He could see her mind moving at Mach speed. She would look at him, but she wasn’t actually seeing him. Then, she’d stare out at the ocean.
“You want to walk on the beach before we leave?” he asked while clearing their plates.
“Hell, no.” She started washing dishes. “That leaves you too vulnerable. Let’s get back to the office so I can find the guy who rented the moving truck.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I reached out to helpyou. This isn’t a quid pro quo thing.” When she kissed him, his anger was replaced with a different kind of energy, the kind that would make him forget about the shit storms barreling toward him.
She gave his ass an affectionate squeeze, then handed him a dishtowel. “Get to work.”
When they finished cleaning up, she held out her hand. “This is the most beautiful home. Take a quick tour with me.”
As they walked through it, she pointed out pieces of furniture she liked and how she loved being able to see the ocean from almost every room. She told him the beach was her happy place, but she hadn’t been to one in years. She came alive in front of his eyes, relaxed and carefree.
From his perspective, he’d made one phone call and rented a luxury estate. Done. But, to Evangeline, this house represented freedom and peace.
“I needed to get away, even if just for one night.” She caressed his cheeks with her soft palms, leaned up, and kissed him. “Thank you for your generosity and your patience.” Her gratitude touched him. “Admitting how much I care about you terrifies me.”
“You trust me, though.”
The fear in her eyes receded a little. “I do.”
He pulled her close and held her there for several glorious seconds. Being with her was his sanctuary.
Thirty minutes later, they loaded up the car and rolled out of the driveway.
Back to the real world.
She stared at the beachfront estate. “That home is straight out of a fairy tale.”
“Glad you liked it.” He checked to ensure Dakota’s guy was on his six. “Time to deal with Rave.”
“My problems are irrelevant, considering what’s at stake for you.”
“Uncle Charlie isn’t going to kill me,” he said, “because I’ll fucking kill him first.”
* * *
Evangeline was wrecked. Unlike her mom, she kept a tight rein on her emotions. Every decision she made was logic based, until Sinclair Develin. The man beside her had claimed her heart. Even worse, he seemed to have found the key to her soul.
Being around him wasn’t just exhilarating; it was necessary. In years past, their kink had heightened the arousal, but straight-up sex with Sin skyrocketed her on a one-way trajectory toward the sun. She couldnotget enough of him. And that scared the hell out of her. She didn’t want to lose her strong sense of self and end up a desperate romantic like her mom.
Her mom needed a man to complete her. That destructive path had led to multiple divorces and an endless string of boyfriends. Evangeline promised herself she would never need another person to make her whole. But, she had gone to the extreme and walled herself off from exploring a deep, meaningful relationship. Based on watching her mom, she convinced herself that nothing lasted. Since there was no permanence when it came to most people, she locked her heart away.
While at the beach house, she gave herself permission to love Sin with everything she had. The magnificent home was magical, so why not surrender to one evening of living her best life?
As they weaved their way out of the neighborhood, Evangeline put her emotions back on lockdown.Time to get a grip on reality, woman.
Sin’s phone rang and he hit the answer button on his steering wheel. “Hey, Dakota.”
“Uncle Lalla!” said Sammy. “Can you come over and play with me?”
“I wish I could, squirt, but I have to work today. Why don’t I ask Evangeline if she wants to come with me for family dinner on Sunday?”
Sammy squealed with joy.She’s precious.“Daddy, Uncle Lalla is bringing E-Leen for family dinner!”
“Are you playing with your Christmas presents?” Sin asked the child.
“Uh-huh. I’m playing with my Barbies.”
