She was the one who pulled away from this, our first kiss. She was blushing deeper than I’d ever seen a woman blush, her eyes moving over my face before a giggle escaped those full lips. And then we were surrounded by well-wishers I’d never met before, people who wanted to tear us apart in order to celebrate our being together.
Ironic.
I was soon lost in a sea of humanity, shaking hands with people whose names I hadn’t quite caught, talking Santa Monica and the Navy with people who didn’t know the first thing about the latter and very little about the former. Someone shoved a drink in my hand—a surprisingly strong alcoholic drink—while I was forced to study the crowd to find Eve’s familiar face lost within it. I spotted Kirkland, watching me from the back of the shelter. His wife—dressed in a skirt that looked like it was designed to fly high over the city filled with heated air—was clinging to his arm, whispering something vaguely near his ear as he glared in my direction. Sutherland was on the other side of the shelter, also watching closely, but her expression was less suspicious and more concerned. Hank was the only Gray Wolf member who seemed to have no interest in me. He was on the dance floor cutting a rug with an attractive redhead.
That looked like a good idea.
I pushed my way through the crowd, smiling and nodding to anyone who took a moment to speak to me, and grabbed Eve’s arm.
“Let’s dance, darling,” I said, tugging her back out of the crowd.
I felt less claustrophobic on the dance floor. There was nothing to remember, no smile that had to constantly be smiled. But—just my luck—the band decided to play a slow tune just as we stood facing one another, forcing us to fall into another embrace.
Eve looked a little uneasy, so I bent at the waist, offering her a proper bow. Then I stepped back and held out my hand to her. She smiled, clearly touched by the chivalry of the whole thing; it was just a trick my mother had taught me when I was twelve and wanted to ask a classmate to the school dance. It hadn’t worked then, but it seemed to be working now.
Thanks, Mom.
I took her hands and guided them around my waist, sliding my own hands down the length of her back, drawing her as close as was publicly acceptable. And then an inch or two closer. She smiled when she looked up at me.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what?”
“For doing this.”
I ran my fingers over the back of her neck, caressing her there with a gentleness I hadn’t known I possessed.
“You’re my wife,” I said softly before brushing my lips over her temple.
We dance for what felt like hours. Sutherland rang a dinner bell as the sun began to set, calling everyone to the tables. Eve stayed at my side as we filled our plates, settling beside me at another table as neighbors and friends waited in line. Eve knew who’d made each dish, knew what was in each and every bite of food I put in my mouth. She leaned close a few times, pressing her fork to my lips to give me a taste of some delicious morsel I missed serving myself. We never said more than two words to each other about anything other than the food, but it was still the most intimate conversation I think I’d ever had. I found myself watching her eyes as she talked, losing myself in the greens and browns and golds of those hazel beauties. How could I have ever thought she wasn’t attractive? There was so much more to her than my first glance had given her credit for.
“Mr. and Mrs. North,” a deep voice said in a snide, almost angry, voice.
I looked up and found myself staring into the angry eyes of our devoted sheriff. A tall, blond woman stood just behind him, curiosity the only thing in her expression as she looked me over.
Eve set down her plate and stood.
“Valerie,” she said, embracing the blond woman.
“Congratulations,” the woman said, smiling widely at Eve. “When Steve told me you’d gotten married, I was so excited for you. I would have called right away, but then Sutherland called about this, so I was afraid I would give the secret away.”
“Isn’t this the sweetest thing?” Eve asked. “I can’t believe Sutherland pulled all this together so quickly!”
“She is pretty impressive. Makes the rest of us look bad.”
“Never.”
Eve turned to me, forcing me onto my feet.
“Grainger, this is Valerie Tarzin, Steve’s wife.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her hand politely.
“I understand you’ve already met my husband?”
“I have,” I said, meeting the man’s angry, jealous eyes. I didn’t understand how the whole town didn’t know how he felt about Eve. He might as well wear it right next to his badge the way he was glaring at me. But, somehow, he managed to politely shake my outheld hand.
The line moved, so they moved forward, leaving Eve and me to go back to her meal. I watched them go even as I sat back down.
“How long have they been married?”
Eve followed my gaze. “Thirteen years.”
“No kids?”
She shook her head. “Valerie had an infection after her third miscarriage. Kids aren’t in the cards for them.”
“That’s too bad.”
Eve played with the food on her plate, suddenly lost in thought. I touched my fork to hers.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
She shrugged. “I was just thinking how hard it must be for Valerie. She loves kids. She volunteers as a Sunday School teacher at church and she used to run a daycare center until it just became too much for her. I think... I think her inability to have kids is part of what led to their separation this last summer.”
“Do you want kids?”
She looked up, surprise making her big eyes even bigger. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Just curious, I guess.”
She tilted her head slightly as though she was giving it honest thought. “I always kind of imagined I would have a family someday. That after college and I’d established my career, I would meet some good, kind man and we’d have two or three kids.” Her eyes moved back to her plate of food. “But then Momma got sick and things changed.”
