“Touch me,” Eve said, her warm breath mingling with his. “Here.”
Dylan groaned as Eve initiated kiss number three. Her hand guided his, telling him what she wanted without words.
Soft and firm, Eve’s breast curved perfectly into his palm. Through the thin cotton of her shirt, he found the hard tip of her nipple, his thumb teasing and caressing.
“Good?” Dylan asked, echoing her earlier question to him.
“No,” Eve gasped.
“Bullshit,” Dylan said, tightening his hold just a bit.
“Good?” Eve sighed, then bit at the curve of his jaw. “More like spectacular.”
Dylan grinned.
“Then I shouldn’t stop?”
Before Eve could answer, a knock sounded on the door. She tensed, every muscle in her body stiffening.
“Pretend you didn’t hear.”
Dylan waited as he watched the indecision on Eve’s face. He could tell she was tempted. For a few passion-filled minutes, she lowered the wall she’d erected around herself and let him in. But when the knock came again, accompanied by the sound of Mrs. Dowd’s voice, he knew their brief interlude had ended.
Eve’s feet hit the floor with a thud.
Taking a shaky breath, her gaze rested on Dylan’s lips before rising to look into his eyes. He saw traces of lingering passion but most of all, he saw the sadness. He wondered if she saw the same.
“What’s the verdict?” Dylan asked with a wry smile. “Are my lips pillowy soft or not?”
“Two thumbs up,” Eve said. She didn’t return his smile. “Thank you.”
“Why?” Dylan shook his head. “I’m the one who received the favor.”
“You gave me something to remember. Thank you for the perfect last memory.”
Briefly, Eve’s hand lingered on his arm before sliding away. Turning her gaze from his, she walked away. Unknowingly, she carried a piece of Dylan’s heart with her.
▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲
CHAPTER ELEVEN
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EVE RESTED HER head on the wall. Eyes closed, tired, and sad in a way she didn’t fully understand, she listened to the silence of the room.
Six meager boxes sat near the front door. The contents—almost a year of Eve’s life, was slated to be dropped off at the Goodwill.
Daisy’s belongings were packed inside a small, pink suitcase that sported a picture of her namesake flower on the side. The little girl’s favorite teddy bear sat on the case, ready to provide love and comfort on the trip to Seattle.
“Did I do enough?” Eve whispered as her gaze wandered to the sofa where Daisy slept. “I know you won’t remember our time together. But I want you to know, I tried my best.”
Eve rubbed her eyes, swallowing the lump in her throat. She would have happily cried, but the tears weren’t there. All she could do was sit and wait and wish for some relief from the weight of sadness resting on her chest.
In a few hours, Eve would be on her own again. Free to come and go as she chose. If she wanted to leave at a moment’s notice, no one would care. She should have been elated. The responsibility of caring for someone else had been lifted. No more responsibility. No one to worry about but herself.
No more Daisy. That was the problem. Much to Eve’s surprise, from the start, taking care of the little girl was more of a joy than then a burden. She would miss Trident, New Mexico, and the small group of friends she acquired.
For the first time in Eve’s life, she had people to miss. She thought about the phone numbers and addresses she’d stored in her phone. As she went around and quit her jobs, everyone made her promise to stay in touch.
Maybe, for once, Eve would.
Now what? Eve was at a loss about what to do and where to go. North? East? Should she take out a map, close her eyes, and point? Not so long ago, the prospect would have excited her. New horizons to explore, new faces to see. Why was the prospect so freaking depressing?
Give yourself time, Eve thought. She was bound to adjust. In no time, she would be back to her old self. After a month, or two, when she raised her face to the breeze and breathed in, her blood would race as she was filled with the familiar call to see what lay over the next horizon.
A light knock at the door broke into Eve’s somber musings. Looking at her watch, she frowned. The knock sounded again. She glanced at Daisy, relieved when the little girl didn’t stir and rolled to her feet. Cautiously, she cracked open the front door.
“Dylan?” Eve slipped into the hallway. “What are you doing here? Your plane doesn’t leave until this afternoon.”
“Eve—”
“I want to spend some time alone with Daisy.” Eve heard a note of desperation creep into her voice. She didn’t care. If she had to beg, she would. “You get her for the rest of your life. Can’t I have a few more hours?”
“Come with us.”
“What are you talking about?” Eve asked. “Go where? Who is us?”
“To Seattle,” he said. He took hold of her arms. “With Daisy and me.”
Yes. The word popped into Eve’s head without a second thought. Or a first. Looking at Dylan’s messy hair and the dark circles under his blurry eyes, she wondered who was the crazy one. Her? Or him?
“If you were influenced by what happened yesterday, snap out of it.” Instead of a slap across the face, she pushed at his chest. He dropped his arms. “We shared one kiss—”
“Three,” he said. “We shared three kisses.”
Eve didn’t think Dylan’s reminder was necessary—or timely. As for the smirk on his pillowy lips? Unbelievable. The jerk Maybe she needed to slap him after all.
“Do you honestly believe I would ask you to come with me—to my home—because of a kiss?”
Three kisses, Eve thought, then mentally rolled her eyes. Okay. Maybe she was the one who needed a good slap.
“You tell me,” Eve countered
