Stitches and Scars (16 page)

“That’s something I’ll have to let you check out for yourself.” She winked and bit on her lips in an attempt to hide her smile.

His eyes widened. “I think that’s something I could arrange. I am, after all, a very
thorough
doctor.”

“Well, then, I’ll have to make sure you give me a very
thorough
examination.”

With those words, Kate was finished thinking. All she wanted was to be lost in Ethan. She leaned in slowly molding her body to his. As soon as he recognized what she wanted, he lowered his head and brushed his lips across her mouth, leaving her lips tingling. Kate’s heartbeat accelerated and heat ran quickly through her, igniting every inch of her body, making her even more aware of his touch.

Ethan moved one of his hands from her waist to her back. He stroked her soft skin slowly, working the hem of her shirt up slightly. The cold night air flowed up her back, spreading goose bumps over her skin, and his warm hand felt like fire against the cold sliver of exposed flesh. She arched her back and pulled away slightly, creating a gap of space between them.

He looked down at her, hunger in his eyes. “Kate,” he said in an eager tone.

She didn’t respond with words. Instead she leaned in, tracing her tongue on his lip until he parted his mouth, granting her exactly what she wanted. He slid his tongue over hers, gently following her movements. Their kiss turned more passionate, and Kate allowed her hands to roam over him, following an invisible path up his stomach to his chest. She traced the curves and dips of his body, feeling his taut muscles shift, responding to her touch.

As she slid her hands down his arms, her head was filled with thoughts of only Ethan. They broke apart, and Kate turned her head into his neck. She breathed him in, trying to describe the scent. Something about him reminded her of warm vanilla. She kissed her way down his neck to the exposed hollow of his collarbone and back up to his ear.

“I could kiss you forever,” she whispered, before tracing his earlobe with her tongue and kissing the soft skin that hid underneath. She heard herself speaking and was shocked at how brave she was being. It wasn’t like her to be so bold, yet there was just something about him. Her body responded in a way that she’d never experienced before. Not even with Scott. Kate knew that if she was indeed going to take things slow with Ethan, she was going to have to get some self-control. There was no doubt that she wanted him; she wanted him more than anything and part of her knew that he felt the same way. She just needed some time.

It was getting late, and both Ethan and Kate knew that if they didn’t leave soon, they’d end up doing something that they would both regret. And enjoy. Kate reached up on her toes and gave him another long kiss, before pulling away and getting lost in his eyes.

“I have had a wonderful night, but I should probably get going.”

She heard him exhale softly. “Yeah, I guess we’d better, huh?”

The disappointment in his voice was clear and it made her heart skip. Reaching down, she took his hand in hers and felt the comfort from earlier. Together, they walked in silence back to their cars. Kate felt the same panic she’d felt earlier when walking out of the restaurant.
When will I see him again? s
he wondered. The question hung on the tip of her tongue until finally she pushed the words out in a slur.

“Can I see you tomorrow night?” she asked, squeezing her eyes shut.

Ethan laughed. “You ask that like I’m not going to want to see you.”

“I was just … you know … worried that maybe you—”

“Kate,” he said, cutting her off. “I thought I already told you I wasn’t going anywhere. I have a feeling there won’t ever be a time when I won’t want to be with you.”

She swallowed slowly to calm her nerves. “Okay, so you’re not going anywhere,” she repeated, trying to convince herself. “Does that mean I can see you tomorrow?” she asked again.

“Actually, I’m working a night shift tomorrow.”

“Oh.” She blinked quickly, trying to hide her disappointment.

“But can I call you tomorrow?”

She nodded and gave him what she was sure was a goofy smile. But she couldn’t help it; she simply couldn’t hold it back.

Kate turned to get into her car, but Ethan grabbed her hand to stop her. He twisted her around so she was facing him and placed his hand on her cheek. Leaning in, he gently pressed his lips to hers causing her mind to grow fuzzy. Before she wanted it to be over, it was. He pulled away and looked down at her.

“Sleep well, Kate. Have pleasant dreams.”

“You too,” she whispered.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” he said with a smirk.

Kate laughed as his statement brought back memories of what he’d said earlier at the restaurant
. I dream about you all the time
, he had said.

Quickly reaching up on her toes, Kate gave him one last peck before getting into her car. “I’ll be waiting for your call,” she said as she slammed the door shut.

