Kissing Mr. Bradley

Chapter 10

The errands I had to run for Ethan were endless. I felt like a hamster on its wheel, constantly on the go. The only difference was that I was on a timed schedule.

I had to admit that working alongside Ethan was a lot better than sitting behind the front desk. I liked Maudie a lot, but it wasn't enough to keep me as a receptionist. I was glad for my position as Ethan's personal assistant. It came with more perks and better pay, just as he had promised. The upside of it all, was that getting closer to Ethan was what I had planned for.

The first errand was nothing more than a shopping spree with Noelle. We were looking at necklaces at a high end jewelry store. We were offered bubbling cider with our own section closed off from the rest of the customers, courtesy of Ethan.

We were looking for the perfect piece for Ethan's mother. When I asked him what the gift was for, he replied with, "I haven't been returning her phone calls."

Noelle and I were presented with an emerald necklace covered in diamonds on a velvet platform. The jeweler, Pierre, brought out several more pieces. They were all so immaculate that the decision was hard to make, especially for someone I had never met.

"What about this one?" I asked Noelle, pointing to a dainty pearl necklace placed neatly in the glass jewelry case. "Do you think she'll like it?"

Noelle made a face of disgust. "Donna Bradley will turn you to stone," she responded. "Diamonds are a woman's best friend, Saffron."

Pierre circled around the necklaces, pointing to each one and naming them off.

"Twenty-five carats," he announced. "And I'll throw in the matching earrings."

"Donna hates earrings," Noelle groaned. "She's very picky."

"What about that one?" I asked, staring lovingly at the ruby necklace with gold accents. It stood out more than the others with its vibrant color.

"Very regal!" Noelle exclaimed. "Donna Bradley already acts like the Red Queen."

Pierre delicately placed the necklace in my hands. The ruby's dripped over my fingertips like a waterfall.

"This is it," I said, then turned to Noelle. "What do you think?"
I didn't know much about Ethan's mother, but I could only hope she was as wise and loving as any mother would be.

"I think it's a good choice," Noelle said.

"Bellissima!" Pierre cried after I made the final decision.

I handed over Ethan's black card and left with the little black box wrapped in a matching velvet bow tied to perfection.

When I got back to the office, Maudie had another last minute errand for me to run.

"Mr. Bradley's suit is ready for pickup," she said, then handed me a sticky note. "Here is the drop-off location."

I headed out again with Ethan's driver to the dry cleaners.

After picking up the suit, I was driven out of the city where the buildings were replaced by mountains and mansions, forest trees and a slow way of living.

"Sir," I called to the driver from the backseat. "Are we almost there?"

He glanced at me from the rearview mirror.

"Almost," he replied.

The more we drove, the darker the sky turned. Soon, rain clouds made an appearance as tiny raindrops began to patter on the roof of the car.

"Where are we?" I asked as the driver stopped at the curb in front of one of the most modernized homes I had ever seen.

"Mr. Bradley's place of residency," he answered. "The house key is under the welcome mat."

Ethan's home was one of the most beautifully structured residencies I had ever seen as an agent. It was a glass house with sharp angles and a future-esque style. It wasn't too over the top or plain and simple. It was unique and perfect for Ethan. It was every agent's dream home.

I carefully handled Ethan's suit as the raindrops fell on top of my head.

I made it to the front door and flipped over the welcome mat where the silver key was.

The interior of Ethan's home was just as eye-catching as the outside. It was warm with a welcoming scent of vanilla and the crackling sound of a lit fireplace nearby.

I slipped off my heels and left them by the foyer, making my way around the home and passing by the spacious kitchen and bar. I followed the sound of water and came across the backyard lap pool with a waterfall stream passing through two large boulders. I was so easily distracted by the fact that I was standing in Ethan Bradley's home, I had to remind myself why I was there in the first place. I was still holding onto his suit as I headed up the stairs, one granite step at a time, and came across one of the most important rooms in the entire house.

The master bedroom was minimally decorated with a king sized bed at the center and a matching loveseat with a fur rug underneath.

I ran my fingers along the luxurious bed sheets and pillows, sunk my feet into the fluffy rug and wondered how often Ethan got the chance to rest in his own bedroom.

In the bathroom was a black matte tub, gold faucets and a walk-in shower with the most imperial pieces of tile.

Stay focused, Saffron, I thought.

Lastly, I stepped foot into Ethan's walk-in closet where all of his suits were lined on the hangers and color coded. His shoes were freshly shined and set along the metal rack. His suit ties, all in various patterns and designs, were nicely displayed. He had to have over a hundred of them.

At the center of it all was a customized jewelry case enclosed with watches and rings.

I was engulfed by the glamorous life of Ethan Bradley.

I hung up the suit and touched the fabric of the others, feeling the texture of the threads between my fingers. I was caught in the moment of reading the names of the designers on the suit tags that I didn't hear the footsteps making their way up to the second floor of the home or the flicker of the bathroom light switch just a few feet away from where I was standing.

I hid behind Ethan's suits and controlled my racing heart. I stayed as quiet as I could, breathing slow breaths and staying as still as possible.

Then, the shower turned on.