Overture (Rain Dance, Book 1) (Rain Dance Series) (30 page)

     
One…Two…Three…Four…Five…Six breaths. Okay.

     
Good job. Now
you can think.

     
Oh God. What
had I just done? Was it the little bit of alcohol that had me blurbing my
thoughts, unable to filter them out? Ethan said nothing, but I felt his eyes on
me. I wondered if he was having second thoughts. I know
I
would be.

     
"Baby?" Dale called softly, pulling me away from my thoughts.

     
"...Where's Samantha?" I asked, noticing her absence.

     
"Bathroom." He hesitated for a second, studying me. "Did
you know you can get food here?"

     
I chuckled
slightly. He knew not to ask me if I was alright, as those words could also
easily trigger a crying fest. "Thank you. I'm good."

     
He smiled, but
it faded when his eyes landed on Ethan. I'm sure he noticed the distance I had
put between us. "We can head home if you're ready to leave," he
offered.

     
I shook my
head. "You and Samantha are having fun, right? I can head back on my own
and you guys can have the rest of the night to yourselves."

     
"I'll get
her home," Ethan interjected.

     
Dale looked
back at me for reassurance. Swallowing, I nodded and tried to look at ease. He
must've seen that I was still bothered though, because he took a seat and
grabbed my hand.

     
"It's
alright," he said, eyeing me carefully. "You did good tonight,
letting go like that. You're tired. A little space and you'll feel better in no
time. Right?"

     
I could feel
water stinging at my eyes again, but this time it was all due to feelings of
gratefulness. "I love you, Coops."

     
His returning
smile was warm. "She'll say no, but get her some ice cream," he spoke
to Ethan, keeping his eyes on my now scowling face. "Rocky Road is her
favorite, preferably in a waffle cone. If it's too crowded or you can't find a
place, just pick up a Drumstick pack from the store. Variety, if they have
it."

     
"Thank
you, Dale," Ethan said quietly.

     
Coops kicked us
both out before Samantha could return, but not before thanking me for playing
matchmaker. As we headed out, Ethan texted one of his friends. He still
wouldn't speak to me, but he kept close, keeping one hand on me at all times.

     
As we drove,
the silence in the car became so thick it was almost unbearable. Eventually, I
had to say something.

     
"...Are
you alright?"

     
Ethan drove
with only his right hand on the steering wheel. His head rested on the other
hand, his arm propped against the bottom window frame. He threw me a sidelong
glance before looking back at the road. We were at a red light.

     
"We're
getting ice cream," he stated.

     
I sighed.
"You really don't have to do that. He was just saying that."

     
"We're
getting ice cream," he repeated. "Then we're going to have a
talk."

     
Oh God.
A
talk
? Like the kind a parent gives their kid when they've done
something wrong? Because that's what it was beginning to feel like. "We
could just talk, then. No need to go through the trouble of fattening me
up." I didn't want to talk at all, but the sooner I could be bundled up in
my bed, the better.

     
"I'm not
taking any chances. I need you to be home, feeling completely safe."

     
Omega God.
"Are
you breaking up with me?" If he was, he sure was going out of his way to
be nice about it.

     
His mouth
curved upwards slightly. "No, Kitten."

     
I waited in the
car, just as I was told, while he went into Rite Aid. Whether he would come
back with a cone-full of Thrifty's Rocky Road or a pack of Drumsticks, I didn't
know. Not wanting to leave me alone in the quiet, he left the radio on for me.
I spent a few minutes looking for something good, but after hearing the latest
crappy hit on five different stations, I gave up and switched to oldies just in
time to hear The Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' start playing. Shock
overcame me; instinctively, my hand moved to cover my mouth, trying to keep in
the horrible screech that threatened the peaceful lot.

     
What the
fuck is this?

 
    
The
door swung open then, causing me to gasp and jump back in surprise. Ethan
quickly entered, halting in his movements when he saw me.

     
"What?
What's wrong?" His voice was tense.

     
"…Do you
hear that?"

     
He listened
carefully, his eyes searching the car before coming back to me "What is
it?"

     
"The
station. It's the oldies station."

     
Slowly, he
turned to look at the center console, his forehead creasing in confusion.
"Oldies?" he asked.

     
"Oldies," I confirmed.

     
He sat back in
his seat, tilting his head to the side before looking me over once more.
"You're alright, then?"

    
Seriously?
"No, I'm not alright! What the
fuck
is this shit? I wanted
oldies
.
It's bad enough they throw seventies into the mix every so often, but
this
?
I mean, I know it's the earliest of the eighties, but
what does it mean
?
Will it be acceptable to play nineties ten years from now, then? Is that what
they're saying? Will the seventies
really
be considered oldies by then?
And if so, where will I get my
actual
oldies when I'm stuck in a car
waiting for ice cream?"

     
"Oldies," Ethan repeated. A second later his lip twitched and
he snickered. Another second after that, he was laughing. I should've been
happy to hear the sound coming from him, but inside I was still reeling.

     
"Ethan,
it's not funny! I think I'm having an existential crisis here!"

