Hearts Desires'

By Damara, with special contribution by Sweet Angel

Setting: Holding Teresa close Ethan spoke the words she'd waited her entire life to hear."When I get Gwen alone I'll tell her that I love you!" Staring deeply into his adoring eyes eagerly responds to his declaration. "I love you too Ethan," she whispers softly before slowly leaning forward into him and kissing him gently.

Chapter 1

Ethan encircles Teresa in his embrace as he passionately returns her kiss. Soon what starts as a gentle reassurance of her love becomes a passionate plea for release as Ethan's arms tighten gently around her, bringing her closer into his body. Teresa's mind is lost in their moment of abandon. Opening her eyes slightly she feels Ethan trailing light kisses along her neck; her wandering hands becoming hopelessly entangled in his shirt.

In all her excitement, Teresa's breathing has become so erratic that she finds herself wondering if it's possible to actually faint from ecstasy. Ethan's hot breath against her skin only drives her further into her delight, as her fingertips blaze a trail of fire along his back and everywhere her eager hands touch his body. Breaking their kiss in an attempt to gasp some much-needed air, Ethan pulls away from her lips and gathers her in his arms once again, pressing her close to him in a tender yet hungry embrace.

"Teresa…I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending. You can't know how difficult it's been, or how badly I want to be wrapped up in you." His eyes transform from their desire filled depths to tender pleading.

"Teresa…I'd give anything right now to make love to you…you can't imagine how long I've wanted that. But I won't pressure you into anything you're not ready for. I love you too much to ever hurt you, and I want you to know that I'll wait for you as long you need."

Pulling back to look into her eyes, his breath catches in his throat at the sight of tears wetting her cheeks.

"I'd wait forever for you," caressing her cheek lightly, Ethan stops when he reaches her mouth and brushes the lightest and sweetest of kisses across her lips.

"Just being able to hold you, and kiss you…and love you is the greatest gift I could ever ask for. I love you Teresa, with all my heart and soul, and having you with me is all I'll ever need."

Reaching for him now she wraps her arms around his neck and graces him with the most beautiful smile he's ever seen.

"I love you so much Ethan. You are the most wonderful man I've ever met." Lifting against him she presses her lips against his in a short kiss.

"Thank you for being so concerned about my feelings, but I promise you, I can't think of anything I'd treasure more than making love to you. And I've never been more certain of anything in my life as I am of that. I want to be with you Ethan, and I'm ready to make that leap…if you're ready to catch me when I fall," her smile is warm and inviting.

Returning her smile he vows quietly, "Always Teresa…always".

Lifting up against him she joins their lips again in a tender kiss. Ethan couldn't help thinking how he lived for the few intimate moments he stole to be with her. He loved the way it felt to hold her, and to be held by her. And he was constantly amazed how every time they kissed it was as if he were kissing her for the first time.

It was moments like these when he realized how special the connection was that they shared; in these moments she could tell him with one look how much she loved him, how much she would always love him. Minutes, hours, days could have passed in the time their lips touched, he didn't care, and he didn't notice.

As his hands explore her waiting body, Teresa smiles against his lips as she hears the soft moan she elicits from him. She loved how it felt to touch him. Her fingertips begin their ascent on his arms but they slowly and purposefully make their way toward his broad shoulders and chest. It wasn't long though before her hands settled on his back, pulling him closer into her.

She could feel the muscles in his upper and lower back ripple as his arms closed around her waist, trapping her in the one place she loved most: the space where his neck met his shoulders. Pressing her lips against the skin there she could hear and feel him sigh against her. Her hot breath against his neck sent shivers of excitement through his whole body.

Loving her attention in that spot, it soon became clear to him that what their passion was leading them towards was not something he wanted the whole country club to witness. So in an effort to regain his composure he reluctantly pulls away from her lips.

Realizing the strength it must have taken for him to pull away from her she smiles up at him in a promise to finish what they've started. With a knowing smile, he conveys to her that he knows what she's thinking.

Teresa's hands lay atop his chest as she's distracted by thoughts about their families' reactions to their impending news.

"Ethan…what I wouldn't give to know that Luis would support us. I want so badly for him to understand. If he could only make a genuine effort to get to know the real you, the Ethan I know and love…I know he would see how different you are from the rest of the Crane men. You know he and Sheridan are so alike; they're perfect for each other. They can both be so stubborn…" but Ethan cuts her off before she has a chance to finish her thought.

"Stubborn? Sheridan? Teresa if anything is keeping Luis and Sheridan from being together it's Luis himself. I think it's pretty clear that his hatred for my family has irreparably tainted the way he sees me. I doubt if I'll ever be good enough for you in his eyes. And likewise, I think if there's anything that's standing in the way of his and Sheridan's happiness it's his attitude toward my family."

"Ethan that's not fair; and it isn't true! You don't know Luis like I do. He's a good man. He's just so determined to find out what happened to Papa that sometimes he's blinded by his passion for the truth. You know after Papa disappeared, Luis was forced into the role of the man of the house. He loves our family more than anything. I know he's not perfect, but he's my brother and I love him for wanting to protect me so fiercely, however misguided it seems."

Ethan found himself hypnotized by the fire in her eyes. She was so beautiful to him, even when she was mad at him.

"Teresa, listen to us. I don't want us to argue." Reaching down he cradles her hands in his, "I'm sorry. You're right. I didn't mean to bad mouth Luis, I'm just worried that's all. I want him to accept me. He's so important to you, and because of that he's important to me too. I didn't mean to speak poorly of him. I'm sorry," he pulls her into him and surrounds her small frame in his arms.

"I'm sorry too Ethan. I don't want us to fight either. I know now it seems like he'll never understand our love, but once he gets to know you he'll accept you into our family with open arms…you'll see."

Ethan had his doubts about that, "I hope so Teresa."

Leaning into him she whispers, "besides it's not like stubbornness is all together a bad thing. I mean, if I hadn't been so stubborn when Mama, Whitney and Miguel told me my love for you would never be returned, we may not have ended up here today."

"Well then…thank God for that pig-headed stubbornness of yours," he teases before pulling her closer into him and kissing her. Their kiss lasts for only a moment before they part, remembering once again that they're in public. Poorly fighting the uncontrollable urge to touch her Ethan searches around them for a spot where they can have some much-needed privacy.

As he scans the immediate area a very confused Teresa watches him. Finally he finds what he's looking for as his eyes settle on a small cottage tucked behind a thick patch of trees. Suddenly he remembers the vacant cottage in the rose garden that his grandfather donated. Smiling down at Teresa he takes her hand in his. The tightness he feels in his chest at the sight of her smile sends a volt of excitement through his whole body that he's never felt before.

"What Ethan?" she asks coyly, "what's with the grin?" Holding her hands in his he brings them to rest against his chest.

"Teresa, do you trust me?" he asks her seriously. She looks up at him and with the palm of her hand she caresses his cheek in answer.

"Ethan, you know I do."

Warmly smiling back at her he quietly beckons, "Then follow me."

Marveling at the glitter in her brown eyes and the bewilderment in her face, he takes a few short steps backward toward the rose garden. Eagerly he leads her to his secret destination hopeful that she'll like the surprise he has in store.

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