Chapter Three
Eva should feel guilty, but she didn’t. She knew exactly what she was doing when she asked Dalton for help with the shower. The guys she’d dated in the city were assholes, only concerned about sex and money. There was something appealing about a man with values. It was almost a challenge to see if she could get Dalton to lose his perfect self-control. As much as she didn’t want to be hit on, part of her craved it.
And she hoped he liked what he saw.
When he came out to help her in the bathroom, her plan backfired when Dalton only wore a pair of black jogging pants low on his hips. She’d never seen a real man so cut, so hard-muscled in her life. He towered over her. As much as she should avert her gaze, she couldn’t help but stare at that happy trail leading to a very impressive bulge in his pants.
“It’s an older house, so there’s a lot you’re probably not used to.” He leaned over the tub and reached for the three knobs. She stared at his back and broad shoulders, too tempted to run her nails along his tanned skin. How many hours a day did he have to work out to look that damn good? He said he was a firefighter, and just imagining him in his full gear made her pussy ache. She’d never felt such a base desire for a man before. Was it just his body or the mix of good looks and old-fashioned charm?
“I’ll get the hang of it,” she said. By the time he stood back up, the shower was running, the stream carrying his musky scent. She closed her eyes and breathed it in.
“I’ll leave you be now,” he said. “Call if you need me.”
I need something all right.
And just like that, he was gone, pulling the door tight behind him. Was this for real? In the city, she couldn’t count the number of jerks that wanted to get in her pants. She knew they’d leave her before the sheets were cool, no matter how many false promises they made beforehand. It was life in a cold, superficial world. The only life she knew.
Hope Springs was different, or at least Dalton was. He didn’t try to take from her, which only left her wanting more. He made her feel new all over, as if no real-world experiences had made her bitter. But Eva was smarter than that—it was all too good to be true.
When she’d finished showering, she dried off and returned to her room. Her suitcase was already up on her bed, so she just needed to unzip it. She could get used to this pampering, if she could remind herself Dalton wasn’t trying to use her.
She traded her blue jeans for cotton shorts. When she’d started her travels, she’d hoped for warmer weather, but this was more than she expected. She looked at herself in the mirror above the dresser. Her eyes began to well up with tears, but she forced them away. Damn that Mark! He’d managed to steal all her self-esteem, making her wonder if she’d ever find a good man. His betrayal had come out of left field, and every time she envisioned his perfect new girlfriend, a volatile energy built up inside her … always fizzling away once the sadness settled in.
Whatever… She’d live alone forever if she had to. It would be better than settling with a man who only tolerated her, waiting until he got someone younger, prettier, and thinner.
Eva took a deep breath, smoothed out her t-shirt, and then left her room. The scent of coffee brewing drifted upstairs, and her nerves eased. She tiptoed downstairs.
When she turned the corner toward the kitchen, Dalton was leaning over the counter. He’d put on a t-shirt, the thin fabric pulling tight across his shoulders. It didn’t help that she knew what he looked like without that shirt on.
“Hi,” she said when he hadn’t noticed her.
He turned his head around, his hands still busy over a wooden chopping board. “Did you find everything you needed?” he asked.
“Yeah, I feel much better after the shower.”
“I don’t have much in the house. I hope you like crackers and cheese,” he said. “I’ll have to get some real food now that I have a houseguest.”
She walked closer. “Don’t go to any trouble for me. It’s bad enough I’ll be underfoot. You didn’t have to do this.”
Dalton dropped the knife in the sink and turned around, bracing both hands on the counter behind him. His stomach was washboard-flat, his shirt haphazardly tucked into the front of his blue jeans. He kept staring, making her wonder what he was thinking.
“Your house is really cute,” she said, trying to break the silence.
He smirked, still looking at her without saying a word.
“I’ve never lived in a house, only apartments.” Eva hated rambling, but she hated the awkward silence even more.
“You can’t run forever, Eva.” His voice was so smooth and controlled, the deep timbre doing a number on her libido. When she focused on his words, she felt a little threatened. When she’d left the city, she planned to keep going, to keep running from life until something monumental finally grounded her—if ever. Eva had no clue what her next step would be, and the fact both excited and terrified her.
She shrugged, walking around the small country kitchen. “No one can stop me.” Eva turned back, daring him to refute her.
“Sounds lonely.”
