girl. “Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Okay, then. When?”
“Take off tonight. I’ll pick you up this evening and have you back home by Sunday night.”
She shook her head with a smile. “You’re impossible. Where are we going?”
“Just somewhere to spend some time together. I’ll help you pack to make sure you’re dressed right.”
“What?”
“Are you in?”
Zoe laughed, placed her elbow on her desk and her hand on her forehead. “Yes. I’m in.”
“I’ll be at your house at six sharp.” He ended the call.
She looked at her phone and then at her computer screen. It would be six more hours before she got to see Ethan’s handsome face, and she couldn’t wait.
She took a deep breath. Ethan had stolen her focus and filled her with anticipation. How would she get through the rest of the day? She needed to concentrate in order to finish preparing for the next few information sessions. The idea she’d come up with a few weeks back while out with Ethan had proved to be extremely profitable. They’d held three reception-like sessions so far, offering clients and guests wine and refreshments. The results had been more solid relationships with existing clients and additional accounts with new clients.
Zoe took a quick break to clear her head, returned to her desk and got back to work. The second the clock turned to five, she was out the door. At six, she was on her couch, waiting for Ethan with a drink in one hand for her and another on the table for him. As always, he was right on time.
He knocked and she opened the door right away, handing him his drink. They kissed in between a few sips, then Ethan put his glass down and took her by the hand. Zoe followed his lead. Moments later they were in bed, showing each other how much they had missed one another. Afterward, they both collapsed in each other’s arms, unable to move. She stayed put until the waves of pleasure rolling through her body subsided.
“We have to go!” Ethan groaned. Lazily, he pushed the tangled sheets aside and climbed out of bed. Reaching for Zoe, who shot him a puzzled look, he said, “Come on.”
She groaned. Although she’d rather stay in bed, she peeled herself from the comfort of the cozy mattress. He grabbed her hand and led her to the shower. They made love there again but quickly.
Back in her room, he told her to pull out a suitcase and asked her to pack enough outfits for that night through to Sunday. Zoe was confused when he said to make sure she added a warm coat, scarf, gloves, boots and bathing suits to the bag.
An hour later, they were in a waiting room at JFK airport, preparing to board a private plane.
Zoe had never experienced anything like this before. There was coffee, refreshments and cushioned chairs in the waiting area. It was nothing like the crowds and hard plastic seats of the regular terminal.
Ethan held her hand as they cuddled in the comfortable seats. It was so different than when they went out locally, acting as if there were regular friends or work colleagues. She enjoyed being in his arms in public. She allowed herself to relax and take in yet another incredible experience at the hands of Ethan Blackwell. She could get used to letting a man take the lead and was surprised to realize that she trusted him enough to do so.
Zoe didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder until he nudged her awake.
“It’s time to go.”
She followed Ethan along a pristine Jetway onto an airplane with a creamy-beige interior and cushioned leather couches along the walls. A few chairs faced one another at each end of the jet, with polished wood tables nestled between them. Their flight attendant greeted them with a warm smile, letting them know they could sit anywhere they wanted.
Ethan sat on one of the couches, pulling Zoe down beside him. Their attendant offered them drinks, brought them promptly, then disappeared behind one of the cream-colored walls.
Minutes later, Zoe could feel the plane taking off. Ethan put on soft music and sat back beside her.
“Now will you tell me where we�
�re going?” she asked.
“One of the places on your bucket list.”
Zoe sat up. “Are you kidding me?” She tried to think back to all the places she’d told him she wanted to visit. “Which one?”
“The closest one. Now get some rest. There won’t be much sleeping after we land.”
All she could do was shake her head in disbelief. At last, she rested on his shoulder again. What if she could be with Ethan forever?
* * *
“Welcome to Iceland.”
Zoe squeezed her eyes, blinked and opened them slowly.
“We’re here,” she heard Ethan say.
Where was here? She had to get her bearings. Yawning, she recalled the airport terminal and getting on the plane with Ethan. Slowly she began to rise from the sofa. “I thought I was dreaming.”
Ethan laughed. “That’s a good thing. It’s time to get off this bird.”
She stood and stretched. Whatever he had planned, she was ready for it. These memories would be hers to cherish far beyond their time together. Thinking of the experiences they shared in this way made the inevitable end much less distressing.
Ethan had a car waiting for them outside.
“Are we really in Iceland?” Zoe had to confirm.
“Yep.”
“Oh, my goodness, Ethan!”
“You said you wanted to visit. It was only a five-hour flight. Much closer than all the other places you mentioned. And close enough for a nice weekend getaway.”
“And the flight.”
“Courtesy of a friend. He owed me.”
“Wow!” Zoe got in the car, a cushy luxury ride. She held Ethan’s hand but stared out the window. There wasn’t much to see this early in the morning, but she was too excited to turn away. She wanted to see everything possible. “Is this your first time here?” she asked.
“No but it will probably be my best.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m here with you,” Ethan said evenly.
Zoe pressed her lips together. “You’re trying to butter me up.”