Close to You

since
my father died eight years ago.” Grabbing an oven mitt, he opened
the broiler and flipped the steaks. Then he faced her, frustration
and concern in his expression. “I wish you’d known her before. She
used to be so vibrant and lively. She’s an empty shell of who she
used to be.”
    “ It can’t be easy losing
your husband after so many years.”
    “ No.” He shook his head.
“But it doesn’t excuse you from going off the deep end
either.”
    “ Has she gone off the deep
end?”
    For a second Eve didn’t think he was
going to answer her. But then he said, “She’s not acting like
herself, but I’m not sure what to do about it. She denied it when I
tried talking to her.”
    “ Does she live in the
city?”
    “ Yes. Actually not that far
from you.” He faced her. “Eve—”
    The timer went off.
    “ Damn,” he muttered as he
turned it off.
    “ Want me to get that?” Eve
looked at the oven eagerly. “It smells delicious.”
    Treat took out the steaks. Pulling out
a couple plates, he dished up generous portions of salad and then
added one large steak for each of them.
    Eve’s stomach gurgled impatient as she
inhaled the scent. She slid off the counter and followed him to the
table with their wine. “This looks great.”
    Not waiting on ceremony, she dug in.
After a few eager bites, she looked up and found him watching her,
drinking his wine.
    She shrugged. “I’m hungry, and it’s
delicious.”
    “ Thank you.”
    “ So your mom,” she
said.
    He stilled. “Yes. About my
mom—”
    “ She doesn’t try to run
your life?” She thought of her father and wrinkled her nose. “That
usually gives parents something to look forward to.”
    “ I was married for five
minutes a few years ago, and even then she barely roused herself.
Though she didn’t like Phoebe. Eve, my mom—”
    “ You were married?” Eve
blinked, fork frozen halfway to her mouth.
    “ Not for long. Less than a
year before she ran off with her dentist.”
    “ I shouldn’t have brought
it up,” she said, even though she wanted to ask more
questions.
    “ I didn’t love her, Eve.
She needed me, and I liked that, but in the end it wasn’t enough.”
He shrugged. “It all ended the way it was supposed to. She’s happy
now.”
    She nodded, absently eating while she
digested what he’d told her.
    “ Are you done?” he asked,
when she’d tapered off eating.
    “ Yes.”
    “ Come on.” He tucked the
wine bottle under his arm, speared both their glasses between his
fingers, and led her by the hand into the living room.
    Eve settled on the couch, folding her
legs under her, and watched him light a fire. When the logs caught,
he joined her, scooping her up and cradling her on his
lap.
    With a finger under her chin, he
lifted her head. “For the record, I never felt about anyone the way
I feel about you.”
    “ How is that?”
    “ Excited. Hopeful.” His
hand snaked into her hair, massaging her skull. “I’m all in,
Eve.”
    She swallowed thickly. “I’m all in
too.”
    “ Good.” He snuggled her
closer, his fingers playing with the edge of her panties. “I have
something I need to tell you.”
    “ Tell me later,” she said,
whispering the words against his lips.
    He groaned. “Damn it, Eve, I want
you.”
    “ Then take me.”
    He chuckled, his breath tickling her.
“And to think I thought you were a good girl.”
    “ I am a good girl.” She ran
her hands down into his jeans. “Very good.”
    “ You are.” He tilted her
head and met her mouth, slipping his finger under the front
triangle of her panties.
    They groaned into each other’s mouths.
She grabbed him by the hair and pulled him to her. She couldn’t
tell who was ravaging whom. They ignited the moment their lips
touched.
    “ You’re so wet,” he
murmured, sliding his finger into her.
    She pulled his head back, using his
hair to leverage him. “On the rug.”
    He brow wrinkled. “The
rug?”
    “ Seems like if you’re going
to have sex in front of a fire, it should be on a rug.” She glanced
at it. “Too bad it’s not a bear rug.”
    He picked her up and carried her to
the fireplace. “I’ll buy you one.”
    “ You’re good to
me.”
    “ And I’m about to be even
better,” he said, setting her down and following on top.

Chapter Twenty-three
     
    Eve woke up from the best night of not
sleeping she’d ever had and glanced at the clock.
    Four-thirty. In an hour she needed to
be at the café getting ready for the day. She