by Unknown
“I just talked to my mother and there is a situation there I need to take care of.”
“Tell me, we’ll take care of it together.” God, he was so sweet. Annalise was so tempted to just lay back and let him fix everything for her.
“This is not something you need to get involved with.”
“If it concerns you, I am already involved.” He was as serious as a heart attack.
There was no way she was going to walk away from him without giving him some sort of explanation. She owed him that. “My mother said Jeff Ramsey has been asking questions about my whereabouts.”
“Is that the man who hurt you?” She noticed he refused to use the word husband or even ex-husband.
“I cannot tell you how ashamed I am, but he is telling people he never filed the annulment papers. He’s been in prison for child molestation and now he’s out. My publicist put a dumb article in the newspaper about my next book and a summary of how many books and stuff I’ve sold—he saw it and now he thinks he’s entitled to what I have. I am so stupid! I should have made sure this was taken care of myself. I can’t believe I’ve been married to that bastard for four years—or does it count if he couldn’t bring himself to have sex with me?”
Ethan just listened to her, hating the man who hurt her so badly. “You are not married to him. You owe him nothing. If there’s some paperwork that needs to be taken care of, then I will see to it that it’s done. I don’t want you to attempt to make contact with him. Let me take of this for you.”
“No, this is something I need to do myself. I can’t bear the thought of him getting the opportunity to talk to you and tell you…” She stopped and shuddered as she imagined what Jeff would have to say to Ethan about the reason he walked away from her.
“Let’s concentrate on getting you better first. Once we get home we’ll worry about who is going to do what.”
* * * *
Annalise was thrilled to be back at Ethan’s home. All three men treated her like a china doll. The day had been long and all she wanted to do was go to bed with Ethan. He settled her in the bed and tucked pillows around her. “Is there anything else I can get you? Can you think of anything else you want?”
“Yes.”
He stood by the bed, waiting for her to ask him to hand her something, or get her something from the kitchen. “I’m here to serve, what can I do for you?” Then she shocked him when she reached out and rubbed her hand over the natural, unaroused bulge in his jeans.
“Please, pull off your clothes and get into bed with me.”
A smile began to tug at the corner of Ethan’s mouth. “Are you trying to get a rise out of me?” he teased her.
“Yes,” she answered very solemnly.
“That’s all you want, just for me to pull off my clothes and get into bed with you? Naked?” He was still talking, but his hands were busy undoing buttons and unzipping zippers. When he finished disrobing, before joining her in bed, he was thoughtful enough to turn off the lights and shut the blinds. That gesture touched her heart more than a bouquet of flowers would have.
“No, that’s not all I want.” Annalise didn’t have much to take off. By the time he lowered himself beside her, she was naked, ready and waiting for him.
He was careful not to touch her. “I’m here. Now, show me what you want.”
Much to his surprise, the teasing was over. His closeness and the stress of the recent events had had a greater effect on her than she realized. He was lying on his side facing her. She turned on her side to face him, brought her head to his chest and began to kiss him feverishly. She swirled her tongue around his small nipples and grasped his now hugely swollen cock with both hands. “I was having withdrawal pains,” she whispered between kisses. “I am so addicted to you.”
Ethan had lain as still as he could, letting her enjoy him in whatever way she pleased. But her small hands on his cock, stroking and teasing, were more than he could take. He pushed her to her back and rose over her. “There is never any guessing when it comes to you. I never have to wonder if I am pleasing you or if you are truly excited or if you really want me—you are the most open, honest, giving woman in the world. Now, open for me. I want to come home.” She spread her legs, reaching back up to reclaim the prize and guided him into her waiting warmth. As he sank into her, she literally sighed her relief. He rose to his knees and picked her up until she was sitting on his thighs, her legs wrapped around his waist. With arms around his neck, she began to rotate and grind against his pelvic bone. “Does this feel good, baby?” he asked. Despite her eagerness, in many ways she was still quite innocent.
