Chapter 23 

ETHAN. 

May’s having one of her moments again. I think I might be starting to understand her a little. 

Odd, she’s an oddity. She cries when she’s mad at other people, but yells at me when she’s mad 

at me. 

I suppose that’s a good thing. Jared says it means she’s warming up to me. She’s getting comfortable around me. I can’t see how that makes sense, but there might be some truth to it. 

I’ve been waiting outside her room for fifteen minutes, going through my phone for simple places I could take her. She said she’s never been out on a date before, leaving the choice of where to take her up to me. 

That seems to be a problem because I can’t find any affordable with food that won’t send me straight to the toilet. 

Considering calling Jared has me scowling. Jared is an expensive gigolo. He spends all of his money on the women, knowing his pockets will never run dry. He won’t be able to help me. 

Another name, another friend comes to mind and my scowl only deepens. Neil O’Connor. A rival turned friend. A proud–ass twerp who frustrates the shit out of me and keeps me on my toes, constantly trying to steal my spot as the richest businessman. 

It’s been a while since we spoke. Might as well say hi. 

Dialing the number, I stare at May’s door. I can hear quiet sniffs and the rustling of clothes. Need help?” I call out. 

A muffled ‘no‘ follows and I turn away from the door as Neil picks up. His voice vibrates through the phone and my brows arch at his irritated tone. “Chase.” 

“Neil. You sound like shit. Someone piss in your food?” I tease. 

He snorts. “That would be you.” A sigh escapes him and the sound of metal clanging can be heard in the background. “Someone crazy lady ran into my car. Made me late for a meeting. She wouldn’t stop asking to pay for the damages when she so clearly couldn’t afford it. Told me to take her truck if it *so please me.‘ 

I refrain from chuckling as he says the last few words in a falsetto. Sounds very much like my wife. “So, did you take her truck?” 

“Heck no. It was a miserable–looking thing; a couple of months away from falling apart at most.” A pause. “There’s a silly ass rumor circulating. You got married?” 

I stare at May’s door. “Yeah.” 

Neil goes quiet. “Did you knock her up? I could’ve sworn that you weren’t into women.” 

Chapter 23 

2/4 

“Go to hell, man,” I say, unable to stop the laughter that bubbles in my chest. “I didn’t. I met her and something about her… captivated me–” 

“Ugh, you sound like those simps in the movies. Whatever happened to ‘there’s no such thing as love in our world‘?” Neil says, reminding me of a statement I had made at some point this year. Earlier. 

“I’m not in love.” 

“Yes, I totally believe you. What family did you wed into? Will there be a merger soon between her company and yours?” 

My jaw ticks. He sounds just like Rachel. “Can’t I wed a simple woman who has different interests?” 

Silence. “Tell me she at least has something to her name.” 

“Yes, her character is much better than the heiresses my Granny forced me to meet. She’s not in it for my money.” 

“Bullshit,” Neil says, ending with a grunt. “Perhaps, I should have collected whatever she could give. It’s taking a lot of time to fix this.” 

I shrug. “Believe what you want. I didn’t call you to talk about my marriage.‘ 

“Oh?” 

“Right. So…” My voice trails off and I cough, clearing my throat. This is beyond awkward. ” Got any idea of a nice and simple place I could use for a date?” 

Neil pauses, and what follows next is his laughter. “And he says he’s not in love. Sure. I’ll send 

you a location. Just know you owe me one.” 

I roll my eyes.“Sure. Whatever.” 

**** 

MAY. 

“I really don’t know how to do this. I’ll throw you off that railing if you laugh at me,” I say, gripping Ethan’s fingers for dear life. 

He laughs at my threat. “I won’t laugh, and you won’t fall. Do you always threaten the people you care about?” 

It’s my turn to blush. I look away from his intense gaze, choosing instead to look at the people around us. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

He suddenly moves and I yelp as my leg slides off the surface. “Stop, stop! I’ll fall!” I scream, throwing my arms around his torso. 

Chapter 23 

3/ 

We’re ice skating at a rink, and I might just throw up if he pulls me again. I’m starting to regret my decision to accept this date. 

So far, all I’ve done is scream and embarrass us both. People are laughing at us and tossing sorry looks in Ethan’s direction. 

Not that he notices though. He’s too busy laughing his head off at my ‘attempts‘. 

Ethan’s hands come around me and when my body starts to tense, he murmurs against my ear. “Stay.” 

Slowly, he pulls back from me, his fingers caressing the length of my arm. I feel the heat of his skin through the coat he’d gotten me on the way here and I am unable to stifle the shudder that follows. 

His gloved fingers entwine with mine and he tilts his head to the side, gazing at me with eyes that have mischief dancing in them. “Ready?” 

I shake my head like a child. “No.” 

He kicks forward, holding my hand tightly, and I scream as my skating shoes glide forward suddenly, taking me with it. 

The moments that follow are slow, yet too fast. More times than I want to admit, I hold on to Ethan to keep from falling. But that’s not the only reason why my hands keep landing on his chest. 

I’m not sure what’s wrong with me, but I’ve become touchy. My hands fall on his shoulder, his arm, his wrist, his waist, his abs, and I swear I can tell the accurate measurement of my husband’s body now. 

Everywhere. 

Well, except for the area below his waist. 

I laugh a lot too. Hard not to when every time Ethan lets go of my hand, I land on my ass. He helps me up with a straight face, though, I can see that his eyes are laughing. 

It wasn’t a bad idea, skating with him. I have not had this much fun in a long time. My stomach hurts from laughing hard, and my throat feels raw from screaming and yelling at 

him. 

“You’ve got a little something…” Ethan’s voice trails off as he reaches for me. I don’t flinch or shy away from his fingers as they thread into my hair, pulling something out and straightening it. 

He’s gentle. He’s always gentle when he touches me. I wonder if Ethan has always been a gentleman, or if this is the side he wishes to show me. 

This is how Sean was with Anna at first, and now, he’s the biggest arse. 

Chapter 23 

4/4 

I feel odd thinking about it. My heart squeezes and only then do I notice that Ethan’s fingers are still in my hair. They stray, tucking my hair behind my ear. “You have cute ears,” he mutters with a chuckle, but his face sobers quickly. 

“Can I…ask you something?” 

I bite on my bottom lip. “Yeah, sure.” 

My heart’s racing, and my thoughts fly in too many directions on what he might want to ask me. His eyes flick to my lips and I wonder if he’s going to ask me if he can kiss me. 

His hand falls away from my face. “If you were to ever find out I’m not who I say I am…would you leave?” 

That’s an odd question. I stare at Ethan trying to discern if he’s hiding something from me. Are you who you say you are?” 

His lips twitch. “In what world do people answer questions with questions?” 

I smile. “Mine. It’s all good, as long as you don’t have a child and a wife somewhere.” 

“I’d think there are more things in this world that make you wary of me,” Ethan notes, taking my hand again. 

I chuckle. “Like what? Your squishy flip–flops? Or the cartoon theme songs you dance to in the sitting room?” 

That has him laughing and shoving me slightly. My rump hits the ice and I yell in mock 

outrage. 

11 

Do I trust my husband? Staring at his eyes and his rather stunning smile as he skates aroun