As she rose and then settled against Ethan, it occurred to him that she’d never curtsied to him before. Then again, she had gotten in a lot of other positions with him—underneath him, sometimes above him, and many others—so he couldn’t say it was an issue.
Nate seemed to break out of the surprise of seeing her. “How long has this been going on?”
“A while. We need to keep it a secret for now. And I trust, since I’m keepingsomany secrets for you, that you can do the same courtesy for me. No one, not our parents, not our siblings, not even Charlie can know. Do we understand each other?”
Nate’s lips tightened. “You’re keeping one secret for me.”
“Point of order, big brother. I’m keeping one massive fucking secret for you, and a shit ton of smaller ones. You forget how much I have on you and all our siblings. Of course, if you’re ready to tell our parents about you and Charlie—”
Nate grumbled. “All right, all right. I won’t say a word, not even to Charlie. But one day we will tell our parents, and then everything is going to come out.”
“Please. When Mama finds out what you’ve been keeping from her, she’s going to kill you, so you won’t even get a chance to get anything else out.”
Nate didn’t say anything to that, but then again, what could he say? He was hiding a secret elopement from their parents. That would not go over well, no matter what other secrets he might trade for it. Ethan dating Anda—who all but Marcello believed was simply an actress—wasn’t that big in comparison.
Nate turned to Anda. “Miss Salamanca, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Please, call me Anda. I want to thank you for keeping our secret. I’m sure you understand how it is when you first fall in love and you just want some time together before the press and the public descend on you.”
Nate’s eyes widened. “Love?”
Ethan almost rolled his eyes. “Yes. Love. I love her. She loves me. I told you we’d been together a while. I wouldn’t stay with someone if they didn’t mean something to me.”If they didn’t mean everything to me, he thought but didn’t say. From the way Anda looked at him in that moment, though, he had a feeling she knew exactly what unspoken words lingered in the air.
“I can understand the need for secrecy, of course. However, you’re shipping out again soon and I know that can’t make for an easy relationship, either in the press or in private.”
Ethan rubbed his hand down her shoulder. “Nothing about us is easy, but it is absolutely fucking wonderful.”
“Then I’m very happy for you both.” Nate stepped over and gave him a kiss on each cheek, then turned to Anda and did the same. “I never would have thought of a hospital as a good secret meeting place, but I can see it.”
This time Ethan did roll his eyes. “It’s not like we had much choice. I was sent here just before shipping out, so she came to see me. With everything that happened in the last few days, it could have been our last chance to see each other for some time.”
“Well, you’re playing a dangerous game.” Nate didn’t seem to notice that they both went still at his words but relaxed when he continued. “Nearly the entire family is in this hospital wing. Someone else is bound to catch the both of you if you’re not careful. Not to mention, I was looking for you because Papa wanted to speak to you.”
Anda patted Ethan’s back and pulled away. “I was just leaving. I’ll make sure no one sees me on the way out. My evasion skills are top-notch; after all, I’m an actress used to avoiding paparazzi.”
Ethan smiled broadly at the hidden joke between them; it wasn’t only the paparazzi that she’d learn to evade. “I’ll walk you to the door. Give me a minute, Nate.”
Nate nodded and moved to the far corner of the room.
Ethan crowded her with her back against the door. “I love you.”
“As do I, my love. I’ll see you…when I see you.”
They kissed each other long and slow until they broke apart with a sigh. He unlocked the door, she checked the hallway, then turned to him with a last smile and left.
Nate was beside him a few moments later while he continued to stare at the door. “She’s wonderful.”
He didn’t know the half of it. “Yes, she really is.”
“You really love her.”
“Yes, I really fucking do.” He rubbed his chest absently, then decided there was one more thing he wanted to say tonight, one more secret, but really more a promise.
He locked eyes with Nate and put a hand on his shoulder. “Will you do me a favor? If something…if something ever happens to me, will you make sure that Anda’s taken care of, that she’s protected?”
Nate jerked. “What do you expect to happen?”
Ethan just shook his head. “You know as well as I do that shit happens when you least expect it. When I get shipped out, anything can happen to me and I want to make sure that if something does, she’ll be okay.” He’d give his life for Anda, he knew that absolutely. If he died to protect her, then so be it. But if she made it out of that kind of situation alive, then he needed to know she wouldn’t be alone in the world, that she had another friend she could reach out to for help.
