Chapter 13

'You've Said Too Much'

Ethan sat at the table with the remaining board members of Cambias Industries. Ethan was satisfied that Stern had been acting independently and that none of the other board members were involved in the media conspiracy. The board acted quickly and collectively, voting unanimously to have Stern removed from the board.

Predictably, Stern did not leave easily and his outburst required the intervention of security. Stern had to be physically extracted from the room. The remaining members eventually calmed down but it was some time before they could get their focus back to the outstanding issues they needed to discuss. On the table were the topics of an upcoming acquisition and the nomination of a new board member.

Ethan mused that even after the board had left he would still have two appointments and a staff meeting. He had a lot to cover before he could leave the next day but he was determined to keep everything on schedule. Glancing at his watch Ethan moved on to the next order of business.

Jackson Montgomery sat at the table as legal council. Jackson had joined Cambias Industries to watch over Bianca and Miranda's interests and had been acting as legal counsel for their affairs. But even after working together for months Ethan and Jackson shared no more than a guarded civility. Despite their past differences it was Ethan that nominated Jackson be instated as the newest board member. Not willing to delay, the remaining majority stockholders immediately voted Jackson into the board unanimously.

When it was over Ethan was relieved that Jackson was willing and able to take the position. In truth he should have pushed to have made Jackson a board member a long time ago. It was unfortunate that they weren't friends but Ethan had always admired Jackson's passionate loyalty to Bianca and his cousin. Now if anything should happen to him, Ethan was confident that Jackson would be in a solid position to continue to look after Bianca and Miranda's interests.

"Mr. Cambias, Miss Torres is here for your lunch date." Kate spoke through the intercom.

"Please have her take a seat. I'll be out in a moment." Turning to the remaining board members Ethan excused himself and assured them that he would be back shortly.

"Simone." Ethan smiled warmly as he took her by the hand, "Just another moment please." Turning to his receptionist Ethan asked, "Kate, if you would be so kind as to take some fresh coffee into the board I'll be back in a few minutes. I'd appreciate it if you could keep the rest of the board comfortable inside until I can return. I would like a few uninterrupted moments alone with Miss Torres. Thank you Kate."

Simone and Ethan waited until Kate gathered a fresh carafe of coffee and Ethan held the door open for her as she went into the boardroom. "Finally! Alone!" Simone grinned and pushed Ethan onto Kate's desk. Grabbing him by the lapels she gave him a deep kiss. "I guess our lunch date has been cancelled."

"I'm sorry. I meant to call you and save you the trouble of stopping by." Ethan said as he kissed her back. "I really thought I could get away for lunch but even if I stay in contact with the office while I'm gone there is a lot to take care of before I can leave. But we are definitely leaving tomorrow. Nothing is going to keep us in Pine Valley one more moment longer than necessary, I promise."

"Well, I'm glad that you couldn't reach me to tell me not to come by." Simone whispered kissing him again. "This is nice, even if we only have a few moments."

"What are you going to do for lunch now?" Ethan asked as he absently rubbed the small of her back.

"I'll just buy lunch for the girls at the office. It's the least I can do for them since I'm leaving them in the lurch for a while." Simone smiled, "This will give me some extra time to catch up on a few things in the office before we leave anyway."

"You don't mind then?" Ethan murmured, his face pressed to her neck.

"No, really it's all right." Simone sighed and leaned into his embrace. "Just do whatever you have to get us out of here. I'm just about packed and ready. There are a few things I have to pick up and then I'll just stop by Fusion and check in."

"Will you be going back to the inn for anything?" Ethan asked cryptically as he pulled away and sat back slightly on the desk to get a look at her face.

"I wasn't planning on it." Simone asked. Smiling she was still holding Ethan's lapels and absently rubbing them with her fingers. "Why? Do you need me to pick something up for you?"

"No…I was just wondering…" Ethan asked her impulsively, "What was that thing with Aidan?" Ethan was instantly sorry that he said anything as soon as the words came out of his mouth but he still couldn't stop himself from looking into her eyes in order to gauge her response.

"Aidan? What are you talking about?" Simone was confused but when he wouldn't answer she let go of his jacket and tool a step back so she could get a clearer look at him. She tried to read his expression but he was guarded.

"You know…." Ethan shrugged trying to look nonchalant and considerably less interested than he really was and in order to hide his frustration he began pushing aside a few things while feigning an attempt at taking a better seat on Kate's desk, "…the look."

"The look I gave him when I thought he was going to pass out because he was blushing so hard it seemed as if all the blood must have left his brain to travel to his face?" Simone laughed.

"I think you know what I'm talking about." Ethan persisted, "Were you and Aidan ever…"

"Oh my God! Do you really want to start talking about past relationships? Because I don't think either of us wants to open that door again. And besides I've already told you about everything that mattered." Simone shook her head angry for what she was going to say next, "And not that I should have to say anything but, NO. I've never even had a lunch date with Aidan. I barely know him! You know I dated Tad though. So why do you keep asking about Aidan?"

