The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Two - Part Two

Breakfast was already set out for display by the time I entered the main dining room, so I took my usual seat at the head of a cherry dining table that was crafted to seat twelve. Before me there was a large bowl of scrambled eggs, a platter of muffins and biscuits, as well as a tray leaden with strips of turkey bacon and sausage patties. Three silver pitchers held cranberry juice, milk, and OJ, and with a deep, satisfied inhale, I smiled to myself as I poured orange juice into one of the round crystal glasses.

And it was while I was preparing my plate, that Mrs. Trentley entered the dining room.

"Naomi, Mr. Raines is in the foyer, currently dripping on the floor..." And she paused as she winced. "Would now be a good time to show him in?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Trentley."

And with another grimace, she retreated from the room to reappear several moments later with a grinning, and only half-dressed Ethan Raines.

He was young, but still older than I, at twenty-three. And he stood before me, with the perfect bronze tan, and dark brown hair that hung past his nose. It was also still wet, (and cold too, I imagined) so he took the time to expertly sweep it from his hazel eyes. And judging by his chauvinistic and arrogant little half-smile, I could tell that internally he was already enjoying some small victory. After all, he had dared to trespass on my property and swim in my pool but was now being rewarded with breakfast at my table. To Ethan, things could not have gone any better than if we had had sex, and he made little effort to hide it.

Silently, he handed back the towel that Mrs. Trentley had given him, but responded with a gracious smile when she accepted it with a glare. Then she walked out afterwards, leaving us alone in the room. And as my gaze drifted innocently across him again, there were several things about Ethan Raines that I just couldn't help but notice.

For instance, I noticed that he was wearing Adidas flip-flops with only a pair of black, knee-length swim trunks to cover him. And I also noticed that this left his upper half mouthwateringly, scrumptiously exposed. And though he was not extremely well-defined or overly-muscular, there was still a hardness to his stomach and the rest of his body that demanded it be touched.

But nevertheless, I cleared my throat, and resisted the urge.

"Naomi Elizabeth Noble." Ethan said, in a deep, honeyed tone that I had no doubt kept the girls blushing.

"Ethan Raines." I replied, still sitting in my chair. "I would make sure you know your full name too, but I'm having trouble coming up with a middle name."

"It's Tyler." he supplied with a grin, taking it upon himself to have a seat right next to me at the table. And still dripping slightly, he began to portion himself eggs and bacon onto a plate.

"So, Ethan Tyler, are you gonna tell me what you were doing in my pool at eight o'clock in the morning?" I asked pleasantly, making my own plate as well. "But I have to admit, that's a really creative method for scoring breakfast with a stranger."

"What can I say? I'm a really friendly neighbor." he said, still chewing through a mouth full of food.

But I had the distinct impression that Ethan wasn't just "friendly", at all. Guys like him never were.

"So. Where do you live then, neighbor?" I asked, playing his game.

"Over on Elridge. It's maybe a ten minute jog from your house to mine, if you're fast, which you like you might be..."

And as he smirked, I inhaled slightly and smelled the remnants of last's night's rain still on his skin. But more importantly, I also smelled the wolf in him.