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The other option is to tell him outright, but I’m scared of what that will mean. I can be sure already that he won’t approve. He’ll be so angry that he’ll try and break us apart. And I’ll be the one who has to choose who to please once again. It’s too much pressure. How am I supposed to choose between the love of my life and the man who raised me?
I lie down and close my eyes again. I wish I could slow down time. I want to stay on this plane forever, to stay in limbo so I don’t have to face up to the harsh realities that are waiting for us on the ground. I snuggle up to Ethan and he sleepily pulls me into his chest. As his arms wrap around me, I feel safe and protected in his embrace. If only we could stay like this forever. This would be perfect.
But unfortunately, time is slipping away from us. And Ethan seems to know it as well. He kisses the top of my head.
“Maybe we don’t have to tell him for a while,” Ethan says thoughtfully. “But I’m not going back to Palma without you, that’s for sure. I’ll be staying in California until we know what to do.”
“Really? You’d do that for me? Won’t you miss home?”
“My home is wherever you are,” Ethan says, kissing my cheek. I sigh, feeling guilt and happiness mingling inside me. I’m so happy he’s going to stay close by, that he’s choosing me over everything else.
How could I ever have doubted him? He’s the one who stayed outside my apartment all night long, protecting me from harm. He’s the one who would burn his world to the ground just to be with me. I can’t deny that he’s giving up a lot too if he chooses to be with me. I wish that neither of us had to make sacrifices, though. It doesn’t seem fair that for most, love is so easy, while we have every possible obstacle in our way.
But we can overcome them together.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe we can keep this from him for a little while,” I say. “Then we can explore this without him standing in our way.”
“And when we can show how serious we are about one another we can tell him,” Ethan says. I nod. It seems like the only plan that means we still get to see one another. It’s going to be hard. I’ll have to keep my distance from him for a while. I won’t get to see him every single day. Dad would be too suspicious but it’s better than not having Ethan at all.
“I don’t want to be apart from you,” I admit quietly. He tilts my chin up so I can look him in the eye.
“I don’t want that either. It’s going to drive me wild, not being able to see you. But it’ll be so worth it. If we don’t have to give up on this, then it’ll be worth the torture of being caged like an animal. I won’t give up on you. I’ll never give up on you.”
I feel warmth filling my chest. I’ve never had anyone make me feel so special. I can’t believe that a man like Ethan wants me so much that he’d do all of this for me. I never in a million years thought I had a real chance with him. Yet here he is, lying in bed with me on his private jet, promising me the world.
But I don’t need the world.
I only need him.
Too quickly, time slips away from us. We make love, our bodies desperately entwined, until the moment when we have to literally come back down to earth. Only then do we dress and leave the plane hand in hand. At least I’ve still got a bit of time with Ethan. He’s sent for his car to be brought to the airport so that he can drive me home. It gives me a little more time before I have to face up to my dad.
“I don’t know whether I can do this,” I whisper, clinging to Ethan’s hand. I don’t ever want to let it go. “I don’t want to lie to him, and I don’t want to have to contain how I feel about you. I don’t think I can bear the time apart.”
“I wish things were different. I can’t believe I fell for the one woman I’m not supposed to have, but I love you either way,” Ethan says, staring deep into my eyes so I can feel the conviction in his words. “And you’re worth it, baby. I’ll endure it for you. Stay strong. We’re going to get through this together. And when we come out the other side, we can be together forever. I’ll never leave your side again.”
