Like Lovers Do Ch. 01

"I'll talk to you later." I say out loud as I enter my apartment. I wave goodbye at Rick, my current love interest, who had just dropped me off from the sweetest date ever.

"Ethan, I'm home!" I expect him to come out and hug me, like he always does. Instead I find him occupied in his room, he is yelling at someone on the phone.

"Sophie" I said to myself and went to my room uninterested of his conversation. I get in the shower to wash off all the chlorine from our swimming session with Rick. I grab my coconut shampoo and body wash and proceed to clean up, thoroughly.

As I finish up, I can't help but think of my date with Rick. We've been dating for a couple of months now. That's quite a victory for him, since I hadn't dated in such a long time. Three years to be more exact. I promised myself back then, that I would focus in school, graduate Summa Cum Laude and go straight to my Master's. And so I did. Majored in Psychology, top of my class, went straight to Postgraduate. No room for men, dating or even sex. Because, I, a twenty-six-year-old woman, am still a virgin.

You'd be surprised to learn that it is very usual to find virgin adults nowadays, as opposed to the common belief that there simply aren't. I'm the living proof, the legend as Ethan would say.

Rick was one of my professors back in college. The minute I walked into his class, I knew I was in trouble. I had such a crush on him. Rick is not only incredibly smart, he is also incredibly hot. We met again this year at a friend's party and we couldn't stop talking from that day on.

Rick has this Marlon Brando sex appeal. With crazy hot physical features. Tall, squared jaw, big green eyes and auburn wavy hair. His body looks as if it was sculpted with hammer and chisel. His hands are three times bigger than mine, which makes feel safe, and he is older than me, he had turned forty-five last week, the same day I turned twenty-six.

More often than not, I had the bothering question in my head ... how can he be with someone like me? Someone so young, and not as prepared in every sense as he was. I don't even know how he got me to say yes to his "Do you want to be my girlfriend" question.

"Two months" I say to myself while I strap my bra. "And no sex" I continue. Rick knows I'm a virgin, he had a hard time believing it at first, but once he got to know me he understood where I was coming from and that I wouldn't lie about that.

It's not something I'm particularly proud of. I don't feel it makes me special or heaven worthy or any of that shit. It actually makes me feel ... obsolete. Makes me feel less interesting, plain.

Rick has showed me such love, respect, and I dare say admiration for it. He has never pressured me or rushed me to get into a situation I don't want.

He is NOT the problem. I am.

"Rachel" I hear a knock on my door. "Can I come in"? My thoughts are interrupted by Ethan.

"Just one sec, I'm putting my shirt on" I reply in a hurry.

"Hi, E! What's up?" He looks tired. "You ok?"

He comes in and throws himself on the bed, facing the mattress. "Sophie. I'm sick and tired of that girl." I can tell he means it this time. He has been unhappy about this girl for a while.

"Then why are you still with her, Ethan?"

"I don't know. We're going away this weekend to my parent's house in Bailey so we can "talk and fix things" or whatever" he says mimicking Sophie's girly voice.

"Ethan you're thirty years old, for God's sake. Act like it! You have everything going for you and you deserve someone that rocks your world, not just a Sophie" I said looking at him matter-of-factly.

"Just like Rick rocks yours, right?" he looks straight into my eyes, and I immediately blush and look away.

"Something like that" I reply almost whispering.

"Rachel, what it is up with you two? Do you really like this guy? Am I ever going to meet him?"

"Ethan, that is a lot of questions" I get out of the room and walk to our kitchen. "You'll meet him when you meet him, ok? And yeah, I like him."

He gave me that look. The same look that made me turn away just now. What was up with him, he had been acting strange lately. And then, out of nowhere, he broke the silence.

"We should put up our Christmas tree." He looked in the direction of our living room.

"What?" I say irritated that he changed the subject abruptly. "Yeah" he continues, "I think we got everything from last year plus some other stuff we picked up at Salman's last week" he points to some plastic bags under our dining table.

"Sure, if you're in the mood. Let's do it" I answer quizzically. But I quickly let it go because Christmas makes me so happy, and putting up the tree and house decorations excites me like few things.

We get on to the trimming. I must say we team up nicely when it comes to decorating. It looked beautiful.

