Page 15 of Release Me

Ethan looks over at me, lifting his ski goggles onto his head, his eyes connect with mine, and when he smiles, it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time. It’s real and honest. There’s nothing forced or contrived about it. It feels like I’m seeing the real him, not the guy who knows how to play the game and close deals.

“So what’s for dinner?” I now ask him as the lift chugs along slowly, traveling up the mountain, the sky a deep shade of blue dotted with stars. It’s really a stunning place at night and being on this lift alone with Ethan feels far more intimate than I thought it would.

“Whatever you want,” he says, his words casual now, his body reclining into the seat.

“That feels like a very Ethan Morrison thing to say. Whatever you want,” I now repeat, teasing him with my tone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he quips, wrinkling up his nose as he hits me with a deep stare.

“It means that I could request something like Maine lobster or Ono or, I don’t know, shitty pizza and you would just produce it because you’re Ethan Morrison,” I reply, waving my hand around to the great expanse that is the resort and land that he owns.

“First of all, there’s no such thing as shitty pizza and you don’t seem like a shitty pizza kinda girl,” Ethan says, but he swallows hard, almost like he feels like he’s pushing things. Like knowing what kind of things I like crosses the line. “And what the hell is Ono?”

I chuckle, not just because of the way he says it but because I’ve stumped him. “Well, then I want Ono tonight, please.”

He shakes his head, his lips pursed a little and I hate that I want to lean over and kiss him. He needs to stop looking at me like this. He needs to not sit so close to me because I’ve never been the best at self-control, and mine is seriously fading fast.

“Give me a bit. I’ll put in a few calls,” he says, and his words come out with a seriousness that I didn’t expect.

“Oh my god, Ethan, stop it. I’m just giving you shit. I’m happy to have whatever you planned to eat tonight.” This guy is way too easy and I can’t imagine he gives in to just anyone like this. Not that I’m saying I’m anything special. Or maybe I am? I don’t even know anymore. This back and forth with Ethan outside of work has my head a mess.

“You never answered my question,” he now says as the lift returns to the top of the mountain. Pushing off, Ethan stumbles a little, grabbing hold of my arm, he instantly goes down the second his skis hit the packed down snow of the exit.

We’re caught in this limbo of me trying to keep myself standing while the weight of Ethan’s grasp makes me fall forward. And before I know it, I’m literally lying on top of Ethan Morrison in the snow, his arms wrapped around me.

“Shit, Zoey, I’m sorry. I…I…I thought I had that getting off the lift thing down,” Ethan says sheepishly, his face flushing with embarrassment.

As the pink creeps up his cheeks, I quickly stand up, holding out a hand to Ethan, helping him up. He clicks off his skis, making it easier for him to stand, but he still looks away from me when he does. It’s kind of cute that his ego is a little bruised. He had been doing really well up until this little mistake, something that is super common when someone is learning to ski. The lift gets them every time, just like it got Ethan in the end.

“Don’t worry about it. It happens all the time, especially when you’ve done a ton of skiing. You’re tired and that lift keeps moving,” I roll my eyes, looking back over my shoulder at it as it makes its slow circle, reminding me to switch it off.

“It kinda freaks me out,” Ethan admits. “It keeps circling slowly, but then when you try to exit, it feels like it’s moving at warp speed.”

I laugh at his joke, remembering I felt the same way as a kid when I first learned to ski. I guess it’s not just a kid thing to fear the ski lift. It’s cute that he’s being honest with me about it all. Most guys wouldn’t dare show any weakness, especially when it comes to athletics and girls.

“Yeah, that thing will rocket your ass right off of it,” I joke, making Ethan’s cheeks grow red again.

“And makes you pull a cute girl down on top of you. I swear that was not my plan.” He holds up his hands in defense, and this is a very different side of Ethan and I’ll admit, I’m really enjoying it. He’s far less business than I’m used to, and I don’t know why I thought he would always be that serious and driven.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had someone take me down getting off a lift. It was a little nostalgic to back when Max and I were little.”

“Yeah, but you were probably like four years old, not thirty-two,” Ethan jokes, and I can’t help but laugh. He’s right, but it’s still cute, and we’ve had a really great time tonight. And there’s still the prospect of dinner together.

“Yeah, yeah, but you’ve never skied before,” I remind him, grabbing his skis and walking back toward the lodge.

“Hold up, I’ll take those,” Ethan shouts, jogging a bit in his clunky ski boots to catch up with me.

“You don’t need to do that, Ethan. I’m used to carrying skis and we don’t need you tripping over anything,” I tease, making him laugh now.

“Fine,” he concedes, adding, “But I’ll buy dinner tonight as a thank you. Now where to procure some Ono?” He playfully scratches his chin, his eyes looking upward as if he’s thinking a little too deeply about it all.

“Ono is a fish, and it can only be found in Hawaii, so I think it’s going to be a bit of a struggle.” I wink at him as I hold the door to the ski lodge open for him.

“Don’t test me, Zoey,” Ethan warns, a bite to his words as his face turns serious. There’s something about the way his demeanor changes suddenly that has me wanting to see more of his authoritative side. “Meet you in ten minutes in my office?” he now adds, and I’m taken aback, swallowing hard as I have this very vivid image of my ass bent over his desk as he fucks me hard.

What the fuck!

I need to get my damn mind out of the gutter. He didn’t even say anything sexual and that’s where my head goes. Or did he? He did tell me not to test him, and that certainly felt like he wants me to push things further, that he wants me to be the one to make the first move.

---