Gwen got Zoe to the restroom, into some dry clothes and settled in her car seat with the sandwich and cookies she’d packed for her. She draped her coat over the back seat, watching as Ethan settled the cost and worked with the man to secure it on top of the SUV.
“That was fun,” Zoe said with a happy sigh, pulling a book from the net hooked on the back of Ethan’s seat.
“That was very much fun,” Ethan agreed, offering a bottle of water to Gwen. He opened his and drained half the water, tossing his coat to join hers before climbing behind the steering wheel. The makeup had been washed away playing in the snow and the dark blue-grey bruise stark against her skin.
“I’ve got my boxes of decorations all ready…” Gwen told him excitedly. “I’ll set up the tree stand while you get the bottom ready…Ethan? Something wrong? Lunch…I forgot lunch…we can stop on the way home…”
“You lost all the makeup from your face,” he said quietly.
“I…” She lowered the visor, a slight grimace on her face. “It’ll go away, Ethan,” she put her hand on his. “You are not responsible for this. It was an accident. Period. I was distracted by Zoe.”
“And you honestly believe people will buy that story?” He pushed through his teeth, aware of Zoe in the back seat.
“It’s the truth and I don’t care what people think. My family knows me,” she said simply. “Believe it or not…I think they’re coming to know you, too, Ethan. I know you’ve been playing chess with Uncle Kris. You’ve been under the carousel tinkering with Thomas. Mother says she’s seen you in several of the shops, just chatting with people,” she smiled at the surprise on his face. “You can’t keep a secret in this family.”
“I wasn’t trying to be secretive,” he said with a slight frown.
“I know that, Ethan. And you weren’t wearing a suit, either. You want them to approve of you,” she said with a smile. “The fun bit about a good family is once they’re sure you’re good enough for me, you’re unconditionally accepted, Ethan. I think it’s sweet of you.”
“Sweet,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Not a word used to describe you in the past?” She teased. “How about a burger? I’m starving…”
“A milkshake!” Came the alert voice from the back.
Four hours later, Gwen sat cross legged on the floor, Zoe seated in her lap and both of them staring, waiting. Ethan looked up from the plug and flipped the switch, relieved that his fix had worked. Cheers went up from the girls, both of them immediately on their feet and rushing to him. He scooped up the little one and fit Gwen at his side.
“You did it!” Zoe squealed happily, her arms around his neck for a tight hug. “It’s the most beautiful tree ever!” She whispered, staring up at the little bulbs hung all around the blue-green boughs.
“I have to agree,” Gwen said, her head against his shoulder. “I think we need to work on your Santa letter soon.”
“Okay,” Zoe nodded, squirming so Ethan would set her down and off she ran to her bedroom. Two adults laughing behind her.
“So explain the psychology behind feeling like a hero just for making tree lights come on,” Ethan turned, both hands holding to her waist.
“Did you think you could only be a hero in conflict?” Gwen put her palms flat on his chest, the strong beating making her smile. “You’re our hero…it’s very important to us, you know. You don’t always have to slay dragons, Ethan,” she slid her arms around his neck, her palms at the back of his head to pull his mouth to hers.
The kiss was a soft brush. Barely touching from one corner of his mouth to the full lip she nipped on before parting her lips and teasing him with her tongue. She liked his flavor and the hungry demand she knew he was keeping under very close control.
Ethan lay awake a long time later, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the paths that had been lying before him. He knew he was on one that had never come into his mind.
Chapter Ten
Shortly before six the next evening, Gwen wandered toward the dining area, her frown getting more and more intense. Dressed in suits and nice dresses in the large hall were people who were not part of the family.
“What are you doing here?” She looked from Samantha to Abby to Cassidy and Mia. Their partners all stood near, each man in a nice suit and tie.
“Geneviève…” Ethan stepped from the dining room, closing the door behind him quickly.
Gwen’s hand whipped up with amazing speed, one finger raised and poking into his chest. “I want to skin you alive and give your entrails to the seagulls,” she hissed furiously.
