Read Ethan's Song for Free Online Page B

away from him. Again, she was no challenge to him. He was her challenge, so why was she so eager to leave him? Were they both testing the other?
Letting her fingers pick the tunes, she quietly sang the songs from her past that were too dear to share with anyone else. Tears fell down her cheeks, though they were not sad songs, nor did she feel like crying because of Mr. Ethan Ayers.
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    AFTER MAKING sure the guests were served, Jenà stepped back in the corner to await signs of glasses needing a refill. She found her eyes kept going to his table, to the empty chair where he should have been sitting. Where could he be? Was he personally seeing that her things were put back in her cabin? No, that wasn’t something she could picture Mr. Ayers doing.
    Before the diners were half finished, Westley came to relieve her, saying she was called out on the deck. His whisper had gone unnoticed by the people at the tables, and she turned to question him silently. He shrugged his shoulders, and whispered, "Immediately."
    Quietly she slipped out the door, leaving Westley in her corner, his eyes now watching the people, rather than her. The upper deck was unoccupied when she walked out on it. She could see a table, and it looked to be set for two. Maybe she was to stand by while Ethan dined with one of his guests, a lady, she imagined. She wouldn’t let that get to her. But the thought of having to stand by while he conversed with another woman, teasing that woman the way he had teased her, kissing her hand, knowing how he felt about her, and she about him... A jealousy began growing inside.
    "Jenà." His voice came from beside her. She hadn’t seen or heard him come up. When he saw that he had startled her, he came to her side. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you." His arm was around her waist. "I would like the pleasure of having dinner with you, if you would join me."
    She looked up at him. He was wearing a gold velour pullover sweater, with brown slacks, looking very relaxed. "Me?" She asked, unbelieving. "But I’m on duty until eleven. I believe I told you."
    "You forget, honey, I’m the boss on this ship." His smile was enough to make her heart stop. "It’ll be warm just long enough for you to slip downstairs to change."
    "No, I don’t think so, Ethan... Mr. Ayers." She quickly checked herself. "I’d much rather finish the job I started inside."
    "You’d rather do that than be with me? We’ll be dancing later, surrounded by all my guests. There is no one I would rather have as my dance partner. You could call it part of your job, keeping your boss happy." The evening was growing dark, and the night lights had been turned on. "I should have left them off," he was looking at the lights.
    "No." She quickly told him. "I think it’s beautiful out here, lit up this way." They weren’t bright, but set a romantic mood.
    "Would you like me to escort you down to help you get changed?" His expression told her he was serious. As she shook her head, he smiled again. "Good. Please be quick." As she left him, he called to her, watching her turn around. "Jenà, please, that light green, lacy dress you have would be nice."
    "They are back in my own closet?" She asked with a slight smile of her own, appreciating him asking for something she herself liked. "I won’t keep you waiting, Mr. Ayers."
    In her room, she quickly changed, Jenni watching in awe. She put the book down that she’d been reading, finally asking the question on her mind since the woman came in. "What happened to the move I heard you were making?"
    "It wasn’t my idea, Jenni. I told him no, and he took me at my word." Jenà pulled the full skirt up over her hips to her waist, then the lace top over her naked breasts. The straps wouldn’t allow for a bra.
    "Looks like you’re going out. Where in the world would you find to go this far out?" Her blue eyes were wide.
    "Just on deck. Part of my job, it seems, includes dining with Mr. Ayers tonight, and being