Ethan (Members From Money Book 37)

by Katie Dowe

  *****

  “Hello?” she murmured as she reached for the phone trying to get the sleep from her eyes.

  “I woke you.” His deep voice had the power to drive the sleep immediately from her.

  “What time is it?” she peered at the clock. “Ethan, it’s 3 a.m.!”

  “I just wanted to hear your voice. I am headed to a meeting in the hotel lobby and just wanted to hear your very sexy voice. I miss you.”

  “No reason for you to get me up at this hour,” but there was no irritation in her voice. “You are coming home tomorrow.”

  “I want you naked and ready for me in my bed when I get there.”

  “I am not going to be naked in your bed.”

  “Please?”

  “You are impossible!” she said with a laugh as she propped herself on the pillows, wide awake now.

  “Does that mean I will walk through that door and find you spread out on my bed?” he asked her softly.

  “No it means that I miss you too.” She said softly.

  “Good. I did some shopping. You are a size two right?”

  “A size four actually. Ethan you are not buying me anything.”

  “I am not allowed to acknowledge that you are mine to anyone and we are not allowed to go anywhere together. I might let you dictate the terms of our relationship darling but I have to do something. I saw this stunning ruby and diamond bracelet and I bought it for you. I also bought matching pairs of earrings.”

  “Where am I going to wear them to?” she asked him feeling the softness of his feelings for her flowing over her.

  “When we go out together as a couple you can wear them. I don’t much care. I want you in my life Harper and I am not going to stop trying or pushing you to say yes.”

  “We can discuss that when you get back.”

  “Are you saying yes?” he demanded.

  “I am saying that I have been thinking about it.”

  “I cannot wait to get home and be with you.”

  “Neither can I. You have spoilt sleeping by myself.” She told him ruefully. “I find myself reaching for you.”

  “Very soon you won’t have to sleep without me.” He whispered. “God woman I miss you!”

  “Hurry and come home.”

  *****

  “It’s going to be fine. We are going to be fine.” Erica told him. “I know you are terrified at the prospect of being with someone like me but you know me Mark and you know the type of person I am. “

  “If we do this, if we come out with our relationship, people will look at me and pity me or envy me. You will be the one supporting me Erica. Don’t you see that? I don’t have anything to offer you.”

  “I don’t need anything,” she cried as she got up from her chair and came to stand in front of him. Her brother was coming back from his trip tomorrow and her mother had suggested that it would be a perfect time for Mark to come to dinner to officially meet the family. “I only need you.”

  He turned away and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Your brother had me investigated.” He said bitterly.

  “I know and I am sorry.”

  “That’s just it Erica. I don’t blame him. In his shoes, I would have done the same thing. I don’t have money. The only thing in my bank account is the money I got from my last paycheck.”

  “That’s because you refuse to let me help you with the student loans and the credit card debts you have.”

  “You already help me with my mother’s care and I was desperate when I accepted.”

  “I did not give you a choice,” she reminded him. “Most men would not let it bother them.”

  “I am not most men.” He told her in frustration. “I am actually in love with you and I would like nothing better than to take care of you.”

  “But I do not need taking care of,” Erica grabbed his arms urgently. They had been arguing about this for the past two weeks and it was wearing her down. “I was born wealthy. I got everything I needed and I am able to buy anything I want, do anything I want except get the man that I love to believe that this can work between us.”

  “How?” he asked her. “Where would we live?”

  “I have a large suite with three bedrooms--”

  “So I would be living under your roof.”

  “Okay we could buy a place--”

  “With your money.” He said bitterly.

  “What do you want me to say Mark?” she cried out in frustration. “I am trying to show you that it does not matter that I have money and you don’t. It will be our money as soon as we get married.”

  “Except it wouldn’t.” he said quietly. “You are a Shaw and nothing will ever be able to change that.” He lifted his hands and pushed back her hair from her very attractive face. “I love you Erica and I have dreams of us being together, of us getting married and raising a family and growing old together but I have no prospects or anything to offer you. I am a man and I am afraid that if I accept what you are offering very soon my manhood would die as the years go by. I would come to resent you, knowing that you are the one providing. You would probably give me a position that I have not earned in the company because I am married to you. You would be taking my name but you would still be a Shaw. It will never work.”

  “What are you saying?” she whispered.

  “I am saying goodbye. I am sorry.”

  *****

  He stopped short as he came into the room and saw her spread out on his bed, completely naked. “I thought about it and decided that I might as well make it a pleasure for you to come home to and besides I have missed you.”

  He came further into the room and dropped his bag. He had been traveling for the past twelve hours and was suffering from jet lag but he had been thinking about her and how much he was looking forward to coming home to her.

  “This is nice,” he said huskily. “This is very nice.”

  “I think so.” She extended a hand for him to take and he came over and sat on the edge of the bed holding her hand. He could not take his eyes off her curves or the puckered nipples. “How was your trip?”