Ethan stood outside her car smiling for a moment, then climbed into his own. He wasn’t sure how many hours they’d spent together, but he was certain he could have spent even longer with her. For him, tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.

They both pulled away from the park, heading in opposite directions and both thinking about each other.

***

By the time Kate made it home, it was one o’clock in the morning. She couldn’t believe she and Ethan had spent almost four hours talking.
Four of the best hours of my life,
she thought with a sigh.

Relieved that all the lights were off when she arrived home, she silently crept up the stairs. Kate didn’t feel like answering all of the questions she knew Elle would have for her. And she didn’t even want to think about the plethora of questions Sophie would bombard her with. There was no doubt in her mind that her other best friend would be at her door first thing in the morning to get all the details.

She made her way into her bedroom, kicking off her flats and slipping out of her black pants and blouse. Tossing them in a heap on the floor, she then headed into her bathroom where she stood in front of the mirror looking at her reflection. The face reflected back at her was one she almost didn’t recognize. Her ear-to-ear grin was alive and full of energy. Even the color of her eyes seemed lighter and more vibrant. She took a deep breath and exhaled, reveling in the exhilaration that came with the prospect of new love.

Kate finished her nightly routine and lazily slid into a tank top before crawling into bed. Pulling the covers up around her neck, she let her mind replay the evening. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember the exact details of his face when he smiled at her. She subconsciously touched her fingers to her lips, thinking of the way he felt pressed up against them. His kisses were the last thing she thought of as she drifted off to sleep, her fingers still held to her mouth.

***

“Kate. Kate, wake up.”

Perfect dreams of Ethan were interrupted as Kate came to. She could hear Elle whispering in her ear before the gentle nudging began.

“Come on, Kate. I know you’re awake,” Elle begged.

“You better have a good reason for waking me up,” Kate said, her voice still raspy from sleep.

“I do.” Her friend’s tone was shocked as if surprised she’d suggest otherwise.

“A reason that does not involve Ethan,” Kate clarified while pulling the covers over her head.

“Katherine Thomas!” Elle yelled as she grabbed the blanket off her sleeping friend. “You know I’m getting on the train in the next hour and I have to know what happened. Soph will be here by lunchtime and she’ll get all the details. I refuse to be left out just because I’ll be out of the state,” she finished with a huff.

“Fine, what do you want to know?” Kate sat up sluggishly and took her blanket back, pulling it up over her bare legs.

“Did you kiss?” Elle asked in an almost whisper.

Kate paused. “Yes.”

“You did! I can’t believe it. I mean, I can—I’m just surprised. I still can’t believe that he was
the
Ethan you’ve been talking about this entire time.” She shook her head.

At Elle’s words, Kate realized that she hadn’t actually told her friend that the Ethan she’d been talking about was the same Ethan that was her childhood friend. “Wait a minute. How did you figure that out, anyway?” she asked curiously.

Elle looked at her like she was crazy. “Give me some credit. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. The way you two were looking at each other. Not to mention the sexual tension that I think everyone in the restaurant felt. And then you two disappeared and when you came back you had the I-just-made-out-and-it-was-hot look all over your face. Then I knew it was definitely him.”

Kate laughed. Her friends knew something had happened just like she thought they would.

“So, are you going out with him tonight?” Elle asked with a smile. “Because you know, I
am
going to be out of town and the townhouse will be empty …” She trailed off suggestively.

“No, he has to work the night shift. But he said he’d call me. Plus, I know what you’re suggesting and
that
is not going to happen anytime soon.”

“Why not? You like him, don’t you?”

“You know I do. It’s just that … I don’t know. I’m nervous about getting hurt again.”

“That little jerk,” Elle burst out with a shake of her head.

Kate was taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about that ex-boyfriend of yours. I swear, Kate, if he were here …” Her eyes were full of anger as she thought about the things she would like to do to Scott.

“I know. Believe me, I know. To be honest, I’m just shocked and upset and scared about the whole situation.” Elle looked at her friend, waiting for further explanation. “I’m shocked that I have these feelings for Ethan—feelings that are stronger than I could imagine especially after such a short time. I’m upset with myself because I can’t seem to get over the way Scott hurt me. It’s like the fear of getting hurt is paralyzing me. I’m just afraid it will happen all over again, and I know I won’t be able to handle that. I’m scared to fall in love again. And I’m even more scared because I think I’m already falling. How is that possible? I barely know him!” she wailed, feeling exasperated.

