Dancing on Waves, page 7
She laughed. “I didn’t do that myself, but there were plenty of my friends that did. It was an effective strategy.”
“So your parents loved each other,” I said. “I’ve never been entirely sure my parents ever did. My dad was rich. My mom came from a good family. I’ve always viewed their marriage as one of social necessity. They get along well enough, but I don’t know that they truly love each other.”
“My parents did.” She smiled fondly. “I think my mom liked the idea of being a military wife in the beginning. There was a camaraderie with the other wives. We lived on a couple of bases. It was good, but money was tight. From what my dad told me, her parents refused to send her money. In the beginning, I guess they did. Then they cut her off. That’s when things fell apart. She tried to convince my father to leave the Navy. When he decided to sign up for another four years, that was it. One morning we were a happy family, and by that afternoon, we were on a plane to New York.”
“Were you happy at all in New York?” I asked. “Your grandparents must have been happy to have their daughter and grandkids back.”
“They were,” she admitted. “I missed my dad like crazy in the beginning, but eventually we settled. I enjoyed the life my grandparents could provide. It was exciting to go into a store and buy whatever I wanted. I loved having someone clean my room. As I got older, I began to understand the trappings of wealth. It wasn’t everything I thought it would be. My sister, on the other hand, she loved it. She loved the privilege. She expected it. My mother remarried, and our stepfather was just as wealthy. We lived in a massive house, and nothing was out of reach.”
I nodded with understanding. “I know that feeling.”
“Sometimes, I wish I never would have opened my eyes,” she said wistfully. She rubbed her hand over the tombstone.
“What do you mean?”
“I woke up one day and realized how materialistic we had become,” she explained. “It was all so fake. It gave me an icky feeling. I would go to the mall with my friends, and it was always about buying the best or one-upping each other. I didn’t like the person I had become. I started to question my very existence.”
“Was it all that bad?” I asked.
She smiled and reached out to touch my knee. “No. I did love the vacations we took. I loved the beach house on the cape. And our stepfather had horses. There was a whole stable full of them. I loved riding. I do miss that.”
“There is something to be said for the trappings of wealth,” I said.
“What about you?” she asked. “Do you enjoy your life?”
I thought about the answer. “I did. I do have a good life, but like you said, there’s a moment when your eyes are opened. Coming here and being with you was that moment for me. My eyes were opened. You showed me what life could really be like. It’s a different kind of happy. A true happiness. One that can’t be bought. There are certainly perks to the money, but it’s not everything.”
She looked at me with a tender smile before she leaned forward and kissed me. “I’m so glad I could be a part of your awakening. You’ve shown me that not every wealthy person is a self-involved asshole.”
I laughed. “Good to know.”
“We’re going to be okay,” she said.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we are.”
She took a deep breath and touched the headstone once again. “I’ll be back, Dad.”
I helped her to her feet, but I couldn’t quite leave just yet. I knew it was silly, but I felt like I owed the man something. I stood in front of the headstone and stared at the engraving.
“I’m going to take care of her.” I spoke to the stone. “I know you probably don’t think much about my family or my type. I get it. I don’t blame you, but I’m not like that. Not anymore. That’s due to your daughter. She’s shown me the error of my ways. You’ve got an amazing daughter. I recognize it, and I promise you I will keep her safe. She’s very precious. I will treat her with kindness. I will always put her needs in front of my own. She will never want for anything. Thank you for raising such a perfect woman.”
Ava leaned her head against my shoulder. “You really have a way with words.”
“I’m only speaking the truth.”
We stood in front of the stone for several minutes. She took her hand in mine and gently squeezed. “Thank you. Dad, be nice.”
We shared a laugh before walking back to the car. It was weird, but there was an odd calm that had come over me. “I really wish I could have met him,” I said to her while driving back home.
“I know he would have liked you. My dad was a good judge of character. He would have given you a hard time, like dads do, but he would have liked you.”
“I’m sorry you lost him so early on,” I said. “I wish I had that kind of relationship with my father.”
“I do feel lucky to have gotten a few really good years with him in the end,” she said. “I wish it could have been more, but it makes me appreciate the time I did get all the more.”
She’d been orphaned young. I didn’t necessarily get along with my parents, but I didn’t want them dead. I wouldn’t want to lose them. I reached over and touched her cheek with the back of my knuckles. It was a show of comfort. It wasn’t much, but I hoped she understood.
Chapter Eleven
Ava
I doublechecked the list I had made last night. It had been a long time since I’d traveled anywhere. It was a little stressful. Cindy had given me an extended leave of absence from the coffee shop. I passed off my dog walking duties to other dog walkers. My rentals were all on hold. Losing the income sucked, but I had enough savings to carry me for a couple of months. And with Ethan’s help, there appeared to be a settlement in the works with the driver that had hit me. He had put his lawyers on the matter. The insurance company thought they were going to kick me a few dollars and call it good. His lawyer had made a single call, and now they were talking a decent settlement.
“Did you get everything?” Ethan asked from the bedroom door. It was strange to see him in a suit. He looked every inch the businessman and nothing like the man I had spent the last month with.
