by Alice Ward
“I’m sorry we had to cut the trip short. I know you were looking forward to our shopping day.”
“Don’t worry about it. Henry will be thrilled to find out I didn’t get a chance to spend any money. Go talk to Ethan, Emily. And let me know how it goes.”
“I’ll check in soon,” I promised.
I climbed out of Linda’s car, fetched my overnight bag from her trunk, and walked wearily up my staircase. I dropped everything on my coffee table and sank down on my sofa with my phone.
“Linda and I came home early. Feel like company?”
Ethan replied within seconds.
“Sure.”
Well, he could have been a little more enthusiastic. But it’s better than “I need to work.”
I pulled my hair into a high bun, took a quick shower to rinse off from the drive, and threw on a comfortable, Stallion blue sweat suit. I wasn’t sure if I’d be returning home that night or not, so I grabbed my overnight bag again and left the apartment.
When I arrived at Ethan’s, I left the bag in my backseat and stepped tentatively to the front door. I rang the bell and waited on the porch. A few moments later, Ethan appeared and ushered me into the house.
“Baby, you don’t have to ring the bell,” he instructed. “How was the conference? Why did you guys come home early?”
“The conference was fine. We came home early because… because…”
I’d worked out a whole speech during my drive over. But in front of Ethan, words failed me. I was terrified my suspicions were true.
Ethan lowered his voice and pulled me down beside him on the sofa. “Emily, what’s going on? Did something happen in Salem? Holy fuck, did Ben corner you again?”
“No,” I assured him, shaking my head. “Ben hasn’t so much as looked at me since the day of the assembly. Linda and I came home early because I saw you and Susannah Cross together on Thanksgiving and haven’t been able to get it off of my mind since.”
Ethan’s face turned bright red and he sank back against the sofa. “I wish you’d have said something Thursday. Susannah and I are just friends, Emily. We’ve never been anything more. For Christ’s sake, she’s a child.”
I turned toward him and twirled a stray strand of hair around my finger, doing my best to keep my voice level. “That’s what I’ve been telling myself. But after everyone left Thursday night, you got so distant, so cold. You literally shoved me out of the house without even a good kiss goodbye. You shut me out, Ethan. What the hell was I supposed to think?”
Ethan tensed his shoulders. “You were supposed to believe me when I said I had a lot of work to do. Look around, Emily. Does it look like I’ve been having fun with a cheerleader all weekend?”
I pulled my eyes off of him and surveyed the room. Two laptops sat on the coffee table, both with field footage paused on the screens. The television on the wall was replaying a third game, and scraps of paper with notes and diagrams cluttered the floor around us. Discarded sports bottles and fast food wrappers put the final touch on the ambiance.
“Every waking moment I haven’t been at practice, I’ve been on this couch studying film for our upcoming games. I lost focus while I was hurt, and Dallas snuck up on me. I won’t let that happen again. I can’t afford to.”
“Football isn’t everything,” I reminded him impatiently and regretted the words immediately.
“Don’t you think I know that?” he countered, his eyes narrowed, voice harsh. “I wake up every day knowing that I’m one bad hit away from retirement. That’s why I finished college before going pro, and why I’ve invested more of my money than I’ve spent. Football isn’t everything, and it’s fleeting. But it also happens to be what I’m best at. I’m capable of breaking every league record that exists for quarterbacks, as long as I accept nothing less than perfection from myself.”
“And what am I supposed to do with myself while you’re chasing your records and perfection?” I asked and took a deep breath. “I want a partner, Ethan. I want to know that no matter what happens, we always have each other at the end of the day. How am I supposed to feel like that if you shut me out when things get tough? So you had a bad game. You need to focus on film. I understand all of that. But what I don’t understand is why you can’t have me under the same roof. Did you ever stop to think that I might want to help you? I don’t know a ton about game strategy. But I could have at least made sure you had something better than Taco Shack for dinner.”
