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“I’ll be crashed right along with you,” I assured her. Sounded like pure bliss.
Angela had outdone herself. Smoked salmon, pulled pork, tender pepper-rolled roast beef, spinach pies and artichoke frittatas, feta and tomato and olive salad, sliced fruit, chocolate cake, strawberry trifle, freshly baked sourdough bread.
We fell upon it like wild animals. In fact, we were so intent on eating, we forgot all about the wine Angela had left on the counter to pair with the meal. I poured out two glasses just as we were starting to slow down a little.
“So good,” she moaned, licking her fingers after savoring a bite of pulled pork. “I’m in bliss. I can’t keep eating like this. It’s just too damned delicious.”
“Yes, you should,” I told her. “You should have the best of everything in life, because that’s what you always give. Your absolute best. And you ask for nothing in return. But you know what? That’s all about to change.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Oh yeah? Says who?”
“Says me.” I looked straight into her eyes. “That’s the rule, from here on out. Best of everything. No exceptions.”
She let out a startled laugh. “Well, wow. I appreciate the sentiment, big guy, but we’ve talked about this. The pampered plaything is not my script.”
“I don’t want a plaything,” I said. “And I’m not playing. This is dead serious.”
The laughter faded from her face, and her eyes grew somber. “Ethan…”
“Like I told you earlier. I don’t want a bed toy. I want a partner. I want you, in my bed, in my life, at my back. Forever. I want it all.”
She held up her hand. “Slow down,” she said. “I met you three days ago, under extreme circumstances. Not smart to throw down big, sweeping declarations so soon.”
“I don’t care how smart it is. I’ve played it smart all my life. I like this better.”
“But it’s a terrible time! Everything’s upside down and backward!”
“So? If I hadn’t met you that day in Clemens’ office, I’d be dead now. You showed up just in time for me. I just wish I had a ring. Something really special.”
“No,” she said hastily. “I don’t do rings. My hands are weapons, not ornaments.”
I slid off the chair and to my knees in front of her, kissing the hands in question. “The most beautiful hands I’ve ever seen,” I said. “So strong. The things they can do.”
Kat sniffed aggressively, yanked a hand free, and pressed a napkin to her face.
“Not fair,” she said, her voice watery. “You can’t spring this on me after a day like today. Lighten up. Let me rest, chill. Then we’ll see about all this romantic stuff.”
I kissed the hand remaining to me, taking my time with it. Worshiping each knuckle, aware of every nick and scratch. “All right,” I conceded. “I’ll just keep asking. Every day until the end of time. Eventually you’ll give in, out of sheer exhaustion.”
She swatted me on the shoulder. “Oh, get up. You’re being ridiculous.”
But I could tell she was smiling under cover of darkness, as we made our way to the soft, inviting haven of my bed. And once we were there, she wrapped her lithe, warm body around me, and tucked her head under my arm.
That made me hopeful.
CHAPTER32
Kat
The polite tap-tap-tap on the door early in the morning sent me flying straight up into the air, nerves screaming with alarm. “What? Who?” I yelled.
“Who is it?” Ethan called out, in a sleep-roughened voice.
“It’s just me, Ethan.” It was Angela’s voice, low and intensely apologetic. “I wanted to give you a head’s-up.”
“About what?” Ethan sat up.” What’s happening?”
“Your sister has arrived, with her husband, and Holly, and the Drakes. They are extremely curious about the new developments in your life. I just thought you two might want to know about that, before you stumbled out in your pajamas.”
