Regret Came Too Late (Grace and Ethan) novel Chapter 263

Grace had always vaguely felt that Ed wasn't easy to coax, but she hadn't expected him to be this difficult—he even had his own set of principles.

Suddenly, she couldn't find the words to explain. Instead, she stood up and straddled his lap.

Mature relationships didn't always require lengthy debates. Sometimes, a hug was all it took, so words weren't always necessary.

For someone already emotionally fragile, words could easily be twisted and misunderstood.

Taking the initiative, she leaned close and whispered in Ed's ear, "You can have me however you want tonight, okay? Please don't be angry."

He went completely still for a beat, and then he was all over her, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

The problem was solved, but Grace's lower back was screaming.

She didn't wake up until noon the next day, and her legs nearly gave out when she tried to get up. Biting back a groan, she hauled herself up using the bed and massaged her temples. She had given him permission to do as he pleased, and he really did, keeping her up until 6:00 am.

Below the waist, everything felt strangely numb, like all sensation had been completely worn away.

When she went to the bathroom to get ready, she was almost shocked by the evidence of such intense indulgence in her own reflection. Her face held a soft, dreamy quality, her cheeks were pink, and her grip on the toothbrush was slightly shaky.

Sighing, she splashed herself with cold water. The flush on her skin lessened noticeably.

Stepping into the living room, she noticed that her place had been tidied up, though it was clear the person wasn't exactly a natural at it. There were a few takeout containers on the table, and she recognized that the food was from a fancy place where one had to order ahead. That was really thoughtful of him.

And she'd been cleaned up nicely too after last night. It seemed his anger had dissipated.

Pulling out her phone, she saw her impulsive "breakup" message and cringed. She was definitely not saying that again so casually. The consequences were way too much.

She quickly typed out a message. "Did you clean up my place? Thanks."

His reply was fast, but he was clearly still hung up on yesterday's breakup. "Are you still breaking up with me?"

Grace rolled her eyes, wondering if he was pushing his luck. If they were still breaking up, would he have just worn her out in bed like that?

Grace: "Not anymore."

Ed: "And what about down the line?"

He was still stuck on her "not yet anyway" comment. He really hung onto every word.

Grace sighed and rubbed her forehead as she replied. "Seriously, we're not breaking up—not ever."

A long silence hung in the digital air before his reply came through. "Yeah, well, I'm still mad at you."

Grace briefly considered asking his reasons, but with her workday looming, she didn't have the time for a detailed conversation. She opted for a quick dismissal. "Alright, alright. My bad. Just chill. I'm heading to work."

With that, she bolted downstairs and drove straight to Henderson Group.

When she arrived at Henderson Group, her workspace was once again wet. Without even needing to guess, she knew it was Jodie. Had she come to Henderson Group again today?

She asked the person next to her, who peeked around to make sure Jodie wasn't lurking before nodding.

She stood there silently, and Ethan finally looked up.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Henderson, I can't go on the Siltham trip. You'll need to find someone else. Liam is still finding his feet at the company, and I'm not entirely comfortable leaving him."

He set down his pen. "Is he still sucking his thumb?

Grace was surprised by his comment about Liam. After a brief pause, she replied with a wry smile, "Mr. Henderson, you seem to have... developed a bit of a spark recently. Are you dating someone? That looks suspiciously like a girlfriend's handiwork on your neck."

Ethan's fingers, which had still been on the papers, gave a tiny jump. He then grabbed his pen in a way that looked like he was trying to hide something—even though he had just set it down.

"No."

No?

Grace was certain of what she had witnessed. Then, it dawned on her. "Did you get a cat? That's a pretty nasty scratch. Hope you got it vaccinated."

See? She knew it. Wasn't he supposed to be celibate by choice? There was no way he'd let a woman leave a mark on him.

Besides, he was Ethan Henderson. If he actually wanted to date, he could just snap his fingers, and a line of women would probably stretch around the block.

Ethan remained silent, and his grip on the pen was tight. With his lashes lowered, his face was an unreadable mask once more.