Perfectly Toxic (The Sterling Shore Series Book 9) (13 page)

Ethan pounds his chest, finally catching his breath, and I turn a little more in my seat. Fortunately Allie doesn’t seem to mind, since she’s doing the same thing, equally intrigued.

“Really wasn’t expecting you to say that,” Ethan finally confesses, taking a bigger sip of his drink.

His eyes don’t meet mine, and he slowly slips that cool mask of confidence and nonchalance back into place.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t expecting Rain to tell me that either. Good timing too, considering you just came back. Don’t worry. I won’t be stealing her from you again.”

Maverick laughs, but it’s forced. Ethan doesn’t even crack a grin. And he’s still not meeting my gaze.

Ethan grunts and rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything to counter Maverick’s words. Frowning, I study him. Unfortunately, the guy is an unreadable fortress.

“Too soon?” Maverick drawls, looking at Ethan with a shit-eating grin.

A few groans and chuckles answer that question. Ethan says nothing.

“Anyway, she’s swinging by tonight with Chloe. I waited until Corbin and Ruby left to send the text,” Maverick adds, and my heart starts jack-hammering against my chest.

I think it’s safe to say I’ve really jumped into something without all the responsible details of possible lingering feelings for exes. Ethan’s expression is still stoic and unreadable, and it’s driving me crazy. Just a hint of what’s going on inside his head right now would be great.

“So she’s coming here? Do you really want to open up that old wound?” Tria asks, coming closer to the table. “I mean, she was eating with Fiona. That seems like a betrayal to Dale to invite her over, considering Fiona cheated on him.”

“Nah,” Maverick says, batting his hand. “She was chilling with Chloe. Fiona just crashed their meal when she saw them. Fiona is struggling to make friends since her split with Dale.”

Ethan finishes off his drink, and he stands, stretching.

“No offense, but I’m bored out of my mind. I might head out to Silk after one more drink,” Ethan announces.

“Or you don’t want to face Star,” Maverick says, grinning like a cheeky ass.

Me? I’m a little sick at my stomach.

Ethan grunts something too low for me to hear, but it has Kode laughing under his breath as Ethan passes him. Kode flips Maverick off before getting up and moving toward Tria, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“And to think I was about to go home,” Kode says, smirking.

“I’m going to grab a bottle of water instead of finishing my drink,” I tell Allie, standing and heading inside.

Surprisingly, all the pretty models are gone. Dane is still with Rain on the couch, and Dale is bent over, talking to him quietly to keep Rain from waking up.

They don’t notice me as I quietly make my way into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge as I pass by. But there’s no sign of Ethan. Did he really just—

My inner ramble ends on a squeal that is muffled by a hand that clamps over my mouth. My eyes widen as my back hits the wall, and an amused Ethan is suddenly in front of me. My bottle of water is probably somewhere on the floor, because it’s not in my hand anymore.

“Looking for me, Bella?” he asks, slowly lowering his hand from my mouth.

I shove at his chest while glaring at him, but he doesn’t budge. “Asshole,” I grumble. “Was that really necessary?

He laughs under his breath while cocking an eyebrow.

“So your text said you want to get out of here,” he says, letting his eyes drop to my chest, lingering on the tiny amount of cleavage that’s exposed.

“That was before the promise of the reunion with your ex,” I quip, trying and failing to sound casual.

His lips tilt in a smile, and he leans over me, pressing his forearm on the wall as he gazes down. I’m forced to crane my neck back just to make eye contact.

“Is that jealousy I detect?” he muses.

“Not even a little bit,” I lie, and he knows it because his grin widens.

“Always lying to me, Bella. Good thing I don’t have your rules, or this thing between us wouldn’t work out.”

An unbidden smile spreads over my lips, and I roll my eyes.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say, watching as he waggles his eyebrows. “We were supposed to have dinner, and now I’m starving. Plus, I think you owe me some conversation.”

That has him groaning, and I’m the one smirking as I walk out to tell everyone goodnight and sneak away like I’m not taking a boy home.

Chapter 25

ETHAN

Bella is laughing, while I stab some of the Chinese takeout with the damn chopsticks that I can’t work. Eating fucking noodles with sticks? Who thought that was a good idea?

“Glad I’m your source of entertainment for the evening,” I state dryly while dropping the piece of beef from the sticks and cursing it for hitting the floor.

Bella’s laughter only grows as she takes pity on me and walks toward me with a fork. I’ve never been so damn happy to see a fork before.

After I finally get to eat a bite of food, she resumes using the chopsticks like a pro, still smiling over at me.

“So what was growing up as Ethan Noles like?” she asks.

