She grabbed the lapels of his jacket. “Yeah.” Then she pressed her lips to his.
For a brief moment, their lips touched, their breath mingled, and time froze. Evelyn didn’t know what she was doing or thinking, but she knew she wanted to stay in his arms. Tilting her head, she opened her mouth and swiped her tongue out.
When her tongue touched his, he let out a groan. Then he firmly planted his hands on her hips and pulled away. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes burned into hers. His look said it all. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. Yet he kept her at arm’s distance.
She took his hand and tugged. “Come on.”
He pulled away, put his hands on her shoulders, and turned her. “Go to bed. I’m going to get you a glass of water and some aspirin.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Sure.”
She went to her bedroom and waited. When he came in carrying a glass, she turned her back to him and scooped her hair up. “Unzip me?”
He sighed as if she were trying his patience. He set the glass and pills on her bedside table and then unzipped her dress. His fingers brushed her back, and his breath was like a feather against her skin. She wanted to feel his hands everywhere. She tugged at the front of the dress and let it drop.
Stepping from the dress pooled at her feet, she wrapped her arms around his neck. When she leaned in to kiss him again, he stopped her.
“Not like this, Evelyn.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re drunk.”
“Tipsy.”
“Really buzzed.”
“I’m thinking clearly. I want this, and so do you.”
“Not when there’s room for regret or uncertainty. I can’t let you use me to feel better and then pull away again.”
What? They’d used each other last time. They’d agreed on that going in. She hadn’t pulled away by herself. They both had. “You’re the one pulling away now.”
“I’m talking about afterward.” He stepped back and waved a hand toward her bed. “Get some sleep.”
She huffed and crawled into bed, giving him a full view of what he could be having right now. Flopping against the pillows, she said, “You know just as well as I do that we’ve both been thinking about it a lot lately. I don’t know exactly how or when things started to change, but they have. You feel it.”
He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand.
“Please do me the favor and don’t deny it. Drunk or sober, I’d say this. If you don’t want to act on it, I’ll accept that, but don’t pretend it doesn’t exist.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Okay.”
She swallowed hard. Did he not want to act on it? Had she just blown the best friendship she’d ever had? He backed out of the room.
At the door, he said, “Drink the water. I’ll call when I get off work.”
She did as he said and gulped the water. It didn’t do anything to remove the dusty feeling in her mouth or push past the tightness in her throat as she watched Owen leave.
…
Owen spent two restless nights replaying everything Evelyn had said. He hadn’t felt this mixed up and confused since he was a teenager. He believed in being honest and up-front with anyone he was involved with. That meant that if he had feelings beyond lust and attraction, he said so.
Except with Evelyn. With her, he’d ignored the lust and attraction. Their emotional attachment to each other had been obvious. They did everything together. They celebrated and commiserated. They turned to each other first for everything important in their lives.
However, the lines had always been a little fuzzy because of the physical attraction. When they’d first met, they had admitted to the attraction and then backed off because they weren’t in a place for a relationship. Even as they’d become friends, his attraction to her had never waned. He’d just pretended it wasn’t there.
Lately, she’d been making it difficult to discount their chemistry.
What the hell am I supposed to do? He was used to her brand of avoidance, making jokes to keep things light. But when she’d crawled into bed and asked him not to deny their attraction, he hadn’t known what to say. It was unlike her to call him out like that. She’d said she would understand if he didn’t want to act on it. His body hadn’t needed a second to think. It had screamed for him to pounce.
Luckily, he wasn’t a clueless teenager anymore. He knew what was at stake. Could they go there and be okay? What was the likelihood it wouldn’t work out? They already spent all their time together. They knew each other’s quirks and bad habits, and they still liked each other.
Maybe Nina had been right all along.
All day yesterday, he’d been plagued with snippets of conversations and innuendo that Nina had made over many cups of coffee at Sunny’s. Of course, it didn’t help that it had been the slowest day on earth at the firehouse. They’d cleaned equipment, gone grocery shopping, and played too many hands of poker. He hated shifts like that. They gave him too much time to be in his own head.
He was so bored and desperate for a distraction that he offered to cook breakfast, even though they were off in a little while.
“Hey, knucklechuck,” Tony called from the table. “Those pancakes are gonna burn. If I wanted a crap breakfast, I’d wait until I got home to eat.”
Owen flipped Tony the bird and then turned the pancakes. So they were a little dark. It wasn’t like it mattered. These guys would eat almost anything.
Karen came up behind him and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Where’s your head? You’ve been out of it all shift.”
“Got a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
Jamal clicked the remote to mute the TV. “Sounds like woman problems. What’s her name?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He took the pancakes off the griddle and poured the next batch.
“You know that just piques our interest more,” Karen said, hopping up to sit on the counter.
Jamal twisted on the couch to face him, early-morning news no longer holding his attention. “What does Evelyn say about it?”
“Evelyn?” Karen asked.
