His Heart's Desire Read online

  “Does it have anything to do with that no-account ex-boyfriend of hers? I knew that weasel was trouble the minute I laid eyes on him.”

  Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. “It's nice to know I wasn't the only one who thought that.”

  Edna's face darkened. “Ooh, when I think of what he did to that sweet girl, it makes me furious. His actions are completely unforgivable. I'd love to go over there and give him a piece of my mind. And maybe a good swift kick you-know-where too,” she added with an emphatic nod of her graying head.

  Ethan tried to fight back a smile at the feisty old lady's words, but it wasn't long before the seriousness of the situation gripped him once more. “So she told you about last night?”

  Edna nodded gravely. “I'm so glad she trusted me enough to share her burden. With her mother gone, she needs all the support she can get. And I think you and I are it for now.”

  “Becca knows that I'll always be there when she needs me. And I'm glad that she's found a friend in you too.” He paused a few seconds, debating how much to tell her. “If it makes you feel any better, I took care of that son of a–um, sorry,” he finished sheepishly.

  Edna waved her hand dismissively. “Don't apologize, young man. I've heard far worse than that in my lifetime. It's not like I haven't thought it too. So did you kick him where it counts?” she asked enthusiastically with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  This time Ethan couldn't hold back a grin. “Not exactly. But he's in a lot of trouble with the police right now. Oh, and I did get in a couple of good punches.”

  “Oh, good.” The little woman's face lit up like a Christmas tree. “I'm so glad that somebody taught him a lesson on how to treat a lady.” Even though her height barely reached Ethan's chest, she grabbed him around the neck and pulled him down to place a peck on his cheek. “You're my hero. Well, actually, you're Rebecca's hero, but you're a hero nonetheless,” she declared while tapping his chest with her finger.

  Barely recovered from nearly being pulled off balance by Edna's exuberance, Ethan now felt his face heating at her compliment. He cleared his throat. “I don't know about that.”

  “Well, I do. You're so much like my Freddie. Always looking out for a girl and being a perfect gentleman,” she said wistfully. She leaned toward him, adding in a playful whisper, “If I wasn't old enough to be your grandmother, I'd snap you up myself.”

  Ethan hadn't thought his cheeks could get any redder, and he had no idea how to respond to that comment. Thankfully, he didn't have to.

  “Ethan?” A sweet voice from behind him filled the silence and his senses. “I thought I heard your voice. What are you doing here?”

  Ethan turned to see Becca silhouetted in her own doorway. The light behind her gleamed like a halo against her honey-colored hair, which spilled in waves over her shoulders, bringing back memories of what it had felt like to have his hands in it last night. If he hadn't already been struck mute by Edna's comment, the angelic sight before him most certainly would have done the trick.

  Ethan weakly raised his hand in a pathetic little wave, and finally found his voice. “Hey. I'll be over in a minute.”

  His heart clenched at the sweet smile she gave him, making him scream inside at the unfairness of having to bring more pain to this beautiful woman's life. He only wanted to see joy and happiness mirrored in her lovely blue eyes. But that wasn't meant to be. At least not tonight.

  Edna must have sensed the disquiet within him, because he felt her hand come to rest lightly on his forearm. “You're a good man, Ethan. Whatever it is you came here to tell her, I know you'll find the words, and you'll do right by her. Go on,” she finished softly, giving him a little nudge forward.

  Ethan glanced back. He placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed. “Thanks, Edna,” he said, using her given name for the first time.

  It must have pleased her, because she smiled brightly at him. Then she shrugged. “For what?”

  “For believing in me.”

  With that, he released her hand, and after giving her a small smile, he retraced his steps to the other side of walkway, praying that her faith in him was not ill-placed.

  “Sorry about that.” Ethan smiled contritely at Becca. He looked back over his shoulder, but the neighbor lady had already vanished. “I came to see you, but Edna kind of waylaid me,” he explained, gesturing lamely in the direction of her apartment.

  Becca's lips curved sweetly. “She has a way of doing that.”

  Ethan noticed that her hands had been clasping her bare arms against the nighttime chill since she came outside. “You look cold. Maybe we should go inside.”

  “Oh!” Becca startled. “Of course. Look at me daydreaming.” She stepped aside to allow him to pass before closing the door behind them. As she turned back around to face him, her eyes caught on the white fabric draped over his left hand. She gasped in surprise. “Is that my...?”

  The rest of her question dangled in the air between them as Ethan handed her the sweater. She held it up, looking at it for a moment, then hugged it to her chest as though her mother still wore it.

  “Oh...” Ethan dipped his hand into his jeans pocket. When he pulled it out, he extended it toward her. “...And this too.”

  Becca looked up to see her charm bracelet resting in his palm and gathered it up as though it were the most precious jewel. She allowed it to slide over her fingers, the charms tinkling in the silence. The look on her face was one of awestruck wonder. “Ethan, how did you...? Never mind. It doesn't matter.”

  With that, she closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck and placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

  Ethan's arms automatically wrapped around her, drawing her into a snug embrace. His head dropped down close to hers, and he breathed deeply, drinking in the fruity aroma of her shampoo and that feminine scent that was uniquely Becca.

