Read The Temptation of Lila and Ethan for Free Online

Lila, and hang on to him no matter what sacrifices you make.
Despite the absurdity of it, I can’t seem to get the mental picture out of my head of me curled up in a ball on a ratty old couch, dressed in rags, smoking crack from a pipe, and it scares me.
    “I didn’t do anything… I don’t think anyway. I just need a ride,” I say in a whiny voice because I’m tired and filthy and disgusting.
    “Again?” he replies, pretending to be annoyed but I’ve gotten to know him well enough to know he really isn’t. He just likes people to think he is because he likes to seem tough and a badass. But I know he’s not. He’s actually really sweet and talks and listens to me and gives me candy canes. I still have a drawer full of the ones he gave me, unable to eat them or throwthem away because then it feels like I’m losing a nice moment in my life with a guy and those kind of moments are very rare, if nonexistent.
    “Are you there?” he says, interrupting my thoughts.
    “Yes, I need a ride
again
.” I sink down on the curb, attempting not to think of candy canes and red lacy bras. That was a one-time thing. We both agreed that there would be no hooking up. Although, I agreed to it only because he seemed so eager to make it clear it would never happen again. “So will you or won’t you come pick me up?”
    “God, you’re snippy today,” he remarks with humor in his tone. “And I don’t think I want to deal with it today. I’m too fucking tired from the woman I screwed last night. She really wore me out. Plus, I have to be to work later today.”
    “Don’t be an ass.” I scowl, even though he can’t see me. “Please quit messing around and just come get me. Pretty please.”
    He pauses and then sighs, defeated. “I’ll come get you though, but only if you say it.”
    “I’m not going to say it, Ethan. Not today.” I prop my elbow on my knee and rest my chin against my hand. He wants me to tell him that I’ll be his sex slave, something he made me promise to say the last time he picked me up. He doesn’t really want me to be one, though. He just thinks he’s funny.
    “That was the deal,” he reminds me. “If I ever had to come pick you up again.”
    “But I made the deal when I wasn’t this cranky,” I say and grimace. “When it seemed like a good idea.”
    “Fine.” He surrenders way too easily and it makes me smile just a little. “But next time I’m making you… In fact, I might even actually be your sex slave the next time you call me,” he says and I sigh heavily. “I’ll head out in a few.”
    “Thank you,” I tell him, stretching my legs out onto the road. “And I’m sorry for being so pissy. I’m just hung-over.”
    “You didn’t go out with that douche from the club, did you?” he asks and I can hear him moving around. “Because I told you the guy seemed sketchy. Although all the guys you’ve hooked up with seem a little bit sketchy, if you ask me—rich, preppy douche bags.”
    “They’re not douche bags. They’re just different from what you’re used to.” I yawn, extending my arms above my head. “And no, I didn’t go home with the guy from the club… I don’t think anyway. I can’t even remember who I went home with.” I cringe as I try to put the pieces together, but I can’t even seem to find one full piece.
    “Lila…” he starts, but then decides against it, probably because he sleeps around just as much as I do. “Where are you exactly?”
    I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful he’s not giving me anymore crap for my sexual mishap. I’m hung-over and having withdraws and I can feel myself verging on a meltdown, something that can never happen, let alone in the open. “I’m on the corner of Vegas Drive and Rainbow.”
    “Where exactly? In like a store or a house or something?”
    “No, I’m sitting on the curb.”
    He’s quiet for a moment. This isn’t the first time he’s had to pick me up under these kinds of circumstances and it