← Previous Affair With The Arrogant CEO Next →

Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The morning after the gala. She stands in her office, doing her best to pretend like it’s just any other day. She pours herself a fresh cup of coffee from the coffee machine while Tyler, lily and Olivia discussed about something she wasn't interested in. “Isn't it too late for a cup of coffee now?” Tyler interrupts her thoughts. “Huh? Wha- no I was... I'm just.” She heaved a long sigh and settles down on the empty chair meant for her.

“Good Afternoon.” Isabella tries not to flush as Ethan entered the office and approached them. Just the sound of his voice was enough to bring the memory of last night rushing back. Tyler and the rest excused them and left Isabella’s office. “Isabella? Are you alright?” She looks up as she shook herself out of her reverie. “Yeah, I'm... I'm fine... just... tired. I didn't get much sleep last night, hence the coffee.” She raised her mug to prove her point. She watch him closely, trying to gauge his mood.

“We shouldn't have stayed at the gala so long. I apologize for keeping you out late.” She looks at him intensively. “Can we talk later?” He stiffens, keeping his eyes anywhere but on her. “Yes. later.” She note the emphasis on the word, but before she could respond, Ethan heads his way out of her office. She watch his retreating back, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.

Later in the afternoon, she was about to head out, Ethan approached her. “I'm about to go into a meeting, but I wanted to talk to you first.” Her heart stutters at Ethan's declaration... until she realizes he was talking to Tyler. She heaved a sigh of relief. She needed to get herself together. Now was definitely inappropriate time for them to discuss their passionate make out.

She walks away and left him there talking to Tyler. “No, Isabella, you can stay.” He insisted then turned to talk with Tyler. “We’re going on a business trip tomorrow. I know it’s in such short notice but we don’t have any other choice....” The whole time he was announcing he was traveling, Isabella avoided his gaze.

Why was he suddenly traveling? Was it because of what happened between them the previous night? And if she heard him right, he was talking about prolonging the trip to almost five months. Was he trying to avoid her? Without having a second thought, Isabella walks off without a back glance at them.

Later in the evening, in her cozy apartment. She was warming up some left overs for dinner as Hannah was feeding her son and making goody conversations with him. Isabella took her plate and head towards the door. “Where are you going? Aren't you having dinner with us?” Hannah stopped her. “I just don’t want to intrude on mommy-son boding time, and besides... I have work to do.”

Without waiting for a response, Isabella hurried out of the kitchen and went to her bedroom. Not feeling like eating anymore, she dropped the plate on the side drawer. She plops into her bed and stare at the ceiling, alone with her thoughts for the first time all day. She wasn’t sure how much time has passed when she finally can’t take it anymore.

Just when she was least expecting it, she heard the doorbell. She heaved a tiring sigh and got off the bed. She sauntered out same time Hannah came out of the kitchen with her son, ready to leave. Hannah opened the door, like she expected, Ethan stood by the door step, looking anxious. Hannah shifted and he entered while she bid them goodnight and left.

She glances at him as he walks into her living room. “Wasn't expecting to see you again today.” She folded her arms across her chest. “We need to talk... about us.” He mouthed softly. She rolled her eyes. “Oh so now you want to talk? Now you want to talk, seriously? When you know that you owe me this, Ethan. Don't even pretend like you don’t.”

He nods. He doesn't utter anything, but doesn't kick her blame for anything either. Taking that as a sign to continue. Isabella takes a deep breath. “We kissed last night, Ethan. And don't try to play it off. It was different this time.” He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I haven't forgotten, Isabella...”

“It feels like you want to. In fact, it feels like you’re running halfway around the world because of it.” Ethan looks away, and she feels her frustration raging through her. “You're a lot of things, Ethan, but I never took you for a coward.” That got his attention. His eyes flash as he meets her gaze. “A coward?” He grunted, giving her a dead look. “You heard me!” She doesn't back down. The two of them stand face-to-face, breathing hard. “You could have walked away last night...”

He lets out a humorless laugh. “I wish that were true.” His expression soften as he reaches out to stroke her cheek. “I've been trying to walk away from you since the moment we met. Yet somehow... I always end up back here.” She steps back, out of his reach, and cross her arms over her chest. “That’s not good enough, Ethan.”