“What about you? You’re not running, so does that mean you never get lonely?” she asked. Her defenses were up. He’d hit a soft spot, a wound that never seemed to heal. She’d tried to pursue her dreams, only to have them dashed over and over again. Now, the only thing she could do was run, hoping that maybe one day she’d find a little piece of happiness.
He smirked. “Touché.”
“Are you really? Lonely, I mean?” He should be married with kids at his age. Any woman would want him. It made her suspicious, but when wasn’t she suspicious?
“I have my family, my job, my friends. At the end of the day, I’m here in my empty house.”
“Then why don’t you change that?”
He turned and grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. “My mother would love that, but it’s not that simple. I don’t want just any woman.”
His response piqued her interest.
Dalton set the mugs on the wooden table. “Milk? Sugar?”
“Both. Thank you.” She sat down at the table, the chair legs scraping the ceramic tiles.
Once they were both seated, he looked at her from across the table. “What about you, Eva? Why aren’t you married? Lord knows how a beautiful woman like you is still single.”
She snorted, quickly stopping herself. “Sure.”
“Did I say something funny?”
Eva outstretched her arms, cupping her mug of coffee. “I don’t exactly have a line of men ready to sign up. Not ones worth keeping, anyway.”
“I find that hard to believe,” he said.
Eva took a sip of coffee. “If I’m being totally honest, I don’t believe a word you’re saying. It’s still nice to hear though.”
He frowned, his jaw twitching. “Someone or something did a number on you, darlin’. You have to learn to trust a little.”
She shook her head. “Those are dangerous words. Trust has to be earned, and as I’ve learned, it can be easily broken.”
“I’d love to meet him,” Dalton said.
“Who?”
“The asshole who hardened you like this. Around here, men are taught from an early age how to treat a woman.”
Eva scoffed. “What would you do, Dalton?” She picked at the platter he’d brought to the table, nibbling on a cracker. Even though her defenses were always up, she’d never felt this comfortable in a long time. Just talking, being listened to, was nice.
“I’d teach him what happens when he messes with my woman … if you were my woman.”
She could envision Dalton ramming his big fist into Mark’s face, and it deeply satisfied her. The mere thought of such a buff man standing up for her made her sigh internally. She couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like to be unconditionally loved by one man. By Dalton.
“That doesn’t sound like the Hope Springs way of doing things,” she teased.
His demeanor changed, his eyes appearing to darken. “You have no idea how far I’d go. Never mistake good manners for being weak.”
Eva wondered if he was a gentleman in bed too, or was he dark and dirty? He confused and intrigued her. Since entering Hope Springs, nothing was as it seemed.
****
Dalton studied the beauty across the table. She had a laundry list of issues, but it did nothing to detract from his desire. If anything, her broken pieces attracted him, bringing his protective nature to the surface. He wanted to know everything about her, which wasn’t the norm for him. Other women were barely an afterthought, and he’d started thinking he was incapable of love. Eva stole all his focus.
“I thought you were a good man,” she said. “A momma’s boy.” Eva tried to disguise her smile, but her games were obvious to him. At least she was flirting rather than pushing him away.
He licked his lips, shifting in his seat. Dalton wanted to tell her just how bad he could be, but he bit his tongue. She thought she had leverage over him because she came from the city. Dalton might have respect for his elders and old-fashioned manners, but he was no country hick. He’d be able to show a young thing like Eva more than a thing or two. He already envisioned her naked over his kitchen table, his face between her legs until she begged him to fuck her.
“We’ll see,” he said.
She ate another cracker, continually tucking stray curls behind her ear. “So, you have a big family?”
“My brother’s a few years younger, and we have a baby sister.”
“Both parents?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“I knew it,” she said. “I can’t even imagine having a normal childhood.”
He reached for his mug, brushing the back of his hand against hers. “Don’t worry about the past, just today. That’s all that matters.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to forget all the bullshit.”
“Mrs. Cooper always tells us that new memories will dull the bad ones.” Fuck, all he could think about was being the man she needed, making a new life with her. But she was too flighty, no doubt capable of ripping his heart out if he handed his to her.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” she said. She fiddled with her mug, running the pad of her finger along the rim. When she looked up from behind her lashes, his cock instantly firmed in his jeans, making him uncomfortable. “I really need to block out the past.”
“Let me help you,” he said without thinking. Dalton didn’t want to scare her or push her away.
“Nobody can help me. I need to figure things out on my own.”
“By running from town to town?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. At least I’m living by my rules, and nobody can hurt me.”
