All In

  “She’s really brilliant, Ivan,” I concurred, brushing my thumb over her hand that I didn’t want to let go of, “I just translated a little French for her.”

  Ivan sounded amused. “Wow…you two are really into it together. Shall I leave you to your lunch in private where you can translate more French for her?”

  Brynne snatched her hand away. I glared at Ivan.

  Ivan answered with a smirk. “I might have a job for someone actually. Maybe a whole crew.” He shrugged. “My estate in Ireland, Donadea, has rooms and rooms full of nineteenth century paintings. A shitload of Mallerton’s too.” Ivan looked up sheepishly. “Pardon my French, but I need them gone through and cataloged. I don’t think they’ve been touched in a century.” He shook his head and held his hands up. “I don’t even know what’s all there, just that there’s a ton of it and it needs a professional’s attention. It’s on my list of things to do.” Ivan tilted his head at Brynne and offered a look that was far too flirty than it should have been for being directed at my girlfriend. “Interested?”

  No, she’s definitely not interested in going to your Irish estate and cataloging your paintings while you try to finagle a way to get her into bed with you!

  “Yes!” Brynne said.

  “Ugh,” I groaned. “Only if I come along as chaperone, and my docket is quite full until after August.” I gave him a look to let him know that Brynne would go alone to his estate in Ireland over my dead and decomposing body.

  “What? You don’t trust me, E? Your own blood, too.” He shook his head. “So sad.”

  “With her? No way!” I picked up Brynne’s hand again, the urge to touch her overriding the fact that I was a jealous bastard with anyone who tried to flirt with her, even my cousin.

  “You know, I should introduce you to Gabrielle. My roommate—she’s doing her dissertation on Mallerton. She’s the one to do your job, Ivan. Gaby was just here too and had to go off. It’s a pity you two didn’t meet.” Brynne smiled sweetly, obviously pleased with her suggestion. She tugged her hand out of mine with a little pat and then a censuring look.

  “Yes!” I said, suddenly interested. “Gabrielle would be perfect for the job, Ivan.” The sparks flying between the two of them would be a show I wouldn’t want to miss. And hell, it was Brynne’s idea so I was completely off the hook. Anything to distract him from Brynne worked for me. “I’ll introduce you to her at the Mallerton Gala. Try not to talk too much and you’ll be fine,” I patronized. “Just show her the paintings.”

  He ignored me and focused instead on charming my girlfriend. “Why thank you, Brynne. I would love to meet your friend and have her tackle the job. You have no idea. It’s the proverbial monkey on my back that needs to be on his way like decades ago…”

  Ha! Wait until you get a load of Gabrielle and you’ll be wishing for that little monkey clawing at your back!

  Lunch arrived at that point and we got down to it. Ivan jabbering to Brynne about nonsense, and then to me about his security problems; before I knew it was time to get back.

  I left Brynne with Ivan while I went to get the car pulled around front. Ivan winked at me and gave assurance he’d keep a good eye on her for me. I told him thanks for buying our lunch and gave him a warning look that left no question about just how much I needed his help. I knew my cousin was just playing with me. The poor man was probably in shock to see me like this over a girl and I’m sure he’d have plenty to say to me about her in a private conversation. Lovely.

  I handed the ticket to the valet and scanned the area. It was habit, just something I did when I was out. A bloke in a brown jacket leaned against the building waiting. He had that hungry look to him and a camera around his neck. I pegged him immediately as paparazzi. They lived for shots of celebrities coming and going from establishments like Gladstone’s where anyone could show up at any time.

  The valet handed off my car and I got inside to wait. I tuned on the music and got Butterfly by Crazy Town. Perfect song, I thought, tapping my thumb on the steering wheel while Brynne and Ivan took their damn, sweet time getting outside.

  I wasn’t thrilled about where I was taking Brynne either. Photo shoot. If there was one thing I could change about my girl that would be it. I absolutely loathed and despised that she got naked for the camera and that other men saw her body. It was a thing of beauty, true, but I just didn’t want anyone else to see what was mine.

