The Cripple's Wanton Wife - Chapter 24: Chapter 24
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's heart leaped when she heard Ethan had come around. The guilt that had weighed on her dissolved, replaced by sweet vindication. Dabbing her tears, she gave a soft smile. "I'm so happy you feel that way, sweetheart. So tell me... are you still planning to look for your aunt?"
Ethan flushed crimson. "Now that I have you, Mom, why would I need her?"
A thrill shot through . Cheeks pinkening, she murmured, "Well then... who's better? Me or her?"
The question caught him off guard. "You, Mom. Always you."
Her heart soared, playfulness taking over. Still blushing, she pressed, "And what exactly makes me better?"
Something stirred in Ethan. Just this whispered conversation was electrifying. Boldly, he answered, "You're way prettier. And your body... it's incredible."
Warm pleasure flooded 's chest. "Does she... make sounds when you're together?"
"Yeah, but nothing like you," he admitted, his face on fire.
"Ow—!" Ethan yelped as pinched his arm hard, mortified by his confession.
"Let's see if you dare say such things again," she scolded, though her voice held smug satisfaction.
"I won't!" Rubbing his arm, he grumbled, "You made me say it then pinched me..." Looking utterly wronged.
burst into quiet giggles. "Still hurt?"
"Duh!" He pouted like a kid.
She gently rubbed the spot. "Better now?"
Seeing her fuss, Ethan grinned. "A little more and I'll survive."
Realizing he was playing her, pinched him again.
"Jesus! That really hurt!" he yelped.
"Shhh!" She clamped a hand over his mouth, hissing urgently. "You want the whole house to hear us?"
Ethan gave her a wounded look but retaliated with a light smack to her backside. "Mom... can we do this again tomorrow?"
"...Mm-hmm." Her face burned as she nodded.
"But it's pitch black in here. I can barely see you, plus all this whispering sucks," he complained.
"What choice do we have?" sighed.
After a beat, Ethan's face lit up. "Tomorrow's Sunday. What if we find somewhere during daylight?"
"Like where?"
"How about those woods again? The old caretaker's never around days, and nobody goes there. Perfect, right?"
hesitated but finally caved. "Fine. You little devil, I can't resist you."
"You're the best, Mom." He hugged her tight, planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Enough. It's late—let's get back before someone notices." She slipped from his arms and dressed hastily.
Soon, they'd returned to their separate rooms.
The Next Morning
Ethan couldn't stop stealing glances at during breakfast, his expression dreamy.
Her cheeks pinkened. "Quit staring," she whispered.
When Grandma retreated to the kitchen, he leaned in. "Mom, you're gorgeous."
She swatted his head lightly. "Enough already. Eat." But secretly, his words sent warmth flooding through her.
"Mom, when are we hitting the woods?" he murmured.
Her face flamed. "This afternoon," she mumbled, suddenly fascinated by her plate.
Just then Lily walked in. "Mom, Ethan, you're just eating now?"
They froze, remembering their nocturnal activities explained the late meal.
"Did your father eat?" asked quickly.
"Not yet. Said he'd finish work first. I left his food there."
"What about you, Lily?" Ethan asked.
"Was just grabbing mine." She turned toward the kitchen.
"Stay put. I'll get it." He jumped up abruptly.
Lily gaped. "Mom... is that really Ethan?"
hid a smile behind her fork. "What's wrong with him helping? Sit."
"But he never does this!"
"How should I know? Ask him yourself."
Lily shook her head. "Did hell freeze over or something?"
Ethan returned with a plate. "Here. Eat before it's cold."
She blinked. "Ethan, what's with you? Since when do you play nice?"
stifled a laugh.
He grinned. "What if this is the new me?" His eyes flicked to , who suddenly found her food fascinating.
"We'd love that!" Lily beamed.
"Eat. Your food's getting cold," cut in.
"Mom, free this morning?" Lily asked.
"Why?"
"I need new clothes. These are ancient. I'm seventeen—I should have something nice."
's heart clenched, remembering Ethan's words last night. Her kids had it rough—Ethan got mocked at school, Lily had nothing decent to wear.
"Alright. After breakfast."
"Thanks, Mom! You should get something too. It's been forever."
's stomach knotted. She barely had two hundred bucks left. "We'll see."
