The inside of the limo was silent except for the sound of the traffic filtering through the windows. Ethan studied the woman sitting across from him staring through the tinted window. He noted the tense shoulders and the worry in those green eyes, the same ones that had once enchanted him beyond reasonable thought. That is, until she had shown herself for the shallow woman she really was by breaking their relationship simply on the whims of a particularly distasteful spoiled young woman.
Nicky's sleek bob framed a face that hadn't changed much in the past five years, except for a certain self assured maturity in her features. Ethan allowed his gaze to travel down the flattering blouse contrasting sharply with the gleaming leather seat of the limo, the gentle swell of her breasts underneath the fabric and down to her hands resting primly on her lap. His eyes rested on the diamond engagement ring- simple yet undoubtedly worth a small fortune- if his intel on the fiance was correct. Ryan Silversmith of the Silversmith Corporation. A match made in billionaire heaven.
She turned, flushing when she noticed his scrutiny and nervously lifted a hand to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair back into its sleek bob. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak with you Ethan." She said, her voice subdued yet still tinged with an upper class Boston accent that reeked of good breeding. "I know how busy you must be, so I appreciate it."
Ethan's lips curled in a derisive smile but he made no reply. He could feel nervousness and uncertainty emanating from her in waves and he experienced a brief flash of satisfaction at seeing her so uncomfortable . She shifted in her seat and crossed her bare legs, giving him a good view of smooth healthy skin and he felt himself respond to the sight.
Nicky dropped her gaze, wondering at his silence. Even more unnerving was the way he kept looking at her with that unnerving smile on his face. For the first time since getting in the vehicle with Ethan, Nicky felt apprehensive and she wished she'd listened to Erin's warning. But she could hardly sit by and watch Ethan go on a blazing part of destruction without doing anything to try and salvage the situation.
She cleared her throat delicately and tried again. "I want to apologize Ethan, for what happ..."
"You said you wished to speak to me about the hotel." Ethan cut into her speech. A muscle ticked in his jaw and Nicky felt her pulse speed up at the frigid tone.
"Yes." Nicky replied, running her tongue over her lower lip to moisten it. His eyes followed the movement and then turned to flint. "Yes, but I feel I should at least try to make restitution for calling off our relationship in the way I did."
Ethan glanced at his watch and gave her a pointed look. "I do not wish to discuss the past. I gave you permission to speak about the hotel, not things already forgotten. I am a busy man Nicola, and if this is a ruse to try to gain my attention again, then you are sadly mistaken."
Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment and she gasped at his accusation. "I am not trying to gain your attention Ethan." She protested. "That is certainly not why I am here. I just want to ask you to stop what you are doing to my family and Erin. If you have any issues, please take them out on me and leave them out of this."
The atmosphere in the limo was thick with tension and barely contained anger. Ethan stared at Nicky for long moments, his gaze causing goosebumps to form on Nicky's skin and she shivered even though the heater was going full blast.
The silence stretched on for indeterminable minutes before Ethan finally replied, his tone as cold as a Boston winter's night. "Issues?" He said, raising an eyebrow. "What issues pray tell Nicky?"
"This..this..revenge thing you have going on." Nicky shot back. "Erin told me the awful things you said to her the other day at your office, how you threatened her with humiliation..or are you going to deny it?"
He chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. "So little Erin came running to you? How ironic. I thought she wore the pants in this...relationship both of you have going on. Or am I wrong?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"She says jump and like an obedient little ferret you jump as high as you can." He leaned back against the seat and folded his arms across his chest, his expression as mocking as his tone. "Frankly Nicky, I'm surprised Erin gave you permission to speak to me...or perhaps, she asked you to plead on her behalf?"
Nicky gaped at the man seated across from her, unable to believe the words she'd heard. Despite her shock, her brain registered his handsome physique. The broad expanse of shoulders, the confident way he sat, legs apart, the tailored navy blue suit reenforcing the gorgeous billionaire aura he wore like a second suit. A pang of something alarmingly close to regret flashed through Nicky and she mentally squashed the emotion. Breaking up with Ethan had been the best decision she had made, otherwise she would have never met Ryan. A smile spread over her face as she pictured the wonderful man she would soon call her husband. Thank god for Ryan. She thought, a wave of joy sweeping through her. Breaking up with Ethan had been the best thing she had done and she would not regret it for one minute.
"No opinions on the subject?" Ethan cut into her thoughts, brows raised in mockery.
Nicky snapped out of her thoughts and glared at Ethan, fighting to control her temper that was in grave danger of simmering to the surface. "Erin doesn't make me do anything." She said through clenched teeth. "I am more than capable of making my own decisions."
The brows went up even higher. "Indeed?"
She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the shrill ringing of her phone. Thrown out of focus, Nicky frowned at her white purse for a moment, then opened it and pulled out her still ringing phone. A glance at the screen showed Erin's number and she stifled a groan. Dammit! The last thing she needed was Ethan believing his absurd theories-which would happen if she picked the call. She pursed her lips and pressed the red button, shoving the phone back in her purse.