“Kate.” Elle leaned forward and placed her hand on her flustered friend’s knee. “You’re never going to move on if you don’t try. You’ve
got
to open yourself up. That’s all part of falling in love. Now, I’m not saying you have to dive right in, even though you feel you already have. But I
am
saying you’re going to have to put your trust in Ethan. And as for not knowing him very long? Well, I know him. Granted it was a long time ago, but he was great then and he seems great now. Plus, if it’s there,” she paused, “it’s there. Remember what Sophie said about magic.” She rolled her eyes and let out a small huff. “I can’t believe that I just said that. She is so rubbing off on me.”

“I won’t tell Sophie, don’t worry.” Kate promised with a laugh.

“All right.” She smiled. “I need to get going. The last thing I want is to miss my train. I’ll call you later to find out how your
phone call
went,” she said with a wink as if “phone call” meant something else.

Kate rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay, now go and show the world what you’re made of.”

Her gorgeous friend stood and struck a pose before grabbing her chest. “God didn’t bless me with this hot body for nothing.”

“That’s right.” Kate nodded. “Now do us proud.”

The two friends gave one another a hug, and as Elle was walking out of the room, she paused. “Don’t forget what I said, Kate. It’s magic. So just … let it happen.” She gave one last smile and left.

As soon as Kate heard the door close, she rolled over, burying her face in her pillow. She was still exhausted from her late night and figured she could afford to sleep in a little longer. Especially since Sophie would most likely be making an appearance today. No sooner had she finished her thought than she heard someone at the door.

With a groan, she pulled back her covers and trudged to the door. “Sophie! Why did we let you keep your key if you’re always forgetting it? I was trying to get back to—” Kate flung the door open and froze mid-sentence.

There, standing before her, was Ethan. He was wearing blue scrub bottoms and a thin, worn, long sleeve tee shirt, holding the biggest basket of fruit she’d ever seen.

Chapter 14

Fruit Smoothies

E
than. What are you doing here?” Kate asked.

She was wearing nothing but a light blue tank top and dark gray underwear. As much as he tried, Ethan couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming over her body, taking in every curve and inch of bare skin. He was aware that she’d asked him a question, but at the moment, words seemed to fail him. “I’m sorry,” he finally mustered an apology.

“No!” she practically shouted. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you’re here. I just wasn’t expecting you.” She blushed slightly.

Relief rushed over him when he realized that she was, in fact, happy to see him. It was something he’d feared since early this morning, after making the rash decision to drive up and see her. Of course, he’d tried sleeping, but it was of no use. Thoughts of her kept him awake and eventually, he gave in to his desires.

“Sorry I surprised you like this. I must have awoken you.”

At his words, Kate’s eyes went wide. She quickly looked down at herself and realized that she was barely dressed. Her face turned bright red as she attempted to fix the tangled pile of hair on her head. “Oh, umm,” she paused, her eyes looking everywhere but at him. “No, you didn’t wake me. Elle did,” she said quietly.

“Is Elle here then?” Ethan tried to act curious even though he was hoping that she wasn’t home. He wanted to be alone with Kate.

“No, she just left to catch her train.”

“That’s right; she’s doing a fitting this weekend,” he remembered out loud.

“So, do you want to come in?” She looked at him and smiled.

“Yes, that would be great.” Ethan walked into her townhouse, still grasping the large basket filled with fruit. “I thought that, since we wouldn’t get a chance to see each other tonight, I’d stop by and make you breakfast. Well, smoothies, really.”

She closed the door behind them and leaned up against it for a minute, looking at him with a strange expression.

“What?” he asked, not sure what she was thinking.

“It’s nothing. I just like the way you look holding all that fruit. It brings back some great memories.” She smirked.

“That is a
great
memory. I don’t know if I told you or not, but I will never be able to look at produce the same way again.” He laughed and shook his head back and forth. “I took the coldest shower of my life when I got home.

Her eyes went wide. “You did?”

He almost wished he could feel embarrassed about his comment, but he didn’t. He gave a quiet sigh before he decided to be completely honest. “Yes, a very cold shower and even that didn’t help. You have to know the effect you have on me by now, especially after last night.”

