Shaking his head, Ethan concentrated on his work. He was deep into his work when a knock sounded at the door. Without looking away from his paperwork, he told the person to come in. He was working a bit later than normal, having been out of work for a couple of weeks. The only person who would be crazy enough to stay this late with him would be his assistant. The scent of expensive perfume wafted under his nose and he knew it wasn't his assistant.
Slowly he raised his head, looking from the expensive six-inch black heels to the well-toned legs crossed at the ankles. His eyes traveled up to meeting the face so unlike his. He'd never denied how beautiful she was even without makeup. Simone Beaumont always carried herself in the status befitting of Southern a Belle. Her silver-blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail, not hiding the look of unpleasantness on her face.
“Why are you here?” The words came out before he could pull them back. “Better yet, how the hell did you know I was here?”
She tsked. “Ethan, my darling, you’re always, a ray of sunshine,” she answered, looking around his office. Even though it was neat and clean, except for his desk cluttered with paperwork, the unpleasant scowl remained on her face. “Why must you continue to work here?”
“Because I love what I'm doing here, and I want to continue what my father started.” He didn't miss the small flicker in her eyes at the mention of his father.
“What a good son you are,” she said sarcastically. “And you didn't enjoy being a doctor?”
He didn't answer her question. “You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?”
“You wound me, Ethan, can’t a mother simply pay her son a concerned visit? You sounded different on the phone the last time we spoke.” She shrugged her shoulders. “And I wanted to come and see how you were doing.”
Ethan raised a disbelieving brow at her. “Was that before or after you got rid of your new plaything and moved on to another? We spoke a little over two weeks ago. And you’ve never cared about my welfare before, so why now?”
“Must you be so crass?” She said exasperatedly. “I raised you better than that.”
“Correction, Dad raised me, you were too busy with your playthings.” He threw down the pen he was holding and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.
She shook her head. “When are you going to get over this silly idea and stop worshiping James as if he was a hero? He was not what you made him out to be.”
The last statement irritated him more than he let on. “And when will you stop thinking that I care what you think?” Ethan closed his eyes, calming his thoughts. “James Beaumont was a man who had his faults, but he was a very good father to me.”
“Your father had secrets, Ethan. After all, you had no idea he suffered from depression.”
“Dad wasn't depressed!” he snapped. “I don't know how you did it, and God, I wish I could prove it, but I know in my gut you had something to do with his death. So tell that lie to some other gullible fool.” The words came from his mouth before he could stop them. “And as for his secrets, I knew them all!” Ethan knew he sounded like a child, but he hated when his mother tried to brush off her failure as a mother onto his father, who was not alive to defend himself.
Simone looked away from him. “You always had a wonderful imagination as a child, I thought as an adult you would have outgrown such silly things.” She turned her gaze back to him. “What have I done to you to warrant such hate?” her lips quivered, and her eyes pooled with tears. “All I have ever wanted to do was be the mother you needed.”
He tried to muster some feelings for her, but he felt it was an act. Growing up, his mother barely acknowledged his presence when others were not looking, and now he was expected to believe that she cared. He wasn't buying it. “You can stop with the theatrics, Mother, you and I are the only ones in the room to see your I’m-a-devoted-mother act. Now tell me why you're really here or leave.”
Getting up from the chair she was sitting in, Simone stood tall, wiping the tears from her cheeks. The look of disgust returned. “You are just like your father. He was an inconsiderate bastard, and you've turned out exactly like him.” He knew it was meant as an insult.
“Thank you,” he said, taking it as a compliment. He got up from his chair and walked over to the door, opening it. “As always, Mother, it wasn’t a pleasure to see you. Please don’t stop by again.”
She sniffed, turned, and walked out of his office. Instantly he closed the door and sagged against it. Why the hell was she here? Maybe she really was concerned about my well-being. However, he doubted it. Simone only cared for personal gain. Her stopping by to see him made no sense to him. He walked back over to his desk to finish what he was doing before his mother showed up. However, realizing that he was not going to get much done, he decided to head home for the night.
Maybe he could get home before Tyler and surprise him with dinner. Since he moved in temporarily, Tyler had been the one to make all of their meals. He dismissed the fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach as he walked to the car. Stopping off at the store with his mental list in his head.
He was in the sauce aisle when his cart bumped into another. “I'm sorry,” Ethan quickly apologized, looking up and he stopped speaking when he connected with vaguely familiar black eyes. After the flight to Vegas, Ethan didn’t expect to see Richard something again. He couldn’t remember the man’s last name.
“That’s ok, I wasn’t looking at where I was going,” Richard told him.
He then pointed to Ethan.
“I remember you, the flight to Vegas a while ago, I believe.”
Ethan nodded his head. “Yeah, it was. Well, it was nice seeing you again.” He moved around, or at least tried to move around the other guy but was blocked by the other grocery cart. He was trying not to be rude, and hoped he did not come off that way.
“You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.” Richard commented. “I guess you had fun?” he said with a smile that seemed familiar to Ethan.
