by K. M. Scott
Narrowing his eyes like each moment caused him pain, he said, “It’s been months since you had my cock in your mouth, so yeah, call me impatient. I’m not going to be responsible for my actions in about two seconds, Summer, so make your choice.”
As much as I loved the cute Ethan, I adored this version. Taking his cock in my mouth, I slid down until my lips met the top of my hand stroking the base. The head hit the back of my throat, but my body remembered how to please him. I stared up into his eyes watching me pleasure him the whole time as he grew closer to that moment he so desperately craved.
The look he wore changed from need to power as I sucked his cock. I literally had him in the palm of my hand, yet he stared down at me like he had all the control. And he did. I wanted to please him. I wanted to see him wince in that sexy way he did whenever he came from my mouth on him.
I wanted to give him this because he wanted it. It was as simple and pure as that.
A low moan escaped from his mouth and then I saw that wince as he came. His hands tugged at my hair to keep me on him, but he didn’t have to force me. I wanted to do this as much as I wanted him in every other way.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Summer
My alarm woke me from a sound sleep, and I sat bolt upright in bed to find my phone and turn off that horrible chiming sound. After a few seconds, I saw it through bleary eyes on the nightstand and got rid of the noise that had interrupted the soundest sleep I’d had in weeks.
I lay back down next to Ethan and hated that I had to leave that bed to go to work. He inched over toward me and wrapped his arms around my body, making me hate what I had to do even more.
“You don’t seriously get up to that noise every day, do you?” he asked in a groggy voice.
“Yes. I don’t have my alarm clock anymore, so I have to use my phone’s alarm. That’s the best one out of the bunch, but I’m not usually so unhappy to hear it. I can’t tell you how much I don’t want to get out of this bed right now.”
“Then don’t. Call in sick. I’ll do the same. Trust me. Stone Worldwide will go on just the same without the two of us,” he said as he snuggled his face into the space between my shoulder and my chin, tickling me with his new beard growth.
“I wish I could, but I can’t. I have too much to do, and it’s already Thursday.”
“I think it’s National Take Off Work and Fuck Like Bunnies Day. Yeah, I think I saw that on my desk calendar the other day. No way you can go into work now. We’ve got bunny work to do.”
His sleepy joke made me smile, and I rolled over on my side to snuggle with him. “This bunny needs her job, Ethan. Don’t you have a job to be at too?”
He opened his eyes and grimaced. “Trust me. I could never show up again and nothing would happen. You’re far more important to that place than I am.”
“That’s why I have to go to work, as much as I hate leaving you and this bed.”
Tightening his hold on me, he smiled. “Only if you promise that by five-thirty we’ll be back in this bed just the way we are right now.”
I kissed him and said, “It’s a deal. I’m a little surprised you didn’t suggest a lunchtime quickie, to be honest.”
He shook his head and his grimace returned. “I know my sister too well. I’m guessing you barely get enough time to grab a bite to eat. There’s no way you’d have time to get back here and have some fun. Your boss is a slave driver.”
“I better get going. You getting up?”
I slid out from underneath the covers and headed toward the bathroom as he mumbled, “Nah. Today they get slacker Ethan who doesn’t show up until ten or so. I’m hoping that leads to me getting fired.”
Exhausted after a long day of work, all I wanted to do was crawl into bed with Ethan and sleep until tomorrow. Tressa had kept me busy running all over town practically from the minute I arrived at the Stone Worldwide building, and although the car service was certainly easier on my feet than walking block after block to complete her errands, the end result was the same tired me.
I’d hoped to see Ethan on breaks, but since I didn’t get any, that meant I hadn’t spoken to him since I kissed him goodbye that morning as he lay naked in bed. He’d texted me a few cute messages, though, and the plan was to meet back at my hotel room after work. Too bad I’d had to work well past five o’clock.
