by Krista Lakes
“Sounds really beautiful,” he said. “I'll have to check it out when fall comes around.”
They cruised along for a few more minutes in silence. Finally, they got to the top of the mountain. Ethan turned down a paved driveway. Next to the drive was a sign that read, “No Outlet.”
“Ethan, I'm pretty sure this is a dead end,” Laura said, with a worried tone. “There's a sign.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “It's definitely a dead end.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You must know something I don't. I'm extremely confused right now.”
“Just be patient,” he said, reaching over and placing a hand on the top of her knee. “We're almost there.”
Laura kept her out the window until a small house appeared at the end of the driveway. Ethan pulled the Lamborghini up to it and parked. Silence immediately replaced the noise of the engine and all Laura could hear was the whispering trees outside as the wind blew gently through the leaves.
“And now I'm even more confused,” she said. “I'm pretty sure this is a house, Ethan.”
“You sure?” he asked, the side of his mouth curling into a boyish smile.
“I'm nearly positive,” she replied. “At the very least, I can promise you that it's not a restaurant.”
“Says you,” Ethan said, winking at her again.
He stepped out of the car and walked around to Laura's side, opening the door for her. She took his outstretched hand, allowing him to help her out. As soon as she was standing, she glanced over to her right, toward the side of the mountain that they'd just traversed.
“Oh wow,” she said. “Ethan, look at this view.”
The sun was nearly down now, and the sky had turned from a bright orange into a dark purple. There was still enough light, though, to illuminate the sprawling view that laid before them. There were tree-covered mountains for as far as the eye could see. Miles and miles of land. It was so beautiful and serene.
“We're standing at one of the highest points in Silver Springs,” he said. “You've never been up here?”
“I've been up to this mountain, but never here,” she said, unable to pry her eyes away from the view. “I didn't think anybody had a view like this.”
To Laura, it felt like she was on top of the world. It was truly breathtaking.
“There's more to see,” Ethan said, holding out his elbow.
Laura slipped her hand onto his arm and followed him toward the house. She still had absolutely no idea whose home this was and how in the heck Ethan had gained permission to use it. When they approached the front porch, a security guard stepped out of the shadows.
“Good evening, sir,” the man said, nodding to Ethan.
“Ah, good evening, Craig,” Ethan said. “Nice to see you. Is everything set?”
“Of course,” Craig replied. “Everything is just as you specified.”
“Good,” Ethan replied. He nodded, and Craig disappeared back into the shadows of the trees by the house. Ethan brought her closer to the door, and she couldn't wait to see what happened next.
Chapter 19
Laura
The front door opened and an elegant man in a dark tux opened the door. Laura was sure this was what butlers must look like. “Good evening, sir. Ma'am.”
He held the door open and then carefully closed it behind them before escorting them through the home. Laura glanced around, surprised by how beautiful the interior was. It was fully furnished, with beautiful and extravagant paintings covering every wall.
“Whose house is this?” she whispered to Ethan.
He just glanced over and smirked, without saying a word. She shook her head. Him and his secrets.
“Right this way, sir,” The Butler said, approaching a door at the very back of the house.
Ethan and Laura walked through and onto the screened porch. There were two heat lamps, one on each side of the deck, which made the area entirely comfortable despite the fresh mountain air outside. Situated in the center, was a small white table and two chairs. There was a beautiful flower bouquet in the center, surrounded by candles, which flickered lightly in the breeze.
“Ethan,” she said, shaking her head in awe. “This is beautiful. You did this for me?”
“Yeah, I mean, you surprised me with lunch, and I wanted to surprise you with dinner,” he said. “You like it?”
“It's amazing,” she said. “Nobody has ever done anything like this for me before. Let me get this straight, though. You got me a private restaurant? You rented a house up on the top of this mountain and turned it into a restaurant?”
Ethan smiled. “Would you prefer a public restaurant? I called around, but there was one big problem. Not a single one of them had this view. I decided I'd figure out a way to give you both dinner, and a view.”
As he spoke, he motioned his hand outward beyond the railing of the deck. Laura stepped forward, letting her eyes adjust to the dim lighting outside. As soon as the view came into focus, she gasped with surprise.
“Holy cow,” she whispered.
From where she stood, she could see the entire city of Denver and all of the surrounding area. The lights twinkled out on the prairie, making it seem like they were much closer to town than they actually were. In fact, they were forty miles away, but from that deck, Laura felt like she could reach out and pick up the entire city with one hand.
“I'll take it you like it.” Ethan stepped up beside her and placed his hand on her lower back.
She blinked back tears of joy as she turned to face him. “I've never seen anything like it.”
“It's funny, that's the exact thing I said to myself the first time that I saw you,” he said.
Laura practically melted in front of him but managed to stay composed enough to keep standing. She was shocked and overwhelmed with the deepest feeling of joy imaginable. For the first time in her life, she felt like a princess.
Ethan lifted his hand and cradled Laura's chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You're just as gorgeous as the view.” He then leaned in and kissed her, sending an electric wave through her body. His lips pressed against hers, the smell of his cologne, the view nearby. Everything was perfect. Everything was right.
