Page 55 of Wildest Desire

“Six hundred thousand.”

“What?” What the hell do they need that much money for?

“I know, trust me. I’m not giving them a fucking cent. Emily has also been talking to my dad for some reason, so I don’t trust her either.” Ethan pulls me in for a hug. “I need you to know that I hate myself for what I said to you. I hated not telling you why I keep having mood changes,” Ethan says. Kissing me on the head, he tightens his arms around me.

“I’m happy you told me. I want to be there for you when you need to talk. I want us to be able to talk to each other about anything,” I tell him.

“I want you to be there when I see them,” Ethan says, walking away from me to answer his phone. “This better be good news… What time?... That’s fine, tell them I won’t leave until we reach an agreement, so they need to leave the day open.” He walks over to me and mouths the word ‘lunch.’ Giving him a nod, I grab my bag as he continues his conversation.

As I wait for him to get off the phone, I think about what he told me about his dad and ex-wife. I can’t believe someone would go that low for money. How can someone play with another person’s feeling like that? I can see why Ethan was so cold at the start of our relationship. He was worried about having someone around him that would do all this to him again. I get it because I’m the same way. Ethan was the first person I’ve even thought about staying with after Sam found me. The difference between us is that my fear is of Sam hurting Ethan, while Ethan’s fear is of someone taking advantage of him again and taking what he’s worked very hard for.

The reason he’s the man he is today, is because of his dad leaving them with nothing. Ethan has earned every dime he has, and he’s going to make sure no one takes it from him again.

Chapter 24

Ethan

I still hate them both, and I know for a fact that no matter the reason they give, I won’t be giving them any money. My dad didn’t think twice about his family when he walked away and took everything. Why would they think I would help them?

“A whiskey, and a red wine, please.” Lexi gives the waiter our drinks order as I end a call with my mom.

“We get back home on Sunday so they'll come be at Mom’s on Monday,” I tell her. If they want to talk, then they can do it with my mother there because I know she wants to hear what they say.

“Okay.” Taking a sip of her wine, she looks around the street behind me. “I thought we could go see the White House today,” Lexi says smiling at me. Even with all the shit happening in my life, in the back of my head I keep wondering how long it'll take them to get Sam. I miss the Lexi I had before he found her. She was a little spitfire, with spunk about her. Now, she’s always cautious of her surroundings, even looking at the reflections in storefront windows to see if anyone is following her. Her body stays tense the whole time she's out, and she thinks I don't notice, but I do.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She looks at the menu as she replies.

“What would you have done if Sam found you and you were dating someone? Someone you were in love with?” I ask. She looks over her menu, then glances up and holds my eyes for a moment. “Would you have run away again, even if it meant breaking your own heart?”

“I’ve fallen in love with you, and if it meant keeping you safe, then yes, I would break my own heart.” She looks back down at the menu, but I can’t take my eyes off her.

Lexi is the most unselfish person I think I’ve ever met. She would be willing to live the rest of her life on the run to keep the people around her safe.

“So, you do love me?” I take the menu from her hand, knowing she now seems a little shy with my question. She peers at me through her eyelashes. “I love you, too,” I tell her, and seeing her shy smile has me flashing one of my own. How could I not fall in love with this woman? She's all mine. There's no way I’m letting her walk away from me. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. And if Sam comes close to her, I'll destroy him. “So, the White House then…”

“Maybe some shopping first? I need to plan ahead for an entire day of sightseeing. Which days are off-limits to do anything?” Lexi asks, and I can’t help but smile at her. “I mean, outside of the bedroom. I know you’re always free for sex.” She shakes her head at me, making me laugh.

“I’m all yours until Thursday. I'll be planning out the meeting Friday, the meeting is on Saturday, then we fly back home on Sunday,” I tell her, watching her as she looks at her phone. “Someone more important than me?”

“Yes.” She looks up and winks. “The waiter taking my order is more important that you,” she smiles, looking back at her phone, turning the screen to me. She’s been texting with her brother.

Looking up at the waiter, I place our orders. “What's on the shopping list?” I ask her. I know by the look on her face exactly what she wants. “Are you missing Jimmy?” I'll never understand her love for shoes, but seeing how happy they make her, I'll buy every pair in the store.

“There's a new collection out I want to see. There are also these shoes I want. I thought I would treat myself and break my Red Sole virginity,” he states, and my drink sprays out as I start choking. “Ethan,” Lexi shouts, grabbing her napkin and patting the drink from her top.

“What?”

“You have a dirty mind. Christian Louis Vuitton shoes have a red sole. I don’t own a pair yet,” she says throwing her napkin at me.

I have a dirty mind? She could have easily told me she wants these shoes, but she had to add the word virginity in there. “Any virginity you're losing from now, are the ones I get to break. So, I'll buy the shoes for you,” I tell her. I can't stop looking at her as she's still laughing at me.

“For someone who has sex on his mind all day, every day, you can be funny about some things. I can’t wait to see what you're like when my period comes this month,” she says, chuckling at her own joke.

“I don’t want to know, thank you very much. All you have to say is no sex, and that’ll be the end of it. Nothing else has to be mentioned on the subject," I tell her. Yes, I'm a typical man. I get uncomfortable talking about female issues. I avoid it at all costs.

Lexi continues to laugh. “What…” She stops and picks up a napkin to wipe her tears from laughing so much. “What if I …” She stops again, unable to finish her sentence from laughing so much. “What if I need…” She covers her face with the napkin and I smile seeing her laugh so much over not being able to finish the sentence, so I finish it for her.

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