“Probably not.”
“We’re not exactly going to the Bermuda Triangle,” he teased. “If you forget your toothbrush, we’ll get you another.”
“I know, I know.” I scowled. “I just feel like I’m forgetting something.”
“Babe, we need to go,” he said. “I know it’s a private jet, but we don’t want to mess with the flight plans and all that.”
“Okay, okay,” I said with a laugh.
“Wait,” he said and took my hand. “If you want to change your mind, I wouldn’t blame you. You can stay. I wouldn’t think any less of you.”
“I’m okay.”
“I’m serious,” he said and looked me in the eye. “I know there is no love lost between you and New York. You don’t have to go. I can handle this. I will come back.”
“Ethan, I’m going.”
I felt a little guilty for hitching a free ride. I was going to New York to support him, but I was also going to confront my own demons. I had to see my sister. She might not want to see me, but I had to talk to her. She might very well end up going to prison, but that was on her. She’d made those choices. I had to try and support her. My dad would have wanted me to put aside our differences and be there for her. She was my little sister. Nothing had changed that.
If there was a way I could help her, I would do it. I didn’t have the money to fork over for a high-powered attorney, but I could do my best to talk her through her options. I would be the moral support she needed to fight back against a powerful family. It was a little strange to have me and Ethan on opposite sides. The visit to my father’s grave had cemented what I had already been leaning toward.
“Okay,” he said and dropped a kiss on my forehead. “You’re going. You’re a woman on a mission, and I don’t dare get in the way.”
He took my suitcase and loaded it in the car. I made one last trip around the apartment unplugging everything. I was probably being a little paranoid, but it was something my dad had always done. Roxy was bouncing around. She knew something was happening. Ethan drove us to the airport. Not the one that the commercial flights used, it was the private airstrip. He drove right onto the tarmac and parked the car. He handed over his keys while an employee loaded our bags onto the plane. I kept a tight grip on Roxy’s leash. She was freaking out and trying to run.
“Let’s load up,” Ethan said.
This was just another Tuesday for him. I’d been on a private plane once before. Ethan told me he usually flew private and rarely commercial. I stepped into the cabin of the plane and felt a little guilty for bringing my dog. It was all so fancy with white leather seats and gold-trimmed features. A TV was mounted in one corner, and a table with chairs on either side was in the other. There was a door at the back of the plane which I assumed was the bathroom.
“Are you okay?” Ethan asked from behind me.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to sit down?” he asked.
I was making a fool of myself. “Of course.”
I quickly took a seat with Roxy’s leash still in my hand. I didn’t want to let go and risk her running off the plane. Ethan sat in a chair directly across the aisle. The single flight attendant smiled and introduced herself to me and Roxy. The pilot stepped inside, waved, and closed the door behind him.
Takeoff was smooth. Once we were in the air, the flight attendant returned. “I’ll serve breakfast if you’re ready.”
“Yes, please,” Ethan answered.
“Breakfast?” I asked.
“You didn’t think we were going to fly all the way back to New York without breakfast?” he laughed.
The young woman returned a couple of minutes later with a tray. Ethan got up and moved to the table. I joined him, finally releasing Roxy’s leash. The dog ran around sniffing everything. Breakfast included fresh fruit, bacon egg and cheese biscuits, and mimosas.
“I feel so pampered,” I laughed.
“I told your dad I would treat you well,” he said. “I meant it.”
“You’re off to a good start.” I smiled.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good.”
“Liar,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m nervous, but good,” I insisted.
“Is the first time you’ve been back?” he asked.
“Yep.” I nodded, taking a drink of the mimosa. It had been a long time since I'd had one. It reminded me of my mother. She’d loved to sit around and drink mimosas with her wealthy socialite friends. “Thank you for breakfast,” I said. “It’s very good.”
“You’re welcome. It’s a long flight. We’ll have a late lunch as well.”
“You come prepared,” I said.
“I’ve got Roxy’s food as well. Wouldn’t want her to miss a meal.”
I looked over to see Roxy curled up on the small couch toward the back. “She’s already made herself at home.”
“Already an expert at this flying business,” he joked.
“Does your family know we’re coming?” I asked.
A slow, devious smile spread over his lips. “Definitely not.”
“Do you plan to surprise them?” I asked.
“If I can get away without seeing them, that’d be best,” he replied. “I know that isn’t possible, but I’m not announcing my arrival.”
“Me either,” I agreed. “And the hotel is okay with Roxy?”
“Yes.” He smiled.
I knew I sounded a little neurotic, asking the same questions. It was nerves. I was nervous about being back in New York. Nervous about seeing my sister. Nervous about potentially meeting his family. I hoped I didn’t meet them. They didn’t strike me as the most welcoming people.
We finished our breakfast, and because I wasn’t going anywhere, I enjoyed a second mimosa. A yawn escaped before I could cover my mouth. “Sorry,” I giggled.
“Would you like to lie down?” he said. “I know you didn’t sleep much last night.”
I looked at the chair I assumed was a recliner. “Maybe I will,” I said.
I got up and was about to sit in the chair when Ethan stopped me. “Not there. In the bedroom.”