     
That only
seemed to make him laugh harder. "Here," he said, shutting the door
and handing me a large cone of Rocky Road.
Oh. The ice cream will help me
feel better.

     
I took the cone from him and licked the sides where the
ice cream had almost begun dripping. It was then that I noticed a bag at
Ethan's side. I could see a box of Drumsticks peaking out of the top.

     
"And as
for your little crisis…" He reached down between his seat and the console
and pulled out a black cord. "I'm sure your
hubby
will provide you
with all the oldies you could ever need. How's the ice cream?"

     
This fucking
man.
"…Yummy." I couldn't hold it in anymore. I broke into a huge
grin.

     
Keeping his
eyes locked on mine, he leaned over and scooped a bit of the chocolate with his
tongue before sitting back in his seat to start the car. "You're
sweeter."

Before
I could even close the door to the apartment, Ethan was already heading into
the kitchen to put the rest of the ice cream away.

     
"I'll be
staying the night. Unless you kick me out, of course," he called. "In
your room. On the floor, if there's no room on the bed."

     
So he
definitely wasn't breaking up with me. "Alright."

     
He came into
the living room holding a stuffed bear. I hadn't noticed it in the bag, but he
must've bought it while I was in the car. When he handed it to me, I took it
with keen interest. It was white and fluffy with a light golden ribbon wrapped
into a bow around its neck. I snuggled it close to my chest, careful not to get
any Rocky Road on it.

     
"Now get
changed. Quickly. I'll hold your ice cream." He took it before I could
protest and headed into my room.

     
I followed,
removing all of my accessories along the way. Once I dumped them back into
their box, I took off my shoes and grabbed a nightgown off its hanger. It was a
white one, falling a few inches past my knees. But most importantly, it wasn't
fitted so I would feel comfortable stuffing my face in it. Since I had to pee,
I headed for the bathroom to change. After quickly washing my face off, I
hurried back into the room before my ice cream could melt.

     
Ethan had taken
his jacket and shoes off. "Get comfortable. Do whatever you have to do to
feel at home," he said.

     
"I
am
at home."

     
"You know
what I mean."

     
Sighing, I
quickly scanned the room. The first thing I did was fluff my pillows. Since I
would need to lean against them, they would have to be extra puffy. Next came
the music. I hooked my iPod up to my speakers and selected my favorite
classical tunes playlist. After a deep breath, I went to sit on my bed. With
the bear once again in my arms, I held it closely as though I were clutching on
for dear life and reached a hand out, ready for my ice cream. Ethan handed it
over with a smile, coming to sit directly across from me.

     
My tongue
carefully flicked away at the chocolate as I stared, wide-eyed, at the man
before me. "Go ahead," I said gravely.

     
He sat gazing
at me, his eyes glowing with a gentle warmth. "I don't think there are
words to accurately describe just how fucking adorable you are."

     
I felt my face
heat up. Being called adorable, especially as a full-grown woman who could've
been doing porn for years now, was not easy. It was bad enough I had to put up
with the whole 'Baby' shenanigans for most of my life. But hearing it from him
wasn't so bad - not when it came from his achingly smooth and mature voice.
What
else could he get away with calling me?

     
"You're
killing me," I complained, unable to take his staring any longer.
"What is so important that I needed a safe haven?"

     
"We need
to talk about what happened. I need to understand why you said all those things
about yourself. I need to understand
you
- in the same way Dale
does." Pausing, he frowned. "...You said you loved him."

     
"I
do." I didn't even hesitate. Coops was family.

     
Ethan nodded.
"I didn't like hearing it, but I understand." He looked me over
again, waiting a moment before continuing. "Daphne…I can't help what I am.
I was born into a wealthy family and was still very young when I found out the
business would eventually fall into my care. Those two little details alone
already put me on a different playing field than most. And yes, it's true that
a man in my position needs to consider things when choosing a partner who will
be more than just a fuck buddy. I need to know why you think you aren't fit for
that role - because I'm telling you right now…you are."

     
My mouth went
dry as I tried not to think about the long-term implication he had just made.
Maybe
he actually is a fool.
"I already told you why."

     
"Then
we'll cover each base and I'll tell you otherwise. We're going to put an end to
any low self-est-"

     
"I do not
have low self-esteem!" I cut him off. "If I did, I wouldn't even be
with you. I'm just insecure, is all. There's a difference." His smile
returned, much to my chagrin. "Anyway, I already told you I was sorry. You
don't have to play therapist."

     
"At least
play along so I can get to know you better."

     
Rolling my
eyes, I finished the last bits of my ice cream cone.

     
"Want
another?"

     
"…In a
little bit," I answered grumpily.

     
"Right
then. It's not fair that Dale understood what was wrong with you, but I didn't.
Don't you think?"

     
"Nothing
was wrong. I was just tired."

     
"But he
knew it and I didn't."

     
"Of course
he did. He's known me for years."

     
Ethan sat
watching me, waiting patiently.

     
I sighed.
"Fine. But when this is over, I get to ask you some questions."

