Impatiently Patient

by Amelia Shea

  She had told herself with the months between them that she may not be completely over him but she could at least be able to be around him, see him and not want him again.

  She was wrong. Seeing him standing there in his suit, looking the way only Ethan could look, brought everything back. Her heart raced. She had to get away before her armor fell.

  She pushed open the door and walked into the quiet bathroom. Pacing in front of the stalls for a minute, she halted when she heard a toilet flush. She made her way to the sink to wash her hands. This was ridiculous, hiding out in the bathroom. She knew she’d have to see him. The stall door behind her opened and immediately her blood started to pump. There was only one person she didn’t want to see more than Ethan. And that bitch just walked out of the stall.

  Emory stared at her in the mirror. The dark-haired woman’s eyes raked over Emory’s body and a cruel smile formed on her lips. She walked up to the sink next to Emory.

  “Isn’t this a surprise? So nice to see you, Emory.”

  “Nina.” Emory’s teeth were clenched and she had visions of shoving her soapy hands in the bitch’s eyes before poking them out.

  Emory stared back at her reflection and finished up quickly. Not another word was said but the tension consumed the restroom. She dried her hands and made her way to the door.

  “Emory?”

  Emory’s lips tightened at the sound of her voice. She turned around to find Nina still standing at the sink with a fake smile plastered over her face. She was beautiful, she’d give her that. Her dark hair and light skin were a great combination, and her tall and thin physique were what most men wanted.

  “I hope you aren’t still harboring that little crush you had on Ethan. I’d hate to see you make a fool of yourself again. It’s kind of sad really.”

  Oh hell no!

  Emory spewed, “Not as sad as you on your knees blowing him in his dad’s office.”

  “Jealous?”

  Emory snorted. “Excuse me?”

  “Are you jealous? That crush you’ve had has been going on for years, everyone knows it. We’ve even chuckled at it, Ethan and I.”

  Emory could feel her face burn in anger. She was full of shit. Ethan wouldn’t laugh at her with Nina. Emory knew better than that. Ethan had his faults. However, that wasn’t one of them. Emory knew what this retched whore was doing. This was methodically planned on Nina’s part. Women like her were vicious and cunning and plain cruel. Most people backed down from a woman like Nina. Emory’s lips curled in a nasty smile. Look out bitch, you just met your match.

  Emory let the door fall closed and stalked up to Nina. She stared at her, watching Nina’s confidence sway. Hold on, Nina, I’m about to hand you your ass!

  Emory took another step forward and laughed. Nina glared back at her but Emory could see confusion in her stare.

  “Hmm…Let’s see, am I jealous?” Emory looked to the ceiling as though she was pondering the idea. “What exactly are you asking, Nina? Am I jealous of a woman with no self-respect but to throw herself at a man, who clearly only wants her for one thing?” Emory folded her arms and looked up to the ceiling again. “Hmmm…Am I jealous that you got on your knees and blew Ethan? Or am I jealous of the fact that outside of his dad’s office, Ethan steers clear of you?” Glancing back at Nina, she smirked. “As for you and Ethan laughing at me?” She leaned in, slowly, saying, “Bullshit. He wouldn’t do that and you fucking know it, and that pisses you off.” Emory looked in the mirror, swinging her hair over her shoulder. “If you want to laugh at me, have at it, girl. Do you really think I care what you think of me? Please, you are nothing but a fancy, dressed up, shiny whore.”

  Nina flinched at the word “whore.” If this woman wanted to spew evil, she’d have to learn how to take it. Emory backed down to no one.

  Nina’s nasty laugh rang through the bathroom. “You think we’re so different, Emory? You and I both know that I was in the position we’ve both dreamed about being in. The only difference is, I got the man.”

  Emory took a step toward Nina and laughed.

  “No, the difference is, you got on your knees for him. If I had gotten the man, you can bet your ass, he would have been the one on his knees.” She smiled and walked out the door and straight back to the outside patio. She needed the fresh air. God, that felt good.

