Evelyn
Nathan ran his fingers down my arm while he pressed his lips on my shoulder. I smiled, my eyes closing with the more than welcome caress.
“I could lay like this with you every day.” He spoke against my skin. As if thinking through what he had said, he corrected his words. “I will be in bed with you like this every day, for the rest of my life.”
I couldn’t see his smile, but I felt it.
This was the perfect way to start the day, especially after all the craziness that awaited. He would be talking to Jessica, and though he wanted me to go with him, I decided not to. I would be having a conversation of my own with her.
I knew it hurt Nathan. He did consider her his friend. It was never easy to turn your back on those that you cared about, even if they’d been in the wrong.
“Are you feeling better?”
How couldn’t I feel better when he treated me like a queen? We’d gotten home, made love; he gave me a massage, spoiled me with endless snacks, and then we made love again. And now, the sun was up, and we still lay in bed, cuddled up, and he kept showering me with kisses.
For that moment, life was perfect.
“I feel great.” I turned on my back to look up at him. His hair was a tousled mess, and he grinned down at me, gray eyes sparkling with amusement.
“What?” I furrowed my eyebrows, not understanding why he looked at me that way.
“You have sex written all over your face,” he said, throwing his head back in laughter.
I ran my fingers through his hair, messing it up even more. “So? We’re together and having a baby. This is normal.”
Nathan nuzzled my neck, and I felt a shiver run down my body as he nipped at my skin gently. My eyes fluttered closed as his tongue slid out, igniting every sense in my body yet again.
I truly had no one else to compare sex with, but I doubted it would ever be any good with someone else. Nathan was the only man in my life, the only man I ever wanted with me.
It dawned on me how lucky I was to have found him without even trying. I didn’t have to do the whole “search or wait for the love of your life” thing.
I moaned softly when his hand tugged gently at my overly sensitive nipples, toying with them as his lips traveled down my neck, while my own hands traveled down his back, feeling his muscles tense with the feel of my touch.
“Shouldn’t you start to get ready?” I asked him, though I didn’t want him to leave.
“Yeah,” he replied, lowering his lips further down my belly and then even further. My eyes widened slightly when I realized his intentions, and the devilish smirk on his face made my heart beat faster.
When his tongue met my heated flesh, I moaned, throwing my head back as he buried his face between my legs, making me forget completely about everything else.
***
The water cascaded around us in the shower while Nathan kept spoiling me, this time lathering me up with soap. He’d already shampooed my hair, but he kept getting distracted, his hands trying to do the job that my own could do in the first place.
This is just a way for him to keep touching me.
I didn’t mind. He would have a long day at the gallery, and deep down I knew this was his way of easing his concern before confronting Jessica. Knowing Nathan, he would step back and leave the gallery because that was just who he was. My heart hurt for him. His dream had finally come true, and now it was all slipping through his fingers, as if he had worked for nothing at all.
He didn’t deserve it.
However, I had my own plans to help Nathan keep the gallery. Something told me that Jessica wasn’t too interested in art before she met him, so I didn’t think she would mind selling her part to me…or him.
“Who called you last night?” Nathan’s question made me tense, as I was still unsure what to make of anything myself.
Regardless, he deserved to know.
“Hannah.” Scowling, Nathan leaned his head back on the shower wall, clearly disapproving even the mention of my sister’s name. I placed my hands on his chest, getting his attention once again. “It’s okay, I’m okay.”
He sighed, shaking his head.
Of course he didn’t. Not after everything we’d been through because of her. If I told him about Hannah’s connection to the events with Derek, he would surely disagree with me going to meet her. I would have to tell him after I had the full story. If not, I’d need to prepare for another argument.
He’d get mad, but this was something I had to do. Nathan would understand. Eventually.
“She wants me to visit her.”
His head snapped in my direction, his piercing eyes almost intimidating. Almost. He was furious, and though he didn’t direct it towards me, it was clear nothing would come out of this conversation.
Later, Evie.
Take your time.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Evie,” he cautioned, shutting the water off, a sign that, just like the shower was done, so was the conversation.
I couldn’t drop the subject, not without trying to get more insight into what he thought. “Why?”
He snorted, opening the shower door and furiously taking the towel in his hand.
Stupid question, Evie.
Everyone knew exactly why I shouldn’t talk to her, shouldn’t even consider it. I was sure if I told Carter he’d have the same reaction. I had to do this on my own.
“You know what?” I said as Nathan wrapped the towel around my body. He raised an eyebrow, not saying a word. “Let’s talk about this later. You have a lot on your mind right now, okay?”
He nodded, agreeing with me. We wouldn’t discuss this, though. Not until I had my answers.
***
Nathan
Going to the gallery to clear shit up with Jessica was the last thing I wanted to do. I was ready to give it up to avoid any more problems with her, salvage a bit of our friendship. She was a good person, had been through a lot, but dealing with this situation wasn’t on my list of priorities. If she didn’t understand that, there was nothing else to do.
My main worry now was trying to keep Evelyn out of trouble, away from Hannah. Her timing was suspicious, and the last thing I wanted was her to hurt Evelyn yet again. It was too much for her, and I was afraid that it was all going to add up potentially affecting the baby.
Just as I arrived at the gallery, my phone buzzed, and when I read the message, it took all my control not to drive back to Evie.
Evie: I’m going to visit Derek. Don’t be mad.
I saw Jessica speaking to someone by the office, and she offered me a shy smile, one I didn’t return at all. We wouldn’t talk about anything until closing time, except I wasn’t sure that I should linger with her there.
It was going to be a chaotic day.
Other than brief conversations regarding clients or purchases, Jessica and I didn’t talk. It was safer—she couldn’t misunderstand my intentions that way.
By the time we closed, and all the clients had left, Jessica was already in the office probably on the laptop evaluating purchases. Deciding to not prolong the inevitable, I went to the office to discuss the future of the business we had started together.
It was a shame it had all come to this.
I opened the door to the office quietly. “Jessica?”
There was movement inside, yet she didn’t call out for me to come in.
What I didn’t expect was to see her in a bright red robe that contrasted her against her pale skin in the most daunting way.
Or the way she opened the robe and let it fall down her otherwise naked body.