Pushing open my door, I stepped into my hotel room and saw him sitting at the table in the corner that now had a white tablecloth draped over it. Dressed in a blue dress shirt and jeans, he looked fresh and clean compared to how I must have looked. The table was set for dinner, but a quick look around and a few sniffs for the scent of food told me there wasn’t any.
“She kept you this long? Man, she really is a slave driver,” he said as he walked over to greet me at the door with a kiss.
Ethan took my bag and tossed it onto the couch as he guided me over to my seat at the table. Still confused about why it would be set if there was no food to eat, I looked around again to see if I’d missed some take-out bag, but no. Nothing.
“This looks great, but I think something is missing,” I said, not too tired to make a little joke.
He smiled and rolled his eyes. “Patience. I’ve got a plan here. There’s a hot bath waiting for you, so go get into it and relax. The food will be here in about a half hour, so that should be enough time to soothe your aching feet, which look like they’re in agony in those shoes. Then we’ll have a great dinner made especially for us by the chef here at the Richmont and relax after a long day at work.”
My mouth dropped open as I sat there in shock. He’d done all of this for me? Wait a second. I worked late, so how was the bath water still hot?
“How did you know when I’d get back? I worked hours after I was supposed to.”
Ethan guided me toward the bathroom. “You can thank the security guard in the lobby at work for that. Seems the guy is a true romantic at heart. Who knew? I didn’t. Hell, I didn’t even know his name until this morning. But when I told him my plan to surprise you, he was happy to help. Now go relax and when you’re finished, we’ll have dinner.”
Still stunned by all of this, I didn’t say another word. He kissed me again, and then closed the door behind me, leaving me in my hotel bathroom lit with candles Ethan had placed all around the tub and vanity. It may have been the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me.
Twenty minutes later, I felt like a new woman. My feet didn’t ache anymore, and I didn’t feel like the dirt of the city clung to me. That bath was exactly what I needed.
The scent of dinner drifted in under the bathroom door as I dressed in a Richmont hotel robe Ethan had laid out for me. I smelled lemon and some kind of herb. Whatever it was, it made my mouth water.
He sat at the table waiting for me and lifted the silver domed lid covering the main dish to reveal salmon. Smiling, he said, “Did you know these things have a name? It’s called a cloche. I had no idea. I thought they were just covers.”
“You learn something new every day,” I said, sitting down in my chair across from him. “You did all of this for me, Ethan?”
Looking up from cutting a piece of salmon, he nodded. “Yes. Do you like it?”
“Of course I do. Who wouldn’t love having someone do this for them?”
My answer made his smile grow bigger. “Good. I think you’re going to love this dinner. I can’t remember all the things the chef told me about it, but just smelling this salmon is making me want to devour it.”
He served me a piece of salmon with asparagus and boiled baby red potatoes with rosemary and then put some of the meal on his plate. Before I could ask him if he wanted a can of soda, he abruptly stood up and walked over toward the mini-fridge.
“Almost forgot the beverage for this fine meal. I feel like I should give full disclosure here,” he said as he leaned down to get us our drinks. “I don’t usually drink wine of any kind, but according to the chef, I’d be committing some kind of culinary crime i
f I drank anything but this with the meal he prepared. I didn’t feel like telling him I’m not a wine drinker, so I just took it. If you don’t like it, I’m sure everything will taste just as wonderful with soda.”
Ethan poured each of us a glass of the white wine the Richmont’s chef had chosen for us and handed me one. Lifting his in the air, he said, “To you, after a long day working far too hard for whatever she’s paying you.”
As I watched him sample the wine, I felt a twinge of guilt pinch at me. Tressa had hired me to basically seduce her brother and get him back to photography so he’d be out of Stone Worldwide. I had told her I wouldn’t include the romantic part in the deal, but that left me being paid to convince him to return to his previous life. As I sat there with that beautiful meal he arranged all to make me happy, I couldn’t help but feel like what I was doing for his sister was wrong now.
