But the view is bittersweet today. Why? Because it’s nearly ten p.m., and Ethan seems to have forgotten the two-year anniversary of the day he saved me from the miserable life of a low-paid intern. Or, as he lovingly refers to it, the day he spared the citizens of France from my underdeveloped wine palate.
I wonder sometimes if we’re just in a rut. We’ve been together two years. The sex is still phenomenal, but we’ve started frequenting the same restaurants instead of venturing out of our comfort zone. And we’re spending less time together. This is mostly because Ethan has been spending so much time helping my dad open a new family restaurant.
This time, Ethan is the one funding the project. The experience has been humbling for my father, but it’s brought the two most important men in my life to become more than just business partners. In fact, I’ve concluded recently that Ethan and my dad are becoming BFFs.
“Getting an early start,” Ethan says as he watches me place my empty beer bottle on the table next to my lounge chair.
I shrug, not really in the mood to joke about my drinking habits.
“I brought you something,” he says, placing a plate on the table next to my empty bottle.
I smile when I see the layers of flaky puff pastry stacked between layers of whipped cream and fresh raspberries. “Did Judy make that?”
He takes a seat on the lounge chair on the other side of the table. “I made the raspberries.”
I shake my head. “You grew them on your nonexistent farm or you made them in your pretend lab?”
“I made them magically appear using my powers of seduction.”
I chuckle as I sit up to get a better look at my Napoleon framboise. “What’s that for?” I ask, pointing at the tiny porcelain cup full of silky, dark chocolate sauce.
“I thought you might want to try something different.”
I look at him like he’s crazy. “Why would I want to do that? Napoleon framboise is perfect exactly the way it is. It’s the perfect dessert. We’ve had this discussion many times before.”
He laughs at my passionate frustration. “Well, sometimes it’s good to go outside your comfort zone. You don’t want to get in a rut.”
I sigh as I realize I can’t keep quiet any longer. “Are you forgetting something?”
His eyebrows shoot up questioningly. “Am I?”
I stare at him for a moment, searching for a sign that he’s really forgotten our anniversary and isn’t just torturing me. But the clueless expression on his gorgeous face looks genuine.
I shake my head as I dip my index finger into the whipped cream. “Never mind.”
He watches me as my lips close around my fingertip. “I can’t believe I forgot,” he says, and my ears prick up as he reaches into his pocket. “Your dad asked me to ask you if you can help him with the Mise en Place app tomorrow. He’s having a problem syncing it with the inventory.”
My stomach drops as he pulls his phone out of his pocket, and I realize I got my hopes up for nothing. “Tomorrow’s Friday. I can’t be in two places at once. I have to be at Forked for family meal.”
He taps a few times and swipes his finger across the screen. “You can skip that. Your dad needs you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Send Mike to help him,” I say, referring to the IT guy we use at Forked. “Why does it have to be me? I have a life, you know. My life doesn’t revolve around you and my dad. You know what? I just came up with the perfect name for his restaurant: Bromance. I hope you two live happily ever after.”
He chuckles, completely nonplussed by my annoyance. “That would be a strange name for your restaurant.”
As I reach for the cup of chocolate sauce, his words click into place in my mind. “What did you say?”
He smiles as he turns his screen toward me. “Happy anniversary, love.”
I lean forward to read the words on the document displayed on his phone. Squinting at the bright screen, my eyes instantly well up as I read the key phrases: Commercial Real Estate Purchase Agreement… Ethan Thorne (Seller)… Alice Lopez (Buyer)… Purchase Price: $1.00.
“What the… I thought…”
Ethan places his phone down on the table and takes my hand in his. “This was the only way your father would work with me. He refused to let me buy the restaurant unless it was for you.”
I wince as I remember how just a moment ago I was resenting Ethan for forgetting our anniversary. How could I ever resent this beautiful man who has brought nothing but joy and love into my life?
“I thought you forgot our anniversary,” I say, clutching my chest at the thought.
He shakes his head. “As if I could forget the day I almost bowled over three pedestrians in the valet zone at JFK.”
“The day you saved the beautiful people of France from my bad taste in wine?”
“The day you made me the luckiest man alive.”
I close my eyes and sigh. “This is what fainting couches were made for.” I open my eyes and find him digging in his pocket again. “I know what I want to do with this chocolate sauce.”
He laughs as I grab the tiny cup and kneel in front of him.
EPILOGUE
ETHAN
As Alice kneels before me, I slide my hand out of my pocket, so I can focus my attention on her. She places the dip bowl on the seat of the outdoor chaise and reaches for the button of my jeans. My cock struggles against the inside of my pants, twitching excitedly as she takes her time unzipping me.
My breathing quickens as she frees my erection through the slit in my trunks. I lean back, one of my hands splayed on the soft cushion, as she grabs the chocolate sauce.
I use my free hand to run my fingers through her hair, tenderly moving it out of her face, so I can watch as her mouth makes contact. I moan as she curls her fingers around the tip and firmly slides her hand down to the base, stretching the skin taut. Flashing me a cheeky grin, she pours the warm confection on the head of my cock. Her eyes lock on mine as she swirls her pink tongue around the tip.
“Fuck,” I groan as she licks enthusiastically.
Her tongue moves up and down and all around, paying close attention as she cleans every bit of sauce from every inch of the tip and shaft. When she’s satisfied she’s gotten all the chocolate, she takes my cock halfway into her mouth.
I hiss as I lean my head back in pure fucking ecstasy. Her head bobs up and down, making my heart feel as if it’s ready to leap out of my chest every time my cock hits her soft palate.
“Fucking hell,” I say through gritted teeth as she squeezes the base of my erection, and I feel damn near ready to explode.
Her eyes are laser-focused on mine as she pumps her fist a few times, then takes me all the way into her mouth. Tears stream down her gorgeous face as my cock glides into her throat with some resistance. Tightening my fist around her hair, I let her bob her head a couple more times before I yank her head back. She gasps and chuckles a little as she catches her breath, then she goes for it again.
But this cat-and-mouse game has me teetering on the edge. As my cock once again enters her throat, my balls tighten up, and I let go of her hair as I lean back and explode into her mouth. She takes her time licking up every drop of cum around my twitching cock.