She had sulked over the fact that he was going to a fashion show over the weekend instead of going with her to her family home as her pa was celebrating his sixtieth birthday. He had coaxed her into acting out the final scene hoping he would have Aggy by the end of the show which she reluctantly agreed to.
***
"REALLY YOU choose now to take a trip back home." Ethan retorted in displeasure. He raked his hands in his cropped short hair missing his long locks. "I am really sorry babes for leaving you in such a lurch" she muttered and settled on the chair. "You can come in Aggy" Ethan said. Aggy opened the door and lowered her eyes out of embarrassment at being caught eves dropping.
The door had been slightly open and she didn’t want to disturb the couple. "I know,” Abby snapped her fingers. “You can go with Aggy." She squealed in delight as if she had solved the hunger problem in the world. Ethan rolled his eyes. "Sorry for that Aggy, Abby doesn’t know what she is talking about. You are not a model after all."
"What is it, maybe I can help" she chimed in, relieved that they hadn’t noticed she had been listening in on their conversation. She rather enjoyed the fact that Ethan now referred to her as Aggy and not Mrs. Cooper after she had asked of him to drop the title.
"Abby was meant to go with the rest of the models for my lingerie collection showcase, except something important came up."
"I know I can’t be a model but I can help out like before."
"That’s sorted then," Abby said, kissed Ethan on the cheek and glided out of the office. "I should warn you" Ethan said. "Someone also messed up with the travel plans. We are going by road. So we might be forced to stop over at Greg's cabin if the weather changes. Seeing where we are going already appears to be misty." She waved her hands dismissively, "Its ok, am game."
He sighed before asking, "Was they something you needed?"
"It was nothing serious, just forget about it. Let me go and prepare so we leave." Ethan nodded and watched her leave the office before settling back down behind his desk.
Aggy rather felt elated over the prospect of being in a confined space with Ethan for a few hours. That would give them the chance to get re acquainted and maybe he might drop the idea of being involved with Abigail. When she got home, she tried to call her parents to no avail. She called Thelma who rather seemed breathless reminding her of Sophie when she answered. “Hey love, do you mind if you could stay with the children for two days, I know its short notice but something came up.”
“Sorry boss lady, am not in town” Thelma answered and Aggy advised her to enjoy her day before hanging up. She already regretted not sending the girls in the morning with Greg and Sophie for the weekend and telling them they had to be at school. She didn’t want to be alone for the weekend and now her decision seemed to be costing her a trip with Ethan. She could have entrusted Elsie with the duty but she wasn’t yet ready to let go of the reins fearing her daughter would have a party once she was gone.
“Mommy we are home,” the twins shouted, getting into the house and rushing for some hugs and kisses. “Where is Elsie?” she asked seeing that her daughter didn’t follow as she usually did. “Elsie didn’t come to get us today,” Laura replied and plopped on the bed while Lorraine rushed to the loo. “Who brought you home then?”
“That would be me.” Luc said and Aggy sharply raised her head from her vanity bag. She almost contemplated skinning her daughter alive for being irresponsible and glared accusingly at her ex-husband. “Don’t give Elsie a hard time, I asked for the time to be with the twins.” He waved his hands and smiled, taking her by surprise. “Right as if I can believe that,” she muttered under her breath.
“You always worried a lot and thought the worst. I promise Elsie was at the gate of the school when I arrived.” There was a slight pause and he took note that she had been packing an overnight bag before he asked, “Planning to go somewhere?”
Aggy bit her lower lip debating if she could tell her ex the bind she was in. she already knew what his answer would be. She resignedly stated, “I was meant to travel with Ethan for his fashion show. But everyone apparently is busy with their lives; I don’t know who to leave the kids with.”
Luc shrugged his shoulders dismissively. “You can go, I will stay with them.” She stared at him not believing what he had just said. He chuckled and said, “I don’t bite Aggs. I will make sure they are ready for bed by 8pm and Elsie is on her best behavior, just go for the show.”
