Toxic

by Debra Jupe

  “This is nice.” She stood in the middle of the room and did a slow twirl. “Belong to you?”

  “Nope. It’s a loaner.”

  “Right. You’re not a permanent employee at Mike’s, are you?”

  “I’m there on a consulting basis.”

  “What company do you actually work for?”

  Ethan smiled. Too many questions. “Thought you were starving.” He gestured at the sofa. “Sit if you want. I won’t be long.”

  He hurried to dress. Ten minutes later, he returned to her. She sat straight on the couch, her hands folded in her lap, biting her bottom lip. Time to start their final goodbyes, though he was unsure what to say. Thank you for a lovely evening, didn’t quite mesh after spending most of the night naked together. But thanks for the mind-blowing sex seemed too insensitive.

  “We’ll have to make our meal a quick one,” he said uneasily. “I have some work to do this afternoon.”

  “At the nursery?”

  He shook his head. “My weekends are spent filing reports and recommendations to my superiors. It’ll take me several hours to type them up and email them off. I’ll also run them by for Mike to review, and we’ll discuss them afterward.”

  She looked disappointed. A twinge of guilt twisted in his gut. He ran a hand through his short hair. “But if you’re okay with later, maybe I could stop by?”

  Gracie hesitated. Ethan’s entire self-became motionless. Her pause shook him all the way to his heart.

  “I’d like that,” she finally said.

  He walked to the door and opened it, standing back for her to exit.

  So much for putting an end to this. He was gearing up for a full fledge relationship with her. The idea terrified him, in a good way, which worried the hell out of him.

  Chapter 9

  The past twenty-four hours had been wonderful, but by the time she got home, Gracie was exhausted. She was thrilled Ethan expressed interest in seeing her again. She’d hesitated when he asked, although she didn’t have to consider her answer. Instead, she had to taper the impulse to jump and scream “yes” to avoid seeming too eager.

  But if she were going to be in shape for a repeat performance later, she’d need some sleep—a lot of sleep. Younger was definitely exciting, though Ethan had worn her out.

  She slowly climbed the stairs and fell into bed, asleep the second her head touched the pillow.

  ****

  What seemed like only moments, Gracie flinched, abruptly awakening. She perched on her elbows, her brain fuzzy from slumber. Her room was dark except for shadowed streetlights glowing through the opened blinds. An odd sound resonated from downstairs.

  Her thoughts leaped to her mother’s voicemail earlier, alerting her of another robbery taken place in her neighborhood. She feared the noise was the result of a possible break in. Quietly, she rolled out of bed and crept down the stairs, leaving the lights off. More clattered bangs came from outside. Swallowing a scream, Gracie froze. Tiny spikes pricked across her neck and pierced her spine. She needed to call for help, but her cell was in her purse, which she’d left in her truck. Though she’d parked her vehicle in the locked garage, she’d prefer not to leave the house.

  Tiptoeing through the living room, she headed into the kitchen for her oversized flashlight. She snatched the torch, bounced it in her palm, and nodded. She sneaked to the front, holding the thick roll above her head. She inhaled, then yanked the door open and swung the beam. The heavy cylinder made contact with something solid.

  “Son of a bitch.” Arms flailed, grasping at the air. Her “intruder’s” large body rocked backward and tumbled into a bed of rosebushes.

  Gracie flipped the light switch. “Ethan?” A palm covered her opened mouth.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” He struggled to escape the thorny branches.

  “I’m so, so sorry.” She hurried outside and held out a hand. “Let me help you.”

  He waved her away as he wrestled from the barbed clutches. “Shit. These fuckers hurt.” He escaped and marched to her, jerking the metal cylinder from her grasp, and held it in front of her face. “Why are you trying to knock me out? If you don’t want me here, tell me. Don’t take my head off.”

  “I’m…” Explanations whirled through her mind, none plausible, and the truth certainly wouldn’t work.

  He grabbed her upper arm and dragged her inside. He gave the door a hard shove and spun back to her. He held the flashlight to her again. “Explain.”

