Early the next morning, Ethan dripping in sweat, ran on the treadmill in his home gym, trying to work off last night’s frustration before he picked up Holly. After his visit with Victoria, he’d gone home to sleep. Thoughts of Holly kept playing in his mind. The smell and taste of her lingered on his skin and he’d wanted to drive back to his sister’s and… what? Tell her Victoria was out of the picture and they were free to have sex? Just because she looked at him, touched him and kissed him like she wanted him, it didn’t mean she was into casual sex. He had a feeling she was a relationship kind of woman. His film schedule for the next four months had him flying to three different countries. Throw in time away for press and promotion and he wouldn’t see Holly for nearly a year.
He couldn’t ask her to wait around for him. Couldn’t put anyone through that again. Taking time off wasn’t an option. He’d worked damn hard to make it where he was today. Out of the spotlight for a second and the next hot, up and coming star could easily replace him. Serious relationships only got in the way.
Before orifthey started anything, he needed to make it clear he couldn’t offer her more. He needed to focus one hundred percent on his career.
“You’re fucking crazy exercising at this time of day,” Aiden said, staggering in the room, a tumbler of amber-coloured liquid in his hand. He dropped onto a bench.
“You’refuckingcrazydrinking at this time of day,” Ethan shot back. He pressed the stop button on the treadmill and waited for it to slow down before he stepped off, snatching a towel from the handrail to wipe the sweat off his face.
From the look of his brother’s bloodshot eyes, it wasn’t the first one. And from his wrinkled clothes, he’d most likely not gone to bed yet. It was five in the morning, who knew how much he’d had to drink over the last few hours.
“I haven’t slept yet, so I’m still enjoying the night,” Aiden said confirming Ethan’s suspicions.
Ethan couldn’t imagine what Aiden was going through. To watch the woman you loved waste away with cancer and be completely helpless. No wonder his brother wanted to drown himself in alcohol. It had been two months since Madeline’s death, and Aiden didn’t look any closer to resurfacing from his pit of grief than when he’d started to grieve. In fact, he was sinking deeper and deeper into a black hole.
“Don’t you have to be on set soon?” If Aiden kept on this road to destruction, he’d lose his acting job too. He should’ve taken time off work to grieve, like the family and studio suggested. Instead, Aiden insisted on working. Said it took his mind off things. Ethan could clearly see nothing was working. Not even alcohol seemed to keep the pain away.
Aiden squinted at his watch. “Got plenty of time. Might get some sleep before I head in.” Rising from the bench, he stumbled and dropped the glass and it shattered on the timber floor. “Fuck,” he swore and went to pick it up.
Ethan was quick to catch his brother before he ended up sprawled on his face.
“I’ll help you to bed,” Ethan said.
Aiden shook off Ethan’s supportive hand under his elbow. “I’m not a fucking cripple, I can find my way to bed.” With that, he stumbled out of the room.
Ethan sank down on the bench and stared sightlessly at the broken glass. His brother wouldn’t make it into work today. How long would the producers take to tell him not to bother to come in at all? This was why Ethan needed to work hard. If Aiden lost his job, he’d need Ethan’s support.
* * *
Once again, Holly found herself in someone else’s house wearing someone else’s clothes and looking at a bus timetable on her phone. She had enough money to get to work and during her break, she’d Google better accommodation of where to spend the night. Maybe she could ask Nancy if there was someone she could to speak to about getting an advance on her pay, so she didn’t stress so much about things like shelter, food and transport. Things she had never had to worry about five months ago. When she had a job and an apartment to live in.
While on her way to the kitchen, a soft tapping noise sounded at the front door. She glanced up the hallway and waited to see if Chloe would answer it. She didn’t come out of her room.
The knocking got a little louder. Holly didn’t feel comfortable answering someone else’s door, but when the knock sounded for the third time, she thought it might be important and opened the door.
Ethan stood on the threshold, his black hair brushed off his face, damp from probably a recent shower, wearing a charcoal grey shirt tucked into firm fitting black trousers. He looked dark and dangerous. Like he’d stepped straight out of a mafia movie. He held a tray with three takeaway coffees in one hand, a paper bag from Crusty Bites in the other and her mouth watered. It wasn’t from the aroma of breakfast.
His lips tilted in a slow crooked grin like he knew he was getting checked out. He was gorgeous. Any woman with eyes would do the same. It meant nothing.Liar!screamed her happy girly places.
“I thought you’d like some food before work. Chloe’s cupboards are usually empty.” He took a step inside, brushing an arm against hers as he passed.
“Thanks,” she said, more breathily than she’d meant to as she followed him to the kitchen.
He put his purchases on the counter. “Help yourself. I just have to run to the car and get something.”
She didn’t need to be told twice and dug inside the bag, pulling out waffles, pancakes and fruit salad. How did he know these were her favourite things for breakfast? Lucky guess.
Ethan walked back in the room a few minutes later. The waffles were already consumed and she was working on the pancakes.
“Must’ve been good,” he chuckled, nodding to the food.
“They were okay.” She smirked then licked the sticky honey goodness from her fingers. “Oh, you’ve got my bag. How did you get it?”
“Drove past Shaun’s on my way here.”
“Thank you.” She slid off the stool to take the handle from his hand and their fingers touched. He inched closer, and her heartbeat quickened.
All she wanted was a repeat of last night’s kiss and to feel his hands on her body. And by the way he looked at her, he wanted that too. It was only a kiss. Two people enjoying the simple act. Nothing wrong with that. But therewassomething wrong. His involvement with Victoria. Even though he’d explained it was only casual, it didn’t sit right with her. How could she kiss a man knowing he’d run to another woman?
