Opposites Attract

by Michelle M. Pillow

  The sensation brought her mind crashing to reality. She gasped loudly. What had she just done? And with Ethan James?

  ‘Mm, Cindy,’ he whispered, nuzzling her neck. His hand withdrew from her panties, skating up her stomach towards her breasts.

  Alexis felt as if she’d been slapped. Cindy? Cindy? No he did not!

  ‘What the . . .? Pierre?’ Alexis whispered, containing her anger as she forced confusion to her voice. She blocked his roaming hand with her arm. ‘Pierre, what are . . .?’

  ‘Pierre?’ Ethan’s voice snapped, loud. He pushed back from her and seconds later the lamp flicked on. When she turned to look at him, his pyjama pants were pulled back up his waist. ‘What the hell? Who’s Pierre?’

  ‘Ew,’ Alexis cried, forcing disgust to replace the confusion. Did he actually call her Cindy? That jerk. ‘Ethan? Gross. What did you do to me?’

  ‘Gross?’ he repeated, as if he’d never heard the word in his life.

  ‘What’s on my back?’ she asked, knowing full and well what it was. ‘Oh my . . . did you . . . relieve yourself on me? Are you like some dog that dry humps a person when they’re sleeping?’

  ‘Wait a minute.’ Ethan lifted a finger. ‘Did you actually just call me a dog?’

  ‘If the leash fits,’ she quipped. She made a great show of getting out of the bed and examining her back in the mirror. ‘Ew. You are so paying to wash this.’

  ‘Hey, you enjoyed it too,’ Ethan said, pointing at her to emphasise his words. ‘Don’t try to deny it.’

  ‘I thought I was with Pierre,’ Alexis lied. ‘I was dreaming of my summer in the south of France.’

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  ‘Hey, listen, Ethan, I’m flattered and all.’ Her tone belied her words. ‘But we’re not getting together on this trip, got it? You’re not my type.’

  ‘Boy, you really know how to crush a guy.’ Sarcasm dripped from his tone. ‘Please, doll, I don’t want you. I have a newsflash for you. You are not my type.’

  ‘What? Rich and educated not your type?’ Alexis charged. She put her fists on her waist, facing him down. Tilting her head, she gave him her most arrogant look.

  ‘According to the papers, you’re not rich any more.’ Ethan returned her look with one of his own.

  She dropped her arms from her side. She felt weak. Her voice a whisper, she asked, ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘Come on, I know who you are, Alexis Grant. Your picture has been in the papers. Oh, but that’s right, I’m just the scum of the earth. It’s amazing I can even read the newspaper, let alone remember what it says.’ Ethan snorted in disgust. ‘Did you actually think changing your name to Sam was going to fool me?’

  Alexis didn’t move. Actually, she had. Refusing to answer his question, she said softly, ‘I’m going to take a shower. I need to wash your stench off me.’

  6

  Alexis frowned as she looked across the parking lot. The grey Impala looked somewhat familiar. Well, it was probably that she’d seen many of them since leaving New York. Then, seeing an overweight guy with a cigarette watching her from inside the car, she stiffened.

  ‘It’s your turn to drive and to pay for gas.’

  Alexis spun on her boot heels, instantly forgetting the man in the car. She didn’t move to catch the keys Ethan tried to toss at her. They landed on the ground with a clank. He frowned. Until that moment, they hadn’t spoken. She was determined to forget what had happened and, by the look on his face, Ethan wanted to do the same.

  His red-tipped hair was damp from his shower and she noticed that he’d trimmed the red from his goatee. Having the colour gone was actually a big change. He looked almost normal.

  Ethan watched her expectantly, his blue-green eyes brilliant in the morning light. She couldn’t remember the name of the town they were in, but they were close to Lake Michigan and the air had a crisp chill to it. Alexis shivered. He glanced down to his keys, drawing her attention back to the present.

  ‘Oh, ah,’ Susan said, hurrying to pick up the keys. ‘Actually, I want to drive again.’

  ‘I think we should split duties,’ Ethan said through clenched teeth. ‘There will be plenty of miles for everyone.’

  ‘No, really, I love driving.’ Susan nodded her head emphatically. ‘I want to.’

  ‘You hate driving,’ Ted said. Susan’s eyes widened and she shot him a stern look. He hesitated for a moment and looked embarrassed. His words very unconvincing, he added, ‘Uh, never mind. I’m thinking of someone else.’

