Kissing Mr. Bradley

Chapter 19

I woke up in the middle of the afternoon to the sound of Donna's screeching voice. My heart pounded as I raced down the grand staircase, nearly tripping over my own two feet. I had an image of a tragic situation, similar to the one the Humphrey's went through. I pictured Donna lying in a pool of her own blood with a distraught Ethan by her side. Ever since the Humphrey's, I couldn't shake away the intrusive thoughts.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, Donna and Katherine were holding onto each other, both screeching in high pitched delight.

Ethan came around the corner with Ezra and Bronwyn following close behind. I was the only one on edge. Everyone else acted as if we were in the clear despite being away from the city. I still felt safe at the Villa but I refused to let my guard down.

"Ethan!" Katherine exclaimed as she jumped into his arms.

"How was the drive here?" he asked, twirling her around and clearly just as excited to see her as she was to see him. He was such a great actor.

"Great!" she responded as she took off her sun hat. "I'm just so glad to be here, finally!"

"And your parents?" he asked.

"They're settling in nearby," she said. "We'll see them at the gala."

They held each other's hands and started for the dining room.

Donna turned to me. "Care to join us for dinner?" she asked.

I followed behind, still in my robe and feeling out of place.

The dinner stretched from one side of the elongated room to the other. Plates were set with food and the servants, including Fiona, stood nearby to assist us when needed.

Fiona put on a fake smile.

"When is the wedding?" Bronwyn asked, wasting no time in interrogating Katherine. "I'm dying to know a set date."

Katherine searched Ethan's eyes for an answer.

"We haven't decided yet," she said after receiving nothing from him. "But I did find the most gorgeous wedding venue not too far from here. I also picked out the flower centerpieces and the cake."

"And your dress?" Donna asked. "Is it the wedding dress of your dreams?"

"It is to die for!" she cried before describing her wedding dress in great detail while Ethan chugged down his beverage of choice.

The conversation turned from a happy moment to complete sorrow and dread when Katherine sent Ethan her condolences for the Humphrey's.

"When I heard the news," she started. "I just couldn't believe it."

"Thank you, Kat," Ethan said quietly. "The Humphrey's were two of the most amazing people I've ever known. They were like family."

Donna raised her glass. "Indeed, they were."

Katherine hugged Ethan as tight as she could. "I can't imagine anything happening to us," she said. "It brings a tear to my eye every time I think about the possibility that we could've been-"

"Stop," Ethan whispered, taking her hand in his. "Let's just enjoy this moment together."

Donna turned the mood around. She reassured everyone that we were all safe and that Bradley & Sons would still be standing proud and tall after all of this was over. I really hoped she was speaking in truth but I could never tell.

"Saffron!" Katherine exclaimed. "I didn't see you there."

"Oh, Katherine," I said. "How are you?"

"Marvelous," she said. "Will you be attending the gala?"

"Of course," I replied. "Ethan has invited me."

Bronwyn leaned in closer, her hair falling over her shoulders. "He also bought her a dress."

"A dress?" Katherine repeated as the look on her face fell. "That was very nice of you, Ethan."

It was clear that dinner was becoming a bit awkward in a sense that Katherine didn't want me there and Ethan was uncomfortable throughout the entire night. I could see how hard it was to be sweet to her and act the part of her future husband all the while knowing that he would be the one to break her heart in the upcoming days.

After dinner, I went back to my suite and replayed the conversations over in my head as if any part of it was significant to why I had to get close to the Bradley's but nothing really stood out to me. The only part that stood out was the constant view of Ethan and how disinterested he was in conversing. When he was asked a question by his mother, siblings and Katherine, he tried his best to show some fascination but when he was left alone, he became lost in thought or trying to get me to see him from across the table.

In the midst of silence, I was the only one who could hear his screams. Everybody else was far too busy in their own world to notice Ethan and I.

I was in the middle of undressing and calling it a night when a small knock at my door alerted me. Before I could answer, Ethan had already let himself in.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," he said. "And I need you to schedule something for me."

I grabbed my planner from the bedside table.

"Okay," I said, getting my pen ready. "What is it?"

Ethan came close and slipped the planner from my hands, tossing it down on the bed.

He held my hips and brought me closer to him until I could feel the hardness of his body.

Breathing down my neck as his lips grazed my collar bone, I melted into his arms and pulled him down to the bed.

"I want to schedule a session," he said, breathing heavily. "With you, right now."

I untied my robe, feeling the cool night breeze from the window hit my naked body.

"I'm available," I whispered.

He kissed my collar bone and brushed his lips down to my breast and navel, stopping there the moment I let out a quiet moan.

"Ms. Hastings," he said. "You've been doing an exceptional job lately."

I breathed heavily as his lips kissed my inner thigh.

"Oh, really?" I asked, hiding my smile with my arm.

"I was thinking," he started, continuing the role play. "How does an early promotion sound?"

"So good," I said, biting my bottom lip as Ethan stayed between my thighs, his lips touching the most erogenous zone of my body and going in deeper until I could no longer keep my eyes open or my mouth closed because of how good it felt to have him there and how excited he was to be there.

As Ethan went down, I wondered how any other promotion could be as good as this one.