“His friend.” Jamal put air quotes around “friend” as if no one in the room could figure out his meaning from his tone. “Haven’t you ever met her? She usually comes to barbecues and stuff.”
Karen shook her head. “Is she like your wingwoman or something?”
“Or something,” Owen answered. He pulled the last of the pancakes off the griddle and set them on the counter. “Food.”
“Come on. Details,” Karen prodded.
He didn’t respond. He just turned to the sink to clean up.
Karen moved next to him and bumped his shoulder. “All joking aside, if you need to talk…”
“Thanks, but I’m good.” It was mostly true. Nothing in his life was falling apart. He didn’t need to unburden himself to his coworkers. Though calling his brother Dave might help.
Guys from the next shift started coming in, and he almost regretted having to leave. At least while on shift, he could avoid having to actually do anything.
His phone pinged in his pocket. He pulled it out.
Heading to work. Dinner tonight?
Was the woman in his head? She offered him no escape. He told her to come over after work. That bought him another twelve hours or so to figure shit out. Nothing like being under a deadline. Knowing Evelyn, she would definitely want to talk about what had happened. Or what hadn’t happened.
When he got to his car, he called Dave, knowing his brother would already be at work.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Got some time to talk?”
“Sure.”
Owen didn’t know where to start. He pulled into traffic and headed for home.
“You need to say something for it to be considered talking.”
“How did you know that Alicia was the one?”
“I fell in love with her. I couldn’t imagine my life
without her. What are you getting at?”
Maybe Dave wasn’t the best person. He’d waited until he was in his thirties to get engaged. He didn’t already have a failed marriage under his belt.
“I’ve been thinking about Evelyn.”
“It’s about time.”
“Why does everyone say that shit?”
“Because even an idiot could see how perfect you guys are together.”
“We’re best friends. But my track record for relationships isn’t great. What if I fuck this up? I’d lose my best friend.”
Movement on the line told him that Dave was probably standing so he could pace. His brother was a pacer when he talked.
“I think the bigger question is what happens if you don’t act? Don’t you still run the risk of losing her? Evelyn’s not going to be alone forever. I’m kind of surprised she’s been single this long.”
Everything Dave said echoed Nina’s words. What was wrong with not wanting change? “I don’t want to lose what we have. I want things to stay the same.”
“Like the saying goes, the only constant in life is change. You grow, you change. You’re not the same person who married Stacy. What happened wasn’t your fault.”
He knew that. Stacy had chosen to cheat on him with someone she claimed was a friend. But maybe if Owen had paid closer attention, he would’ve seen what was lacking in their marriage and stopped it from imploding. He’d been clueless, and he’d lost everything.
His inability to see what was right in front of him made him guarded. He swore he’d never be so foolish again. From that point on, he’d protected his heart by not letting anyone get too close. Except for Evelyn. She’d sneaked past every defense he had.
“Do you love Evelyn?”
His gut reaction was to say yes, but he stopped and measured his words. “She’s my best friend. I love her. But am I in love with her? I don’t think so.”
“But you can picture it. If you gave it half a chance, you’d be head over heels ready to walk the aisle again.”
“Don’t get crazy, man. I’m in no hurry for marriage.”
“This is Evelyn we’re talking about. You’ve never trusted anyone like you do her. I think you trust her more than you trust me.”
“Well, you did steal my baseball card collection when we were kids.”
“Let it go, man.”
They laughed, and Owen felt better. He parked in front of his house and said goodbye.
“Before you hang up, keep an open mind. Talk to her. Let her know what worries you.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“You did remember to request time off for the wedding, right?”
“If I hadn’t, it’d be a little late now. It’s been set for months, bro. I’ll be there. Have my flight booked and everything.” What kind of brother would he be if he’d forgotten? The wedding was in less than two weeks.
“I figured, but Alicia has been nagging me to check. Call later if you need to talk more.”
“Will do.”
He went inside and grabbed Probie’s leash. A run always cleared his head.
Chapter Five
For the two days after the award ceremony, Evelyn threw herself into producing the follow-up show. Harry had tried to talk to her twice since then, and she’d successfully dodged him. She couldn’t commit to doing more shows like that one. If Harry wouldn’t let her do the new show she’d pitched, she’d have to find someone who would.
Everything was in place for the episode she’d planned, B-roll footage, a few well-placed clips from the original episode, and guests who could speak on the volatile subject—none of whom were the kids who had suffered this tragedy. Harry and Trent would get their sparks and excitement, and she could hold on to the shreds of her soul.
In three days, they’d film. Three more days of dodging Harry.
She’d also successfully avoided thinking about Owen. But now the clock was counting down. She knew he needed space to think, so she didn’t contact him while he was on duty. But she refused to bury her head. They were good together, and it made sense for them to take it to the next level. They already acted so much like a couple. They turned to each other for comfort and security. They shared everything about their lives. They laughed and cried together. They just fit. If she let him, Owen would hide and pretend she hadn’t kissed him or invited him into her bed.
