Page 23 of Lost Without You

“What’s the matter?” Rachel asked as she leaned back and stared at him.

“Your brother is not happy with me at this moment,” Ethan replied as he pulled back. “Maybe we should call it a night.”

The look of steely determination in Rachel’s expressive eyes was his only warning. She gripped him harder and stepped back into his arms.

“Nope. I’m very happy where I am right now. My brother can scowl all he wants. I’m a grown woman who knows her own mind.”

“No argument there,” Ethan chuckled as they continued to sway in time to the sultry beat.

Much as he applauded Rachel’s stand, his rational brain clicked online again. “But I don’t want to ruin what was a very special night for everyone. Let’s finish up this dance and head back to the hotel,” he paused as her eyes widened. “Separately. Separate hotel rooms. I’ll walk you home of course. I mean, walk you back to the hotel. Or we can grab a cab given the time of night.”

Smooth, Ethan, very smooth. He stopped suddenly and pulled back, placing his hands in his jeans pockets to prevent himself from reaching out to Rachel again.

She patted his chest and grinned at him. “Let me use the washroom first. I’ll be right back.”

When she stepped away, Ethan breathed a sigh … of relief and disappointment. He headed back to their table to settle the bill, but Wes and Ryker had beat him to it.

“No way, Ethan, I invited you tonight,” Wes said. “Where’s Rachel?”

“She went to the washroom. We’re going to take off.”

“What are your intentions with my sister?” Ryker asked as he crossed his arms, his blue eyes shooting lasers at Ethan.

Wes stepped forward. “I think what Ryker means is…”

Ethan put both hands in the air. “It’s okay, Wes. We were just dancing, Ryker. I like your sister, but there’s nothing going on.”

“Not yet. But the way you two were looking at each other?” Ryker scoffed as Wes put a protective arm around his waist. “I’m not stupid. And neither are you, Ethan.”

“No, I’m not. Look, my relationship with your sister is professional, but I also like her as a person. A lot,” he paused as Ryker continued to give him the stink eye. “If,if, we decide that we want more than that, it’s our business. We’re both consenting adults.”

“He’s right, love. It’s none of our business,” Wes murmured, and Ryker’s glare dimmed.

“I’m sorry for sounding like a dick, Ethan, but Rachel is an amazing person and she’s dated some real shit heads. I just don’t want to see her get hurt again.”

“That’s my problem, Ryker, not yours,” Rachel interrupted.

She stood with one hand on her hip and gave them all a look that was far more intense than Ryker’s glare. “And Ethan is right, so let’s act like the adults we are. That means you guys can come back with us, have a drink in the hotel bar and we can end the night the way it started—on a happy note.”

Rachel’s expression lightened as she winked at Ethan and walked over to her brother, giving him a quick hug. She whispered something in his ear, and he nodded his head, but Ethan was too far away to hear what was said. Whatever it was, Ryker relaxed again and gave him a contrite smile, and the tense mood lifted. Crisis averted.

They gathered their jackets and made their way outside to grab a cab. Just as they got seated, Ethan’s phone pinged.

Reluctantly, he glanced down and saw a new text message from Lane. Nerves filled his belly.

Lane:JACKPOT

Chapter Eleven

Rachel

Rachel felt Ethan stiffen beside her in the cab and she hoped like hell he wasn’t uncomfortable after Ryker’s third degree. While she understood her brother’s protectiveness came from a place of caring, it was totally unnecessary. If she and Ethan decided they wanted to explore more than friendship, then that would be their choice. Rachel glanced over, but Ethan was checking his phone, a scowl on his face.That’s odd.

Maybe he was regretting coming out tonight? Regretting how they moved together on the dance floor? Had she imagined their chemistry? Then she thought about the elevator ride earlier this evening. The way Ethan had all but devoured her with his dark eyes … no, she hadn’t imagined that. Just the memory of it had her clenching her thighs together tightly again.

“Everything all right?” she asked him as he nodded in reply.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” he mumbled and looked out the window.