I shrug. “Like I said, the Noles name was once big around here, but my grandfather lost all his money. My dad had to build his own company to rebuild the name, and my uncle married into money. Some people still revere the Noles name as elite. Some think we’re unworthy of the circle we’re in.”

“Not what I meant,” she says, scooting closer as some weird show plays on the TV. Totally a chick flick. Why can’t she be an action buff? “I meant, what was your childhood like?”

“Really? You want to talk about me as a kid?” I ask her with an arched eyebrow.

I really don’t want to talk about all that shit.

“Yes. I do.”

Releasing a breath, I focus on the sunny-side-up portions. “Mom was great. Dad was great. Life was… difficult,” I say with a shrug. “Dad started his company here, but when it expanded, it made sense for it to move to Chicago. So during the school year, Mom and I stayed here, and Dad came home when he could—which wasn’t often. We went there most weekends to visit him. During the summer, I stayed here, and Mom stayed in Chicago with Dad.”

A small bit of tension creeps into my spine, along with the numbness I thought was gone. I try to shake it off, but it seems to spread instead of ebbing.

“Why did you stay here instead of going with them?” she asks, not realizing this is dredging up memories I don’t want.

“Because I played ball during the summer, and because my friends were here. I started going there in the summer later on though, and quit playing ball.”

I shrug it off like it’s no big deal, and she leans back, studying me. I can’t feel the fork in my hand anymore, and it pisses me off. I shouldn’t have even let her bring up this topic.

I reach over, sliding my hand up her bare leg, since she’s wearing some drive-me-crazy pajama shorts that barely cover her ass. The second my skin connects with hers, the feeling returns, and I blow out a relieved breath.

I keep reminding myself of the last time this happened… The first time I ever felt anything was because of a girl. I also remember what happened later, but it doesn’t seem to stop me from touching Bella.

Her hand covers mine, and she leans in closer.

“What were your summers like?” I ask, hoping for sunshine and fucking roses.

“A lot of sex,” she says with a straight face, and I choke on the piece of beef I’ve stupidly put in my mouth.

She bursts out laughing, and I flip her off while catching my breath and swallowing the asshole piece of beef.

“Nah, it was usually church camps and bible schools when I was a kid. As I got older, it turned into parties and hanging with Allie. Contrary to popular belief, there’s not a lot of wild sex going on at church camp.”

Shaking my head, I laugh under my breath, but my phone chirps in my pocket, ending the conversation as I pull it out.

I groan when I see my dad’s name. Damn it. I should have called him sooner with a report.

“Dad,” I say by way of greeting as I stand up and head outside for privacy.

“Milly just called me and said they were trying to reach you from the office.”

My eyebrows pinch together, and I pull my phone away, noticing I have several missed calls from earlier in the night when we were still over at Maverick’s. How’d I miss them?

“Why are they trying to reach me?”

“I don’t know. Milly thinks my heart can’t handle details these days, so she wouldn’t tell me. She just thought I might be able to get ahold of you.”

Groaning, I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Fine. I’ll call her now.”

I hang up on him right before he can tell me to call him back, and I call Milly—my old assistant who still works as the new CEO’s assistant.

Unfortunately, she quickly fills me in as soon as she answers, and she even secures me a private jet to Chicago that will be leaving within the hour.

I head back inside, and Bella is walking in from the kitchen with some weird green drink in a glass.

“I have to head to Chicago for a few days. Apparently they’re in the middle of a big deal, but the deal won’t go through without me, since it’s my name that got the account there in the first place.”

“Absolutely none of that made sense except for the part you’re leaving for a while. When will you be back?” she asks, fidgeting like she’s nervous.

“No clue yet. Depends on how long it takes to sort things out.”

She sighs while putting the disgusting looking drink down and comes over to me, tossing her arms around my neck.

“Then I guess we should make tonight count so you don’t forget about me.”

That has me really groaning, and I grab her ass, pulling her closer to let her feel how much I wish I could take her up on that.

“As much as I want to, I have to run home and pack a quick bag. I’m leaving now.”

She mocks an exaggerated pout, and I lean down, taking those lips with mine, and kissing her in a way that has my dick punching my zipper as punishment. Cursing, I pull back, and she sighs heavily.

“Fine. Call me while you’re gone. Maybe I’ll actually send you something dirty this time.”

My eyebrows go up, and she winks while stepping back. “Go be Mr. Corporate, Ethan Noles. And send me a picture of you in a suit. It’s a good look on you.”

My lips twitch, and I slap her ass as she walks away. She fakes an indignant gasp as I reluctantly head out the door, wondering when the day will come that I’m actually finished being Mr. Corporate.

