Short Stories - Romance

#12 - A Goddess Of Tempting Curves

"Dad?"

I was fumbling with my tie when Liam peeked through the door. "Come in buddy." I hadn't called him that in so long and I waited for his face to contort in displeasure, but he only smiled and ran into my bedroom. Something he hadn't done in so long too. A change that I could only attribute to one person.

Leaning on my bed, my son grinned. "Ready for tonight?" Was that giddiness in his tone?

"If I can get this to work, I will be." I said, pointing to my tie. I was nervous. So unlike me, but tonight was important. More important than the most lucrative deal I'd ever landed for Easton Corp.

"Need help with it?"

"Help? I guess–" Liam jumped off the bed with more eagerness than I expected. "Do you even know how to do it though?" I kept the conversation going, half afraid he'd slip back into that dreaded silence I had known for months.

"Mom taught me–" he froze, as did I. We'd never spoken about his mother since her death. Well, I had tried. His therapist's suggestion, but it had never really gone anywhere besides him staring into nothingness while I spoke.

"Did she now?" My own hands clenched into fists as guilt finally reared its head. What was I doing? This was something I did with with my wife. I had made that promise!

"Yep." I caught my son staring at my clenched fists. "The day she uh…" he chocked and I pulled him in a hug that we both needed.

"You don't have to say it." I mumbled.

"Just...don't screw it up, okay? I happen to like Linda. A lot." His little manly glare was laughable, but I wasn't about to tease him for it.

"Why her?" The fact that he approved of me and Linda wasn't a surprise looking at how he'd been with her from the moment they met, but hearing him say it, made all the difference in the world for me.

"What?" Liam busied himself with my tie.

"You never liked any one else, so why her?"

"She made you smile." He shrugged like it was nothing. Except it wasn't. My throat went thick as I watched him, speechless. I'd never even thought that he'd watched me wallow in my sadness.

"You never said–"

"Just don't screw it up, okay?" He finished with a proud smile.

"Okay."

"And one more thing." A single red rose materialised from his back pocket. "You can't go empty handed when picking her."

"I was kind of hoping to give her my own?" I smirked, my eyes falling on the red beauty I'd picked from the garden outside.

"Make that two then. I don't think she'll mind." Liam placed his rose next to mine before fixing me with another little manly glare. "Don't be late."

"Yes sir." That earned me another grin and a hug before he disappeared out the door.

His words kept ringing as I walked towards Linda's room, making me even more nervous. This had been about me before, but now–

I stopped in front of Linda's bedroom door, adjusting my tie even though it didn't need adjusting.

Here goes nothing. I knocked even as my heart thundered in my chest. I couldn't wait to see her. It had been hours since Liam's practice and that kiss I had every intention to make happen tonight.

That, I realized would have to wait when the door to the bedroom opened just a fraction. Had she changed her mind?

"Is there a problem?" I tried to hide the panic I was feeling at the possibility of her changing her mind.

"This is a lot of zeros for a dress meant to wear for a dinner I'm not even wanted."

"What?"

"I'm not letting you buy me such an expensive dress, neither am I paying for one." She pulled the door open wide, registering her protests.

"Um...what?" My heart had stopped. Sometime between the word expensive and her figure appearing in front of me. God! She was a goddess of tempting curves that left my mouth dry. Flawless skin that made me itch to touch. The little black dress she'd ended up choosing was of a simple design, but she looked deadly sexy in it. Hugging her in all the right places and giving way to a perfect set of long legs that I wanted wrapped around me.

Whatever she'd done with her hair made me want to more than touch. Her eyes, every bit alluring, called out to me and Oh, I was so ready to answer. And those lips...

I leaned on the door, just so I could keep from stepping inside, forget about this whole dinner thing and lose myself in the mysterious vixen that was Linda Bryson.

"Uh...Ethan?" But then she touched me, making all my blood drain down south, sending all my reasoning out of the damn window as I swooped in, taking what I had long fantasized about since she'd been here.