  “Tiresome but you are here so it doesn’t matter.” He turned her hand over and looked at the palm. “I love you.” He murmured. “I know that you think I don’t know what I am saying but I want you in my life as my wife.”

  “I know,” she pulled herself up onto the pillows. “I am slowly leaning into that direction. Aren’t you going to take off your clothes?”

  “I am wondering if I have to strength to do that.” He murmured. He let go of her and got off the bed. She watched him undress and almost sighed at the ripple of muscles as he stripped down. As he climbed in next to her she lifted one hand and touched his chest before going further down. “I love the way you look.” She whispered.

  “I want to take it slow and give you a slow and relaxed meeting of our bodies but as you can see that I am getting impatient.” He brought her hand down to curve around his fully erect penis.

  “So I see,” she arched her body to his as she continued to hold him. “I want you inside me.”

  “Words I live by,” he said hoarsely. He placed his hand over hers and moved it up and down the length of his member. “Christ woman, I need you!”

  “Then have me,” she whispered. She let go of him and opened her legs. “Please.”

  With a muttered oath he climbed over her and guided his penis inside her slowly, his teeth gritted as he went deeper inside her. Harper lifted her body and wrapped her legs around his trim waist, her hands reaching up to hold him. “Darling,” he breathed as he bent to take her lips with his.

  “Welcome home,” she murmured inside his mouth as he thrust into her eagerly.

  *****

  Erica ignored the discreet knock on the door hoping the person would go away but she should have known it was her sister when the door was pushed open and she came right in. “I brought you a snack. Rachel told me you have not eaten.”

  “I am not hungry,” she said without
looking around. She had come straight from the office and into her suite of rooms hoping that she would not encounter any family members. Rachel told her that her mother had gone out for the evening.

  “It’s some sort of dessert that the chef concocted and some chocolate milk. You used to love that when you were upset.”

  She did not answer and Erin placed the tray onto the table next to her sister before coming around to face her. “I am not leaving so you might as well tell me what’s happening.”

  “I just want to be left alone.”

  “No you don’t,” Erin pulled up one of the heavy damask chairs and faced her. “It has something to do with Mark, only a man would make a woman look the way you do. Did he refuse to come to dinner?”

  “Among other things.”

  “Okay so maybe dinner is not the right thing to do at this time. He is not used to us and facing one Shaw is intimidating enough without facing several. So you ask him to lunch and let him meet Mother formally and you guys talk and he can get to know her. I already know and like him no matter the fact that he is dirt poor.”

  To her horror, she saw her sister burst into tears! She scrambled off her chair and went on her knees before her. Erin wrapped her arms around her and waited for her to stop crying. She finally did and pushed her away. “I am okay.”

  “Darling you are not and I am not leaving you in this state. I like being a part of a twin and I am afraid of what you will do with yourself if I leave you alone.”

  “It’s always all about you.”

  “Of course. Now talk to me.”

  “He broke up with me.” She said quietly, her voice defeated.

  “Then he is a damned fool!”

  “I understand why he did it.”

  “The chasm between the two of you.” Erin said with a nod.

  Erica stared at her sister. “You think that the differences are so great?”

  Erin shrugged gracefully. “It can be scaled and over time it could be as if it was not there but darling you have to admit that to him it is enormous and complicated. You are his employer and your name is also Shaw. We are not talking about your small company here; we are talking a conglomerate recognized worldwide. He must be so frightened and feel so impotent, forgive the choice of word! But you know what I mean. You would be literally holding the purse strings and putting money into his bank account would not change the fact that it is your money.”

  “I love him!” Erica cried tremulously. “It is not fair that he is the only man I ever loved and I cannot have him.”

  Chapter 15

  “They look as if they were made especially for you.” He told her lazily as he watched the stones sparkle around her neck and in her lobes. They were both exhausted but he had insisted that she tried on the jewelry he had brought for her.

  He had gotten her a hand mirror from the bathroom so she could see how it looked and she had to admit that they looked very good on her. “I should give them back to you,” she put away the mirror and stared at him. His hair was mussed where she had run her fingers through the thick dark strands and his dark blue eyes looked soft and gentle.

  “I would not take them back and besides it is rude to give back gifts.” His fingers brushed back the tangled hair from her face. “You could always wear them at our engagement party,” he added casually.

  She gave him a narrowed look. “What engagement party?”

  “The one I am planning for us. I think next weekend would be fine.”

  She sat up abruptly, the movement causing his eyes to go to her breasts. “Ethan Shaw we have not discussed this! I have not met your family and you have not met mine and I have not agreed to marry you.”

  “I bought another box,” he told her softly. He stretched over and took up his jacket and felt for the pocket, taking out a small dark blue box which had her staring at it. He opened it and she stared at the brilliant single diamond nestled in tiny rubies. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen! He took it out and took her left hand. “I want you to be my wife in the worst way,” he said softly. He took her ring finger and slid the ring onto it. It was a perfect fit! “I am not perfect in any way and I will probably mess up a lot of times but I have never met another woman like you and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I want you in my life.”