“You can still have all of that, you know. The order just might change a little.”
She shook her head. “I can’t leave the motel and no one in his right mind is going to marry a woman with as much baggage as I come with. Besides, it wouldn’t be safe to bring a child into a home where someone with my mom’s condition lives.”
I knew immediately what she was talking about. Most of the bruises were hidden by her clothes, but there was still the hint of a bruise on her jaw where her mother had punched her a couple of days ago. I touched it, tracing my finger over the uneven edges of it.
“It won’t be like this forever.”
“No, but long enough for my future to die a little.”
I slid a little closer to her on the bench of the picnic table, tugging at her hip to draw her into the circle of my spread legs.
“Nothing is set in concrete,” I said against her ear, nuzzling the side of her face like a lover might do. “It all depends on how you look at the world. People who know, without a doubt, what they want out of life, people who work hard and go after their dreams, are the ones who are most likely to achieve them.”
“And you? What’s your dream?”
A month ago, I would have thought it was Misty. I would have said marrying Misty, possessing her legally, was the only thing I truly wanted out of life. But now? I wasn’t quite sure.
“I want to go home and see my parents,” I said softly. “I haven’t seen them in five years. And then? I don’t know. I guess I’ll figure that out as I go along.”
“Do you want a wife? Kids?”
“Someday.”
“But not anytime soon?”
“I don’t know.”
She pulled back and looked into my eyes, those beautiful eyes filled with so much that I couldn’t begin to decipher it all. I touched the side of her face, my thumb brushing ag
ainst her bottom lip. I was overwhelmed with the need to kiss her. I still wasn’t sure my touch was welcoming to her, but I had to kiss her just like I needed to breathe.
Our lips brushed, mine lingering even as hers attempted to pull away. But then she moved into me, moving so close that it was like she’d pulled me into a strawberry scented cloud. I nibbled on her bottom lip, drew it between my teeth and ran the tip of my tongue over it, loving the taste of it, of her. And then I invaded her, loving the soft moan she issued against my lips, loving the almost naive way she responded, the way she was almost hesitant in her movements.
I’d never been with a woman whose kiss was this sweet, whose every touch was shy and reassuring all at once. I’d never craved a touch nearly as much as I craved hers.
“Eve,” I whispered against her lips.
A hand clamped down hard on my shoulder.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
Kirkland.
I followed him out toward the back of the house, followed him until we were far enough from the party that no one could accidentally overhear our conversation.
“You didn’t check in this morning.”
“She insisted that I attend church with her.”
It wasn’t the complete truth. She had asked, but she didn’t insist. I went because I could see the logic in it. And I saw the plea in her eyes.
“You need to check in every day.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kirkland looked me over for a long moment. “How is the case going, anyway? Any more problems?”
“No. Everything’s been quiet since that Jim Bob stopped coming around.”
“What about Eve? The two of you look cozy.”
I glanced over my shoulder to where Eve was already surrounded by well-meaning neighbors. She was watching us, concern written so brightly on her face that I could see it from here.
“We’re just trying to make this thing look authentic.”
“I realize our roles often make it easy to cross a line, but you should be careful to make it clear to Eve that this is only for the duration of the job. She’s a good friend of Sutherland’s. We don’t want to cause hurt feelings.”
“Eve knows exactly where we stand, Mr. Parish.”
Kirkland nodded, his attention momentarily distracted by the sight of his wife standing near Sutherland, clearly deep in conversation about one thing or another.
“We’ll give this thing a couple more days, but if there’s no more action on the part of the developers, I don’t see a good reason for us to continue taking Ms. Spraberry’s money. Do you?”
“No sir.”
“Then we can come clean and stop this damn charade.”
I nodded again, but there was this lump in my throat at the idea of returning to reality.
What the hell was the matter with me? I never wanted this case, never wanted to spend time with a frumpy little egg-shaped creature like Eve. What did it matter if the case lasted weeks or ended after a few more days? What did I care? But I did. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
Chapter 10
Eve
I escaped to use the bathroom, pausing to stare at myself in the mirror. I almost didn’t recognize myself. My cheeks were glowing and my eyes were big and round, my hair a lovely mess and my cleavage a little less unattractive with the bright red blush that had come to enhance it. I’d never disliked what I saw in the mirror, but I never liked it all that much, either. Tonight, I was pretty sure I wasn’t as indifferent toward it.
I might think I was a little pretty.
I stepped out of the house, humming under my breath along with the song the band was playing. A hand grabbed my upper arm and dragged me around the corner of the house. I thought—I hoped—for a moment that it was Grainger, but then I found myself looking up at Steve.
“I know this whole thing is some sort of joke.”
“Excuse me?”
“You and that North fellow. What kind of a man would leave Santa Monica to make a life with a silly girl at her family owned motel?”
“The kind of guy who fell in love with a silly girl.”
