A caravan of trucks pulls into the driveway. My heart flips when Evin climbs out, his eyes locked on me. During the day, he changed out of his suit and is now in jeans and a t-shirt that molds over his chest and arms, a red ball cap turned backward on his head. He doesn’t wear hats often, but when he does, I have to remind myself not to drool.
He yanks open the back cab door of Pierce’s truck, his intent obvious.
“Oh, shit,” I whisper.
“What?”
“I’m going to fold. He knows my weaknesses—the outfit, the hat—now he’s walking up holding Devin. He knows what that does to me. I basically shot-gunned that glass of wine, which is buzzing pleasantly through me. My silent treatment and evil glares may be impossible.”
“Hmmm, he’s pulling out the big guns. Try to stay strong to make your point, but remember how much he loves you. I’m right here.” Annie pats my hand.
Runner sits, his tail whooshing and thumping against the back of the swing excitedly as the men crowd onto the porch. Like always, Miller and Peirce go to their wives, and Evin comes to stand in front of me.
Devin is quiet, his head on Evin’s shoulder as he fights to keep his eyes open.
I want to offer to rock him to sleep, but stay quiet.
“Baby, Marco called.”
I shrug.
“We’ll try to trace your grandparents' things.”
“Thank you.”
“And Marco is stepping up efforts to find Tasha.”
“We’ve taken care of Charleston and the general vicinity. He can save his money here,” Annie informs him snidely.
“Mom, what did you do?”
“Took steps to make things happen, which should have been done weeks ago. One of these days, you boys will wisen up.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
My eyes snap to his, and a lump forms in my throat at the sincerity and regret staring back. His attitude is a one-eighty from last night when he was in defense mode.
“I’m not sorry for trying to protect you, but you deserved to know why.”
“Stop while you’re ahead,” Annie advises. “It’s not polite to justify your reasons while apologizing.”
He spears her with an irritated glare, keeping his mouth shut.
“Where have you been?” My curiosity gets the best of me. The question is one of many racing through my mind.
“Where have I been?”
“This is the second day in a row you’ve shown with Miller and Pierce. What’s going on?”
“I should get that baby to a crib. He’s exhausted from an afternoon with the guys.” Annie’s on her feet so fast it’s a blur. She sets down her glass, takes Devin, and disappears.
“I’ll help her.” Jill scampers off.
“We should probably call the kids and make sure they’re okay with Connie.” Darby hoists herself up and drags Pierce inside, but not before I catch the amusement glowing on his face.
“Help me to the bathroom.” Ashlyn mirrors Darby’s actions, Miller’s expression identical to Pierce's as they close the door behind them.
“Okay, that wasn’t obvious. I’ve never cleared a porch before.”
“Fuckers,” Evin grouses. “Runner, down.”
Runner jumps off and trots to sit by the door. Evin sits, pulling my legs into his lap.
“Oh, God, what have you done?”
“A while back, I bought another building.”
“With Pierce?”
“No, this one’s all mine. Actually, it’s ours as soon as I get your name on it.”
“What do we need a building for?”
“It’s an investment I couldn’t pass up. Location is highly desired in the heart of Charleston. The tenant will have a prime spot.”
“Do you have a tenant?”
“Not yet, but there’s a lot of interest. So far, I’ve been able to remain anonymous. Pierce, Miller, and Warren are helping me with some general renovations.”
“Evin! Why’d you keep it from me? Everyone else knows.”
“I’ve been working on a surprise, and until about an hour ago, I wasn’t sure it would come together. Now it has.”
“What has?”
“Tomorrow morning, we’re cleared to show the building. I have a good feeling about this prospect.”
“I know nothing about being a landlord or choosing who should occupy space.”
He dips in, stealing a quick kiss. “You’ll learn tomorrow.”
Chapter 33
Evin
Poppy’s quiet, too quiet. It’s been ten minutes since she made a sound. She’s inspected every inch of the downstairs and is now examining the open space up here.
“Evin,” my name comes out breathy, “I know nothing about real estate, but this is phenomenal. Is it really yours?”
“It’s ours,” I correct her for the sixth time.
“It’s going to sound mystical… but I feel spiritual in this space. Like life-changing events are going to happen in this building. There’s an effervescence that’s speaking to me.”
I fight the urge to beat my chest in victory. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Seriously, these exposed beams and red brick, the windows and natural light—what is that you’re leaning on?”
“Coffee bar, beverage station, wet bar, whatever it needs to be.”
“Any idea what someone would do with this space?”
My brain is loaded with ideas. “Guess it depends on what kind of business moves in.”
“What’s through there?” She gestures behind me.
“See for yourself.” I open the door, wait for her to swing through, and resume my stance against the doorframe.
She spins and twirls, her jaw-dropping as she sweeps the area. “Holy shit! This is… this is… I don’t know what it is, but it’s huge.”
“It’s twelve hundred square feet.”
“That’s larger than my first apartment.”
“The square footage is equal to the shed.”