Sad, frustrated tears fell from my eyes and Ethan met my gaze with a blend of awe and confusion.
“I’m so sorry, Emily. You’re absolutely right. I thought I was doing you a favor by asking you to leave. I know I can be difficult to deal with sometimes. I was trying to spare you from my terrible mood. In my defense, I’ve never had someone who genuinely wanted to take care of me. I promise I’ll never take that for granted.”
He leaned in and kissed me softly on the cheek. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I wasn’t trying to shut you out. And if I’d known you saw me with Susannah after the game, I would have explained the situation immediately. I wish you’d have said something about it on Thursday.”
“You did an excellent job of pretending everything was fine after the game. I didn’t want to ruin the rest of the day with accusations. I mean, it wasn’t like I caught the two of you sucking face. Though she did look way too comfortable in your lap.”
“Susannah is like a little sister to me,” he explained. “She went through a tough breakup with one of my Dallas teammates last season, around the same time I was injured. We got to know each other pretty well on the sidelines. When you saw us, we were getting caught up on each other’s new relationships.”
“When I realized how young she is, I knew it had to be innocent. But before then…”
“You wondered if I was like Ben,” he finished.
I nodded. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I should have said something on Thursday instead of letting it fester.”
Ethan held me in his arms and looked down at me, his eyes heavy and serious. “Emily, I need you to know that I would never hurt you like that. I’m not Ben. I’m not perfect, but I love you.”
“I love you too. I trust you, Ethan. But you can’t shut me out when things get tough,” I told him again. “You said you know football is fleeting and the reason you finished school before going pro and why you invest your money. You’re planning for a future after your football career. Do you want me to be a part of that future?”
“Of course I do,” he answered immediately.
“Then I need you to invest in us. I know you’re busy. I know there will be days and weeks when we don’t get to spend much time together. But that’s exactly why we have to take advantage of the time we do have.”
Ethan nodded and lowered his lips to mine. “No more shutting you out. I promise. I would have loved to have you here these past few days. To be honest, I was afraid I’d sound like an ass if I asked you to stay and take care of me. Think about it. ‘Hey baby, how about you feed and clean up after me while I ignore you and watch football tapes.’ You have to admit, it isn’t the most romantic proposition.”
“It’s not,” I agreed, relief making me feel giddy. “And don’t get me wrong, I have no intentions of becoming your personal caretaker. But when things are tough, I’d rather be here helping however I can than alone wondering if you’re okay. And keep in mind, this street runs two ways. You’ll get to return the favor in the days leading up to parent-teacher conferences, field trips, and the entire last month of school,” I warned with a grin.
“Give and take, huh?” Ethan countered with a smile of his own. “I think I can handle that. Now that we’ve sorted all of this out, why don’t we take advantage of our time like you suggested earlier?”
He gave me a sexy grin and pulled me back into his arms. He rose to his feet, carrying me toward the veranda instead of the bedroom.
“Where are we going?”
He nuzzled his lips against my cheek.
“I have a surprise for you.”
I wrapped my arms around Ethan’s neck while he fumbled with the doorknob. He carried me outside and I heard a strange hum from the direction of the pool. I turned toward the noise and saw a brand new spa.
“When did this happen?” I asked.
“I had the hole dug last week while you were at school. The crew came out and buried the tub on Friday, and the concrete just set this morning. I was waiting for you to try it out for the first time.”
“I don’t have a suit,” I argued mindlessly.
Ethan laughed and set me on my feet. “For what I have in mind, you don’t need one.”
Desire spiraled its way through me. “Right.” I unzipped the hoodie of my sweat suit and pushed it down my arms. Ethan kicked off his shorts and eased into the hot tub, his eyes locked on me as I stripped out of the rest of my clothes. The chill in the air was no damper for the burning desire growing in my body. I stepped across the patio and joined Ethan, who pulled me into his lap beneath the bubbling water. His stiff cock rested against my back and he lifted both hands to my breasts. When he dropped his lips to the back of my neck, I let out a long sigh of pleasure.