  Susan took a deep breath. ‘Sam?’

  Alexis closed her eyes as Ethan chuckled. The sound was mocking.

  ‘You know what, I’ll drive.’ Ethan swiped his keys off the ground. He pointed at Alexis as he walked around the car. ‘But you’re still paying for gas. It’s time you learned that everything isn’t handed to you on a silver platter.’

  Alexis didn’t answer. Susan touched her arm, drawing her attention. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Alexis shook her head. Then, reminded of her humiliation, she said quietly, ‘Go ahead and call me Alexis. He knows. He knew all along.’

  ‘Is that why he’s looking at you all funny? Did something happen?’ Susan persisted.

  ‘No, nothing happened.’ Alexis reached for the door.

  Once she was in the car, Ethan merely snorted as he started the car.

  Alexis placed her arm along the window, watching the quaint little houses with their picket-fence yards as Ethan drove down the quiet street.

  ‘This town’s pretty,’ Susan said. Alexis knew her friend was trying to lighten the mood in the car. ‘I’d love to live near water like this.’

  The road turned, winding slowly. She saw glimpses of water through the houses and trees. The road curved to the left and soon they were driving close to Lake Michigan’s shore. A family walked along the small beach. Two small children ran ahead of their parents. They were bundled in bright pink jackets. Alexis fingered the strap of her camera bag. It was next to her on the seat.

  ‘You want me to slow down?’ Ethan asked.

  Alexis blinked in surprise, turning to see who he was talking to.

  ‘If you want to take pictures I can slow down and you can hang out the window,’ he offered.

  ‘Why? So you can run me into a pole?’ she asked, looking away from him.

  Ethan sighed, loud and long. ‘Not everything is said to be mean, Alexis.’

  Ethan clutched the steering wheel, doing his best not to think of the morning’s events. He’d known what he was doing, maybe not from the first moment, but he’d known who was in his bed. It didn’t help that her soft, feminine smell wrapped around him in sleep. And did she have to wear such sexy nightgowns? Come on, what was a guy to think? She paraded around in those skimpy little numbers, feeding fuel to his already flaming libido.

  He had woken up, aroused from dreaming about Alexis. He wasn’t sure how it had gotten there, but his hand was on her hip, rubbing her flesh like it had a mind of its own. Her skin was smooth, like she’d just shaved her legs. He’d forced himself to stop, to see how she’d react. She’d pressed her tight little butt up next to his cock and wiggled.

  Ethan shifted in his seat. He grew hard just thinking about it. Watching Alexis out of the corner of his eye, he sighed. He wasn’t sure what made him think about it, but her style today matched his car. She had a very Audrey Hepburn quality with her black long-sleeve shirt and dark eyeliner. Her denim jeans were dark and tight. Her hair was pulled back into a puffy, stringy bun-looking thing. It had a messy elegance to it with the dark wisps falling around her features. He had to give it to her credit. She knew how to put together a good package.

  Susan giggled in the back seat. She did that a lot. He heard Ted whisper, but couldn’t make out the words.

  The water was beautiful, if not a little grey. The sun streaked across the glassy surface. He saw Alexis finger her camera bag again, playing with the latch. She hardly ever let it out of her sight a
nd she caressed it when she wasn’t paying attention, but then she refused to take a single picture. It made no sense.

  I’m a fool, he thought, seconds before opening himself up for another of her attacks. ‘I want pictures from this trip for my shop. We’ve already missed several states. If you lean out the window and take some pictures that I can upload to my computer, then every time I get a free room, you get a free room.’

  Her big eyes turned to him and he pretended to study the road. He waited for her answer, almost tense. Slowly, she pulled her camera out and slipped on a lens. She sat for a second before rolling down the window. Cool air whipped inside the car, but no one complained.

  Ethan saw Susan move to smile at him in the rear-view mirror. She winked, mouthing, ‘Thank you.’

  He nodded once.

  ‘Do you, ah, want anything in particular?’ Alexis asked.

  ‘How many pictures does that thing hold?’ Ethan dared to look at her. Her expression was softer than he’d ever seen it and her eyes looked almost scared.

  ‘Several hundred. I have a couple of memory sticks,’ she answered.

  ‘Then just shoot everything.’ It took all his control not to smile at her.