“Oh, yes, I like this too.” She came quickly for him in that position, nipping his shoulder in her excitement. “Now, please give me what I crave.”
“What’s that, love?” She eased off him and laid back down pulling him over her.
“I know this position may be old fashioned, but I love to feel you moving in and out of me—slow then fast. I love to watch your face over mine as you take your pleasure and let my hands rest on your hips as you pump in and out.” She kept talking to him, telling him exactly how he made her feel. Her descriptions made it twice as exciting. He did just as she described and soon both of them were moaning their release. He thought he would thoroughly enjoy being married to a wordy woman.
* * * *
Annalise was content. Being back in Ethan’s bed, words, ideas, erotic scenarios all flowed from her fingers like honey from a honeycomb. She was able to make her deadline with time to spare. In fact, she was ahead of schedule. Writing wasn’t the only thing she did; she prepared all the hors d’oeuvres for the pool party. Bobby and Alex had invited thirty-five people, mostly women to come for grilled shrimp, grilled steak, grilled corn and even grilled pineapple. A wet bar had been set up on the south side of the pool and she had volunteered to tend bar for the party. The brothers were shocked to find Lise knew how to concoct almost any drink they could name.
“How in the world did you acquire those skills, my love?” Ethan asked her when she made him James Bond’s favorite drink, a dry vodka martini with two olives, a pinch of black pepper and a lemon twist; shaken not stirred.
“I wrote a romance novel about a bartender, I like to thoroughly research my novels.”
He laughed. “That’s all right, sweetheart, as long as you thoroughly research the sex with me.”
Still mixing drinks, she gave him a come-hither smile. “I always researched the sex with you, babe, only before it had to be in daydreams and fantasies.” As passion darkened his eyes, she mixed one more drink, orange juice, sloe gin and Southern Comfort. She handed it to him, “Would you like a Slow Comfortable Screw?” He stood up, swigged the drink then picked her up, laid her over his shoulder, slapped her rear and strode to his room.
* * * *
Tiny lights twinkled in the low hanging branches of the huge oaks and pecans. The light from dozens of lanterns danced playfully among the shadows. A local live band had set up on the patio behind the house and, at the moment, was playing a rowdy rendition of Wabash Cannonball, always a favorite among UT alumni. Alex had the grill fired up, finishing up on the steaks and corn on the cob. The shrimp and the pineapple would be put on last because they cooked in the least amount of time.
Annalise tended bar with grace and ease. Bobby and Ethan were playing hosts for the evening and Annalise estimated the ratio of women to men was almost three to one. Bobby had brought five of his Longhorn teammates and Ethan’s friend from the pub was there. The rest were women. Annalise had been introduced to Tanzy, Sarah, Marisa, Lee Ann, Courtney, Mariam, Tori and eighteen others she couldn’t remember the names. The queen bee, Shelley Thompson, presided over the hive with grace and aplomb and there wasn’t an ugly one in the bunch. It all felt very familiar to Annalise; once again she was the country girl from the small sawmill town. The bar and the act of filling drink orders provided a shield she could comfortably hide behind.
Ethan, on the other hand, was ab
solutely magnificent. He was charming, witty, attentive to his guests and sexy as all get out. Annalise watched him work the room. The women circled him like great whites around a baby seal. She tried not to be jealous, after all this was her idea. Alex watched her watching Ethan. When he had finished grilling all the food, he sidled over to her.
“Can I have a Coors, Sis?” He had started calling her Sis even though no proposal had been made and she wasn’t a hundred percent sure what her answer would be if it came. Oh, who was she kidding? She knew she wasn’t prepared to walk away from Ethan, that is, unless he asked her to.
Annalise handed him the Coors. “Well, what do you think? Is this what you expected?”
“Yes,” she answered in a tight little voice. “I just didn’t think it would hurt so much.”
