Page 77 of Enthrall Secrets
“Danton would play for me.” There was that familiar pang of loss. “I found out after he’d died he was one of France’s prominent musicians. He played at Carnegie Hall. I was naive back then and had no idea how truly talented he was. I loved it when he played, but it wasn’t until afterward that I really knew of his greatness. Those final months with him were profound.”
“You were lovers?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry. How did he die?”
“He had a brain tumor.”
He looked devastated for me.
I forced a grin. “We both understand what it is to lose someone special.”
He gave a nod and cleared his throat. “I play the sax,” he said, changing the subject, clearly uncomfortable with the intimacy.
“I remember Cameron mentioning it.”
A coy expression crossed his face, as though he, too, remembered that awkward exchange in Cameron’s office. Ethan looked so much more fragile than I’d ever seen him and Cameron knew I wouldn’t turn him away. Not after everything we’d both been through.
Ethan set his bag on the floor. “I wasn’t sure where else to go. I’m not the most popular person, as you’ve no doubt discovered.”
I suppressed a smile.
“You know how it goes. I’m the alcohol police if you’re driving home. No smoking pot in front of me.” He scratched his neck. “Pay my taxes on time. Never late on a bill. No porn.”
“You’re squeaky clean then?”
“Squeaky has nothing on me.”
“Well, you’re welcome here if you don’t mind hanging out with a fallen woman.”
“A fallen woman who saved my life.” After a thoughtful pause, he said, “Cameron was kind enough to find some new clothes for me.”
“He’s good like that.”
Ethan walked over and pulled me into a hug.
Closing my eyes, I savored the physical contact, his warmth soothing me, and I rose onto my toes and kissed his cheek. “Stay here for as long as you like.”
“How can you be so kind after how I treated you?”
“That’s who we are, Ethan,” I said, stepping back to look up at him. “You can’t shock us. You can’t make us hate you because we know too much about the human condition. ”
“You’re more forgiving than me.”
“I believe that’s the point. I heard somewhere that ‘love is the art of continuous forgiveness’.”
“Going home is gonna be hard.” His lips trembled. “All my memories of her are there.”
“I understand.”
“That fucker desecrated those memories.”
“Come and sit down.” I gestured toward the couch.
Ethan noticed the ocean view. “Wow.”
“Yes, it’s quite something.”