“Are you sure,” she raised a brow enquiringly. “100%”
She was relieved. He walked out of the room with the twins, leaving her to get ready. She was rather shocked at how the whole conversation had gone, having contemplated a different outcome. When he had smiled while lounging at her door, her heart had lurched as she remembered the bad boy who once upon a time loved her. Wait until she told Sophie pertaining to this new Luc, who didn’t sneer or threaten. She rushed to the shower and got ready for her journey ahead.
***
ETHAN ARRIVED right on time in his Red Toyota Tacoma with a canopy, good for dusty and rocky roads. “Uncle Ethan,” the twins shouted and rushed to him on the driveway while Luc trailed behind. “My angels,” he picked them off the ground as they squealed in delight and gave him slobbery kisses on each cheek. “Ouch, your bush is prickly,” Lorrain complained and scratched her chin. “Angel it’s called a beard not bush.” He said with a chuckle.
“Ethan” Luc nodded.
“Luc,” he nodded back and concentrated on the children. He thought of the challenge Luc had made that he would get his wife back and guessed he had begun taking the steps into putting himself in her good graces. Agatha followed with her overnight bag that Luc took from her and stowed in the car. Laura whispered for Ethan to place her down while Lorraine preferred to be passed to her father and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. “Say goodbye to mommy,” Luc said with a smile and his daughters said the words. Aggy coughed and smiled back before she got into the car. A signal passed between the two men before Ethan got in and drove away.
“So that’s your husband?” he asked, feigning ignorance and pulling the amnesia card. “Ex” Aggy replied staring outside to the children waving with their father till she couldn’t see them anymore. “Is there a chance of reconciling?”
Aggy briefly glanced his way, before she looked ahead. “He might be the father of my children but we don’t have anything in common apart from that. Are you not being a nosy teenager today?” Ethan chuckled having noticed the glee in Aggy’s eyes. “I am not a teen. Yes I might have forgotten certain things that pertain to my life but I actually feel my age,” he retorted. “Anything else trickling in so far,” she asked hoping at least he remembered and this whole farce about him getting engaged to Abigail would be forgotten. “Nothing,” he answered. She sighed and lay back on the seat. “Wake me up when we reach our destination.”
Ethan pasted on a horrified expression, “In five hours’ time, are you serious. You expect me to be quiet all that time and let you sleep.” She giggled. “You are a bad girl Aggy,” he muttered. He turned on the radio and started singing along and moving his head. Giggling at his antics, Aggy sat up properly and joined him. They ran out of conversation and songs in two hours’ time as the car lurched on reducing the kilometers on the tarred road.
Just as Ethan had predicted it started raining and the weather worsened as time went on. He quickly glanced at her, noting how she clutched her hands on her lap. “Are you ok Aggy,” he asked concerned. He hoped she wouldn’t panic seeing the weather wasn’t letting up. She weakly smiled at him. “I am fine; just don’t like thunder and lightning.”
“Greg had given me the use of his cabin along the way. Would you mind if we stayed over there and waited for the weather to abate, am sure it will be sunny tomorrow for us to continue?” A thunder clap was heard, making Aggy tightly grip on her seat belt and quickly make the decision, “I think its best we stopped at Greg’s cabin.” He reached out for her hand and squeezed
it. “It’s nothing to worry about love will be at Greg’s cabin in no time” he reassured.
A flash of lightning crossed the darkened sky as Aggy shrieked. “Stay with me love,” Ethan muttered and grabbed Aggy’s hand again while he drove on. They were almost there. From her expression, he knew she was even more terrified than before imagining they could be the target. He was relieved when he saw the sign post pointing to the dusty road that would lead them to Greg’s cabin.
Greg usually brought in a grader to flatten the road, yet he wanted to maintain the rocky feel and rugged setup to his cabin hence hadn’t tarred the road to it. Lightning flashed and a tree got hit and fell partly into the road. He nearly cursed under his breath as he swerved in time to avoid it while he tried to sooth Aggy. How was one meant to tell her that those elements were harmless when she kept on seeing the worst of it?