  She slowly pulled away, and he reluctantly released her. Becca's eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Thank you so much, Ethan.”

  Ethan swallowed hard around the lump that had formed in his throat. “You may not want to thank me yet.”

  Becca's brow drew down into a frown. “These things mean so much to me. I thought I'd never see them again, and yet somehow you brought them back. Why would I not be grateful?”

  “Because...because I brought something else that... God, this is so hard.”

  “Ethan, what's wrong?”

  “I...I found out something about Jay that affects you. We need to talk.” He gestured toward the sofa. “Why don't we sit down?”

  “OK.” Her eyes filled with concern, Becca laid her things on the coffee table before seating herself on the couch next to Miss Kitty, her black-and-white long-haired cat. “Ethan, you're really worrying me.”

  “I'm sorry, Becca,” Ethan apologized as he sat down beside her. “I don't want to cause you any more distress, but it seems there's no way not to. I guess I just need to man up and get it out in the open so we can deal with it.”

  Ethan gently took Becca's hand from where she had been absently stroking her pet's silky fur. He clasped it tightly in his own, rubbing comforting circles on the back with his thumb as he related the events of the afternoon to her.

  When he finished, Becca pulled her hand out of his. Her arms crossed defensively over her middle, and she turned her face away. Even still, Ethan could see her cheeks were stained crimson and she was fighting back tears.

  Ethan moved Miss Kitty to his other side and scooted closer to Becca, gathering her into his arms. He drew her around to face him and pulled her head down onto his shoulder.

  With that, the floodgates opened. Deep sobs racked her body as Ethan held her close for what seemed like a lifetime. Gradually, she quieted, but Ethan continued to caress her back and her arm that rested on his chest, hoping that he was providing some measure of comfort.

  “Did you...watch it?” She stumbled over her words that were barely above a whisper.

  “The recording?”
/>   Becca nodded against his chest.

  Ethan pulled far enough away to see her, and lifted her face to his. She was having a hard time maintaining eye contact and seemed to be trying to look anywhere but right at him. He brushed a lock of tear-damp hair away from her face. With firm but gentle fingers, he held her chin in place as he locked his eyes with hers, challenging her not to look away this time.

  “What kind of guy do you think I am?” he asked with a touch of anger in his voice. “Of course I didn't watch it.”

  “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to question your integrity. It's just... How do you know it's the right memory card?”

  “Todd–”

  “Todd watched it?” Becca virtually shrieked in horror at the thought.

  “Shh...” Ethan placed his finger on her lips, imploring her with his eyes to hear him out. His patience was rewarded when she seemed to calm a little. “He only watched enough to know he had the right one. He wouldn't invade your privacy like that either.”

  Becca's shoulders slumped, perhaps with relief, although her face bore the same defeated look she'd had when she came to him the night before. “How could he do this to me?” She shook her head. “How could he do it to those other girls?”

  “I don't know, Becca.” Ethan shook his own head in a form of agreement. “I don't think I'll ever understand. I guess some people get their kicks out of screwing with other people's lives.”

  Becca's head dropped back down to Ethan's shoulder.

  He continued to stroke her back and hair comfortingly for several long minutes. Knowing there was one more thing that needed to be settled, he finally broke the silence. “Becca, there's something else I need to discuss with you.”

  Her head jerked up, and she pinned him with a worried look. “What?”

  More than anything, Ethan hated seeing the apprehension in her eyes, and tried once again to reassure her by squeezing the hand that rested against his chest before he spoke. “It's OK. I don't have any more terrible revelations. Just something you need to know.”

  “What's that?”

  “Once I had the memory card in my possession, my first inclination was to destroy it. Since Todd's friend in the DA's office already knew about it, I might have been breaking the law. Still, I would have done it to protect you.”

  “Oh, Ethan. It's sweet of you to want to do that, but I couldn't bear the thought of you being in jail because of me.”

  “I thought of that, and I also realized to destroy it would be taking away a very personal decision from you. You've had enough taken away from you in the last few days, and I didn't want to add to the list. You have a choice, either to take the recording and your story to the DA and add your voice to the prosecution against Jay or, if you prefer, wait and see what happens. Todd's friend said that he probably had enough on Jay to keep you out of it, but no guarantees. If you talk to him up front, it might give him more ammunition against Jay. But it's completely up to you, Becca.”

  Becca's eyes darkened as her gaze dropped to their joined hands, and her body stiffened. It was abundantly clear to Ethan that she was struggling with herself over what to do. He wished with all his heart that he could fight that battle for her, but he knew the decision had to be hers and hers alone.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Becca finally spoke, her gaze still directed downward. “You said there was plenty of other evidence against Jay. Other girls he taped without their permission. And the website. Plus the prior charges with the underage girl?”

  Ethan nodded in reply. “Yeah.”

  Becca bit her lip as she contemplated that. “So he's probably going to jail with or without my testimony, right?”

  “Most likely,” Ethan answered softly.

  The silence following his near-whispered response was deafening. Ethan listened to the ticking of his watch as it marked time. It seemed like hours before Becca responded, even though mere minutes had passed.

