Ethan took her up on the stage with him for the presentation. He made a charming speech, giving all credit to his friend for the win, calling Mickey a brilliant trainer, then smiling at Daisy while saying Midas Magic had brought some magic into his life and he hoped it would last for a long, long time.
Some magic…her?
Daisy tried to caution herself not to read too much into everything Ethan said today. She was riding such a dizzying high, it was difficult to grasp any down-to-earth common sense. Nevertheless, she did manage to remind herself that when Ethan set out to do something, he carried it through, covering every detail. He was determined on having a happy day which meant giving her one, too. Midas Magic winning was icing on the cake—two million dollars’ worth of icing! He was probably so happy, wonderful words were simply spilling off his tongue.
And continued to do so.
On their way back to their party in the Winning Post, they were accosted by Lynda Twiggley. ‘Ethan!’ she cried, pouncing on his arm, her eyes glittering with gambling triumph. ‘What a fabulous win! Congratulations! I bet on Midas Magic again.’
‘Splendid!’ he tossed at her.
She gave Daisy a saccharine smile. ‘And you’ve certainly come up in the world, Dee-Dee.’
Ethan pointedly picked her hand off his arm, saying in a cutting tone, ‘Ms Twiggley, my partner’s name is Daisy Donahue, who, I might add, is well worth knowing. A loss to you. A win to me. Have a good day!’
He swept Daisy off, leaving Lynda Twiggley’s mouth agape. It was marvellous! Bubbles of joy inside Daisy burst into giggles as they rode the elevator up to the restaurant.
‘What?’ Ethan asked.
She sucked in a sobering breath, but her eyes were still dancing with laughter as she looked up at him. ‘I did hate being called Dee-Dee.’
‘Insufferable woman! I hated how she treated you. I was right to rescue you from her, Daisy.’
‘Yes, you were,’ she had to agree. Despite all her heartache over the past few months, she was in a far better position at the publishing house and whatever happened with Ethan, she was happy to have had him in her life.
Ethan felt intensely gratified by this admission from Daisy. She had been at war with him for so long, holding out against his siege, only giving in under force. To have her freely concede that he had been right to push for where they were now really did make him a winner.
There was not the slightest bit of tension coming from her for the rest of the day. She was completely relaxed with his friends, showed open affection towards him, delighted him with her attitude towards everything, and incited a burning build-up of desire which took all his willpower to keep under restraint until he had her to himself again.
The moment the door of the apartment was closed behind them, she was in his embrace and kissing him back as feverishly as he kissed her. They were on fire together, couldn’t have enough of each other, and she discarded her clothes as urgently as he discarded his, leaping onto the bed, welcoming him with open arms, her legs winding around him in fierce possession. The sex was fast and incredibly intense, mounting swiftly to an explosive climax that was totally out of his control but he didn’t care. She shared it with him and she was all his…all his…
Until the telephone rang.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DAISY automatically reached out and picked up the telephone receiver from the bedside table, not even wondering who was calling, her mind still floating from the pleasure of the deeply intimate connection with Ethan. It was a jolt to hear her mother’s voice.
‘Oh, good! You’re home! I thought you might still be out partying.’
‘Partying?’ Daisy repeated, trying to get her wits together. She sat bolt upright and shot Ethan a warning look, putting a silencing finger on her lips.
‘We saw you on television, standing right next to Ethan Cartwright when he was presented with the Golden Slipper. It was such a surprise. We couldn’t believe our eyes. You didn’t tell us you were going out with him.’
The chiding tone caused Daisy’s heart to skitter all around her chest. She took a deep breath to shoot some oxygen into her brain, knowing she needed an explanation that sounded reasonable. ‘Well, Mum, it was our first date and I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure. I mean he’s such a high-powered person, I felt nervous about going out with him, fitting in with his friends. It might have ended up awful, so I didn’t want to tell you about it. But I actually had a wonderful time. It was a marvellous day.’
‘Your first date.’ Her mother sounded pleased. ‘You looked beautiful, dear. Such a gorgeous dress and headpiece. Did you buy it especially?’
‘Yes. I splurged, but the outfit made me feel good so it was well worth the money. Lucky I have such a highly paid job now.’
‘And it’s lovely that you’re spending your money on yourself instead of on us.’
‘I didn’t mind that, Mum.’
‘Well, thank heaven it’s behind us. Or I should say thank Ethan Cartwright for his good advice. When we saw you together on the television, your father wasn’t as surprised as I was. He thought the man must have been sweet on you all along to have offered his help with our financial problems. Will you be seeing him again, dear?’
‘Yes. He’s invited me to a tennis party at his house.’
‘No need for you to be nervous about that,’ her mother said confidently. ‘You’re a better player than most people.’
‘I’m over my nerves now, Mum. I’ll be fine.’
‘I was thinking…Easter is coming up next week. The whole family will be here as usual. Why not invite Ethan to come to Sunday lunch?’
A vision of her family swarming around him, probably assuming things about their relationship they shouldn’t assume and making stomach-squirming comments, played havoc with the nerves she had just declared in fine condition.
‘I think it’s too soon for that,’ she said, inwardly re-coiling from any move that might bring rejection and the crushing of a dream that she hoped might come true, given enough solid time together.
‘It would be a nice way of showing our appreciation for what he’s done for us,’ her mother pressed.
‘Mum, it was business,’ Daisy said emphatically. ‘Ethan would have been rewarded for it, taking a commission on the deal.’ Her cheeks burned. She couldn’t look at him.
‘But that’s so impersonal, Daisy,’ her mother argued. ‘And what he did was personal. It was because he was pleased with you. You told us so yourself. And it’s obvious he’s still pleased with you. Ask him if he’d like to come.’