He sat there grinning. “I would’ve thought the sound of my voice would’ve been enough,” he teased. Then he watched her naked body dash from the bed and into the bathroom. “Hey, I thought you were tired and wanted to rest?”
She had left the door open and she called out, “I need to shower and get ready.”
Ethan slowly got up and walked into the bathroom. The water was running and she was getting into the shower. He could tell her that it was only six a.m. and they had plenty of time before they needed to leave. But since she was wide awake, maybe there was something else they could do to fill their time. Opening the shower door, he stepped in behind her.
“Ethan, I’m trying to shower,” she said, her hair full of shampoo.
“So I noticed. But I thought maybe you might want help washing your back.” And front.
Kollette rinsed her hair, and then turned to face him. She looked down and he wasn’t even trying to hide his erection.
“I thought you said we had to leave,” she said.
“No. I asked if you were going to stay in bed all day. It’s early. We have plenty of time to…shower.” Ethan reached out and brushed a wet strand of hair away that had fallen across her chest. “But if you’d rather, I can…”
Kollette stepped forward and said, “Are you telling me that you woke me up early just so we can make love in the shower?”
Ethan ran his hand over her hip and up and cupped her breast, and twirled her nipple between his thumb and finger. “No. The shower was your idea,” he replied.
Instantly her nipples hardened. Ethan bent to kiss her. She opened her mouth to welcome him, and instantly, she moaned into him. He traced kisses down her neck until finally capturing one breast in his mouth. His tongue flicked and sucked, nipping gently and she arched her back to him, moaning even more.
Pulling back he said, “I should probably let you finish your shower.”
Kollette reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock and she dropped down to her knees. He held onto the shower door and watch as she kissed and licked him before taking him into her mouth. She stroked him hard and fast and sucked him until he couldn’t take it any longer. He was about to lose control.
He pulled back and then reached up lifting her up into his arms. “You’re killing me sweetheart.”
“Is that what those moans meant?” she smiled at him. “I wasn’t sure.”
“You’re about to find out for yourself,” he warned.
Letting her slide down, but still holding her close, he slipped one hand between her legs and between her folds. As his finger circled her clit, he felt her legs quiver and grabbed his shoulders for support. He continued to stroke her until she was moaning and then gasping for breath.
“Please, Ethan,” she begged.
He ignored her, in no rush to give her what she needed. Kollette wiggled in his arms, trying to get him to enter her with his cock, but instead he continued to use his finger to stroke her faster, harder, until he felt her body shudder and give way to her release.
“Ethan. Ethan,” she gasped as she tried to regain control.
His erection ached to be inside of her. They were beautiful together; he towered over her, but she fit against him perfectly, as though made for each other. Bending his knees, he held his cock and rubbed it against her folds. His eyes continued to meet hers.
“I didn’t put on a condom,” he said.
“I’m on birth control,” she replied.
He never had unprotected sex. But this was with the woman he loved. Never would he risk a child, but with Kollette, nothing scared him. Nothing except for not having her in his life.
With their eyes still meeting he slipped his bare cock inside of her. It felt like heaven. Then he slowly lifted her up so her legs wrapped around him. Ethan put both hands on her hips and plunged deep inside. He could see the hunger as he continued driving faster, harder. A gasp escaped, then a moan, and then cries for more escaped her as he entered her again and again. He couldn’t hold back.
“Kollette… I…”
“Yes.. oh God…yes!” she cried out.
He felt her tighten around his cock and it sent him over the edge, with a deep husky growl, his own release exploding deep inside of her. His own legs threatened to give way and he leaned back against the shower wall, panting.
The hot water continued to beat down on them as they slowly regained their control. Ethan grabbed the small hand towel, soaped it up and gently washed Kollette. Then he quickly did the same to himself. Once the soap was washed away, he turned off the shower, and stepped out. Grabbing a large bath sheet, he wrapped it around her and then scooped her into his arms.
“What are you doing? We’re supposed to be getting ready.”
Ethan said, “They don’t have a phone, so they won’t be disappointed if we don’t show up today. We can go next weekend.”
“Does that mean we can go back to bed?” she asked.
He nodded, “Still tired?”
She gave him a playful smile and said, “Not one bit.”
Ethan carried her to the bed and said, “Maybe I should go and get us some breakfast. Because a man can’t live on love alone.”
“I could make us breakfast,” she offered.
He said, “Not that I don’t trust your cooking, but I don’t have any food here. I mean I have coffee, and maybe juice.”
“No food at all?” she said.
“I told you. I don’t cook.”
“Well then may I suggest we get dressed and we go out for breakfast?”
“Now you want to leave? I thought you wanted to spend your Saturday in bed?” he reminded her.
“I did, that is until you mentioned breakfast. Besides, there is something I forgot to tell you.” She leaned over and said, “Somehow you have a way of distracting me.”
“Oh really? I’m not the one who was walking around here naked,” Ethan said.
“That’s different. You can’t shower with clothes on,” she laughed.