“What would someone do with this? Should we separate the top and bottom floors?”
“We could do that, but I think this would be a great apartment. It’s been rewired, plumbing is upgraded, and the kitchen needs a facelift.”
“There’s a kitchen?” Her eyes bulge.
“There is.”
“Do you think the prospective tenant is looking for a place to live as well?”
“Not full time. My sources explained they have unconventional business hours. Many late nights. The husband is a needy bastard and wants a fully functioning space so they don’t miss too much time together.”
“Huh.” She scrunches her nose, seeming to think about it, then shakes her head dismissively. “Guess that’s sweet.”
“Yes, sweet, that’s exactly what I was thinking.” I chuckle to myself. Nothing about my thought process was sweet when designing this space.
“This sounds more and more like a done deal than a prospect.”
“You are the deciding vote.”
“Any idea what these people want to do? It will crush me if they want to change any of the original charm.”
“I agree, that’s why my research was thorough. You must approve any structural changes.”
She squints, pursing her lips. “You know what they want to do and are holding out on me.”
“I have some drawings that Pierce and Miller came up with based on specs given.”
“Let’s see them.”
I press the remote button in my pocket, the retractable wall rising to reveal a temporary office and wall lined with sketches. She pivots on her crutches and hustles to the wall.
I know the instant realization sets in. “Evin?” her voice is ragged and quivering. “These are sketches of a dance studio.”
“They are sketches of your dance studio.”
She whips around, a dozen reactions crossing her face at once. “You bought me a dance studio?”
I don’t answer, letting her absorb t
he news.
“EVIN!” she screams, then repeats, “You bought me a dance studio.”
“I bought the building where you can design your dream studio.”
The crutches tumble to the floor and her hands fly to her face, but not before the emotions erupt. I’m on the move, getting to her as she collapses. She clutches to my shirt, a sharp pain shooting where her fingernails dig into the skin over my heart.
“You bought me my dream studio.”
She cries, pressing all her weight into me for support. Every few seconds, she rambles faintly. I can only make out a few things.
“… and then they laughed at me…”
“Dancing all my life…”
“… it hurt, but I knew what to do…”
I run my other hand through her hair, kissing everywhere on her head and temple. “Every ounce of hard work you put in, you deserve this.”
Her body convulses hard, rocking us both. After a while, her cries die down, replaced by hiccups and sniffs.
“Is there a bathroom up here? I need to clean up.”
I smile to myself. “There is.”
“Can you help me get my crutches?”
“Let me carry you.”
She nods. “That’s a better idea.”
I hoist her up, leveling her knee. She buries into my neck, her heated and damp face coating the skin.
The automatic lights come on, and I stop, bracing for the next reaction. Her breath hitches almost painfully. “Oh, Evin.”
I place her on the vanity, trying to lift her to face to mine. She shakes her head. “Tissue please.”
I wet a washcloth and slide it between us. “Baby.”
“Give me a minute.” Her curtain of hair hides her from view.
She swipes, then presses the cloth to her face. After a few minutes, she peers up and my heart stops. Her skin is splotchy and speckled, but her eyes are a glimmering hue of blue-green that I’d break my back to see every day of my life.
“God, you’re gorgeous.”
She twists to the mirror, frowning and tossing the cloth in the sink. “I’m a wrecked mess.”
“Never.”
Her gaze moves rapidly around the room. “This is exactly like my bathroom in Vegas.”
“I have significant memories there.”
“You did this?”
“We finished it yesterday afternoon.”
“The bathroom is what you were working on with Pierce and Miller?”
“Everything else has to have your input, but this room was safe for me to finish.”
“I’m… I’m… I’m shocked and overwhelmed.”
“Baby, take your time to soak it in. Nothing has to happen right away. But I couldn’t keep it from you anymore.”
“When did you buy this building?”
“After the wedding, I contacted a private broker. The broker was Tony.”
“The wedding was in August. We’d been married a week.”
“I didn’t know how long the search would take. The timing was perfect. He knew the previous owners of the building and their intent to sell. We negotiated a deal. It was a quick close three weeks later.”
The timeline hits her. “That was before…” she pauses, sadness flashing in her eyes, “before my accident. I intended to work until my contract was up. You did not know any of this would happen.”
“You’re right, but it didn’t matter because it would be here waiting when you were ready.”
She drops her chin to her chest and exhales loudly. “Let me get this straight. By a random twist of fate, we meet. Less than twenty-four hours later, you’re staying in Vegas and I’m wearing a diamond ring that you pass off as a birthday present. But in reality, it’s your version of a promise ring. Less than a month later, we’re married and your parents meet me for the first time. I go back to Vegas, you shop buildings, and three weeks later own one.”
“Seems like you have it straight.”
Her head whips up. The emotional Poppy from a few minutes ago is gone. My cock stirs, ready for what’s coming. “We’d known each other seven weeks! In that time, we’d spent eighteen days together! Eighteen!”
“Best fucking eighteen days of my life.”