  The coastal road changed, taking them through a small forest. The white bark of the birch trees made a beautiful contrast to the darker shadows behind them. Hours passed fairly quickly. Small wooden signs along the road boasted crafts and seafood.

  They’d been driving for some time when Ted chuckled, ‘There’s another bar.’

  ‘I know, what is that? Fifteen along this road?’ Susan laughed. The bars were actually small trailers with signs in front. They were set up in little inlets along the road. It was the strangest thing.

  ‘We need to stop for gas,’ Ethan said. ‘We should be getting close to a town.’

  ‘Ah, good, I’d like to stretch my legs a little,’ Alexis said.

  I’d like to stretch your legs. Ethan’s eyes darted involuntarily to her long legs at the comment. He stiffened, forcing himself to stare at the road. All day thoughts like that had been popping into his head. It would seem the morning’s events only whetted his appetite for more. Yeah, he needed to get laid and fast.

  Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin was picture perfect – so much so that it actually looked like a living postcard. Alexis did as Ethan suggested and took pictures of everything. The great thing about digital was that she could weed through the photographs later and delete the ones she didn’t want. The streets were clean and many of the houses looked late nineteenth century with tri-coloured wood siding and manicured lawns. Alexis wasn’t sure what to think of it. The place was almost too perfect – and too quiet, too clean, too middle America – and she found herself missing the busy, dirty streets of the city. Even the people were dressed a decade behind the times, their floral print dresses and denim hardly the latest New York trends. Though, to be fair, it wasn’t their fault New York was the heart and soul of the United States. They were more of the . . .

  Alexis bit her lip, wondering what part the dairy state could qualify as. Bones, maybe?

  Trees seemed to grow everywhere, the long white birch trunks shadowing the side streets. There was a collection of quaint little shops boasting cheap vacation T-shirts and cherry-decorated knick-knacks. A large drawbridge in the centre of town lifted over the dark waters of Lake Michigan to let yachts pass under. Seeing it rise up over the glistening surface was amazing, the steel beams a testament to man’s ingenuity.

  ‘I’ve always wanted to go on a yacht,’ Susan said, pointing at the large white boat. ‘Can you imagine that only one family lives on that thing?’

  ‘You mean one prince,’ Alexis said, chuckling.

  ‘What? Your family didn’t have a yacht?’ Ethan asked.

  It took her a while to answer, as she tried to decide if he was just being curious or mean. ‘No, my mother hated boats.’

  They stopped at a little corner gas station. Alexis watched from just outside the car as Ethan talked to the cashier. The girl giggled, tossing her short brown hair. Ethan grinned, a truly stunning look as he flirted with her. Alexis felt jealousy unfurl in her gut. She knew she had no claim on him, didn’t really want him for herself, but did he have to be so blatant? It wasn’t as if that morning meant anything, but did he have to hit on the very next woman he came across?

  ‘You look like you’re about to spit nails,’ Susan said, leaning up against the hood. ‘Care to share?’

  ‘It’s nothing,’ Alexis said.

  ‘You know, I don’t really like this depressed, closed-up version of yourself you got going on.’ Susan threaded her arm through Alexis’s, shivering in the chilled breeze.

  ‘Ethan might have come onto me this morning,’ Alexis said. It didn’t feel right not telling Susan things, but she wasn’t about to confess how he’d literally come onto her. ‘Just a little.’

  ‘What he do? Ask you on a date?’ Susan cuddled closer, laying her head on Alexis’s shoulder. ‘Brrr, it’s chilly here. I thought it’d be warmer today.’

  ‘I think it’s because we’re close to the water,’ Alexis answered.

  ‘So, do tell,’ Susan prodded. ‘What he do? Do you like him? What did you say?’

  Seeing Ethan coming from inside followed by Ted, Alexis said, ‘Later.’

  ‘OK, but I want to know everything.’ Susan moved from Alexis to Ted, hugging him around his waist as he tried to open the car door. The couple looked comfortable together. Alexis glanced at Ethan. His eyes trained on her for a brief moment. He was wearing a navy-blue technician’s panel jacket with the small logo for Adam’s Heating and Air embroidered on the front. On the back was the screen-printed emblem of a skull surrounded by spider webs with the words, ‘Tornado Tattoo’.

