Serendipity (18 page)

“Fine. But we will discuss this,” her mother said, and walked away.

“When? Next time you call me, which is never?” Faith muttered at her mother's back. She turned to Ethan, regret etched in her face. “I'm sorry about that. She's horrible.”

“No more than my brother was to you.” He shrugged it off, truly not bothered. “And you're not responsible for what she says.”

Blue eyes met his. “Thanks. So where were we?” she asked, obviously eager to put the scene with her mother behind her.

He propped a hand on the shelf behind her. “We were about to discuss the fact that you're
married
?” He raised an eyebrow and waited for an answer.

“Divorced.”

The knot in his stomach unwound a bit. “Better. But not perfect.”

The corners of her mouth lifted in amusement. “What? You thought I was a vestal virgin?”

No, but he couldn't bear the thought of another man's hands on her naked body. Especially when he hadn't had
his
hands on her yet.

“Relax, caveman.” She poked him in the chest. “It's over.”

Not for Ethan. He needed to know more. “What happened?”

“Do you really want to have this conversation in the aisle at Target?”

It was better than not having the conversation at all. “Yep.”

“Fine.” She hitched the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder. “I married a man my parents approved of. It turned out he only married me for my father's connections, but I was too naive to realize it. Once my father was arrested, Carter had gotten all he could from our marriage. I caught him in bed with his mistress.”

“Asshole,” Ethan muttered.

“
Our
bed.”

“Son of a—” Anger at that kind of betrayal flooded Ethan's veins.

“It's over,” she said again, more softly this time. “And it should have been finished long before that. Now can we get back to business?” She pointed to the colored comforters lining the walls.

Ethan wanted more information. He wanted to know if she'd been happy with the man. If she'd loved him. But he knew better than to push. He had his own walls, didn't he?

“So how do we choose for Tess?” he asked.

She released the breath she'd obviously been holding. “If you ask me, it comes down to these. There's this floral”—she touched a pink and black flowered pattern—“which I don't see as an option.” She looked to him for confirmation.

He nodded. “I agree there.”

“So it's one of these animal prints.” She swept her hand over the green, purple, pink, or regular black and white zebra stripes. Shockingly, Ethan could live with one of those. “She seems to like purple,” he said, recalling her awful colored hair.

Faith laughed. “Exactly what I was thinking.” She turned and reached high to grab the right size comforter, causing her denim skirt to ride up on her thighs and reveal a flash of what he thought was bare flesh. A second look showed a dusky pink color covering and almost blending with her pale skin.

Ethan's mouth grew dry. Thoughts he'd managed to keep at bay most of the day came flooding back now. Wanting her. Needing her. His groin hardened at the thought, thrusting against the rough denim of his jeans.

“Let me,” he muttered, reaching for the plastic covering and pulling the blanket into his hands.

“Thanks!”

“No problem.” He shifted his jeans, trying unsuccessfully to get more comfortable. “Queen.” He read the label. “Is this the right size?” he asked gruffly.

“Yes. I thought we'd give Tess my old room, and it's definitely big enough for a queen.” She narrowed her gaze. “What's wrong?” she asked, perceptively reading him.

He glanced around. Once assured they were alone at the end of the aisle, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, her back facing the wall. “What's wrong is you wearing barely there underwear beneath that skirt.”

“What? It's a full bikini!”

He slid his hand around her thigh and inched his fingertips upward until he cupped her thinly covered cheek. “The color of your skin,” he said thickly.

“It's light mauve,” she whispered on a sigh as he glided his finger over the damp spot between her legs.

“Do not wear these things with a skirt ever again.” He barely recognized his voice.

“Would you prefer I wear armor?”

He punished her sarcasm with a glide of his finger over her mound.

At his touch, she shuddered and let out a soft moan. “I forgot all about the skirt when I reached up for the comforter.”

He'd never forget the sight or the feel of them in his hand. Knowing he'd gone as far as he could in public, he freed his hand, then sucked in a ragged breath, attempting to relax his body.

“What else do we need to buy?” he managed to ask, all the while wondering when he could have her.

How he could possibly carve out time for them alone.

“I have a list,” she said as she adjusted her outfit.

For the rest of the day, they shopped up a storm, accessorizing Tess's purple and black room. Faith managed to get him to let her order black lacquer furniture for the teen because it would help convince Tess that Ethan actually heard her when she spoke. That he cared about what she wanted. And they never mentioned the incident in the aisle.

But somehow, some way, Ethan was determined to finish what he started with Faith.

 

 

Trunk loaded with shopping bags, Faith settled into the passenger's seat of the car beside Ethan. “Success!” she said, pleased with the items they'd bought for Tess.

“You did good.” He slipped his sunglasses on and headed back to Serendipity.

Faith glanced at her watch. “The mattress is going to be delivered in an hour. Is Rosalita there?”

He shook his head. “She usually works mornings, but she asked for today off. Don't worry, though. I can be there for the delivery.”

“And set things up afterward?” She grinned. “If you don't mind driving me back later, I can wait with you and then put the sheets and comforter on the bed. That way you can surprise Tess later.”

He slid an appreciative glance her way. “That'd be great.”

“Part of the job,” she assured him, knowing it was much more. She wanted to help get the girl's room put together so the teen felt like she belonged there. “The wallpaper in the room clashes horribly with the new bedding,” she pointed out.

He waved a hand through the air. “Carte blanche,” he reminded her. “Order whatever you think is best.”

She nodded. “I will. Did you speak to Rosalita and tell her about Tess?”

Ethan groaned. “Did I warn her, you mean? Not yet. I need to do it in person.”

