Chapter Five
Ethan
Mia rubbed her soft hands over my skin. The intimate sensation was almost too much. A small part of me wanted to stop her, but the rest of me craved her touch.
I’d spent months overseas without female companionship—yeah, there were women in the Army, but I didn’t view them like that. Those women were part of the team, and screwing around with my fellow soldiers didn’t fit with my morals. Besides, some of women were older and married.
Having Mia right here, with her hands on my chest, made me want give in to my yearnings. Nolan’s younger sister. Those three words kept me from making moves I might regret.
While I saw the way she sometimes looked at me, I wouldn’t go chasing after her. If I made a move on her, that would be creepy, right? I’d known her since she was in diapers. The one time I had showed a little interest in her was when we were younger. Nolan and I got into a huge fistfight, only to be separated by Mia, who’d been too young to know better than to not get in the middle of two guys fighting.
Ever since that day, I’d shut away those feelings for her in the darker recesses of my mind. I still wanted her, but it was a secret longing. Even if I wanted her, I couldn’t have her now. Settling down didn’t suit me. My job as a soldier meant a lot, and I didn’t want anyone worried sick about me. No kids missing their father, or wife missing her husband, especially if things went wrong and I ended up dead. I’d seen it happen too many times, and I refused to leave behind a family who depended on me like that.
Things were better this way. I wanted to advance my career, to make something of myself, instead of struggle as my parents had done for most of their lives.
If that meant putting in long hours or grueling months, I would do it. All for the better, and my job was important: I helped to protect my country, even if I wholeheartedly disagreed with a lot of the asshattery in the government.
While I wasn’t against having short hook-ups to satisfy my needs, I refused to put my heart into them. Mia held that piece of me, and she didn’t even realize it.
She glanced up at me, still chanting under her breath. I strained to make out the words, but it was as if they were in another language. Since when did she know more than one language? She’d struggled through French in high school. A pretty pink blush spread to her cheeks when our eyes met. I wanted to kiss her, to show my true feelings.
Nolan wasn’t here. He didn’t have to know, and our relationship would probably return to what it had been before all this. It would better for us to not even go there. If we did, Christmas dinner with her folks would be horrifyingly awkward, knowing we’d slept together. Yet that didn’t stop my raging desire to throw her over my shoulder and carry her to the sweetly feminine bedroom I’d walked into earlier. Maybe it had been way too long since I’d last been with a woman. That had to be it. There was no other reason for my feelings to explode like this all at once.
“What’s in that stuff? The pain is almost gone now.” I frowned at her, noticing the sudden difference, now that I thought about it. I’d been so absorbed in other thoughts that I hadn’t paid much attention to the pain. Now it was barely there. This woman had to be a witch, for all the power she possessed when it came to my heart.
Damn it.
Mia flashed me a smile and continued chanting, while she rubbed on a little more of the cool, balmy cream from the small jar. Her red hair was like a stunning flame, cascading over her shoulders, and her green eyes lit up her face, with her faint freckles dotting her cheeks.
What the hell? This wasn’t like me. What was in that stuff? “Mia? I need to know. What—”
She pressed a fingertip to my lips, frowning at me. Closing her eyes, she held her hands close enough to my skin that I could feel the heat from her palms as she whispered another stream of foreign words. A soft glow emitted from her hands, and I nearly fell off the toilet seat, but the warm sensation against my chest and side were almost pleasurable.
I tilted my head back, staring at the ceiling. What had I’d gotten myself into? I’d imagined my Christmas break would be relaxing, maybe somewhat boring, what with attending the festivities at The Brooks’ home and not much else. So far, it was beyond anything I’d anticipated.
Not that I minded, but I wished Mia wasn’t in the level of trouble that I suspected, because if that was the case, then she needed to open up so I could help.
Hopefully I was wrong, but not much pointed in that direction.
Mia slumped forward into my lap as the glow dissipated. Her small hands brushed my thighs and blood surged straight to my cock. Damn it. Not the right time for me to be feeling this way.
“Are you okay?” I asked, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. My body froze. I couldn’t believe I’d just done that, but the action had felt so natural at the time.
“I...I’m fine. To answer your question, it was a healing...salve. I made it myself.” She gulped and blinked up at me as if she was just as surprised at the light kiss as I was. “I’m glad to hear that the pain is fading.” She spread large bandages over the vicious wounds, averting her gaze from mine again.
“Will you finally answer my questions? I need to know what’s going on if I’m to help you. You can’t leave me in the dark.” I fought the urge to cup her chin, to force her to look at me. I’d already done too much when it came to touching her. She was probably feeling just as overwhelmed about all of this as I was, if not more so.
“I said I would, but maybe we could find a better place to do that than here in the bathroom?” Her hands were gentle, and the more she touched me the less control I felt with her, especially when she was this close.