Ethan looked into her eyes and watched her fiddle with the fabric of her shirt. She dropped her head shyly and started to twist her foot around, nervously drawing imaginary patterns on the hard wood. She was beautiful, even when she was nervous.

He could tell that she wasn’t going to be the first one to speak. In the few conversations he’d had with her, Ethan had learned that when she dropped her head, it meant she was trying to gather her thoughts and find the right words to say. He hated to see her struggle. “Do you have somewhere I can put this?” He held up the full basket.

“Sure,” she said with relief.

She turned the corner and led him down the hall to what he assumed was the kitchen. Again, Ethan couldn’t help but let his eyes wander down her body, taking in her bare legs and the way her hips shifted from side to side. Quickly looking away so he wouldn’t get caught, he turned his attention to the kitchen.

It was bigger than he expected. Dark counters wrapped around two sides of the room in an L formation. Honey colored cabinets lined the walls reaching higher in some places than in others, drawing attention to the height of the ceiling. In the center of the kitchen stood a granite-topped island with bar stools lining one side.

“Your kitchen’s great.”

“Thanks, it’s the main reason we chose this place. I love cooking, so it works out great for me.”

“That’s right, you can make gnocchi,” he said, remembering yet again something from their encounter at the grocery store.

Kate’s eyebrows pulled together as she thought of how he knew that. Then she remembered. “Ahh, the grocery store,” she realized out loud.

“The grocery store.” He nodded.

With a smile, Ethan walked over to the island and started removing some of the fruit. He wasn’t sure what her favorite was, so he grabbed all he could find.

“I’m not sure if we have enough fruit here for two shakes,” she teased sarcastically.

“What makes you think I’m making two?”

She looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Oh, so you’re not hungry?”

“I’m a guy, Kate. I’m always hungry.”

“How could I miss that?” She smiled and playfully winked. “So, what kind are we making?” Her eyes danced over the fruit on the table.

“What’s your favorite?”

“In a shake, I like peaches, bananas, strawberries, and maybe some blueberries. But I will eat some cantaloupe and cherries separately, if that’s okay?”

“You can have whatever you want.” Ethan began to sort through the basket and pulled out the fruits that she’d mentioned.

“What about you? What do you like in your shakes?

He thought for a moment before speaking. “You already know I’m a big strawberry fan, and peaches are probably a tie for first, so those two are a definite. The combination you suggested sounds great.”

“Well, then, let’s get started.” She smiled up at him and held his gaze for a little longer than necessary. Ethan was once again struck by her beauty, and his hand twitched with the desire to touch her. Slowly reaching his hand forward, he lightly grazed her cheekbone, feeling the silkiness of her skin slip beneath his fingertips.

Kate closed her eyes and turned into his palm, before placing her hand over his. “I’m really glad you’re here,” she whispered.

“Me too, more than you probably know.”

They shared a moment of silence before Kate returned her attention to the fruit. She quickly went to work opening a drawer and rummaging around. In no time at all, she found what she was looking for and placed the small paring knife on the counter. Grabbing a colander out of the cabinet below, she walked over to the sink.

Ethan watched her move around the kitchen, gathering the items she needed. She really seemed in her element. Something about it brought a feeling of happiness to him that he hadn’t expected. He wasn’t sure why, but soon decided it was because she was happy and comfortable around him.

“Will you bring that fruit over here?” she asked, looking briefly over her shoulder.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed the fruit and flew to her side. She began ripping open the bags, placing the fruit in the colander and washing them off. When she opened the package of strawberries he automatically stood a little straighter.

“Are you all right?” She looked over at him.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he lied.
Although, it seems I can’t retain any sort of composure when you’re near me with fruit,
he added silently.

Kate shrugged off his odd response and went back to washing fruit. Then, as if someone turned on a bulb, it hit her and she knew why he’d reacted as he had. She smiled to herself, biting back a laugh. Slowly turning to face him, she held out a strawberry. “Want a bite?” she purred.

It was clear by her tone that the playful Kate was back and Ethan swallowed. “Sure,” he managed to say, while holding out his hand.

She eyed his hand and shook her head. “No hands, please,” she said, taking a step closer and placing the strawberry to his lips.