“Don’t assume everyone’s out to get you. Some people really do care.”
“Like you?”
Dalton nodded. “Like me.”
“I don’t get why you’re still single,” she said, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. “I mean, you must have some dark secrets if you’re living here all alone.”
“You’re very blunt.”
“Are you afraid to answer the question?” she asked.
“I told you I just haven’t found the right woman.”
She slowly bit her bottom lip, capturing his full attention. “What’s your ideal woman?”
He leaned back on the rear legs of his chair, assessing Eva as he pondered her question. She didn’t bullshit around, and he liked that about her. Talking about the weather, movies, or pointless news bored him. The women he’d dated were superficial and cheap, nothing he’d consider for more than a few nights of fucking.
“Sweet and strong. Long brown hair and eyes so dark I get lost in them. Lush curves making it hard to keep my hands to myself.”
She appeared to stop breathing. He noticed her swallow hard.
“You think she’s out there somewhere?” he asked, but his voice came out more like a whisper.
“I’m sure there are a lot of nice girls in this town that fit the bill.”
“You’d think so, but no,” he said.
“How many curves do you need?”
He ran a hand through his hair. Eva was playing with fire, and she had no idea. “A lot of fucking curves.” He got out of his chair, heat creeping up his collar. Dalton paced the kitchen. He needed to get out of the room, to clear his head. The bubble of space around them felt charged with intimacy, and if they continued playing these games much longer, he’d be all over her, and that’s not what she needed. “You don’t start work for a while. Would you like to ride along with me tomorrow when I go to work? It’d give you a chance to see the town. I don’t want to leave you all alone here.”
“You’re a firefighter, right?”
He moved closer to the table, bracing his hands on the edge near her. “Same job all my life.”
“What made you get into the field?”
That question was one he avoided like the plague. Even thinking about the answer made his gut twist. “No special reason.”
“Do you have a lot of fires in town?”
He exhaled. “Nothing out of the ordinary, not usually. We’ve had some issues lately. The fire marshal thinks it could be arson.”
“That’s scary.”
Dalton smiled. “Nothing we can’t handle. There are six of us working rotating shifts. If there’s an arsonist, he won’t last long. When I took this job, I vowed to protect the town with my life.” He stopped himself because he could feel his emotions getting the better of him. She didn’t need to know what played in his fucked-up head.
“I’d love to come. I’ve never been inside a fire truck.”
The fact she agreed pleased him to no end. “You can sit up front with me.”
One thing for certain, he’d make it clear to Luke and Grayson that Eva was off the menu. She was only for him. The thought of another man even looking at her made him bristle.
When he heard the front door open without a knock, he knew it was his brother, James. He often stopped by after work for a beer or to gripe about work at the mine. The sound of his heavy work boots hitting the tile was followed by his sudden appearance in the doorway. James froze, staring at Eva.
“Sorry, didn’t know you had company.”
“Sure, James. You’re the one running your mouth to Mom about my guest.”
His brother smirked, that same evil smile that drove Dalton nuts growing up. “Forgot about her.”
“Well, you can stop staring. It’s rude.” Dalton walked to the entryway, shoulder butting his brother, before whispering in his ear. “Get the fuck out.”
James didn’t budge, not that he expected him to actually listen. “Crackers and cheese. My favorite.” His brother pulled out a chair and sat down. “My name’s James. Welcome to Hope Springs.”
“Thank you. I’m Eva. Are you a firefighter too?”
James looked down at his gear and shook his head. “Hell no. I work at the mine, not that it’s anything to write home about. I’m covered in sweat and filth within an hour of my shift.” He brushed some soot off his pants with the back of his hand.
Dalton had had enough of James’s stunt. He needed to go.
“James, I have something for you. Come here a minute,” said Dalton before he left the room. He walked to the front foyer, grabbed his brother’s boots, and tossed them on the front porch, dried mud scattering from the impact.
“What is it?”
They were out of earshot now, which is exactly what he’d been going for. “You’re a little prick. Get the hell out of here.” He grabbed a handful of James’s shirt and forcibly removed him.
“Hey, can’t a brother visit?”
“Don’t play dumb,” said Dalton. “Keep your distance for a while. I don’t want you near her.”
“Think she’ll want a piece of me, eh?”
Dalton scoffed. “Dream on, lover boy. This one’s mine.”
“For how long this time? One week, maybe two?”
“She’s different. I just need to convince her I’m not a monster.”