“You’re biased.” She sniffed.
“Doesn’t mean I’m not right.”
Ethan also realized that he’d been mistaken about what had initially caught his attention the first place. It hadn’t been the sorrow in her eyes or her elusiveness. It had been her strength, her spirit. It made her go on, no matter how unfairly life treated her and tried to beat her down.
He had thought he could make her stick around for a while, until they got tired of each other. That, too, had been a huge mistake. He wanted her to stay forever.
Ever since Lisa, he’d purposely gone for bubbly women who had their acts together and laughed easily. They wore impeccable makeup and dressed fashionably. Yet none of his exes could compare to Kerri, even with her mascara smudged and running, her nose red and her lips pale.
He sucked in a breath, feeling like he’d been punched in the stomach. How in the world…when had it happened? He was in love with this woman, this beautiful, stubborn, headstrong woman who humbled him with her strength.
He kissed her gently, a comforting kiss that said that even if the entire world turned its back on her, he’d be there. He’d fight anyone and everyone to keep her safe and cherished. He never wanted her to feel alone and unwanted or doubt how precious she was.
And he knew he could give her something that, for all his wealth, could never be purchased. A loving family to call her own.
Her mouth opened, her tongue curling against his. The gesture was somehow shy, as though she wasn’t sure of herself in the relationship any longer. He deepened the kiss, cradling the back of her head, his fingers entwined in the silk of her hair.
His heart hammered as she lay in his arms, their mouths fused. He ran his free hand along her delicate neck and shoulders, the warm skin supple beneath his palm. All this…all of her… She was his.
They pulled each other’s clothes off, the fabric landing haphazardly around them. When Kerri tipped him backward, he went with it, lying back and looking up as she moved over him, her beautiful breasts swaying gently. He brushed his fingertips over the pointed nipples. She shivered, but kept moving until she covered his large hard body as much as she could with her small and soft one.
She ran her hands over his chest, and he held still, not wanting to destroy the intimacy. Something had shifted between them. The air was thick and syrupy, making him dizzy with its sweetness. Her scent hung heavily, all woman and arousal.
Suddenly she left him. He had an instant to register the cool air blowing over his torso and belly before her mouth closed over the head of his cock. He jerked at the moist wet sensation.
She sucked him deep inside, her cheeks hollowing, licking him and running her lips over his super sensitive erection. He thought he’d go insane from the intense pleasure, but he held on even as a sense of guilt came over him. This was her birthday, and he was the one who should be giving her pleasure, not the other way around.
But when he tried to change their positions, she gripped his wrists hard and pushed them against the floor. Ethan gave himself up to it while Kerri did everything in her power to make him lose his mind.
She increased the pace and grazed his balls lightly with her fingernails. Control went out the window and the most amazing pleasure ripped through him like lightning.
Eventually his breathing settled. He put his arms around Kerri. “My god, it’s your birthday, not mine.”
The smile she gave him was so tender his heart bled. “But you’ve already given me the best present, Ethan. Thank you.”
He cupped her face and kissed her, tasted his pleasure on her lips. She devoured him, still hungry. Her body was humming with desire, primed and ready.
His cock swelled with the need to satisfy her. His knuckles brushed the folds between her thighs, and he groaned at how wet she was.
“Ride me, Kerri,” he said, his voice strained. “Use me for your pleasure.”
Heavy-lidded, she looked at him. Her gaze darkened with sharp, intense desire. “All right.”
Her eyes on his, she put a condom on him and lowered herself slowly over him, taking in his cock, killing him inch by slow inch. She started moving, testing different rhythms and speed. Her gorgeous breasts swayed over him, their nipples like berries.
Boldly, she took his hand and put it between their bodies. “Touch me. Make me feel good.”
Then she angled her hips so she was bumping into his eager thumb every time she took him deep inside. Streaks of white-hot pleasure tightened in his belly. Jesus, get a grip. This is for Kerri.
Breaths shuddered out of her, her skin glistening with exertion. Ethan gripped her perfectly-shaped ass with his free hand and matched her frantic pace. Her face twisted, she arched her back as a powerful orgasm hit her.
Her inner muscles milked him, and he couldn’t hold on anymore. He clenched his teeth as he came hard within her.
She went boneless over him. He held her tightly and finally understood what it meant to be slain by a woman.
***
After repairing her makeup, Kerri sat and listened to Ethan sing “Happy Birthday.” He had the loveliest baritone voice. Was there anything this man couldn’t do well?
She blew out the candles—a new set, since the first had melted into uneven puddles.
I wish this would never end.
Even as she had the thought, she knew it was selfish. Ethan had never said anything about permanence. Their relationship was supposed to last only until they found someone else. Still, if only for this day, she was glad she had agreed to his proposal.
“I should probably call and let Natalie know I’m all right,” Kerri said around a mouthful of cake. It seemed like the most delicious thing she’d ever had.
“Just send her a text. A short one. Let’s keep this time for ourselves.”
Kerri sighed. “I sort of ruined it, didn’t I?”