  Her body trembled as she pushed open the doors to the patio. Her heart was racing with adrenaline. The air hit her face and she sucked in a deep breath, slowly coming down from her high.

  The trees in the courtyard were also streamed with little white lights. Emory walked over to the patio that overlooked the golf course. The music played softly. She was alone, probably due to the cooler night. She didn’t mind as long as she had a few quiet minutes. She was still reeling from the confrontation with Nina. God, she hated that bitch. But that felt so good! That confrontation was years in the making. She breathed deep and smiled. She turned to the gazebo on the right. It was secluded from the patio with ivy streaming through the beams. This place was really pretty, all the lights and the landscape. She thought of hiding out here for the rest of the night.

  Eventually, Roxanne would find her.

  But damn, she needed a drink.

  “Hello, Emory.” The voice was smooth and deep.

  She closed her eyes and muttered, “Fuck.”

  Gathering up her armor again, she swirled around and met the eyes that had haunted her the last several months. The stare that drove her fleeing to the bathroom. The bluest eyes ever gifted to someone. Or two someones, but on Ethan, they did something to her. Made her want those eyes focused solely on her. Forever.

  Goddammit, Em, pull yourself together, you sound like a fucked up version of a sappy love story.

  Emory plastered a smile on her face. It took great effort to hold it in place with Nina’s words echoing in her head. “That crush you’ve had has been going on for years, everyone knows it.” But she would not let that bitch or the man in front of her rock her confidence. She was Emory fucking Kern.

  She straightened her back, inadvertently pushing her chest out in the process. She watched Ethan’s eyes glance down at her chest before averting away. A light pink blush washed over his cheeks. Well, that was interesting. Looked like maybe Ethan wasn’t immune to her fabulous assets. She smiled coyly—this could be fun.

  “Ahhh…the birthday boy. Happy Birthday, Ethan.” Her voice was void of the tremble she felt run through her body. At least she could fake her rock star status.

  He stepped closer, extending one of the glasses of wine he had in his hands. “Thank you, although I hardly fit the description of birthday boy.”

  She took the wine “Yeah, well birthday man doesn’t flow as well.” She sipped her wine, keeping her eyes on him. Her gaze perused his body and back to meet his stare.

  A warm smile covered his face and he drank from his glass.

  “Quite the party Rox threw you. Where is party planner extraordinaire anyway?”

  “She was running around the last time I saw her. I take it this is a surprise for her? You coming after all?”

  Taking another sip, much larger this time, she licked her lips. “Yeah, well, you know me, always full of surprises.”

  His eyes watched her lips, his face turning stern and the sharp edges of his chiseled cheekbones becoming more pronounced. The grip he had on his glass tightened and she watched the knuckles of his hand whiten. The heated look he was giving her was something she’d never seen before. She felt a tremor course through her body under his stare.

  “Dirty thirty, huh?” Her voice was throaty, almost a purr. She wasn’t sure how she got it to do that but the way he was looking at her, she was hoping to do it again.

  He didn’t answer, his blue eyes narrowing down at her. Her body aware of his eyes on her, she shifted slightly, rubbing her thighs together. What the hell was going on here?

  Emory smiled. “Why are you looking at me like th
at?”

  He glanced up immediately. To anyone not watching closely he’d look like he always did, fully composed. But Emory saw it.

  “I’m looking at you because you’re beautiful.”

  That would be the standard gentlemanly answer, of course, but there was something else in the way he looked at her. She puckered her lips and bit the inside of her mouth, squinting at him. “No, I don’t think so.”

  Caught off guard he looked surprised. “You don’t think you look beautiful?”

  “Oh, no not that, I know I look fabulous. But the way you were looking at me…I know that look.” She smirked and cocked her head to the side. She might be wrong but she was pretty sure that Ethan was giving her the look of a man that liked what he saw.

  “Please enlighten me, Emory. What look am I giving you?”

  Her plan to avoid him flew out the door. The way she was feeling and the vibe he was throwing at her, she couldn’t resist. She had spent nights awake playing over their one kiss in her head. Why not have a second kiss to dwell on? Here was her chance.