His eyes darkened, swept with rage. “Let’s get one thing straight here, Isabella. The timing of this trip may seem suspicious to you, but I don’t want to go. I have to go! And every time I look at you, it’s a reminder of what I'm leaving behind.” She shifted in awe. “Aren't you relived to have escaped?”

“No! This is so much worse!” He then takes a deep breath, trying to get himself under control. She steps away and looked away, unsure what comes next. She heard him approach from behind her. She feels his hands brace against her hips, kindling a familiar ache between her legs. She twists to face him. He plants his hands behind her, pressing so close that she could feel how badly he still wants her. “Ethan, you should fire me now. Neither one of us has the strength to resist. Stopping cold turkey in the only answer. You go to Rome, conquer the business world, marry Madelyn... I'll move back with my sisters’. We both walk away, hands clean. well... as clean as they can be.”

“My hands aren't clean, Isabella. How can they be when I think about you every time I touch myself? Or when I want to murder the next man who touches you?”

“Then what’s the endgame here? What do you want?”

“I want you, damnit!”

“Then, prove it, Ethan!” She grips the lapels of his suit and yank him hard against her. “Prove it!” She kisses him with every ounce of frustration and heat in her body. But even as Ethan’s arms come around her, holding her flush against him, he pulls back with a questioning look on his face. “Isabella...”

“Don’t think. Just feel.” She whispered in his ear. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders before her fingers slide along the back of his neck as she guided his wet hungry mouth back to hers. Ethan spins her around and pushes her back against the wall. He lifts her wrists up above her head, holding them there with one hand while the other explores her body. “Ethan...” She feels exposed in a way that makes her pulse race as his fingers dins a strip of bare skin at her waist, then slide up beneath her clothes to trace the curve of her breast.

“Has it really only been a day since I last kissed you? Already feels like a lifetime ago...” She arches her back, pressing her body against him. His tongue tangles with hers, and he moans into her mouth. “Can you really go the rest of the summer without this?” Isabella asks as she trails her finger around his bare chest. “I can’t even go a day without seeing you.” Ethan picks her up easily in his arms. She locks her legs around his waist as he carries her across the living room.

Ethan sweeps everything off her desk with a loud crash and lays her down. Her head swims as he unfastens her clothes and pitches them across the room. His lips trail kisses all over her body, passing to skim his teeth along her side, then against her hip.

“God, I want to eat you up...” He growls, trailing more kisses. She looks down her body at him, taking in the intense look in his eyes. She wants him, but she also wants to make him pay for how he treated her at the office today. “You’ve gotta earn that privilege.” She sits up, pushing him back just a few steps. “Isabella?”

“You've been a naughty boy, Ethan. And you know what that means...I want you to undress for me. Slowly. I want to savour every inch of your body.” His eyes darkens, making him feel more aroused. “Whatever you want, Isabella. I'm yours.” She ignores the path in her heart at his words and focus on the show in front of her.

Ethan steps away from her and slowly pulls his shirt off his shoulders, revealing his sculpted chest. She swallows hard as she reach out to touch him, letting her hands trail along his strong lines, feeling his muscles clench under her fingertips. “Bella, I--” he makes a step down towards her, but she retreats, looking pointedly below his waist.

“You're not done.” Ethan nods. He unbuckles his belt and unzips his pants, but before he could lower them, she shakes her head. “I said slowly. I want a show.” He smirks and nods again. “Right!” His eyes bore into hers for a long moment, then he turns around and hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his pants.

He slowly pulls them down, letting her take in his muscular backside as he uncovers it. He smirks over his shoulder as his pants falls the rest of the way to the ground. “Is this what you wanted.” He gives himself a teasing spank, and she grins. “Oh yeah... but I’m still not sure that counts as a show.”

“What about this?” Ethan turns to the side as he slowly runs his hands along his body, guiding her gaze over his silhouette... she licks her lips as he grips himself, giving himself a firm stroke. “Isabella...” The jerk of his hips makes her squeeze her own thighs together as her pleasure starts to pool in her centre. She hops off the desk and step up behind him, chest flush against his back. She reached around to cover his hand with hers, taking over the movement as he groans. “Only I get to touch you like this.”