He swallowed again—louder this time—and leaned in to take a bite. Her breath caught as he bit down, taking the berry into his mouth. Quickly finishing, he reached down into the sink and retrieved one of his own. “Your turn,” he said, while holding another strawberry to her mouth.

Holding back a giggle, she leaned in and slowly parted her lips, waiting for Ethan’s move. He lifted the berry to her mouth and she bit down hard, making juice drip onto her bottom lip. Kate lifted her hand in an attempt to wipe it off, but was stopped when Ethan grabbed hold of her wrist.

He shook his head. “No hands, please.” He smiled, then leaned down until his face was level with hers. Softly sliding his tongue out, he licked the red juice that had gathered at the corner of her mouth, then kissed her properly.

“Wait,” she said, pulling back quickly.

Ethan froze, thinking that perhaps he’d done something wrong. “Are you okay? Did I do something? Am I moving too fast for you?”

“No, no, that’s not it. I need a minute. I just woke up, so hang on a second.” She placed her finger to Ethan’s lips. “Don’t move,” she commanded as she quickly ran out of the room.

Kate hurried to her bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush, smothering it with enough toothpaste for three people. With her toothbrush still in her mouth, she ran into her bedroom and searched desperately for something to put on. Only finding an old pair of shorts, she settled on the gray cut offs and pulled them on with one hand as she continued to brush vigorously. When she was satisfied that she’d removed any trace of morning breath, she rinsed out her mouth and splashed her face with the cool water, washing away any nighttime grime.

After one look in the mirror and a swipe of her lip-gloss, she knew it wasn’t going to get any better with the time she had. With a satisfied shrug, she practically ran back to the kitchen, wondering if perhaps Ethan being there was all a wonderful dream. Much to her satisfaction it wasn’t a dream, and Ethan was standing exactly where she’d left him, strawberry still in hand, waiting patiently. His blue eyes locked with hers when she entered the room.

Her heart was pounding so loudly she wouldn’t have been surprised if he could hear it from where he was standing. She tried taking some quick breaths, but they didn’t seem to calm her at all. Instead, she kept reciting the words Elle had said earlier.
It’s magic, just let it happen. It’s magic, just let it happen,
she repeated.

With a slight boost in confidence, she walked toward him, holding his gaze. “So, where were we?” she asked, standing directly in front of him.

“I believe you were here.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. “And I was here,” he said as he brought his lips to her mouth. Their lips formed together perfectly, recognizing each other at once. Kate could smell him all around her and that alone sent electricity through her body. When they finally separated, they were both gasping for air, panting like they’d just finished running a marathon.

Ethan kept his arms around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head. There was something about simply holding her that made him feel content.

Kate laid her cheek against his chest. She could hear the quick beating of his heart and could feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath. “Ethan,” she sighed.

“Yes,” he whispered, dropping his lips to her ear.

“I think we better make those smoothies now,” she said out loud for the mere purpose of trying to convince herself.

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” he asked, as he lowered his head slightly, dragging his nose across her jaw line.

Kate’s head began to get hazy. She shook her head, and told herself to get some control. Taking a deep breath, she pulled back abruptly. “I think I need some ice.” Quickly walking over to the refrigerator, she pulled open the freezer door. She stood there for a second, letting the cold air awaken her senses and wipe away any foggy confusion that still lingered.

It was clear to Kate that her body and mind were having a battle with each other. Her mind was telling her to go slow, to take her time and figure out if she could really trust Ethan and make sure he wouldn’t hurt her like she’d been hurt in the past. Her body was telling her something else entirely. And she knew she couldn’t trust it, especially when she was around him. It was as if his simple presence made her throw all caution to the wind.

She continued to go back and forth between her two halves until she realized that she hadn’t listened to her heart.
What does my heart tell me?
she asked herself. Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath and allowed herself to
feel
.

It didn’t take long for her to come to a conclusion. Her heart was a mix between the two sides. Her heart wanted him; she wanted him. Yes, it might be hard, and yes, she was still confused, scared, and worried. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that she’d been wounded before. She wanted to be loved again, even if it meant taking a risk.
It’s magic, just let it happen,
she thought.

Quickly turning around, she faced Ethan who was sitting on the granite island. He was leaning forward resting his hands on his knees, his head hanging down. Kate suddenly realized that he probably took her sudden mood change as a rejection and immediately felt awful.