Chapter 26

BELLA

“I’m not pulling another double. I’ll stay over an extra three hours, but that’s it, and you seriously can’t make me,” I tell Lisa as she walks ahead of me.

They really have too many people who have control of the scheduling. “Sorry, but that’s how it is, Bella,” she says without an ounce of sympathy.

Her frigid ass isn’t working doubles. She’s sticking with her typical eight hours a day and going home.

“Bullshit.”

She turns, giving me an icy smile. “You could always call Corbin Sterling again. See if he’ll intervene on your behalf. But rumor has it that he’s on the outs with his father, so he may not carry as much weight here as he used to.”

My retort dies on my tongue, because I’m so sick of that being thrown in my face. They had no right to fire me. Corbin just righted a damn wrong. And this is my punishment.

She struts away like she’s made some incredible statement, and I flip her off behind her back, because I’m immature like that. I also don’t feel like getting fired. Again.

Deciding to take an early break, since I’m working another double to cover for everyone who is out with a virus, I head to the lockers and check my phone. A small smile tugs at my lips when I see a message from Ethan.

ASSHOLE: Still waiting on that picture… It’ll need to be extra dirty to make up for the fact I’ve been here for four days without one.

Yeah, and in that four days he’s been too busy to hardly even message me. He wasn’t kidding about putting in a lot of hours when he works. But he also says he’s working late because he wants to hurry home.

ME: You could always send me a picture of you in your suit. I’m still waiting on that. As for the dirty pic, it’ll have to be a night when I feel like getting sexy, and that won’t be tonight. Back to back doubles for this tired girl.

I read that a few times to make sure no wild typos are in it. He seems to love calling me out on that—something everyone else loves to do too.

ASSHOLE: At this point, I’d take a scrub picture with your messy hair tossed up on top of your head.

Glancing around, I make sure he isn’t really in here somewhere, because he just accurately described me. Disappointed that I don’t see him, I contemplate changing his name in my phone.

ASSHOLE: Well, I’ll send a suit pick later. I’m currently done pissing, and I have to get back to work.

ME: You sent me a text while pissing?? Ewww!

ASSHOLE: You’ll have that pisser in your mouth soon when I’m fisting your hair and fucking your face, so don’t get too grossed out. And yes, that’s all the time I have.

Never mind. His current name will stay in place.

Rolling my eyes, I put my phone away, and get back to the grueling night. Absolutely nothing interesting happens, but I do get puked on. Twice.

Damn virus.

Maverick shows up just as I’m about to leave.

“What are you doing here?” I groan as he walks closer.

“I was in the neighborhood, and saw your car. I need a wingman, and no men want to do it, so I’m taking you instead.”

It’s after midnight, and I smell like death. “Not happening. Some of us are exhausted after working doubles.”

He follows me out. Unfortunately.

“Please,” he begs. “Just for an hour. It’s just Silk. Okay? I’m trying to stay away from all the good women, so if they think I’m there with a date and hit on me, obviously they’re not good. There are a lot more good women out there than you realize.”

“You realize how fucked up that sounds?” I ask him, but suddenly I’m stopping and glaring at my car that has a flat tire.

“Looks like you need a ride,” Maverick drawls. “And guess who will be happy to oblige if you give him one hour of your time.”

“I hate you,” I tell him as he grabs my backpack from my shoulder and tosses it over his.

“That part isn’t important. One hour, Bella. Maybe less.”

I glare at the cheeky ass who is beaming at me. “One hour,” I begrudgingly agree.

He lights up and tosses my bag into his car that is parked beside mine.

“And you had so better not be the reason my tire is flat.”

He swats his hand in a dismissive gesture as we both get in his car.

“I’m not that desperate, but I’ll call Rye to have someone come take care of it. They’ll even drop it off at your house. And I’ll buy all your drinks as payment.”

“No. You’ll just owe me one,” I tell him. “And I’m definitely going home to shower and change first.”

He curls his nose like he’s disgusted. “As if that was ever
not
an option.”

I flip him off as he laughs, and I sit back in his seat, ready to get this night over with so I can crash.

Maverick pulls into my yard and then follows me inside. He looks around, seemingly curious about my small house, even though he’s been in here a few times before. He’s not a snob though, so he never acts like he’s unimpressed or anything.

“Hey, that looks like Ethan’s,” he says randomly, pointing out the one thing Ethan Noles has left at my house.

It’s his black T-shirt that says “Fuck Me Running” on it, and maybe I’ve worn it to bed a few times. Okay, so every night I wear it.

“That’s from a guy I dated,” I tell him, technically not lying as I head toward the back. “Do
not
go through my things.”

He shrugs as I plug my phone into the wall to charge, and I head into the bathroom to get ready, hoping I don’t fall asleep in the damn shower.