Moth to Flame

CHAPTER 3.1

Mia

"Call me Ethan. Mr. Sodero was my father." I had to fight back the urge to ask Ethan about his father. It didn't seem like a topic he would like to discuss.

Ethan looked so pensive sitting there brooding. The kitchen lights were making his hair practically glow. I couldn't resist anymore. The sexy honey-colored hair was just screaming to be touched, so I lifted my uninjured arm and gently started stroking Ethan's hair. I loved the feel of it, I hadn't expected it would be so soft. I lightly scratched his scalp. Soon, I heard Ethan groaning lightly, the sound brought a smile to my lips and sped up my heart rate. Our eyes met and we just stared at each other for what seemed like hours. We were brought out of our stupor by the beeping of my stove.

I got up to go take the green beans out of the oven. They smelled great and the almonds were perfectly toasted. Looking at the food, I got an idea.

"Ethan, how would you like to stay for dinner? We can go over those business procedures. We can have dinner and maybe watch some TV." I suggested, stunned I would be so bold as to ask him to stay.

"You mean you're still going to take the job, Mia?" Ethan asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yes, I told you I accept your apology. I would really like it if you would stay for dinner and we could get to know each other better. Unless you have prior plans..." The thought of Ethan with prior plans, especially those that involved other women, made me feel sick.

"f**k no. I have no other plans at the moment, Mia. It smells f*****g amazing in here. I'd love to stay over for dinner. Just let me run out to the car and grab my laptop and paperwork."

"What kind of car do you drive?" I asked absentmindedly as Ethan got up to leave the kitchen.

He smirked. "Well, usually I drive a Rolls Royce Phantom. I f*****g love my baby, so I don't bring her out all the time. Today I'm driving my custom silver Corvette I had while in high school. The bitches really love the 'vette, not that they don't go apeshit over the Phantom."

He thought about what he’d just said and looked over at me sheepishly. "s**t. Sorry Mia. That was an inappropriate thing to say. Please forgive me."

"Forget it, I'm not offended. Wyatt has a rather colorful vocabulary, too."

I picked up the cornbread and bent down to put it in the stove. When I turned around, Ethan was still there, staring at me intensely.

"Wha-what's wrong Ethan?" I asked, afraid I had made a mistake. "Did I spill any?"

He cleared his throat. "No, Mia. It's, uh, just that… Never mind. I'm going out to the car. I'll be back in five minutes."

Strange. He had probably been staring because I was covered in filth. While he was gone, I decided to run up to the bathroom and wash off. I also needed to change into some clean clothes while I was upstairs.

I took my hair down and then washed the sweaty parts of my body and dried off. Since my bedroom was right next door, I didn't bother to put on my dirty clothes again. I just walked out into the hallway with no bra and my underwear on.

All of a sudden, I hit something hard and felt a strong pair of arms come out to steady me. "What the hell?" I asked, surprised there was someone else upstairs.

Standing right in front of me looking like he'd gone into shock was Ethan. I felt a deep blush travel up my face. Ethan was staring at me hard. I looked down and realized what he was looking at. My breasts were completely exposed and my n*****s were puckered.

Great. I'm getting a female erection right in front of Ethan. Please kill me now.

I used my hair to cover my breasts. Sadly, it couldn't cover my panties, too. My robe was in my bedroom. To top it off, I was wearing a pair of black cotton underwear with yellow and pink smiley faces all over them. I must have looked like a six-year-old. Ethan was standing there still holding me and staring.

I heard a guffaw and looked up to see Ethan practically in tears from laughing so hard. "I bet I know why they're smiling," he said, pointing at my undies.

Seriously, if there is a god, a hole would open up and swallow me into the floor.

I could feel my eyes prickling, and I knew I was about to cry. I never cried in front of people, and yet I'd cried in front of Ethan two times already.

"I'm, I'm so embarrassed. Please just let me go Ethan," I whimpered as I ran into my bedroom.

He let me go. Before I could shut the door, he was inside my room. My room was modest, yet comfortable. I had a small TV on a glass stand, an old oak desk that had belonged to my mother, an oak wardrobe because the room didn't have a closet, two wooden night stands with matching lamps, and my one splurge - a queen pillow top bed. The room colors were the greens and golds of the forest which reminded me of my hometown.

"Please, Ethan. Get out," I said, grabbing my robe off of the desk chair and quickly throwing it on.