If it weren’t for my pledge to her brother when we were younger, I would’ve been all over her. Then again, that wasn’t exactly the kind of guy I was. But a fling would’ve been nice at least. Yet even as I thought that, I couldn’t imagine having a fling with her. Every part of me knew that I wasn’t the type to commit, but something about her made me reconsider my attitude.
“That’s fair. Just don’t try to get out of talking to me.” I glanced down at myself, agitated at the blood staining my uniform. I would need to get over it, though, because, right now, I had other things to worry about.
She climbed to her feet, then she set about washing her hands, scrubbing under her nails with a brush before drying them.
“Are you okay? Did the...uh, wolf...hurt you?” The fact the thing had been a werewolf was still hard for me to swallow, but I’d have to come to terms with it if I wanted to help.
“I’m fine. Only a few scratches from falling on the pavement. I’m okay.” She rubbed the remainder of the healing salve on her scraped elbow and the back of her head. Her eyes widened, and she dropped the jar into the sink. The small glass jar clattered in the sink, but it didn’t break. “Oh no. You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Her gaze drifted over to me and worry painted her eyes.
“What is going on?” I closed the distance between us, forcing her to look up at me, with her soft, pouty lips and delicate facial features.
“I...I just remembered something.” She chewed on her lower lip.
I wanted to kiss those lips, but that wasn’t right. I wasn’t like this. Not this much. Not with Mia. “Go on.”
“When I was making the healing cream, I accidentally spilled...something extra in it. I hadn’t thought much about it because it was only supposed to be my emergency sta—”
“You did what!” I dived at her, but she backed away and shut the door between us. Yanking the door open, I saw her dart toward her room. “Get back here.” If we went into her room with her bed, I didn’t know if I’d be able to control myself. “Did you plan this?”
That question spun her around to face me. “What? You think I planned to have a werewolf attack me while I picked you up from the airport? I didn’t even want to be there. I only did it because Nolan forced it onto me.” Her eyes widened, but the words were already out there. “I’m sorry.”
&
nbsp; I couldn’t believe she’d just said that. While I knew my friend had handed the gig to her, hearing Mia say those words cut me to the core. Maybe I hadn’t realized about this part of her, or it’d blossomed since I’d been overseas, but either way, I wasn’t in the mood for this shit. If I was such a bother to her and her damn social life, then I’d just leave.
Hell, I didn’t even know if she had a boyfriend or not, and yet I was throwing myself at her. Before I knew what I was doing, I shoved past her and darted down the stairs.
“No, please, Ethan. Don’t leave. I’m so sorry.” Her hands brushed my arm, but I ignored her, not wanting to be here any longer than necessary. “Stop. Ethan! I didn’t mean to say that.”
I whirled on her. “But we both know it’s true.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she reached out her hand to me but dropped it.
“It’s better this way, babe. We don’t have anything in common, aside from eating dinner at your parents occasionally. Once you’re out of this mess, there will be nothing further between us.”
Outside, a car pulled into Mia’s driveway, and the fear a werewolf might attack her had my attention. While she wasn’t in the right, I couldn’t leave her to suffer alone. I crossed to the kitchen window to peek out, careful not to move the blinds much.
A man in dark slacks and a button-down shirt climbed out of his car. He carried a bouquet of roses in his arms and clicked the key remote to lock his fancy luxury car.
“Looks like your date is here.” Anger rolled through me with more force than I’d expected. Part of me wanted to punch the guy and get him the fuck away from Mia. But no, this was her life, and I wouldn’t screw it up.
The doorbell rang. When Mia made no attempt to answer it, I opened the door. The man’s smile twisted into a scowl and he raked his gaze over me, before shifting his attention to Mia. He pushed past me and crossed the entryway to get to her.
“Mia, who is this? And what is he doing half-naked in your house?” He grabbed her by the arms and shook her. She gasped, trying to pull away from him. Mia didn’t meet his eyes, but he held on tight. “Are you cheating on me? Wait, what are those bruises from?” He swirled on me. “Did you hurt her?”
“Just drop it, Greg. Please.” Tears rolled down Mia’s cheeks, and I wished I could take back my words. Her quiet, shy demeanor had crumbled since the incident in the bathroom.
I could tell Greg didn’t like Mia telling him to drop it. His shoulders tensed and he turned his head to glare at her. This guy left a really bad taste in my mouth. Why had she gone for someone like him, to begin with? Maybe she really had changed since I’d been deployed, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. The idea of this man mistreating her set my blood on fire.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Mia,” Greg said, his voice an angry growl.
I grabbed the guy by the front of his silk shirt. “Back off. If she asks you to drop it, then drop it. You’re in her house.” I shoved Greg back a few steps. Instead of backing down, he launched himself right at me.
