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HISPLANEHITthe Tarmac at two a.m. Eastern Time. It would be the middle of the morning in Dubai. Ethan had told no one he was coming home.
The code for the door worked and he stepped into the entrance hall.
Even as a young man he had had his own wing here, and rarely crossed paths with his father or whomever he had been seeing at the time.
Abe had moved out at eighteen and Ethan had done the same.
Of course he came back on regular occasions, and many a cocktail party or dinner was held here. Yet he hadn’t slept here in years. Hadn’t climbed these stairs, lined with picture-perfect memories, in ages.
It felt like a taunt.
He pushed open the door to the bedroom and she stirred and then reached out for the light.
‘What are you doing back?’
Merida was startled. She knew she looked terrible. She’d had a bath late last night and fallen asleep crying. She did not want him seeing her like this.
‘I thought you weren’t due back for another week.’
‘I missed my loving wife.’
No doubt she thought he was being sarcastic, but it was, in fact, true. Well, not that she was loving, but he had indeed missed Merida.
Her bump was beneath the covers, very visible now, and her hair was wild and untamed, while her eyes were a little red and wary as he started to undress.
He took off his jacket and dropped it on a chair as she asked the question again.
‘Why are you back?’
‘Because, believe it or not, I do occasionally listen. You’re right—nothing’s going to get sorted with me over there.’
‘You’re here to see your father?’
‘Yes.’
Amongst other things. But Ethan wanted to be sure that Meridawasn’tthe cool character she portrayed before he told her that.
He still didn’t believe in love, but he was willing to test the waters.
‘Your hair looks nice,’ he told her.
‘I fell asleep with it wet.’
‘Well, I prefer it that way.’
‘Really? Howard thinks I should go blonde.’
‘Sack him,’ Ethan said—just like that.
‘I thought I had to listen to him?’
‘Merida, he’s at the top of his game, apparently, but if you don’t like what he suggests—hell, tell him who’s boss. He’s supposed to be making your life easier, not turning you into Candice, Version Two.’
He came and sat on the edge of the bed.
Merida wished that he hadn’t.
Not because he felt too close, more because when he was this close it killed her to remain apart from him.