“I missed you,” he groaned into my ear.
“I missed you too,” I mumbled in agreement.
Ethan dropped one hand beneath the water and gently stroked my magic button. I let my legs fall open, aching to be filled. He obliged, pushing two fingers inside me. I arched my back against his chest, rocking my ass cheeks against his cock as his fingers moved deeper.
“I want you,” I moaned desperately. “I want you inside me.”
“All in good time, baby,” he teased, stroking me harder.
I covered his hand with mine and closed my legs around his touch. His fingers twisted and turned, finally falling on my G-spot. He held hard, almost painful pressure and I lost all control of my body as the orgasm overpowered me. Water splashed into my eyes and mouth as I flailed in wild passion. Ethan laughed and slowed his hand, pulling me tightly against his chest.
“Are you okay?” he gasped, holding me above the water. “I didn’t consider this might be a drowning hazard.”
“Very funny,” I replied through struggled breaths. “Was I really that bad?”
“Baby, that was the opposite of bad,” he teased. “But yeah, for a second there I thought you were about to push us both under.”
I turned in his lap, positioning myself just above his cock. I dropped my head to his neck and covered it with long, lustful kisses. Then, I moved my lips to his, barely brushing them together.
“I guess you’ll have to keep better control of me this time,” I teased, letting the tip of his cock slide inside me. I held myself there for a moment until I couldn’t take it anymore. I let myself fall, taking in every inch of him.
“You’re so tight and hot,” Ethan groaned, gripping my ass with both hands.
“I can’t get enough of you,” I said against his lips, rising and falling as fast as my legs would lift me. Before long, I was sweating and light headed, but I had no intentions of stopping. Ethan was exactly where I wanted him. I didn’t care if the hot water made me pass out, as long as we stayed connected. My body started to tingle from a blend of lust and exhaustion, and Ethan suddenly pushed me out of his lap.
“It’s sweltering in here,” he said, brushing sweat from his brow with one arm. He climbed out of the hot tub, grabbed a nearby towel, and helped me out of the spa. He wrapped me in the soft cotton, picked me up, and set off for the house.
“I liked my surprise,” I cooed, nuzzling my lips into his neck.
“I’m glad. But I started to think we were both going to pass out,” he explained with a laugh.
He stumbled into the bedroom and dropped me on the mattress. I threw off the towel and wiggled to the head of the bed. Ethan crawled in front of me, pushed my legs open, and buried his tongue inside me. He licked and teased, sucking my clit roughly before pulling away again and driving his cock into me.
“Oh, Ethan,” I groaned, biting my lip to keep from crying out louder. “Give it to me.”
He thrust his hips harder, sliding all but the head of his cock out of me before impaling me again. He lowered his lips, biting and teasing my collarbone between long, passionate kisses. I felt his cock tremble, and he slipped out of me again.
“I want to make this last,” he explained, collapsing onto his back. I rolled over and climbed on top of him, letting his cock rest against my thigh.
“We can make it last as long as you want,” I agreed. I stroked his face, tracing the outline of his lips with my thumb. He shifted his legs, angling his cock at my waiting tunnel. I backed into him slowly, taking in the full length of his shaft before stilling my hips. I let my body fall against Ethan’s chest and he stroked my back with a light, teasing touch. I clenched and released my pussy in rhythm with Ethan’s breaths.
“That feels so good,” he said, rocking into me roughly and then going still again.
I nodded and pushed myself off his chest, swiveling my hips in soft circles. Ethan grabbed my ass again, lifting his mouth to my breasts. He bit and sucked my nipples in turn as I rode him, harder and faster with each thrust of his hips. He slapped my ass roughly and the surprise shock of pain was all I needed to reach my second release. I gushed with satisfaction and Ethan thrust into me harder.
“Turn around,” he said.