The trees swayed from the wind, as thunder and lightning echoed in the sky. She was trembling and he guessed the lightning had made her go back to the incidence that occurred when she was still young.
She screamed, lost in the throes of her nightmare while he cursed under his breath. He came to a halt and quickly got off the car before he carried her from it and rushed to the cabin. Quickly opening the door with the key that Greg had handed to him in the morning, he was able to navigate his way to the bed and placed Aggy on it.
The flashes of lightning helped. It wasn’t his first time of staying at the cabin hence knew where everything could be found. In no time, he had lit the fire on the fireplace and rushed to Aggy who was clutching at her legs and incoherently mumbling a few words as she rocked her body. He embraced her and comforted. Her whimpers had reduced as she fought being at the present and the past.
“It’s ok love,” he muttered. Thunder was heard rumbling in the sky and she screamed. He hadn’t seen her this way before as this wave of shock appeared to consume her being. He knew the tree that had been hit had further frightened her. He muttered something under his breath before he swooped in and kissed her. At first she fought him, but sighed and kissed him back as the sound of the rain, lightning and thunder faded from her ears and she enjoyed the sensations brought about by being in his arms.
***
AGGY SLOWLY opened her eyes and cleared up the cobwebs of sleep trying to call her back into dream world. This was a dream, she thought and almost blushed when she became fully awake and realized that she was sandwiched by Ethan’s strong thighs and arms. She recalled back to the kiss that he had given her to chase away her fear and was relieved as she took note that they were fully clothed and nothing had happened apart from that. She wasn’t ready for the cougar title to be pasted on her. Ethan had to remember. At least the twenty eight year old one was a lot more mature than her. Come to think of it, even the eighteen year old one. She doubted he would be one of those boys who shouted at the roof tops that they had a sugar mummy and bragged to everyone ready to give heed to what they would be saying.
She drank her fill of his handsome face. No longer would he be called boyish looking. The thieves had managed to make him look rugged and grown up. A scar was on his left brow while another small crescent shaped one was on his chin. She had noticed that before since now he now kept a short beard. Long gone was the long hair having been shaved off whilst he was still in hospital. Now it was cropped in a fashionable male haircut. “Are you done ogling me,” he whispered eliciting a chuckle from her as he stared at her and winked. “Morning.”
“Morning,” she greeted back. She continued staring into his beautiful eyes and his wicked grin. “Mmhh,” she cleared her throat before stating, “We should get ready.”
He resignedly unwound his arms and removed his legs that sandwiched her body, trapping her. Aggy giggled when she was in the safety of the bathroom after Ethan moved away. She had felt the tell tell signs. He was aroused and desired her. Well she desired him too. Looking around at the bathroom, she moved to the tiny sink, opened the tap and yelped. The water was freezing cold. Aggy,” Ethan called as she slightly opened the door and peeked out. “Just wait for ten minutes that water must be freezing cold. Am boiling the water for bathing.” She nodded and shut the door again. She didn’t want to risk being in the same room with him and pretending she wasn’t hot and bothered.
Maybe if she tried the cold shower she would feel much better. She opened the tap again and put the tip of her finger. No ways, Ethan could have the cold showers all to himself. She settled on the chamber seat and started counting backwards. “Aggs it’s ready” he shouted from the outside. She opened the door and saw a bucket placed near it. What was he doing, she wondered at hearing the sound of cutlery. Getting the bucket, she went on the strip her clothes off, tempered the hot with cold water and bathed.
Greg had a nice cabin, she thought as she looked around the bathroom. He might say he wanted the backwoods effect, yet he had also brought a bit of modernity to it, seeing he had a functional bathroom. The bathtub must have cost him an arm, she muttered, since it was hewn from a rock. After she was done, she made sure she didn’t leave a trace of her presence, like hair clogging the sink after she had combed, knowing Ethan might call her back to clean up. He was such a neat freak.
