"Je suis tant étourdi, je tiens à peine, mais ces désirs me retiennent."*

Amir_French singer

Norabel

With my eyes closed and my head leaned backward the sensations are multiplied tenfold. I can almost feel the tension that drew my muscles taught fading away like dried leaves carried by autumn wind. My skin feels renewed, fresh, and smooth. I could almost moan but it would be weird to let out that kind of sound when I'm alone in the bathtub.

I've heard about Princess Treatment before but never experienced it until I found myself stepping into the daydream that Ethan created.

When he woke me up earlier my mind was still foggy with sleep and I desperately wanted to stay in bed, possibly fall in hibernation until I graduated without moving a single finger. I'm not sure how much of those stressful events I can take until my willpower finally snaps deciding it can't take the pressure anymore.

Ethan tried to reason with me as I grumbled sleepy words about letting me drift off. His light chuckle as he tried to make me change my mind reverberated inside of me. I'm pretty sure that someone's laugh is not supposed to make you feel like a swarm of butterflies have been let loose inside your chest so I put my body's reaction on the account of my brain not being fully conscious.

Eventually, I did get out of bed when Ethan baited me with the promise of the dinner he'd prepared for me along with a bubble bath! I thought he was joking until I walked into the bathroom and became speechless at the sight of the cozy setup.

In that moment I was more than relieved that he had headed downstairs to keep an eye on the food because the squeak of delight that came out of my mouth was absolutely embarrassing to say the least.

Now that I'm relaxing in the bubbly lavender-scented water I remember, all the times this week that Ethan has been nice to me. Ever since we broke the ice it's become apparent that he's always ensuring that I'm comfortable around the house. Today when I was caught in the mayhem at Pétion-Ville my first instinct had been to call Jasmine but when I remembered that she was at work I hesitated before calling Ethan. I knew he couldn't drive but I had hoped that he could send someone to get me.

I still cannot put words on the way I felt when he promised me with determination that he would come find me. Later as I laid eyes on him inside that mini-mart my world tila ted on its axis and the emotion to caught in his gaze seemed to reflect my inner turmoil. I'm not oblivious enough to pretend that there isn't something brewing between us... The way he cares about my well-being could be mistaken for kindness but I've seen the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not paying attention.

And whenever I feel his eyes lingering my skin catches on fire. Hot, burning want curling inside my belly and making me feel things that I haven't felt in so long...

The question is what do I do about it?

That interrogation keeps playing on a loop in my mind long after I've gotten out of the bathroom. As I rummage through the closet to pick some clothes to wear, I find myself wondering what kind of attitude I should have toward Ethan. We've decided to become friendly but will I give him the wrong idea if I'm being too friendly?

I should probably take my distance. However, he was kind enough to come to my rescue this afternoon and on top of that, he just prepared me a heavenly bath and also cooked me dinner!

It would be nonsensical to start giving him the cold shoulder now.

I'm still pondering over the matter as I head downstairs. The smell of food invades my nose before I reach the kitchen and brings water to my mouth. I quicken my pace, the anticipation of tasting what Ethan has prepared taking over me.

He probably heard me coming because the second I burst in the room he turns toward me with a pleased smile and even though it is a gorgeous sight to see his white face brightened, it was not the smile that makes my body freeze.

Ethan is shirtless.

The rational part of my brain is aware it was I shouldn't be ogling him but my treacherous eyes slide down nonetheless. I've experienced coming into contact with Ethan's firm chest from the times he has hugged me before and I always felt how rock-hard his body was against mine.

I also got a closer view of his bulky arms that time I brought him medication and saw him in his undershirt. I had a hard time stopping looking at the prominent veins that held my gaze in captivity but luckily my interest in his biceps was probably mistaken for curiosity about his shoulder injury.

Ever since Keisha had asked me if Ethan was hot on the first day I moved here I've always made it a point to not think about the matter. But I'm not blind. When you see a hot man you know it's a hot man even if you refuse to think about it. Some men are only physically attractive whereas their sense of fashion is highly questionable but Ethan... He's an all-in-one package.

No matter if he stays inside and wears casual clothes, he always looks ready for a photo shoot session with GQ magazine. How is that even possible?

Now I'm forced to realize that the body that has been effortlessly wearing those clothes with such manly elegance had not prepared me for the wet dream-worthy vision standing in front of me. Ripped abs, pectorals that would have a woman weep in her sleep, and a V line...

Lord why are you tempting me like this?

This man has been hitting the gym over the years to have a b, body like that.

Something else catches my attention alongside his ribs, dark lettering against his brown skin. I realize with a stupor that it's a tattoo. Never in a million years would I have imagined that Ethan was the kind of person to get a tattoo. It's too small for me to decipher what it says from here which makes me want to-

"Norabel?"