  Harper felt choked from the tears she was fighting not to let him see. “Ethan--”

  “Say yes please and save me from the misery of not being with you. Please say yes.”

  “I have to think--”

  “No,” he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it slowly. “Don’t think about how different we are, or how you are against rich people or all the other little differences I am sure you are going to come up with. We belong together and it is that simple. I refuse to accept less than marriage and that is not because I want to possess you somehow. It is because I want to give you everything: my name, the wealth that you do not really like and my entire being. Please say yes.”

  Harper bit her lip and felt the tremor straight through her body. “Damn you!’ she whispered tearfully.

  “Is that a yes?” he asked her teasingly.

  “Yes!” she whispered achingly. “Yes, I will marry you.”

  He gathered her into his arms and held her as she cried.

  *****

  He strode into the vast living room where there was a fire burning and his mother and sisters were gathered. He had barely been able to tear himself away from her this morning but she had told him she had things to do and so did he. He had not been to the manor in a while and felt as if he did not live there anymore.

  “Darling what is this emergency that has us sitting here for the past twenty minutes?” Evelyn asked him as soon as he came into the room. “And when did you get back?”

  “Last night.”

  “You spent the night at the apartment?” Erin asked him.

  “I did.” He took a seat on one of the comfortable sofas facing them. “I have news.”

  “We suspected as much.” His mother said.

  “I have met someone.” He noted that they were not really surprised. “I know that my reputation has not been--” he spread his hands as he searched for the word. “I have been with many women and she makes me wish that I was as pure as the driven snow. I kept the relationship secret because she insisted. She is stubborn, willful and the most beautiful woman I have ever met,” his family looked in astonishment at the gentle expression on his face. “But she has finally agreed to be my wife.”

  “Darling that’s wonderful!” Evelyn exclaimed as she got to her feet and came to sit next to him. “Do we know her?”

  “She does not run in our circles so I doubt that.” He told her. “But I want her to meet you and I called this meeting to apprise you of the situation before I ask her here for dinner.” He paused a little. “She is not hung up on wealth and she pretty much says whatever comes to her mind.” He laughed at that. “She keeps me on my toes and I don’t know what I would do without her.”

  Erin came over and sat on the arm of the sofa he was sitting on. “Finally,” she said as she hugged him. “You have met your match and I cannot wait to meet the woman who has conquered my brother.”

  “You make it sound like a war,” he said wryly as he looked up at her.

  “Sometimes love is.” She kissed the top of his head. “I have to run. I have a lunch date which I am late for because of you. Congratulations darling.” She waved as she hurried away.

  “Just let me know what she likes so I can inform the chef darling.” Evelyn said squeezing his hand. “And also if it will be just her or will her parents be here as well.”

  “Thanks Mother. I will let you know.”

  “I have to run as well. I will see you later.”

  He looked over to where Erica sat with her feet curled beneath her. He noticed that she was still wearing a robe which meant she had not dressed yet even though it was almost noon. “You have not said anything,” he murmured.


  “Congratulations,” she forced a smile as she looked at him. “I hope you will be happy.”

  “I am sure we will be,” his dark blue eyes wandered over her pale face. “But you are not and I suspect it has to do with that guy.”

  “His name is Mark!” she cried. “You never took the chance to get to know his name.”

  “So invite him to dinner next Saturday.”

  “He broke up with me.”

  Ethan noticed her clenched hands and how much she was losing control. “I am sorry to hear that,” he said carefully. “Why?”

  “Because he does not think that a wealthy woman like me can love a man like him. He does not think it will work because I have too much money and he has none. He said I am going to be holding the purse strings and as a man in the relationship he would not be comfortable with that.”

  “I agree with him.” Ethan told her.

  “What?” she stared at him, her eyes bright.

  “I would feel the same way Erica. He is a man and he is not going to feel good knowing that the woman he loves has to support him in every way. He will never be able to keep you in the way you are used to. And he would never tell you to leave all you have and come and live his lifestyle. It’s a terribly difficult situation and you have to look at it from his point of view.”

  Erica stared at her brother for a moment and then looked away. She sat there in silence and he did not say anything, waiting for her to speak. “What am I going to do?” she asked quietly.

  “Make him your equal.”

  “What?’ she looked at him confused.

  “How is he in the department?”

  “Very efficient and works harder than anyone there.”

  “Then promote him and increase his salary.”

  “He will not accept that.”

  “If he really loves you he will. Neither of you asked for this Erica; it happened and it would be foolish to let go of love because of the circumstances surrounding it. He might not agree to live here under this roof so you might suggest one of the apartments that we own. Find a way to make it work.”

  For the first time since Mark had told her it was over she felt a glimmer of hope! “You are right!” she jumped up off the chair and rushed over to hug him. “Thank you.”