“Bathroom free,” she advised and heard him grunt. Her jeans and chiffon top were already laid out for her to wear. Apparently old habits die hard. She giggled at that thought and got ready. The room was rather a huge one. The four poster bed dominated the one corner of it while the kitchen was on the other side. She hadn’t taken note of the things around her the previous night since she was battling with her fears, now in full view she was able to see everything. The dark rich mahogany furniture of two rocking chairs that were further away from the bed situated near the fireplace. The cow skin on the floor, even a stuffed deer’s head with its antlers on the wall.
A full length mirror was on the wall which she used to check her appearance. Satisfied she moved to the kitchen on the side. A long wooden counter and bar stools had been set. A four plate gas stove and small refrigerator. She chuckled when she took note of the food laid out on the counter.
She was slowly sipping her steaming hot coffee when Ethan came in. “where did you get the eggs and bacon from.” She asked and got a smart answer she would have received from Elsie. “It’s magic, just eat and don’t ask questions.” She huffed.
“I carried the stuff in case of such an emergency” he finally said and settled down for his meal. “This is a rather cozy place, wouldn’t mind staying here forever,” she remarked and watched him grin.
“Even Abby echoed the same sentiments.” She choked on her coffee and coughed. “You have been here with her?”
“Yes, she is my girlfriend after all.”
She was already having images of him sandwiching her and doing much more than that. Maybe that’s what he had been thinking about in the morning when he became aroused. Pulling on a weak smile, suddenly deflated, she excused herself to go and collect her things, leaving him still eating his breakfast. So much for thinking she had made progress. Ethan was still under the notion that he was involved with Abby. She grimaced at the thought and cursed Greg to hell.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ETHAN STARTLED Agatha from her thoughts when he got out of the cabin dressed in black ribbed jeans, a simple white t-shirt tautly stretched over his abs and white snickers. She had been contemplating wringing Greg’s neck while she waited for him on the porch not feeling a smidge ashamed at all for letting him clear up even though he had prepared breakfast for her.
It served him right for being so infuriating. "Shall we go Aggy" he asked smiling at her as her silly heart did a flip flop. She swallowed. Boy her trip was going to be the worst one indeed she thought before pasting on a smile and cheerily answered. "Am set."
They left the small cabin and continued with their journey. The show was in full swing when they arrived. The rooms at the hotel were fully booked as expected. Ethan wanted separate rooms but when they heard they was one suite left,
Agatha nonchalantly stated. "It’s cool, take it" and glared at him as if posing a challenge. He smirked and remarked, "Thought you didn't like spending the night with me." She could feel the wave of heat wash over her and the lady behind the desk chuckled. "Newlyweds, huh".
Ethan shrugged and took the key card. Now at the stalls and looking at what people were offering she took some notes in her head. She was impressed. At night they were going to showcase their creations. For the mean time booths had been provided and it looked more like a funfair of clothes. Sophie called while she was looking through some fashionable hats and trying them on. "Heard you are at the fashion gala, how is it"
"It’s great, I literally had to beg Ethan to take me along” she giggled while Sophie also screamed. “No you didn’t.” Aggy snorted before remarking. “We slept over at your cabin by the way,”
“And” Sophie asked.
Agatha chuckled; she couldn't tell Soph over the phone of what she had experienced in the morning. Ethan was looking her way also, which would be more embarrassing if she went that route. Avoiding that subject, she answered, "Nothing. Tell Greg he better stay out of my way for a while.” Greg took the handset from Sophie and shouted, “Aggy I am now a marriage officer by the way, so expect Ethan to be married to Abby immediately when he comes back from that show,” before he handed the phone to his wife.
She huffed at that fact. Greg was just being a pain in the neck and she knew he was capable of seeing that happen. “Don’t mind him love, he is drunk on cheap wine. Just enjoy with Ethan” Sophie advised before she hung up.
How she so wished she could send a lightning bolt that would burn him to ashes. She just had this time then to make Ethan hers without having to be her crazy self and go the nine yards. How hard could that be?
The Designer's Wicked Intentions Page 11