Chapter 31

Ethan’s confession spurred a whirlwind of emotion to wrap around my heart. My chest bloomed in heat and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and shove my lips against him.

I resisted the urge, of course.

It didn’t make sense, nothing made sense right now. Ethan was the only thing that occupied my thoughts. Even baking came second to the moments I spent with Ethan.

“We can’t keep doing this, though, can we?” I asked, “Despite our… urges.”

Ethan averted his gaze, and started buttoning his shirt back up, covering the hickeys and love bites I left on his collar bones.

“I don’t know.” Ethan admitted. “I like when we get like that. I like that I can just stop thinking and be with you.”

“Me too,” I smiled, “But we should at least take these lessons seriously.”

Ethan chuckled at me, grabbing onto my hips and pulling me flush to him.

“One last kiss then we can behave.” His eyes were dark with passion. I had to be strong, just one last kiss and that was all.

I nodded and he pressed a long, hard kiss to my lips. He bit my bottom lip when I tried to pull away, commanding me to stay for a few more seconds. I abided, letting him taste my mouth until we were both struggling to breathe.

“Alright,” He sighed, lips plump and red from the kiss, “Back to business.”

Lessons resumed and time went on.

The following days I spent with Ethan were the best I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. From the day he picked me up and had me sign the marriage contract, to the moment he stood in front of me with a text book in his hand and a cheeky smile plastered on his face. Ethan was a blessing in my life.

After he dismissed Frank, Ethan was incredibly attentive to my lessons. He never once canceled our scheduled time and each day was a new history, etiquette, or dancing lesson. I felt valued for once. Seen and appreciated.

I thought back to my life only a mere few months ago, comparing the abuse from my father and his family to the attention and kindness I’ve received with Ethan.

A sigh of contentment escaped me before I could think of holding it in. Ethan’s history lesson paused and he raised an amused brow at me.

“Am I boring you, Ava?” He asked with a grin.

“No!” I defend myself quickly. “No, I’m just learning a lot. I appreciate you taking my lessons so seriously.”

“I take you and your lessons incredibly seriously,” Ethan assured. He meant that in multiple ways, I could see it on his face. After our confession a few nights ago, Ethan had been more lenient with revealing his emotions to me, though he did stay guarded at times.

The confession complicated things, too.

I never said I loved him - I wasn’t sure if I was even at that point yet - but I told him he occupied my every thought. The confession hangs between us, the air thick with tension. Since then, he has never acted on his impulse, nor have I.

I think it would make things too complicated, knowing that there are feelings there. Everything would get too complicated if a real relationship evolved between us. The marriage was fake, everything was fake.

This fantasy would end in a year. I had to be smart about this.

“Let’s have a break from this and we can have a slice of that citrus pie you made yesterday.” Ethan suggested with a smile, breaking me from my thoughts.

I shut the book in front of me on the desk and followed him to the kitchen.

While we ate the pie, I thought it was the best time to bring up a conversation that I’d been dreading having.

“So Ethan,” I started when he put a mouthful of the pie in his mouth.

He hummed in response.

“I was thinking about what we said the other day… about our feelings.”

He perked up at that and dropped the fork he was using into the pie pan, “What about them?”

I licked my lips nervously, trying to find the right words to say.

“Do you think we need to, I don’t know, come to an agreement on what’s acceptable and what’s not?” I asked, and he cocked his head to the side.

“What do you mean?”

“We both are attracted to each other,” I paused. “Physically. But, where do we draw the line on when things are going too far. Do we draw the line at kissing? Or do we allow ourselves to toe the water and allow it to grow into something more?”

Ethan swallowed thickly, thinking about all the times we had had to stop ourselves from going too far, “We probably do need to practice restraint.” He admitted.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Especially with the dancing. We tend to go a little hot and heavy for a waltz.”

A booming laugh escaped from Ethan at my joke and he shook his head, “That’s probably true.”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong I like kissing you-”

He raised his eyebrow in amusement, “I like kissing you too.”

“I just, I don’t want us to be confused with each other anymore, and I don’t want to make things awkward by going too far and getting too involved with each other if we’re going to divorce in a year.”

At the mention of the divorce, Ethan’s smile fell slightly. It was such a small change, though, that I thought I may have imagined it.

“So we draw the line at kissing,” Ethan said with a nod. “Can’t get too personal by just kissing and a little bit of touching.”

Ethan was teasing as he pronounced the word ‘teasing’ with long drawn out syllables. He leaned over to me, wiggling his eyebrows. I nudged his shoulder and rolled my eyes.

“As long as we’re on the same page.” I giggled and grabbed a piece of the pie for myself.

--

A week later, Ethan told me he had a surprise for me in our last lesson of the week.

“To celebrate your graduation from my tutoring lessons,” Ethan beamed at me with a proud smile. “Together we will be attending a private ball with the most well-established alphas in the world.”

My heart skipped a beat. I thought the charity banquet and media appearances were as extravagant as things could get. Apparently I was dead-wrong.

“Do you think I’m ready for all of that?” I asked, my hands growing clammy.

“Yes!” Ethan laughed, astounded that I would even need to ask. “You are beyond ready, I’m positive that you will be the most impressive Luna in attendance.”

He was boasting and exaggerating a little too much, but I smiled at his words nonetheless.

“If you really think I can do it-”

“I know you can,” He interrupted.

“If you think I can, I would be more than happy to accompany you,” I grinned and took his hand in acceptance. “So, what is the party for? Is it a business thing?”

Ethan’s smile strained slightly and grew a little forced, “No, it’s the birthday party of an old acquaintance’s fiance.”

“Oh!” I simpered, relief overtaking my body. A birthday party couldn’t be that bad. “Which acquaintance?”

“Andrew.” Ethan’s voice was cold, but I paid no mind to it.