“Don’t you like it? For white wine, it’s not too bad.”
His question roused me from my guilty thoughts, and I quickly nodded. “Oh, it’s wonderful. All of this is. I can’t believe you did this for me.”
“Why? You deserve it, and this isn’t the first time I’ve cooked for you. Remember those nights at your place when we tried to cook what that guy was making on that show?”
I laughed at the memory of the two of us trying to follow along with that cooking show host’s directions. “We never seemed to be able to get the dish right. I think they skip steps in the commercial breaks.”
Ethan smiled and I saw that sexy look fill his eyes. “Well, the fact that we’d start goofing off halfway through probably didn’t help, and I’m pretty sure none of that guy’s recipes include what I did that one night. It’s no wonder you didn’t measure the ingredients correctly with me between your legs.”
My cheeks involuntarily warmed, making me blush at his mention of that night, and I looked down at my dinner. Ethan continued to eat and said, “I love how cute you get when I say something that embarrasses you. Your cheeks get all pink.”
“I don’t know why that still happens. I’m old enough that I shouldn’t be blushing at things anymore.”
He reached his hand over and touched mine. “Look at me, Summer.”
I did as he said and saw him smiling at me. That sexy look in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by the soulful look he always got in them when he was serious.
“I love that you still blush. I don’t care why you do. I just think it’s sweet. Don’t feel bad because you’re sweet. There should be more sweet people in the world.”
And just like that, I fell in love with him all over again for the hundredth time.
* * *
Ethan turned off the car and leaned over to kiss me. “I’ll be there in a few after I get my gear, so you can pick out the first model of the day.”
Chuckling as I thought back to all the human models I’d dealt with in my time at Belle, I said, “I think today we’ll start with dogs since we started with cats last time.”
“Whichever you like. You’re in charge of the shoot. I’m just the guy taking the pictures. Just like the first day we met.”
“I’d rather deal with animals. They don’t do stupid things and then have to be coaxed back to their marks.”
Turning to open his door, he nodded. “Me too. I think the only thing the human models have over the animals is that they don’t drool.”
“Aw, come on. What’s a little slobber between friends? Anyway, they don’t drool on you. I’m the one who has to deal with that.”
I didn’t mind a little doggy drool. It was a small price to pay for helping out the animals. After all I’d had to deal with from human models, I’d take it.
While Ethan unloaded his equipment, I found Dawn getting ready for us. Thrilled I’d been able to convince him to come back a second time, she excitedly ran up to me and gave me a big hug.
“You were right! The pictures have been working their magic. We’ve already had people calling here to ask about the animals, and guess what? The black cat sisters Midnight, Boo, and Spooky went to their forever home two nights ago! This was such a great idea, Summer!”
Happiness rushed through me at her news. My idea had actually worked. “Oh, my God! That’s great! I’m so happy those little kittens got to stay together.”
“As soon as the little girl who came with her mom saw them together, that was it. The mother told my director that her daughter saw the picture and couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful the kittens were. She’d only planned to take one, but when the little girl met all three, she begged her mother to keep the family together. I’m telling you it was the picture we put up online. Ethan sent me a bunch of them with the black kittens, but he suggested one with the feather was the best, so that’s the one I told my director to use. It worked!”
I turned at the sound of the door opening to see Ethan carrying his equipment into the building. Thrilled at the news, I said, “Dawn just told me your picture of the three black kittens helped them get adopted this week! Isn’t that great?”
He smiled and nodded. “Did they use the one with the feather? I thought the colors and their black fur contrasted perfectly.”
“They did, and it worked! They all went home to one family. I’m so happy this is working.”
“Well, give me a couple minutes and I’ll be ready to do more. Have you picked out the first model?” he asked as he walked toward where he wanted to set up.
“Not yet. Let me go now and do that.”
Dawn and I hurried to the room where the animals stayed. Grabbing my arm as I made my way down past the cages, she said, “Something seems different about you guys today. What’s up?”
