Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 26 - Waking up

Lily

I wake up early to a delightful ache. Memories of last night flood me and my cheeks flush. I still can't believe what happened. How brazen I was and how Ethan made me feel safe.

The biggest surprise of all was what he made me feel. It was like my body filled with pleasure. And when I tried to leave, and he made me sleep in his bed... I was too shocked to protest.

Behind me, heavy breathing warms my neck. He's still asleep. After a glance at the time, I realize I should be too. It's almost as if my body was too happy to sleep and needed to remind me.

Or perhaps it remembers how much Connor disliked waking up with me still there. I learned quickly to make my escape while he was sleeping.

Does Ethan want me to leave? Maybe I should. I shift, making an effort to get away, and his arm tightens around me in his sleep. He sighs and moves closer to me, nuzzling his face against my neck.

I can stay a while longer. If he only wants me for sex, and this was enough, then I might never get the chance to be in his arms again. I inhale his presence and sink back into a comfortable sleep.

"We had a deal." Ethan's angry voice wakes me up. I stretch and turn on my back. He's standing by the window, his back toward me.

I blink a few times at his naked muscles. He's wearing sweats, but they hang low enough to almost make it feel more indecent than if he was naked.

"You need to stay out of my life."

I slowly sit up, suddenly feeling too self conscious to be naked.

"That's not fair. I was supposed to have a year."

He turns around, and I want to shrink back. He's angrier than I've ever seen him before. With the covers clutched to my chest, I scan the room for my clothes.

His jaw works as he listens to the person on the phone. I wonder if I can pull the covers with me as I get my clothes or if I should just suck it up and leave the safety of the bed in the nude.

But before I come to a decision, Ethan is rummaging in a drawer. He huffs into the phone as he pulls something out and hands it to me.

It's a t-shirt. I smile up at him and quickly put it on.

"No, of course I don't like it. You're breaking your promise."

He rubs his forehead with one hand and I get up and gather my clothes. Pants, shirt, bra and... I put the rest on the bed as I search for my underwear.

Ethan watches me for a while and I'm acutely aware of how I'm naked under the t-shirt. At least it's long enough to cover everything.

"What do you mean, no discussion? Of course, we're going to have a discussion. This is not something you can just decide. It's my life."

He bends down and picks something up. My panties. I sigh in relief. The thought of going home commando was not appealing. Holding out a hand, I walk up to him, but he keeps them out of my reach.

"I'll talk to you later," he growls into the phone and hangs up. He finally relinquishes my underwear as he bends down to kiss me. "Good morning."

"Good morning." I quickly put on the panties as he sits down on the bed and buries his face in his hands. "Is everything ok?"

"Fuck." He throws the phone across the room, making me jump. "Fucking hell."

"I should go," I say carefully, not wanting to anger him further. I reach out to grab the rest of my clothes next to him, but his hand locks around my arm.