“Yes... only you...” She strokes him a few more times before... “Isabella, please... I need you.” She steps back so he can turn to face her. “Then have me...” Ethan kisses her deeply pressing his back against the desk as his hands work her panties down her thighs. “I haven't been able to think about anything else all day...” He whispers, kissing her earlobe. “You drive me to distraction even when you aren't spread out in front of me.”

“And now?” His fingers made their way back up her bare legs, stroking her teasingly until they hit just the right spot. “And now... I can barely control myself. I want to devour you.”

She leans back and let her legs fall open as wide as the could. She fights back a blush as he hungrily takes on every inch of her. “Yes... I love seeing you open like this for me.” He bows at her feet, lowering his mouth between her thighs and working his tongue against her. She shover and grips the desk, reeling from the sensation. His voice rises from between her legs. “If you want me to make this up to you properly, then you can’t come yet. Can you do that, Bella? Can you hold back until I tell you?” He punctuates his question with a devilish twirl of his tongue, and she gasps. “Yes! Ethan, let’s savour this.” Ethan draws out his movements, licking her painstakingly slow...

“Good thinking. It’s your only chance at holding off an organism.”

“That’s not why-- oh!” Ethan nibbles and kisses around her centre, never quite touching her where she wants him most... “Ethan... you're killing me... oh!”

“Mmm...” He response is muffled against her, and the vibrations sends shivers up her spine. “Oh God, that feels... please, Ethan...” But no matter how much writhe and beg, his tongue ghosts over her, teasing her to brink until finally... “Bella, I can’t hold back anymore.” He admits. “Thank God.” She moans loudly as his tongue finally licks her at her core, hard and fast, again and again. She lifts her head enough to see Ethan’s hand working between his legs, touching himself in rhythm with her as he growls out her name. “Isabella....”

That’s all it takes. Her body clenches, and she flies over the edge, ecstasy crashing over her. “... Ethan!” She sags against the desk as Ethan’s arms wrap around her, holding her close.

But after a moment, her breathing returns to normal and the two of them gets dressed.

He lingers in the door entrance, less sure what to at that moment than ever before. “Isabella... I--” he heaves a sigh, unsure of what exactly to say. “I'm sorry... I didn't mean to get so carried away. It won't happen again.”

She wasn't sure that’s what she wanted, but she was too confused to do more than nod. “My flight leaves early. I'll be gone before you come to the office.” She opens her mouth then closed it and nodded. “I guess this is... goodbye?”

The word felt woefully inadequate, but she doesn't know what else to say. She wraps her arms around herself as she makes her way towards her bedroom. “I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess. You deserve so much better than me.” His strained words made her pause by the door. She closes her eyes, bracing herself as she looks back over her shoulder, certain that would be the last time she ever lay her eyes on Ethan Grayson. “I can decide what I ‘deserve’ for myself.” She walks away without a backward glance. He heaves a sigh and walks out, closing the door behind him.

The next day, she wakes up at the crack of dawn, despite barely getting a wink of sleep. He was really leaving her.

She restlessly toss and turn for another hour before she drags herself out of bed to make herself breakfast before she gets ready for work. She trudge through her little apartment, towards the kitchen, dreading the upcoming day with every step...

She hears the door bell same time she pushed the kitchen door to enter. She pauses, thinking why would her sister come to her apartment by that time. It better not be one of her favours.

“Ethan? What’re you doing here? I thought you’ve left already.” She looks at him in awe, wondering what he was doing in her porch. “I did a lot of thinking last night, but I didn't come to a conclusion in time to cancel my car earlier.” She folded her arms across her chest, curiously. “What conclusion?”

“That you were right. I was being a coward and running away from my problems. I sent Liam and Tyler ahead and postponed my meetings to next week so I could do this right. I am turning this business trip into a company vacation for all of us.” He announces, making her heart to flip. “You mean...”

“Pack your bags, Isabella. You're coming with me to Rome.”