I obeyed, spinning on his cock without releasing it. He rose to his knees, pushing me onto all fours. I bucked back against him as he drilled into me and soon, he let out a loud, cat-like growl and spilled his seed inside me. We collapsed together on the bed, our bodies spent with exhaustion. After a while, our breaths evened and Ethan pulled me into his arms.
“We smell like chlorine,” he observed with a light laugh.
I nodded. “And sweat. You were right, the spa was too hot.”
“In retrospect, that wasn’t a well thought out plan. Believe me, I intend to do much better next time.”
“I think we did it pretty good this time,” I teased.
He laughed and planted a soft kiss on my lips. “I really did miss you, Em. I’m glad you came home from Salem early. Now, why don’t you let me take you to the shower and wash this terrible bleach smell away?”
I met his eyes and gave him a cocky smile. “Only if I get to have my way with you again.”
He laughed and set off for the bathroom. “I think that can be arranged.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
A few weeks later, I sat at my desk and stared out at my empty classroom. My kids were at their weekly music class, giving me my first moment of silence for what seemed like ages.
The Stallions’ losing streak was blissfully short. The week after they lost to Dallas, they slaughtered Philadelphia. Ethan became even more focused on studying film and tracking the patterns of his opponents’ plays, and I did my best to give him the space he needed to concentrate.
Like Uncle Walt had predicted, I spent less and less time at my place. To me, home had become wherever Ethan was. He made me happier than I ever imagined possible, and I found myself longing to be able to travel with him to away games. I settled for knowing we’d have plenty of time to travel together during my Christmas vacation.
With the break quickly approaching, I was overwhelmed with extra responsibilities at school. It was my turn to organize the annual holiday program, and I was swarmed with well-intentioned parents who were determined to put their own stamp on the show. We had a record number of volunteers and the reason for so many became apparent during our first planning meeting. Since I was in charge of the program, the parents expected Ethan to play some sort of role. I promised he’d be at the actual performance, which set off a frenzy of who could outdo who on food, set design, and costumes. I felt a little guilty for using my relationship to my advantage, but it was nice to have so much help.
“Knock, knock.” Linda stepped through my open door carrying two cups of coffee. She set one on my desk and
sat down on my long art table.
“I thought you could use a pick me up,” she explained. “How are you holding up? I know things have been hectic.”
“I’ve been running around like a headless chicken,” I agreed. I took a long sip of the hot coffee and set the cardboard mug back on my desk. “This helps, though. Where are your kids?”
“With Ben,” she explained, rolling her eyes. “He’s started sending his aide down for my class too. I still think it was a mistake not to report him for that shit he pulled during the assembly.”
“To be honest, I couldn’t care less. He’s left me alone. He’s too scared of Ethan to corner me like that again.”
Her grin held some heat in it. “I’m sure he is. But I’d still be happier if his smug, lying ass was fired. I think it would change the whole tone of the school, to be honest. And if Matthews knew he’s been screwing the kids’ moms…”
“Moms? As in plural?” I asked, raising a curious eyebrow. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“I heard he’s been messing around with Mrs. Phillips,” she confided. “You know Mr. Phillips is always traveling with his job. Word is that Ben’s been taking advantage of his absence.”
“He really is a sleazy bastard,” I said, cringing. “I can’t believe I ever let him touch me. How was I the only one who couldn’t see through him?”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Emily. I didn’t realize he was an asshole. I just thought he was boring,” she reminded me.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m glad I caught him cheating on me. If I hadn’t, I’d still be lying to myself.”
“And if you’d never dated Ben, you might not be with Ethan,” she pointed out. “That’s how you have to look at things. If I’m not careful, I start beating myself up for leaving Henry all of those years ago. I think of all the time we wasted apart. But then, I remind myself that what I learned while we were apart is why we work this time. It’s all in how you look at it, Em.”
“I know,” I agreed. “I’m just happy I don’t have to look at Ben at all. And speaking of Ethan, he’s playing in New York on New Year’s Day. We’re going to fly out a few days before and have a little mini vacation. Would you and Henry like to join us?”
