Chapter Ten
Piper undressed with jerky movements, tossing her clothes over the back of a nearby chair.
Ethan had left her at the Blue Sapphire.
She brushed her teeth and meandered back downstairs for a bottled water.
Angry and more than a little hurt by his actions, Piper grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and trailed off through the living room to the front door.
She stepped out onto the porch and took a seat in one of the white wicker chairs her mother had gotten her.
It wasn’t as if Ethan Seaborn had promised her anything, nor had she expected more from him than dinner and a few drinks. But to leave her at the bar as if she were a common hood rat was unacceptable to her.
She wondered if the call he’d made had been to a girlfriend he’d neglected to tell her about.
The more Piper thought about his actions, the angrier she became.
A car door opened across the street, pulling Piper out of her angry contemplation.
She looked up, squinting against the porch light to see a man crossing the street and heading her way.
Piper stood and turned to go inside.
“Piper, wait!”
She would know that deep voice anywhere.
With her hand still on the doorknob, Piper stiffened, listening to Ethan’s approach. She spoke with her back to him. “What do you want?”
“To apologize,” he rasped, stopping directly behind her.
Swallowing the need to turn into his arms, Piper straightened her shoulders. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Mr. Seaborn. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s rather late.”
“Piper…”
Without answering, Piper opened the door, stepped inside, and locked it behind her.
She didn’t stop until she reached her bedroom. The sound of an engine roaring to life told her he’d taken the hint and left.
No matter how gorgeous the man was, there was no way in hell Piper would allow herself to be treated so callously. She deserved better. Much better.
Climbing into bed, Piper turned on her side, reliving the night’s events in torturous detail.
The feel of Ethan’s lips on hers. The taste of his tongue. The deep growl in his throat when she’d kissed him back. His scent. The sexy roll of his hips on the dance floor.
“Ugh,” she muttered into the darkness, pulling a pillow over her head. If she didn’t push him from her mind and soon, she’d find herself running down the street after him.
* * * *
The next morning, Piper showered and ate a light breakfast before trailing into her downstairs office.
She booted up her computer, sipping on a lukewarm cup of coffee.
After taking a couple of pain relievers for her head, she went to work on the latest design she’d been toying with for the past two months.
The doorbell rang, setting her teeth on edge. She really didn’t feel up to dealing with anyone today.
Piper blew out a breath and left her office to answer the door.
“Piper Hollister?” a male voice inquired from behind a bouquet of blood-red roses.
“Yes, I’m Piper.”
The man handed her the roses and then held up a finger. “One second, ma’am. There’s more.”
Dumbfounded, Piper accepted the roses, setting them on the end table next to the couch.
He quickly returned holding a dozen more roses in each hand. He thrust them at her. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”
Piper sent him a weak smile while juggling the beautiful glass vases. “Thank you.”
Shutting the door, she placed the flowers on the coffee table and plucked a card from one of them.
Please accept my apology. Sincerely, Ethan.
Taking an uneven breath, she laid the card down and moved to the next one. Allow me to make it up to you? Ethan.
Finding his persistence a little endearing, she pulled the last card free and read it aloud. “Have dinner with me, tonight. I’ll have my driver pick you up at six.”
Lifting an eyebrow, she tossed the card onto the table next to the other one. “A little presumptuous, are we?”
Though she wanted to stay angry at him, Piper decided perhaps she would give him a second chance. She could at least hear him out. Maybe he had a good reason for running out on her the way he had. At least he’d better have one.
Piper’s day went by in a blur of patterns and curse words. She couldn’t seem to concentrate on work with Ethan Seaborn occupying her every thought.
Pushing away from the insufferable design, Piper left her office only to find herself standing in front of her closet, attempting to decide what to wear for dinner with Ethan.
She blew out a defeated breath, grabbed a pale green silk top and a short brown tweed skirt, and laid them carefully across the foot of her bed.
After her shower, she blew her hair dry, applied a small amount of makeup, and donned her favorite jewelry.
