Imported Love

Chapter Eleven

And with that kiss I sealed my fate.

A crisp wind blew through the room and floated over my exposed skin. I shivered and pressed myself closer to the bed. Stretching out my arm, I expected to touch Ethan’s warm skin and burrow my head into his shoulder, but my hands came up empty, encountering nothing but cold sheets. I sat up and pulled the blankets around my body. Scanning the room, I caught no sight of Ethan anywhere. His shirt had disappeared from the bottom of the bed and his pants had vanished from the floor.

“Ethan?” I whispered. A painful silence followed my question. I climbed out of bed and rearranged the blankets around my shoulders. My heart became heavy as I realized that Ethan was gone. He hadn’t stayed. My mind whirled and came up with horrible scenarios for me to think about. What if he hadn’t cared at all? What if he was just like his father? What if he’d only used me last night?

A soft knock came at the door, interrupting my living nightmares. I nearly sprinted to the door, hoping more than anything that it was Ethan on the other side of the wood. I threw open the door and frowned at Lily. She regarded me in shock before shoving me into the room and slamming the door behind her.

“What are you doing?” She demanded. She planted her hands on her hips and stared at me as if I’d grown an extra appendage. I looked down at my sheet wrapped frame and shrugged.

“I was going to take a bath,” I lied. Lily scowled and began to scan the room. Her eyes fell upon my disheveled bed and my nightgown thrown across the room in a heap. I could practically see her brain making assumptions, although I knew she was about to come up with the right one. 

“Oh, Erica, please tell me that you didn’t. Abel will kill you if he finds out!” Lily shrieked. She grabbed my hand and the tears in her eyes frightened me.

“Lily, I assure you I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I insisted. Lily opened her mouth to argue, but Ethan barging into the room cut her off.

“Ethan,” Lily shouted, whirling around on him. “Where have your manners gone?” She stood in front of me like a guard, shielding my body from Ethan’s view.

“I apologize, Lily, but I need to talk to Erica.” Ethan said.

“She’s not—“

“Lily, leave.” I demanded. Lily turned to me, her expression hurt. She hung her head and shuffled from the room, closing the door behind her. Ethan waited until her footsteps had receded before he spoke.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan whispered as he locked the door. “I didn’t mean to leave you here alone this morning. My father was looking for me, and I couldn’t have him finding me here with you.”

I sighed in relief and smiled at him. “It’s alright, I understand.”

Ethan chewed on his bottom lip while he rubbed the back of his neck. “You look beautiful,” he muttered.