After eating, she and Lily headed to town, leaving Ethan home alone.
Ethan flushed crimson. "Now that I have you, Mom, why would I need her?"
A thrill shot through . Cheeks pinkening, she murmured, "Well then... who's better? Me or her?"
The question caught him off guard. "You, Mom. Always you."
Her heart soared, playfulness taking over. Still blushing, she pressed, "And what exactly makes me better?"
Something stirred in Ethan. Just this whispered conversation was electrifying. Boldly, he answered, "You're way prettier. And your body... it's incredible."
Warm pleasure flooded 's chest. "Does she... make sounds when you're together?"
"Yeah, but nothing like you," he admitted, his face on fire.
"Ow—!" Ethan yelped as pinched his arm hard, mortified by his confession.
"Let's see if you dare say such things again," she scolded, though her voice held smug satisfaction.
"I won't!" Rubbing his arm, he grumbled, "You made me say it then pinched me..." Looking utterly wronged.
burst into quiet giggles. "Still hurt?"
"Duh!" He pouted like a kid.
She gently rubbed the spot. "Better now?"
Seeing her fuss, Ethan grinned. "A little more and I'll survive."
Realizing he was playing her, pinched him again.
"Jesus! That really hurt!" he yelped.
"Shhh!" She clamped a hand over his mouth, hissing urgently. "You want the whole house to hear us?"
Ethan gave her a wounded look but retaliated with a light smack to her backside. "Mom... can we do this again tomorrow?"
"...Mm-hmm." Her face burned as she nodded.
"But it's pitch black in here. I can barely see you, plus all this whispering sucks," he complained.
"What choice do we have?" sighed.
After a beat, Ethan's face lit up. "Tomorrow's Sunday. What if we find somewhere during daylight?"
"Like where?"
"How about those woods again? The old caretaker's never around days, and nobody goes there. Perfect, right?"
hesitated but finally caved. "Fine. You little devil, I can't resist you."
"You're the best, Mom." He hugged her tight, planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Enough. It's late—let's get back before someone notices." She slipped from his arms and dressed hastily.
Soon, they'd returned to their separate rooms.
The Next Morning
Ethan couldn't stop stealing glances at during breakfast, his expression dreamy.
Her cheeks pinkened. "Quit staring," she whispered.
When Grandma retreated to the kitchen, he leaned in. "Mom, you're gorgeous."
She swatted his head lightly. "Enough already. Eat." But secretly, his words sent warmth flooding through her.
"Mom, when are we hitting the woods?" he murmured.
Her face flamed. "This afternoon," she mumbled, suddenly fascinated by her plate.
Just then Lily walked in. "Mom, Ethan, you're just eating now?"
They froze, remembering their nocturnal activities explained the late meal.
"Did your father eat?" asked quickly.
"Not yet. Said he'd finish work first. I left his food there."
"What about you, Lily?" Ethan asked.
"Was just grabbing mine." She turned toward the kitchen.
"Stay put. I'll get it." He jumped up abruptly.
Lily gaped. "Mom... is that really Ethan?"
hid a smile behind her fork. "What's wrong with him helping? Sit."
"But he never does this!"
"How should I know? Ask him yourself."
Lily shook her head. "Did hell freeze over or something?"
Ethan returned with a plate. "Here. Eat before it's cold."
She blinked. "Ethan, what's with you? Since when do you play nice?"
stifled a laugh.
He grinned. "What if this is the new me?" His eyes flicked to , who suddenly found her food fascinating.
"We'd love that!" Lily beamed.
"Eat. Your food's getting cold," cut in.
"Mom, free this morning?" Lily asked.
"Why?"
"I need new clothes. These are ancient. I'm seventeen—I should have something nice."
's heart clenched, remembering Ethan's words last night. Her kids had it rough—Ethan got mocked at school, Lily had nothing decent to wear.
"Alright. After breakfast."
"Thanks, Mom! You should get something too. It's been forever."
's stomach knotted. She barely had two hundred bucks left. "We'll see."
After eating, she and Lily headed to town, leaving Ethan home alone.
End of The Cripple's Wanton Wife Chapter 24. Continue reading Chapter 25 or return to The Cripple's Wanton Wife book page.