  She stepped closer and his eyes watched her every move. She stood inches from him, only a small space separating their bodies. She inhaled the scent of his cologne. It smelled expensive.

  Ethan was about eight inches taller than Emory but her four-inch heels knocked that height distance in half. Feeling very confident, she reached out her hand and put it on his chest. She could feel his heart beat. It was steady. She knew it would be, she couldn’t affect him the way he affected her. But something was definitely different between them right now. Staring up at him, touching him, she wondered if she leaned in and kissed him, would he let her, would he kiss her back? Worth a shot!

  She had nothing to lose; she had already lost it. Not the love she had for him—that would always be there. Tucked in a faraway place in her heart. But the hope? The hope had been lost that Thanksgiving day in the hallway. He knew how she felt and he didn’t return her feelings. It hurt, she wouldn’t lie to herself, but in this moment of seeing Ethan, she just wanted to kiss him.

  Gazing up at him through her lashes, the feel of his hard chest under her hand, she leaned up and caught the slight move of his head lowering. Again, she just wanted to kiss him.

  “You’re looking at me like you want a birthday kiss.” She whispered, leaning in closer, “Is that what you want, Ethan?”

  His voice was low, almost a growl but there no mistaking his answer. “Yes.”

  She closed her eyes and breathed quickly. Her heart raced, beating out her chest. Her lips pressed against his softly. Small, soft kisses. Sweet. She moved her hand up his chest to his neck, letting her nails glide up into the back of his hair.

  His lips tensed and she gasped in his mouth when his arm wrapped around her waist and her body was pulled tightly against him. His tongue stroked the outer seam of her lips. It felt so incredible, her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. She opened to him and felt him enter her mouth, his tongue sliding against hers. His hand gripped her hip.

  She was vaguely aware that they both still held their glasses of wine. She cursed the glass. She needed both hands on him. She wanted his on her.

  Her lips closed over his bottom lip and sucked, then licking slowly she caressed her tongue against his. His groan was soft and rumbled from his chest. He pulled her tighter into his body.

  The kiss intensified when his erection rubbed against her. This time she knew, his hard on was for her only. She moaned into his mouth. She gripped his neck trying to pull him further into her, grazing her teeth over his bottom lip

  This would end badly, she’d be left heartbroken back in Beaufort, she’d spend nights crying and cursing the day she ever met him but here, right now, it was worth it.

  Best kiss ever! Please don’t end, please don’t end!

  *

  This is wrong, so very wrong. Ethan’s voice chanted in his own head. The voice did nothing to stop him from pulling her soft hips to him and grinding his cock against her. His dick was so hard it must have been stabbing Emory. He should be embarrassed and he probably would be later but right now, his mind was set on one thing. This kiss. She felt so good. The taste of her was intoxicating. The feel of her teeth on his lip, biting softly then delving back to stroke his tongue nearly made Ethan come apart.

  Her soft moan made him do the impossible. His cock got harder and strained against his pants. His hand slid from her waist to her ass, pulling her into him. This was not what he had planned but he couldn’t stop himself. Not with her. That kiss and confession over a year ago had changed everything. She was no longer the girl he grew up with, his sister’s best friend, practically a member of his family. She was no longer, Emory, she was his Emory.

  When she had caught him with Nina, the look in her eyes confused him. Sure, it was embarrassing but what he saw wasn’t her upset, he saw the hurt and betrayal. Then her confession of being in love with him. He wasn’t blind, he had caught Emory checking him out in the past, although he’d never admit it, he liked it. He had spent time fighting his own desire for her. But he couldn’t go there, not with her. She was Emory.

  When she cornered him, he couldn’t find the right words. She was Emory, she was special. He had trained himself to set up a wall. That wall threatened to come down for a blue eyed fiery redhead.

  He thought he’d never get the feel out of his mind. Her body against his, her mouth on his. He’d thought of that kiss, dreamed of it. Jerked off to what would have happened had they not been in his dad’s house but in his apartment. Stripping her bare, tasting her, fucking her, making her scream out his name as she came over and over.

