“I brought coffee!” Nicky held up two extra-large cups, a wide grin on her face. “And there are croissants, freshly made by your favorite baker.”
It was barely eight in the morning and yet Nicky somehow managed to look beautiful in a summer dress bright enough to hurt Erin’s eyes.
“Must you be so perky in the mornings?” Erin grumbled, moving aside to let her cousin into the room.
Her brain perked up a little as the delicious aroma of life-giving caffeine wafted into her nostrils. She shut the door and padded into the living room, flopping onto an armchair while Nicky laid out the offerings.
“How the hell do you manage to look so happy before noon?” She asked, slightly annoyed.
Nicky chuckled. “I’m a morning person,” she handed Erin a cup and a still-warm croissant. “You, on the other hand, are a night owl and completely useless without a cup of strong coffee in the morning.”
Erin unscrewed the cap and inhaled in appreciation.
“Ah ambrosia from the gods!” She took a greedy sip of the steaming liquid. “I can hardly take the blame for being useless this morning. Mum and I have spent the last two days by Dad’s bed. I only got in around 2am.”
Nicky’s gaze filled with concern. “How’s he doing? Has he woken up yet?”
Erin shrugged, the worry a few hours of sleep had kept at bay returning in full force. “He woke up last night, but only for a couple of minutes. Todd says the surgery was successful though, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
She glanced at the clock on the coffee table and grimaced. It was almost 8 a. m. She had to get her ass in gear and make sure she was out of here before Ethan showed up. If she knew anything about the son-of-a-bitch, he would probably be at her doorstep by 10, just to infuriate the hell out of her.
Well, he was in for a surprise. She couldn’t stop the evil grin that spread over her face as she imagined the frustrated look on Ethan’s face when he realized she’d one upped him.
“Can I ask you something?” Nicky’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“Sure.”
Taking a sip from her cup, Nicky looked thoughtful for a moment then asked. “Are you attracted to Ethan?”
Erin choked on her coffee. Alarmed, Nicky hurried to her side but Erin waved her away. She took deep breaths, shutting her eyes as she tried to calm down. Finally getting her hacking coughs under control, she gaped at Nicky in stunned silence.
“You okay?” Nicky asked, still crouching by her armchair.
“What kind of question was that?” Erin demanded, though her heart raced in different directions as she wondered why Nicky would even think to ask such a thing.
She had not told her cousin about the near-sexual encounters with Ethan for obvious reasons. Just thinking about the last encounter in the hospital was enough to turn her face red. Still, why would Nicky ask such a question?
“You two just seem so…” Nicky shrugged, her mind clearly searching for the right word to use.
“So…?”
“Into each other.” Nicky finished. At Erin’s dumb look, Nicky sighed, brushing strands of hair from her face. “Look, I know he’s convinced you’re to blame for our break-up and wants to punish you for that. Still, it’s almost impossible to miss the sparks when you two are in the same room.”
Oh boy.
“There’s no ‘spark’, Nicks. I can’t stand the guy and he’s determined to humiliate me in any possible way. How could you even think I would be into the same guy responsible for Dad being in the hospital? And much as I’d love to, you know I can’t take full responsibility for splitting you guys up.”
Nicky’s face flushed in guilt. She knew exactly what Erin meant by that. “I know Erin, and I’m grateful you’re taking the heat for this but -”
“But there’s nothing going on between Ethan and me.” Erin cut in firmly.
“I’m just asking Erin.” Nicky moved back to perch on the couch. The same couch that Ethan had almost seduced her in –
Stop! Erin admonished herself sternly. Stop thinking about him like that Erin, he’s an asshole.
“… all I’m saying is that you be careful,” Nicky was saying. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Erin, and the way this is going, I’m not sure you’re going to come out of this without getting hurt somehow.”
“I’m not going to get hurt.” Erin set down her cup, jaw set in a stubborn line. “Ethan can try all he wants but he’s going to be the one humiliated in the end.”
Nicky remained silent, her gaze boring into Erin’s as though she was searching for the truth in their brown depths.
Finally, she shrugged and rose, brushing crumbs from her dress. “Just promise me you won’t do anything silly.”
“I’ll be fine.” Erin insisted, squelching the frisson of irritation rising within her. Nicky’s concern grated on her nerves and her cousin’s assumption that she couldn’t handle a guy like Ethan irked her to no end.
Nicky smiled at her. “That’s good to hear. I have to go now though, Ryan’s flight arrives in a hour and I don’t want to keep him waiting at the airport.”
For the first time, Erin was glad to see Nicky leave. Much as she cared for her, this new concern was so uncharacteristic of Nicky that Erin found herself wondering if there was some truth to her words. Could she really be in danger of falling for Ethan Lachlan?