“I can explain…” He said flatly, meeting the glare without hesitation.
“Ummm…” Cassidy nodded to Abby who took one of Gwen’s arms and tugged gently. Mia and Sam stepped between Gwen and Ethan with bright smiles.
“We’ll be back…”
“Whoa…” Mac looked from one to the other. “You don’t find it a little off that the bride wants to filet the groom and she’s sporting a huge bruise on her face?”
All the women looked from Gwen to Mac, their answer immediate.
“No.”
Cassidy looked at him. “Go inside and stall. We’ll be back in a few…it’s okay, trust me.”
“Let’s go, Gwen,” Sam led them down the hall to the room Gwen’s parents had given them to use. She had the dress and shoes all ready for the bride.
“I’m not going in there. I told him…” she sputtered when she was shoved into the room, glaring from her friends to the crème colored dress hanging on the back of the door.
“It’s not his fault,” Sam told her firmly. “Strip…and I’ll explain…”
“I told him not to…”
“You forgot to tell your family, Gwen,” Abby said quietly, forcing Gwen’s arms apart. “Take off the clothes…we brought a dress for you…and shoes…thankfully, Emily had your sizes on file.”
“I cannot believe this…all I wanted…” Gwen threw her shirt down angrily.
“We know what you wanted and Ethan is…he’s upset that he couldn’t give that to you,” Sam said firmly. “Your family was…has been a bit vocal about the upcoming wedding and changes going on within Paddington’s and how it connected to the WindSwept Narrows. Somehow, the press got wind of it.”
“Once the press got it, they called marketing who called public relations who were all over me,” Abby explained with a sigh.
“Abby…I’m sorry…” Gwen suddenly started to see the pieces falling into place. Her own words echoing in her head. “I’m part of something bigger than me.”
“You’ve stepped into the resort and the reclamation, Gwen,” Sam agreed with a nod.
“I’m discovering it’s a lot like the twilight zone at times,” Cassidy said dryly.
“Once PR started giving me grief, we really had no choice but to let the social pages have the story,” Abby helped button the tiny buttons down the front of the crème colored dress, the uneven scarves swirling just short of her ankles.
“Once the society people got the story, the cameras wanted to be here,” Mia said with a sorry smile. “I am so sorry, Gwen.”
“It’s not your fault. Not any of your faults,” Gwen said with a long, deep breath.
Cassidy set the shoes on the floor while Abby went in search of her purse and make-up bag. “Should we ask what happened, Gwen?” She asked carefully, having just dealt with a stalker and man who abused one of their waitresses. The signs were all too familiar.
“Ethan had a nightmare,” Gwen said with a shake of her head. “I was trying to keep Zoe calm and wake him and…I didn’t duck fast enough. His arms were flailing and…caught me in the face. Believe me, convincing him it’s not his fault…geeze…that means I have to apologize,” she sighed and sat down, slipping the shoes on and holding still while Abby covered the bruise.
“I’ll maneuver you so the right side faces the camera,” Cassidy promised, looking from one to the other. “Ready, ladies?”
<
br /> “You’re part of the owner’s circle now, Gwen,” Sam told her with a smile.
“I…I didn’t think it was that big a deal,” Gwen admitted, standing up and squaring her shoulders.
“Trust me…crap you never thought about…suddenly becomes a big deal,” Cassidy said with a shake of her head, but smiling. “But they make it worth it,” she said with a sigh.
“I’ve already given a little blurb to the press,” Abby said simply. “Just basics. The WindSwept Narrows welcomes…so what you tell them at this point, is up to you, Gwen. We are sorry it couldn’t be simple,” she said with a hug. “You look really pretty…”
“Okay,” Gwen drew in a long, steadying breath and led the way to the dining area. Her hands paused on the double doors, her eyes closed for a quiet minute before pulling them wide and quickly locating Ethan.
