Page 126 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
Ethan snorts with laughter while I try in vain to smooth down my mess of hair. "Shut up."
"Hey," Drew appears at my shoulder during a lull in the music, his usual easy smile tinged with something more serious. "Got a minute? Both of you?"
Ethan and I exchange a glance before following Drew to a quieter corner near the kitchen.
"Just wanted to give you guys an update on the Cher situation," he says, keeping his voice low. "The university was moving forward with disciplinary action, but she decided to transfer instead. Effective after winter break."
"Good for her. Hopefully, she can get a fresh start somewhere else. Maybe figure out whatever's going on with her."
Ethan's hand finds the small of my back, a brief touch that somehow saysI'm proud of youandI'm hereall at once.
"Anyway," continuing, eager to move past it, "that's done. Tonight's about relaxing, right?"
Drew grins. "Exactly what I wanted to hear."
"ETHAN!" Gavin's voice booms across the room. "We need you!"
"Oh god, what now?" Ethan laughs as Gavin approaches with Marcus and two other brothers in tow.
"Beer pong dispute," Marcus explains. "Taj swears the ball bounced twice, but Kai says it was clean. We need an impartial judge."
"Someone who won't just side with a brother because they're a brother," Gavin adds with a grin.
"Why me?" Ethan protests, though he's already being pulled away.
"Because you're honest to a fault and we all know it," Drew calls after them.
Watching Ethan get dragged off, laughing and protesting the whole way, something warm settles in my chest.Look at him.Completely at ease with these guys who were strangers to him a few months ago. They trust him. They want him around. They've made him part of this without him even trying.
And somehow, impossibly, Ethan chose this. Chose me. Choose all of this chaos and brotherhood and late-night emergencies.
How did I get this lucky?
We hang out for exactly twelve more minutes. I'm counting.
"Okay," murmuring into Ethan's ear during a lull in conversation. "Made an appearance. Done my VP duties. Can we go now?"
"It's your party."
"It's Drew's party. And everyone's having fun without us." My hand slides lower down Ethan's back until I have a handful of his perfect ass. "Besides, you promised me something upstairs."
Ethan takes a sip of his drink, considering. "Did I?"
"Eyes crossing. Ring any bells?"
"Hmm." Ethan's smile is wicked. "Maybe if you asked nicely."
"Please?" My lips brush against Ethan's ear. "I need you. Right now."
Ethan's resolve crumbles. "Fine. But we're being sneaky about it."
"So sneaky." Already pulling him toward the hallway, away from the crowd.
We barely make it past the kitchen before I pin Ethan against the wall, mouth hot and demanding. His hands fist in my shirt, pulling me closer.
"Room," Ethan gasps between kisses. "Need a room."
Fumbling for the first door handle. Locked. "Drew's such a cock blocker," muttering while moving to the next one.
