T.C. had returned to the table and Julian just sat there watching Eve. How he truly wished for the day when it would be just them completely in love with no one to stand in their way. She was so lovely to look at, to be with, she was the woman for him, no one else could compare to his lovely Eve. When Rebecca returned, she started to talk again; he simply nodded, tuning her out. He knew it was mean to treat her like he did, but she was a cruel cold-blooded woman and he just couldn’t be that way anymore. Eve truly had shown him what true love was once again and there was no way he was turning back into the person he was before.
“I can’t believe we have to dine in the same room as Julian and Rebecca.” T.C. said

“Why?”

“I am losing my appetite having them here.”

“Now T.C., just enjoy your dinner, how was your day? I never had a chance to ask you today.”

“It was fine, how was yours? Did you do anything exciting at work?”

Eve thought for a minute about Julian stopping by.

“Eve, hello are you in there?” he said laughing.

“Sorry, it was just another day T.C., busy.”

“I can imagine, look baby, when we are finished, why do you say we spend some quality time together?” he said touching her face.

“This is quality time T.C.”

“No I mean real quality time.” He said winking.

“Oh that.”

“Yeah, I missed my exercise today, and I would still like to get it in, burn off some of the calories from our dinner.”

“Um, we will see when we get back home.” Eve said.

They talked for a bit and when they finished their dinner, Eve smiled at Julian as she walked by, still sitting there with Rebecca. As T.C. drove, she put her head back, closing her eyes for a few minutes. When he stopped, Eve opened her eyes, ready to take a hot bath and relax before bed. But she was amazed to see where they were.

“T.C., a hotel?”

“Yes baby, I think we need a night together, we haven’t been out like this in ages, I want to give you the ultimate pleasure tonight Eve. I want to show you how much you mean to me, so let’s go in.”

“Oh T.C., I don’t know if I am exactly in the mood.”

“Come on Eve, I will get you in the mood no problem.”

Eve felt very nervous, suddenly in a panic. Of course T.C. was her husband, but how was she supposed to go to this level with him after all that had happened with Julian. T.C. opened the door, he had picked a really nice room, complete with king bed and Jacuzzi.

“See honey, this is all for you, for my lovely wife.” T.C. said smiling.

“It is really nice T.C.”

He wasted no time kissing her and undoing her top.

“Eve you have such an incredible body, even after all of these years, you still look amazing, not a day older than the day we met, I love you so much.”

T.C. moved her to the bed, climbing on top of her and taking off his shirt.

“I want to make sweet passionate love to you tonight, I want you so bad.” T.C. said.

He started to kiss her, Eve’s heart felt like it was going to come out of her chest, she was so nervous and felt very upset about it. T.C.’s hands were all over her body within a few moments and she felt her body basically freeze up.

“What’s wrong baby?”

“Nothing T.C.”

“Yes there is, you aren’t getting into it, don’t you want to do this?”

“I am not sure, kind of tired.”

“Eve, we can sleep afterwards, besides I plan on tiring you out big time.” He said smiling devilishly.

T.C. continued kissing her until they were both completely undressed. She felt very weird about him seeing her like that and it just didn’t feel right. She began to panic as T.C. moved his mouth down her body, getting even more intimate. But she then pulled him up to eye level to hug him.

“Oh you want to cuddle for a minute, how sweet baby.”

But he soon wanted more and when she felt him move apart her legs, she pushed him off of her, not wanting to go any farther.

“What the hell Eve?”

“I don’t want to T.C.”

“Why not, what’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, I just don’t feel like it.”

“You know what I don’t get you, we don’t have sex for ages and you still don’t want it? What’s going on Eve?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you seeing someone else?” he asked.

She was shocked by his question and sat up.

“Why would you think that?”

“Well you don’t want to do it, so then maybe you are getting it from somewhere else.” T.C. said angrily.

“T.C.!”

“Answer me now!” he yelled.

“Um, I, it’s been a long day T.C. I have been working a lot of hours.” She said.

“That doesn’t answer my question, are you seeing someone else or not?”

Eve’s mind raced, wondering whether she should tell him then, but she panicked because he seemed so angry.

“No T.C., I am just not in the mood, seriously, okay?” she said touching his back.

“Are you not attracted to me anymore?”

“Of course.”

“Maybe I don’t turn you on anymore Eve.”

“Don’t be silly T.C., please just understand, sometimes you just don’t want to okay.”

“Fine then, I am not going to beg, that’s for sure, come on let’s go home.” He said still irritated.

When they returned home, T.C. didn’t say much; he crawled into bed and turned his back to Eve. She touched his arm, but he moved her away. T.C. was that way sometimes, when he was mad, he didn’t want to talk about it. She hated going to bed angry, but sometimes it happened. He turned off the light, and Eve could feel her eyes tear up; she couldn’t help it, although she was seeing Julian, she hated to fight with T.C. No doubt, it would get worse when he did find out, but still she couldn’t help but lose control of her emotions. So she quietly wept, she didn’t want T.C. to hear her. When she woke up the next day, he was gone, leaving her a note that he had gone to work out. Something he always did to get out his frustrations. Eve showered and dressed and was just pouring a cup of tea when the doorbell rang. She figured T.C. had forgotten something, but was surprised to see Julian standing there.

