Chapter Five
Luna
We’re in Ethan’s truck heading into Whiskey Mountain proper. He brought me the most amazing chocolate croissant and vanilla latte—both my favorites, not sure how he nailed it, but I’m not complaining—and I can’t wait to see the shop they’re from. He parks in front of a small coffee shop naming it as the place he stopped by this morning. He gets out and opens my door, grabbing my good hand to help me out of the truck.
He doesn’t let go of my hand as we walk down this side of the block. He points out the butcher, the few restaurants in town, and some other shops before we cross the street and walk a little further off the main strip.
We arrive at a large warehouse-style building with a wood carved sign that reads “Whiskey Mountain Brewing” on the front. I peer around and spot a large patio area that hasn’t been set up for the day yet, but that has a perfect view of the mountains.
“I assume this is your brewery?”
“Sure is,” Ethan answers. “It’s what I’m proudest of in the world. I can’t wait for you to work here too.”
We head inside stopping at the bar where a man with dark hair and a beard similar to Ethan’s introduces himself as Scott, Ethan’s business partner. Ethan tells him I’m going to be working here a few days a week while I get settled.
“Great!” Scott says enthusiastically. “We could use the extra help as we head into the busy season.”
“You’re sure I’m not imposing?” I ask, looking to both of them. They both look at me with nothing but kindness, but it’s a kindness I can tell they extend to few people and that weirdly makes me feel better, like since Ethan likes me, Scott does too.
“Of course not. We want you here,” Ethan says, gently rubbing my back as he does. Scott can’t stifle his laugh at that.
“Jesus, man. I’ve never seen you like this before. And I’ve known you my whole life.”
“Yeah, well, here we are,” Ethan says back to him, never looking away from me. It makes me feel even more special and secure here. Whiskey Mountain was the right call.
We take a seat at the bar and Scott pours us a new draught they’ve been working on. Ethan gives notes on the flavor while I just enjoy the crisp taste on my tongue. We stay a little longer and Ethan gives me a tour of the full place, showing me the brewery itself, the kitchen, the extensive seating they have indoors and outdoors.
“You’ve really built something amazing here,” I say as we walk around the outdoor space.
“Yeah, we love it. We put everything into it after we got back from our last tour. It really helped to have somewhere to redirect our energy, to work without being in panic mode.”
“I get that. It’s amazing you did something so productive when you could’ve just fallen into despair. I wish I had something like this to take my mind off of… everything.”
“You can tell me anything, you know. I know we’ve only known each other for a day, but it feels like this could be something real and I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep anything from me.” He finishes speaking and looks down at me, green eyes flooded with concern, the waves of his hair blowing in the slight breeze. He’s so handsome, so sure of himself, of us, that I know I can open up to him. I’m just not ready for that yet.
“Thank you, Ethan, really. I know I can trust you, it just might take me a little time to get there,” I say with a watery smile, overcome at his openness. He pulls me close and plants another kiss on me and I feel myself softening under his touch.
We break apart with a shared laugh and he grabs my hand. He leads me out of the brewery and we walk back the way we came, strolling down the opposite side of the street where he points out the grocery store and the local gym. I find myself feeling excited to try out all the places he’s shown me, to begin working at the brewery and finally feel safe and settled again.
We grab lunch at the small Mexican restaurant in town before heading into the grocery store where I load up on groceries for the rest of the week, feeling desperate to eat a vegetable after a few days of take out only. Ethan loads the groceries into the back of his truck, shooing me away when I try to help, telling me I need to rest my wrist.
How did I get so lucky?
***
I’m finishing up making dinner, a crisp spring salad with some grilled chicken, when I hear Ethan come back into my cabin. He ran back to his place to grab a toothbrush and a change of clothes after we mutually decided we weren’t ready to part ways just yet.
I plate up our salads and we sit at the barstools by the rollaway wooden kitchen island. Our conversation covers everything from books we like, our favorite movies, little things to get to know each other. I’ve never spent time with a man like this and getting to know things about him fills me with a thrill.
He washes up from dinner and lights a small fire to combat the nighttime chill before joining me on the couch, where I’ve settled with the same fantasy book I was reading yesterday. I put it back as soon as he sits down, deciding it’s time to tell him why I’m here. I turn on the couch so I’m facing him and he grabs my legs, placing them over his lap.
“I want to tell you my story. But I think I need to get it all out in one go, so sorry if I don’t pause at all—”
“Don’t apologize, I’m happy to listen to you speak, to let you get this off your chest.”
His words give me the push I need, so with a deep breath I launch into my story. I tell him about my parents accident, the shock of losing them and how alone I felt. How I had to figure out everything on my own from selling the house to getting everything in storage. How lucky I was that the house sold quickly and all I had to do was clean everything out.