I was scared to look up at him. I was embarrassed and feeling very uncomfortable with Ethan having seen me nearly naked. He probably thought I was ugly. No wonder he’d laughed.

He walked over to me slowly. I was rooted to the spot. When we were only inches apart. Ethan stopped and wrapped his arms around me pulling into his chest.

"Don't apologize, baby doll. You're f*****g magnificent. You're beautiful. If I was the motherfucking poet type, I'd write you sonnets about how gorgeous you are. It's me who's sorry - for scaring you and for making you feel uncomfortable in your own home. I can strip down now if you'd like. Then we'd be even."

Ethan Sodero thought I was magnificent, beautiful, and gorgeous. He had to joking. How dare he make fun of me when I was so upset and vulnerable.

"There's no need to patronize me, Ethan," I said, still sniffling.

Ethan looked down at me with a confused look on his face. "How am I patronizing you? I just said what I was thinking at the moment."

I blanched. Honestly, was he going to just stand there and lie to my face? "I know I'm not beautiful or magnificent. I'm just plain Mia. I may be okay-looking, but I blend into the wallpaper. I'm sure you date models and actresses who are ten times more gorgeous than me, so please just don't lie. It's okay."

I heard an angry noise reverberate through my bedroom. I looked up trying to figure out why Ethan had made that sound. He pushed me back against the wardrobe.

"I don't want to f*****g ever hear you put yourself down like that again! You are magnificent and beautiful. I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't the truth. I've never in my life met a woman sexier than you. I could get lost in your brown eyes and never want out."

Then, he did the last thing I expected him to do. He leaned forward and kissed me. Ethan Sodero kissed me and it was better than my dreams. It started off as a chaste kiss but quickly evolved into an erotic sexually-charged one. He licked my top lip and then my bottom one. One of his hands was in my hair while the other one palmed my ass. Everywhere he touched, he left a trail of fire. He kept licking my lips until I opened up to him. The minute my mouth was available, he put his tongue in and claimed me.

Ethan was hard and huge from what I could feel of his erection pressing against my stomach. I'd only been kissed three times in my life, and they had been slobbery and awkward - nothing like this.

He moaned loudly and really pressed me into the wardrobe. It was wonderful. It was earth shattering. It was too much. I was still a virgin, and I barely know Ethan. Plus, he was my future boss. I didn't want him to think I was some sleazy w***e, so I ended it.

"Mmm. Um, Ethan," I said, panting. "I think we should stop now. We barely know each other. I'm your employee, so it's inappropriate for us to be doing this. I have to get dressed and finish cooking dinner anyway."

He rested his forehead against mine for a minute and removed his hand from my butt. His eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree, and he was breathing like he had run a marathon. I could also see he was still extremely hard. He also still had one hand tangled in my hair. I felt bad about letting our kiss go so far, so I tried to apologize.

Before I got out a word, Ethan started speaking. "Ambrosia, sweet nectar of the gods. Mia your mouth is ambrosia. There's no better taste in the world. And your body… Jesus f*****g Christ, don't even get me started on that topic. Your little ass is so plump and tight. Your breasts would fit perfectly in my hands. Your skin feels like rose petals. Your hair is so silky. You smell amazing. If you could see what I see looking at you, you would never doubt your beauty.

"You're right, we barely know each other, but obviously there's a strong attraction between us. Just because I'm your boss doesn't mean we shouldn't explore our feelings. I'll leave now, while I still can, and let you get dressed." He gave me a soft kiss on my lips and another one on my cheek. Then he left my room, closing the door behind him.

He had said the most beautiful words to me, and he sounded like he meant them. Maybe we could get to know each other and see where it led us. I knew Ethan could and probably would break me. I'd likely never recover, but I needed him. I was willing to take the risk.

There were three things I was absolutely certain about: One, I was going to give my virginity to Ethan and soon. Two, I needed to find out more about this man. And three, I was already deeply in love with my future boss.

Basically, I was screwed. I couldn't stop my natural response to him, though. His words had been so sweet, and he had gone out of the way to apologize about his earlier behavior.

Still reeling from my recent realization, I went over to my wardrobe and pulled out a pair of old comfortable skinny jeans. Because I was having dinner with Ethan, I decided to be a little dressier. I got a new fitted, dark pink cardigan out of the wardrobe. I also put on a plain white camisole underneath and left the first three pearl white buttons of the cardigan undone. I was showing a bit of cleavage, but my outfit was still extremely modest. The pink made me feel feminine, and I realized I wanted to feel that way because of Ethan.