My eyes snap back up. Ethan is pining at me with an inquisitive stare.

Shit. He's been talking to me and I wasn't listening.

"I'm sorry what?"

I swear I can almost see him fight a knowing smile from stretching his lips. Thankfully he saves me from dying of embarrassment by repeating what he said to me when I was too busy salivating over his naked chest.

"Food is ready but before I set the table I'm going to quickly head upstairs to put on clothes. I just got out of the shower. Can you wait a little?"

"Sure. No problem."

I watch him leave and can't help stealing more glances at his back and the shorts hanging low on his hip. Oh my...

Heaven help me.

I might be in deep trouble here. I wish Jasmine had come back home tonight because there's no way I would be devouring her son with my eyes while she was there.

***

Resounding laughter echoes in the dining room. I'm desperately trying to catch my breath as I hold my sides still laughing as Ethan finishes telling me the story about that time he had to come to rescue Kadrick from a mother's girl who caught him in her bedroom. The lady was beating his ass with a broom when Ethan arrived. The hysterical daughter desperately tried to get her mother to calm down but gave up when a shoe was thrown in her direction.

As we ate dinner Ethan has been on a roll with hilarious anecdotes about his friendship with Kadrick. Both our plates are now empty and half of the bottle of Ruinart that we opened is gone.

When he proposed to take a bottle of champagne from the liquor cabinet after we sat down earlier tonight I had asked if there was a special occasion and with the smoothest delivery Ethan had replied, "You being here is worth celebrating."

Not knowing what to answer to that I had giggle like a teenage girl who's talking to her crush for the first time. Embarrassing. I know.

When I finally recover my voice after laughing at his latest story I catch a gleam in his eyes as he keeps his attention on me.

"Sounds like a full-time job having to take care of Kadrick," I say.

"Trust me it is," Ethan answers. "I should include it in my resume. Sometimes I'm the older brother, other times I'm the uncle, and for special occasions, I endorse the role of being his manager."

I shake my head amused.

I was greatly surprised to learn that he was a close friend of Kadrick. The two of them met during a small town festival that Ethan was covering for his work. At the time his career as a journalist hadn't picked up yet so he mostly got assigned to minor cultural events. Collision had been one of the bands who performed but since their original songs were unknown to the public the journalists present at the festival paid no attention to them and interviewed other known emerging artists that were part of the event.

When Ethan saw how Kadrick and his bandmates were being snubbed by the press he decided to give them an exclusive interview. Later Ethan covered the story of how this unlikely trio: a nerdy comp sci student, a law student from a family of judges, and a high school basketball prodigy came together to create Collision. A konpa band that wrote heart-wrenching songs with lyrics that spoke to women who've been hurt in love, sending them the message to not lose hope about finding happiness.

"He's really lucky to have you as friend," I tell Ethan. "You're kind of like a voice of wisdom that sets him on the right path."

Ethan lets out a shy smile that momentarily takes my breath away.

"I do try to keep him in check but I'm not sure I'm doing a fantastic job judging from how he messed up with your best friend."

It is a small world. Ethan told me when he realized that Kadrick was dating my best friend he decided to seek my help to get Keisha to be lenient toward his idiot of a friend, his words not mines.

"You don't have to worry about Keisha not attending the show," I tell him. "She went through the trouble of buying a dress she'll definitely come with the intention to torture Kadrick with her presence and not acknowledge him one bit."

"Women are so wicked," he says making my eyes bulge.

"Excuse you?!"

He laughs at my scandalized expression.

"Come on, you can't deny what has been proven to be a universal truth."

"We're the most innocent creatures to ever walk this earth!" I gasp.

My dramatic tone makes him smirk and I'm not sure I like the way my hormones react to it.

"You can't possibly believe that," Ethan retorts. "Can you look me straight in the eyes and tell me that women don't secretly enjoy seeing men suffer while trying to earn their forgiveness after a fight?"

"We can't make it easy for you," I answer automatically but regret it right away when a triumphant look takes over Ethan's face.

"Ha! You just prove my whole point. I hereby rest my case."

"In our defense, some types of torture that women exert on men are  justified."

His eyebrows dramatically fly over his forehead.

"What kind of torture could be justified?"

I can see that he's playing and he's trying to see if I'm going to fall for his game. I don't know if it's the champagne but I suddenly feel bold enough to want to beat him.

"I would say the kind of torture that occurs in the bedroom."

The effect of my words on Ethan is immediate. I notice his brief shock that he hides almost right away. He wasn't expecting me to deviate our little banter in such a risky direction. However, he seems to recover quickly from his stupor and his gaze darkens the more he keeps his eyes on me making every cell of my body extra conscious of his scrutiny.