“No, it was me. I should’ve planned better.”
“Don’t say that. You did everything right.” She looked at him. He might never understand how cathartic it was for her to share her old pain and memories with someone. And beyond that, to hear that same person tell her it wasn’t her fault after her family had treated her like she was the source of their greatest loss, without ever telling her why—Barron had forbidden it out of deference to his daughter’s emotional state.
No, Kerri would always treasure what Ethan had done, for it had been the most wonderful gift anyone could’ve given her.
He poured a glass of Merlot. “Here.”
“No, thanks.”
He cocked his head. “Natalie told me you’re partial to Merlot and whiskey.”
“Was partial.”
“What happened?”
Apparently it was a day for confessions. “I had some health issues.”
Ethan’s gaze sharpened. “What kind of issues?”
“Some fainting and a loss of appetite, nothing serious.”
“I presume you saw a doctor?”
She nodded. “A bad liver and terrible blood pressure, you know, the typical stuff.”
“Uh-huh.”
“He told me to quit drinking, cut back on my hours”—she snorted—“like that was possible, and not stress about anything.” She shook her head. “Like that was possible either.”
“So you quit your job.”
No, there was a bigger reason for that—Barron’s sudden insistence on seeing her in person in Hong Kong and ruining the cocooned life she’d made for herself—but she didn’t want to talk about her family again. Once in twenty-four hours was more than enough. “I can always go back. They put me on a leave of absence for now because the MDs think I’ll be back, even though I told them I was through. Not too many people quit without a better offer after getting this far, and they knew I didn’t have another position lined up. And, you know…they want me. I’m good at my job.”
Ethan nodded. “That you are.” Then he made a wry face. “So my giving you employment hasn’t been good for your recovery.”
“Uh-huh. I saw you working all weekend. Nights, too. And after I told you not to,” he said, feigning outrage.
“I lost track of time.” People didn’t understand how she found comfort in numbers. They soothed her because they were logical and constant. One plus one was always two, not three or four depending on their mood. She took another bite of cake. “This is amazing,” she said, trying to drag the topic away from her health and job and family. “Did you make it too?”
“Nope. Store-bought.”
“Ah, so you are mortal.”
He chuckled. “Believe me, there are more than a few things I’m not good at, so I outsource them. As for the rest… Well, I do my best.”
And undoubtedly got the result he wanted.
So what did he want from their relationship? Whatever it was had to be something more than just a few good rolls in the hay, given the amount of time and care he put into it. Kerri was apprehensive about the eventual end to their relationship. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to let him go without her heart breaking, but she was also terrified he might want more than what they’d agreed to.
Granted, he wasn’t running—even though he’d learned how messed up her personal life was. But did they have any future beyond their time in bed together? She still couldn’t go to social functions with him, and she had no idea how to be a good partner to someone like Ethan, who had everything and could seemingly accomplish anything he set his mind to.
But for now, she let the worries go. She would enjoy what she had until the inevitable end.
Chapter Nineteen
The next day, Kerri found herself rushing to meet Natalie at a local café. She couldn’t believe she’d lost track of time—again! Ugh. She really needed to use her Outlook more often and put every single thing in there. This was one appointment she really wanted to be on time for.
The café was quiet after the peak lunch hour, only Adele’s soulful voice along with the hiss and gurgle of coffee machines disturbing the silence.
Natalie was already seated at a booth by the window, her latte steaming on a table the color of cocoa beans. Her red silk blouse was vivid against the dark decor and added a flattering hint of rose to her cheeks.
Kerri got a cup of hot chocolate and joined her friend.
“Hey, how are you?” Natalie asked, her worried gaze searching Kerri’s face.
“Fine.” Kerri cleared her throat. “Look, I’m really sorry about what happened yesterday. I should’ve” —she shook her head— “it was stupid of me, and I ruined everything.”
“You didn’t ruin anything.” Natalie reached out and patted Kerri on the arm. “You are okay now, right?”
Kerri nodded. “Ethan made it right.” And that was the truth. Sharing the past with him made it seem less awful, less devastating. A weight she hadn’t known she was carrying no longer felt so heavy.
“Good.” Natalie took a small sip of her drink. “I’m glad. I knew he’d be good to you.”
“How could you have been so sure?”
“Because.” Natalie shrugged. “He’s a nice guy, despite his flaws. By the way, you’re wearing your glasses.”
“What?” Kerri pulled off her reading glasses. “No wonder I kept thinking my vision was off on the way here.” She reached up and stuck them in her hair. “I thought I was just tired or something.”
“So you’re really okay? Even with your glasses on? You never wear them away from your computer unless something’s up.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just running la— Hey, wait a minute. What flaws?”
“Huh?”
“You said something about Ethan’s flaws.”
“Oh.” Natalie rolled her shoulders. “You know. Being a little overbearing from time to time. And overprotective. He always thinks he knows best.”
“Wow.” Kerri chuckled. “You’re sure he works for your husband? He sounds too headstrong to be working for anybody.”