"Job well done, fella" I tell him while I signal a high five. Ethan high fives me and gives me a hug. We stay like that for a while with no lights in the room except for those on our Christmas tree.

"Looks adorable, doesn't it E?" There's an air of nostalgia filling the room.

"Are you really happy, Rache?" he says in a soft voice.

"Are you?" I ask wondering what's going on with him. "Sure" he replies as he kisses the top of my head. "I'm out" he yawns. "This week has been crushing. Night Rache, rest well ok?" he walks to his room.

"Night" I say ponderous. I can't seem to figure out what's bothering him. Since Rick and I have been dating, he feels so far away from me.

I make myself some hot cocoa and giddily drop in some marshmallows Ethan had gotten for me. He is so thoughtful. Always has been, really.

I sit on the couch and I can't help but remember the day I first met Ethan.

It was two years ago, I was in line to get some coffee before going into the grand auditorium where a student-teacher debate on political psychology was going to take place. The guy in front of me somehow lost his balance and spilled all his hot tea on me. Luckily, I was wearing a thick woven jacket.

"Hey, watch it!" I yell at him as I step aside to fix myself. "I'm so sorry, really sorry!" the jerk says. I look up to see his face, and there is this beautiful, beautiful man. Wearing Levi's jeans, a sexy Steven Ivy button shirt, leather jacket and a grey scarf. Tall, breathtaking brown eyes and messy brown hair.

"You really did almost burn me." I said straight faced. "It's your lucky day that I put on this jacket last minute" I was relieved that Stacy, my then roommate, insisted I did.

"I apologize, are you ok. Do you need me to take you get checked?" he was worried.

"Nah, it's ok. Just hold this for me, will ya?" I gave him my books and my purse, and took off my sweater, now soaked in chamomile tea.

"I'm Ethan Maxwell, and you are?" his eyes searching mine... "Rachel Lancaster" I shook his hand.

He apologized some more and offered to take me home and change if I needed to. We ended up sitting together at the debate, he is a political science major and was also starting his masters.

We have been best friends from that day on. We moved in together about a month after that. We know everything about each other. We have shared wins and defeats. Beds and meals. Expenses and bills. We have been there for one another, helping each other no matter what.

And then one year ago, he began dating Sophie. Sophie Grace Tristan, a sexy 23 year old, political science student that robbed his heart. Fortunately, he didn't change much. We'd still go out, talk or just share time together. Clearly not as much as before but I understood given the situation.

I was a little heartbroken when he told me the news he had found "someone". I knew we didn't have any romantic involvement but I grew so proprietary of him that I felt replaced. I remember we had just shopped for Christmas presents and were heading to the gift wrapping counter when he asked me if I liked this necklace he had bought. It was lovely, white gold with a circle shaped charm filled with pink diamonds. Good taste he has. He then said, it's for this girl. And the rest is history.

As I am sitting on the couch, I wonder what is that feeling I get in the pit of my stomach every time I think of Ethan and Sophie together. I like Sophie but I just don't like her for Ethan. Call it selfishness, jealousy or everything altogether.

I also think about Rick and how I wouldn't mind that he started seeing someone and left me. I try to suppress the thought and not linger on why my feelings towards Rick haven't developed as his have.

I sip and wander off in thought. Feeling guilty that I didn't want Rick as much as he wanted me. I hadn't a desire for his body or intimacy as he had for me. He was certainly handsome, intelligent and thriving financially, but he was not "that man", he was not it, he was not Ethan.

"And never will be" I whisper to myself.

Suddenly, I feel someone watching me. I immediately turn and see Ethan standing right behind me.

"Jesus, Ethan. What the fuck, you scared me." My heart races.

"Sorry, Rache. Didn't mean to scare you like that" he sat beside me. "What are you doing up so late?" he asked while taking the cup from me. "It's been an hour since I left" he sips.

"I didn't realize it has been an hour. Hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I went to bed, but couldn't sleep. And I heard the dishes clacking so I imagined you were up still." There goes that look again. What is going on with me? This is probably my head fantasizing.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I got distracted, thinking." I reply apologetically.

"What about?" he gives me back my cocoa. "Are you feeling ok? I'm sorry if I was rude to you earlier, it's just that I worry you know? Worry that you are with someone that doesn't measure up to you. That doesn't belong with you." He reclines on the couch looking up, crossing his arms above his head.