When he pulled away, Laura's lips were tingling. It was as though they missed his touch even though it had been less than a second since he'd broken the kiss.
“Are you ready to eat?” he asked.
She nodded slowly, still trying to regain her senses from all of the surprises that Ethan had presented her that evening. “Yeah, I could eat.”
“Good,” he said, walking her toward the table.
He pulled out the chair for her and Laura sat down. Her entire body was tingling with excitement. It had already been the best night of her whole life, and they hadn't even eaten yet.
Ethan walked around and took a seat on the chair across from her. “I hope you like what's on the menu.”
“Menu?” Laura asked. “You mean, you actually did turn this place into a restaurant?”
Ethan nodded, and at that same time, a new man wearing a black tuxedo stepped out onto the deck. He carried himself with prestige as he walked toward them and placed a menu in front of each of them.
“Good evening,” he said, with a light British accent.”What can I bring you to drink, Ms. Corbett?”
She tried to think of something fancy, but she was used to beer and cheap vodka. Neither one of those seemed appropriate for a fancy dinner. “Do you have Cabernet?”
“Of course,” he said. “We have several kinds, but there's one, in particular, that's quite good. It's a private stock, made from a small family in Sicily.”
“I'll take that one,” Laura said, with a smile.
“And you sir?” The waiter turned to face Ethan.
“I'd like an Irish Whiskey, please,” Ethan said.
“Very well,” the waiter said. “I'll be back with your drinks and to take your order in just a moment.”
He turned and then di
sappeared into the house.
“Ethan, this is crazy,” Laura said with excitement. “This is the best surprise of all time.”
“By the way, he's not just our waiter. He's also my personal chef,” he said. “You may not know this about me, but I'm not the best cook in the world. If it weren't for Daryl, I'd probably starve. That guy makes me all of my meals and is by far the best cook I've ever known.”
Laura glanced down at the menu. The top of the paper read, “Ethan and Laura's Second Date Menu.”
“How cute is that?” she said. “I might have to keep this as a souvenir.”
“By all means,” Ethan said. “Any of the food sound good to you?”
She glanced down the list. There were three options laid out for each course.
1st course
Ahi Tuna Tartare, Hamachi Sashimi
Royal Ossetra Caviar
Ahi Tuna, Maine Lobster, & Mussel “Paella” 24 Baked Saffron Risotto, English Peas
Main course
Boulder Natural Chicken “Wellington” 42 Brioche Baked Breast, Braised Chicken & Mushroom Duxelle, Foie Gras Mousse, Sunchoke Puree, Pinot Noir Reduction
Colorado Lamb Rack, Loin & Braised Shank 68 White Truffle Infused Heirloom Polenta, Ratatouille Vegetables, Goat Cheese, Lamb Jus
Ruby Red Trout, Diver Caught Scallops 38 French Green Lentils, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Berkshire Bacon, Caper Brown Butter Emulsion
Dessert
Sticky Toffee Pudding Bourbon Toffee Sauce, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream With Badia a Coltibuono, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico
Triple Chocolate Terrine Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake, Milk Chocolate Marquise, White Chocolate Mousse, Raspberry Sauce
Laura stared at the menu for a bit, overwhelmed with how amazing everything sounded. “I'm not even sure where to start.”
“Take your time,” Ethan said. “Pick whatever you like. The chef is prepared to make all three options.”
She looked up from the menu. “Wait, you mean I could order all three?”
Ethan shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
“In that case, I think I might want to order everything,” she said, her face beaming. “Then we can try them all.”
He grinned. “I like it. Let's do it.”
Daryl came back out with the drinks a moment later. “Have you two decided?”
“Yes,” Ethan said, as he handed the menus back to Daryl. “Bring us one of everything.”
“Everything?” Daryl said, raising a single eyebrow, but otherwise showing no emotion at the request.
Ethan nodded. “Yes, please. We'll take it all.” Then he glanced at her. “Are you okay with sharing? It's a lot of food.”
“You mean so that the two of us can eat three meals instead of six?” she said, with a smile. “Yeah, I think I'm okay with that.”
“Very well,” Daryl said, with a polite nod. “You two relax and enjoy the drinks. I'll be back soon with your meal. In the meantime, don't hesitate to get me if you need anything at all. I'll be in the kitchen.”
“Thank you so much,” Laura said.
“You're quite welcome, dear,” he said, then shuffled back into the house.
Never in her life had Laura been exposed to something so romantic. They had privacy on the porch, and it felt so cozy with the heaters. The only light that filled the area came from the candles and the moon, giving it a beautiful ambiance. As she gazed across the table, she realized that she had the best view of all time. It wasn't just the backdrop of Denver that had her memorized either. It was the handsome man in front of her, with his dark hair and sexy smile, that really had her attention.
“I really like your tie,” Laura said, after a moment of gawking. “It brings out the color of your eyes.”
Ethan smiled and brought a hand to his tie, smoothing it down against his chest. “Thank you. It's new. I normally wouldn't have worn a green tie, but Craig suggested that I wear it tonight. He said that green is a good color on dates with beautiful women.”
