Chapter 21 - Margot #2
I let the words sink in, testing their weight beneath my skin. The unspoken ones are the heaviest. The promises he won’t make. The ending, certain but hazy, looming somewhere in the distance.
There are only two options: accept it or walk away. I already know which one I’ll choose. There’s no way I can walk away from Ethan right now. Like him, I want this way too much.
“Yes.” My voice catches. I stand a little straighter and clear my throat. “I can live with that.”
Ethan eviscerates the last shred of space between us, pulling me close as his mouth presses against mine.
The kiss is deep and hungry, making my knees wobble and my thighs clench.
It’s over too soon, and I’m standing there breathless and aching, held up by nothing more than Ethan’s strong hands on my waist.
“Let’s get out of here.” His breath skates across my wet lips when he speaks.
I nod. “Yes, please.”
A smile plays at the corners of his mouth as he helps me into the car. I don’t bother asking where we’re going. The only thought in my head is what we’re going to do once we get there.
We pull up to my apartment five minutes later.
“Your place was closer,” he says, killing the engine.
Ethan opens the car door for me like a gentleman, but he’s far from polite once we step inside my apartment. All in one motion, he swings the door shut behind us and presses me against the nearest wall.
His mouth crashes against mine, insistent and claiming. Fingers hook around the thin straps of my dress, pulling them down my arms. Ethan’s lips move to my neck while his hand cups my bare breast.
I’m tugging at his suit jacket. He breaks away just long enough to help slide the jacket down his arms and let it fall to the floor.
Then his mouth is back on my neck while my fingers unbutton his pants.
Sliding one hand down the front, I wrap my fingers around his rigid cock.
The low rumble comes from Ethan’s throat, vibrating against my skin as I stroke him.
A hand slides between my legs, fingers gliding over the lace then pausing. Ethan tilts his head down for a better look. When his gaze returns to mine, possessiveness flashes in his eyes.
“Did you wear these for him?” His voice is rough around the edges. His fingers slip beneath the lace, finding me wet and needy.
I shrug playfully, just to see another flash of jealousy on his face. Sleeping with Tyler was never part of the plan.
A low sound rumbles from Ethan’s throat—half growl, half challenge. A finger pushes inside of me. I moan and melt against the wall.
“And this dress…” His other hand grips the bottom hem, yanking it up to my stomach. “You bought it for our date.”
“Our fake date,” I correct.
His finger pushes deeper inside of me, stroking my g-spot. I moan and my knees give slightly, but Ethan is there to keep me steady.
“This dress is mine,” he growls.
My laugh is breathless, silent. “I doubt it will fit you.”
Ethan shuts me up by slipping a second finger deep inside me. He flashes a wicked smile as I practically dissolve into a puddle around him.
“Well, you fit me perfectly, don’t you?” A third finger stretches me.
It would be painful if Ethan wasn’t so careful, and if I weren’t dripping wet.
I gasp and nod at the same time, eyes fixed on Ethan’s.
His kiss feels like praise as all three knuckles squeeze inside of me at once.
“That’s my good girl. I’m going to fuck you now in the panties you wore for someone else.
I’m going to remind you how perfectly we fit, Margot. ”
“Yes,” I breathe. I nod. I pant. I plead. “Yes, please Ethan. Please fuck me.”
I don’t have to ask twice. Ethan grabs a condom from his wallet and doesn’t even bother to undress. He just yanks my panties to one side and plunges himself deep inside of me.
It’s so good. So perfect. He’s right about how well we fit together.
Then his hands are on my ass, lifting me up. My back is pressed against the wall, and my legs are wrapped around his waist.
“Oh fuck, Margot,” he rasps, sinking deeper inside of me and resting his forehead against mine. “You feel unbelievable.”
“So do you.”
It’s exactly what he wanted to hear. I can see it in his eyes when they connect with mine. We stay locked together completely, eyes on each other’s faces, as he thrusts deep inside me again and again and again.
Release ripples through me, violent and unexpected. My legs shake as Ethan’s fingers dig into my thighs.
His orgasm chases mine, jaw tightening as he swells and pulses inside of me. When we’re both spent, Ethan presses on final kiss to my lips, then slides out of me and sets me down. I wobble, but his hand reaches out to steady me.
“You okay?” he asks, still catching his breath.
“Yeah, that was just… intense.”
A crooked smile tugs at his lips. “It was.”
Pride flares in my chest, warm and bright, because Ethan seems just as overwhelmed by the intensity of it as I am.
He’s also thoroughly disheveled—a fact that delights me to the bone.
His hair is rumpled, one lock grazing his eyebrow and another sticking straight up in the back.
Vaguely, I recall twisting it between my fingers while Ethan kissed me.
His shirt is equally askew, one side caught in his pants and the other hanging loose.
After removing the condom, Ethan makes a quick trip to the bathroom to dispose of it.
When he reemerges, he’s tucking his shirt and reaching for his fly.
That’s when my smile fades a little, because right there in the center of his crotch, the physical evidence of my arousal is streaked across the dark blue fabric.
It’s not a lot, but it’s definitely noticeable.
I nearly say something, but while I’m debating between a joke and an apology, I realize something else: Ethan is getting ready to leave.
He gives me a quick peck on the cheek and grabs his jacket off the floor as he heads toward the front door. My heart plummets.
I don’t know where this goes, Margot.
His words echo in my head. Maybe I misinterpreted their meaning. Maybe this is all Ethan North has to give: good orgasms and quick exits.
“You’re leaving?” The words burst out before I can stop them.
Ethan looks at me like I just spoke in tongues. “Just running down to the car to grab my suitcase.”
Oh. Right. Of course. His luggage. Because Ethan just cut a business trip short and traveled hundreds of miles to crash my date and take me home.
Regardless of his feelings about labels or commitment, I shouldn’t doubt his feelings for me.
Letting my shoulders relax, I head towards the bedroom to change out of this dress.
Ethan returns a couple minutes later, suitcase in tow. He tosses it onto my bed and digs out a toothbrush and a neatly folded pair of black boxer briefs.
We end up side by side in my tiny bathroom, elbows bumping as we brush our teeth.
I try to say something, careful not to dribble foamy toothpaste down my chin, but it comes out garbled and ridiculous.
Ethan laughs, which makes me laugh, which makes toothpaste dribble down my chin anyway.
Mortified, I duck to spit and rinse while he’s still chuckling.
It’s hopelessly domestic, and I’m fully screwed… literally and metaphorically.
Everything just feels so easy with Ethan. It’s always been this way for us. First at work, then as friends. And now, it’s hard to imagine anything better than crawling into bed beside him—and that’s dangerous.
It would make it so easy to fall for him. So easy to imagine a future that he can’t promise.
After we’ve both crawled into bed, Ethan reaches across me, grabbing my book off the nightstand. The man on the cover is wearing a suit and holding a leather paddle. Even without the cheesy title, Working Late with the Boss, it’s pretty clear what it’s about.
Cocking an eyebrow, Ethan glances at me. “I see your taste in books is evolving.”
“It’s just taking a temporary detour.” Just like us. It’s meant as a joke, but the words feel heavy and slightly bitter on my tongue.
Ethan flips the book open to the receipt I’ve been using as a bookmark.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
He glances over at me and smirks. “Reading you a bedtime story.”
I can’t help but smile back, then curl into his side. Ethan wraps an arm around me and starts reading, his voice low and warm. If this detour’s temporary, I’m fine taking the scenic route, especially if it comes with him, half-naked in my bed narrating office smut like my own personal audiobook.