Short Stories - Romance

#17 - A Lifetime

Ethan was truly insane and I would be more insane if I turned down what he was offering. While I waited for his answer, I pulled back from his embrace and looked up at him, my heart thudding at the sight of him. I'd never seen him stare at me like that. So intensely and with so much resolve, it left no doubt in my heart of what he was asking.

Be mine. Let me protect you. Let me love you, Linda. The words kept echoing and the want in those amber eyes chased away all my insecurities. He wanted me. He didn't care about my brokenness, my past. He found beauty in what had always been shameful for me and painted my world with it. How could I say no to that?

I didn't realize I was reaching up to brush my lips against his until Ethan passionately captured my mouth, driving me totally insane. "I've wanted that and more since last night...since I don't know." He confessed breathlessly, before diving back in and kissing me to oblivion. Our first kiss dimmed in comparison and I had wanted nothing more than skipping dinner and jumping his bones then. "I'm sorry about Claire, I had no idea she felt that w-"

"Shh, don't talk." We probably needed to, but I was not about to let the witch steal any part of this moment.

"Are you sure?" Concern flashed in his eyes and the fact that he'd stop to make sure I was okay, made my heart hammer in my chest even as those three little words danced on my lips.

"I am-" I gasped as Ethan smoothly swept me from my seated position, guiding me down with passionate urgency. His mouth tasted every inch of mine in a fiery kiss, igniting a blaze of desire that threatened my sanity. "Ethan..." I moaned at the feel of his large hands as they made a sexy torturous journey on my exposed leg and woke me in ways I never thought possible.

"Yes Linda." The intensity of his gaze met mine, a hot promise of more to come. And more, I decided needed to begin with less. I'd never been so forward before, but that was before a simple touch sent me to the brink of madness with desire. Ethan's pleased growl when I reached for his shirt was all the encouragement I needed and the sight of his perfectly tonned chest was the sexiest reward for my thirsty soul. "You are so damn beautiful."

"As are you," I said breathlessly and because I'd dreamed of this every night since that night he'd been out swimming, I traced my fingers on his chest, letting them lead me all the way down to that glorious waist which disappeared into his pants.

"If you keep up with that, I won't be held accountable for my actions." Ethan stopped my little exploration with one of his own, leaving me breathless. His hand had found a treasure of its own, right between my legs and as he cupped and rubbed, my hips bucked into his hand to shamelessly take everything he was offering.

And offer, he did. With each thrust, I could feel my heart race, my breath quicken and my body dance to the electricity in his touch until I couldn't take it anymore.

My fall was loud, filling the loft and probably the entire cabin with moans of his name. "Are you okay?"

I pulled him down to me and on a kiss, I grinned."More than okay." Ethan's satisfied smirk was enough to get my body tingling all over again. That and the quick work he made of both our clothes.

"You are so beautiful Linda." I'd never seen a more heated gaze and as he lowered himself, filling me in one swift move, I knew my world would never be the same again. And as the loft faded from view, leaving me drowning in the beautiful dance of our lovemaking, I was certain of one thing. Ethan Easton would forever be my weakness.

I woke to the sound of a phone blaring and Ethan cursing the device.

"Hello." His chest vibrated deliciously in my ears, the deep velvety sound wrapping around my senses, invoking a sense of warmth and of want and of need. It did not even matter that it was not directed at me. "Liam?"

"Something went wrong. Did you screw it up?" The kid's scolding tone from the speaker wiped all sleep from my eyes and effectively erased all the fantasies I'd envisioned in my mind after waking up next to a naked Ethan. "She never came home. Did you make her cry again? Did she leave?" The dumbfound expression on Ethan's face made me butt in.

"Hey kid, I'm right here. No need to give your dad the third degree."

"Linda, are you okay? Nothing broken?" The relief in his voice was cute and heart warming.

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"I promise." I couldn't help sound dreamy because I was more than okay. I'd never felt this happy in so long.

"You sound weirdly happy." Liam suspiciously noted on the other end of the line and because I knew that that little brain of his was probably trying to figure out why, I decided to end the call before he did and asked the most embarassing questions.

"I am happy. Now see you at home, kid." After the call ended, I found Ethan staring at me intensely. "What?"

"How would you like to keep defending me from him?"

I rolled my eyes at that. "What are you talking about? Liam is the sweetest kid I know, you wouldn't need defending."

"Not unless it comes to you and your happiness."

I grinned, knowing he was right about that bit. "Well, you are just going to have to make sure I'm always happy then."

"I like the sound of always." Ethan flipped us over and and placed the sweetest kisses on my neck, making me groan in pleasure. "Will a lifetime be enough for you?"

A lifetime? I froze at his question. He couldn't possibly be saying what I thought he was saying?

"Yes, that kind of lifetime." As if he could read what the hell was going on in my head, Ethan grinned. "Will that work for you?"

"I-I-" I gaped at the man. Our lovemaking, which by the way, I already wanted a continous repeat of, was like days short of a one night stand and yet he was asking me to- "It's been what days? You can't possibly-"

"Want you for all eternity?" A warm finger trailed the contours of my chest, making me shudder when it stopped and circled my swollen buds. This was so not fair. How did he expect me to think under such delicious torture?

Although, to be honest, there wasn't much to think about, because I liked the sound of a lifetime and of eternity... with Ethan Easton, but before I could say as much, a familiar smile caught my attention and for whatever reason being in this bed with Ethan felt weird.

"What's wrong?"

"She's smiling at us." I blurted out, half wanting to disappear under the covers.

"Oh, sorry about that. I haven't had time to take care of it." He looked thoughtfully at his late wife's photo before those amber eyes pierced me with a steady gaze. "So?"

So? My eyes widened. Was he still expecting me to give him an answer? "You can't ask me that in front of your de- her."

"I'll always love Megan..." His eyes darted to the photo and back to me. "...but I also can't deny when something good and beautiful has come my way." He cupped my cheeks tenderly. "Besides, I think she would have loved you, for me."

"You can't say that!" My eyes widened even more, but Ethan remained unrepentant.

"If Liam loves you, she would have too. They are not so different."

"You don't know that-" I argued.

"But I do." Ethan leaned in and as much as I wanted to drown in his kisses, I couldn't. Disappointment and hurt filled those amber eyes, until I grabbed onto his hand.

"Not here."