I tell him about the storage units and getting lost in time looking at the photo albums and when I shed a tear remembering how many moments my mom captured, like she knew I would need them to look back on, he just rubs my legs and swipes away the tear with a gentle caress of my cheek.
Finally, I get to the incident. I tell him about hearing the gunshot, about seeing the man with the dark hair and the special silver care speeding away, how I found the body and how I see the man with the bullet through his head in my dreams every night and I don’t know if it will ever stop. I tell him that I called the cops and how wrong I realized that was when they told me who their prime suspect was.
I share how my fear was confirmed when I found the note on the storage unit and how I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, being followed. Finally, I tell him about staying up all night looking for somewhere to go and how this cabin, this town just seemed to call me. Lastly, I tell him about heading out behind the cabin to find some firewood, and how a handsome man in a green coat that perfectly matched his eyes helped me just when I was on the brink of breaking.
I take a gulp of air, feeling free for the first time in so long, happy to share the burden of all of this with someone.
Ethan stares at me for a moment longer before pulling me into his arms.
“Oh, Lu. I’m so sorry about your parents, I can’t imagine how hard that must have been,” he says, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head like he does so often. “But I’m sorrier for these sick bastards who are coming after you,” he says, his voice a near growl. “If they ever come near you, I’ll make sure they can never hunt anyone down again.” His voice is filled with so much authority that I would be terrified if I didn’t know how gentle he could be with me.
“I know you would,” I say, tilting my head up to look at him. “Thank you for listening to me… thank you for being you.” I finish and he looks at me, his gaze filling with heat and desire and something more.
Without another word, he pulls me onto his lap, my thighs landing on either side of his. He pulls me into a heart-melting kiss, so deep and tender it nearly takes my breath away.
“I want you to be mine, Luna. In all ways,” he says, pulling my hair back so I have to meet his eyes. The pull of his hand should hurt, but it just fills me with more want.
“I want that, too, Ethan. Make me yours.”
Without another word, he rises, carrying me with him. He crosses the room and tosses me on the bed and before I have a moment to catch my breath, he’s kissing me senseless again.
“Need to see all of you,” he says, pulling away as he stands and strips off his own shirt and pants. I’m mesmerized at the sight of him. His chest is strong but not toned, clearly honed from his years in the military and the hard labor he does around the brewery. A dusting of dark, curly hail trails into his black boxer briefs that I can see stretching with the length of him. God, there’s no way he will inside me, I think.
“Come on, sweetheart, no need to be shy with me,” he says and I turn warm at the endearment. He leans over and lifts my sweater off before reaching down to unbutton my jeans. I’m glad I took then time to put on black lacy underwear and a matching bralette this morning. This is the first time I have ever wanted to impress a man, the first time I’ve wanted a man to see me naked. The groan he lets out when he finally gets my jeans off and stares at me laying on the bed fills me with the confidence I need.
He kneels on the bed, eyes wandering around my body and I’m sure he can see the damp spot on the front of my underwear. When I feel like I can’t take his perusing anymore, I pull his mouth to mine. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt like taking control and I like it, like how easily he opens his mouth to mine and tangles his tongue with mine. He tastes like the honey I used in the salad dressing, so sweet I can’t help but lick around his mouth.
He laughs at the sensation and so do I. His hand cups my breast, tweaking my nipple through the bralette before moving lower, sliding beneath the waistband of my underwear before finding my clit. He begins rubbing quick circles around me, like he needs to be touching me as much as possible. I arch at the sensation.
“Oh, Ethan,” I say lifting my hips, hoping to feel more relief from his touch.
“You like that, baby?”
“Mhhmmmm,” I say, barely able to form words. This is a different sensation from last night, but one I like just the same. He rises, and I immediately feel desperate for his touch again. Before I know it, he’s ripping my underwear from my hips, leaving the lace in scraps beside my bed.
“I said I needed to see all of you,” he says, before diving headfirst into my pussy. His tongue laps at me and I squirm, he bands an arm across my hips to hold me still before he slides a finger into me with his other hand. He continues to work my clit with his tongue as he curves his finger inside me.
“How about we try two, get you nice and warmed up for me?” he asks, pausing his movements while he waits for my approval. I can’t help but smile.
“Okay,” I whisper, and he grins.
He slowly slides a second finger into me and I feel so much fuller. I wonder how I’ll ever be ready for his clearly sizable length when this fills like I’m filled to the max. He hits my walls as he sucks on my clit and I come apart beneath him. He slurps up every last drop before rising and raising his fingers to my mouth.
“Here. Lick.”
I take his fingers into my mouth and lick myself off of him. “I can’t wait to feel that tongue around my cock,” he says before taking my face in his hands and kissing me deeply.
“Tell me if you want to stop, because I don’t think I can resist getting inside you a second longer,” he says.
“I don’t want to stop. I want all of you too, Ethan,” I say and the smile he gives me in return could set the world on fire.