Vigorously rubbing his hair Ethan once again felt that he was being scrutinized from behind dark glasses. He knew without false modesty that woman's gazes often lingered but never before had he felt like he was being touched intimately. Nor had he experienced an acute awareness of who was doing the looking and enjoying it immensely. Unconsciously he slowed his actions sensuously wiping each part of his anatomy though he was careful not to expose his hardening erection to Cathie's gaze. He felt her gaze burning into his midriff as he wrapped the towel sarong style low on his hips and sauntered over to where she stood spellbound still holding onto the tray.
'What do we have here?' broke the spell. Eyeing off the tall frosted glasses that contained a milky concoction with a brown swirl that definitely didn't look like coffee Ethan asked 'Iced coffee?'
'Well…no…cocktails. Darlene thought it was getting too late for coffee and I for one can't sleep a wink if I have one this late.'
Ethan thought if he could have that delicious body bright eyed and bushy tailed all night in his bed then he'd prefer a coffee. Now where did that thought come from? 'And since its beer 'o'clock we raided the drinks cabinet and made mudslides-'
'Yummy!' squealed Chloe.
'No Chloe-'
'-with a non-alcoholic one, of course, for Chloe.' finished Cathie.
Ethan smiled apologetically. So far Cathie had always thought of Chloe and modified her language and behaviour to an appropriate level. A teacher was still a good bet.
As for "beer 'o'clock"? It wasn't a term thrown about by the Eastern suburbs set. Even his mother wouldn't acknowledge that she'd heard it before. She had of course. It was a favourite term amongst his uni friends who frequented the commission house they lived in before he made it big and moved 60 km east and a 1,000 light years away. Ethan didn't want to let the term go unchallenged.
'Beer 'o'clock?'
'You know don't you?' Ethan feigned ignorance. '5 'o'clock is traditionally the time for cocktails but it's always time for a beer!' she laughed.
Raising his glass in a cheer Ethan saluted 'Here's to beer 'o'clock then.' his heated gaze over the rim of the glass not cooled by the icy chocolate drink.
'Where's mine?'
'Here on the table Chloe but you'll have to dry yourself first. You'll get cold standing out here in that breeze in those wet clothes.''
'You should have changed too, you're also cold.' Ethan quipped as his gaze lingered on Cathie's nipples jutting out of her dry t-shirt. When he reluctantly dragged his eyes up to hers and he noticed the tell-tale blush indicating he'd been caught.