Private Emotions – Promises (The Private Emotions Trilogy) (11 page)

We were both right there with each other as we consummated our union. This was sex on a different plane of existence. His telling me about his past really had a profound effect on him.

“Emily, oh god, Emily, aaahhhhh.” Our explosions were virtually in unison.

As we lay there under the last bits of sun, there was a lone tear in his eye. He must’ve realized it was there because he turned away from me and wiped it from his eye. If he thought I hadn’t noticed, he was sadly mistaken. This was a caring and more sensitive side of him shining through and I don’t think he knew what to do with it. He probably thought it was a sign of weakness but he couldn’t be further from the truth. This showed me that he was coming to terms with his fears and the possibility of something new coming into his life.

“If we don’t leave now it will be too dark to make it back and we’ll have to stay here all night.”

I stroked his cheek and said with a satisfied expression, “Would that be so bad?”

“Of course not but it does get chilly out here at night and there are some wild animals that we really shouldn’t be around for.” I was thinking that we could keep each other warm with our bodies around one another but it was his mentioning of the animals that gave me second thoughts. We quickly got dressed and packed up the picnic.

“Let me help you up.” He presented his hands, cupped them under my foot and lifted me effortlessly onto the horse. I was really tempted to ride back like Lady Godiva but I think his father and mother would be appalled at such behavior in their presence.

We rode back to the house side by side and I felt a difference in him. It made me wonder what he was thinking behind those eyes and how long it would last. I couldn’t read minds, but if I could, I would say that he was thinking about what he had just told me.

We got back to the stables. The horses were put away as we walked hand in hand back to the house. I hadn’t even realized that his hand was in mine and when I did, I just went with it. I could now feel this connection between the two of us that wasn’t quite there before.

We found his parents in the library reading with a light over their heads and they both looked up as we entered. His mother looked once and then casually glanced a second time, but this time she had a grin on her face. I suspected that she also saw the change in her son. His father wasn’t as perceptive of Ethan’s feelings but what man would really recognize that anyway. It must be a woman’s intuition thing and it was making me love being a woman.

“Emily, I have something to show you before dinner is served.” Taking my hand, she led me away from the men and walked a distance into the hallway before she turned and said, “He told you, didn’t he?”

“He told me what?”

“Don’t be coy, I saw the way the two of you were when you left for the ride and I also see the way he looks at you now. You are very good for him and you’ll make a wonderful addition to this family. Just don’t let him push you away because he has a tendency to do that with women he’s close to.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that our relationship was just an arrangement, so I let her believe that there could be something more in the future. “Just remember what I said, as Sterling men are stubborn and stuck in their ways. I must say though, your demonstration at breakfast made me want to make a few changes to His Highness’s menu.”

I didn’t know that I had that effect on her and I doubted that Ethan’s father was going to be very appreciative.

Dinner was served and I immediately noticed that there was still skin on Ethan’s and my chicken, but his parents’ chickens were skinless. “What the hell is that thing on my plate and why is it naked?”

“I’ve decided that I’m going to be taking an active role in what you eat from now on but I will make sure that you like everything in front of you.”

“Good, so bring me the chicken skins because that’s the best part.”

“Sorry, it might be the best part but it’s also the unhealthiest, so the skins are now off the table. You can still enjoy all the foods that you love, with just the tiniest bit of tweaking to make them healthier for you and that way you’ll be around longer.”

Grumbling under his breath, he forked the bird and took a bite, only to finish the whole meal without any more complaint. When Ethan was his age, would I be doing the same thing to him…wait, where did that come from? I was actually imagining a long life with him and we hadn’t even gotten past the friends with benefits stage. Was my subconscious trying to tell me something that I wasn’t even prepared to admit to myself?

Dessert was delicious and his father couldn’t find any fault in it, although I could tell from the texture of the ice-cream that it was really frozen yogurt. His mother and I exchanged knowing glances and it appeared that she had gotten away with it.

“I think I’m going to retire to the living room for a much needed cigar and brandy after that decadent desert. Care to join me, son?”

He whispered to me before following his father, “He’s never invited me into his hallowed space before, let alone offered me a cigar and brandy. I would say that you are having a positive effect on him.”

“Thank you for not letting the cat out of the bag, my dear.”