     
"Anything
you want." He reached over and grabbed my hand to lick the sticky remains
of chocolate off my finger. "Now tell me...what are you doing right now?
Are you employed?"

     
"You
already know the answer."

     
"And
you're in good health?"

 
    
"What do you think?"

     
"I think
you're twenty-four. It's perfectly normal for people your age not to have their
shit together just yet. And having come across plenty of those kinds of people,
I can tell you that it's probably only in your head that you feel that way.
From what I've observed, you're a fairly well-rounded individual who already
found a way to live off doing what you love. I can't imagine why you would feel
like you don't have a hold over things."

     
What could I
possibly say without bringing up the mess that was my entire life? Absolutely
nothing. So I could only agree. "Yes, you're right. I know exactly what
I'm doing," I answered calmly.

     
His brow lifted
slightly. He was probably surprised by my easy acceptance. "Next
point," he continued. "Your daydreaming and twirling. I'll have you
know that I happen to be very fond of both."

     
"You
twirl?"

     
"No, but I
enjoy watching you do it - on the rare occasions that you do. I like seeing you
happy. Don't ever be ashamed of the fact that you retained your childhood ways
of not giving a shit and doing silly little things because it makes you feel
good. I can't tell you how nice it is after being stuck in meetings all day
with a number of dull individuals who are too serious for their own good. And
yes, I include myself in that category, as well."

     
I bit my lip.
Turns out this little chat was actually making me feel somewhat better.

     
"As for
college-"

    
 
Wait, what the hell?
"Did you
write every single thing I said down or something?"

     
"I have an
excellent memory. You should keep that in mind," he answered quickly
before going on, "I don't particularly care about schooling, and neither
should you so long as you're happy and doing something with your life. It does wonders
for some, others not so much." Absently, he began playing with a lock of
my hair. "I
have
been with the kind of women you described, you
know. Women who, on the surface, fit the cookie-cutter ideal."

     
"Of course
you have."

     
"But we
know how those all ended up. Now then…" After brushing some of my hair
behind my ear, he leaned back onto his hands. "There are the last two
details, as well as the way Dale handled you right afterwards, which left me a
bit confused."

     
"I'm an
introvert to the extreme," I replied quickly. I had no problem saying it
out loud, as there was nothing wrong with it. It was the next bit that was
embarrassing to talk about, but he ought to know by this point. It would
probably make things a little easier. "But also…I sort of have social
anxiety. It's gone now, for the most part. But sometimes when I go to
unfamiliar places and have to interact with strangers, it comes up again. Like
tonight, for example."

     
His expression
turned thoughtful as he took a minute to consider some things. "Hm. That
would explain it." Exhaling, he then frowned. "I wouldn't even have
noticed. You're quiet, but you seem to handle yourself just fine, like when you
came in for the interview. And you had no problem dancing earlier
tonight…"

     
I nodded.
"I'm used to hiding it. As for the dancing…It's just one of those things
that helps me forget everything. I can rely on it in the way other people might
rely on getting drunk to socialize more easily. Anyway, like I said, I'm fine
most of the time. Sort of. But I do try to avoid all big social interactions if
I can help it. My main reason for going out tonight was because I thought Dale
and Samantha might hit it off - which they did," I smiled proudly. "I
actually didn't want to go, but knowing he would be there made everything that
much easier."

     
Since I was
being honest for once, I decided to share some other tidbits. "You know, I
almost didn't even go to the interview. I was more scared than I was excited.
And the idea of going out to dinner with you makes me nervous. It would feel
like a date - something I've never done before. The first time is always the
hardest. Although…sometimes I'll feel randomly adventurous. I suppose it comes
from all the exploring I did when living on my own. Other times, it helps to
have a friend." I sighed and hugged the bear closer to me. "I don't
know how Coops is able to read me so well. Years of experience, I guess."

     
"Has it
always been like that for you?"

     
"…No," I answered after a few moments. "It started when I
was about ten. It got worse over the years. When I left home it became a little
easier since I was forced to deal with it on a daily basis."

     
Ethan stared at
me minutely, but kept to himself. I didn't like it. I didn't want to be
studied.

     
"I need
more ice cream. You want one?" I asked as I jumped off the bed.

     
While I went to
grab us some Drumsticks, Ethan took his turn in the bathroom. I gave my silent
thanks to the heavens - it had been a much easier talk than I'd expected. When
I opened the freezer, I was a little surprised to find not one, but three
variety packs.
Huh.
Before I knew it, I was lost in thought. It wasn't
until I felt him behind me that I snapped out of it.

     
"Are you
trying to get cold?" he asked.

     
I whirled
around and hugged him tightly. "You got me ice cream."

     
"Yes, as
per your roommates instructions."

     
"But you
actually
got me ice cream.
Lots
of ice cream." I tightened my hold and
looked up at him with a big smile. "Thank you."

     
He gazed down
at me, amused. "I didn't know it would make you this happy. I'll have to
dig for more information from Dale."

     
I kissed him -
softly, but hopefully he could feel just how grateful I was.

     
"And thank
you for the bear, too. I'll have to think of a name for him."