I used some copper clips to pin back the top part of my hair and left the rest hanging down. Next, I added my ballerina flats to the outfit. I wasn't model perfect or stunning, but I thought I looked pretty. I was still red from blushing and my eyes were brighter than usual. My lips were also swollen from Ethan's kisses. I put on a dab of lip gloss and headed downstairs.

The sight that greeted me in the kitchen made me giggle. Ethan was at the stove, trying to sneak some potatoes au gratin out of the pan. He looked so sweet and innocent, and he had no idea I was watching him.

"Ethan," I said, shocking him. He turned around and swallowed quickly, clearly embarrassed that he had been caught.

"Oh, hi, Mia. I didn't hear you come in. I was just..." he trailed off looking guilty.

"It's perfectly alright, Ethan. I can get you some homemade cookies to tide you over until dinner is done."

"That'd be great, baby doll. Can I have milk too? What kind of cookies are they?" Ethan asked, looking way too excited about the prospect of sugar.

"Of course you can have milk, Ethan." Lord knows I would give him anything he wanted. "The cookies are white chocolate and macadamia nut, and I baked them yesterday."

I headed over to my blue Smurf cookie jar and took out a plateful for Ethan. I always made a lot because Wyatt ate them like Tic Tacs. I heated up the cookies a bit in the microwave, and then grabbed a glass and filled it with cold milk.

Ethan had been silent for a few minutes. When I turned around he was gawking at me with a strange expression on his face. "You look beautiful, baby doll. That pink you're wearing kind of matches your cheeks when you blush. You don't know how hard it is for me to resist licking you every time you turn pink. And please for f**k’s sake, don't bend over in those jeans without giving me a warning. Your ass is way too sexy for its own good."

Wow. No one would accuse Ethan of not speaking his mind. His compliments made me feel good. I was ecstatic he found me physically pleasing.

"Thank you, Ethan. I'm glad you like my outfit. I picked it out with you in mind."

"I like everything you wear, Mia, because it's you. A lot of the bitches I know spend a bunch of money on expensive s**t, but they never look as beautiful as you look right now. You're a natural beauty, and that's rare."

I absorbed his words while I walked the cookies and milk over to him. Ethan started eating immediately. He was moaning with delight while his sparkling eyes looked up at me. "f**k, Mia! You baked these from scratch? These are the best cookies I've ever had in my life, and I'm a picky motherfucker. If the dinner tastes anything like this, I'm going to be in heaven."

Ethan's words made me soar. I was glad to know he loved my cooking because cooking was very personal to me. I Iiked to make special things for the people I loved. I was sure this wouldn't be the last time I cooked for Ethan. He had a look of pure bliss on his face as he dipped the cookies into milk.

I heard the stove ding and headed over to take the cornbread out. Remembering his earlier suggestion, I turned and said, "Ethan, you may want to avert your eyes, because I'm about to bend down and take out the cornbread."

I heard him chuckle, but he must not have listened because I heard him give out a low groan behind me a second later.

"You can't say I didn't warn you," I said, giggling at the noises Ethan was making.

Ethan went into the living room and grabbed his laptop, phone, and a portable speaker set. He also had two binders with him. He set it all up on the table and the kitchen was instantly filled with music. The acoustic version of a classic rock song came on. I felt relaxed because it was one of my favorites.

Ethan and I chatted about random stuff and went over all the business procedures. Ethan had a filthy mouth, but he was funny and always apologized to me if he said something particularly vulgar. He was also extremely intelligent. He answered my questions without being cocky or making me feel stupid. I felt safe and happy sitting next to him at my kitchen table.

It was nearing six, so I decided it was time to eat. I began plating the sides and cornbread. I put the chicken in the middle of the table. Ethan insisted on cutting the meat for me, so I sat down and watched him. He had long elegant fingers. His hands were large. I could barely manage to sit still thinking of the orgasm I'd had last night while thinking of them. I could feel my cheeks start to redden.

Ethan looked over at me and smiled warmly. My heart stopped beating. "Baby doll, what part of the chicken do you prefer?" I told him I wanted some slivers of the breast meat. Ethan made a cheeky joke about wanting some breast, too. I laughed at him.

We ate with the only sounds being Ethan's moans and his music playing in the background. He had great musical taste, and I never heard a song on his playlist that I disliked. For the first time in two days, I had a healthy appetite. I ate heartily while trying to sneak glances at Ethan when he wasn't looking. His eyes kept drifting to me, too, and his lips were in a perpetual smirk when he wasn't chewing.