I turned to face her and couldn’t help but smile. “Shhhh. I don’t want him thinking I’m in here gossiping with you about us. We’re back together. It happened the other day. We said I love you. I have to admit I feel like a fish out of water with him sometimes, though.”
God, I sounded like an insane person rambling like that.
“Why? It’s obvious he’s crazy about you. What guy gives up his Saturday to take pictures of shelter animals for free unless he wants to impress the woman who asked him to do it? I’m surprised you didn’t see that yourself, Summer.”
“I don’t know. I mean, we were together before and it was incredible, but then it fell apart. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Maybe he was just being nice. But I think things are different this time. He seems different.”
A slow smile spread across my sister’s face. “So who said I love you first?”
Looking around to make sure he didn’t hear that, I whispered, “Not so loud. He did. I didn’t expect it, and then bam! He said it and I didn’t know what to say. I fell in love with him the first time we were together, but I never told him. I told him this time, though.”
“Who wouldn’t fall in love with him? He’s gorgeous, worth millions, and he’s clearly super sweet when he wants to impress someone. He doesn’t happen to have a brother a little younger than him, does he?”
“No. He’s a triplet, but the other two are sisters. One of them is my boss now, in fact. We better get going. I think we should start with a puppy today, so let’s find one and get out there.”
Dawn directed me to a yellow lab with only three legs. He’d lost one when a car hit him, and the shelter’s director found him lying on the side of the road dying one night. She used her own money to pay for the surgery and to nurse him back to health, and he’d just arrived at the rescue in the past week.
I carried Butterscotch out to the other room where Ethan had already set up everything we needed to get started. Introducing him to our first model, I said, “This little guy’s name is Butterscotch and he’s had it rough, so I’d love to be able to help him find a nice warm home to call his own.”
Ethan’s gaze focused on the area of the puppy’s missing leg. “Poor little guy. He can get around on three legs? That’s pretty incredible, so let’s see if we can make that obvious to everyone wh
o sees his picture.”
He pulled a piece of navy blue fabric from his back pocket and flattened it to get the wrinkles out. When he turned it over, I saw it had a big S decal printed on it like the cape Superman wears.
“Where did you get that?” I asked, and immediately wondered when he got it. Other than work, we’d spent every other minute together since Thursday.
“I found this pet boutique about a block away from my place the other day. I never even knew it was there. I found a bunch of stuff I thought might work, so let’s see if Butterscotch will wear this cape so everyone can see how super he is.”
As Ethan tied the cape around the dog’s neck, Dawn and I stared at each other, our mouths open in amazement. When he finished, he stepped back and smiled.
“Now the trick is to get him in place where I can get the cape and the S in the shot. This might be tricky, so Summer, I need you to get down on the ground with him and hold him for a minute while I plot this out.”
I did as he asked and watched as he walked around in front of us getting ready to take the pictures. Smiling down at me, he said, “I wish I could use something to make the cape fly out behind him. I think you’re going to have to do that and I’ll crop you out after.”
“That’s fine with me. I’m not anyone who should be in front of a camera anyway. Just tell me what you need me to do so Butterscotch gets his glamour shot.”
Crouching down, he gave the dog a quick pat on the head and leaned in to kiss me sweetly on the lips. “Okay, I need you to hold the cape out behind him so the S is showing. I doubt he’s going to sit still for much of this, so I’m going to make this quick and hope I get some shots I can use. Ready?”
I nodded and leaned over to whisper to Butterscotch, “Okay, little guy. It’s time for your close up.”
Ten minutes and a few mishaps later, including one involving me having to chase after the three-legged dog who moved much faster than I thought he could, Ethan had a few shots he thought might work and the yellow lab was done with his part in the photo shoot for the day. I carried him back to his cage and then Dawn pointed out an older dog that had been at the shelter even before she started working there.
