Page 94 of Naive in Love

“Please.” How many times have I told him please tonight?

I watch him slide the condom on and position himself over me. “Tell me if you need to stop.”

“Okay.”

He slowly slides himself in, and I feel that same uncomfortable stretch I felt before. I gasp, and he stops.

“I’m gonna go slow.” He pulls out a bit then slowly pushes in again. This continues until he fills me completely.

I’m trusting him completely with my body. We begin moving in rhythm. I can’t take my eyes off him as he continues to pump into me. This gorgeous man is mine. His shoulder muscles flex as he holds himself above me. He rolls his hips, and the building starts again. I close my eyes, squeezing his shoulders as I begin to see stars.

“Look at me, beautiful,” he demands.

I open my eyes.

“Finish with me,” he groans.

My core is clenching around him. Each stroke feels better than the last. I grab his shoulders, gripping tightly. I’m hit by such an intense climax, then fall into oblivion. He collapses on top of me, kissing my lips. He rolls off, taking a few deep breaths. I run my hand along his torso, wanting more of him. I look at him, and he kisses me, sitting up. My heart stops, I grab his arm.

“I’ll be right back. I need to take this off.” He points to the condom and kisses my forehead.

He gets back into bed naked, pulling me to him, holding me tightly. Sleep begins to pull me down with a peace I have never experienced.

Wakingup to an empty bed was not what I was expecting this morning. It’s after nine o’ clock. I get up and find some pajamas to slip on before brushing my teeth and heading downstairs, curious where Ethan went. I smell breakfast as I make my way down the stairs and hear Ethan’s and Preston’s voices in the kitchen.

I walk straight to the coffee pot, and Ethan comes up, standing flush behind me. He brings his lips to my neck.

“Good morning, love.” A blush creeps up my cheeks with images of last night.

24

As I stepinto the living room and Ethan takes me in, his eyes sparkle. The dress I bought is floor-length, plum ombre fabric with a jeweled waistline. A single strap wraps over and connects to the waist, exposing my back.

Ethan’s tuxedo is tailored to perfection, enhancing his broad shoulders. His usual messed-to-perfection hair is styled neatly, and his infamous five o’clock shadow transformed into a smooth face. While I drool over his bad-boy looks, I think I love this look just as much.

We walkinto the grand entrance of the country club and find our table assignments. Ethan and I are at Rick’s table along with a couple of his colleagues and their spouses. Rick and Evelyn are sitting at the table speaking with another couple. Evelyn has toned down her appearance to blend with the Hayes’s women’s style. She is still strikingly beautiful but classically elegant. She and Rick seem to be masters of this game. The conversation is business oriented, and Rick works Ethan into the conversation.

After the salad course, a couple of the wives redirect their husbands, reminding them it’s supposed to be a relaxing night out. When conversation turns lighter, questions are directed my way, mainly about school and my family. I am grateful during this exchange for my private school education and my mom’s constant Miss Manners lessons. It eases some of the discomfort the attention causes. The few other times I’ve attended Hayes family functions, I was able to blend into the background, rarely speaking to anyone other than the cousins I knew and Preston’s parents.

I excuse myself to the ladies’ room after the main course as Evelyn does the same. As soon as we walk through the door, she looks around and checks the stalls.

She takes a breath then says, “I’m sorry about last night. Rick is desperate to ensure Ethan’s spot in the company, and he knows how hard it’s going to be for him coming back in. Did you know he hasn’t socialized with the Hayes family since the divorce?”

I nod my head.

“Rick wants him in the business. He doesn’t want the others to push him out. With this much money and power, all those cousins are fighting for a piece of the pie. Rick wants to make sure you’re thick-skinned enough to withstand any attacks that may come your way because of your relationship with Ethan. You have an advantage no other girl would have though. You are best friends with one of the people in line to take over when Charles and Rick decide to retire.”

I am stunned silent. I know his family is powerful, but knowing Preston and his parents, it all seemed normal.

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask quietly.

“Because Rick wasn’t sure if Ethan would. He and I didn’t want you blindsided tonight. Ethan is still wrapping his head around all this. Rick just started these conversations with him recently, making sure he was ready and that Ethan had time to let all the anger go.”

“Oh” is the only thing that comes to mind. Confusion with information overload is setting in. I will myself to keep it together, breathing in all the emotions.

“Don’t worry. Maybe nothing will happen. But be prepared, just in case.” She offers me a smile and a small hug. I guess she’s not the social climber I first thought.

“How long have you been dating Mr. Hayes?” I ask, wondering whether she has been on the receiving end of this.

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