“As I said, he’s only at Global Strategies because that’s what he wants, not because he has to be, and Alex lets him run his projects his way.”
Kerri blew on the hot chocolate and took a careful sip. It was sweet and flavorful. It’d have been even better with whipped cream, but of course…
“Anyway, if you need someone other than Ethan, you can come to me any time. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Nat.” Kerri put down her cup. “And look, um…about what made me freak out yesterday…” She hesitated, wondering how to get into it. Talking to Ethan had seemed so natural, but she wasn’t sure how to share her past with Natalie. Not that her best friend wouldn’t be sympathetic, but a lifetime of reticence about her childhood issues was hard to overcome.
Natalie gave her a gentle smile. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s okay.”
“You don’t want to know?”
“Of course I want to know, silly! But not if it’s going to make you uncomfortable. Look, I’m your friend, and I want what’s best for you. That doesn’t mean I have to be nosy and know everything.” Natalie placed a hand over Kerri’s. “But if you need somebody, I’ll be here for you. I want you to know I’ve got your back.”
This easy affection and acceptance put a big lump in Kerri’s throat. She gripped Natalie’s hand hard and took a long swallow of her hot chocolate. Her childhood and teenage years had been spent doing everything she could to get her family to accept her—and failing. Yet here was Natalie opening herself up without reservation.
That saying that blood is thicker than water was wrong.
***
Ethan saw his phone light up, the screen flashing as a text arrived. Moving carefully so he wouldn’t disturb Kerri—she’d stopped going back to her room to sleep since her birthday—he picked up the phone. It was a little before 2 a.m. Who would be texting at this time of the night?
Sent Kerri Jacqueline Wilson’s file. Confirm receipt.
Ethan stared at the brief message. So Pattington had come through. The man apparently never slept, which was why Ethan hired him time and time again.
Any other message could have waited until morning, but he wanted to know what kind of people had hurt Kerri so much. And he also wanted to know if there were any other secrets he should know about, so as to avoid future blunders.
He pulled away from the warmth and softness that he now associated with Kerri. Thankfully, she was generally a heavy sleeper. He pulled the sheet up over her shoulders, then put on a robe, went to his study and opened his laptop. Pattington’s file was already in his inbox.
Ethan opened it. The first page stole his breath away.
What the…
Gavin had been right. Kerri was indeed Barron Sterling’s granddaughter…and now his sole heir, as her mother, Renée Sterling Wilson had passed away a few months back.
Christ. Kerri was worth more than most of Ethan’s friends and acquaintances…even more than Ethan himself. So why did she work the way she did? Was she aware of the kind of money she had?
He shook his head at the ridiculousness of the last question. Of course she was. No one that smart and that good at finance could have failed to understand the situation. Everyone knew how much Barron Sterling was worth.
Pattington had to be mistaken…except Ethan didn’t hire people who made mistakes.
Yet the Kerri he knew was nothing like what was on the first page of the file.
He went through the rest, which focused on her academic pedigree and work history. Those matched what she’d told him.
Ethan googled “Barron Sterling’s granddaughter”. There was hardly any information available, not even a recent photo. Most might think the woman was fanatical about her privacy or maybe she’d joined a convent. But that
wasn’t true at all. There hadn’t been anything because she’d been in Hong Kong for years in self-imposed exile, and the media had no idea.
And her family connections explained why she hadn’t wanted to go to the charity ball. Barron Sterling had been invited, along with his brother Duke and his great nephew.
Why hadn’t she told him who her family was? Well, that was pretty obvious. Clearly, she was worried that if she revealed the truth he would jump to wrong conclusions.
Gavin had apparently decided Kerri must be spying for Sterling & Wilson, and Gavin wasn’t stupid. Ethan sat back and looked at the ceiling, going back over his time with Kerri, searching for anything that seemed odd or out of place.
After five minutes, he sat forward again. No. No way. She was avoiding her family because of her unbearable past. It was unthinkable that she’d approach them for any reason.
He rubbed his chest as he recalled the devastated expression on her face on her birthday. He would never let Kerri experience such crippling pain ever again. If that meant that her family would never get to her, so be it. The fact that they were wealthy and connected made it more challenging, but that was fine. In fact, he relished the opportunity to get back at them. And if Gavin did anything stupid and rash, Ethan would make sure he paid as well.
He’d never let anyone hurt her ever again.
Chapter Twenty
That Saturday, Kerri and Ethan rode in his Aston Martin in companionable silence, watching the scenery pass by. She couldn’t believe how easy it was to be with him, whether they were talking or not. She’d never felt that way about anybody before.
When he turned into a well-to-do suburban neighborhood in Maryland, Kerri finally looked over and asked, “Where exactly are we going?”
“My mother’s. There’s a house party.”
It took a moment to process. “What? Oh my god, stop the car!”
“Why?” he asked, his voice mild.
“I can’t go to your mother’s party!”
“Don’t worry, there won’t be any photographers. It’s just the family.”
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