“Hi sweetheart, sorry to just drop by, but I hoped that T.C. would not be home and I would catch you, is he home?” Julian said peeking his head in the door.

“He is not here, come on in.” she said leaving him at the door and sitting down with her tea.

He thought it was odd that she didn’t really greet him.

“Eve?”

“Yes Julian?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.” She said sort of staring off into space.

“Yes there is, I know you very well, what is it?” he said sitting next to her.

“Don’t worry about me, it’s nothing, I am just tired.”

“Look at me Eve.”

She hesitated, but then once she looked into his warm hazel eyes and how concerned he was, she had to tell him.

“Oh Julian, it’s just awful.”

“Talk to me.”

“Julian, I went to a hotel last night.” She said looking down at the ground.

“A hotel?”

“Yes Julian with T.C.” she said quietly.

“Okay.”

“Okay, what do you mean okay Julian? Did you hear what I said?” she said surprised.

“Yes of course I did honey, so…you made love?”

Eve looked at him and felt ridden with guilt, her eyes filling up suddenly.

“Honey, don’t cry.” Julian said rubbing her back.

“I’m sorry Julian, I just can’t help it.”

“So, did you make love Eve?”

“No we didn’t Julian, I stopped it, I am so sorry.”

“Don’t ever be sorry Eve, T.C. is still your husband, and it’s only natural that it could happen.”

“I know, but I just couldn’t do it Julian. I have been married to him for so many years and now he feels like a stranger to me because I love you and only you Julian.”

“Eve, if you are worried that I would leave you just because you made love to T.C. I wouldn’t honey, I would never do that to you. I know you love me very much.”

“You know what upsets me though Julian?”

“What sweetheart?”

“The fact that I would have made love to T.C. and not you, I feel like I would be cheating on you, even though it’s the other way around.”

“Oh Eve, you never have to worry about that, I know things happen, you are still married to him and although we are being together in secret, it doesn’t mean I would love you any less if you did make love to him.”

“I couldn’t Julian, it didn’t feel right, I panicked when he came near me, it only feels right when I am with you.”

“Oh Eve.”

“It is true Julian, I can’t help it, I have been married to T.C. for many years, but you are the one in my heart and it look me so long to realize that. The truth his although you hurt me very badly, I have never gotten over you completely.”

“And I will spend every day making it up to you Eve, making up for lost time and just being the man now that I should have been before. I love you so much and I am so glad you are giving me a second chance. I know I am not entitled to it, but I am so happy that I am getting the chance to show you how much I truly love you.”

Eve smiled at him.

“Do you feel any better?” he said touching her cheek.

“A little.”

“Well good, I am here for you always, don’t ever be afraid to tell me anything Eve, I truly mean that. You can trust me, as hard as that was for a long time, you can. I will never let you down, I promise you that, I will never judge you, you only have to be yourself with me and let me love you the way I should have loved you all those years ago.”

“Well, you know how much I want to do the right thing Julian.”

“I know that, I know you feel guilty going behind his back and so do I, but it seems to be the only way we can be together right now. He just wouldn’t understand if you just came out and told him, especially being that you turned him down for sex and all. I know you don’t want to face him alone and I want you to feel that you can count on me and if you need me to be there, I will Eve, even if he tries to kick the crap out of me. I will stand by you and our love.”

“Julian, what would I do without you?”

“You never have to worry about that, I am not going anywhere. Our love is too strong and we were brought back together by it, there is no way I am leaving you, I have to make up for what I did to you. I have to prove to myself and to you that I can be a faithful loving man who can make a true commitment. After I was stupid enough to give you up, I never felt anything in my heart Eve, nothing. I know I have told you this before, but it’s true. I became nothing but a womanizer, sex was all I wanted and it was just that, sex. It was never love and now I know the difference, I really do. I don’t want you to fret over what happened with T.C., okay?”

“You just don’t know how weird it was, it was like my husband was a complete stranger to me, I can’t explain it.”

“It’s because he’s not in your heart.”

“I guess that’s it Julian.”

“It is sweetie, I think you feel that you can’t be yourself with him like you can with me. I hate to say it, but T.C. is not exactly a patient man now is he? I don’t want to toot my own horn but I like to think that I am. You see Eve, I just don’t let things bother me the same anymore, well unless someone is trying to hurt you, then they would be sorry that they have crossed the likes of Julian Crane. Unfortunately T.C. has a short fuse, and again I don’t and above all, as I told you in the past. T.C. should accept you for you and he couldn’t knowing that you were involved with me. I know now how hard that is for you and how hard it would be when we tell him. But you know what, we will get through it Eve, I promise you that.”

“Julian, I thank God you came back into my life every day, you have been amazing and wonderful, you have been there for me.”

“I always will be, by the way how long will T.C. be gone?”

“I don’t know Julian, he could be back anytime, why?”

“I want to know how long I can do this.”

“What Julian?”

He brought his mouth to hers, holding her as tightly as he could to show her how much he would protect her.