“Okay, before you distract me, what is it you wanted to tell me?”
“Oh yes. I went to go see my father a few days ago.”
That had Ethan’s full attention. He’d assumed she would after their argument in Hawaii, but he was happy to listen if she wanted to tell him about it.
“Were you there to talk about the Potters?” he asked.
She shook her head. “At first I was going to, but then I found myself telling him why I wanted and deserved my job back.”
Damn woman. You go. He was impressed. It showed what a strong woman she was. “And what did he say?” It sounded like a silly question. That was his daughter. Even a tyrant like Ralph couldn’t refuse someone like her.
“I’m not going to be a hotel manager.”
“You got to be fucking kidding me. There isn’t another person he’ll ever find with such heart, such passion, and qualifications to run it. It’s his loss,” he growled.
“Are you done?” she asked.
“Sorry. Ranting. Now listening,” he said. It was one of the things they had agreed to work on.
“Thank you. As I was saying, my father won’t give me my old job back. However, I’m back at the company.”
“Now I’m confused,” he said.
“He wants to train me to one day take over the company.”
That was extraordinary news. “You must be excited, yet you’re sitting here and not jumping for joy. Why is that?”
“It’s in Miami and you’re here in New York. Ethan, a long distance relationship is…hard. I hated being away from you just for a few days. How will I be able to do it on a regular basis? I mean, I think about you after a long day at work, what is the point of going home, if the person you love isn’t there? I’m worried that I’ll do just like my father did, and work to fill the emptiness. I don’t want that. I want…I want what Mabel and Roy have. A life with the one they love. A life with you,” she said.
She was given an opportunity that she couldn’t
pass up. This was her family’s business, not someone elses. From what she had told him, it wasn’t like Connor wanted to take it over. He couldn’t let her walk away from this. But she was right; his work was in New York.
This wasn’t something he could make a snap decision on, but there was no reason why he couldn’t be the one to travel to Miami to see her. Ethan had to adjust to the changes in his brothers’ lives, they would have to do the same. What Ethan had learned over the last few weeks was change wasn’t always a bad thing. It was also the one constant. How to accept and adapt to it, is what makes the difference.
Ethan knew he wasn’t the same guy he was before meeting Kollette. Things that he was adamant about never doing, or not wanting, weren’t so cut and dry. Compromise wasn’t a Lawson trait, but he was trying, and because of how important Kollette was to him, he’d keep trying.
Would time change his wanting to be with her? No. The only thing it would do was delay what he knew he should do. This wasn’t like he was choosing between Lawson Steel and Kollette. He wasn’t leaving the company. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to leave Kollette either. But right now it was time not to think just what is best for him, but what is best for them, as a couple. He said he loved her. It was time to prove it. And what’s best for us.
She was what was best for him. So without any hesitation, he said, “I can work from any location. Yes I will need to be in New York at times. And other times, I’ll have to travel where I’m needed. But you need to do this Kollette. You’ve worked hard to get where you are. And if I’m hearing you correctly, your father is trying to rebuild something with you. I won’t stand in the way of that.”
“What are you saying Ethan?”
“Not a fan of living in Miami, but I’m sure we can find something close. Something that works for us both. What do you say?”
“You’ll do that for me? Why?”
“Because I love you. And you’re all your father has. He might not be willing to admit it, but he needs you. And honestly, I think you need him too.”
“He had Connor too, but I know what you mean. I’ve been working with him and have been there all along.”
“And not putting Connor down, but I think you understand your father more. Connor is on his own path. And from what you said, he has been for a long time.”
Kollette nodded. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I love you Ethan. And yes I need my father, but it’s you I couldn’t live without.”
“I love you to Kollette. So when does this all take place?” he asked.
She looked at him and said, “My father invited us to have dinner with him Sunday night.”
“Sunday? That’s tomorrow. You’re going back to Miami tomorrow?” That was a lot sooner than he’d hoped.
“Just for dinner. And I’m assuming we can talk about our plans then.”
“And your father invited us, not just you?” His last meeting with Ralph hadn’t gone very smoothly. They ended on a business note, but the personal one, had been rough. He had a feeling it was going to be even more intense with Kollette there in the middle. Two men both wanting what’s best for her, neither agreeing on what that is. Oh yeah. It was going to be a great time.
“Of course he wants you there. He knows how much you mean to me. What do you say? Want to fly down to Miami with me?”
“And leave all this cold weather?” he joked.
“Don’t worry, we have air conditioning. But if you get too cold, I’ll try to keep you warm,” she grinned.
“Kollette, you’re so hot, you could melt an ice glacier.”
“I’ll settle for melting your heart,” she said.
“That, my love, you’ve already done.” Pulling her into his arms he asked, “Are you sure you want breakfast or can you wait till lunch?”
“I’m not that hungry after all,” she said, leaning in for his kiss.
Kollette hadn’t been home in a while. But she had given Ethan the grand tour and the one thing she noticed was nothing had changed. Her father kept everything just as it was. She didn’t go into his bedroom, because that was his personal space, but her gut said that wouldn’t have changed either.
