Autumn in London (7 page)

Anna

Ethan’s sister was pretty. Beautiful even. I suppose that should be no surprise given Ethan’s god-like features. You could definitely see the resemblance. What was more interesting to me was the relationship he had with her. It was playful and teasing and sweet. Being with them reminded me of being in the Hamptons, he was relaxed and happy—Ethan’s life was full of good people who loved him. Happy couples living happy lives. I wondered why he’d not dated before—didn’t he want that too?

“I bet you still have all the books out, like you’re trying to intellectualize a boyhood obsession,” Jessica taunted him. Jessica had explained all about Ethan’s James Bond obsession. There were worse obsessions to have.

“They’re valuable. First editions,” he replied looking slightly wounded. “At least it’s more intellectual than the Boys II Men obsession you had.”

“Yeah, but I don’t still have my Boys II Men posters on my wall. They came down when I started dating for real. Although I should have left them up. Rock star fantasies are so much better than the reality of dating grabby teenage boys.”

“Or dating any aged men. It’s not just teenage boys that are grabby,” I said, forgetting my filter. “Present company excepted, of course.” I cringed and Jessica laughed.

“You’re probably right. The last date I went on before I met James not only made me pay for dinner but spent the night texting an ex-girlfriend, which he excused by saying she was upset over a break-up.”

I nodded. “I went on a date once and came out of the loo at our restaurant to find him taking the number of the waitress.”

“Jesus.” Ethan recoiled.

“And in college my long-time boyfriend ended up cheating on me with my best friend. Same thing happened to Leah before she met Daniel. I’m a shit magnet, what can I say.”

“So what does that make me?” Ethan asked.

“Hmmm, a knight on a white horse, his colors flying?” I grinned at him and he grinned back.

“OMG, are you quoting Pretty Woman?” Jessica asked, grinning at me expectantly.

I nodded. “I hear you’re a fan of the film, too?”

“I love it. Seen it a million times. I used to make Ethan watch it over and over.”

“It paid off,” I said. “Did he tell you what he did in New York?”

“Holy hell, Anna, you’re not telling that story.” Ethan groaned. “I think I preferred the ex-boyfriend talk.”

“You have to tell me now,” Jessica squealed.

“No, Anna. Jessica doesn’t want to hear about what her brother does naked,” Ethan interjected.

“That’s true,” Jessica said. “No sex stories. Not ever. Well, not about my brother anyway. If they’re about a sexy man I’m not related to, then dish! I’ve completely run out of my own stories and I need to live vicariously!”

“I don’t want to hear about you naked either, for Christ’s sake.” Ethan rolled his eyes.

“Okay, more ex stories—my most recent ex owed money to someone he shouldn’t and they ended up breaking into my flat to scare me.”

Ethan pushed his chair away from the table, the legs, scraping across the tiled floor. “Are you fucking serious?” I looked at him and his face was dark, his eyes boring into me. I was stunted by his reaction, and I didn’t have time to answer him. “The flat you’re in now?”

“Ethan.” I reached across to him, taking his hand in mine. “I’m selling it, you know I am, and the police are involved.”

“How could you not tell me?” He was scouring my face, as if looking for more information.

“It hasn’t come up. And there’s nothing to tell.”

“You’re not staying there,” he growled.

“Ethan, I’ve stayed there since, it was months ago, and you’ve been there with me recently.” I grabbed his hand, trying to reassure him.

“You’re not staying there on your own again,” he said, calmer but still resolute.

“Okay,” I said, meaning it. I liked that he cared enough to want to protect me. It felt nice. It felt safe. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

“Wow,” Jessica said and we both snapped our heads ’round to her voice at the same time.

“What?” Ethan asked.

She shrugged and started to clear the plates from the table. I stood up but Ethan pulled me back down, not letting go of my hand.

“Let me help,” I said, trying to get up again. Ethan pulled me and my chair toward him with one hand, his other not leaving mine.

“You two sit here. James and I will get this,” Jessica said.

I leaned my head on Ethan’s shoulder. “Do you work with him?” he asked after a few beats.

“No, god no. He wasn’t . . . just no.”

“Do you still see him?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all.”

“Talk to him?”

“No, Ethan. Please. We can talk when we get home, but drop it while we’re here.” I smiled at him stiffly, aware Jessica and James would be back any minute.

“I don’t like it,” he snapped.

“Clearly.”

James came back in with two bottles of wine. “I thought we might need extra supplies. I say, if in doubt, get pissed.”

“It’s the only thing we have in common anymore,” Jessica said as she came in with a tray of chocolate mousse. “Getting wasted to block out reality.”

“I hear it’s the only way to deal with children,” I said.

“Absolutely,” James and Jessica chorused and then laughed.

I smiled and turned to look at Ethan who was staring at me as if he’d not heard any of the interaction. I squeezed his hand and he blinked and looked away.

“What is this crap you’re drinking?” He grinned and threw back a glass of whatever it was, clearly not too concerned.

“So, what do you do?” Jessica asked me.

“Oh, I’m a lawyer. I work at the firm that Ethan’s firm just took over.”

Jessica looked at her brother and then back at me. “So, you met working together? Is that allowed?”

“We met in New York, in the summer. It was coincidence that we work together. We didn’t know,” Ethan said.

It was clear, Ethan hadn’t said much to his sister about me.

“So you didn’t come to London to spend time with your sister and niece. Typical.” Jessica was obviously joking.

“No, I came to do a job. I didn’t know where Anna worked until we bumped into each other at work.”

“Oh, wow,” she said. “That sounds kinda romantic.”

“It is what it is.” Ethan sat back in his chair, his hand still not releasing mine.

“So, when are you going back to work?” Ethan asked. “Jessica’s a dentist. She’ll make a fortune in this country.”