She was done with that shit. She wanted him. Tonight, he needed to make a decision. If he didn’t want her, that was fine. She’d get over it. But she was done dancing around each other. Their chemistry was getting hard to ignore. They’d still be friends, but she wanted more. If he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—give her more, then she’d seek it elsewhere. Just like her job. It was time to go after what she wanted.
She really hoped Owen wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Leaving the studio, she texted to see if he wanted her to grab dinner. Sometimes he liked to cook, but other times, when coming off a shift, he wanted takeout. He quickly responded that he’d ordered Chinese.
No other conversation or question. Just a quick answer.
No way was she going to let him make this weird. When she got to his house, she grabbed her overnight bag from the back seat. Even if she didn’t end up spending the night with him, she didn’t want to stay in her work clothes.
But she really wanted to spend the night. Not on the couch. Not fully clothed. Taking a deep breath, she walked up the steps and let herself in his house.
Soft jazz played, and a small candle lit the center of his coffee table in the living room. She tried not to get her hopes up.
“Hey,” he said, coming from the kitchen. He wore his post-run outfit: a pair of low-slung sweatpants and a worn T-shirt.
She looked around. “Where’s Probie? He always greets me.”
“I think I wore him out on our run. Ready to eat?”
“I’m starved, but I want to change first. With my luck, I’d spill something and it’s a bitch to get stains out of this blouse.” She knew from experience. She’d spilled coffee on it a couple of times already.
“I’ll get the food set up. I was getting ready to put it in the oven because I wasn’t sure how long you’d be working.” He turned to go back to the kitchen.
She went to the bathroom and changed into the yoga pants and tank top she’d brought, carefully folding her work clothes and tucking them into her bag. She looked at the box of condoms she’d packed, hoping she’d have a use for them. Back in the living room, Owen sat on the couch, containers of Chinese food spread across the table. It was like any other night they’d shared dinner.
Except for that damn candle.
She set her bag next to the couch, and he looked up at her. His gaze traveled over her body as if he had never looked at her before. It was like the charged glances they’d been sharing, only amplified. That’s a good sign, right?
She sat down beside him. Her nerves got the better of her, so without waiting, she picked up a container and stabbed the chopsticks into it, not caring what it held. Ugh. Sweet-and-sour chicken.
He handed her a plate with fried rice and took the chicken from her, but he didn’t start eating.
“So,” he said.
She scooped up some rice and ate it. “So,” she answered around her mouthful.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“Thinking is good. Usually.” She forced her voice to remain calm and steady, even though her heart thundered in her chest.
He shot her a look. “I heard you the other day. About us. And the attraction. Yes, I’m attracted to you. I always have been. But changing things between us freaks me out.”
“Like I said, things have already changed or at least shifted. I don’t know that there’s any going back.”
“That’s what worries me. I date around because it keeps things simple, predictable, like your paternity test episodes. There’s no expectation for it to go anywhere with those dates. With you, I’d have expectations.”
She put her plate back on the table. “I didn’t bring this up because I’m horny. I’m not talking about getting laid.” She chuckled. “Well, obviously, that would be part of our relationship. Just not the only part. It would be like us. Only better.”
“Owen and Evelyn two-point-o?” he asked.
“Yeah, new and improved.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
She reached over and put her hand on his thigh. He covered her hand with his. The physical reassurance emboldened her.
“How could it not? That’s what I’ve been thinking about. We’re good together in every sense. Are you going to suddenly develop some weird habit that’ll make me crazy? We know each other better than most. We’ve seen each other through some rough times. You know I’m always going to be late. I know you need to run in order to think.” She waved a hand between them. “This makes sense.”
He continued to stare at her, but she couldn’t read him. The energy between them took on a life of its own.
“Sex changes things.” His voice was rough.
“We both know it’ll be good. More than good.”
Her nerves took over, so she knew the babbling would start. She’d learned how to control it in professional settings, but in personal interactions, it bubbled up from time to time. Like now, when everything important to her was on the line. “I don’t know what else to say or do. I want this, but if you don’t, that’s okay. I don’t fully understand because it’s not like I’m asking you to risk more than I am, but I can respect it. I can’t deal with the uncertainty—”
His hand came up to her cheek, cradling her jaw. “Shut up, Evelyn.”
Then he leaned forward and kissed her, cutting off all words and thoughts. Rationally, she knew this shouldn’t feel different. They’d kissed before. Hell, she’d kissed him two nights ago. But the weight of their discussion and the meaning behind the kiss changed everything.
His lips were soft against hers. Slight pressure and gentle nibbling had her leaning toward him, seeking more. His tongue slicked along her lips and into her mouth.
He held her head, his fingers threading into her hair. Her palms rubbed his chest, and she surged up to straddle his lap. Pressing her body tight to his, she wiggled her hips. He moved his hands to her ass and held her close.
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