"Just like Sophie doesn't belong with you, right?"

BIG SILENCE.

"We should go to bed, we both need to wake up early. C'mon E, let go rest." I say not wanting to leave his side. Wanting him to say, STAY.

I get up and walk to our kitchen, wash my cup and head back to the living room. Just as I was about turn off our Christmas tree, I feel Ethan's hand grabbing mine, pulling me against him, his other hand cupping my face and his forehead pressing down on mine.

"Say you feel the same way I do. Say you can't stop thinking about me, either. Say you can't stand the idea of seeing me with someone ... someone that isn't you. Because I can't help it anymore, Rachel." I could feel the pain in his words, his heavy breathing, his need.

"I love you, I think I always have." He said softly, caressing my chin.

I couldn't say a single word. I was in shock. Ethan, my Ethan, was confessing his feelings for me. I looked up searching for his eyes but they were shut, as if expecting for the worst.

"Ethan" I whispered. "Look at me, please". My eyes water. "Look at me." I said cupping his face. He opened his eyes and stared straight into mine, his mouth parting as if about to speak.

"Shhh." I hiss, putting my hand on his mouth. "Kiss me", is all I managed to say. What I had thought and daydreamed about so many times, was now happening. Ethan, slowly started to kiss my forehead, my eyes, my cheeks, my nose, and lastly before touching my lips, he looked into my eyes, and I reached for his hair, feeling how soft it was, I closed my eyes and felt Ethan's soft lips on mine. Our mouths locked in perfectly. It started as a soft kiss, he was taking his time. What a great kisser Ethan was. I worried whether he was liking it as much.

My answer came in shortly, when he parted my lips with his tongue and found mine. He tasted of cocoa. But somehow cocoa tasted sweeter in his mouth. Our tongues swirled over and over filled with passion and wanton. His hands now on my waist and back; mine wrapping his neck.

As we separated to get some air, I slowly bit his lower lip. He moaned softly. "I loved that". He said burying his head on my neck, I turn my head to give him more access.

His lips on my collarbone, my neck, my earlobe. Small bites and licks that made me feel things I never felt before.

"Please, be mine" he whispers to my ear. Goosebumps all over my body, an electric feeling inside of me. "Be" he kisses my lips, "mine" he kisses me again.

"Ethan, I am yours. Always have been" I said caressing his chest, looking up at him.

After saying those words, I immediately thought of Rick and Sophie. Out of all the thoughts that "be mine" could produce in me, that is what comes to my head. A certain sadness embraces me, and I suddenly feel ashamed of what had happened. I let go of Ethan and walk to the couch, totally setting him off.

"Rach?" he follows me, "Did I make you uncomfortable?" he sits beside me.

"No." I said. "Rick and Sophie ... they don't deserve this. After all, they have been so good to us."

"I know, baby, I know." He pulls me close. "If you feel the same way I do, If we can't hide this anymore, its best to talk to them and cut all ties, before we..." He paused. "Before we..."

"Before we have sex." I finished.

"No." he touches my chin for me to look up, "before we make love."

"You never stop worrying about others, do you?" he said frankly. "Tomorrow, baby. Let's talk to them tomorrow." Atone of reassurance in his voice.

"Ok" a small voice came out of me.

"Let's go to bed. You need to get some rest" he stood up and stretched his arm to help me stand, and I walked behind him. But as much I wanted to respect Rick and Sophie, I needed this man's embrace once again.

I stopped and pulled him near me, meeting him halfway. I kissed him passionately and allowed him to explore my body with his hands. He pushed me against the wall and lifted me so I would wrap my legs around him. I moaned as I hit the wall and he kissed me harder but lovingly.

"Ethan.." I managed to say. He continued his task. Now caressing my thighs and kissing my neck.

"Ethan, baby, please" I begged not really wanting to break the moment.

He stopped and rested his head on my chest, while I played with his hair. We were breathing heavily now, I could feel my pussy swelling and his hard cock, pushing against me. The though drove me wild.

"I'm so wet" I said softly. He searched my eyes and didn't say a thing. "I've never felt this way, E. Never wanted someone so badly. I want you... I need you... I... I love you, Ethan."