Her lips were just as soft as I'd imagined. What I was not prepared for was the inferno that swept between us while we kissed or my own need that shot to the skies, leaving me rocking my hips against hers, shamelessly. Yep...definitely a teenager. I wanted her. Needed every inch of her, but I was not that kind of jerk, so I eased back, loving her flushed face.

"Uh, about that. I was thinking of dinner. Just you and me." While dinner at Claire's was important and something we'd done over the years, Linda had been right. "You were right, I should have protected Liam from her."

Surprise crossed her features before I was treated to the most gorgeous smile. "So this is like a date then?"

"If you say yes."

"Then yes." Her lips met mine in a simple kiss that I totally took advantage of and deepened it until she was moaning with pleasure.

Satisfied, I pulled back before leading her out of her bedroom and out of the mansion. Liam as expected stood beaming at the door next to Hannah as they wished us a lovely night.

"No late night." Linda warned to which my son only gave her a hug that brought more warmth in my heart and in that moment, I was a happy man.

Stepping into the Luxe Oceanica Hotel with Linda hanging onto my arm, I felt like the luckiest man alive. She on the other hand was nervous so I leaned in and placed a feather light kiss on her neck, catching myself and her by surprise. "If it makes you feel better, you are the most beautiful here." She blushed and I loved it.

"Mr. Easton, welcome." We were ushered to our table, but we'd barely sat down when a familiar voice ruined what would have been the perfect start to our dinner date.

"Ethan!" The sound of Claire's overly happy voice sent me gritting my teeth.

"I'll take care of this." I whispered to Linda before dragging Claire away.

"You brought her here?" Claire demanded. "This was yours and Megan's favourite place."

"What are you doing here?" I ignored her question. Because honestly, I did not owe her any explanation.

"I had to find you when you didn't show up for dinner. I should have known you were with that slu.t"

"Watch your mouth!" I'd never raised my voice to my wife's best friend, but I couldn't let her insult or belittle Linda again.

"How could you do this to Megan?" Claire countered. "And with her?!"

"Well, Megan is never coming back!" Admitting that brought a familiar lump in my throat that threatened to suck out all the life out of me even as my heart broke all over again. I inhaled, taking in all the air I thought I'd need, but the weight of it pressed, beating me down until all that grief I thought was buried deeply surfaced with a fury I'd not known before.

"Ethan?" Panic laced Claire's voice. I felt a hand on me, caressing my cheeks clearly seeking to make me feel better, but it was her. The thought and the sight of Linda that made it all better. The frown she had on while she took in the lavish surrounding of the restaurant. From where I stood, I could hear all the annoyance and protest she'd have over the fancy menu that had just been set before her. She was not like everyone else, certainly not like my Megs. She was just Linda, the girl, who like the storm that had brought her into my life, had swept through my life, flooding all the hurt and pain with a warmth that fixed what had been broken.

The realization had me inhaling, finally feeling that life fill every inch of me, making me stand up straighter and staring at Claire.

"Megan's never coming back, but she..." I pointed in the direction of our table, chest heaving. "She makes everything better. She makes me want to live, damn it and I haven't felt like that since my wife died." Claire stood in stunned silence as I spoke. "Yeah. And I don't need you telling me what I can or cannot do. "

"I thought that would be me."

"What?" It was my turn to stare at her, stunned.

"I've been there for you Ethan." She stepped into me and pressed her lips to mine, catching me off guard. "Why can't it be me?"

"She was your best friend!" Disgusted by Claire's actions, I furiously wiped at my lips.

"And now she's gone. We can heal together, Ethan."

"Are you even hearing yourself?" I glared at her hand that reached for me.

"Don't tell me you never thought about it?" Her tone suddenly turned seductive and that did it.

"Don't." I growled when she stepped forward.

"Oh Ethan, don't be like-"

"For Megan's sake I'll forget this ever happened."

"Ethan, wait!" A string of curses escaped my lips as I stomped away, leaving Claire screaming after me. Stepping back inside, though, dread settled on me when I found our table empty.

"Linda..."