“Are you CRAZY?” she blasts, throwing her hands in the air. “Never mind, the answer is yes. You’re crazy, but this tops everything.”
“You told me your retirement plans and I made it happen. Doesn’t seem crazy to me,” I reply casually, which fires her up more.
“Most people start by leasing. It allows time to grow the business and build clientele. Then they graduate to buying space.”
“We’re not most people. You should know that when I find something I want, I go after it.”
“What if I hated it?”
“Seven buyers are lined up with offers that want me to sell.”
“Seven?”
“Yes, like I mentioned yesterday, my real estate attorney is fielding the interest. My anonymity as the owner is about to end, though. Then I suspect interested parties will contact me directly trying to make a deal.”
“Tough for them, they can’t have it.”
“I didn’t think so.”
She gives me a half-eye roll. “Don’t be smug.”
“Keep up the sass.”
“You’re ridiculous. There’s nothing sexy about a wailing, snotty, emotional basket case.”
“Depends on who it is.”
Her face softens and she wraps her hand around my neck. “Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for. I’m serious, there’s no rush. If you go back to Cirque, this will wait.”
“I don’t want to wait. Those drawings are everything Dante and I have talked about through the years. We expected to start a small studio and go from there.”
“You can start small, no pressure.”
“We thought we had to in case we couldn’t make it work. But this… this is you,” she draws in a deep breath, “this is you believing in me and us.”
“Always.”
“You believe in me, even with the unknowns. And you trust in Dante.”
“I do, but more importantly, I want to know you are happy.”
“Happy? That doesn’t cut it. You’re making my dreams come true.”
“Fuck me, Poppy. The night I laid eyes on you, my dreams came true.”
She holds my stare, the color fading into a shade that tells all. She licks her lips, grinning wickedly. “You know, maybe you should tell me more about this tenant’s husband. How needy is he?”
Her thighs tighten at my waist, helping her slide forward. My dick is hard instantly at the contact. “Needy doesn’t explain this man. He’s a possessive brute, completely obsessed with his wife to the point of madness. Craves her. If he had his way, he would live his life worshipping her in every way possible.”
She grips my neck, urging me to her. “Worshipping her in every way? How would that work?” The throaty rasp sends a surge of heat through me.
“Begin each day with the taste of her on his tongue.”
“Ummm, sounds fun.” She outlines my mouth with the tip of her tongue before nipping at my bottom lip.
“The fun starts after she screams his name the first time. He moves up her body. By the time he reaches her chest…” I trail my hand up her stomach and swipe my thumb over her nipple, “… she’s ready for more.”
“More is always better.”
“He pays special attention to this area because his wife has the sexiest fucking tattoos. Every day, he traces the ink with his tongue, knowing he’s the only man on earth to get the privilege. When he’s done, he takes turns sucking her nipples, leaving his mark everywhere.”
“That’s vaguely familiar. I bet she acts annoyed but secretly loves it.”
My other hand skims slowly up her thigh, dragging her dress with it. Her clutch loosens and I slip my thumb inside the satin material, finding her already wet. “You’re soaked.”
“This man is hot.”
The tip of my thumb presses into her and glides up, playing with her clit. Her breath catches as her hips rock forward. I repeat this over and over until her eyes are burning with need.
“He’s addicted to her.”
“I bet she feels the same.”
“Impossible.” My lips crash down, my tongue swirling around hers.
She grinds into my hand impatiently. I slide another finger inside, and the low moan vibrating from her throat sets my blood on fire. The slow game of seduction will have to wait because I need to get inside her.
I kiss her greedily, twirling and circling my fingers. She breaks away, panting lightly, and clamping down. “Evin… right there… oh, God…” I strum her clit, playing with the spot that drives her wild. Her body tenses, eyes squeezing as a wave of pleasure washes over her.
“One of my favorite sights in the world is watching you come apart for me.” I kiss my way down her throat, pressing my lips to her racing pulse.
“Apparently, I’m the needy one.”
“You didn’t freeze me out for two days and that wouldn’t be an issue.”
“Word of advice, if you decide to keep things from me again, this is the type of surprise that doesn’t get the ice queen treatment.”
I smile against her neck. “Am I completely forgiven?”
“Maybe after we properly make up.” She pulls away, ripping her dress off and revealing her naked body except for the skimpy panties with my fingers still under the fabric.
In no time, they are shredded and I’m working to get my dick free. She bends, unlatching the Velcro of her boot, kicking it to the floor, and reaching for my shirt.
I reach behind, pulling it over my head and tossing it to the side. Her breath hitches loudly and her eyes lock on the skin below my left pec. She runs her finger over the protective film softly.
“Is this... a poppy?”
“Look closely inside the leaves.”
She studies it. “The date we met and our wedding?”
“Thought it was appropriate.”
“Over your heart. This is where you were this morning?”
I nod.
“It’s remarkable.” She fixates back on the tattoo, and this time when her eyes meet mine, they are blazing with heat. She slides to the edge of the counter.
Evin's Fight (Southern Charmers Book 3) Page 35