Laura chuckled. “So wait, Craig is not only your security but also your personal stylist as well?”
He nodded. “Apparently so. To be fair, though, I don't know him all that well. I had to leave my personal entourage in California. I'm making do, though.”
“Where is Craig anyway?” Laura asked. “I haven't seen him since we got here. Is he somewhere in the woods, fending off bad guys?”
Ethan's smiled faded. “Actually, no. He's in the trunk of the Lamborghini right now.”
“Very funny,” she said. His face didn’t move, but he bit his lip like he was afraid of being judged. “Seriously?” she asked.
His face relaxed once again, and he started laughing.
“Almost had you,” he said.
“You're right,” she admitted. “I actually did almost believe you.”
“No, he's not in the trunk of the car.” Ethan took a quick sip of his drink, then continued. “I'm sure he's around here somewhere. He came up here earlier, before you and I got here, to make sure the place was secure. My guess is that he's just making his rounds. Pretty standard protocol.”
“That makes sense,” she said. She sipped at her drink and leaned forward. “I've got to ask, what is it like having someone watching over you all the time? I think it would drive me crazy. I'd feel like I didn't have any privacy whatsoever.”
Ethan shrugged. “You know, it's not as bad as you'd think. These guys that work as bodyguards, they don't care what you do with your time. They're really good at just doing their jobs and staying out of your business. I've never really felt like it has invaded my privacy. To be honest, I feel like I have much more privacy because of them. They keep the public away, which is something I could never do on my own. At this point, I think I'd feel weird if I didn't have security somewhere nearby. I'd be pretty vulnerable.”
Laura parted her lips to respond, but before she could utter a sound, Daryl came stepping out of the door and onto the deck. He was balancing two trays, one in each hand. As soon as he set the dishes down onto the table, the smell of the amazing food entered Laura's nostrils.
Her mouth watered as she looked at the plates. Ahi tuna, caviar, and lobster. There was a beautiful spread on the table, with just about every color of the rainbow in the form of food. And this was just the first course.
“Thank you,” Ethan said. “This looks great.”
“Anything else?” Daryl asked.
“I think we're okay for now,” Ethan replied. “We'll let you know if we need anything.”
“Very good,” Daryl said, then turned to leave.
“I don't even know where to start,” Laura said.
“I recommend the lobster first,” Ethan said. “It's one of my favorites.”
“Agreed,” she said, putting some of the lobster on her plate and dribbling some butter over it.
The first bite was nearly orgasmic. It melted in her mouth, and the flavor was so fresh that it was like Daryl had taken the lobster straight out of the ocean.
“Oh my lord,” Laura said, shaking her head in awe. “This is so good.”
“There's nothing quite like fresh Maine Lobster,” Ethan replied. “I'm glad you like it.”
The two filled their plates with the first course and dove in. Every bite had Laura in further disbelief. It was the best food she had ever eaten. She decided right then and there that if she ever became a billionaire somehow, she would steal Daryl from Ethan and hire him as her personal chef.
I wish that could happen, she thought. Because I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back to macaroni and cheese mixed with frozen peas after a meal like this.
It didn't take long for Ethan and Laura to finish the first course. They blazed through it and set the plates to the side. Ethan took a slow sip of his whiskey and relaxed back into his chair.
“Tell me something I don't know about you, Laura,” he said. “I'm sure there's a lot.”
“I don't know about that,” she said, smiling meekly. “I'm not that
exciting.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” Ethan kept eye contact with her as he spoke. He seemed genuinely interested in her.
“Well, I like horses,” she said. She shrugged.
“I already knew that,” he replied with a smile. “I was thinking something more personal. You know, something that helps me get to know you on a deeper level. Like what was your childhood like? Any special memories?”
Laura glanced up as she thought about it for a moment. “To be honest, my childhood was kind of a mess. I mean, my parents did the best they could, but it was hard. They both had to work two jobs just to keep food on the table. Neither of them had a college degree, so the work that they were able to find never paid very well.”
“That must have been tough,” Ethan said.
Laura nodded. “It was. Did you know that my mom had me when she was only eighteen? My parents weren't ready for me at all. I don't blame them either. At eighteen, they were kids themselves. They didn't know what it would take to raise a daughter. What eighteen-year-old does?”
“Not many,” Ethan agreed.
“My parents did their best. I was happy, but I spent most of my childhood watching them struggle financially, barely scraping by just to make ends meet and keep a roof over our heads. When I finally turned eighteen, I made a promise to myself that I would never be a young parent. I've seen how hard it can be to go down that road.”
Ethan leaned forward, bringing his elbows to the table. He listened with interest. She knew she was spilling her guts, but she wanted to share with him. She wanted him to know her. She wanted to know him.
She sighed. “But even though I swore I wouldn't be a young parent, I ended up being one anyway.”
“For Dallas and Ivy?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink. “But you're older than your parents were.”
“Ivy was born just a few months after I turned eighteen,” she said. “Dallas was a couple years after that. I didn't have to raise them from eighteen to twenty-five, but I still have a child that was born when I was eighteen that I take care of.”