  ‘Man, you wouldn’t believe this guy,’ Ted said, laughing, as they got into the car. He nodded his head at Ethan. ‘Everywhere we go it’s been the same. He smiles. The girls whimper. He says he does tattoos and they offer him stuff. Man, I’m beginning to think I got into the wrong business.’

  ‘Hey, you better not think about trying to seduce other girls to get what you want,’ Susan said, slugging his arm.

  ‘Yeah, being cool does have its perks,’ Ethan said, starting the car.

  ‘What did you get this time?’ Susan asked.

  ‘Actually, we’ll get to see a yacht later,’ Ted said.

  ‘We get to go sailing on a yacht?’ Susan gasped in excitement. Alexis couldn’t help but smile.

  ‘Ah, well, not exactly.’ Ted chuckled. ‘We kind of got jobs cleaning yachts and sailboats. That girl’s uncle owns a shipyard and he’s hooking us up. Since it’s spring, everyone’s getting their boats out. They’re understaffed and overworked.’

  Alexis’s expression fell. They got her a job cleaning boats?

  ‘Pays pretty well I guess,’ Ethan said. ‘Tressa says they’re desperate for help this week.’

  Tressa? Alexis frowned, turning to get another glimpse of the gas-station cashier. She was watching them out of her window. The woman would so be named something like Tressa. Ethan reached into his back pocket, pulling out a piece of paper.

  ‘What’s that?’ Alexis asked. ‘Her phone number?’

  ‘No.’ Ethan smirked. ‘Directions to a house we can rent pretty cheap. It’ll only cost us thirty bucks a piece for three days.’

  ‘Three days?’ Alexis asked. ‘We’re going to be here that long?’

  ‘Why not?’ Susan asked. Alexis could tell her friend liked the idea. ‘It’s a beautiful location. I saw a sign back there for fresh cheese. You know, Wisconsin is the dairy state. We have to try the cheese.’

  ‘I want to try some of that cherry wine,’ Ted said. ‘Sounds interesting.’

  ‘I think I saw a billboard for vineyards,’ Ethan said. ‘And I got a map of the peninsula.’

  ‘You actually bought a map?’ Alexis asked, unable to help herself.

  ‘Only of the peninsula,’ Ethan said, winking at her. ‘Don’t wor
ry, doll, I can still get us lost in the Midwest.’

  Her stomach fluttered nervously at the playfulness of his tone. OK, why was she flirting with Ethan?

  The directions led them through a long grove of trees, taking them to the outskirts of town. Ethan slowed down, looking for street numbers. ‘Ah, here it is.’ He turned into a long driveway. A new, modern ranch-style house was on one side of the drive. An older dwelling was on the other.

  ‘Which do you think is for rent?’ Susan asked.

  ‘That one.’ Ethan pointed to the older one. It was blue-grey. The paint was chipped off the sides and it was smaller compared to the other nineteenth-century houses in town. ‘Tressa said they’ll have a washer and dryer inside we can use, a fridge, stove, whatever. The weekenders cancelled and lost their deposit, so we get it half-price.’

  ‘Perfect,’ Susan said. ‘I could stand to do some laundry.’

  ‘Mm, I could stand for you to do my laundry, too,’ Ted said.

  ‘Me too,’ Alexis quickly said, scrunching up her nose and making a silly face.

  ‘Well, as long as you’re offering,’ Ethan said, laughing as Susan baulked in horror.

  ‘Nice try, guys,’ she said dryly. ‘But, I’m not doing anyone’s laundry but my own.’

  They got out of the car. A woman came out of the ranch house and smiled, waving. She was elderly, with hair as white as snow and thick glasses that hung from a gold chain. She wore a pink smock with cherry patterns over her clothes that buttoned down the front. By the fine dust it looked as if she’d been baking.

  ‘Are you Tressa’s friends?’ the woman asked. She walked in an unusually spry way for her obvious age.

  ‘Hi,’ Ethan said. ‘I’m Ethan James. This is Ted, his wife, Susan. And this lovely woman over here is my fiancée, Alexis. Tressa mentioned you had a place to rent?’

  Alexis froze. What? She was his what? She might be a little out of it, but she was pretty sure she’d remember getting engaged.

  ‘She all right?’ the woman asked, nodding at Alexis. ‘Are you all right, dear?’

  ‘Oh, yeah, sure. She’s a little travel sick, that’s all.’ Ethan walked around the car to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. ‘Aren’t you, honey? She’ll be fine once she lies down.’