Chapter 11

Ethan

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to get Riley to hit the ball a little softer. The girl had a swing that should have scared me. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I noticed the fear in some of the guys' eyes on the putting green. It was almost funny.

"What do you want for dinner?" I walked out of the bathroom, drying my hair. She was laid up in the bed, her eyes closed, breathing deeply. She looked like a goddess spread across my bed, and it took every ounce of control that I had not to walk over and wake her up.

She was exhausted. I was too, but the high she left me on kept me running forward, faster.

My stomach rumbled, and I knew that I'd have to find something to eat. Calling room service would wake her up, which was out. I grabbed a pair of khaki shorts and a polo before sliding my feet into sandals and picking up the key.

I paused by the door for a minute to make sure she was really out. The soft sound of her breathing left my lip turning up in a smirk. Cute little minx. She'd worn herself out being so damn cheeky and joining me in a level of immaturity that most women were not capable of.

I loved her even more because of it.

After making sure the door locked behind me, I walked down the hallway to the elevator. It was a little after eight, which meant most of my fellow crew were drinking at the bar in the lobby or passed out. My brother had made himself scarce, and I thought about texting him, but realized that once again, my fucking phone was in the room, plugged in.

"Whatever." I got on the elevator and leaned back, grateful as hell that it was empty.

My stomach rumbled again, and I realized that Riley and I had eaten a little bit at the buffet Deza had set up through the hotel for us each morning, but we had skipped lunch.

"No wonder I'm starving." I walked out of the elevator and made a beeline to the cafe near the front of the hotel. Much to my surprise, Seth and Frank were sitting together, both of them with a drink in their hands. "Hey. Alcoholics have a better time at the bar." I motioned over my shoulder.

"We ordered food, you ass." Frank reached over and pushed one of the empty chairs back from the table. "Join us. We just ordered."

"Alright." I sat down and glanced over at Seth. "Cat got your tongue?"

"I wish. It's been a while since anyone has used it." He laughed and drained the rest of his beer. "I need to find me a good woman. One that makes me giggle and shit." He popped me in the chest. "Like you do with Riley."

Frank snorted and almost spit his mouthful of beer all over us. "So true."

"I do not giggle around her." I picked up the menu and found a burger that looked good. "Wait. Do I?"

"You totally do." Frank wiped at his mouth with a napkin. "But I do the same with my wife. She has a special place in my heart that allows me to act like a kid again."

"I think everyone has that place in old Ethan's heart because he's always acting like a kid."

I shook my head. "Speaking of kids... where the fuck is my brother. Have you guys seen him?"

"Yep. He's at the club down the hall. He's got some serious moves, but he's drunk enough to kill a whale." Seth laughed and lifted his empty glass, trying to get the waitress’ attention.

I turned and lifted my hand too, and she came right over.

"Not fair," he muttered and gave me a sly smile.

"It's because I'm not hammered, and I'm taken. Or maybe she can hear the giggle in my soul somehow. Women have some sixth sense shit, right?" I lifted an eyebrow as they both ignored me. Nothing new.

"Can I help you guys? You ready for another beer, handsome?" She picked up Seth's mug and gave him a sexy smile.

"Yes, I am." He winked at her and turned his attention to me. "My friend here needs to add something to our order."

"What can I get you, doll?" She smiled at me.

Doll was the name most waitresses called another woman, but whatever. As long as I got food, she could call me anything she wanted. I might even consider letting her pull my hair and slap my ass.

I was starving.

"Cheeseburger with bacon and everything else you got back there on it. Two orders of fries and a grilled cheese to go." I handed her the menu and glanced back at Frank and Seth. Both had variations of a questioning expression. "What? Riley passed out while I was in the shower. I know she's going to wake up hungry. We had breakfast, and that was it."

"Wow. This must be love." Seth pressed his chin to his hands and fluttered his eyelashes. "I've never seen you order food for another human. It's sort of sweet."

"Makes you want to giggle, right?" Frank threw in.

"Fuck you both. While I'm getting my cock waxed later tonight you two are going to be moaning your own name." I laughed as they both agreed. "You guys are no fun. Bunch of bitches."

"I have been called a bitch in my time." Frank leaned back in his chair and let out a contented sigh. "So..."

"So what?" I responded.

"Did you use the advice I gave you to get Riley back?" He wagged his eyebrows.

Part of me wanted to lie, seeing that I'd given him such shit before letting him tell me the advice, but I couldn't. He had been right. "Yeah. Worked like a charm."