She looked at Ethan to find him watching her with an amused look, those unnerving blue eyes filled with derision and her already frayed temper slipped down a notch. "What?" She snapped, her own eyes flashing in anger.
He shrugged and reached for the leather briefcase resting on the seat beside him, snapping it open and pulling out a bulky folder. He spread it open on his lap, though he did not look at the contents, merely looked at her, his face unreadable. "Nothing at all."
"As I was saying before, I don't need Erin's permission to make decisions and carry them out as I please. I'm a grown woman and come next week Saturday, I will be a grown married woman. Perfectly capable of doing things on my own."
"And yet...you allowed yourself to be manipulated..." He observed drily. He leaned back and rapped on the soundproof glass partition separating the driver's seat and the glass slid down, revealing the chauffeur.
"Pull over Karen." He said to the middle aged woman. "Miss Gosling will get off here."
"Yes Sir."
Nicky glared at Ethan when he faced her again. "I was not done with our discussion." She said frostily.
"Oh?" He replied, raising an eyebrow. "Regretfully, I have a meeting in five minutes so I'm afraid this conversation is over." The limo came to a stop and he leaned over, his body brushing hers as he reached for the door handle. "Have a nice day Nicky. And congratulations on your impending nuptials."
Nicky stood on the sidewalk, glaring at the vehicle as it continued on its way. She could hardly believe Ethan had all but thrown her out of his car, executing it with such skill as to be almost polite. Her phone shrilled again and she answered the call.
"What the hell do you think you were doing getting into that car?" Erin's angry voice filled her ear. Nicky winced and held the phone slightly away from her ear. Erin continued to talk, demanding an explanation.
"Erin!" Nicky cut her off. "Look, I'll call you later and explain. Right now, I need to find a taxi and go home OK?"
"Wait...what did Ethan say?" Erin asked and Nicky could hear her cousin's curiosity over the speakers but she was in no mood to begin a story.
"I'll talk to you later, bye."
* *
Erin stared at the phone, wondering at Nicky's abruptness. It was so unlike her usually calm and unfazed cousin that Erin felt a frisson of alarm run through her. Darn it! She'd told Nicky to stay away from Ethan but had she listened? No.
Now only heaven knew what Ethan had said and done to rile Nicky up so. She paced the deserted corridor of the hospital ward, the heels of her black shoes clicking loudly against the black and white linoleum floor, her mind dwelling on several possibilities. Erin would not put it past that vile bastard to make a move on Nicky and she shuddered at the image of her cousin entrapped in Ethan's arms, and she prayed that it was only her imagination running wild.
Erin wrinkled her nose at the strong smell of disinfectant and other things she was loath to identify. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her the last meal she'd had was a sandwich last night and she sighed, running a hand through her already disheveled hair. There was precious little she could do about Ethan and Nicky...at least not until she knew what had gone on between them this afternoon. In the meantime, starving herself was not an option.
She glanced around the long corridor in search of a vending machine and spotted one next to the bank of elevators. Her purse was in her dad's room so she retraced her steps back into the room. Her father lay asleep, propped up on pillows and the sight of his pale face wrenched at her heart strings. To Erin, this man lying there was so different from the hale and hearty man she'd known all her life. Seeing him so ill and weak brought tears to her eyes and she dashed them away, cursing Ethan Lachlan for doing this to him.
Victoria Gosling sat by her husband's bedside also fast asleep, one hand entwined with his even in slumber. Erin tiptoed in and retrieved her purse lying on the breakfast table and left, shutting the door carefully. Back in the corridor, she dug in the bag for some change, walking towards the vending machine.
The door of an elevator swished open just as she reached the machine expelling a tall dark haired man in light blue scrubs. Erin paused in the act of inserting a note into the slot and looked at him, receiving a polite smile and a nod.
"Good evening." His voice was a rich baritone, bringing to mind a cup of hot chocolate mixed with peanuts. He stepped out of the elevator and came towards her, his gaze assessing Erin, from the top of her disheveled head, the ridiculous bright pink two piece suit and finally, down to her three inch shoes. Erin felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she wondered what he must think of her.
Erin cleared her throat and finally managed a reply. The guy was good looking in rumpled 'haven't been to bed in days' way and judging by the puffy eyes, he probably hadn't. "Hello."
He walked past and she heaved a sigh of relief, turning her attention to the vending machine and slipped the note into the slot, selecting a Bounty bar. Nothing happened.
She frowned at the offending gadget and pressed the button again. The evil thing remained silent. "Darn it! Come on!" Erin muttered in frustration, slapping her palm against its metallic sides. "Work, you little..."
"It needs a good kick to work." the baritone was back, startling Erin. The guy grinned and delivered a good hard kick to the base and her bar popped out. He picked it and handed it to her."Shitty hospital equipment...nothing works the way it's supposed to."
Erin took the bar, briefly looking up to meet the stranger's warm brown gaze. "Thanks."
"No problem." He leaned against the machine and studied her for a moment, the scrutiny setting off another wave of heat over her cheeks. "You visiting a patient?"
