“Lucinda also mentioned that you were not in the best of spirits...Is everything all right?” she asked.
Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. “It isn’t of importance, really. Nothing I haven’t dealt with a hundred times before.”
Meredith's eyes narrowed, concern etched across her face. "We may not be the most conventional couple,” she started. “But I am still willing to listen to you sometimes. I want to."
Ethan shook his head firmly, not wishing to burden her with his troubles. With Meredith only here for a couple more nights, the last thing he wished to do was waste their time away whining about problems he could figure out with some extra work. He looked at her, his eyes softening. “Thank you, but I'd rather not dwell on it. We only have two days left together, and I’m sure we have a few more tasks to complete on that list of yours,” he smirked.
She hesitated for a moment, and a foreign emotion crossed her face, but then seemed to accept his decision. "All right," she relented, her gaze falling to the billiards table. "Then how about we play a game together? Though I must confess, I've never even seen one of these up close before," she said, slapping the padding of the table.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he teased, causing Meredith’s face to light up. "Lucky for you, I am the perfect teacher."
Ethan inched closer to her and he rested one hand on top of hers. It was subconscious, it was a way of confirming that she really was still here with him, and it was his way of trying to cope with the fact that she would be gone soon. It wasn’t the first time he had the urge to touch her and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Snapping out of his trance, his eyes quickly fell to a nearby cue stick.
"Very well, let's begin." He reached for it and then gently handed it to her as Meredith took it with a slightly shaky hand. "It won’t break. Just hold it like this," he instructed, demonstrating the proper grip.
Meredith mimicked his actions, her hands pushed in front of her as she leaned over the table and with the cue tip touching her chest ever so slightly. "Like this?" she asked, looking up at him for approval. Her breasts pressed against the edge of the table, presenting him with an alluring sight, and he found himself loosening his collars in the warmth that reached him.
"That’s about right," Ethan stammered. He moved behind her, his hands gently guiding hers to correct her stance. "Now, you want to aim for the ball you want to hit, and make a smooth, straight stroke."
As Meredith attempted her first shot, her bottom shuffled backward and brushed against his hardness. It was a gentle motion, so gentle in fact he barely felt it, but it was enough to awaken his desire. He could feel the warmth of her body, and the scent of her lavender perfume filling his nostrils. Coupled with the position she was in…it was intoxicating.
Meredith's shot went too wide, and she let out a small giggle. "Oh, that was terrible! I’m outrageously bad at this," she admitted in defeat. She was about to pull away, but Ethan held her in place.
"You'll get the hang of it.” He leaned forward against her body until her hips were pinned against the billiards table. “Try shooting once more,” he spoke against her ear. Meredith shuddered but nodded. He could see she was nervous in her sudden silence.
She did as instructed, her fingers trembling slightly as the cue stick shifted awkwardly between them. Sensing her uneasiness, he reached over and softly held her hands, guiding her movements with more care. And then she took the shot, this time managing to pot a red.
“Yes!” she exclaimed. Her body wriggled suddenly, and he held her in place to prevent her from noticing his arousal.
"You really should have told me about your hidden talent for billiards," Ethan teased as he helped her sink another ball. “I could’ve used your natural gift for some of my wagers.”
Meredith smirked as she looked back at him. "Well, it seems I have an excellent teacher."
Ethan's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I suppose you do."
“Ah, my fortune has run out,” Meredith lamented upon missing a ball, slightly pushing him off. “I missed, it’s your turn to try.”
Ethan chuckled in disbelief and moved to the side, releasing her from under his body. “May I remind you, I do not need to ‘try’. I have somewhat of a reputation in billiards.”
Meredith fixed her gown and looked at him, her eyes narrowing. “Do you truly?”
“It is nothing official,” he said in a nonchalant way, “It simply is because no one has managed to win against me in the past ten years. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first.”
Meredith giggled and leaned slightly toward him. “Perhaps not, but I like the idea of that.”
As the game progressed, Meredith grew bolder in her play, and the two found themselves laughing and teasing each other more than ever. At one point, Meredith playfully bumped into Ethan as he was about to take a shot.
"Excuse me," he protested, feigning annoyance. "That's not very fair."
Meredith laughed, her eyes dancing with mischief. "All's fair in love and billiards,” she smirked, spinning away from him teasingly.
Ethan couldn't help but smile at her response. "Very well, two can play that game," he warned, plotting his own playful revenge.
Ethan reached closer to her as she leaned forward to take her next shot. Then, he spun her around so she was facing him and the cue stick slipped from her hands. He was exceedingly gentle with his movements, but not so much so that she wouldn’t know when to surrender. One hand fell to her waist, while the other held the nape of her neck, caressing her soft skin as she stared with wide eyes and that devious blush on her cheeks.
It had been a long time since he last opened up to anyone. And the few times he had, there had been no true connection there; at least nothing like what he seemed to have with Meredith. He was catching feelings for her and he could not bring himself to admit it. Worse, he knew he could not stop her from leaving his life soon and tossing him back into his old life of solitude.
But he also couldn’t deprive himself of her presence while she was still here. Especially not after the erotic and lust-filled hours upon hours they shared a night ago. As they had before, their bodies melted together, and his lips fell to hers, taking her in with no regret.