"Yes!" He slapped the table and laughed loudly, gaining us some unneeded attention from the tables around us. "I knew it would. I used that on my wife and still do when she's really pissed."

"Um, give me the goods." Seth leaned in. "You know... in case I finally find someone."

"You will, man." I smiled at Seth. "And if not, Rosy Palm loves you long time. She will keep you happy for years and years to come."

"Fuck you, dill weed." He glanced over at Frank. "Spill the goods."

Frank walked him through the same mumbo jumbo he had walked me through, and I bit my tongue to keep from being an ass. It came naturally to me. Must have been in my jeans. My brother was the same way.

"So, Ethan got some great news today. Jeff called and said that the girl at the club was dropping her rape charges and most likely that she would be willing to go on camera saying she'd lied."

"Wow. Really?" Seth reached over and patted my back. "One scandal down and how many to go?"

"One more." I took the glass of water the waitress brought over.

"Did you want anything else to drink, hun?"

Did I look all of ten years old? I almost reached up to make sure I didn't have pigtails. What was up with this chick?

"I'll take a beer please."

"You have your ID?" She eyed me.

"Um, not. I haven't been carded in years. I'm twenty-four."

"And I need to see your ID." She shrugged and offered a sweet smile. "You want me to grab you a Shirley Temple in the meantime."

Frank and Seth laughed in tandem.

"Yeah, and then come sit on my lap and wag your ass," I barked out.

"What?" She gave me an incredulous look.

"Get us another waitress, hun." I shot her a look and turned back to the guys. "What the hell? Do I really look like a ten-year-old girl, because she was making me feel like one."

"Oh, Lord. She didn't treat you like America's heartthrob, and you got all pissy." Seth rolled his eyes.

"She offered me a fucking cherry sprite." I leaned toward him and swatted at his face. "Grow the fuck up. You know she was dicking with me."

"She definitely had something against you." Frank slid his napkin back and forth on the table in front of him. "We just need the paternity test to come back to shut this last scandal down. Should be any day now."

"You took one?" Seth looked a little surprised.

"Absolutely." I turned to take a beer from a male server with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lewis. Let us know if there is anything else we can do."

"Thanks." I took the beer and drank half of it before lifting the glass toward the bitch who was giving me grief. "Lap dance?"

"Ethan. Jeez." Frank pulled my arm down, spilling my beer.

"Of course I took the paternity test. I've never seen that chick a day in my life. She was lying." I licked at the beer on my wrist. "I just don't understand where people come up with this shit. I mean, isn't there anyone else someone can fuck with?"

"Have you warned Riley about this? People are going to attack her from time to time too. It's just how they are." Seth asked as the food arrived.

I was beyond grateful to see my burger had somehow gotten done in the time it took to cook their food. "No, but I will. Thanks for the reminder."

The conversation ceased as we all dug into our food, the need to fill out bellies far outweighing the desire to keep up some chit chat bullshit.

"So, you love her?" Frank asked as he dropped his napkin on his plate a few minutes later.

"Completely. I want to get our lives started together. I'm going to ask her to move in with me when she's ready." I wiped my mouth and stood, ready to get back to her. I wanted to stop by the club to check on my brother as well. He could hold his own, but he'd gotten himself into more jacked up situations than I had. Someone had to patrol his wild ass.

"When do you know that she's ready?" Seth glanced up at me as he shoved another fry in his mouth.

"I don't. I'm just going to tell her now that when she is ready to come on. I want to get this thing really locked down between us."

"Like marriage?" He smiled, and I could tell where the cheeky bastard was headed. He'd told me the day before to propose to her.

"Yeah. You win." I reached over and picked up the container with her dinner in it before bidding the guys goodnight. I walked to the club as warmth rushed through me. I wanted to get back to my girl and snuggle her for the rest of the night. With my belly full and her on my mind, I had a few minutes before I would pass out.

"Can we help you, Sir?" A bouncer asked as I walked to the front of the club, lifting on my toes so I could look for my brother.

"Just looking for my brother." I leaned over to see Liam dancing between a group of girls. "Yep. He looks like he's doing alright." I pointed at him. "If he fucks anything up, or breaks something, just call me, and I'll come get him."

"Your name, Sir?" The bouncer took a pad out of his front pocket.

"Seth and I'm in room twelve-eighteen." I smiled and turned, walking back to the elevator as a laugh left me. Liam always broke something or got hurt when he was drunk. Seth would hate me in the morning, but it was going to be a story we would all tell for a long time.