She felt the air constrict inside her. Dressed as the others were, in a very nice dark suit with a vest, he immediately met her eyes, taking a long couple steps to her and offering his hand.
“I’m sorry, Ethan…” Gwen began, stopping when he tipped her chin up and kissed her briefly.
“It’s okay,” he told her warmly, his voice low and a smile touching his lips. “Although, you did scare Mac a bit with wanting to flay me alive.”
“I…I know…apologies…once we get rid of the circus,” she promised, a tint of heat flooding her cheeks.
He led her to where the justice of the peace stood beaming at the approaching couple.
Gwen barely noticed the gathered family, all staring. Her mother held a hanky to her eyes as she leaned into her husband’s arms and smiled at her daughter when she looked over at her.
Ethan was one of the people staring at Geneviève. Wearing a dress that looked like something out of a fairytale, he couldn’t do anything but lose himself in her eyes. There were stars sparkling there. And they were for him.
Gwen wasn’t sure where the next few hours went. She stared at the rings that appeared out of Ethan’s pocket, one held out to her to slide into place on his hand. His usually steady palm shook slightly when he raised it from his side for her to hold, a soft smile on her face as she performed the ritual.
She apologized to her friends, shaking her head as they stood chatting after refusing to answer questions from the press. She watched as Ethan and the other men escorted the press from the property, the gates closing them out.
“We’re just chalking it up to stress,” Sam told her with a hug.
Ethan looked up a short time later, enjoying the time with friends and watching Gwen and Mia talking with great animation about food, problems with staff and menu planning. She looked over at him and flushed a pretty pink.
“It’s okay, Mac,” She told him with a hug when she saw him looking at the bruise showing through the makeup a while later. “It was an accident…I’m usually much quicker,” she picked up Zoe, the little girl laying her head down with a yawn.
Her parents saw their guests out with lots of hugs and waves, Ethan coming over and taking Zoe from her.
“I think it’s time for bed,” he told her, taking her palm and leading them back to their quarters.
Gwen stepped out of the heels inside the apartment with a grateful sigh, taking Zoe and going to prepare her for bed. She watched as Ethan bent over her, kissing the sleeping child and shaking his head, one hand up and pulling the tie free with a long sigh.
“Too unreal for you?” She asked softly, taking his hand and leading him to their bedroom.
“A new path,” he said quietly. “You know…your parents wanted to keep Zoe tonight…” He stood still as she slid his jacket down his arms, hanging it in the closet behind her.
“Why?” Gwen opened the buttons on his vest, her palms gliding over the smooth front of his shirt with a gentle purr. “She belongs with us…and she’s not a problem.”
“Maybe they thought we’d like a night alone, Geneviève,” he took her hands in his, partly to stop her from touching him; the other part was to stop his hands from shaking. “I keep thinking I’m too old to be nervous…”
Gwen raised her eyes from the pounding pulse at the side of his throat.
“I was just thinking that same thing, Ethan,” she stepped back, reaching down and opening the buttons down the front of her dress. “It really was a lovely evening…I’m glad our friends were here.”
“Geneviève…” Ethan whispered her name, his palms on her face and stopping her actions. “I don’t know how to stop the nightmares…”
“I know that…” She stared at him for a long minute, her head shaking. “No…no, Ethan…”
“It would be safer…”
“No!” She said loudly, pushing against his chest and backing up a step. “No…I…then we stop this now. I am not…I don’t want to sleep alone if I have a choice,” came the whispered plea, her head shaking numbly.
“Geneviève…listen to me…”
“I said no,” she straightened her shoulders, hands shaking as they held the front of her dress together. “I will not make love with you and…and have you get up and leave me for the other bedroom. I won’t. You can go there now…” She turned, grabbed up her pajamas and went into the bathroom, the door slamming behind her.
“That could have gone better,” he groaned, two hands raking through his hair. He sighed heavily and quickly got into his own sleep pants, sitting against the headboard when she opened the door and came out.
Gwen saw the packets he’d laid on the nightstand and approached the bed warily.
