The Morning After (2 page)

They kept walking.

Cara breathed in a ragged breath.
Great
. No one could hear her. Knowing the heat inside the costume would be unbearable, she’d stripped to her bra and panties in the changing room. Her cell phone was in her jeans pocket. She couldn’t even call anyone.
Could this day get any worse?

Chapter Two

She still wasn’t answering her blasted cell.

Ethan called Sean. Like most of the local gardai he was on duty in the park. He’d know where she was. He didn’t bother with small talk. “Do you know where Cara is?”

“Hang on.”

Ethan heard Sean on his radio, but couldn’t make out the words.

He slipped his arms into his hoodie and zipped it up, feeling the stretch of his angled neck, which kept the phone crushed between jaw and shoulder.

“She’s Winnie the Pooh.”

Ethan stilled.
Winnie the Pooh?
“What?”

“She’s dressed as a bear as part of a display. Winnie the Pooh. You know, the one with Eeyore and Christopher Robin.” Sean laughed. “She wasn’t very happy about it.”

Silence for a moment.

“I can see her from the window—she’s stuck through a wall next to a pile of honey pots. She’s waving her arms around.”

Ethan grinned. She’d hate that. No wonder she wasn’t answering his calls, no doubt she couldn’t reach her cell phone. She was such a trooper. Even with her heart breaking, she’d still got out there, when any normal person would have welshed on the deal and stayed at home to lick their wounds.

There was nothing for it. He’d have to go find her.

Ethan flicked the hood of his sweatshirt up and slipped on his wraparound shades.

Ten minutes later, he was strolling head down through the crowds that thronged the park. Couples with kids were everywhere. The air smelt of hot-dogs and candyfloss, and the sun shone down, all traces of the previous night’s rain long soaked away into the ground. To his relief no one cast him a second glance. They weren’t expecting him until the premiere and fundraising dinner later, and the last place people would expect to see a Hollywood movie star was in the park in the centre of town.

A grin stretched his mouth the moment he saw her. The huge yellow head and arms of the cartoon bear stuck through the wall, and despite the fact that her arms were flapping around like sails in a storm, most people didn’t even stop to appreciate her efforts.

Ethan stood in front of the ridiculous bear, slipped off his shades, and stared into the wide-spaced plastic eyes. She couldn’t possibly see through those. He peered lower, eventually spotting a thin slit in the centre of the mouth. He moved close, and squatted. “Are you in there?”

Familiar bright blue eyes ringed with dark lashes blinked. “Urrr.”

“What?” Ethan leaned close and pressed his ear against the furry costume.

“Urrr!”

It sounded as though she was cross. Or panicked.

“Are you all right in there?” He stared at her eyes. They widened. Then fluttered. Three fast blinks, three slow ones, then three fast ones again.

SOS?
They’d drummed it on the desk in class often enough, a warning to sit back down at their desks and pretend to be working when a teacher was on the way back to the classroom.

A frown line could just be seen between Cara’s eyebrows.

A cold fist clenched at Ethan’s insides. There was something wrong. He knew it. “Wave your arms if you’re in trouble.”

A huge hand crashed against his head as the giant fluffy figure waved wildly.

“Okay, Cara. Don’t panic.” Ethan pushed back the hood of his sweatshirt and rubbed his head. “I’ll get you out of there.”

Easier said than done.

Ethan tugged at the back of the unwieldy costume for the umpteenth time, then gave up in defeat. The arms and head were thoroughly wedged in the hole. There was no way she was getting loose unless he took down the wall around her. And someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to make it out of brick. The danger was, in taking it down she’d be injured by falling rubble.

His efforts were gaining attention too. A small crowd was forming, watching him pull and push. He scooted around to the head again, and peered through the crack. “Well you’re stuck alright.”

Her baby blues stared back.

He stepped away, and carefully examined the front of the costume, searching for the seam that separated the head from the body.

“I’m taking the head off.”

Grasping the ears, Ethan tugged firmly, falling backwards onto the ground with the head clasped to his chest.

The watching crowd cheered.

There was no point ignoring them any longer. Ethan tossed the head to the side, bowed to the crowd, and grinned.

