Page 60 of Frankie and the Fed

“Ayala—”

I put my hand on Ethan’s thigh to stop him. “I know this is not what you want. I understand that. But to leave what I have achieved, and move to New York, to disconnect from the familiar and the known, the feeling, is the same.”

He sighs and rests his forehead on mine. “I don’t know how to solve this. I want you next to me.”

I know it’s unreasonable to ask him to give up his entire business empire. All the offices are in New York, with hundreds of employees. He can try to manage remotely, but it will never be the same. I’m the one who has to decide.

“Come with me to dinner with my parents,” I ask, surprising even myself. My parents don’t like him. I mean, they don’t know him, but they don’t like the idea of his existence in my life. They don’t like that there is someone with whom their beloved daughter cheated on her husband. Even though Michael was a piece of shit, and they realize that now too. Ethan told me they asked him to stay away from me. If I decide to leave, I want to work it out with them first. Maybe if they love him as much as I do, the decision will be easier.

He nods. “Okay. Whatever you want.” He thinks for a moment. “Can we just sit together and watch a movie now?” he asks.

There is nothing I want more. I nod and go to the kitchen. “Do you like popcorn?” I ask, taking a packet out of the cupboard. “Because if not, we should say goodbye right now. I’m addicted.”

His rolling laugh ties pleasant knots in my stomach, and I put the popcorn in the microwave.

“How about an addition of hot chocolate to accompany this popcorn?” He grins. “Because otherwise, we really have nothing to look forward to together.”

“I would never turn down a hot chocolate in the winter.”

We sit in front of the TV, and I bring out a big blanket from the bedroom to snuggle under. He raises his arm, allowing me to lean on him. This feels so right as if we’ve been doing this forever. All the pieces are exactly in place.

I sip loudly from my cup of chocolate.

He looks at me in wonder. “What is that noise?”

I giggle. “I was just checking to see how you would react.” I send him a beaming smile, and he lowers his face to kiss me. The chocolate in his mouth tastes better than what’s in my cup.

He laughs. “I’ll kiss you until you stop. A good enough response?”

“Then I better make some more noise.” I sip again, making the same noise, and pucker my lips for a kiss.

He willingly responds to my call, and we drift into each other until I mutter, “We didn’t choose a movie.”

“I’ve already chosen,” he murmurs into my mouth. “The Ring.”

“Isn’t that a horror movie?” I break away from him to see his face.

“Oh, yes.” He winks at me.

“I’m not a fan of horror movies,” I say with wide eyes. “They scare me.”

“I’m counting on it.” He smiles a sly smile.

We sink onto the couch, and I place the popcorn between us, take some for myself, then put some in Ethan’s mouth as he watches the movie with interest. Watching him is more interesting for me than the movie.

When the scary parts start, I cringe and bury my face in his chest. “Tell me when it’s over.”

He laughs. “It’s over.”

I lift my head just when a rotting corpse appears on the screen. “Yuck!” I squeal, hitting him on the shoulder. “Why did you tell me it was over?”

He bites his lower lip. “Because you’re charming when you’re scared. And I think it’s making you horny.”

“And does it makeyouhorny?” I tilt my head toward him.

“Honestly, I don’t think I need a movie to be horny. And you?” He takes my hand and places it on his crotch.

“No, I don’t think I need a movie,” I mutter as he kisses me again, his hand reaching for me.