Page 53 of Fall Into Temptation
“I knew it when I said it,” Julia snickered.
“So, I should give him a chance to really get to know me, warts and all. And once Halloween is in the rearview mirror, I’ll have my answer?” Eva sighed.
“As long as you can keep your pants on, I think it’s a good plan,” Julia nodded.
“It’s only two weeks,” Summer said with the cheer of a woman getting laid with obnoxious regularity.
Two weeks. Eva could manage to keep Donovan out of her pants for fourteen days. No. Back to two weeks, she decided. Fourteen days sounded too long.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Eva wasn’t sure if Mr. Mayor had thrown his weight around or if the Beautification Committee couldn’t see a setup coming. Whatever the reason, she and Gia were formally invited to attend Wednesday’s top secret, emergency membership meeting.
She wrapped the loose cardigan around her a little tighter to ward off the chill on the walk over to the library with Gia. Eva had bought it, and half a dozen other sweaters, online to avoid another fire/naked dressing room situation. She wasn’t putting anything past this whole Uranus Crossing fiasco. A trip to the grocery store might end with her being locked in a freezer with the goat milk ice cream.
Gia was practically skipping with glee on the sidewalk next to her. Her sister was providing a much needed distraction from the weighty issues Eva was trying to ignore. What little mental energy that was left after writing and obsessing over Donovan and his potential feelings was spent on that little nastiness that seemed determined to hunt her down. She was determined to finally put the shadow that had followed her, exploited her, and played upon her emotions for years behind her. This time the answer was “no” and that’s what it would stay.
“Do you think they wear cool robes during meetings? Will there be a secret handshake?”
Eva poked Gia in the arm. “I can’t believe you’re this excited about it.”
“Are you kidding me? We’re about to join a secret society! Something I’ve always wanted to do. And we get to play Cupid with people’s lives? I can’t think of a better way to spend my free time.”
“Just keep in mind our primary objective, okay? We’re here to get in and make sure the B.C. doesn’t go nuts and start pairing up married people with swingers or something.”
Gia waved away Eva’s concerns. “Please. You’re still new here. You don’t know these folks like I do. There’snothingthey wouldn’t do for true love.”
“You are ridiculous,” Eva told her sister.
She didn’t hear Gia’s response because Eva was too busy being yanked off the sidewalk behind a tree. She yelped, ready to defend herself against her attacker, when she realized her attacker was her very sexy, very warm, sort-of boyfriend.
“What are you doing?” She laughed as he backed her against the tree.
“I missed you,” Donovan breathed. He ran his hands up and down her arms. “Where’s your coat?”
“Forgot it. Maybe you have something that could warm me up?” She said it teasingly, but in that moment, there was nothing that she wanted more than a kiss from Donovan Cardona in the shadows on a chilly October night.
“It’s my duty to serve,” he told her. His lips branded her, crushing down on her mouth until she whimpered. She wasn’t cold anymore. No, the chill was chased out by embers that sparked an inferno.
He went instantly hard against her, and this time when Eva shivered, it had nothing to do with the cold. She wanted him,neededhim. Uranus and nerves and uncertainty be damned. If this was crazy, she wanted to embrace it as the rest of the town had.
“Excuse me. Can you two get your tongues out of each other’s mouths, please?” Gia stood on the sidewalk tapping her foot and looking at her watch.
Eva shot her sister a dirty look. “Gia, do I interrupt you and Beckett when you’re making out?”
“Of course not. We have three children that do that,” Gia huffed. “But if you don’t stop eating Donovan’s face, we’re going to be late.”
Eva sighed, not ready to let go of him. She could feel his need humming under her hands. “Duty calls,” she said softly.
“You could just blow off the meeting,” Donovan whispered.
“Sheriff Cardona,” Gia gasped, hands on hips. “I’m beginning to think you’re under the influence of the planets. The sheriff I know would never shirk his responsibilities or ask anyone else to. We’re doing this for you so there’s one less group of citizens you have to watch.”
“She’s really excited about joining the B.C.,” Eva explained.
“I can see that. But I’m not sure she knows how much I’m looking forward to being alone with you.”
“I have eyes,” Gia announced. “Andyouhave a town full of people to protect from themselves. We’ll report in after the meeting.”