“Guys, please.” Mia took a couple steps toward them. Her eyes wide in horror, and she chewed her lower lip.
“Don’t think you’ll be able to get away with that shit. I’m in a relationship with Mia. That gives me more clout to say something to my girlfriend than you. So you should get out of her house, right now.” Greg threw a punch, but I easily blocked it, slamming my fist into his stomach as hard as possible.
This asshole was really getting to me.
“Stop it! Both of you.” Mia shoved me, but I didn’t budge. Her hands on my chest made me wonder if I wasn’t doing the right thing, but standing up for her was more important than sitting around pissed off.
Greg straightened his spine and his shirt. He scrunched his face in disgust. “Go get ready, Mia. The movie starts in less than an hour. I’d planned for us to eat first, but this...man who you haven’t introduced me to is messing up our schedule.”
She hung her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is Ethan, my brother’s best friend. We’ve known each other a long time.”
Greg wrinkled his nose. “Ah, I see. Why the hell is he at your house nearly naked?”
“He...we...I....” Mia looked at me with a frown.
“She picked me up from the airport, and we were mugged in the parking garage. Thanks for the concern.” While she didn’t know what to say, I was less obliged to give this jerk more information than necessary. Mia was in trouble with werewolves, and I didn’t want to make matters worse. But I hated seeing her with this fucking self-centered scumbag. What the hell had been going on with her since I’d been deployed?
“Right. Ethan protected me, Greg.” She stepped between the two of us. Part of me wanted to push her behind me and take charge. Prove my feelings for her. This was so unlike me. “I really don’t appreciate you assaulting him.” She glanced over her shoulder at me.
Greg narrowed his eyes, his hands clenched into fists. “You obviously didn’t pay attention because he grabbed me first.”
“You were being an ass to her.” I wouldn’t stand down and take this. If I wanted to, I could give this guy an ass whooping, but I wouldn’t do it because obviously Mia saw something in him. What that was, I couldn’t say.
“Guys, both of you, need to just leave. Greg, I’m not up to going to the movies—”
“I bought the tickets. You’re damn well going to the movie.” He puffed out his chest and encroached on Mia’s personal space.
For all of the bravery I’d seen from her in the parking garage with the werewolf, I had to wonder why she put up with this guy’s shit. “If she doesn’t want to go, then find someone else to take.” If this guy kept up with it, I’d throw him out. While I wasn’t happy with what she’d said, there was no denying my feelings for her and the desire to keep her safe. I couldn’t chalk that up to some potion right? It’s not like she’d put a love potion in a healing cream. Besides, this desire for her had been for a long time. However, now those feelings were almost heightened.
Mia walked to the front door and held it open for us.
Greg planted his fists on his hips like he wasn’t going to budge, but I stared him down. The jerk’s lean physique couldn’t compare to my muscular build. No doubt who the winner would be if we got into a fight. Greg sighed. “If this is really how you want it to be, Mia, then you’ll have to deal with that decision. If you want to spend the evening together, call off your brute.”
That comment nearly had me swinging on him, but the utterly frustrated look in Mia’s eyes stopped me from acting. If this guy wanted to keep breathing, then I’d need to leave. Besides, once I tracked down Nolan, we would be having a nice chat about what the fuck he was doing letting his sister get involved with such an asshole. Nolan was a protective older brother, even to this day, so I had no idea why he put up with this.
I waited until Greg walked out before looking back at Mia from the porch, with my torn shirt and backpack. “Don’t let him treat you this way, Mia. You deserve better.”
She frowned but averted her gaze. “I know what I’m doing. He’s rather...nice, sometimes.” Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair. “Do you need a ride home?”
I glanced between her and the piece of trash idling his car in the driveway. “I’ll walk, it’s not that far. If there’s any trouble, call me. I’ll answer.” I turned toward the street, but her soft touch drew my attention back toward her.
“I’m really sorry, Ethan. I was just frustrated. Picking you up was not a burden. I could’ve told him no. I’m glad you’re home.” She licked her lips, and I dipped my gaze to take in the motion. “Besides, I didn’t want your holidays to start off with having to take a taxi home. I wouldn’t want that for myself if I were coming home after so long.” When I looked back into her eyes, she watched me with sincerity.
“Thanks. I really appreciate the—”
Greg honked the horn, and if it weren’t for Mia, I might’ve pulled the asshole from th
e car and given him a piece of my mind...to say the least.
“—the courtesy. Besides, I’m glad I was there to help. I guess.” I smiled. Both of us knew that she’d been the main reason we’d escaped the parking garage. I’d only helped a little. “See you at dinner tomorrow?”
She nodded. “I’ll be there.”