  A loud gasp from behind him pulled Ethan back to reality. Emory turned away from his kiss, her hair brushing against his face and pulled back her hand as if it touched a flame. She quickly retreated two steps and focused on the sound coming from over his shoulder. Ethan stared at her face, rosy cheeks, pouty swollen lips, fluttering eyes. He smirked knowing he did that and he was damn proud of himself.

  Emory smiled nervously over his shoulder and held up her free hand in an awkward wave. “Surprise!”

  He knew exactly who had interrupted them without even looking. Perfect fucking timing, Rox.

  Ethan looked over his shoulder and caught sight of his little sister with her mouth hanging open and her eyes bugging from her face. Her eyes darted from Emory to him several times. Shock could only begin to describe her face. Roxanne opened her mouth, then closed it and opened it again.

  Emory brushed past Ethan and he felt her hand purposely glide against his palm, sliding over his fingers. It was light and soft and meant to leave its mark on him. And it did. He watched as she smiled coyly at him before turning her attention to Roxanne. She hurried over to her pulling her in for a tight embrace. Roxanne’s face was still in shock, but she excitedly hugged Emory.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t come.”

  “Well, I couldn’t miss E’s thirtieth, right? Let get another drink, I’m in need of whiskey. This wine is shit. Come on.” Emory pulled Roxanne back through the French doors.

  He could hear the soft mutter of his sister’s voice. “What the hell did I just walk in on?”

  Emory flashed her hand and whispered in her ear. Her bright smile glanced over her shoulder and Ethan was locked on the pair of smoldering blue eyes. He had seen Emory thousands of times in his life but that look—and her eyes on him—it was like seeing her for the first time. The game of resistance he had been playing with himself over the last year coming to an end.

  Raising his glass, he finished the remainder of his wine in one mouthful. Watching the party from the patio he saw Emory and Roxanne, smiling and laughing while chattering away. That’s the way it had always been with them. Something he had to make sure, in his quest to have Emory, didn’t effect what was in front of him.

  Ethan strolled back to the doors, gripping the handle and pulling the door wide. He headed to
the bar for a refill and to calculate a plan. He had always done everything in life meticulously. This would be no different.

  The bartender handed him his drink. Sipping it slowly he watched, Emory throw her head back and laugh at something Roxanne said. Her eyes caught his and he could see the heat for him still there. She quirked her brow and turned around.

  She was here. He no longer needed to chase after her, she was here and he wasn’t going to let her go this time. He took another sip of his drink, silently toasting “second chances” and vowing not to let her slip out of his hands again.

  “There you are, was looking for you, bro.” Bogs hand come over Ethan’s shoulder drawing his attention onto his brother.

  Bogs was smiling; he was always smiling. They both turned, facing the party. Over a hundred people in the room, all there to celebrate Ethan. He jerked his head and looked down at his wine. Fuck him, this was ridiculous.

  “You were looking for me?” Ethan took a sip of his wine.

  “Hell yeah, strippers will be here in five.”

  Ethan choked on wine, covering his mouth and trying to regain his breathing. His head side shifted to Bogs, who was wearing a shit-eating grin and laughing.

  “Your fucking face, man. That shit was priceless.” Bogs’ laugh carried through the room and caught the attention of a few guests. Ethan returned the confused expressions with a calm smile. Inside, he had the urge to punch Bogs.

  “You know having strippers at this party would probably be the nail in your coffin. Roxanne would kill you.”

  Bogs regained his composure although he snickered. “Oh, I know. Fuck! She’d probably gut me and let me bleed out.”

  Ethan shook his head and smirked. That sounded about right.

  “But after the party…we could definitely hit a club. What do ya say?”

  He scowled at Bogs and resisted laughing at his brother wiggling his eyebrows. Bogs knew him better than to even ask. Strip clubs were not his thing.

  Bogs shrugged. “Just thought I’d offer it.”

  He lifted his head to his brothers standing with their woman. “Ask Stone and T.”