Chapter 2 #2
A teasing grin flirted at Zayne’s lips. “So you can just stand there and check me out? I don’t think so.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I see the way you’re looking at me. But why should you get what you want”—he dropped the box on the floor and then straightened to look Ethan dead in the eye—“when you’re making me wait?”
“You do know I could just order you to do it, right?”
“But you also know how much I’d enjoy that, so…”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. Zayne laughed and turned to walk away, and all he heard was, “Yeah, you better run.”
* * *
A LITTLE WHILE later, Ethan pushed open the door to the balcony patio and stepped outside with several takeout bags in hand.
He’d left Chloé and Zayne up there when he’d gotten notification their meal was on its way. Chloé glanced over to see him balancing the drinks in one hand and two bags in the other, then shot up from her seat and hurried over to him.
“Why didn’t you say you needed help?” She quickly took the drink carrier and placed it on the table between the chairs as he came around behind Zayne.
“Because you two have done enough today, and I had it.”
Zayne smiled up at him and took one of the bags.
“Still,” Chloé said. “I could’ve grabbed the drinks.”
“It’s fine,” he assured her as he took a seat and opened the first bag. The smell of hot fries filled his nose as he reached inside to grab the first container. He handed it over to Chloé, and she plucked one out and took a bite. She hummed as she chewed on the salty fry.
“I never would’ve pegged you for a fast food lover.” Ethan handed over her burger as Chloé popped another fry in her mouth.
“Why? ’Cause I work in a hoity-toity French restaurant?”
“To start with, and also because I can’t imagine Julien Thornton-Priestley allowing you to eat it.”
She laughed and settled back in her seat, propping her feet up on the table in front of her as she started to unwrap her burger. “Well, you’re not wrong.” She grinned as Zayne reached for his meal. “ Dad was the one who used to sneak me out for a burger.”
“Uh huh.” Zayne nodded. “That sounds like Robbie.”
“Yeah.” She nodded, her eyes twinkling. “We’d go shopping, and then he’d take me to this diner that served hamburgers and fries, milkshakes and root beer floats, and each table had a jukebox.
They sometimes danced in the aisle too. His papa—my pop—used to take him when he was little, so it was kind of a like a family tradition passed down. ”
Zayne dunked a couple of fries in some ketchup. “Sounds like fun.”
“It was. He would even get me up to dance with the staff sometimes.” She shook her head as she laughed, but the way her eyes twinkled made it obvious it was a memory she cherished.
“Maybe one day, you’ll take us.”
Zayne and Chloé both turned in Ethan’s direction, and he shrugged.
“What?”
Chloé scoffed and reached for her drink. “Were you or were you not the man who told me you never want to hear me sing again?”
Ethan took a bite of his food, refusing to go down that particular path.
“Uh huh, see? I don’t forget these things,” Chloé pointed out.
“Neither do I. But I was thinking more of the dancing in the aisle than the singing.”
Chloé’s eyes widened, her jaw hitting the floor, as Zayne shook his head.
“Just stop while you can, man.”
Ethan looked between the two of them, decided to take the advice to heart, and instead got stuck into his meal.
All three of them devoured their food in no time at all.
Chloé and Zayne had worked up an appetite from moving everything, and Ethan had skipped lunch.
So it was no surprise there was little talk as they chowed down on the greasy goodness.
Zayne was the first to finish, slumping back in his seat and rubbing a hand over his belly—flat as it still was.
“I’m stuffed.” He blew his cheeks out, and Chloé started laughing.
“Two burgers plus your fries and half of mine? No wonder.”
“Hey, I’m a growing boy, what’d you expect?” He eyed Ethan’s half-eaten fries.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“I’m not… I told you, I’m full.”
“Yes, well, you forget I know you very well, and your eyes are always bigger than your stomach.”
Ethan finished off his food and, once he was done, started to put the trash back into the bags.
“So…” He looked over at Chloé, who had curled her feet up under her on the chair. “How are you feeling on your first night in your new place?”
“I feel great.” She let out a sigh and looked out at all the buildings surrounding them. “A little bit like I’m in a fishbowl, but…I kind of like it. Is that weird?”
“No.” Ethan sat back and propped his ankle up on his knee. “I think it’s perfectly normal for someone like yourself.”
“Someone like myself? What do you mean?”
“You like to people-watch—and you like people watching you.”
Chloé opened her mouth as though to deny his observation, but at the last second stopped herself. Instead, she flashed a cheeky grin his way.
“Okay, and what’s that say about me?”
“It says you’re absolutely perfect, Red.”
Her eyes flicked to Zayne’s. “Weirdo and all?”
“ Exhibitionist and all,” Ethan corrected her. “And Zayne’s right, you’re perfect. In fact, you’ve been a little too far away from me all day.” He patted his knee. “Why don’t you come over here? I missed you.”
Chloé got to her feet and walked over to him.
“That’s better.” He took her hand and interlaced their fingers. “Did you see all your boxes were moved upstairs?”
“I did, yeah. Thank you,” she said, and then looked to Zayne, who’d relaxed back in his seat and clasped his hands behind his head.
“It was no problem. I was a little worried, since your papa said you’re a bit of a—” Zayne stopped and seemed to quickly rethink whatever was about to come out of his mouth.
“He said I was a bit of a what ?”
“Oh.” Zayne shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Uh, I don’t think so.” Chloé straightened on Ethan’s lap and planted her hands on her hips. “What did he say, Zayne?”
“Um…” Zayne looked at Ethan, who smirked, making it clear he wasn’t about to help out. “He just said you’re a bit of a princess.”
Chloé scoffed. “A bit of a princess ?”
“In all fairness, petite fille , you do have twelve boxes of clothes and four boxes of shoes.”
“So?” She spun around on him then, disbelief stamped on her beautiful face. “I’m a girl . You should see my dad’s closet.”
“Yeah,” Zayne said. “He, um, mentioned him too.”
“Did he now?”
“He did. Actually, I think he was just giving me a hard time. Trying to rattle me on our drive home from the truck rental place.”
“Oh?” She pursed her lips as she looked between the both of them. “And did it work? Are you rattled?”
Ethan took her hand again, but this time tugged her back into his arms. “Not in the slightest. But you still didn’t answer my initial concern. Is there enough space for all of your clothes? Or should Zayne and I make it a rule that when you’re in our apartment you don’t wear any?”
A laugh bubbled up out of her, but when his expression didn’t change, she sobered. “You’re being serious right now?”
“Definitely.” He lowered his eyes to the linen shirt and shorts set she’d pulled on in place of her t-shirt and denim, and hooked his finger through the neat bow just below her navel. “Maybe you should give us a preview now.”
He slowly drew the drawstring free, and Chloé sucked in a breath.
“Right, um— Ahh …”
Ethan slipped his hand inside her shorts and smoothed his fingers over her cotton thong. “ Now is the word I believe you’re looking for.”
Chloé grabbed at Ethan’s arm as he pushed his fingers down further between her thighs.
“And the answer to that would be yes.”