I elbowed him in the ribs.

“Yeah, I’m going to see a few practices next week actually. I’m a bit scared about going back. I’ve probably forgotten everything. It’s been over a year.”

“Hey, you’re great at your job. You won’t have forgotten anything.” Ethan turned to me. “Jessica is as smart as a whip. Top of her class.”

It was cute to see him so proud of her. I grinned. “I’m sure it runs in the family. What do your parents do?” I asked.

“Dad is a dentist, too. Mom stays at home. They have the perfect life. Did you hear about Uncle Alec?” Jessica asked Ethan.

Ethan nodded. “I spoke to mom yesterday.”

I excused myself to pop to the restroom while they caught up on family stuff. This was a new Ethan. Family Ethan. Loyal, proud. It was nice. But I didn’t need a reason to like him more.

Ethan

I was mad. She’d finally told me about the ex. But despite me asking a number of times in New York and her refusing to discuss him, she casually tells my sister everything at dinner. And he turns out to be a total prick and she’s not safe in her own home. I’m mad at her, I’m mad at her ex and I’m mad at myself for not getting this information out of her sooner.

I’d managed to push it to one side during dinner but after leaving my sister’s it crept back into my head and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

We were in a cab, going back to her apartment, but there was no way we were staying there. I wasn’t fucking her in that bed, where she’d fucked other men, especially men who didn’t deserve her. Jesus, the thought made me want to punch something.

“You’re quiet,” she said. I’d not said anything since we’d left Jessica and James’s.

Her hand was in mine, as it had been for most of the night, and I squeezed. Trying to give her reassurance of something. I wasn’t sure what.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Ben. I know you’ve asked me.”

“Don’t say his name to me,” I said, staring straight ahead.

“I didn’t bullshit you,” she said finally. She was right, technically she hadn’t lied but I hated that there was so much of her I didn’t know. She was mine and I wanted to know everything.

When we pulled up outside her apartment, I could tell she was wondering if I was going to come in. As if I would leave her. She wasn’t spending another night in that apartment, certainly not alone.

She tried to let go of my hand as I paid the driver but I wouldn’t let her. We made our way into the apartment. “I need you to pack a bag. We’re staying at my hotel tonight,” I said, still not looking at her.

“Ethan—”

“Don’t argue with me. Not about this.”

She didn’t. I released her hand and she made her way around the apartment gathering her things. I stayed by the front door, waiting.

I felt better when we were out of her place and back in another cab. But not good enough to be able to have a conversation with her. I was concerned I’d lose it. I wasn’t used to dealing with shit like this. She hadn’t done anything wrong but I was still angry at her for not telling me. And for dating other people before me. It was irrational but it was how I felt. I was angry at myself, that I’d not met her before this prick Ben, before all the other guys she dated.

When we arrived at the hotel, I picked up my messages at the desk and led Anna to the elevator bank, wheeling her suitcase behind us. She’d packed a decent amount, which was a good thing because she wasn’t going back there.

“When does your apartment sale go through?” I asked as the elevator doors opened.

“The week after next.”

I nodded. “Which apartment that we saw today did you like?”

“They were all amazing.”

“Which one do you prefer?”

“It’s not for me.”

“Anna.”

“The second one.”

I nodded. “Okay, I’ll speak to the realtor. It’s empty so we should be able to move in quickly. We’ll stay here until then.”

“Ethan—”

“Not a fucking word, Anna.”

“I don’t get to speak?”

“Not yet.”

“Then when?”

“When I’ve fucked you so hard you’ve forgotten what you wanted to say.”

She didn’t respond and as we entered the hotel room, the door slammed behind us. I set her suitcase down and walked across the living area to the bed.

“Come here,” I said, trying to disguise the anger I felt. It was anger mixed with lust. I couldn’t look at her as I undid her shirt and peeled it from her shoulders. I concentrated on her soft, smooth skin. I wanted to mark it and I tipped her head to one side and attached my lips to her neck. I sucked hard. There would definitely be a mark and the thought increased my need for her and took the edge off my anger. She made no complaint, just held herself steady against my shoulders. I moved to the other side and did the same.

“Take the rest of your clothes off,” I ordered as I started to undress myself.

Silently, she complied. I could feel her looking at me, trying to catch my eye. I wasn’t ready to face what I’d see there.

Naked, I knelt before her. I could smell her perfect pussy right in front of me. I grabbed her bottom and her hands went to my hair. I pushed my tongue against her. She was soaked and I couldn’t hold back a groan.  Fuck, she was delicious.  I always loved going down on women. With most of them it was because it unravelled them to a point they’d do anything I cared to suggest. With Anna, it was the clouded look in her eyes that did it for me. The way she seemed to go to a slightly different place. She started to throb against my tongue almost immediately. She was so ready. One hand pushed her perfect ass against me, and I used the other to trace the wetness across her folds, then pushed my fingers into her and she tightened around me. Jesus, my cock started to pulse at the thought that it would soon replace my fingers. Her breath became shorter. She wouldn’t last long but I wasn’t going to make it that easy for her.

“Ethan,” she mewed.

I pulled away from her, refusing to give her release against my tongue. That’s not how it was going to happen. She wasn’t going to be rewarded so easily. I stood up and lifted her roughly onto the bed.

“Turn around,” I barked and she flipped over onto her stomach.

Kneeling behind her, I pushed her knees under her, raising that perfect ass of hers, ready for me while her face and chest remained flat to the mattress. I moved off the bed to get a condom and a better view.

“Stay still,” I said as she went to push her chest off the bed. Again she complied without argument. This is what I needed. I needed her to show me that I was the man she wanted. That she would do whatever I asked of her.