“No problem, I did the same thing for my mother.” We giggled at the thought of her little scheme.

We joined the men in the well-decorated living room, but only if you liked dead animal heads on the walls. It was eerily uncomfortable and I just couldn’t feel at home with all those eyes staring at me and judging me from afar. At least they were finished with the cigars and now they were all enjoying a fine brandy. They offered me a glass but I declined. I wasn’t much of a drinker aside from a good bottle of wine or champagne.

“This has been a wonderful distraction from the real world mother and father, but I do believe that Emily and I will be leaving in a few minutes.” I could see the disappointment in their eyes, but I knew that once Ethan was committed to something there was no talking him out of it. “You both know that I love you dearly but Emily and I are starting a venture into uncharted territories and have a lot to do to make our dreams a reality.”

“We understand, and I hope that you’ll at least invite us to your…” I waited for his mother to say wedding and my heart almost stopped dead with the implication of such a statement. “…grand opening of your gallery and also the boutique, Emily. I can always use new clothes. Emily, are you okay? You look like you’re about to faint.”

“No, I’m just tired as it’s been a long day.”

“Son, let me help you load the art into your car and maybe I can convince you that American-made cars are better than those foreign types.”

“Why would this time be any different? You know no matter what you say, I’m just going to buy overseas anyway.”

“I know, but a father has to try to open his son’s eyes to the reality of investing in his own country.”

While we all said our goodbyes to one another, his mother whispered in my ear before I got into the car, “Dear, you are who he’s been looking for and I think he’s who you have been searching for. I hope that we will see you again soon but until then, do take care of yourself and our Ethan.”

Chapter Six
New Beginnings

“I can’t believe that you’re getting married this weekend and you’ve decided to have it right here in town.”

“I know but when you know it’s right, there’s really nothing else you can do but to go with your heart. I kn
ow that my day would be special and now that you have agreed to be my matron of honor and Ronnie one of my bridesmaids, I couldn’t ask for more”

I really didn’t know what to say. I had never been asked to be in a wedding party before, but there was no way that I was going to deny the request of one of my best friends. “You know that I would be delighted to be a part of the wedding and help you make this the most magical day of your life. If you haven’t got a wedding dress yet for either of you, I was hoping that you would let me create something unique and special for the occasion?”

“Now, I’m the one left a little speechless. I never expected that you’d want to go that far, but I think I can speak for myself and my bride-to-be. We would love for you to create something that was one-of-a-kind just for us. Are you sure that you have the time to complete the dresses before the big day this weekend?”

“I’ve actually been tinkering with a few designs ever since you told me about your marriage. In fact, I was hoping that you would say yes, since I have both dresses almost completed. If you both trust me enough, I’ll just bring it over on the day of the wedding and surprise you with something that I hope will shock and amaze you.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea and now we both have something to look forward to on the big day besides getting married to the one we love.” Sophie and her bride-to-be had decided that they were going to get married this weekend and even wanted a unique and awe inspiring location to have the ceremony. It would be held in a private section of the city’s botanical gardens, the perfect setting for a flowerchild like Sophie. As it would be an outdoor wedding we were all hoping that the weather played along, but come rain or sun, I had no doubt that it would be a day to remember. “Listen, I still have a lot to do, but let me know how everything is going and we’ll see you and your friends at the wedding.”

She said that it was going to be an intimate affair and that only a select few were going to be invited to the big day. They didn’t want anything ostentatious, but still wanted the spirit of the day to shine through in an elegant way. The first thing that I thought of when she told me about the wedding was if I could corral Ethan into being my date. Since we got back from his parents’ place, I had seen a real transformation in him and I really had no desire to be apart from him for any longer than was necessary.

I picked up the phone, dialed his number and waited patiently on the other end for him to pick up. “Emily, what have I done to be honored with hearing from you this fine day?” I could hear him chuckle in the background.

“I’ve just been informed by Sophie that she is getting married this weekend and I was wondering if you would like to attend the festivities with me?”

“Sophie already told me about what they had planned and the first thing that I thought of was if you would accompany me.” We laughed as we realized that we both had similar thoughts.

“I guess great minds think alike and maybe you can pick me up at the shop on Saturday morning? I have something very special for them as my way of giving my blessing to their union.”