She told herself this really wasn’t anything to be concerned about, but it did trouble her. How was he going to be acceptable to change within the company? She knew he said it, and very likely wanted it, but that didn’t mean he was capable of it.
As they sat in the living room having an after dinner drink, she knew she needed to bring it up. Hopefully Ethan didn’t think she was speaking about him when she did.
“Dad, this place hasn’t changed one bit.”
He looked around and said, “I hadn’t noticed.”
That’s what she thought. “I mean nothing. I don’t even think a picture has changed.”
“I can have Mildred change them if you would like,” he said.
Delegating it to the maid wasn’t what she was hoping for. “It’s kind of like the hotels. Nothing much has changed there either.”
“If something is working why change it?” he asked.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Ethan raise a brow as though he was trying to follow along and couldn’t. Maybe she needed to be more direct. But she didn’t want her father to feel as though he was under attack because that wasn’t the case at all.
“I see your point, but you and I have such…different views Dad. You offered me the job, a direct report to you in order to learn everything to one day take over. But if you’re not…capable of change, or accepting it, then are we setting ourselves up for failure?”
Ralph stiffened. “I never lose,” he snapped.
“Dad, I’m not talking about the company. I’m talking about us. You and I. As a manager I did as I was told to. The rules were to be followed, the orders implemented. But if you want to mold me to take over one day, you have to understand something too. I’m not a carbon copy of you. I have my own ideas, some that you might not like, or be ready for. What I don’t want is for these differences to cause problems in our relationship. I can’t be a ‘yes sir’ person if we are to be…equals.”
He looked at her, then Ralph turned to Ethan. “Is this your doing? You fill her head with doubts so she doesn’t want to come back to Miami and you can keep her in New York with you?”
“Ralph I”
“Dad he”
Ralph got up and said, “I built this company from the ground up. Everything I have is because I have made it happen. The Lawsons might have more than two hundred years in the steel business, but I am just as much of a force to be reckoned with as you are.”
“Dad, you don’t”
“And if you think that you can come between me and my daughter, you’re wrong. I love her. Always have.”
“Sir I” Ethan tried again.
Kollette had stood up and was at her father’s side. “Dad, this has nothing to do with Ethan. If anything he is one-hundred percent supportive of this. He even offered to move here so we could still be together, knowing darn well how much time it was going to take for me to learn my new role.”
He turned back and looked at her and asked, “Then why all the questions? Why the doubt?”
“Come and sit so I can explain.” He did, but the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. She should’ve done this when they were alone. “Do you remember me coming to you about the Potters?”
“That again? I thought we had settled that,” he grumbled.
“Dad, this is what I’m talking about. You and I see things differently.”
“And I want to teach you to see the value in a place like that. The financial possibilities can be tremendous.”
“The value is what we view differently,” she said gently. “Dad, do you remember how happy you were being married?”
Ralph shot her a look. “Don’t bring that up,” he warned.
“Dad, I know you hate talking about it,” she said, reaching out and covering his hand. “She loved you very much.”
“I know. It’s not the same without her here.”
“Don’t tell me you want me to start dating. There is no one who will ever compare to her,” he said firmly.
“I agree. What the two of you had was special. You couldn’t put a value on that if you even tried,” she said.
He huffed. “Are you trying to compare my marriage to purchasing land?”
“No. I’m saying what you guys had, is what the Potters have. You can buy their land, and build whatever you want, but it never will be like what is there.”
“What are you suggesting Kollette? That I give up on this expansion idea?”
“Not at all. I guess what I’m suggesting is…let me run that new division, with your guidance of course.” She knew this wasn’t exactly what he’d planned when he offered her the job, but this was the only way for them to be able to work so closely and still retain their own identities.
“What about the hotels? Who is going to run those?” he asked.
“There’s only one person qualified to do that. You. Like you said, you built them from the ground up. Let me do that with the mountain lodges. It might not be your vision, but I promise Dad, I’ll make you proud.”
Ralph looked at her for a moment not saying a word, then he turned to Ethan. “What is your input on this?” he asked.
“Are you asking if I believe she’s capable of it?” Ethan asked. Ralph nodded. “Kollette has more drive and passion than anyone I know. Whatever we are thinking the lodges will be, they won’t. She will blow our mind with how she blends her dream with yours. But she is like a flower, best not to cut it, or try to contain it, because if you do, she won’t bloom to her full capacity.”
Ralph shook his head and turned back to Kollette. “That man is crazy about you.”
Kollette looked at Ethan who nodded. “Yes he is Dad. And I love him just as much.”
Ralph said, “You really have left me no choice. The new division will be yours…entirely. Come to me if you need me. I’m always here, and always will be. But if Ethan has this much confidence in you, then so should your own father.”
Kollette leaned over and hugged him. “Thank you Dad. You don’t know how much this means to me. I promise, I’ll do you proud.”
The Billionaire's Deception (The Blank Check Series Book 5) Page 15
