Chapter 6

"Make love to me."

Hearing those words come from Eve’s lips after all these years was like a dream come true for Julian. This moment, Eve’s slender fingers loosening the buttons of his shirt and her soft lips nuzzling his neck, seemed surreal, but it was all too real. His heart pounded in time with the throbbing in his loins. His trousers felt two sizes too small. Resting between her thighs, he wanted nothing more than to strip away his slacks and hers and sink deep in the her warmth of her center. He was right there, at the precipice of making this beautiful woman his again, but he couldn’t. Not now, not like this. Julian cupped her silky, smooth cheek, and kissed her deep and full before pulling away and returning to a seated position on the couch.
Eve moved along with him. Her feathery soft lips tickled his chest, dusting it with kisses. Her tongue flicked his hardened nipple. Julian moaned, losing his hands in the soft curls of her hair. She was making it impossible for him to be a noble man. Her hands went for the buckle of his belt.

Julian covered her hands. His breath came in short uneven pants. “Eve,” he closed his eyes as he uttered the next horrible words, “we can’t do this.”

“I remember differently,” she said with a seductive smile. Her lips caressed his to submission as her tongue found a dance partner with his. He cupped her full, firm breasts in his hands. Tweaking her aroused buds with either thumb as Eve went to back to work on his belt. When her hand reached inside his silk boxers and took possession of his steely member, he knew he had to stop things before they went any further. Julian leapt from the couch and stood before the fireplace.

Eve readjusted her bra and fastened the buttons of her blouse as he did the same with his pants. “Julian, what’s wrong? Don’t you want me?"

”Oh, God, yes.” He touched his lips where her kiss still smoldered. “I can’t tell you how much.”

“Don’t tell me,” she stood up and walked toward him. “Show me.”

He held up his hands in as much a defense for his weakened flesh as a plea for her to listen to him. Eve stopped in her approach. “My darling, I want nothing more than to make love to you this night and every night hereafter, but when we come together, I want us to be together. No threat of Rebecca and definitely no TC. Once you’re in my bed, I’m never letting you out of it. So, we have to deal with them first.”

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right, but….” She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “I just needed your touch, Julian, your comfort. This day has been--”

He brushed his fingers through his hair. “One for the record books?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Julian opened his arms and secured her in them. Eve’s body melted against his as he held her close. She pressed her cheek against his chest.

He delivered soothing strokes to her back as her tears dampened the light hairs that dusted his chest. “To want to find comfort in each other’s arms about losing our son and to reaffirm all we feel for each other is natural, but not very feasible right now. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think it would do more harm than good.”

Eve nodded her agreement and tightened her arms around him. “I don’t know how I’ll sleep tonight.”

“You don’t have to.” Julian lifted her chin so her brown eyes met his. “We’ll stay here. I’ll hold you in my arms; we’ll plan how we deal with our TC and Rebecca problems, and grieve for our son. We’ll be together in every sense except the biblical one—at least for now. Is that all right?”

She laid her head on his chest and sighed. “That sounds like a plan.”
 

****

“So, he believed your report?”
“Yes, sir. The details you compiled were irrefutable, at least seemingly so. Mr. Crane was clearly shaken while we spoke on the phone. I told him I’d send a fax of the full report tomorrow.”

“Very good.”

“I don’t understand this. I found Mr. Crane’s son with this Eve Johnson, and he’s not dead. Why would you want him to believe that?”

“I don’t pay you to ask questions!” Alistair boomed. “You just do what I tell you, and I’ll take care of the rest.” Ending the call, he reclined in his huge executive chair. “I’ll teach you how to defy me, Julian. Once you and Eve find out who your son is, you’re gonna wish he did die all those years ago.”