I immediately removed my hand from Ethan’s chest as if the fire burned my hand. My face was hot. “Uh, I want you to meet my mother. She is my adoptive mother, but she loves me so much, and so do I.”
“Adoptive mother? What happened to your real mother?”
I blinked my eyes a few times and then looked at the dashboard. “My parents have passed away. So, my adoptive mother raised me.”
“I see.”
I gulped to lessen my sadness. Grief fills my heart every time I think of my passed away parents. This time is no different. “So, what should I tell my mother about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what are we now?”
Ethan reached out his hand to my neck. Then he released my seat belt and carried my body on his lap. Afterward, he stroked my neck on the bite mark. “We are mates, spouses, husband and wife in my world.”
“Oh!”
“Yes, darling. But if I told your mother like that, she might faint. So, let’s tell her that I’m your boyfriend.”
I said nothing. Would my mom accept it? Considering she would know later that I just broke up with Kenneth.
Ethan touched my hair to get my attention. “What’s wrong?”
“Didn’t you say you could read my mind?”
“Yes, but only when you don’t guard your mind.”
I giggled. “Oh, great! Then I can protect my mind from you.”
“So, do you like to share what you were thinking about just now?”
I sighed. Later, I touched Ethan’s thick eyebrows. “Your eyebrows are so thick. I love them.”
“Helena?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t try to change our conversation.”
I sighed again but then grinned. “How about this?” Without waiting for Ethan’s answer, I moved my face forward and kissed his lips boldly.
Ethan growled, agreeing with my first initiative to kiss him. He touched my back while deepening our kisses. Then I stopped but kissed his neck. Later, I bit his neck. Something happened with Ethan since his body jerked so suddenly.
“Helena!” He moaned. “Darling, stop! If you continue, I can’t control myself about what I’ll do next to you.”
I raised my head and blushed. “Sorry, but since you have bitten my neck, I thought I needed to do the same.”
That was when I heard what Ethan thought. ‘Maybe yes, but maybe not.’
I gasped. “So, it’s how it works.”
“What?”
“You can read my mind since you have marked me. I couldn’t because I hadn’t marked you yet.” I grinned. “But now, I can read yours too.”
“Let’s test it, shall we?”
I shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
Then Ethan stared at me while his mind was thinking.
I blushed and hit Ethan’s chest playfully. “Naughty!”
“What?”
“You want to bed me.”
“Really? How?” Ethan smiled from ear to ear.
“You’re truly naughty. Should I say it in detail?”
“Sure. Otherwise, how can I know that you truly read my mind?”
I played with my hair tip. I didn’t look into Ethan’s eyes because how could I say what he thought? But since he waited for my answer, finally I said, “Well, you thought about what we had done. I mean, in your bed.”
“Wrong.”
“Really?”
“Reread my mind if you truly can.” Then Ethan imagined how he would bed me.
I gasped. “Are you truly thinking that?”
“What?” Again, Ethan teased me. He enjoyed seeing me blush.
“Uh, well, uh ….”
That was when my mother walked to the door and looked in our direction.
“Oh, no! My mother must see us. Wear your shirt again. Hurry! Then I’ll introduce you to her.”
My mother’s timing was so good. Her coming saved me from the necessity to tell Ethan’s dirty mind to him.
He immediately wore his shirt back, opened the door. Next, he lifted my body and held me until my feet touched the ground as if he had only brought a feather. Only then did he let me go. He also got out of his car, circling his arm on my waist.
My mother wrinkled her forehead to see the silver Lamborghini, Ethan, and me. When she observed my dress, her frowning was deeper. “Helena? Where did you go today? Why did you come home so late?”
“Mom, I’ll explain later. Let’s go inside first. Oh, it’s Ethan Cross, my boyfriend.” Then I glanced at Ethan. “Ethan, it’s my mom, Freya Ross.”
Ethan smiled politely at my mother. “Mrs. Ross, nice to meet you.”
“Well, I can’t say the same since it’s the first time my girl came home at night with a guy she has never told me about.” My mother shook her head. “She didn’t even answer her phone.”
I immediately released myself from Ethan, then hugged my mother. “I’ll tell you everything. But please, mom, don’t be so upset. In fact, Ethan has saved my life.”
“What happened?”
“Let’s go inside and sit first. Then I’ll tell you everything.”
After we came inside, I sat next to Ethan. “Mom, I met with Kenneth this afternoon as I said to you. But he was a jerk. He asked me to meet him there only to break up with me.”
“What?!” My mom shook her head. “I thought your relationship with Kenneth was good. Are you okay, sweetheart?”
I nodded. “I’m okay, mom, since I have Ethan now.” Then I glanced at Ethan, smiling shyly.
My mother frowned upon hearing that. “Sweety, why don’t you change your dress first?”
I wanted to say that I could change the dress later. However, when I saw how my mother stared at Ethan, I finally nodded. “Yes, mom.”
***
~ Ethan ~
After Helena went to her room, Freya sighed. “So, young man, tell me exactly how you saved my daughter?”
“I was at the Moon Bridge when I heard the sound of a big splash. Then I saw a woman frantically try to swim in the river and ask for help since she couldn’t swim. Yet, the man, I assumed it was Kenneth, said he couldn’t swim either. So, he was there, staring at Helena drowning.”
“Oh, my goodness!” Freya touched her temple. “Please continue.”
“Are you sure?”