Steve snorted. “Like he’s really in love with you. All that kissing and touching... he’s just taking advantage of you.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he thinks you’ve got some money squirreled away somewhere.”
I pushed against Steve’s chest and tried to move around him, but he grabbed my arm again and slammed me hard against the stone side of the house.
“I won’t sit back and watch him hurt you.”
“Who’s hurting me?”
Steve’s eyes narrowed. “You were mine first.”
“I was never yours!” I pushed against his chest in an attempt to get around him again, but he shoved me easily against the side of the house. “In case you forgot, you’re married.”
He raised his hand like he was going to slap me, but then he slowly allowed it to fall to his side.
“You better watch yourself, Eve. I could be a good friend to you. But I could also be a dark enemy.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear you threatening my wife,” Grainger said as he came around the corner, his hand stealing mine and pulling me back against his chest. I felt for a moment like I had suddenly become some sort of yo-yo, being pulled between these two men, neither of whom would ever rightfully be mine.
Steve glared at Grainger, but he didn’t attempt to defend himself. Instead, he focused on me. “Remember what I said,” he said before walking away.
“What the hell was that all about?” Grainger asked.
I just shook my head as I pulled away from him. “I’m tired. Do you think it would be rude to sneak out?”
I was already walking away, but Grainger kept right up with me. A half dozen families had already headed out, so we weren’t the first to leave. In fact, Sutherland was standing near Grainger’s truck, waving goodbye to the Brandts as they pulled out in their minivan.
“Leaving?”
I walked up to her and took her outstretched hands, moving in to kiss her cheek lightly.
“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.”
“It’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what you and your mother have done for me.”
I nodded, remembering all the times my mom drove out here twelve years ago, in the aftermath of Mitchell Knight’s death. No one knew Sutherland then, no one knew what to think of the beautiful outsider who’d come to take over the largest ranch—the biggest employer and the largest producer of cattle—in the area. My mom was one of the first to embrace her, to offer her the support the community would eventually begin to provide. I knew how important that was, especially now.
“Thank you just the same.”
“How’s your mom?”
I just nodded, hoping the sadness and grief wasn’t written all over my face like it was written on my heart.
“Doing as well as to be expected.”
Sutherland squeezed my hands. “And that one? Is he keeping himself in line?”
“He’s a God send.”
She nodded, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “Take care of yourself, Eve. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”
I didn’t agree with her, but I thanked her again. Grainger took my hand as we separated, offered Sutherland a brief thanks, and led me to the truck. We drove in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. I stared out the window, wondering how long it would take for me to live down the rumors and lies that were born tonight, the ugliness the truth would eventually bring to light. If Steve had figured out that this thing was all a sham, then everyone else would, too. I’d be a laughing stock. I’d be the sad spinster everyone was always laughing at, but no one really gave a shit about.
“Did you have fun?” Marko wanted to know when we walked into the motel office.
“Did you know?” I asked.
He smiled. “Everyone knew. Sutherland must have made a hundred phone calls over t
he last three days.”
“She’s pretty amazing.”
I slipped past him, suddenly too tired to talk about it anymore. I thought I saw a glance move between Marko and Grainger, but I didn’t want to know. There were too many lies, too many secrets. I couldn’t quite keep up with them all.
I’d just stepped into the apartment when Grainger caught up with me. He snagged my wrist as I rounded the corner into the hallway outside the bedrooms.
“Eve?”
“I’m tired, Grainger. I don’t think I can handle anymore conversation tonight.”
“Who said anything about conversation?”
He pulled me close to him, his hand coming to slide up the side of my face. He pulled my jaw up, positioning my lips to join his. My heart was already pounding, my head already spinning. Today had been my first taste of his kiss, but I already ached for it, already could feel the fantasies that would burn in my head for the rest of my life at the memory of that kiss.
I grew up in a small town, the daughter of a single mother. I was something of an outcast at school, a novelty. Women didn’t get divorced in small towns. They didn’t allow their men to run off or to die. Women stayed with their men, they made their marriages work or they found new men to care for them in this little town. My mom had the nerve to be alone, to choose independence over the dependency every other woman chose. And she raised me to be the same, unaware of what an oddity that would make me among my schoolmates. I wasn’t a popular girl. The girls thought I was something of a freak. The boys saw me as frigid. I could count on one hand how many times I’d been kissed in high school.
After high school? I was too busy caring for my mother to go parking with some guy.
Grainger’s kiss wasn’t my first, but it was definitely the most exciting.
He wasn’t gentle this time. He didn’t simply brush his lips over mine and call it good. This time he possessed my lips from the first touch, devouring them and begging for more. He kissed me like Rhett Butler kissed Scarlett O’Hara the night Atlanta burned. He kissed me like Harry kissed Sally on that long fated New Year’s Eve. It was a kiss I’d imagined a million times—yeah, I actually did pay attention to those romantic movies my mom loved so much—but never thought I’d experience.
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