Entwined With You

myself.”
    When we boarded the jet, the clothes we’d had at our disposal at the resort came with us. It made me smile, thinking of how little we’d worn over the two days.
    I took the cosmetic case into the bedroom so I could brush my teeth before sleeping the duration of the flight home. That was when I sawthe patent leather and brass luggage tag attached to it, engraved with
Eva Cross
.
    Gideon slipped into the lavatory behind me and kissed my shoulder. “Let’s crash, angel. We need some sleep before work.”
    Pointing at the luggage tag, I said, “Was my saying yes really that much of a foregone conclusion?”
    “I was prepared to hold you hostage until you did.”
    I didn’t doubt him. “I’m flattered.”
    “You’re married.” He smacked me on the ass. “Now hurry up, Mrs. Cross.”
    I hurried and slipped into the bed beside him. He immediately spooned behind me, tucking me close.
    “Sweet dreams, baby,” I whispered, wrapping my arms over his around my middle.
    His mouth curved against my neck. “My dreams already came true.”

20
    I T WAS WEIRD going to work on Monday morning and having no one realize my life was profoundly different. Who knew how much saying a few words and slipping on a ring of metal could change a person’s perception of themselves?
    I wasn’t just Eva, the New York newbie trying to make it on her own in the big city with her best friend. I was a mogul’s wife. I had a whole new set of responsibilities and expectations. Just thinking about it intimidated me.
    Megumi stood as she buzzed me through the security doors at Waters Field & Leaman. She was dressed with unusual sedateness in a black sleeveless dress with an asymmetrical hemline and bright fuchsia heels. “Wow. You’ve got an amazing tan! I’m so jealous.”
    “Thanks. How’d your weekend go?”
    “Sameold, same old. Michael stopped calling.” Her nose wrinkled. “I miss the harassment. Made me feel wanted.”
    I shook my head at her. “You’re nuts.”
    “I know. So tell me where you went. And did you go with the rock star or Cross?”
    “My lips are sealed.” Although I was tempted to reveal everything. The only thing that held me back was that I hadn’t told Cary yet and he needed to come first.
    “No way!” Her dark eyes narrowed. “Are you seriously not going to tell me?”
    “Of course I will.” I winked. “Just not right now.”
    “I know where you work, you know,” she called after me as I headed down the hallway to my cubicle.
    When I reached my desk, I got ready to type a quick text to Cary and discovered that he’d sent me a few over the weekend that hadn’t come through until later. They certainly hadn’t been there when I’d placed my usual Saturday call to my dad.
    Wanna have lunch? I texted.
    When I didn’t get a reply right away, I silenced my phone and set it in my top drawer.
    “Where did you spend the weekend?” Mark asked me as he came in to work. “You’ve got a great tan.”
    “Thanks. I lazed it up in the Caribbean.”
    “Really? I’ve been scoping out the islands for possible honeymoon spots. Would you recommend it for that, wherever you stayed?”
    I laughed, happier than I’d been in long time. Maybe in forever. “Absolutely.”
    “Get me the deets. I’ll add the spot to the list of possibilities.”
    “You have honeymoon scouting duty?” I stood so we could grab coffee together before we started the day.
    “Yep.” Mark’s mouth quirked on one side. “I’ll leave the weddingstuff to Steven, since he’s been planning for so long. But the honeymoon is mine.”
    He sounded so happy, and I knew just how he felt. His good mood made the start of my day even better.
    T HE smooth sailing ended when Cary called my desk phone shortly after ten o’clock.
    “Mark Garrity’s office,” I answered. “Eva Tramell—”
    “—needs an ass-kicking,” Cary finished. “I can’t remember the last time I was this mad at you.”
    I frowned, my stomach tightening. “Cary, what’s wrong?”
    “I’m not going to talk about important shit on the phone, Eva, unlike some people I know. I’ll meet you for lunch. And just so you’re aware, I turned down a go-see this afternoon to set you straight, because that’s what friends do,” he said angrily. “They make time in their schedule to talk about things that matter. They don’t leave cutesy voice-mail messages and think that handles it!”
    The line went dead. I sat there, shocked and a bit