Eve bustles around the apartment doing I have no idea what until the moment it’s time to leave. That’s when she takes a deep breath and meets my gaze. “Kinda freaking-out here,” she declares.
I slide my hand up her arm to her shoulder—knowing every second that I shouldn’t have touched her. “You’ll be fine. I’ll walk you all the way to your car and make sure you are in safe and the doors are locked before I go get mine. When you pull out of the garage, I’ll be on your heels.”
She nods. “Okay.”
“When we get to your office, I’ll wait in my car until I see you go safely inside. Got it?”
“Yes.” She nods definitively. “I’ll be fine.” She repeats my words.
“You will.” God, I hope so.
I do exactly as I’ve explained and follow her in my car until she’s safely at work. Only then do I breathe easier. I don’t pull away just yet. Instead, I scan the area for a while, watching for the man I’ve seen outside her apartment. So far, I’ve only seen him on foot. I’m hoping to catch him in a vehicle eventually.
No one is loitering around her building this morning, so I head to the precinct, taking the most roundabout way imaginable, just in case.
That evening, ten minutes before we are supposed to leave to go to Davis and Britney’s house, I’m leaning against the kitchen counter, wondering what Eve is doing in her bedroom. She went in there the moment we got back home and shut the door, mumbling about needing to change.
I glance at my watch again and shove off the counter, angling for her door. I knock softly. “Eve?”
Moments later, she opens the door. She’s wearing a soft pink robe, which she’s clutching around herself. Her hair is down, and I’m quickly learning I love it when it’s loose like this.
She’s been in here for over an hour, and she’s still not dressed for dinner?
“You okay?”
She sighs. “Not really.” She tucks a lock of wavy hair behind her ear.
I glance past her. The closet is open and a lot of clothes are lying on the bed, still on their hangers. I’m not sure what to say. I don’t have a clue what’s going on here. Eve does not strike me as an undecided woman who can’t throw some clothes on.
She clears her throat. “I’m not ready to be little in front of you.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“If you weren’t going to be with us, I would be myself in front of Britney. In her home. She’ll be little tonight. She’s little every night.”
“And what does it mean to be little exactly?”
She shrugs. “It’s complicated, but right now I’m just trying to decide what to wear, and frankly every time I pick something else up, my stomach ties into knots.”
“I don’t want you to feel stressed like that around me.”
“Can’t help it.”
I inhale slowly, hating that I’m causing her to panic. This is way outside my realm of understanding. “How about you just dress in something comfortable. I’m sure everyone will understand.”
“Yeah, I’m working on it. Give me five more minutes.” She shuts the door in my face.
I grin. I can’t help it. As much as I loathe disrupting her life, she is adorable when she’s flustered. It’s another side of her.
I wait in the living room, not bothering her again. She knows we’re late. I doubt anyone will say a word. This entire situation is awkward.
When she finally emerges, I’m surprised to see her in jeans and a white sweater. There’s nothing unusual about her attire. She has on dressy leather tennis shoes too. Her hair is hanging full down her back. A small white purse with a gold chain strap hangs from her shoulder. She opens the coat closet and grabs a puffy white ski jacket. As she puts it on, she meets my gaze. “Okay. I’m ready.”
I pull on my coat at the same time. “Can we go in my car?”
She nods. “No one will notice me leaving with you since your car is in the parking garage now.”
I open the door and let her pass through first. When she pulls the keys from her purse, I gently take them from her hand and lock the door. She doesn’t say a word about my highhandedness. I’m not even sure why I would do something like that. I rationalize that for one thing, she’s clearly shaking with nerves. For another, I want to ensure her door is indeed locked for my peace of mind.
She doesn’t say a word as we head down the stairs and approach my SUV. I open her door for her and wait for her to get settled before closing it. I’m perplexed by her many facets. Every time I’ve seen her in her professional work attire, she’s been strong and confident. It’s like she changes into another personality when she takes off her daytime clothes.
When we arrive at Davis and Britney’s house, I park out front and turn toward Eve. “We don’t have to do this.” She has been wringing her hands the entire drive.
“Yeah, we kinda do.” She says those heavy words as if she’s announcing that we have no choice but to attend a funeral. And she opens her door to jump down from my SUV before I can round the hood.
Davis opens the front door as we step onto the porch. I’ve never felt so unnerved with a woman. My instinct is to set a hand on the small of her back or thread my fingers with hers. I want her to relax, and I imagine I could accomplish that if I were touching her. But it wouldn’t be appropriate.
Eve is not my date. She’s a woman I’m protecting. The majority of my thoughts about her are completely inappropriate and I need to rein them in. I have no idea why I’m so drawn