With a shrug, Faith shifted in her seat. “She handled my parents. One teenage girl will be a piece of cake for her. As a matter of fact, I think she'll be good for Tess.”

“She won't put up with any of her BS, that's for sure.” A sexy grin lifted the corner of his mouth.

She sighed, unable to look away. Gorgeous face, strong hands on the steering wheel. God, what the man did to her.

“What do you think of asking Rosalita to work full-time?” She forced herself to keep her mind where it belonged. “Having her in the house will free you up to come and go and not worry about keeping an eye on Tess. And there will definitely be more mess with a teenager living there. Not to mention laundry.”

“Another good idea. Think she'll do it?”

“Her kids are grown, she's widowed . . . I don't see why not.”

“Good.”

They arrived back at the house and Ethan pulled up the long driveway to find an irate delivery driver waiting for them.

Faith climbed out of the car and met him by the cab of the truck while Ethan pulled the car into the garage.

“I was just getting ready to leave,” the man muttered.

Faith deliberately glanced at her watch. “You're early.”

He lifted a baseball cap and scratched his head. “And you're complaining? Most people hate sitting around all day.”

“When you give a window, that means people can leave the premises before or after the time you're supposed to be there. Anyway, we're here now.” She gestured toward the house.

“Let me unpack the mattress,” he muttered.

“Thanks. I'll have a cold glass of water for you waiting inside,” she said, flashing him her brightest smile.

“I'd appreciate that,” he said, his gruff attitude lessening.

The driver disappeared into the back of the truck. Once in the house, Ethan and Faith separated, Ethan heading into his office to make phone calls and handle business. Faith threw the new linen into the washing machine while the driver unpacked and unloaded the delivery. He carried the mattress, box spring, and headboard Faith had ordered into the house and set up the bed in Tess's new room.

She watched with mixed feelings as the man finished putting a bed together for another girl to live in Faith's old room. She'd had some great memories growing up here, and if she let go of the pain of her father's betrayal, she could admit she'd been a lucky, fortunate kid. So was Tess, if only the girl would give her brothers a chance and let them in, Faith thought.

Once the driver had finished and handed her his water glass, she tipped him and walked him to the door, ignoring the surreal feeling of being a stranger in her own home. A home that was no longer hers.

She shook off the pain inherent in that thought and returned to work. She switched the linen from the washer to the dryer and while waiting, she made some calls of her own. First Faith called Kate, who assured her that Tess was fine, she shouldn't worry, and then rushed her off the phone so Kate could get back to work.

Next up, Faith needed to speak to Joel—more as a designer than a friend. He gave her ideas of places with quality furniture whose managers would work with her to deliver pieces in way under the normal six-week period of time.

Her next call was to Nick. Faith had a vision of dark wooden built-ins for the family room walls, and as a contractor, Nick had the ability to make her idea come alive. His crew could also handle any other work the house desperately needed.

As Faith expected, he fought the idea, citing his dislike and distrust of Ethan. It took some arm twisting along with very valid arguments to change his mind. Faith merely asked whether in this economy Nick could really afford to turn down a job that would keep his men busy and paid. Nick relented and Tess had hired herself a contractor.

When the dryer buzzer sounded, she gathered the items and headed upstairs to make the bed and ready the room for Tess. Ethan had already carried the Target bags and other items they'd purchased upstairs, including some temporary accessories. Faith put the black plastic table beside the bed and set out the purple iHome alarm clock and iPod holder. Next came the sheets and the comforter, topped by pillows to sleep on and matching zebra print throw cushions to match. The pièce de résistance was an oversized purple beanbag in the corner with a pocket to hold Tess's iPod.

If Faith ignored the mismatched carpet and wallpaper, all of which she'd fix soon, the room was ready for the teen. Unfortunately, Faith knew that even if Tess loved the room, there was no way the girl would admit as much to herself or to Ethan. So Faith settled for admiring her handiwork instead.

 

 

Ethan walked into Tess's room just as Faith bent over to smooth wrinkles on the bed. A glance at her bare feet and from her long legs up to the flash of
light mauve
underwear, and his ability to hold himself in check snapped. He strode up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him ass first.

She squealed, then relaxed and let her buttocks ease into him. At the sweet pressure, he let out a harsh groan and slid his hand beneath her shirt, flat against her smooth stomach.

“Didn't I warn you not to wear these underwear around me?” He barely recognized his voice.

“I thought you said not to wear them with a skirt ever again?” she asked, obviously teasing him.

“That too.” He nuzzled the space between her neck and shoulder, inhaling her fragrant scent, arousing himself even more.

“Well, it's not like I've been home to change.” Without warning, she turned to face him, sliding her arms around his neck and meeting his gaze. Her eyes twinkled with mischief . . . and desire. “This is such a bad idea.”

He brushed her hair off her shoulder, leaned in, and nipped her soft skin. “Why?”

“So many reasons.” She leaned her head to one side, giving him better access.

“Name one,” he challenged. But not one to turn away a good thing, he licked the sweet spot he'd nipped earlier and was rewarded when she shuddered in his arms.

She glided her tongue over her lips, then said, “Your brother hates me.”

Ethan laughed at that one. “My brother hates
me
too.”

She swallowed hard. “I work for you.”

Also weak,
he thought, not too concerned since she wasn't exactly pushing him away. “You're decorating my house. Hardly an employer, employee relationship,” he countered. “No sexual harassment here.” His hips jerked forward and he felt cushioned in feminine heat.

Another minute and he'd explode.

“No, I wouldn't call it harassment,” she agreed with a needy sigh.

“Any other reasons?” he asked, wanting to sum up this conversation and get them into his bed.

She paused in thought. “I'm coming off a really bad relationship,” she finally said.