Erin nodded, giving her attention to unwrapping the chocolate. She wondered why he was even still hanging around talking to her given her appearance. She peeked at him from beneath her lashes, taking in the bulge of his biceps beneath the scrubs, suggesting at a strict work out regimen and handsome features topped by warm chocolate brown eyes. "Yes, I am. My father's in room one oh four."
"Ah!" He nodded, and held out a hand. "That would make you Ms. Gosling right? Your father's mentioned you a couple of times, I'm Todd. Dr Todd Haskell."
Erin stared at his outstretched hand, then tentatively placed hers in his grip. "Erin, nice to meet you, Dr. Haskell. Though I was under the impression Doctor Sweetwater's my father's doctor?"
"Please call me Todd." Todd grinned again and shook her hand with enthusiasm. "And you're right...Erin. I'm not his doctor, merely a lowly surgeon. I'll be handling his surgery tomorrow." At Erin's blank look, he clarified. "We're going try to remove the clots blocking the blood flow in his artery. Minor procedure."
"Oh..." Erin felt apprehension chill her spine at the thought of her father going under the knife.
His look softened and turned reassuring. "Your father will be alright. As soon as his arteries are clear, he'll be free to go home safe and sound."
"Thank you Dr...Todd." Erin smiled, hardly reassured but unwilling to look like a wimp in front of him. "That's very reassuring indeed. It'll be nice to have him home again. Not to be rude, but the food here's terrible."
Todd laughed, a deep sound that warmed her aching toes. "The food's part of our grand plan to get patients to spend less time in here. So far, it's worked perfectly. But don't tell anyone I told you, it's a state secret."
He's got great teeth. Erin observed, warming up to the guy. "I won't tell a soul."
His pager beeped and Todd glanced at it and grimaced. "Duty calls." He said, his tone apologetic. "But it was a pleasure talking to you Erin. If you don't mind, I'd like to do it again...preferably over a glass of wine and real food. What do you say?"
Erin choked on her breath. Was he really asking her out even though she looked like a troll? She peered up at him, searching for signs of sarcasm, but found only genuine interest. Ah well, what would it hurt?
"That sounds good. I enjoyed our conversation too Todd."
"Tonight?"
"Tonight? Really?"
Todd grinned and searched his pockets, pulling out a white prescription pad and a pencil. "I'm an impatient man Erin, even more so in the presence of a beautiful woman. Eight pm?"
Erin blushed and took the pad and pencil. "Tonight it is." She scribbled her address and phone number on the pad and handed it back. "Eight pm."
* *
The sultry blonde sidled up next to Ethan and lightly grasped his arm, green eyes shooting seductive looks at him, mouth set in a full pout. Up close, he could smell her perfume, an almost cloying fragrance of roses and god knew what else.
"So, how about dinner to celebrate our agreement?" The blonde said, straightening the light green business suit she wore, still smiling up at him. "I know of a good place uptown. They serve decent wine at least."
Ethan turned from the blonde and looked at his lawyer. Marcus Reedman grinned and shrugged, refusing to step in and rescue his best friend this time. "Yeah Ethan, why not have a drink? I'm sure this place Imogen's suggested should be good."
Ethan's glare promised retribution and he returned his attention to the blonde. "Very well then. But not immediately, I have another meeting in an hour. How about this evening?"
Imogen smiled and nodded. "This evening sounds good. Eight o clock at The Frieling?"
Ethan nodded and excused himself, picking up his briefcase and headed out the door. He cursed silently as he walked down the wide corridor, paying no attention to the tasteful artwork that hung from the cream colored wall, or the plush carpet his soles tread on. The last thing he wanted was an evening spent wining and dining when he'd rather be on the courts, pounding tennis balls. He needed to let off steam, caused by associating with two particularly annoying women and having to deal with yet another woman was not something he relished.
"Hey ET, wait up." Marcus called out just as Ethan reached the elevator. He turned to see the lawyer jog towards him, the ex-hockey player looking almost out of place in the plush office. He looked like he would be more comfortable in skates, knocking the breath out of opponents at a game.
"I should wring your neck." Ethan said when Marcus caught up to him. "You're supposed to run interference, not encourage the women."
Marcus grinned, not in the least bit fazed at his friend's gruff tone. He panted slightly from the recent exertion. "What? I figured you needed to unwind man. Tell, me when was the last time you got laid? Back in the dark ages?"
Ethan growled low in his throat. "My sex life is none of your business Marc. And for your information, I get laid...regularly."
"Really? And by regularly, are we talking nightly basis or once a month...on a full moon?" They stepped into the lift and the doors swished closed. Marcus turned to his friend, noting the tense jaw and the anger smoldering in Ethan's eyes. He recognized the look. "Wait. Lemme guess. You had a run in with the delightful Erin Gosling?"
Ethan shrugged, unwilling to admit anything. "Perhaps."
"Look, if she gets under your skin so much, why don't you just do her and get it over with? Like I said before ET, the best way outta this is a good long night of nothing but dirty sex with the woman. Then get her out of your mind."