Chapter 30
Ethan walked into his house, albeit the quietness he could hear ruffling from the bedroom which meant Emily was home, a certain relief moving through him. He felt exhausted from work, from signing a thousand paperworks to the gazillion meetings with programmers and even investors that operated Hatton tech. He walked towards the bedroom unexpectedly, forgetting to knock and suddenly his eyes widened in disbelief.
There, standing before him was Emily, her back turned and clad only in a lacy black slip. It happened in a split second, the shock on both their faces, the silent pause that lasted for merely a second but seemed to stretch out for eternity. Time seemed to stand still as his mind raced to comprehend the unexpected sight, and what followed next was a loud scream that nearly knocked Ethan off his feet.
“Gosh, I’m sorry!” He yelled out an apology, quickly running out of the room and shutting the door. He stood for a minute, his heart pounding in his chest, his cheeks flush with a mixture of embarrassment and desire. He tried to imagine her silhouette in his head, every curve and contour. The gentle slope of her shoulders, the graceful arch of her back, and the slender curve of her waist. His thoughts became a jumbled mess as he leaned against the wall. Thoughts and emotions swirled within him, a mixture of shock, attraction and a newfound awareness of Emily, the woman he’s bound to by contract.
Emily walks out of the room, clad now in a silk bathrobe. Her face flushed with embarrassment and surprise as she tried to maintain her composure, but her eyes betrayed her with a hint of vulnerability. She cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air.
“Um, I wasn’t expecting you home” she said nervously, looking shyly at him.
His eyes meet her gaze, his own eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and curiousity.
“It’s my fault, I should’ve knocked or made my presence known” he replied, his voice tinged with curiousity.
They stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say next. The tension between them as palpable as a thick vein, but amidst the awkwardness Ethan could feel something flicker within him, his imagination wild and he hoped Emily could feel it but suddenly the heavy weight of Anita’s request still hovered above his head like a restless fly but he shut it down immediately, he wanted to focus on Emily.
Emily walked ahead of him, tightening the robe around her, her cheeks still flush from Ethan walking in on her. She walked to the kitchen with Ethan following closely behind her
“How was work?” She asked, not looking back.
“Hectic” he said to her
“You hungry?”
“Starving” he said “Did you cook?”
Emily smiled, bringing out a tray of roast chicken and potatoes from the oven
“I tried to whip up something after I got back from the library”
“That’s all you did today” Ethan studied her eyes, but she didn’t falter. She looked at him for a brief second then focused back on slicing the chicken unto a plate.
“Had lunch in between, nothing serious” she said and Ethan wanted to push further but he thought against it, he would rather live in the moment.
“Here, take a bite” she fed him and Ethan took it from, the mix of flavors suddenly bursting in his mouth and he looked at her in surpriseNôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
“I didn’t know you could cook” he said
“My grandmother taught me” she replied and a certain frown settled on her face, Ethan noticed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He moved closer to her now.
“She wasn’t the nicest person growing up and I just haven’t heard from her since she kicked me out” there was a certain sadness to her eyes, that drew Ethan closer.
“Do you want to?” He asked and she shook her head
“I’m not ready”
Ethan moved closer to her, taking her into his arms in a warm embrace and she let him. She let him draw her closer into his chest, holding her close, his chin atop her head and inhaling her coconut smelling shampoo. His hand wrapped around her in a protective manner, his chest crackling with a mix of tension and longing. The hug was tight, a desperate embrace that sought solace and connection in the midst of their contract marriage.
Emily held Ethan, as if nothing else existed, finding comfort in their warm bodies pressed together, suddenly remembering he was the first person he encountered after her grandmother kicked her out.
In that moment, time seemed to slow down. Their heart beat in sync, the rhythm of their breaths intertwining as they pulled back slightly, their eyes meeting for a second, there was a sudden spark of attraction, undeniable in the way they stared at each other like a silent understanding passing through then. With a gentle hesitation, their lips met in a tender kiss. It started off with a soft brush of warmth, a tentative exploration of what lay beneath the surface. But as the seconds ticked by, the kids deepened, fueled by a growing desire and an unspoken yearning.
Their bodies melted into each other, their hands roaming through curves and rock hard muscles seeking to bridge the desire between duty and desire. The kiss grew passionately, a collision of emotions that threatens to shatter the boundaries that they set for themselves.
Ethan wasn’t holding back, he tugged at her robe waiting for some sort of hesitation from her but none was forthcoming and he slipped his hands in, to grab on her tender waist and pull her even closer to him. Emily slid her hands round his neck, her delicate hands felt like ice to Ethan and he shivered at her touch.
“I want you Emily” he whispered into her ears, feeling the goosebumps rise on her skin “Do you want me?” He asked into her lips as she parted her lips and he slid his tongue into her mouth, the softness of it sending waves through his body.
“Do you want me Emily?” He asked again, giving her a chance to speak her consent and she nodded
“Yes Jackson”
The air stilled
Ethan froze
Emily was yet to realize her mistake