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“I don’t know.” Those words of uncertainty don’t fool anyone, least of all myself. “Listen, I can’t promise I won’t go back to dancing if my recovery keeps going as well as it has been, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to drop hat and leave. Not without discussing it with you. I meant what I said earlier. I want it all, Harvey. I’d be dishonest if that didn’t include danceandyou in my life. Whatever happens, I’ll always care deeply for you.”
Harvey’s angled so he’s facing me in the back seat, while I’m doing my best at not being awkward.
The warmth of his smooth hands caress my cheeks, bringing him to my full attention. His brows are drawn down showing his concern, while the corner of his mouth dips and his nostrils flare while he’s in thought. I’ve come to love watching his little tells. Despite the hard-hitting topics we’re about to dive into, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now than with the man who’s finding his way into my heart.
“Does that mean you’ll go back to Santa Monica? Back to the life you had before the accident? I can’t leave the FORT Center, Eve. How are we going to make this work if we’re in different places? You’ll be training long days. You’ll have so much to catch up on when you go back. I have to teach Josey everything now I’ve made her the new director on top of my own job. How can that work if we have no time left for ourselves?”
“It sounds like you’re giving up on us already, Harvey.” The cool trickle rolling down the length of my nose tells me he’s right and this isn’t going to work in our favor. As much as I want to see where this goes, a part of me has already run back home. Although, there’s a part of me that will be missing when I leave and that will forever stay with Harvey.
“It pains me to say this, but you’re right. We lead busy lives. I mean, before my accident I was never home. Now will only be worse. Why does life have to be so hard?”
The tears of realization are free as we both acknowledge in the span of one night that we are very much falling for the other and I’ll be leaving soon. Life’s not fair.
I want to run to my room and never come out but Harvey has other plans as we pull into the rehabilitation car park. He doesn’t wait for the driver to open the door for us, instead helps me out.
His composure is all that’s keeping me from breaking down completely. Ever since the accident I’ve become oversensitive. The smallest of emotions I could once harness into energy has now magnified. I can no longer channel them, hence the uncontrolled tears.
“Beautiful, why are you crying? We’ll figure something out. How about we focus on the now and enjoy the time we have together while it’s still possible. I don’t want tonight to end.” I’m standing almost eye to eye with him and I’m caught in a trance. The radiant gold specks in his irises are shining in the moonlight, glazed over by his own emotion. I search them for any signs of regret and see none. Instead, there’s hope.
“That sounds wonderful.” At this point in time, all I want is to spend my free time with Harvey while forgetting the uphill battle that’s soon to come.
He leads me toward his vehicle in the parking lot outside the center and helps me into the passenger seat. I don’t know where we’re going and I don’t care so long as I’m with him.
“I thought we could get comfortable in front of the wood fire at my place, wind down while enjoying each other’s company.” His thoughtfulness is warming. I don’t say anything in return, only gesture with a slight nod before he’s pulling out of the center’s drive and into his own. With a short distance to drive, I find myself staring at Harvey. His relaxed posture isn’t something I’ve witnessed all that much since I arrived. It’s like tonight he finally let go of the weight he was bearing for his sister and her foundation.
I want to ask him all about her. What she was like. How their relationship went throughout the years, but something stops me. I feel intrusive wanting to know his more personal details.
I opt to wait and see how the night progresses. Anything could happen at this point and I don’t want to be the one to ruin it so soon into our time together. Instead, I sit in silence, moving my focus out the window to admire the meadows that are illuminated by the moon. I watch the tall pasture dance in the light breeze that’s out tonight and find myself closing my eyes, picturing my own body mimicking its movement.
“We’re here.”
I startle. I was consumed by my own spell that I failed to notice the vehicle slow to a stop outside Harvey’s house. I’m captivated by its beauty. From the first day I laid eyes on it, it still takes my breath away.
“You’re so lucky to live here. I may be jealous,” I admit, unknowing whether it’s the right thing to say or not.
“It could be yours too, you know.”
The hitch in my breath is subtle, but none the less Harvey noticed. “Harvey, you can’t say things like that to me. Not now. We’ve talked about this. Please, can we enjoy our time together? Soon I’ll be going back to the city. Please don’t make this any harder.”
His head is raised skyward. I can see and feel the anguish coursing through him. It’s the same form of achiness coming from my heart. The last thing we need are broken hearts, but deep down I can’t see any way around it, yet here we are ignoring the facts.
Chapter Fifteen
Evelyn
Harvey placed pillows and blankets on the floor surrounding the fireplace. It’s like I’m lying on top of a cloud with how soft and feather-like they are. I’m watching the flames grow as the wood Harvey placed on it ignites until it resembles a burning ball of flames.
The fire fairies crackle from the wood, shooting bursts of light which highlight Harvey’s silhouette. We turned the house lights off, choosing to enjoy the full fire experience.
The closer he comes to me, the more pronounced his features become. The flames dance in his eyes as he looks into mine. His tux jacket is long gone, and with his shirt rolled to his elbows I can see the flex of his muscle as he tenses and then relaxes again.Oh my, that’s distracting.The corner of his mouth is quirked, along with his raised eyebrows and I do believe I’ve been caught ogling this delicious man.
As hard as I try to look away, I’m stuck in a trance. He’s caught me in more ways than one. He possesses a confident, sexy swagger that not only can’t I look away, but I sense the heat rising along my neck, right to the top of my cheeks.
“Are you feeling better, beautiful?” Harvey asks in a low, hushed voice. Now lying beside me, his hand brushes a stray strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. My lashes fan my face as I slowly close then reopen my eyes. It’s as if everything is in slow motion. His light touch heats my skin.
I shiver at the gentle whoosh of air close to my ear as he whispers sweet declarations into it. “Have I told you how stunning you are tonight? Have I mentioned how much I love you, Evelyn? Because I do. I’ve fallen for you, my beauty.”
I melt further into the cushions with every hushed word. My eyes close, trying to catch this memory to hold onto forever. I’m not ashamed to admit that, I too have fallen in love with Harvey. Everything he and Asher have done for me has made me feel at home. Whenever I’m near them, I’m my original self and I haven’t been that girl in a very long time.