“Sure, I can do that, but until then I would still like to see you for dinner this evening. I have something that I need to discuss with you that might be the start of a new life for both of us.” He was being a little aloof and had me wondering just what he was thinking. For some reason I was seeing wedding bells in my future. If he were to propose to me tonight, would I even believe that we had a chance together?

“Pick me up after work and I can discuss with you what my plans are for the wedding, then you can tell me what you want to say.”

We got to the restaurant and he went down on one knee. I was ready for him to make his grand declaration when he got up with a fork in his hand. It was on the floor when we got to the table and probably went unseen by the staff. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or disappointed that he didn’t pop the big question.

Taking my hand, he said, “Emily, I know you gave me the green light to look into finding you the right space for your new boutique and now I have some news that could change everything. Apparently the space that I told you about, the one next to my gallery, it is rumored to have several offers. I took it upon myself to make an arrangement with the owner so that you would have the first survey. I needed to set it up before anyone else claimed it. Now, before you say anything, know that I am not trying to run your life. This is entirely up to you.”

“Well, I did tell you to look into it, and your description of the place has made me very curious, so I would at least like to see the place before I make any kind of decision.”

“I’ll confirm it after the wedding but we will need to see the place on Monday evening if that is okay with you?”

“It sounds like a plan to me, thanks for arranging it, Ethan. Now let me tell you what my plans are for Sophie’s wedding. They sprung this on me kind of quickly, but I was already in the process of making their dresses before she even mentioned that they were going to have the wedding this weekend. I’m going to present them with two Emily originals for them to wear down the aisle.”

“That is so nice of you to do, especially considering that you are also the matron of honor in the ceremony. If you need any help whatsoever, I want you to know that I will be there to lend you a hand.” Ethan was being a proper gentleman and I could tell in his eyes that he really wanted to kiss me, so I waited until he made his move. As his lips touched mine, I fell into it and let him kiss me deeply and hard over the table.

We had a very lovely dinner and talked about everything that happened at his parents’ place. He told me that his father had actually kept to his mother’s wishes regarding eating healthier. In fact, she was in the process of converting one of the rooms upstairs into a gym and they were both going to have personal trainers come in three times a week to keep them in shape.

There was a light drizzle outside when we left the restaurant, so Ethan took off his jacket and put it over my head to prevent me from getting wet. We got in the car and he purposely drove to the site of what would possibly become my new boutique. He parked across the street so that I could get a close-up feel for the neighborhood.

I looked around and could see that there was plenty of light and parking in the area. The display window outside of the shop was everything that he said it was and more. There was definitely foot traffic in the area and I could see that most of the clientele would be professionals and business owners. There was also a college nearby which meant possible interns in the fashion field. I could use a couple of them for labor at a reasonable price and even give some of them a chance to make it in this business. The only thing left to see was the inside of the place and I was really looking forward to doing just that.

“I have to say, Mr. Sterling, you may have just outdone yourself but we will have to see the interior when we return on Monday.” A big smile appeared on his face and he took my hand and kissed it before he pulled back into the traffic.

He stopped outside of my apartment and switched off the engine. We both had a long and busy next day but that didn’t mean the evening had to end abruptly. Our hands were all over each other and I could see that the heat between us made the car windows fog up. His lips were on my neck and his hands cupped both of my breasts. As the passion between us intensified it made it more difficult to get out of the car. I had to leave now before we did something that we would have to finish.

I pulled away from him while still breathing heavily and said, “Okay…that’s enough or I’m never going to get any sleep tonight and we will both be walking around tomorrow in a complete daze.” He reluctantly let me go and promised that he would see me in two days to take me to the wedding, but until then, he would be busy with getting things ready for the launch of his new book and the gallery.

The next two days were very busy and I didn’t have a moment to myself. I still had to finish up the wedding dresses and do all of my work for Michelle. It was good that Ethan was busy as well because I just didn’t have any time to be with him, even though I was thinking about him all the time. He found some time of his own to send me a short text to tell me that he was thinking about me.

As I stood on the curb Saturday morning, I saw Ethan drive up to the shop and get out in a big rush. I handed him the two dresses that were now encased in a black leather cover and he gently laid the delicate dresses in the back seat.