"Because you weren't looking at Tad like that." Ethan said shaking his head. "Ok. I'm being stupid. I know it." Ethan tried to shrug off his remark. "It was just that look..."

"What look?" Simone demanded stamping her foot. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"You looked…captivated." Ethan fidgeted on Kate's desk unsure as to why he said anything. This conversation was making him feel like a fool.

"Ok, now you are just being an idiot." Simone pronounced.

"I know what I saw." Ethan was angry that he couldn't express what he was feeling. What the hell was he feeling anyway? "You couldn't take your eyes off of him."

"Be cause he was BLUSHING!" Simone was exasperated, "Ok. Call me weird but it does something for me when a guy blushes. I think it's sweet."

"I can blush." Ethan said with a straight face.

"You get frustrated." Simone couldn't help but laugh. "You get red in the face with anger. But you do not blush."

"I have blushed. I'm sure of it." Ethan was obviously put out.

"No one could say the things that you've said to me and NOT blush if you were a blusher." Simone insisted.

"What are you talking about?" It was obvious to Simone that Ethan was completely lost.

"You know. You can be very talkative sometimes," Simone answered him softly while trying to prompt his memory as she looked at her shoes, "…you know…while we're making love."

"I…I…I have not!" Stunned, Ethan stammered. "I do not!"

"Oh my God! Are you serious? You…you…you've said…" Now Simone was blushing so hard she felt dizzy.

"You're making this up." Ethan laughed skeptically. "Your name? Yes. That I love you? Certainly. But I think I'd remember if I said anything out of the norm."

"Ethan," Simone laughed eyes wide in disbelief and shaking her head, "I can't believe you aren't aware of what you've said."

"All right refresh my memory princess." Ethan was smug and shrugged at her. "What kind of things do I say when we're alone in the dark?" Ethan smiled, reached and grabbed Simone's hips and drew her in close so she could snuggle up against him. Amused that Simone was baiting him, Ethan chuckled at her ploy and kissed her.

"Sometimes not in the dark and sadly not always alone." Simone sighed embarrassed and buried her face in his shoulder in frustration, "But I don't think I can repeat what you've said right now."

"You just can't say anything because it never happened!" Ethan pronounced arrogantly.

Astounded Simone's mouth dropped open. Suddenly indignant she stuck out her chin and began to recite some of the things that Ethan had said to her. "You said that you 'just have to ' and that you 'want me to' and you 'want to' and you've said on more than one occasion 'God you're so damn'…. and what about when you asked me to call …. "

"Oh! Stop! Enough!" Ethan gasped placing his hand over her mouth. "I give up. I remember." Ethan groaned and buried his face in her hair.

"See! And you still aren't blushing." Simone said pointedly as she struggled to look at his face.

"No." Ethan laughed as he kissed her neck. "But I do want to make love to you right here on Kate's desk."

"I don't think she's appreciate that." Simone whispered as she playfully bit the lobe of his ear.

"And the board is still waiting for me to come back." Ethan sighed.

"And there is no privacy here." Simone sighed and asked hopefully, "How much longer do we have anyway?"

"Not much longer. We had just ordered lunch before you got here." Ethan groaned, "In fact the food should be here soon."

"Well since you can't and I can't and we certainly can't ." Simone grinned teasingly, "You'll just have to settle for an innocent kiss then." Snuggling into Ethan's chest she let him wrap her up in his strong arms and settled in for a slightly less than innocent deep kiss just as the food arrived.

Ethan opened the door for the deliverymen then reached and grabbed Simone's hand and pulled her toward him for a final brief kiss before releasing her and watching her leave. Smiling Ethan opened the door and strolled back to his seat. The room was strangely quiet save for some odd shuffling and a few awkward glances that the board members shared with one another. Kate in particular looked completely abashed and was staring at the floor like she was hoping it would swallow her up. Confused, Ethan tried to make eye contact with each member of the board but they all refused to return his gaze and were just staring at their uneaten food, shifting nervously in their seats. Ethan opened his mouth about to demand what the hell had happened in his absence. When he heard Simone's voice as clear as if she were in the same room.

"I know I put my keys down in here somewhere. Damn it! Oh! Thanks! Thanks Abe. Lets go. I still have to pick up lunch for the girls."

Ethan closed his eyes as his jaw dropped open and he mentally pictured his hand as he pushed a few things aside so he could sit more comfortably on Kate's desk. Could he have turned on the intercom? Yes. He did remember his hand brushing against it. There was no point in trying to figure out how much they had heard it was obviously too much.

Ethan felt his face growing hot at the memory of the things that were said as he sat on Kate's desk.

"Why Mr. Cambias. I do believe you are blushing." Jackson Montgomery boomed from the end of the table. The rest of the board burst out laughing as Ethan bent to bury his face in his arms.

"Don't be shy lad." Harold laughed, "You've got nothing left to hide from us!" He tossed a 'Fortune' magazine onto the table 'Cambias Stock Is Way Up! Stockholders Thank Cambias CEO Billionaire For Jump Starting The New Quarter By Exposing His Personal Assets.'

Chapter 14