“Think about it?” he asked, blowing soft, warm air against my ear.
“Not fair,” I said. “Anything I say now would be considered ‘under the influence.’”
“Under the influence of what?”
“Ethan Ramsey’s lips.”
He laughed and started up the other side of my face.
“Please?” he whispered when he reached my other ear. “Please think about it?”
“I’ll consider thinking about it,” I said.
“Good enough for now,” he decided.
At least my words had appeased him, but I wasn’t so sure I meant them. Would I really consider doing such a thing? Aside from the fact that I quite liked my own apartment, moving in with someone seven years younger than me was crazy, wasn’t it? Besides, I liked having my own personal space and things that were strictly mine. Even if I didn’t consider any of that, I had only known Ethan since Friday.
But I knew
him. I really, really knew him. I knew how honest he was about everything, including how he felt when he knew his words might be upsetting. I knew exactly where I stood with him and never had to beg him to tell me how he felt. He was charismatic and kind. He was generous with his friends, and from what he had said, they seemed to be the same way with him. He lived for the moment, which was refreshing and exciting.
Even after such a short time, I felt like I knew him better than any man I had ever known in my life. Maybe I could consider moving in here with him. I had to admit the idea of waking up just like I had yesterday morning was quite tempting. Perhaps I would consider doing something so completely out of character for my normal, think-things-through self and jump on an opportunity that just felt right. Maybe I would do something just a little bit spontaneous and take the astute advice Ethan wore so proudly: carpe diem.
Chapter 16—Allure
Six times.
We had sex six times between last night and this morning.
Being with a nineteen-year-old had its perks.
I had to practically hose Ethan down to get myself out of his bedroom so I could start getting ready to head back to my place. He asked me to move in with him—or to at least think about it—when we were eating breakfast and again when I was trying to leave. I had refused to answer him.
Would it be so bad?
“Tell me more about yourself,” Ethan said. He sat down on the bean bag chair and patted his thighs with his hands, encouraging me to sit. “I want to know everything.”
“Like what?” I asked as I settled down in his lap.
“Well, I know who your father is,” he said, “but I don’t know anything about your mom.”
“I don’t know much about her either,” I said with a short laugh. “She was never in my life much, not since I was very young. She and Dad split up when I was three. She had a huge inheritance from her mother, and she basically uses that to travel around the world, following whatever floats her boat at the moment. I think she’s in Greece right now, but I’m not sure.”
“Do you ever talk to her?”
“Not much.” I shrugged. “She usually calls around my birthday. She’s either a day early or a day late, depending on what part of the world she is in. We talk for a few minutes about whatever she’s been doing and what she’s been seeing. She doesn’t really ask about me. Last year she was surprised to learn I was getting a master’s degree.”
“I’m sorry,” Ethan said. He hugged me against him. “That has to be hard for you.”
“Not really. It’s hard to miss something you’ve never had. Dad’s second wife lasted all of six months, and I barely remember her. He was more careful about Vanessa.”
“That’s your stepmom, right?
“Yes. She’s pretty good for him, and at least she was around for all the girly stuff when I was a teenager.”
I snickered and then covered my mouth, remembering that Ethan was still a teen himself.
“So, you like her?”