  “You didn’t use the doorbell. The way you were pounding, I thought you were a burglar.”

  “The damn thing wasn’t working. It’s hanging off the hinge, and I was trying to make repairs in the dark.” He rubbed his forehead. A small knot was already swollen over his eye. The rest of him was a mess, too. Black marks and mud covered his clothes, his hands soiled. Blood trickled down his bare arms where he’d been cut by the plant’s spikes. “Besides, how many burglars knock before they break in?”

  “Did you get that dirty from your fall?”

  “I had a flat tire. I slipped in some mud getting the jack from underneath my wheel well. I figured since I was so late, I’d come straight here instead of stopping for clean clothes. Obviously a bad idea.”

  “I’ll get ice for the swelling, and I can put ointment on those scratches.”

  “I’m fine. I need to use your shower again.” He narrowed his eyes and smoothed a filthy hand over his shirt. “Unless you have your hair dryer plugged in by the stall, waiting to finish me off.”

  “Of course. I mean, yes, you can use the shower, and my outlets are grounded. No risk, whatsoever.”

  “Tired of people trying to kill me.” He pressed the flashlight into her chest as he walked past her, mumbling, “Sorry I scared you.”

  “And I’m sorry I almost knocked you out. I’ll put your clothes in the washer while you clean up.”

  Ethan stopped and whirled around. A hand clutched her shoulder and pulled her to him. He planted a kiss on her mouth, then gently pushed her away. “You owe me.” He smiled, ran a thumb, and smeared her nose with dirt. “Now you need some scrubbing yourself. And after today, I don’t bathe alone.”

  “Did you get dirty on purpose so we can shower again?”

  He took her hand as they climbed the stairs together. “A definite incentive.”

  Gracie had a wonderful large shower-stall for which they utilized the benefits to the hilt earlier today. An experience she would enjoy repeating many times and never tire. The selling point of this house for her was the huge garden tub made for two, equipped with a soothing Jacuzzi jets that sat in the corner of her bathroom beckoning.

  Ethan released her when they entered and walked to the sink. He unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it to the floor. He tapped the facet to wash away the mud and blood. Gracie hopped on the countertop, legs crossed, biting her bottom lip admiring his bare chest.

  She traced a finger down his muscled arm. He took her hand and kissed the palm, and then he released her to kick off his shoes. Belt unbuckled, his jeans dropped and lay in a pile on the tiles. He stepped out of them.

  He flashed a wicked grin, popping the elastic in his boxers. “You want more?”

  Her teeth sank further into her lip. She hoped drool wasn’t trickling down her chin. He pushed his shorts from his waist and over his legs.

  “Slow down.”

  He chuckled. “So that’s how you like it.” He turned his back to her, shoving the boxers to his ankles, and then he punted them away.

  Gracie’s tongue ran over the outer edges of her mouth, admiring his tight backside. “You could turn around.”

  “I could.” He looked over his shoulder wearing a naughty smile. “Tell me why I should.”

  “I like the view.”

  He raised an eyebrow and snatched a towel off the rack to wrap around him and lowered onto a vanity chair. “You’re going to have to wait.”

  “This isn’t fair. You get a girl all riled up and then you hol
d out?”

  Arms across his chest, he frowned. “You’ve got some making up to do.” He raked a gaze over her. “A private show for me is in order. Your turn.” Ethan’s smile widened. “Take it off.”

  “What?” Though they’d been intimate many times, Gracie wasn’t comfortable undressing that way in front of him. “I’m supposed to—?”

  “You want me to forgive you. This is the beginning.”

  “The beginning? You’re going to milk this, aren’t you?”

  “Oh sweets, I’ve got a long list. Expect years of atonement before you get back into my good graces.” He leaned forward and tugged at her top. “Off.”

  “You’re not serious, right?”

  “As serious as snow in the desert.”

  Gracie pulled away from him and sighed. She couldn’t avoid this. “Fine.” Gingerly, she grasped her t-shirt’s hem and lifted it over her head.