“That’s impossible.” Erin said aloud to the empty room.
There was no way that would ever happen. Sure, the man was sexy as hell and sure she sometimes found it incredibly hard to hide her body’s response to him. Still, she was a twenty-seven year old woman- surely she could control those sexual urges without getting hurt.
The clock struck nine, and she started, jumped from the chair and raced towards the shower. She had to be out soon or Ethan would show up with that annoying smirk and barbed tongue of his. Her plan was to leave the hotel and hang out in the hospital until her date with Todd. A fool-proof plan if she dared praise herself.
Erin showered quickly and dressed, opting for black jeans, an ivory top and a black, biker jacket, completing the outfit with black heeled boots. Surveying herself in the mirror, Erin smiled in satisfaction. The outfit flattered her curvy figure, emphasizing the right areas and hiding the small bulge of her stomach. Her hair – mercifully frizz free – lay in soft curls around her shoulders.
She grabbed her purse and coat, and made a beeline for the door. As she crossed the lobby, she allowed herself a sigh of relief.
So far so good, all I have to do now is get in the car and –
“Bloody hell!” She stopped in her tracks, barely aware of the obscenity she had just uttered loud enough for the guests and staff milling about the busy lobby to hear.
Oblivious to the curious looks being shot her way, Erin could only stare in stupefaction at the sight of the very man she had hoped to avoid sitting – no, slouching – in one of the chairs, looking for all the world as though he owned the place.
“Crap.” She muttered, aiming a freezing glare in his direction. Escape was not an option now because he had already spotted her. He smirked at her, an eyebrow raised in silent triumph and Erin wanted nothing more than to slap that smug look away.
Erin was torn. Should she stalk past him, nose in the air and ignore him or would returning back to the safety of her room be a better option? She weighed both options in her mind and decided on the former. Besides, going back would make the insufferable man think she was running away and that was never going to happen.
She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She attempted to stalk past but in a move that left her dizzy, Ethan was on his feet and in three quick strides, moved to stand in front of her in a wash of hot spicy cologne and pure male essence.
“Going somewhere, Sweetcheeks?” His voice held a mixture of mockery and amusement, eyes twinkling in mirth. He raised an eyebrow in mock surprise when Erin simply glared at him, her eyes shooting virtual daggers.
“Get out of my way, Lachlan.” She hissed through clenched teeth. In spite of her outward anger, her traitorous body responded to the essence of him. How dared he look so… tempting and delicious in simple jeans and tshirt that emphasized washboard his amazing physique?
“I thought we had an arrangement, Gosling?” The infuriating man replied with a chuckle that set Erin’s teeth on edge. “Yet here I find you about to sneak off on me when I explicitly told you to clear your schedule today.”
Of all the damned nerve!
“Arrangement?” Erin snarled, stepping closer so she could jab at his chest with her finger. “Why you smug…”
The words trailed off in a startled squeak as Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist and hurled her against his chest. Before she could catch her breath, his mouth descended on hers in a cruel, crushing kiss.
Every rational thought fled from Erin’s mind save one. Ethan was kissing her. And in the crowded lobby no less. Her body flared with heat, beginning from the point where his surprisingly soft lips touched hers and spreading down to pool in liquid heat between her thighs.
A moan escaped Erin as Ethan traced the outline of her lips with his tongue, coaxing her to open up to him. She gave in and moaned again as his tongue slid into her mouth, exploring every corner while his arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer until she could feel the evidence of his desire for her pressing against her thighs. Her knees turned to jelly and she sagged against him, surrendering to the desire that raged between them.
The lobby and its occupants vanished for Erin as her eyes fluttered shut and all she could think or feel was centered on the lust building within her. She heard a dull thud and realized she had dropped her purse when her hands came up to circle Ethan’s neck. Not caring, Erin kissed him back, giving as much as he gave.
He broke the kiss and she whimpered in protest, lips parted and begging for more.
“Come with me.” Ethan’s voice was thick with desire and without a second thought, Erin opened her eyes, finding herself skewered by the intensity of in them and nodded.
Ethan pulled away, though he still kept an arm around her waist as she let him lead her toward the main door. Erin’s brain was still in a haze and she was only vaguely aware of the curious looks being cast in their direction by the guests, and the shocked look of the few staff who knew her too well to be stunned by the public display they had just witnessed.
Ethan led her outside and towards a dark red sports car parked illegally by the curb. He opened the door and Erin slid inside.
“Where are we going?” Erin asked when he started the engine.
He pulled away from the curb and joined the light traffic, heading north. “Some place where we can have a conversation without interruption.”