When Ethan speaks again, I swear my skin erupts in goosebumps. His voice has gotten so low and deep that I suddenly get a mental image of syrup gliding over pancakes and marshmallows dipping in hot chocolate.

"I take it you're the kind of woman who doesn't mind mixing a little bit of pain with pleasure?"

Crap! Why does his voice have to sound so sexy?

I can't back out of this now I started it.

I grab my champagne flute to give myself a little countenance and try to mimic how I've seen elegant women hold it in classical movies before taking a sip. I'm aware of Ethan tracking every single one of my moves. When I finally answer his question I surprise myself with the seductive voice that comes out of my mouth.

"Come on Ethan, we both know that satisfying a woman takes both pain and pleasure."

The air between us might as well be powered with electricity because the tension could be measured in thousands of volts. There's a magnetic force that seems to want to push us closer toward each other even though we're seated at our respective places.

"Norabel..." Ethan begins.

My full name sounds like a prayer from his lips. My focus lingers on them as I wait for him to say something else. The longer I wait and he says nothing I start to imagine what other things his lips could be doing. Right before my mind begins to generate very explicit images I snap out of my fantasy and look back up.

I catch Ethan just as he closes his eyes and shakes his head lightly as if he's trying to pull himself out of a trance. When he looks back at me there's still a storm in his gaze but he seems to be in control of it now.

"I'll go bring our dessert," he announces standing up from the table.

The spell that enveloped us mere seconds ago vanishes instantly.

"You made dessert?" I ask surprised.

"I did. It's an easy recipe that I learned from my mother a while ago. She found it on the internet and the first time she prepared it for me I almost thought that I reached heaven when I tasted it."

He takes our empty plates from the table and walks away. I'm impressed at how thoughtful Ethan has been tonight and my heart must agree because it does this weird somersault thing again.

"You're spoiling me so much I might become an insufferable brat," I say jokingly. "First you prepared a bath, then you made dinner and now I'm learning there's also dessert on the menu?"

After he's put the dishes in the sink Ethan heads toward the fridge and opens the lower door.

"It's nothing much. I set a timer when I made it to be sure I followed the recipe correctly. It took me exactly eighteen minutes."

He takes out two large parfait glasses containing our dessert, closes the door, and walks back to the table. When he finally puts down my glass in front of me I almost cry at how tasty it looks.

"I present to you the Homemade Banana Pudding," Ethan states proudly as a grin splits my face in two.

I'm mesmerized by the dessert waiting for me to dig in but I can't bring myself to touch the spoon yet.

The ingredients are artfully layered inside the glass, cookie pieces are dipped in yellow pudding with slices of banana on top of a swirl of caramel sauce, and as a final touch a cloud of whipped cream crowns the dessert with a last cookie in the middle.

"It's so beautiful I feel like it'd be a crime to eat it," I say and he laughs.

"Come on have a first bite."

Instead of grabbing my spoon I get a better mischievous idea.

"I believe the first bite must be served by the chef himself."

I keep, my innocent expression perfectly in place as I watch Ethan realize that I'm asking him to feed me.

He opens his mouth to say something but closes it again.

I raise an eyebrow in an attempt to mock him silently but as soon as I spot the smoldering intensity of his gaze I realize that there's no way I'm winning this flirtation game tonight.

Ethan seems resolute when he walks around the table. He stops right next to my chair and grabs my spoon to dig inside the glass. I wait, my heart beating madly against my rib cage.

I turn my body to face him when he raises the spoon in the air. My lips part but right before he feeds me the bite, Ethan lifts his free hand and slides it behind my neck which he grabs possessively.

I forget how to breathe.

Oh God...

I open my mouth to let him feed me the bite and because I can't bear the heated look on Ethan's face when the spoon finally comes in contact with my tongue, I close my eyes and let the savory dessert explode in fireworks on my taste buds. I feel something slide past the corner of my mouth probably a bit of caramel sauce. I open my eyes to take care of it but Ethan who has already put the spoon back in the glass is quicker than me and lifts his thumb to swipe away whatever liquid was dripping down my chin.

I'm painfully aware that his other hand is still grabbing my neck while his thumb lingers so close to my lips. I couldn't escape his gaze even if I wanted to. My breathing is a hot mess, there's a sweet ache in my lower belly that demands to be satisfied.

None of us dares to speak.

Is he going to kiss me?

***Chapter End Notes***

"I'm so dizzy, I can barely hold on, but these desires hold me back."

Song: "Carrousel" by Amir ft Indila released in 2020.

Bonus Picture!
Ethan & Norabel's Night