Chapter 6 - Ethan
By the time Zoe leaves, I’m exhausted. My body feels completely empty, and I don’t know what to think. I let out a sigh and fold my arms behind my head as I lay down in bed. I look at the ceiling of my little log cabin, tracing the grain of the wooden slats above me with my eyes.
I can’t believe I met a woman like that in a town like this, and I can’t believe I couldn’t get her number. On the one hand, I understand. She’s just passing through, and she wanted to acknowledge last night for what it was: one night of fun.
‘Fun’ seems like the wrong word. It was passion. It was the hottest sex I’ve had in my life. She ran her hands over my body as if she was trying to memorize it. She wrapped her legs around me and fucked me like no other woman I’ve been with.
And then, she left.
I sigh and close my eyes to remember her kiss. I try to freeze the memory of her in my mind, so that I can remember last night for a long time. I don’t want to forget what it felt like to be with a woman like that, to have her give herself over to me so completely.
As much as I understand why she doesn’t want to keep seeing me, rejection stings. I get it, but my ego is bruised. Was last night as good for her as it was for me? Did she enjoy it? It felt like an almost out-of-body experience for me. When I came, it was like my whole body was screaming at once, like every nerve in my body was firing together.
And she came too. I know she did. I could feel it, and I could see it in her face. I know she felt what I felt. I could see the hunger in her eyes this morning. Her body was like a coiled spring, and feeling that energy release was intoxicating. And yet… she still wanted to leave and never see me again?
I blow the air out of my nostrils and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I shake my head and run my fingers through my hair.
I’m being ridiculous and insecure. Somehow, in less than twenty-four hours, Zoe got under my skin and shook me off balance. Isn’t it usually the guy that leaves in the morning and never calls back? Shouldn’t it be me who’s the heartbreaker here?
It’s unusual for me to feel this way. I’m used to having women chase me, not the other way around.
I stand up and head towards the shower. The thoughts are crashing around in my head, and I step under the stream of water to try to wash my body and mind clean. I scrub myself thoroughly and then just stand under the water with my eyes closed and my mouth open.
By the time I step back out of the shower, I’m calmer. I got fired up by a sexy woman, but she’s right. It’s better this way. I gather my things and check out of the hotel. I might as well head back to Lang Creek before dark. I have to work in the morning, after all.
When I get to the front desk, Mickey is sitting down watching an old TV show. He glances up when I walk in and grins.
“Looks like you had a good night,” he chirps.
I shrug, ignoring his unsaid question. “It was alright.”
Mickey barks a laugh and takes the room keys. “Book you in for next month?” He asks.
I nod. “Same time, same room. You know it.”
“See you then, buddy.”
Mickey nods at me and I walk out of the hotel’s office, heading towards my pickup truck. I load it up with my gear and clothes, and then slide in behind the wheel and make my way onto the freeway. I glance in my rear-view mirror as Long Lake disappears behind me, and I shake my head.
I don’t want to tell my brothers about her, or anyone in Lang Creek. I want to keep the memory of last night buried deep inside me and hope that somehow, I’ll run into Zoe again.
By the time I make it to Lang Creek, the sun is getting lower. I slow down as I make my way through the town, heading towards my little cabin on the edge of the forest. It’s a quiet, sleepy place, and for the first time in a long time, I feel restless.
My thoughts keep drifting back to Zoe and our night together. I think of her laugh and the way her eyes sparkled when I touched her. How could I ever find a woman like that in a tiny town like Lang Creek? It doesn’t help that I spend days on my own in the Park.
When I park my truck in front of my house, I lean back in the driver’s seat and close my eyes for an instant. I have to snap out of it. She’s gone, and I’ll probably never see her again. We had a great night together, and I should appreciate that. That’s all it was: one night.
I jump when someone knocks on the car window, and then relax when I see my brother.
“Hey, Dominic,” I say as I open the door.
“How was the show?” He asks. He’s a couple inches taller than me and built like a football player. His eyes narrow as he watches me grab my bag from the passenger’s seat before getting out of the car. “I came by last night and you weren’t here, forgot it was the second Saturday of the month.”
“Are you tracking all my movements now?” I ask with a grin. There’s an edge to my voice that even I can hear. Dominic frowns and then shakes his head.
“Whatever, man. I brought you that table you wanted.” I follow my brother as he leads me to his truck, and I leave the memory of last night behind me. I’m back in Lang Creek, and back to work tomorrow. Things are exactly as they were before this weekend. All I did was meet a woman and sleep with her.
Still, as Dominic and I bring my new table inside, something feels different. I hand my brother a beer and we sink down on my couch, but we don’t speak to each other. He glances at me a few times and then finally stands up, putting a hand on my shoulder as he walks by.
“I’m going home,” he grunts. “Take care of yourself.”
I nod at him. When the door closes behind him, I lean back in the sofa and let out a sigh. Something has changed, and I’m not sure it’s a good thing.