“Shit!” Annalise followed Alex’s eyes. It was Francine. Her heart sank. She started toward the tall, blonde woman who had hurt her Ethan so badly. There was no way she was going to let her crash this party and cause more trouble. Francine’s eyes were scanning the crowd. She was looking for her ex-husband. Alex stopped her forward progress. “Wait, Lise. Look.”
Ethan was crossing the room, determinedly striding toward his former spouse. “What are you doing here, Francine?”
“I thought you would be glad to see me?” Looking around she scanned the crowd. “Where is she, Ethan? Where’s the little twit that ruined our marriage?”
Ethan looked at Francine coldly. “Lise didn’t ruin our marriage, Francine. You did. You lied to me from the very beginning. It was you that kept Lise and I apart. You answered my phone and neglected to tell me she had called. You knew she needed me and you let her believe I didn’t care anything about her. I may have married you, but I loved her.”
Francine bristled with anger. “Ethan, I was there. The first few months were great. New York was wonderful and the sex wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was okay. Everything changed once I found out about your porn writer. She crossed every line of decency that has ever been drawn.”
“New York was only great when I was spending money on you. And the sex wasn’t good at all. And do you know why, Francine? Because it was just sex. I never loved you. It’s always been Annalise and it always will be. With her, it’s not sex, it’s making love—and that makes all the difference in the world.” Ethan wasn’t shouting, he wasn’t even talking very loud, but everyone heard him, because the rest of the room was full of statues. You could have heard a pin drop. “Francine, it’s time for you to go.” Several of his friends stepped forward and together, they herded Francine to the door. In a few moments, he and his entourage returned and they absorbed him into their conversation and next into a game of pool.
“You’ve healed him,” Alex admitted. “He’s the Ethan of old - the alpha male in the room, self-assured, confident and completely surrounded by friends. You did that, Lise. You gave Ethan back his self-esteem, his male pride. And I thank you.”
“It was my pleasure,” she whispered, but with a completely different emphasis than it is usually uttered. When she said the words, she was remembering the touch of his hands and the feel of his lips and the…
“Tell me more about Scarlet. Will she come for the wedding?”
Annalise tried to shake off the longing as well as the uneasiness. Thinking about Scarlet made her smile. “I’ll tell you about Scarlet. But you must stop talking about a wedding. There is no wedding in the works.”
“Yeah, right. Ethan would ask you tonight if he thought you were ready to hear the question.” Annalise wasn’t so sure about that. He had made several references to the future, but that was early on—none lately.
She chose to change the subject. “Scarlet is two years younger than me. She is smart, funny, sweet and the best cook I know.”
“Does she look like you?” Alex asked casually.
“Oh, Alex, she is beautiful. I look like the proverbial mud fence next to her; the sow’s ear next to her silk purse.” Annalise flashed him a dazzling smile, thinking about her stunning sister.
“Prettier than you?” Alex asked. “Annalise, are you blind? What is she a goddess? If she is that pretty then I don’t have a chance in hell with her.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Alex, you are a Stewart. And Scarlet has no idea she’s pretty. If you were to ask her if she considers herself beautiful, she would laugh in your face.” Alex was more than intrigued. He, for one, couldn’t wait for the wedding.
* * * *
Annalise sat on a barstool eating shrimp. Ethan had not completely abandoned her. He made his way to her every few minutes, making sure she knew he was nearby. As far as she was concerned the evening was a complete success. There was no doubt in Lise’s mind if something untoward happened and Ethan walked away from her, he would not remain alone. He now knew he was a desirable man and a superb lover. She had made sure of that.
The strangest conversation of the evening came at the end. Annalise was tired and the hour was getting late. Most people had abandoned mixed drinks and were now drinking beer. She began tidying up the bar area and the dozen round white tables dotting the lawn. Shelley Thompson walked up to her. When she did, Annalise was humbled. Shelley was tall, elegant, perfectly tanned and even after a dip in the pool, her hair looked like it had been styled by a professional. But what she said was amazing. “You are a very lucky woman, Miss Pace. Yes, I know who you are. I am definitely a fan.”
