I tilted my head with a sad smile. “That’s nice of you to worry about me. I’m just sorry to have dragged you here this late. I should have checked my phone. Silly me.”
He shrugged. “It’s all good. And it’s nice to see you anyhow.” Again, his gaze lingered, and my body went to liquid.
Clutching his cup, he sat on the couch and stretched out his long legs. “It’s okay. I’ve got a meeting with the head of staff at the hotel tomorrow. So it’s not a wasted trip.”
I sat next to him. “I look terrible.”
He regarded my striped pyjamas. “I don’t know. I mean, a negligee will always win the day.” He chuckled.
Back to randy Ethan.“I still hate you, you know.”
“Hate’s a bit harsh.” He raised his hands. His smirk was replaced by an uncertain flicker in his eyes. The air between us thickened, and the longer the silence, the more intense my emotions grew.
“What do I have to do to win you over?” He spread his well-manicured hands.
I searched his face for his normal playfulness, but he’d become hard to read. “Don’t build that spa.”
“It’s going to happen, Mirabel. I can’t reverse it.”
I released a frustrated breath.
He kept looking at me, and I had to turn away, stonewalling him.
“Oh well. I best be off, then.” He smiled tightly. “Glad you’re okay. That’s what counts.”
Our eyes locked, and again, time stood still. It felt like he was waiting for me to say something.
I opened the door and practically pushed him out. When he left, my heart barely pumped. A moment earlier, just standing close to him had made it palpitate in my ears.
I went to the fridge and grabbed the Chardonnay.
Sheridan came to join me as I shuffled around in the kitchen looking for clean glasses. “Oh, you’re still up?”
“You look miserable,” she said.
I shrugged. “I’m okay.”
“Why aren’t you having hot sex with that very sexy billionaire?”
Just hearing her say that made me laugh. “That sounds so ludicrous.”
“I know. It’s amazing. This is the kind of romance scene I love to read about. And you throw him out?” Her voice went up in shrill disbelief.
I gulped down my wine solemnly and nodded.
Her red bob wobbled from side to side as she shook her head repeatedly. “You’re fucking mad. Do you know how boring monogamy is? The same guy every night. Farting. Making a mess. Smelling the bathroom out. Boring missionary sex that lasts five minutes at most.”
I had to laugh. That was Sheridan—always complaining about Bret. “Then dump him and date different guys for a while.”
She sighed. “Maybe. He’s good to have around for company. He’s great at fixing things, and we laugh.”
I nodded slowly, wondering if Ethan was good at fixing things. The only thing I imagined was fixing a drink.
“So why was he here? That burgundy jacket. Woo. Sexy.”
“Yep. He’s stylish, all right.” I sighed. “He was worried about me.” I told her what had happened with the phone and Orson hitting on me.
“Shit. That’s major, Bel. He came all this way, and you kicked him out? You’re nuts.”