  My thoughts were interrupted by the car door as Ivan opened it for Brynne, kissing her on both cheeks and making a big show of saying goodbye.

  At the same time, that fucking photographer started snapping pictures! They looked like celebrities even if they weren’t, and Ivan technically was. Christ almighty!

  Brynne looked stunning on the street talking to my cousin. How would I ever survive this, I thought. The desire for a smoke nearly had me gasping but my vice would have to wait for the moment.

  “Goodbye, Ivan! It was so lovely to meet you today and it’ll be wonderful seeing you again at the Mallerton Gala soon.” Brynne got into her seat and smiled up at him.

  “It was lovely to meet you too, Brynne Bennett,” Ivan grinned and then bent down to speak to me, “take care of this gorgeous girl for me, now would you? No fits and tantrums, okay, E? You can do it. ” He was laughing as he shut the door.

  “Well that was fun,” I said sarcastically as I pulled away from the curb.

  “I like your cousin a lot, Ethan. He is a character for sure. I’m glad you introduced him. I cannot believe you knew he was on the board at the National Gallery and did not tell me!” She gave me a little punch in the shoulder, which I found incredibly hot.

  “Well, sorry, I know he doesn’t give a crap about the art, he’s just on the board.” Remembering my oath to tell her everything I continued on, “I told him about you a while ago. I wanted to see if there can be something at the National for you. I want you to have that work visa too.” I looked at her across the seat from me, so beautiful and glowing, and knew I’d do anything in order to keep her in England with me. Even what Ivan suggested in jest on the phone?

  “Oh, Ethan.” She touched my leg. “That’s very sweet of you, but I will get any appointment on my own. It’s something really important to me. I want to earn it by myself, not from you getting a favor from your cousin. No matter how well connected he is…and flirty. Jesus, that man is a flirt!”

  “Don’t remind me. There were a few times I wanted to strangle him during lunch.”

  “But it’s all just an act, Ethan. You must know that about him. He respects you and I can see the relationship you two have. Like brothers almost.”

  “Yeah…Ivan’s good deep down. He’s just had some hard knocks lately which have jaded him.” Haven’t we all.

  “Haven’t we all,” she said.

  I grabbed her hand and held it on my lap in a sort of answer. Didn’t know what to say in response to that and knew we didn’t have far to drive.

  I dearly wished the trip could have taken a lot longer though. The closer we got to her destination, the fouler my mood became. By the time I pulled up to the studio where she was working today and parked the damn car, I was a rabid mess. I felt irrationality sweep though my body and had to fight it off hard. My inner Mr. Hyde was having a field day with my inner Dr. Jekyll. Like kicking the good doctor’s noble arse to the curb and delivering sucker punches with glee.

  “What are you shooting today?” I demanded. And please say there are some clothes involved.

  “Ethan,” she warned. “We’ve been through this before. You can’t come in and you need to stop worrying. It’s just me and the photographer, and some time behind the camera lens. We’re all professionals doing our jobs.” She paused. “There is some lingerie involved…”

  “Which photographer?” I asked.

  “Marco Carvaletti. You met him before.”

  “Oh, I remember the suave Italiano Mr. Carvaletti who likes to kiss you, very well, my darling.”

  “You can stop
being an idiot now, Ethan,” she told me in no uncertain terms. “This is my job just like you have a job.”

  I stared at her in the seat and wanted to tell her she couldn’t go in there and take off her clothes. I wanted to stand in the back of the room and watch everything Carvaletti did, every move he made, every suggestion he directed to her. I wanted to be there in case he tried to touch her or looked too close. I wanted to turn the car around and take her home. I wanted to fuck her up against the wall the moment we got inside again. I wanted to hear her pant out my name as she was coming. I wanted her to feel me inside her—to know it was me there and nobody else. I wanted so much.

  And I couldn’t have any of those things. Nothing.

  I had to kiss her goodbye and go back to my job. I had to tell her to text Neil when it was time for a pick up because I had an afternoon meeting and couldn’t come for her. I had to watch her go and wait until the door closed behind her and she was inside the building. I had to drive away and leave my girl inside that building.

