Eve savored the last bite of the chicken breast. Lemon and pepper never tasted so good. Julian made his way into the dimly lit bedroom, dropped his overnight bag on the floor and kicked off his shoes. Eve greeted him with a wave as she continued to chew.
He held up a plastic bag containing several pint size containers of ice cream. “I think our daughter will approve,” Julian said, making his way to the bed. Eve dropped the fork onto the now empty plate and grabbed the glass of water before Julian settled the serving tray on the floor. “I guess she wanted roasted chicken and steamed vegetables, too?”

Eve swallowed the remaining poultry and wiped her mouth with the linen napkin. “No, her mother wanted that.” She laughed. “It was really delicious.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, and that’s it’s still inside you. For the time being.”

“Right.” She took several sips of water and then asked, “So, how did things go at the house?”

“Rebecca’s not very happy right now, but she is an ex-resident. Without naming names, I told her I was intent on marrying the woman I loved, not her, and it was time for her to hit the road."
 

“It couldn’t have gone as well as you’re making it seem. I can’t imagine Rebecca walking away from everything Crane without a fight.”

Julian shrugged. “It got a little complicated.” He paused for a long moment. Eve got a bad feeling in her stomach that had nothing to do with the pregnancy. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked. “You know, Eve, I’ve done a lot of things that—well, let’s just say if I could do them over, I would.”

“What’s done is done, Julian.” She set the water glass on the nightstand. “I’ve done my share of bad things, too.”

“That may be, but you never….”

Eve pressed her finger to his lips. “Shh.” She reached for the bag of ice cream, hoping to curtail this conversation and the bad vibe it sent off. “I don’t have to know about this. Let’s eat the ice cream before it melts.”

He covered her hand, halting her retrieval of the frozen dessert. She looked into his eyes and found both determination and trepidation. “I would prefer you not know, especially in your delicate condition, but I really think you need to know, and I wouldn’t want you to hear this from anyone else.” He buried his hands in his face and groaned. “I don’t know where to start.”

Julian’s breaths, long and heavy, offered Eve a look into the struggle this situation had on him. Somehow she had to allay the fears that consumed him. She pulled his hands away, and turned his face so their eyes met. “Whatever it is won’t change the way I feel about you,” she offered in earnest.

“You say that now, but you don’t know what I’ve done.”

“You’re right, I don’t, but if I told you what you’re trying to tell me, would it change your feelings for me?”

“Never,” Julian answered with a shake of his head. “Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you. I will love you until the day I die, and even after that.”

“And that’s how I feel about you.” She gave him a tender kiss and stroked his smooth, clean-shaven cheek. “Whatever it is doesn’t matter. You don’t have to tell me.”

“Yes, I do. You have to hear this, and I have to tell you.”

Eve sighed in resignation. “Fine.” She reclined against the headboard, bracing herself for his version of true confessions. “Okay, tell me.”

Julian moved beside her, closed his eyes, and released another long breath. “Several years ago, Father was desperate to see Sheridan and Luis apart. So much so, he was willing to kill her to make it happen.”

“What?” she murmured.

“Yes, and of course he couldn’t dirty his own hands so he—he assigned that duty to me. I, on my father’s orders, attempted have my sister killed on two separate occasions.”

Several quiet moments passed as Eve let what he said sink in. Finally she spoke. “You’re right, that is pretty bad.”

Unshed tears shined in his eyes. Emotion weighted his voice. “How much do you hate me?”

“Oh, Julian.” She gathered him in her arms and held him close. “I don’t hate you. I can only imagine what carrying this burden has been for you.”

He pulled away and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Eve, did you hear me? I tried to kill my sister.”

“Alistair tried to kill your sister. You’re just one of his many pawns. Your father is a monster. Some demonic puppeteer who controls everyone around him.” She took Julian’s hands and held them to her chest. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You didn’t have a choice, and I know you would never want to cause harm to Sheridan.”

“It doesn’t change the fact I tried to or that it’s a crime.”

“Yes, it’s a crime, but Sheridan is fine and she has her baby and Luis, and it’s been years since this happened.”

“There’s no statute of limitations on attempted murder, Eve. I could go away for a long time for this.”

“If the authorities found out. I’m not going to say anything, and I’d hope you wouldn’t, either.” She sighed deeply. “Julian, I torched a nightclub, unbeknownst to me, with my daughter and three of her friends inside, including your son. I know what it’s like to feel pressured and afraid. You saved me from going to prison, and I insist you do the same for yourself. This is Alistair’s crime. You shouldn’t have to pay for it any more than you already have. I take it Rebecca tried to use this information to seal her place as lady of the manor.”

“She’s been using it for a while, but I’d rather go to prison than spend another day with that woman. If there can be a good thing in this, it’s that Rebecca is as culpable as I. Once I pointed that out to her and made her realize that whatever happened she would still be without the Crane billions, she swooped up the few items I allowed her to have and went about her way.”

“Just like that?”