“God, you took your time,” Cara moaned.

She’d cut her hair since his last visit home a year ago. It barely reached her shoulders now; bangs were plastered to her damp forehead. Her mascara had run, giving her panda eyes.

“I’m glad to see you though.” She gave smiling a try, rather unconvincingly.

Her lip wobbled. Was that a hint of moisture in her eyes?

Ethan strode forward. “I’m going to pull you out. Can you get your hands free?”

The costume was so huge, her head and shoulders were plainly visible within the gaping hole. He could reach in, get his hands under her armpits…Ethan blinked. Her
naked
armpits. He put his head close to hers, and peered down into the costume’s shadowy depths. “What are you wearing?”

Cara clenched her eyes tight. “Nothing.”

A vivid vision of Cara naked flashed in Ethan’s mind, heating his blood and causing his whole body to tense instantly. He gritted his teeth, and forced himself to think of something else.
Anything
except his best friend naked. “Tell me you’re kidding,” he hissed in a deep voice.

“I’m kidding.” The corner of her mouth turned up in an unconvincing smile. “But only just. I’m in my underwear.”

A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead.

Ethan glanced around. Now that Winnie The Pooh’s head was off, the little crowd had lost interest, and had wandered over to watch the pop group that was tuning up on the other side of the park. He needed to get her out of here. And there was only one way to do it. “I hope you’re wearing your pretty set, rather than your granny knickers.”

Cara’s eyes widened.

“Stick your arms out.” Ethan reached in through the open head of the costume and rested his hands on her bare shoulders. A shot of electricity flashed through his hands up his arms and jump-started his heart into a frantic drum-roll. His fingers curled convulsively around Cara’s softly curved shoulders. What on earth was going on? He’d never had that reaction touching Cara before; she was the one woman in the world he wasn’t attracted to in that way…

But now, staring into the azure pools of her eyes, he felt like he was drowning.

Her tongue swept across her bottom lip.

And desire blazed through Ethan like a forest fire. The urge to taste her lips welled up out of nowhere. Attraction simmered in the air between their bodies. She was feeling it too; her expanding irises and sudden stillness were testament to that.

Cara glanced away. “So, how’s this going to work?”

Her words threw him into confusion. It couldn’t work, her relationship had just gone belly-up, and he…he never had long-term relationships. He cleared his throat.

Cara frowned. “Ethan, get me out of this damn costume.” Her voice held an edge of panic.

Reality seeped through the fog in his brain. Of course, she wasn’t talking about their shifting relationship, she was talking about something much more urgent. The need to get her free.

She wriggled, then both her arms slipped through the opening. Ethan bent and slid his hands down to her ribcage, grasping her firmly. Her hands linked behind his neck.

“Ready?” He tried not to react to the feel of her breath against his cheek. Clenched his teeth tight to force the attraction onto the back burner.

“Ready,” she whispered.

With one huge effort, Ethan pulled her from the costume.

Her face was against his neck. Her chest melded to his as she shimmied out of the confining suit into his arms.

Her legs were half in, half out, and he slipped an arm around her bottom and jerked. Arms full of half-naked warm woman, Ethan closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in her musky scent.

****

Talk about out of the frying pan into the fire.
Every inch of Cara’s body was pressed hard against Ethan’s. His long hair brushed against the backs of her fingers. Her lips were at his strong column of neck, and her breasts were squashed against his hard expanse of chest.

One hand held onto her bottom, and a flush of heat bloomed in her stomach at the contact.

This
. This was what was missing in her relationship with Michael. How could she even consider marrying someone who didn’t arouse such exciting feelings in her? She didn’t want Ethan to let her go. She wanted to rip off his T-shirt and feel his naked flesh against hers. Wanted to kiss him, long and deep, and wrap her legs around his waist.

Rapid fire clicking.

Ethan cursed loudly. He slid her down his body to the ground. Her legs wobbled as her Converse All stars settled on the damp grass.

Ethan ripped off his hoodie. “Put it on.” He held it open as she slipped her arms into the oversized garment. And stood quiet as a child as his long tanned fingers slipped the tab home, and zipped up to her neck.