  A hand shot out. “No, wait.”

  Gracie dropped the shirt, confused. “You don’t want me to undress?”

  “Of course I want you to undress.” He extended a thumb, motioned upward, and pointed to the long strip of marble. “On the counter.”

  She gnawed her bottom lip and stared at him. Was he kidding?

  “You want forgiveness, right?”

  She giggled and glanced at the countertop. “We’ll be even?”

  “Hardly.” He nodded at the bathtub. “Not until we have sex in there. In any position. My choice. New place, new position, new record breaker. Plus, stripping gives me extra points.”

  “Record breaker? Points? You keep score?”

  “Not literally.” He pointed at his head. “Up here.”

  “Shallow, don’t you think?”

  “I don’t disagree, but I can’t help it. It’s the way my mind works.”

  “You keep a running track of everything?” Gracie asked her tone disbelieving.

  “Yes, but some records are more interesting than others.”

  “Like sex?”

  He laughed. “What do you think? Of course sex is by far the most intriguing. By the way, I’m getting a bonus as we speak. I can see your nipples through your shirt. They got hard just from me looking at them. That’s a talent.”

  “Mine or yours?”

  “Mine, of course. How else would I get the points?”

  Gracie rolled her eyes. “Okay, strip, sex in the tub. Your position choice. Got it. Is that all?”

  He rubbed the small knot on his head. “You sound smug. You almost knocked me out, you know. I’d think you’d be more accommodating.”

  “You have a teeny, tiny bump.”

  “Teeny, tiny?” His voice elevated. “You nearly took my head off.”

  “Fine. I’ll help you break your silly records.” She climbed upon the marble slab. “But my action was a reaction to you scaring me. So you’re required to assist me in advancing up the woman’s ranks.”

  “How many more orgasms can you have?”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

  “The tub has to be filled with bubble bath.”

  “No. No way.” He shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. “Men don’t get into fizzy water. Especially smelly, fizzy water. Not going to happen.”

  She tugged at the bottom of her shirt. “If you can’t help me, I can’t help you. I should’ve given you a real head injury. Incidentally, that’s a different woman record all together.”

  “What’s the purpose of stinky water? I think I get the gist of the knocking a guy senseless.”

  “Getting strong manly type bathing in a tub full scenty bubbles record. Difficult to achieve. It falls between watching chick flicks together and shoe shopping.”

  “What kind of scent are we talking about? Nothing citrusy. I prefer not to smell like fruit. Too womanly.”

  She gave him a lazy smile. “After the performances you’ve given, you could wear ruffles and high heels and I still wouldn’t consider you womanly.”

  “Somehow that entire scenario disturbs me, but I’ll table the idea for now.” His gaze traveled the length of her body. “Pour in the super-suds. But no gossiping at Tupperware parties or whatever you females do when you drink too many strawberry banana daiquiris. I don’t want rumors floating around the nursery I do this kind of thing. I have an image to uphold.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “The fact you know strawberry banana daiquiris exist will raise my status. But we need to educate you on today’s female events. This is a different millennium. Forget burping plastic tops. We have lingerie and sex toy get-togethers nowadays.”

  “Ohhh, now that’s interesting.” His expression brightened. “Got any lingerie?”

  Gracie smiled.

  “Toys?”

  “Do you want to talk all night?”

  “Nope. Take it off.” He clapped his hands. “But count on more discussions about those slinky nighties and your sex toy collections.”

  She climbed onto the counter and pulled her shirt over her head.

  “Slowly.”

  She made a face and dropped it to the floor. Shorts unbuttoned, she slid them down her legs and then stepped out and tossed them away with her foot. She stood in front of him wearing only her bra and panties. She rotated away and faced the mirror.

  “I’m waiting.”

  She glanced over a shoulder.

  “Everything.”

  She unhooked her bra. The straps slide over her arms. She spun, flinging it at him. An easy catch. He held it up. “I need the match.”