  I had to do it all.

  And hated every bloody second of it.

  ♥

  I wasn’t in much of a better mood by the time I could leave the office. I rang Brynne and got voicemail. I left her a message and told her I’d bring the dinner because I know how tired she is after a photo shoot. Don’t think about the motherfucking photo shoot.

  I wasn’t worried when she didn’t pick up, because I knew she was at home. Neil always checked in with me when he dropped her. I had hoped we could stay at my place tonight but Brynne wasn’t going for it. I’d asked and she’d balked. Said she needed her own bed for the night, plus she’d be over tomorrow for the family dinner we had planned. I tried to get her over with me every night but she was still elusive about relinquishing her independence. Brynne got annoyed with me if I interfered too much or tried to influence her choices.

  Cue the nude modeling. You’re thinking about it again, asshole.

  Damn, relationships are a lot of fucking work…like all the goddamn time.

  So, being the brilliant sod that I am, I could weigh my options—my place with no Brynne vs. the package deal of Brynne and her tiny flat, and less privacy if Gabrielle was around.

  Easy decision. Brynne won every time.

  Hell, I was still fantasizing about another wall-shag and wondered if I might surprise her with one if the coast was clear when I got over there.

  Where to pick up food? We liked a lot of different things. I would have brought lasagna from Bellisima’s but I immediately was reminded about Carvaletti being Italian and shot that idea right down to hell. That bastard saw her naked today.

  Brynne loved Mexican, but it was far better when she made things from scratch than any restaurant in town. I really loved the South American influences on what she liked to make. I decided on Indian and rang in an order for some butter chicken, lamb curry and veggie salad. I was just leaving the restaurant with the food when I sent off a quick text: Almost there, baby. I got us Indian chicken and lamb.

  I received something right back from her: Hi. Really tired and just want bed. Can I skip dinner 2nite?

  What? I didn’t like the sound of her message and immediately tried to figure out what she meant by it. A flicker of unease ran through me. Was she telling me not to come over, or just that she wasn’t hungry? I couldn’t tell from that text and I read it over about ten times.

  I was tired myself, crabby, rumpled, and nicotine deprived, and not at all sure my brain was up for a conversation with a possibly irrational female mind. All I wanted was to eat something, have a shower and crawl into bed with her. I could skip the sex even, but sleeping with her was non-negotiable.

  We’d made an agreement of sorts about where we stayed, because her place or mine, I wanted her next to me. I’d made that perfectly clear to Brynne when we started out. I rang her from the car and drove.

  “Hi. I’m not hungry, Ethan.” She sounded odd.

  “Well what’s wrong, baby? You’re not feeling well?” This was a first. She’d never been sick before, except for the headache that first night we met.

  “My stomach hurts. I was lying down.”

  “Like you’re going to be sick? You want me to stop at the chemist and get you something for it?” I offered.

  She paused before answering cryptically. “No…like I have cramps.”

  Ahhhh. The Curse. I knew about that from having a sister, just never had to deal with it in a relationship before. Matter of fact, I’d never had a relationship like the one I was in with Brynne, before either. When you have sex with short-timers, inconveniences like ‘she’s having her dead week’ don’t come up. But I’d heard the complaints from friends for years, and I’d been around my sister. And I’d learned enough to know that giving a woman her space when she’s hormonal is the way to go. You think?! I supposed the nice wall-shag I had in mind was out of the picture now too. Damn.

  “Okay…I can give you a massage when I get there. Is everything else all right? How did the shoot go?” I felt myself tense up just waiting for her to answer me.

  “Ummm, the shoot was fine. Good.” She paused and made a sniffling sound. “I talked to my mom on the phone.” She sounded sad and I wondered if the reason she sounded snuffly was because she’d been crying. Made sense. That woman almost made me feel like crying from the one time we’d spoken.

  “Our conversation didn’t go so great.”

  “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll be there and we can talk when I get up to you.”

  “I don’t want to talk about her,” she snapped back. She had that lovely pissed-off tone to her voice that actually got me a bit hard, but also got my warning flaps going too.