I turned around to look at him. “The bedroom?”
He slid by me and opened the door I’d assumed was the bathroom. It was a simple space with a bed, another TV mounted on the wall, and just enough space to change clothes. I really had been missing out on the life of the rich and famous. The private jet I’d been on did not have a bedroom.
“This is amazing,” I said.
He gently pushed me down to the bed. He knelt in front of me and took off my shoes before fluffing the pillows. “Lie down and take a nap.”
“Lie with me,” I whispered.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Very. I sleep so much better when you’re beside me.”
“Then I would be more than happy to take a nap with you,” he said. He kicked off his shoes and shrugged out of the suit jacket. I pulled back the blankets and climbed onto the bed. He joined me, pulling me close to him.
I relished the feel of his hard body against mine. I didn’t know what would happen when we got to New York, but I hoped he wouldn’t decide he wanted to stay and rejoin his old life. I had fallen for him, and things between us were good. I didn’t want to risk losing that. If his family decided I wasn’t worthy, they might change his mind about me. The very thought of losing him terrified me. I had told myself to keep him at arm’s length. But that had been futile.
If I was going to lose him to his old life, I wanted to take advantage of the time I did have with him. I rolled to my side to face him. My hand reached up and touched his cheek. He looked at me with those beautiful hazel eyes.
“Do you think that flight attendant will come in here?” I whispered.
He grinned. “Not if she wants to keep her job.”
“So we have total privacy?”
“We do,” he assured me. “As much as you can have on a plane.”
I leaned forward and kissed him, my hand cupping his cheek. He stopped and pulled back. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You don’t hurt?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “I’m healed. I’ve got a cast on my arm, but it’s fine.”
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear those words,” he said and kissed me.
He gently pushed me onto my back and rose over me, his hand stroking through my hair. I pulled him close, pushing my tongue inside his mouth. His lower body pressed against mine. I had missed this with him. He had treated me like a fragile doll the last couple of weeks. I was ready for more.
“I need you,” I breathed.
He pushed off the bed and went to his knees. He quickly undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled it off. He reached under me and pulled my shirt over my head, carefully maneuvering it around the cast. The moment it was gone, his face plunged between my breasts. His hand slipped under me and unhooked my bra. He didn’t take the time to pull it away before his mouth closed over one nipple. He sucked hard, pulling a sharp gasp from my throat.
“Damn, I’ve missed you,” he growled. “It’s been so hard lying next to you and not touching you the way I wanted.”
“I’m right here,” I told him. “Touch me.”
He kissed over my breast once again, and goosebumps covered my body. My hands ran through his hair, not caring that I was messing it up. He could brush it once we were done. My hands raked down his bare back, and the muscles rippled under my touch. His tongue lapped over my throat and sucked at the sensitive flesh on my neck. He went after the sensitive spot just below my ear. I groaned and writhed under him.
“More,” I demanded.
“Shh,” he replied. “It’s a long flight. We have hours.”
I didn’t think I could wait hours. I had waited so long already. I made myself content to slide my hands over his body until I couldn’t take it any longer. I pulled at his hair and then his pants. “I want you naked.”
“Okay,” he said and rolled away from me. He lay on his back and pushed down his pants. While he stripped, I took care of removing my pants and panties as well. When he was naked, he rose up on his knees and stared down at my naked body. “Damn,” he breathed. “You’re gorgeous. I will never get tired of seeing this.”
He reached out and caressed my breast before sliding it down my stomach. The look of desire and tenderness on his face made me feel treasured. I treasured him just the same.
Chapter Twelve
Ethan
She was a treasure. My treasure. I didn’t think she understood just how much she meant to me. I vowed to show her. Over, over and over. My mouth moved to hers while making sure I held my upper body away from her. I didn’t want to squish her. The woman was healed, but I didn’t want to risk hurting her. I tasted her hunger for me. It was the best aphrodisiac in the world to be wanted by someone you wanted so badly.
I had to hold myself back. There was so much pent-up emotion from the last two weeks it was hard to keep myself in check. For now. Once I knew she was totally healed and back to her old self, I would unleash the beast inside.
“You’re shaking,” she whispered.
My arms were shaking. It wasn’t the fact I was holding my weight off her with my arms. It was lust. Need. “I’m okay,” I replied.
She reached up and caressed my cheek before sliding her hand down my arm. “I need you,” she said again.
I leaned back, nudged her legs open, and lovingly slid my hands down her body once again. It was my way of making sure she was whole. She was okay. After seeing her body so bruised and battered, I had worried she might never be the same. Touching her silky skin now and seeing just how perfect she was allayed those fears.
My hand slid up the inside of her thigh and covered her heated core. A soft moan crossed her lips. Her eyes slid closed, and her uninjured arm stretched out. It was total surrender. She trusted me to give her pleasure. I bent forward and kissed her flat tummy with my fingers teasing over folds. She whimpered and slid her legs open wider. I continued to tease and titillate her until her breathing became fast and shallow. She was close. Her pussy was slick, demanding release. I pushed a finger inside her and then another. My other hand pressed down on her lower belly while I plunged deeper.