“You realize we’re going to have some whopper battles in our life,” Ethan said with a long sigh.
“Ethan…I will take a bruise for every nightmare you have, but I’m not going to let you sleep in the other room,” Gwen sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her knees up and leaning her chin on them, watching him. Actually, she decided she was staring at his muscles and bare chest. “You looked very handsome in your suit…sexy, even…” She said with a little smile.
“Funny…I was thinking the same thing about you and your dress…” His palm rose to gently caress the side of her face. “Kiss me, Geneviève…I need you,” he told her honestly, his arms open when she immediately unfolded and fell against him. “Please…I…I don’t want to hurt you…”
“I’ll be careful, Ethan,” she whispered against his mouth, dropping kiss after kiss every couple words. “I promise you…”
Two arms closed around her, pressing her body against his as he sunk lower on the bed, his palms roved along the feminine curves hungrily. His hands came up, carrying her top with them and tossing it to the floor. Ethan eased her away even as their kisses became more and more feverish, his hands quickly removing their last bits of clothing before one palm began at her knee, stroking slowly over her thigh. Warm fingers strayed to the soft down, dragging slowly between the compact petals, parting them and delighting in the gasp his touch brought to her.
The dim light on the bedside threw a soft glow over her skin as he caressed his way higher, drawing a slow circle around each breast and following that with his mouth. But it was his turn to gasp when her palm pressed hotly over his stomach to trace soft, warm fingers along his erection.
“Ethan…” Gwen whispered his name when his teeth grazed one nipple. She heard him whisper her name, the sweet French inflection making her shiver.
“Geneviève…I need you…so sweet…” He felt the shudder racing through her, his fingers stroking, pressing and caressing the soft spot between her thighs. He broke his touch only long enough to sheath himself in the condom.
He squeezed firmly and twirled his thumb over her nipple, which hardened into a rigid bead at the erotic stimulation of his touch. Her body suddenly felt hot with need. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples and vibrations tingled through her. She arched her back a little, offering more of her chest to his touch.
He took his right hand off her behind to wrap it around his erection and place the head against her opening. The fragi
le control he’d maintained so far shattered as he felt her hot, moist passage ease for him. He moved forward, thrusting deep, entering her. Hot and wet, her body slowly opened to him.
His groan echoed off the walls as she gasped at his penetration, clinging to him. He held himself motionless, delighting in the tight squeeze, listening to her breath coming in hard pants from her mouth. He prodded his hips inward, sinking his shaft a fraction deeper. A tiny gasp in the back of her throat made him pause.
“Gwen…are you alright?” He asked, finding himself being only able to speak in singled syllable grunts.
“Yes…oh, yes…” she replied in the same breathless way.
Ethan lowered his head and began to leave light kisses along her neck, her shoulders, struggling to draw on his strength to go slowly.
He held off until he felt it – a slight sway of her hips as if she wanted more, wanted him deeper. He held her hips, his fingers jabbing into her flesh, and pulled back. With a long, firm thrust he moved into her and was compensated with a moan of approval.
“Ohh…” she sighed pressing against the bed and raising her hips for a deeper penetration. Each friction sent him in deeper and she took him, took all that he offered. In the pit of his soul he burst with triumph.
He wanted her to savor the moment, too. Her breath grew louder with every stroke he made. Gwen couldn’t get enough air into her lungs. She arched her back, pressing that swollen bit of her against him and rotated her hips hungrily for more.
His hips rammed into her spread thighs with a fleshy slap and a protesting creak from the bed. A rush of powerful sexual fever overwhelmed her, rendering her drained and amazed as he pushed deeper, harder and faster.
His hand slid between them, firmly stroking over the pulsing bud of sensitivity. Climax was so close, so palpable.
“Ethan…oh, god…please…” Her back arched with incredible force against his stroking fingers seconds before she cried out in blissful release.
WindSwept Narrows: #9 Guinevere Paddington Page 8
