Chapter 4

A few seconds later, we were winding our way through the busy dining area as we headed toward a booth, and as we reached our destination, Brandi murmured, “Before I forget…. Prime Ribs the special tonight,” then after seating us, she gave Ethan another eye-lick before turning and hurrying back toward the kitchen.

As we sat on separate sides of the table, neither of us said a word, the silence moving in like a fog, and surrounding us in its thick layer. However, Brandi’s reappearance broke up the uncomfortable tension, as placing a glass of water on the table before each of us, she followed the action by setting a complimentary bowl of chips and salsa in the center of the table. Finished, she shot another bashful glance from beneath lowered lashes at Ethan, before with a moony sigh, she pulled out two menus from her apron and slid one in front of him and the other before me.

Without hesitation, we both pushed them back toward her and ordered the special—only differing on drinks.

As Brandi scribbled down our orders, her mom, Joann Toliver, poked her head out the swinging doors of the kitchen, shouting, “Orders are up, Brandi.”

Heaving an exasperated breath, Brandi rolled her eyes before shouting back, “Mawwm…jeez, I’m with customers!” However, after one last longing glance at Ethan, she turned and headed toward the awaiting orders.

The silence between Ethan and I resumed, and fidgeting with the straw in my drink, I kept replaying what had happened between us in the cabin. I mean, Jesus, how could I not! Hell, I could still feel the imprint of his Goliath-sized dick, pressed against me.

Shifting a little, my thoughts making me warm, I mentally tried to get a hold of my x-rated thoughts. No matter his hard-on had shown he was as sexually attracted to me as I was to him, or of the fact I craved him like the tempting piece of candy he was, he was OFF LIMITS—not only because of being my team leader, but the main reason was because he wasn’t available; he belonged to another.

I’d sworn long ago, I’d never cross the boundary of boinking a married man—yet, the rule sure as shit didn’t stop me from fantasizing about it.

As my mind wandered within its sexual haze, Ethan let out a low hiss. “Stop it…I can damn near hear your thoughts over here!”

I felt my face flush, and I glanced away from his glare. After a few seconds, he dropped his eyes, and picking up a chip, he dabbed it into the bowl of salsa, pushing bits of tomato, hot peppers, and onions around in the bowl before he finally let out a breath, as setting aside the chip, he glanced at me again, then said roughly, “Think you might help me here a little?”

Picking up my drink, I carried it to my lips, taking an unwanted sip before placing it back on the table with a thump. “Help you? Help you do what…exactly? Help you feel better about the fact you turned into a king-sized asshole over this past month, giving no reason why?” I snarled out.

I gave him a few seconds to digest my words, before continuing, “Or, do you want me to help you not feel so guilty about the fact you just dry fucked me back at the cabin?” I questioned; my voice sarcastic.

Finished with my rant, I sat back, crossing my arms beneath my breast as I waited for him to say something, however, my stomach plummeted when several minutes passed and he remained silent, only staring at me.

A few more seconds passed, before with a shake of his head, he replied, “You want a reason why I’ve been acting the way I have this past month? Well, here it is darlin’. I fucking want you—I want so goddamn bad to be buried balls deep in you, I’m fucking going insane with it. Is that reason enough for you?”

Holy…shit! My mind spun as I stared down at the table, floored. After the incident in the cabin, I knew he was attracted to me, hell I’d have been an idiot not to, but I’d had no idea he’d been fighting his feelings all this time.

“What…got nothing to say, now?” he snarled the question before snapping, “Fuck, this!”

Jerking out of the booth as if a succubus sat across the booth from him, he tossed several twenties on the table, then turning he headed toward the front of the restaurant.

As he reached the entrance to the kitchen he poked his head through the doors, apologizing to Joann for skipping out on our meals I assumed.

After a few seconds, he turned from the kitchen and peered in my direction.

I sat, unmoving and raising an eyebrow, he crossed his arms over his chest, continuing to stare at me.

With a small sigh, I stood, and then walking right past him, I made my way toward the door, where pushing it open I stepped out into the night, then, with the glare of the parking lot's security lights shining down on me, I wound my way through the parked vehicles until I reached Ethan’s bike.

Ethan wasn’t far behind me, and coming to a stop near where I stood, he looked me over, then shaking his head he jerked the helmet I’d used off the bike and shoved it at me.

Arms jerking out in reflexive response, I grabbed the helmet, but just stared at it, making no move to put it on.

With a snort, Ethan shook his head. “What the hell, Nicole? Did my telling you I wanted you turn you into a fucking idiot? Put the damn thing on, or do you need me to give directions on how it’s done?”

At the same time as he was grunting the words at me, he’d been slipping his helmet on, and when he lowered his arms, I threw the one I held at him.

As I watched him catch it, I pulled my phone from my back pocket and snapped, “Keep it—I’ll find another way home.”

With a roll of his eyes, Ethan held the helmet out toward me again. “Put your phone away and get on the damn bike.”

I considered ignoring his words, then with a shrug, reached out and took the helmet from him. After I slid it on my head, I climbed on behind him and settled onto the seat, afterward, he gave the bike some throttle and we pulled out of the parking lot.

Soon we were driving down my drive, and as he pulled the bike next to the trailer, he gassed it, almost unseating me as he spun it around. When it came to rest, he’d positioned it for a straight shot back down the drive. Then, without wasting time, he leaned forward, making room for me to climb off the seat, his action expressing more than any words could, he wanted me off the bike.

As I scrambled off the bike, I removed the helmet and handed it back to him, remaining silent as he fastened it on the rear of it.

I stood watching him, and uncomfortable seconds passed as I willed him to look at me. My hope was he’d say something to help salvage our crumbling relationship. Instead, without even glancing in my direction he gunned the bike and took off without looking back.

My insides were shredded with the way things had been left between us, and I listened to the sound of his bike’s engine; its pitch revealing his mood. After a while, distance stole the sound from my ears and left me with only the noise of the night creatures to accompany my pain.

Twenty minutes later, I sat inside my trailer, miserable from the heat and feeling sorry for myself. My air conditioner, having coughed, and wheezed for the last month, had given up the struggle the evening before with a fatigued whimper; with its last breath, it had taken what little cooling it had struggled in vain to offer over the last few weeks.

Now, I was roasting like a chicken in an oven.

A sniff escaping me, I wiped at the unwanted tears in my eyes, then after a few seconds, I jerked out of the chair I was sitting in, grabbed my cell phone, and headed back outside. At least with the darkness of the night, had come a slight breeze, one that carried the heady scent of blooming roses.

I inhaled a deep breath of their scent: thankful the aroma helped to distract my mind. Their fragrance took me back to when, as a child, I used to help my paternal grandmother care for the very gardens the essence emitted from.

The last memory I had of her was the summer I’d been fourteen; the following summer, a week before my fifteenth birthday and my usual visit, she’d passed away.