Ethan shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you know it’s Vegas, you leave your cares behind.” Ethan didn’t ask after Richard’s health, because he didn’t care. That time he pushed past the other man, hoping he would not be stopped again. What are the chances that I would see the guy again? New York is a big city, but it was possible.
Ethan didn’t turn back to see if he was being watched. He already felt a bit weirded out by seeing the stranger from the plane. Putting the strangeness out of his mind, he checked out his groceries, and got into his car. He was so focused on driving home and what his plans were for the rest of the night, that he didn’t realize he was being followed.
** ** ** ** **
Tyler walked back to his office after speaking with his brother and father about some last minute businesses. He reached for his case, anxious to get home to be with his lover. With having Ethan stay at his place, although temporarily, Tyler expected it to be uncomfortable, considering that he’d never lived with anyone since his brother and a couple of college roommates. But honestly, it was charming. What made it enjoyable was that Ethan was not a slob and cleaned up after himself.
Neither man spoke about Ethan returning to his apartment and Tyler wasn’t sure if he was ready to go back to the loneliness in the firehouse. Other than his family stopping by every once in a while, Tyler lived a solitary life. I need to be careful or I will end up falling in love with Ethan. Tyler was also surprised that no one from his family had showed up to his home. At least once a week his mom would show up with groceries claiming she was simply checking on him and that he needed someone to look after him.
Tyler pulled up to the firehouse and unlocked the door. Music was loudly coming from the kitchen accompanied by a delicious scent. Silently as he could, Tyler crept inside, putting down his case and taking off his suit jacket. He walked over to the kitchen, smiling as he leaned against the partition, watching Ethan shake his luscious ass to the music and sing completely off-key while stan
ding by the stove. Tyler couldn’t remove the smile from his face, his lover was sweet and utterly adorable.
“Ah!” Ethan started when he turned around and saw Tyler standing there watching him. “You scared the shit out of me,” he told him with a hand on his chest. “How long have you been standing there?”
Tyler chuckled as he walked over to Ethan, pulling him into his arms and kissing him on the forehead. “Long enough.” He patted him on his ass gently before stepping away and over to the stove, looking into the pots steaming on the stove. The Bolognese sauce smelled and looked great. “This is a nice change, you cooking dinner. Is it an anniversary or something?” he joked.
Ethan rolled his eyes. “You’re not that funny,” he told him, “And we haven’t been together long enough to warrant anniversaries. Honestly, I don’t think you are the type to hold on to such formalities.” Tyler heard the partial lie behind his words but didn’t comment. “I just felt like cooking dinner.” He reached over and took the pot of boiling pasta off the burner, straining off the water before adding it to the Bolognese sauce.
There was a sudden tension in the room and Tyler had no idea how it happened. He walked closer to Ethan wrapping an arm around his waist. “Thank you,” he said. Ethan’s shoulders relaxed and just like that the tension went away.
They sat down and ate like a normal couple talking about their day. He paid little attention to his meal, listening intently to Ethan talk about the new changes he had implemented at Ravenwood. Tyler should have felt a bit scared at the domesticated atmosphere. It was the other emotion building inside of him for Ethan that he didn’t want to put a name to that made him stick to one night-stands. At almost thirty years old, Tyler had to admit this was the first time he had ever invested in a real grown up relationship and it was scaring the fucking hell out of him.
“So my mom’s in town,” Ethan told him. “She came to see me.”
That shocked him, Tyler knew that Ethan and his mother did not get along. For her to come and pay him a visit was completely out of character for Simone Beaumont.
“Yeah, what did she want?” Tyler asked.
Ethan placed his fork down and took a sip of his wine, his brows furrowed. “To be honest, I have no idea. I’ve heard from her twice in one month, it’s a bit too much for me.”
“I realize that you and Simone don’t get along, but have you tried,” he said and shrugged his shoulders.
“Tried what?” Ethan asked defensively, slamming his wine glass down on the table. “Tried getting to know her, hope that she would start being a mother and not some woman who gave birth to me because she had to? Simone is not like Marilyn, who loves her sons without any regard. Sure, you guys argue and have silly disagreement, but not once has she said a disparaging remark against or to you. Simone cares more about what others can do for her than what she can do for them.”
They were silent after that. He had no idea that talking about Simone would bring out Ethan’s claws. Tyler wasn’t sure what he could say other than to ask, “Umm…so…what’s for dessert?”
That one question helped ease the tension between them, Ethan’s cheeks grew red and he looked away from him. “Tiramisu,” he whispered.
Tyler sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Look, I have no idea what it’s like to have the kind of relationship you have with your mom. But maybe she’s seen the errors of her ways and her calling you and coming to see you is her way of making up for being a crappy mom while you were growing up.”
“I doubt it,” Ethan interrupted, shaking his head.
“You never know,” Tyler shrugged.
Ethan looked at him, “I know what you’re trying to say. But believe me, getting close to Simone will only hurt me in the end. She’s not a nice person. I have no idea why she dislikes me, but I have given up vying for her love and attention.”