“Thank you, Miss Thompson.”
“Please, call me Shelley. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of one another. I’ll admit, I’ve always wanted Ethan. Francine wasn’t the only woman to go after him after you disappeared. He is an extraordinary man, but alas, there is no doubt he belongs to you. He made sure everyone knew it. Every time a girl made even the slightest advance, he made sure they knew who the love of his life is. And that’s you. So, congratulations, Ann Pace, you have been blessed with a real life love story of your very own.”
* * * *
Annalise was so tired of being on her feet that she let the guys do the bulk of the clean-up work. She walked the dogs, fed them then she took a hot soak in the tub. Donning a white eyelet gown, she lay down in their bed and waited. Her eyes grew heavy and she was just going to rest them for a moment.
Something felt so good; Annalise luxuriated in the feel of his hands on her body. She stretched and drew nearer to him, seeking him out even in her semi-dreamy state. He had removed her gown and was working his way north from her feet. “Ethan, you are an angel,” she muttered appreciatively. He massaged her calves and lower back, paid special attention to the tightness in her shoulders and at the base of her neck. His hands were big, slightly roughened and touched her with more love than she ever thought possible.
Then things started to get interesting. He was kneading her back, but with every stroke he went farther and farther down her sides until he was brushing the outside of her breasts with each downward pass. The teasing continued. She had never had her bottom patted, petted, or bitten before. She squealed with delight. “Can we try something new, babe?” he asked her softly.
“Anything.” Boy, had times changed. She knew the change had been due not to his renewed self-confidence, but to her own. He arranged an intriguing stack of pillows in the middle of the bed.
“Lie across these, babe, and raise your sweet little bottom high in the air.” She did as he asked, her middle lying on the stack of pillows, her breasts free on the other side. She was at his mercy, and honestly, there no place she’d rather be.
She lay there, quivering, as he took his time. He kissed the side of her neck then rubbed her back from the base of her spine up and over her shoulders. Next, he cupped and molded her bottom, sending shivers all through her. Spreading her legs, he massaged her pussy, readying her to accept him. Never one to hide what she was feeling Annalise gyrated against his hand. Every move caused her cheeks to move against him resulting in an erection that was about to get out of hand.
“I can’t wai
t, Lise.” He leaned over her, supporting himself with his knees and entered her from behind. Immediately, she tightened around him increasing his pleasure. He had never been with a woman with more muscle control than she had. He tried to pace himself, it would be so easy to just let go and catapult into ecstasy. While this position was tremendously exciting, he sought to increase her enjoyment. “Sweetheart, raise up.” He carefully lifted her, his penis still deep inside her canal until she was leaning back against him. “Now I can touch you.” Both hands were free to move around her body. He teased her breasts, causing her to moan, then one hand lowered to manipulate and rub her clit. This trifecta of sensations brought her to a stunning, deep climax, which allowed him to take the sweet release he’d been holding on to by the sheerest of threads. Still connected, he turned her face to his and kissed her with all the love in his heart. She was still quaking with tiny flutters he could feel vibrating around his cock. “I love you so much, Lise. I can’t wait to have babies with you.”
Chapter Ten
In a single moment, Lise went from absolute joy and contentment to absolute devastation.
Ethan wanted babies.
Her heart sank.
Of course he would want children and no one deserved them more.
She had been so preoccupied with the scars on the outside of her body she hadn’t stopped to consider the scars on the inside. Dr. Rollins had made it abundantly clear he had done everything humanly possible to reconnect and repair her female organs, but the likelihood of her ever becoming pregnant was almost nonexistent.
She lay in his arms all night, but she didn’t sleep. The pile of issues she was keeping from him was growing to unconscionable levels. She was either going to have to come clean with him, or…or—the alternative was unbearable. She cuddled next to him, relishing the feel of his big, strong body next to hers. She wanted to be everything he needed and deserved, but she had grave reservations that this could ever be true. Soon she would have to make a few critical decisions.
