Chapter Four

Ethan

Sixteen months ago...

Best Christmas party ever, Ethan thought to himself as he stood up to look for his pants. He couldn't help but smile as he glanced back at the couch to see the most beautiful woman at the party watching him. He liked the way her eyes felt on his bare skin.

Yup, definitely the best party ever, Ethan thought with a smile.

He nearly didn't come to this year's event. There was so much work to be done, and the legal battle over a faulty airbag was just ramping up. His attention was on his business, but Carter told him to go. Or rather, Carter blackmailed him into it. Now that he was here, he couldn't be more grateful.

He had dutifully trod down to the California Science Museum to put in an appearance. At the start of the evening, he had fully planned on making enough of an appearance to appease Carter and make his employees feel appreciated and then going straight home to go over the lawsuit again.

Instead, she'd shown up.

So, instead of spending a night at home with his computer and a glass of wine, he'd spent it in the “Rocks, Gems, and Crystals” exhibit with his hand up the skirt of the sexiest woman he could have imagined. It would have gone further if a security guard hadn't interrupted.

That would have been the end of the night for most people, but Laura wasn't most people. She'd pulled him upstairs to the “mother's room” where they'd just had the most incredible sex of his life. Ethan wasn't ashamed to admit he'd had a few one-night-stands in his life, but this one blew them all out of the water.

And now, he was hoping it wasn't going to be just a one-night-stand.

“So, can I see you again?” he asked. He hadn't found his pants yet, but he wasn't really looking very hard either. She was stretched out on the small couch, and he was much more focused on how to never get her to wear clothes again.

“I'd like that,” she replied. She gave her beautiful smooth shoulder a playful shrug. “Maybe we can go to an art museum or something.”

He chuckled. Not only was she sexy, but she was also funny too. He leaned over and kissed her. How in the world had he found someone smart, funny, and this damn beautiful at a company party?

“What's your number?” she asked, reaching to find her phone on the floor. Her purse was next to her dress, which was next to her panties. He didn't help her find it because he wanted to keep her naked like this for as long as possible.

“555-1978,” he told her once she'd found her phone. She carefully put the numbers in. It was his personal line- the one he almost never gave out. This line was reserved for friends and family only.

Within a couple of seconds, the phone chirped from his pant pocket. It certainly made finding his pants easier. They were tossed over by the changing station. He smiled as he read the message she'd sent him.

“Sexy Party Girl?” he asked while hitting the save new contact button. “That's what you want your contact name to be?”

“What? Are you really going to remember my real name?” she asked with a pragmatic shrug.

“It's Laura,” he said. As if he could forget. He could already sense that she was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman. Even after that amazing round of sex, he was still interested in her. He wanted to take her home and learn everything about her. And, of course, have more sex.

He had never believed in love at first sight until tonight. One night with her, and he could already feel it in his bones that this was a forever kind of thing. This was a wonderful kind of love. He knew it.

“Okay, Ethan,” she replied. Her voice was soft and sweet. He liked the way she said his name. He liked hearing her say it that way almost as much as he liked hearing her call it out as she trembled and came beneath him.

“I'm still saving you as Sexy Party Girl, though,” he teased, keying in the name to his contacts list. He hit save with a flourish. “It'll make me smile every time I see it.”

She grinned, making his heart speed up again with just her smile. “I'm okay with that,” she replied, typing something into her phone.

“What are you saving me as?” he asked, watching her for a moment. His pants were now in his hands, so he didn't have a good reason not to put them on.

“Sexy Party Boy,” she replied with a naughty grin. “I don't want us to get confused.”

He laughed, feeling happy and light. He hadn't felt this good in months. They had a connection, and it was more than just physical. She made him laugh, and he wanted to take her places that would make her smile like she was now.

“I am so buying you another drink,” he told her. He wasn't about to let her disappear off into the night like Cinderella. He was going to make sure she kept both her shoes and came home with him.

She grinned up at him, her smile matching the way he felt. “After this,” she said, sitting up and motioning to the mess of clothing around them. “I'd hope so.”

Ethan chuckled. They had made a mess. But, he was hoping to have a repeat of this mess in his bedroom at home in a few hours. She said she was going to be in California for another two days, and he was already mentally clearing his schedule to spend as much time with her as possible. If things worked out like he was hoping, maybe she'd even stay for longer.

After all, what could possibly go wrong between now and then?