As he gazed into her eyes, he knew. The depth of his feelings should have left him unsettled, but it both grounded him and freed him. “When you left, I couldn’t replace you.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Being with you isn’t about a scene. It’s about you…it’s about us. That’s all it’s ever been for me.”
The strength in her kiss told him everything he needed to know. “Your lips are cold. You ready to go inside?”
Together, they entered the bedroom, shed their robes, and crawled into bed. Facing him, she leaned on her elbow. He laid on his back, put one arm behind his head, and patted his chest. “You owe me a cuddle.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “I like looking at you.”
“Same.” As they stared into each other’s eyes, he asked, “Why do you think I helped you after the video surfaced?”
“Because you’re The Fixer?”
That made him laugh. “I’ve got a backlog of clients who need my help. I dropped everything…because it was you, Evan. It’s always been you.”
She caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers, leaned over, and kissed him again. “Thank you for being honest with me,” she murmured. “I’m not good at talking about my feelings.” She regarded him for an extra beat. “But I can show you.”
17
Uncle Charlie
In the pre-dawn hour, Evangeline slept soundly in Sin’s arms. They’d had sex again, but this time her touch had been soft, her kisses tender. And when she’d snuggled close and had fallen asleep, sated and exhausted, Sin found comfort in her rhythmic breathing.
He kissed her forehead, gently extracted himself, and left the bed to retrieve his Glock. When he returned, her eyes were wide open.
“Please tell me you aren’t going to murder me in my sleep.”
He got back into bed, kissed her bare shoulder. “I’m ensuring we stay safe.”
“I thought you said there are eyes on us.”
“And if someone takes Dakota’s guy out…”
She pushed up on her elbows. “You don’t sleep, do you?”
“Not much.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. Then, she pushed out of bed, fished her weapon out of her handbag, and set it on the night table. “Take a nap with me.”
“Is that code for more sex?”
Smiling, she lay down. “No, it’s English for ‘time to get some shut eye’.”
Her gaze stayed locked on him as he slid his gun under his pillow. “Hmm.” She snuggled close. “I’ve got your back,” she murmured.
Sin hated showing vulnerability, but he wouldn’t sleep without his weapon nearby. Pulling her close helped relieve his tension. Their breathing fell in line. She kissed his chest. “I really like you, Sinclair Develin. Please don’t hurt me.”
A pain stabbed his heart. He would never do to her what had been done to him. “Never,” he murmured as his eyes fluttered closed.
He woke, temporarily blinded by the bright sunlight streaming through the picture window. Squinting, he glanced at the time. It was after eight. Evangeline wasn’t in bed, so he tugged on black jeans and a Henley, collected his Glock and his phone, and went in search of her.
The smell of bacon wafted through the house and he found her cooking what appeared to be a feast. Bacon sizzled in the pan, six slices of bread waited in the toaster oven. She wore his black shirt, no pants. Sexy and adorable. She turned and smiled. Seeing her in his clothes with her sleepy face and tousled hair made things real.
I could wake up to her every day.
“There she is.” He went to her and kissed her.
“I’m glad you got some sleep.”
He eyed the six eggs cooking on the stovetop. “Are we expecting company?”
“Sex makes me hungry.”
He laughed. “Are you sharing?”
“Most of this is for you.”
“You want help?”
“You can pour the coffee and orange juice.” Then, she stopped. “Do you even eat any of this?”
“Everything looks great.” He poured their drinks and set them up at the island.
“This house is phenomenal. The views are spectacular.” She dished out their breakfast. “I can’t remember the last time I was at the beach.”
She sat beside him and sipped her coffee while he forked egg into his mouth. “Delicious breakfast. Thanks for making it.”
His phone buzzed and he read the incoming text. “You should be dead, but you aren’t…yet. Make it a good New Year. It’ll be your last.” Muscles running along his shoulders turned to steel, fury coursing through him. He set the phone face down on the granite counter.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“When you’re angry, you make this growly sound.” She set the half eaten piece of bacon on her plate and swiveled toward him. “‘Don’t hurt me’ means being honest with me.”
He handed her his phone and she read the text.
When she lifted her face, determination shone from her eyes. She left the room, returning with her weapon, which she set on the island. “My gut tells me this is Uncle Charlie.”
“Same.”
“He’ll regret ever sending that.” Squaring her shoulders, she finished her breakfast in silence.
He could see her mind moving at Mach speed. She would look at him, but she wasn’t actually seeing him. Then, she’d stare out at the ocean.
“You want to walk on the beach before we leave?” he asked while clearing their plates.
“Hell, no.” She started washing dishes. “That leaves you too vulnerable. Let’s get back to the office so I can find the guy who rented the moving truck.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I reached out to help you. This isn’t a quid pro quo thing.” When she kissed him, his anger was replaced with a different kind of energy, the kind that would make him forget about the shit storms barreling toward him.
She gave his ass an affectionate squeeze, then handed him a dishtowel. “Get to work.”
When they finished cleaning up, she held out her hand. “This is the most beautiful home. Take a quick tour with me.”
As they walked through it, she pointed out pieces of furniture she liked and how she loved being able to see the ocean from almost every room. She told him the beach was her happy place, but she hadn’t been to one in years. She came alive in front of his eyes, relaxed and carefree.
From his perspective, he’d made one phone call and rented a luxury estate. Done. But, to Evangeline, this house represented freedom and peace.
“I needed to get away, even if just for one night.” She caressed his cheeks with her soft palms, leaned up, and kissed him. “Thank you for your generosity and your patience.” Her gratitude touched him. “Admitting how much I care about you terrifies me.”
“You trust me, though.”
The fear in her eyes receded a little. “I do.”
He pulled her close and held her there for several glorious seconds. Being with her was his sanctuary.
Thirty minutes later, they loaded up the car and rolled out of the driveway.