“Yes.” He shrugged. “Well, of course she made some not so veiled threats about paying me back, but they’re empty threats. She can’t touch me.”

“You think she’ll change her mind and go to Sam?”

“And risk spending her golden years in cell block four? I don’t think so. She actually seemed a lot calmer when she came down the stairs. At least no more smoke was pouring from her ears,” he said laughing. “I guess taking a good look at all those diamonds she bought with my money made her realize how lucky she is that she got to keep a few of them.”

“So, she’s really gone?”

“It would appear so. I saw her ride off in the moonlight in a cab myself. Then I raided the freezer for the ice cream our little one requested and made my way back here.”

“Your freezer?” Eve took possession of the plastic bag, grateful to concentrate something less serious than attempted murder. “Looks like you bought out Baskin Robbins.” She removed the different flavors. “Neapolitan, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, cherries jubilee.” She turned to him. “That’s your favorite.”

“You remember.”

“Of course I do.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then pulled out the last carton. “Pralines and cream!”

“Is that still your favorite?” he asked.

“Yes!” Eve hugged the icy carton to her chest. “You hated this ice cream. Why would you keep it in your freezer?”

“What can I say, I developed a taste for it. It made me think of you. Am I correct in assuming the light shining in your eyes means this is the ice cream our little girl wants, too?”

She laughed and nodded. “Yes, that would be correct.”

Julian produced a spoon and pried the container from her hand. “Allow me,” he said.

Eve closed her eyes and opened her mouth, welcoming the sinfully sweet taste of vanilla, caramel, and buttery toffee coated pecans. She sighed in pure bliss. “This is so good.” She enjoyed several more spoonfuls, then took the utensil from his hand. “You know, I don’t mind sharing, since you’ve developed a taste for it, too.” Eve scooped up a sampling of the dessert and fed it to him. She smiled. “It’s good, huh?”

Julian licked his lips. “Delicious.”

The dark intensity of his eyes and the sound of the word ‘delicious’ as it rolled off his tongue sent her body into a tailspin. Eve dropped the spoon in the carton and blindly dropped it to the floor. She brushed her thumb against his cool lips, then covered them with her own. Julian parted his lips and she dove in, tasting the remnants of ice cream that lingered on his tongue. She slid her hands under the pullover and began to push it up.

Suddenly, Julian pulled back and leapt from the bed. “I think I should take a shower,” he said between gasps for breath.

Eve combed her fingers through her hair, groaning. “What?”

“Yeah, I really think you should rest.” He nodded. “Yeah, yeah, you need your rest,” he repeated, his breathing still labored.

“Who are you trying to convince?”

“Eve?” he grumbled.

“Why don’t you want to make love to me, Julian? Is it you don’t find me desirable anymore now that I’m pregnant?”

“My love, you couldn’t be undesirable if you tried. And I do want to make to love you, so much so it’s killing me.”

“Then, what’s with all this running away? You see me naked in the bathroom and you make tracks back here. Then, when I touch you, you race off like a scared kitten.” She sniffled. “I can’t help but take offense.”

Julian dashed to the bed and gathered her in his arms. “Eve, my darling, I didn’t do that to hurt you. I’m trying to think of you.”

She pulled away, searching his eyes for understanding. “Avoiding me is thinking of me?”

“It is for me. Eve, you’ve been through a lot the last several weeks, but most especially today. I don’t know if it’s that I missed you so much or that the pregnancy has made you even more beautiful, but I’m struggling to keep my hands to myself. I raced out of the bathroom and out of house because I needed a few minutes to uh…” Julian cleared his throat, “contain myself,” he said, glancing at his lap.

Her cheeks burned at his admission. She had no clue.

Julian continued. “I didn’t want you to feel compelled to be available to me. I want to take care of you, and I don’t want you to feel any pressure after what you went through.”

“I’m touched that you thought of me like this, but, Julian, what TC tried to do to me has nothing to do with what we have. TC was angry and he wanted to hurt me. When we’re together, when we make love, it’s wonderful. It’s sweet and tender. It can get a little excitable,” she said with a chuckle, “but it’s so incredible.”

“So, you want to? And it won’t, you know.” He pressed his hand to her abdomen, and rubbed it in a circular motion.

“It’ll be fine. There’s nothing wrong with us loving each other. So, is this matter all cleared up?”

Julian shed his pullover and turned off the lamp illuminating the room. “Completely,” he said, capturing her lips and lowering her to the bed.
 

***
Rebecca turned away from the window, seething. Eve Russell? You get Eve Russell pregnant and leave me for her? It doesn’t even matter that she’s already married. Damn you, Julian! You should have stayed dead when I thought I killed you.

Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small semi-automatic weapon and pressed the cold steel to her cheek. “That’s fine, you enjoy your night with the good doctor.” She turned back to the window, watching their bodies move together in the glow of the moonlight. Her heart pounded as scorn consumed her. Hot tears burned her cheeks. “It’s going to be the last one either of you will ever have,” she solemnly vowed. “The very last.”