take that and be happy. I can’t.” He cleared his throat. “You need to get going.”
“Yeah, I do.” He clapped Rafe on the shoulder. “See you in the morning.”
“Good luck, Nicholas.”
“Thanks.” He climbed in his truck, started it up and gave a friendly beep of the horn before pulling away from the bunkhouse.
Two years. Rafe had waited a long damn time to have the life he wanted and it was still out of reach. Two years. Would Eva hold to her plan the way Kate was sticking to hers? Would he still be driving to her house for a sleepover two years from now?
He turned on the radio. Switched it off again. What would Charlie do?
Charley had loved quotes, had been especially fond of one from Maya Angelou. He’d written it out in his block letter style and put it up in the tack room a few years ago. Gone now. But Nick could see it plain as day.
WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME.
Eva had laid out her game plan before she’d kissed him. What had she shown him? That she was conscientious and straightforward. Honest about her intentions. Serious about the life path she’d chosen.
In other words, he’d been warned, just like Rafe had been warned. The women they were crazy about didn’t want what they wanted. They’d both ignored the warning. Rafe was two years into his state of denial. Nick was only two days into his. If he was smart, he’d get out before he was enmeshed in a hopeless cause. Like Rafe.
Eva had beat him to the house, not surprising since he’d had farther to go and he’d spent time talking to Rafe. The inside lights were dim.
He could text her and say he’d changed his mind, that he’d realized their goals didn’t match and that continuing down this path was a mistake. Then he could drive away.
He shut off the motor. She was inside, waiting for him to kiss her soft lips, caress her body, so eager for his loving. Rafe had stood his ground, refused Kate’s offer of an affair.
A little late for taking that stand with Eva. Oh, who was he kidding? He couldn’t drive away from here. Not tonight.
The minute he opened his door and climbed out of the truck, his body reacted to that decision with a rush of heat. His steps quickened as he rounded the hood and started up the walk.
The view through the screen door, even from the walkway, would give visitors some idea of what was going on inside, especially during the day. They’d been lucky no one had dropped by during that episode on the living room rug.
His groin tightened and he winced as he bounded up to the porch. Was she in there? The jeweled tones of the Tiffany-style lamps cast beautiful patterns but the room was largely in shadow. No movement of any kind.
Walking in didn’t seem right. Knocking wasn’t much better and ringing the doorbell would be worse. He settled on calling her name. “Eva?”
“I’m here!” The patter of her bare feet on the stairs indicated she was coming down from her bedroom. “Come in!”
Had she been setting the stage? His heart twisted. She loved being with him. No question there.
He opened the screen door and stepped inside. “I was slightly delayed. Rafe and I—”
“I’m glad you were.” She emerged from the shadows of the staircase. “It gave me a chance to change.” She walked toward him.
He forgot to breathe. The glow from the porch light fell on an angel from another dimension, a blue-haired, green-eyed creature wearing something made of fairy dust. The nightgown, a wash of iridescent blues and greens, flowed seductively around her as she moved toward him.
She paused a few feet away. “Do you like it?”
He gulped and nodded.
“Beth gave it to me tonight. She wanted me to have something special to wear.”
“That’s—” He cleared the sandpaper from his throat. “Very special.”
“Can I get you anything? Something to drink? A snack?”
“No, ma’am.” Just you. That’s all I need.
“Then if you’re good, let’s go upstairs. I was lighting candles when you arrived. This nightgown inspired me. I decided we deserved a romantic setting.”
Taking off his hat, he hung it on the coat tree. Then he closed and locked the front door. “Lead the way. I’m right behind you.” If he could look forward to this kind of greeting every night, did anything else matter?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The whisper-soft fabric of the nightgown swirled around Eva’s damp