Ethan ate a whole half of the chicken and then some. More than half of the green beans, potatoes, and cornbread were gone, too. If I had been feeding him and Wyatt, I would have been lucky to get a wing.

After we finished, I cleared the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Ethan wanted to help, but I refused by saying it would get done faster with just me working. I made him a desert of vanilla ice cream and more of the warm cookies with some added melted white chocolate.

He kissed me again, lightly on the lips before going out to the living room to turn on the TV. After a while I heard some financial news in the background. He obviously enjoyed that type of thing.

I still couldn't believe how great my day had turned out. I went from arguing with Ethan to being intimate with him and all in a few hours. Reality set in, and I started to doubt myself again. Sure Ethan was having a great time now, but he would probably go back to his apartment and make love to some other beautiful woman. I'd be here alone with Frank. I cried a little bit, already missing Ethan's company.

I put the leftovers away and decided to go join Ethan in the living room. It was raining pretty hard outside, and I could hear the booms of thunder overhead.

Ethan looked up as I entered. His eyes followed my body as I sat down beside him. He had chosen to sit on our big blue couch instead of the recliner this time. I sat far away from him and trained my eyes on the TV, not really concentrating as the stock ticker went by. I noticed Ethan's dessert bowl was empty, so I got up to clear it and add it to the dishwasher. When I returned, I sat in my same faraway spot on the couch. I didn't want to be close to Ethan, not while the images of his mysterious nightly paramour were in my head.

I felt Ethan slide over to me. "What's wrong, baby doll? You're too quiet, and you're sitting far away from me. You don't think I have Herpes or something, do you? I can assure you I'm a hundred percent STD free," Ethan confessed, laughing lightly.

"No. I just didn't think you'd want to be so close to me. I was trying to give you space," I said shyly.

"Damn it, Mia! You are not in my way. I don't want space from you. I want to touch and feel you as much as I can. Don't ever distance yourself from me. I care about you deeply, and it f*****g hurts when you act like you don't want to be near me."

I was shocked. "It's not like that at all. I want to be near you, too. I'm sorry I offended you."

Ethan still looked a little sad, so I leaned over and kissed him on his lips. It was the first time I had initiated a kiss between us. It was a deep kiss, because I felt sexy and bold.

Ethan saying he wanted to be close had erased my insecurities. I placed my tongue in his mouth and he reciprocated. Our lips slid over each other like we were old lovers.

He pulled me over into his lap and I straddled him, feeling the hard bulge in his pants throb against my core. I started grinding my hips into him as our moans came louder and faster. Ethan's hand was on my butt again. He was also pressing my body into his.

I began mewling softly as he left soft open mouthed kisses down my neck and on my collarbones. He licked and sucked on my neck while I bucked against his hips hard. He stopped his kisses and looked up at me.

"f**k. s**t. Damn. I mean… f**k, baby doll." He babbled, trying to get himself under control. "Mia, you are going to f*****g kill me."

He released me so I could climb down out of his lap. I was about to apologize for losing my self-control when Ethan's cell phone rang. He got up to answer. I heard him cursing quietly and talking to some muffled voice on the other end.

"Mia, Frank is stuck on the other side of town. I sent him there for an errand and the storm has gotten worse. They're closing off some of the roads. I was wondering if it would be alright if I stayed over with you tonight. I would feel better if you weren't alone during the storm. I have an overnight bag in my car, and I can sleep on the couch. I can get my man Luca to hold down the club tonight, so it's no problem."

Ethan staying over with me was not a good idea. I would probably have to fight the urge not to take advantage of him in his sleep. I wanted him to stay though, so I gave in.

"Of course, you can spend the night. I would appreciate not being alone. The couch folds out into a pretty comfortable bed, and I can get you fresh sheets and linens."

For the rest of the night, we talked about our likes and dislikes while occasionally eating cookies. Ethan gave Wyatt a run for his money in food consumption, so I was going to have to start cooking larger quantities.

Ethan didn't offer much into his personal life. He only told me his dad was dead and his mom was remarried. He had a younger sister and a stepbrother. I told him about Mitch and Catherine, and about Wyatt being adopted. He seemed genuinely interested in my life.

I asked why he called me baby doll. He told me his sister had a French porcelain doll when they were younger, and the doll looked like me. He told me I was sexier; although, I had the same hair and eyes as the doll.