  “I hate walking away from injustice when I know there's something I could do about it, and I feel like a coward for even saying this, but...” She hesitated, then finally lifted her eyes to his again. “I don't know if I have the strength to fight this battle,” she finished in a choked whisper. Becca swallowed hard before continuing in a stronger voice. “I just want the nightmare of the last couple of days to be over so I can move on with my life. I'm not a horrible person for not standing up to him, am I?”

  Ethan reached up to cup the side of her face. “Becca, you couldn't be a horrible person if you tried. And I don't think you're a coward either. You've been through more than anyone should be asked to deal with in a very short time. In all honesty, you're one of the strongest people I know. Not many young women would have given up their dream to take care of their mom the way you did. That took a lot out of you, both physically and emotionally. Now it's time for you to rest and take care of yourself. Let someone else fight the battle this time.”

  A rueful smile curled Becca's lips as her soft blue eyes locked with his. “You always seem to understand me and know how to make me feel better. And if the DA does need me, it'll be hard, but I'll do it.”

  “If it does come to that, I'll be right by your side, Becca. I'll always be here for you.”

  Becca wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight, and buried her face in his neck. “I know.”

  Her warm breath whispered across his skin in a tingling embrace. Ethan closed his eyes and once again inhaled the fruity scent of her hair. His arm tightened around her waist. Becca may have decided not to fight the battle with Jay unless necessary, but his own battle with his feelings for her was far from over. Even though his bodily desires were trying to sabotage his plan, Ethan's commitment to allowing Becca the time she needed to heal from this betrayal and the grief of losing her mother was as strong as ever. But it was going to be a very long wait indeed.

  Chapter 5

  It had been more than a month since that horrible night, and during that time Ethan had done everything he could think of to support Becca. As part of his plan, he'd insisted on starting bi-weekly “dates” with her¸ lunch every Tuesday and Movie Night every Friday.

  It was Friday evening, and even though they'd only been apart three days, he could barely contain his eagerness to see her again. He swiftly changed in the private bathroom in his office, out of his business attire and into jeans and a t-shirt. Then he snuck out the back way so that no overeager, workaholic employees could delay him with questions.

  Before heading to Becca's, he made a special trip to the mall to pick up some of her favorite candies from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. On the way to her apartment, he thought back over the past month. Thank God, there had been no more nasty surprises. Becca had been overcome with relief when the pregnancy test came back negative and even more grateful when further tests confirmed that Jay hadn't given her any dreaded diseases. She didn't need any reminders of her unplanned and unfortunate sexual encounter with that bastard. Receiving the test results had been the first step in Becca finally beginning to heal, even though there were still times when hints of melancholy dulled her beautiful green eyes.

  As Ethan pulled into the parking lot of Becca's apartment complex, anticipation thrummed through his veins. When he reached Becca's doorstep, he hid the bag of chocolates behind his back with one hand and knocked with the other. He didn't wait long before the object of his affection swung the portal open and stood before him, looking like a vision. His mouth went dry as he took in the sight of her. She wore a flirty tank top with a low neckline that showed off a bit of cleavage, and denim short shorts that fit her pert little bottom like a glove. Her feet were bare and her toenails were painted a pretty shade of pink that matched her fingernails. Her honey-colored hair hung loose around her shoulders in waves. The innocently sexy look already had his groin tightening. At this rate, he wouldn't be able to look at her all evening without giving himself away.

  “What? Do I have something on my face?” Becca asked as her hands went to her ch
eeks, feeling for something amiss.

  Ethan cleared his throat and stepped inside. “Um, no.” He could barely form a coherent thought and searched his mind for a cover story. “Did you do something different with your hair?” he asked, hoping she wouldn't notice his discomfiture.

  Becca reached up to tuck a strand behind her ear, which only served to increase his desire. His fingers itched to bury themselves in her thick, wavy locks.

  “I had it trimmed today. Why?”

  “Oh, um, it just looked different, that's all.”

  “Good different or bad different?”

  “Good. Definitely good.”

  “Whew,” she exclaimed. “You had me worried there for a minute.” Her hand went to her breast in a gesture of relief.

  The last thing Ethan needed was his attention being drawn to that tempting bit of bare cleavage showing above her top. He longed to dip his tongue into that sweet valley. He searched desperately for a distraction before he embarrassed himself by drooling, or worse, tenting his pants.

  Finally, remembering the bag of chocolates still dangling from the hand behind his back, he pulled them out and handed them to Becca.

  She gasped in surprise. “What's this for?”

  He shrugged. “For being you.”

  She gave him a shy smile and blushed prettily. “Thank you, Ethan. That's really sweet of you, especially since I know you had to go out of your way to get them. I'll go put them in a dish so we can share during the movie.”

  She headed for the kitchen, and he followed behind, watching the sway of her hips and feeling like a lovesick puppy.

  “Mmm... These smell delicious!” she exclaimed while daintily laying the candies out on a pretty flowered dish.

  Ethan reached into a cupboard for glasses and poured them each a soda. “So are you coming to the animal shelter tomorrow?”

  “Oh, definitely,” she replied enthusiastically. “It's been so great working with the animals again. I wouldn't miss it.”

  “You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask you.”