Tyler got up from his side of the table and walked over to Ethan, crouching down to meet him at eye level. “I’m here for you no matter what. I know we are starting out at a very slow pace and neither one of us seems to be willing to share everything about ourselves right away. But I will listen when you’re ready to talk. Above all else, Ethan, we are friends.”
“Does that go for you as well?”
“I’m an open book, baby, you can ask me anything.”
Ethan hummed. “I will reserve my right to ask questions later. But how about I feed you some of my fabulous homemade Tiramisu.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. “When you say feed me, am I eating it off a plate or your body?” He asked, eyeing Ethan up and down, stopping at his lips.
Ethan stood and walked around the other side of the chair, taking his dish with him and putting it in the sink. Tyler watched his every move as he walked over to the refrigerator and removed a covered dish and walked out of the kitchen.
“Are you coming?” Ethan called out as he made his way up the stairs. Instantly, Tyler stood to his feet following behind his lover like an eager little puppy.
Tiramisu just might be my new favorite dessert
** ** ** ** **
Ethan opened the door to his house, and stood at the threshold peering inside. Although he would miss Tyler’s home cooked meals, he had decided a few days before that it was time to return to his own place. He discussed it with Tyler, who was nothing but supportive, but also saw the slight reluctance in his eyes. Ethan loved staying with his lover, but felt it was time to get comfortable in his own home again. Plus, with Ethan moving back home, it would also give them both a chance to see if pursuing a relationship was the best thing to do for both of them.
Biting on his bottom lip, Ethan groaned and rolled his eyes, thinking how silly he was being. Taking a step inside his home, he smiled when the world didn’t come to an end. He checked each room; looking for what, he wasn’t sure. Ethan was glad there was no broken furniture, blood trails, or anything that reminded him of what happened. Tyler had told him he knew a friend who owned a cleaning company and had sent them to clean his place. Ethan looked closely and noticed that other than a clean apartment, apparently, Tyler had also replaced the broken furniture.
But his furniture looked completely new. He pulled out his phone and sent a thank you text to Tyler. Not just for having his home cleaned up, and furniture replaced, but for everything that he’d done for him since everything happened. Ethan also hadn’t heard from his mother since she walked out of his office. Which was a blessing in itself.
A few days later Ethan was in his kitchen preparing a light snack when his doorbell rang. Making his way back to the living room, he opened the door expecting to see Tyler and gasped when he saw who was standing there.
Richard, what’s his name. “How… how did you find me? What are you doing here?” he asked, shocked.
“Ethan,” Richard said.
“How do you know my name? I never told you that.” Discreetly Ethan tried to reach for his cellphone to dial the number for the police. Slowly, Ethan tried to close the door with his other hand.
Richard shook his head, “I tried so many times to find the words to talk to you. On the plane and that night, we bumped into each other at the grocery store. There were other times I saw you, but you never saw me.”
“You’ve been following me?” Ethan asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Richard admitted. “I’m not trying to scare you. And I promise I’m not a stalker or anything.”
“Look, I don’t care who the fuck you are and what you are doing here, but you need to leave.” He tried to close the door but the man’s next words stopped him.
“I’m your brother,” Richard blurted out.
What the fuck? “I don’t believe you.”
“I know that came out of the blue, but I am telling the truth,” Richard insisted.
“How… how is that possible?” Ethan asked, still standing at the door. Why the fuck does shit always happen to me?
“We share the same father,” Richard whispered. “James Beaumont was m
y father.”
Ethan shook his head in disbelief. “You’re lying. It’s not possible. My father would never cheat on my mother, no matter how much of a bitch she was to him, much less have a child and not acknowledge him.” There was no possible way that his father would keep such a secret from him. “I’m not going to stand here and listen to you and your lies.” That time he was able to close the door. He turned, pressed his back against it, and slid to the floor.
Why are all these things happening to me right now?
“Listen,” Richard’s voice carried through the closed door. “I have proof, letters between our father… I mean James to my mother.” Ethan heard the mail slot open and something was being pushed through it. “Take all the time you need to read them, I’m in no rush to get them back. I left another one of my cards, call me please, Ethan. You are the only family I have left.”
He ignored the letters and got up and walked upstairs to his bedroom. He lived his life that long not knowing he had a brother and had no desire getting to know one.
** ** ** ** **
“Oh, fuck yes! Right there,” Ethan begged, moaning for more. “Don’t stop.” Tyler was pounding into him without mercy. They had met for dinner and afterwards went back to the firehouse for desert.
“Like that?” Tyler asked between pants of breath, hitting his prostate.
“God, yes, don’t stop.”
“I don’t plan to.” Tyler widened Ethan’s legs into a V and kept pounding into him relentlessly. Ethan held on to the rails of the bed for leverage, his cock slapping on his abs, leaking and ready to explode without touching himself. He couldn’t count the many times since they started their relationship that Tyler had fucked him into stupidity. Their bodies soaked with sweat, the room filled with the pleasurable grunts and moans each time Tyler’s cock brushed against his prostate.
Loving You: Mpreg Romance (My One-Night Stand Series Book 2) Page 12
