Until Forever (Complete)

Chapter Ten

A frown settled on Gretchen's face as the realization of what it was she was actually looking at, finally began to sink in.

Gretchen had been so busy trying to find a man for Elizabeth, that she had failed to notice it.

Heaving a tired breath, she pulled her eyelids shut for a few seconds and tried to calm her nerves long enough to think. Surely, she wasn't even ready for this! Especially not now, considering the fact that she needed to find the right suitor for Elizabeth and with a hyperactive son in Samuel, this would prove to be too difficult to even handle.

The sound of the bed room door opening reached where she stood in the center of the room. Turning to the side, she opened her eyes just in time to find Ethan making his way into the room. The second he saw her, a broad smile settled on him face.

Returning his smile, her gaze ran over him. It had been eighteen years, yet, Ethan had barely aged a day. While the forty five year old man who stood before her possessed some gray strands in his hair, he was still as handsome as the first day she laid eyes on him. His silver eyes still took her breath away, his kisses still left her longing for more, and he still had possession of her heart.

She loved him, she thought, as he covered the distance that stood between them and wrapped his arms around her. Leaning further into him, she felt a familiar wave of excitement wash over her body as he pressed his lips to hers. With a small giggle, her eyelids pulled shut and her lips parted slightly to welcome his.

He ran his fingers through her hair, releasing it of it's bond atop her head and causing it to fall to it's length around her shoulders.

She breathed in the scent of his body and felt him lift her off of her feet and carry her across the room. Once she was settled on the bed, her eyelids pulled open to find Ethan leaning down to kiss her. Reaching forward, she touched his face and he smiled at her.

“I love you, Ethan.” She returned his smile.

“I love you too, my freckled princess.” He teased, planting a kiss on her nose, before taking captive of her lips once more.

“Then...” She whispered against his lips. “...you probably...” Ethan seemed uninterested in whatever it was she had to say as his arms wrapped around her waist, and he began working to take her shirt off. Gretchen pulled slightly away, and held his face captive in a bid to gain his attention.“...should know...” She continued, pulling her eyelids shut as she uttered her next words. “...that I'm pregnant.”

~ ~

Caitlin Ward straighted, plastering a smile on her face as she strutted her stuff through the ball room, hoping to gain the attention of a few wealthy bachelors.

Caitlin had only turned sixteen a month ago, yet, she was desperate for a man. And not any man, but a man of influence and high social standing; a man of noble birth. She understood very well, the need and importance of climbing the social ladder and getting the opportunity to mingle with the high and mighty. And if luck smiled properly on her, she could be the high and mighty.

But unfortunately for Caitlin, she hadn't been born into an influential family. Her family had just enough and with her mother's dress shop, they managed to get invited to some important balls. However, it was nothing compared to Elizabeth's family fortune and influence. Elizabeth had every eligible bachelor on her door step, yet, she managed to turn them all down. It was Elizabeth's indecision that influenced her parent's constant need to throw extravagant balls.

Caitlin always looked forward to Elizabeth's balls. Sure, they weren't thrown in Caitlin's honor, but at least they afforded her the opportunity to mingle with the highest class of the society and try once more, to gain their attention, even if she kept failing.