  I paused a beat. “That’s fine too. I’ll be there very soon.”

  “Why are you sighing into the phone at me?”

  Christ. I’m sure I opened my mouth and just gaped like a goldfish because I had nothing to offer after that question. “I’m not.”

  “You just did it again!” she scolded. “If you’re going to interrogate me about the photo shoot, and my mother, then maybe you shouldn’t come over. I’m just not up for that tonight, Ethan.”

  Can you say wicked hormones changing my girl into Medusa and scaring the hell out of me?

  “Not up for talking to me or not up for me at all? Because I do want to talk to you.” I tried to keep my tone level but wasn’t too confident I was succeeding. I was pretty fucking sure I couldn’t do any better at keeping my cool though. I did not like this fucked up dialogue at all. It sucked.

  Silence.

  “Hello, Brynne? Am I coming over right now or not?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I counted to ten. “‘I don’t know,’ is your answer to me?” What in the holy hell happened to our nice romantic lunch at Gladstone’s? I want my sweet girl back!

  “You sighed at me again.”

  “Have me arrested. Look, I’m driving with a car full of Indian take-out and don’t know where I’m going. Can you help me out, baby?”

  I absolutely fucking refused to get in a row over this. She was having a shit day and hormonal—that I could deal with. It sucked if she wouldn’t be in my arms tonight, but at least we weren’t breaking up. Medusa might be messing with my night, but she would be out of the picture in a few days. I prayed.

  “Okay…come get me then,” she said firmly.

  I couldn’t believe my ears. “Come and get you? I thought you had to stay at your place tonight. You said earlier—”

  She cut me right off, her tongue like a sharp edged blade. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to stay here. I’ll pack a bag and be ready for you in five minutes. Call me when you’re at the curb and I’ll be down.”

  “All right, chief,” I said in utter bewilderment, waiting till she hung up before I sighed good and loud. I shook my head too. And even blew out a whistle. Then I drove over to get my snaked-haired, sharp-tongued, unpredictable, and very perplexing girlfriend, like the besotted sap th
at I very much was.

  Women…frightening creatures.

  11

  “That’s going to be Aunt Marie! Ethan, can you let her in? I’m up to my elbows here.” Brynne gestured to her frantic last-minute prep for dinner from the kitchen.

  “I’ve got it.” I gave her an air kiss and said, “Show time, yeah?”

  She nodded back, looking beautiful as always in her long black skirt and purple top. The color was lovely on her and since I now knew it was her favourite, I had to believe in my luck that first time when I sent her the purple flowers.

  All in, baby.

  I opened the door to a lovely woman of which I had no expectations other than this was Brynne’s great aunt. Sister to her grandmother on her mum’s side. But the person smiling at my doorstep was about as far from a grandmotherly female as you could get. With her unlined skin and dark red hair she looked young and stylish and rather…hot for a woman who could not be above fifty-five.

  “You must be Ethan that I’m hearing so much about,” she said in a native tongue.

  “And you must be Brynne’s Aunt Marie?” I hesitated in case I was wrong, but really, the women in her family were stunning. I wondered again what kind of beauty Brynne’s mum must be.

  She laughed charmingly. “You sound a little unsure there.”

  I ushered her in and closed the door. “Not at all. I was expecting her great aunt you see, not her older sister. She’s got her hands full in the kitchen and sent me to greet you.” I held out my hand. “Ethan Blackstone. It is my very great pleasure, Aunt Marie. I hear Brynne sing your praises all the time and have looked forward to meeting you.”

  “Oh please call me Marie,” she said, taking my hand, “quite the charmer you are, Ethan. Her sister, hmmmm?”

  I laughed and shrugged. “Too flattering? I don’t think so, and welcome, Marie. I appreciate you taking the time to join us tonight.”

  “Thank you for the invitation to your lovely home. I don’t get to see my niece often enough so this is bonus. And your comment was lovely even if it was far too flattering. You’ve got my vote, Ethan.” She winked at me and I think I fell in love with her right then and there.