He glanced at her bare legs. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“My clothes…”

Ethan’s dark chocolate gaze searched hers. “Where?”

Cara pointed. “In the trailer.”

Ethan’s arm circled her waist. He strode across the field so fast she had to jog to keep up. “We need to get out of here. Someone was taking photographs.” He glanced behind them, his strong jaw clenched tight.

Everywhere he went people took photographs.

Cara bit her bottom lip. How on earth would she explain the picture to Michael? And her parents—who were so ready to see the worst in every situation after that wild incident in her past?

“Grab your stuff,” Ethan demanded as they reached the trailer. “Don’t hang around to change. You can pick your car up later, I’ll bring mine around.”

Ten minutes later they were in his car, speeding through the country roads to the cottage she rented on the outskirts of town. Dappled sunlight streaks flashed through the windshield, cast by the avenue of tall beeches straddling the road. Cara’s jeans were inside out. She tried to untangle them, then gave up, and leaned back against the seat’s warm leather interior.

“They’re going to wonder where I’ve gone.” No doubt the sight of a headless Winnie the Pooh would cause nightmares tonight for some of the toddlers who came across it. She couldn’t make herself care though. Being stuck inside the dark costume had been terrible. And when she’d seen Ethan’s familiar face she’d thought she’d faint with relief.

Something beeped in the pile of clothes on her lap. “I must have a message,” she said.

“You missed at least five from me,” Ethan said. “I’ve been trying to contact you all morning.”

Curiosity niggled. “I’m coming to the premiere and the dinner, why would you need to get hold of me so urgently?”

Ethan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He gazed through the windshield, and jerked his head as her cottage came into view. “This is you, right?”

The niggle turned into an ache. “Yes.” She’d only seen Ethan so serious once or twice in the years since they’d been friends. When there was trouble.

The powerful car surged up the driveway, then came to a stop at her cherry-red front door. “We’ll talk inside.”

In the tiny kitchen, Cara dumped her clothes onto the heavy pine table. “Put the kettle on, then. I’ll get dressed.” She turned her back. But still felt his gaze on her.

He didn’t move.

She swiveled to face him. “Ethan?”

His dark brown eyes, fringed with lashes so long they were positively indecent on a man stared into hers. His long hair flopped across his forehead, and he pushed it back with a tanned hand. His mouth…

Cara couldn’t seem to stop looking at his mouth.

When he spoke it was in a tortured rasp. “Have you spoken to Michael today?”

Cara closed her eyes. Guilt sliced through her like a knife.
What was the matter with her?
Michael Maguire, the man who wanted to marry her, hadn’t even flickered through her mind since Ethan had appeared. She was having naughty fantasies about having her very own steamy Crash Carrigan love scene in her kitchen, when she should be having those fantasies about Michael. And she’d never, ever fancied Ethan before.

Heat flushed her cheeks. “I haven’t spoken to Michael since yesterday afternoon,” she muttered. “He’s been working.” She fumbled with the clothes on the table, pulling out her cell-phone. Six missed calls, and a couple of text messages. “He’s probably been trying to get in contact with me too.”

Ethan stepped close. So close her nipples peaked beneath his sweatshirt. His hand cupped her jaw as he tilted her face up to his.

“I’ve something to tell you.”

Chapter Three

Cara jerked away from Ethan’s hand. She took a step back, a frown creasing between her eyebrows. Her pixie chin tilted up in a familiar ‘go on then, I’m braced for it’ challenge.

Ethan swallowed. Ridiculous as it was, that look from this pocket Venus was enough to make him wish he was somewhere else. Anywhere else but standing before Cara as she waited for him to elaborate.

That look probably got her class full of teenage boys to pay attention.

Despite the fact that her legs were bare, and she was covered from shoulder to mid-thigh in his hoodie, she looked like a strong, confident woman who would balk at nothing. But they were friends. Closer than family. And that look couldn’t fool him. It masked Cara’s soft center. A gentle heart that would be crushed when she learned the truth of her lover’s betrayal. Ethan’s hands curled into fists. “You better sit down.”