  Gracie bit her lip as she stepped out of her panties, then bent to snatch them up. A low, throaty groan came from behind as he swept her from the counter and carried her to the tub.

  “Don’t we need to fill the bath?”

  He sat her down.

  “This’ll take a few minutes.” She twisted the knobs and held her fingers under the stream, testing the water.

  A large hand stroked her bare bottom. “We’ll have to improvise until it’s full.”

  The digital clock read after two when they finally finished. Bodies laced with a fruity fragrance, their skin wrinkled from the long soak. After she toweled off, she went into her closet for her robe.

  Ethan tugged at the tie. “What is this for?”

  She gathered up his things. “I’m going to take your dirty cloths downstairs to be washed. I have neighbors, lots of windows, and I don’t want them to see me naked.”

  “It’s late. Do you think anyone is awake?”

  “I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  “You sure none of them caught our performance last night? The blinds were open, and the streetlamps blared through like spotlights.”

  “I hope not. I’d hate to be the newest neighborhood gossip.”

  Clothes in the washer, she downed several pieces of chocolate before she returned upstairs. Ethan was already asleep. She took off her robe and crawled in bed, cuddling close to him, hoping they would become a habit.

  ****

  The bed vibrated. Like someone was restless. Gracie instantly woke. A silhouette of Ethan sat beside her, his torso stiff and erect. Streetlights glowed through the opened blinds, the glimmer centered on his face. His expression was…odd.

  Unsure if he was awake, she grasped his shoulder and gently jiggled.

  “Ethan? Are you all right?”

  He didn’t respond. She shook him again. His entire body remained rigid beneath her palm. Anxiety choked her. Something was definitely off kilter. Maybe she should call for help.

  She leaned across him, to the nightstand searching for her phone. He abruptly whipped around and pushed her onto her back, hurling his body on top of her. Pinned to the mattress, she fought for air underneath his weight.

  His fingers tightened around her wrists as she resisted, his legs buried into hers trapping her, holding her in a position to where she could barely move. Her face was smothered into his chest.

  “Ethan.”
She struggled beneath him. “Ethan get off, you’re hurting me.”

  The pressure stopped. He rolled away, raising his head to search the room, his face blank. Perspiration sparkled over his forehead. He swiped a shaky hand across to wipe the sweat away.

  “Where am I?” Even his voice sounded different. As if he were in another world.

  Gracie slowly rose to her elbows. She stretched to flip on a light, then she studied him. He appeared confused.

  “You’re at my house.”

  “Who are—?” His puzzled gazed rested her, staring at her as if he didn’t recognize her. Seconds extended into minutes before recollection noticeably set in.

  At first, he appeared alarmed. His shoulders slacked. “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure. You were sitting up. You had a strange look on your face, and then you attacked me.”

  “Attacked you?”

  “Yeah, you held me down. I thought you may be having a nightmare, so I tried to wake you and you jumped me. Not in a good way, either.”

  “I’m sorry.” He took her hand and squeezed, tugging her to him. “I’m so, so sorry. I did have a bad dream. I guess I acted out. Are you okay? I know I scared you, hell, I scared myself.”

  She worked to control the rupture of tension that struck now the ordeal was over. “I’ll be fine.”

  His hands smoothed over the curve of her waist. His arms surrounded her as he drew her closer. His body trembled next to her. His lips found hers. Her frame braced against his. He kissed her harder, urging her into submission. She relaxed a little as her palms on his chest tenderly shoved him from her.

  “I can’t,” she said shakily. She couldn’t believe she pushed him away. “Not now.”

  “I understand.” He pressed his lips together. “I’m being selfish.”

  “Selfish?”

  “I need your forgiveness.”

  “Nothing to forgive. You can’t dictate what you dream.”

  “It doesn’t make what I did right. I feel terrible.”

  “It was bad, wasn’t it? The dream.”

  “I can’t remember.” He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “I need you, Gracie. I need to connect with you, to recover.”