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How had I not known that about her? I'd learned a lot about Eve Holt over the past six weeks, but I still had much more to learn.
Eve angled sideways, leaning back into the sofa's corner. "What kind of trouble have you been getting into without me?"
I scratched my cheek. "Well, I needed to distract the paparazzi, to keep them away from you. That required…a splash."
"And by 'splash' I'm guessing you mean 'tsunami.' Right?"
"Yes." I crossed my ankle over the other knee, fidgeted, and tucked my foot under my knee. "I danced naked on the beach in broad daylight while singing Brazilian pop songs. And I did that every day for a week."
Her expression blanked. For a few seconds, she neither spoke nor moved.
Until she burst out laughing.
By the time she stopped laughing, her eyes were watering. She grabbed a tissue from the box on the coffee table and wiped her eyes. "Honestly, Val, I was expecting something more scandalous than that. What, no sex tape this time?"
"Of course not. I'm in love with you, Eve. I would never sleep with anyone else."
The humor washed out of her expression. She blew her nose and crumpled the used tissue. "I know you wouldn't do that. I was joking."
"I'm glad to hear that, but you must be upset with me for making a spectacle of myself."
"Why would I be upset?" She held up the tissue, glancing around like she was searching for something. "Where's the trash can?"
"Under the table behind you."
She twisted around, spotted the trash, and tossed her tissue into it. Straightening, she squared her shoulders and looked at me. "If you really love someone, you accept them the way they are."
"But the things I've done—"
"Are part of what makes you…you." She scooted a little closer. "I wouldn't change who you are, and I don't want you to do it because you think that's what I want. All I want is you."
"We haven't known each other that long."
She tilted her head to the side, studying me. "I know enough. We might be different, but we have a lot in common too. I may not ever strip naked in a packed sports stadium, but I love that you are the kind of man who might do that. I know you would never do anything to humiliate me or hurt me. I trust you, Val."
"But I flaunted my nudity in front of the paparazzi."
"I get that you expected me to castigate you for that, but I'm not the least bit embarrassed by anything you've done."
Entranced by her eyes, so clear and bright and focused on me, I couldn't think of anything intelligent to say. "Why not?"
"Why am I not ashamed of you?" She shook her head, her lips curling up at the corners. "Because I love you. How many more times do I need to say that before you believe me? I love you, and that means I accept all of you—your past, your present, and anything flamboyant you might do in the future." She scooted closer still, halfway across the sofa now. "I don't even care that your neighbors, some of whom are celebrities, saw me talking to a hot, naked Brazilian sex maniac."
I chuckled. "Sex maniac?"
"Maybe sex god is more appropriate."
"Yes, I prefer that one." I inched nearer to her. "Does this mean you'll have me?"
"I've already had you. Many times, in many positions, indoors and out."
"Eve, you know what I meant."
"Yes." She slid closer. "Of course I'll have you. I signed the legal papers on the plane. Why did you send the money before I'd signed?"
"To show you I'm serious. About being your business partner, and about our relationship."
"In that case…" She swung a leg up and over to straddle my lap. "We'd better seal the deal."