By the time she’d dressed and stepped into her shoes, it was nearly six o’clock.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
Piper grabbed her small gold tote, switched off the light, and breezed down the stairs to answer the door.
“Are we ready?” a short, older man with intelligent eyes inquired.
With a nod, Piper locked the door, pulled it shut behind her, and strode toward the black limo waiting next to the curb.
The driver followed, rushing ahead to open her car door.
Piper thanked him and sat back in her seat.
Her stomach was in knots. From anticipation or fear, she wasn’t sure.
She did want to see him again. Really, what woman wouldn’t? But the thought of his blatant disregard for her feelings the night before still stuck in her craw.
If she were smart, she’d demand the driver take her home. Something about Ethan Seaborn threatened more than just her pride. He threatened her heart.
Piper had never been in love before. She’d had plenty of dates, and even a couple of relationships, but nothing she’d considered for long term.
But something about Ethan tied her stomach in knots, affected her common sense. She found it hard to breathe when in his presence. Piper had never experienced lust on such a level before.
The driver didn’t speak on the short ride to Ethan’s place, and Piper wasn’t sure if she should either. God forbid she blurt out something insane like, How many other women have you picked up for His Majesty in the past?
“We are here,” the driver informed her, stopping the limo in front of a high rise on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.
He jumped out, rushed around the car to the back passenger side door, and helped her out. “Right this way, ma’am.”
Piper followed close behind the short driver and entered the building with as much grace as her jittery stomach would allow. It had to be the most incredible structure Piper had ever been in.
Stepping into the elevator, she watched as the driver slid a keycard into the slot beneath the keypad, and pressed the number thirty-five. He then stepped back and clasped his hands behind his back.
“Mr. Seaborn lives in the penthouse,” Piper murmured more to herself than the driver.
“Yes, ma’am, he does.”
The elevator took off smoothly before coming to a subtle stop and sliding open with a ding.
“Right this way, ma’am.”
Piper stepped off the elevator into a bright white foyer. The massive room in front of her was lined with windows showing off the view of the lake.
Lights flickered to life in the distance, signaling the impending darkness.
A cream-colored sofa sat in the center of the room, flanked by a loveseat boasting the same pale color.
Across the room to the left sat a grand piano situated next to a large fireplace.
“Piper.”
Ethan’s deep, masculine voice penetrated her starstruck mind. She’d been so busy admiring the view, she hadn’t heard him approach.
He took hold of both her hands and brought them to his lips.
With a gentle squeeze, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “I’m so happy you came.”
Flustered, Piper pulled her hands free. “Yes, well. I wasn’t sure if I would come or not. But I thought I’d at least give you the chance to explain yourself.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “That’s one of the things I like most about you. Your straightforwardness.”
He took hold of her elbow. “I hope you’re hungry.”
His incredible scent reached Piper, weakening her defenses. “You’re in luck. I skipped lunch.”
Another smile touched his lips. “A woman after my own heart. I love to eat.”
Piper found herself returning his smile. “As do I.”
“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” Ethan murmured, sliding his hand down her forearm to take hold of her palm. “Would you like a drink?”
Piper nodded. “A white wine would be great. But what I’d really like is a tour.”
Signaling to a small dark-haired woman, who suddenly appeared in the room, Ethan asked for two glasses of white wine, and then turned down a wide, intricate hallway.
A narrow table sat at the end, holding a beautiful stature of partially nude woman.
Hung along the walls were various art pieces that probably cost more than Piper’s entire house.
But it was the half-boy, half-wolf painting that drew her eye the most. “Wow. Who painted this?”
Something flickered in Ethan’s whiskey-colored eyes. “My mother.”
Stopping before the incredible painting, Piper studied the details, the artistic strokes, the eerie light burning in the wolf’s eyes to match the same light shining from the child’s.
“She was incredibly talented,” Piper breathed in awe. “A boy with the soul of a wolf. It’s beautiful.”