We ended up watching one of my favorite classic movies. Ethan surprised me by knowing a few of the lines and had me laughing hard throughout the film. We didn't kiss anymore, but he sat with me cradled to his chest. He kept touching me throughout the film. He looked content just sitting there watching television in my living room.

Eventually, he asked about a large blue jar I had in the corner that was filled with quarters. I told him it was my cursing jar, and that every time Wyatt uttered a curse word in my presence he had to put a quarter in. Ethan apologized for his language, but I told him it was okay because was his personality. Wyatt, on the other hand, was my brother. I had to rib him whenever I got the chance.

Around ten, I started yawning. Ethan seemed to get sluggish, too. He looked like he wanted to ask me something, but he was hesitating. "Uh...baby doll. Do you think it would be alright if I slept in your room tonight? I would feel better being upstairs with you, so I know you're safe. We can share your bed, but I can sleep on top of the covers if you'd like. I could also keep all my clothes on if it would make you feel more comfortable."

I didn't even think before I answered. "Sure, Ethan. That would be nice. You can sleep under the covers, though, and wear whatever you'd like."

Great going Mia, he might just come to bed nude. I would definitely not get any sleep with a naked Ethan next to me!

I turned off the TV, and then led Ethan upstairs to my bedroom. I told him he could use the restroom first to prepare for bed. He came out twenty minutes later, looking freshly showered and wearing black silk pajama pants hung low on his hips.

I started hyperventilating because his chest was bare, and it was strong and muscled. He also had toned abs. His skin was just as perfect. He had a small scar near his right pectoral which only made him look sexier. Also, he had a tattoo on his upper arm. It was some kind of symbol and a line of cursive text in another language.

I practically ran from the bedroom, so I could do my nightly routine in the bathroom and calm myself down. I put on a beige, cotton tank top and underwear set. I felt self-conscious about wearing it in front of Ethan, but I wanted to feel as much of my skin on his as possible.

I re-entered the bedroom to find Ethan had moved his music up here and was lying in my bed listening to something classical. He turned around and groaned when he saw me.

"Mia, I'm not so sure I have the f*****g strength to sleep next to you if you just wear that."

I giggled. "I know you do, Ethan. Just be strong, and you'll be asleep in no time." I was teasing him, and he knew it.

I turned off all the lights and lay down next to Ethan. He smelled like desire, and I wanted to breathe him in until my lungs exploded. He pulled me down to his chest and kissed my forehead. I felt his hand on my butt again.

"Goodnight, lover," he whispered, caressing my hips. Clearly, Ethan is an ass man.

It was strange because no one had ever touched me there before, but the sensations felt amazing. I was glad Ethan liked my body. I would let him touch as much of it as he wanted.

Within minutes, Ethan had gone still and was breathing deeply. I knew he'd fallen asleep. I drifted off to sleep right after him with my fingers in his hair and the sounds of the storm outside.

Sometime during the night, I awakened when Ethan bolted up and let out a loud yell. I turned on the lamp and sat up to look at him. His eyes seemed haunted, and he was sweating lightly. He didn't say anything, and I didn't ask.

I coaxed him back down into the mattress and rubbed his back and shoulders until he fell into a deep slumber again. He had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped around my chest. He was holding on to me for dear life.

I didn't know what battle Ethan fought in his sleep, but I knew that I wouldn't let him fight it alone. I would be strong and weather the unholy war with him. Surely, the war is unholy if the battles are against angels like my Ethan. I drifted off to sleep with my love for Ethan in my heart and a soft smile on my lips.

When I awoke the next morning, my Ethan was gone. Lying on the nightstand closest to me was a single morning lily and a black envelope. I sniffed the lily. The envelope contained a note with a crisp one hundred dollar bill inside. I was curious about the money, surely Ethan knew he didn't have to pay me for last night's meal.

The note was in beautiful cursive and it read:

Baby doll, last night was the best of my life. I don't deserve you, but I'm going to do everything in my power to make you mine. Please don't be mad at me for not waking you up to say goodbye. You looked so calm and peaceful sleeping. I didn't want to disturb your dreams. I'll miss you until I see you again on Friday. Please keep all your curves and kisses for me until then.

Love,

Ethan

P.S. The $100 bill inside is my down payment for the cursing jar, because I'm a filthy-talking asshole.

Silly Ethan. Didn't he know I already belonged to him and always would?

I reread the letter wondering how I ever lived without him in my life.