Somehow, despite her mother’s best efforts, Eve lived with hope.
“One day, you’ll find love.”
Eve smiled. At Dylan. For the second time. And yes, he planned to count each one.
“Think so?”
“I believe we get what we deserve.” Dylan returned her smile. “And you, Eve Stewart, deserve to be loved.”
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CHAPTER EIGHT
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YOU DESERVE TO be loved.
Remembering Dylan’s words, Eve closed her eyes and snuggled under the covers. She wasn’t someone who got carried away by a man’s pretty words. But for the first time, she sympathized with Ellie. Romantic to a fault, if Tanner spoke half as well as his brother, her friend probably fell like a piece of ripe fruit.
“Dylan didn’t try to seduce me.” Eve sat up, some of the giddiness popping like bubbles in the champagne she enjoyed the night before. “Why not?”
Jumping from the bed, Eve ran to the mirror. Peering close, she sighed. Okay, she wasn’t a raving beauty. Her skin was good—clear and bright. However, with her face scrubbed free of makeup, she looked like someone’s less attractive little sister.
Angry with herself for putting too much importance on society’s idea of what constituted beauty, Eve ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing down the ends.
“Who needs curves and cleavage when I have a strong body.” Keeping her voice low so she didn’t wake Daisy, she lifted her nightgown and stared at her less than impressive chest, Eve reminded herself to be grateful. “Minimal is better. Boobs just get in the way when there’s work to get done.”
With a rare morning off, Eve wondered what she should do?
The refrigerator needed a good scrubbing, but the idea made Eve sad. For once, she wanted to spend her time doing something useless and fun. Unfortunately, her experience was limited.
Dylan’s image popped into Eve’s head. She would bet anything that he knew how to play. The question was, did she have the nerve to find out? The answer was a resounding no!
Eve might be fearless most of the time, but where Dylan Montgomery was concerned, she felt like a lamb left alone with a large, dangerously handsome wolf.
“Hungry.” Daisy, bright and chipper the moment she opened her eyes, held her arms out with complete certainty her wishes would be catered to. Instinctively sweet to her soul, the little girl tempered her demands with a kiss to Eve’s cheek. “Pretty.”
“You will not be a spoiled brat,” Eve declared with a stern look then melted at the sight of Daisy’s big blue eyes. “Promise.”
“Brat. Brat. Brat,” Daisy gurgled.
“My little parrot,” Eve said, chuckling as she prepared breakfast. “I need to start watching what I say around you.”
Daisy, as if on cue, chose to remain quiet for once. Eve wasn’t fooled for a second. About to launch into a lecture on the importance of keeping some of your thoughts to yourself, a knock on the door spared them both.
“Saved by the bell, so to speak.”
“Bell. Bell. Bell.” Amused at herself, Daisy laughed and laughed.
Grabbing her robe, Eve slid her arms through the sleeves and grimaced when she noticed the hole worn near the pocket.
“Poo,” Eve said as she opened the door.
“Interesting greeting,” Dylan said. “Mind if I come in?”
“You’re up and about at an early hour.”
“Whenever possible, a sunrise should not be missed.”
Eve agreed. Her gaze narrowed.
“How much luggage did you bring?” she asked, staring at his black jeans and white button-down shirt. She stood aside and let him enter. “Another day, another outfit heard from.”
“I like the variety.” Dylan’s gaze fell onto Eve. Taking in her robe, he winced but didn’t comment. Instead, he turned his attention to Daisy. “How’s my sweetheart this fine morning?”
“Unc-D.” Daisy placed a smacking kiss on Dylan’s cheek.
Eve rolled her eyes. Was there a woman alive who didn’t fall for the man’s charms?
“You’re a flirt,” Eve told the little girl.
“Must have learned the skill from you,” Dylan snorted.
“Hungry, Unc-D.”
“Then I better feed you.”
Dylan knew where everything was—a fact Eve found both disconcerting and kind of sweet. The effort he made with Daisy touched her and it was plain as day that the little girl adored him. They looked good together. Right.
The thought sent an ache through the region of Eve’s heart.
“Unc-D?” Eve frowned. “When did Daisy start calling you uncle?”
“Yesterday.” As Dylan fed the little girl a spoonful of cereal, he cleared his throat. “Seems appropriate.”
Eve didn’t need an entire laboratory to land on her to understand what Dylan meant.
“The DNA results came back.”
“No doubt,” Dylan said. “Tanner is Daisy’s father.”
Shaky, her breath coming in short, inadequate spurts, Eve felt for a chair. Her hand found nothing but air. I’m going to faint. The thought made no sense. She never gave into emotion or panic. When things got tough, she got tougher. And yet, as inexplicable as the feeling was, her legs started to buckle.
Eve didn’t hit the floor. Instead, she floated. Safe, sound. She wanted to close her eyes and stay there for a long, long time.
“Careful,” Dylan said, his dark eyes filled with concern.
Confused, Eve tipped her head only to find Dylan looking down at her. His arms held her tight. Her fingers grasped the hand—his hand—firmly tucked around her waist.
For the first time in forever, since she was too young to remember, someone carried her in his arms. More than anything, Eve wanted to savor the feeling. If the look on Dylan’s face was an indication, he wouldn’t complain.
Just a second, Eve promised herself as she rested her head on Dylan’s strong shoulder. Why, she wondered, did his arms feel so right? No one would care if she gave into temptation and stayed here forever. Right? Wrong!
Eve would care. If she let herself rely on Dylan, when the inevitable happened and he let go, the fall would injure her in ways she didn’t want to think about.
As Eve’s mother said, again and again, the
