Chapter 7

The next morning a tired Eve slowly walked out of her house. She had just finished another argument with TC that ended up no where.

"I think I'll stop off at The Book Cafe." Eve said to herself.

She climbed into her car and drove the short distance to the cafe. Climbing out of her car she noticed Julian's car parked next to hers.

"I wonder what Julian is doing here." Eve thought as her steps quickened. She stepped inside the cafe her eyes searching the room. When she couldn't find him disappointment seeped into her bones. She walked over to the counter and placed her order for coffee and a muffin. When the waiter turned his back to get her muffin, Eve saw something fly past her head.

"What the heck?" She mumbled turning around to see where it came from. When she felt a wadded piece of paper smack her in the forehead, she looked up. There standing in the loft of the cafe was a widely grinning Julian.

"Come up." He mouthed.

"Just a minute." Eve mouthed back. She turned back to the counter just as her order was being placed on the counter. She paid and then picked up her coffee and chocolate chip muffin. She wandered around downstairs for a moment before slowly walking up the stairs to the loft. She found Julian at the hidden booth behind the last bookshelf. She had always loved the secretness of this booth. Now she loved it more.

Julian watched mesmerized as Eve walked towards him. He slipped as she slipped into the seat across from him.

“Hello my love.” Julian greeted her.

Eve smiled shyly. “Hey Julian. What are you doing here?”

“I came to buy a book. I got sidetracked when I saw you walk through the door though. You look beautiful.” Julian said.

“I look horrible. I just finished a 20 hour shift, my only break being my wonderful walk with you.” Eve laughed. “And I just finished another fight with my husband.

“You still look beautiful.” Julian said stubbornly. “You always look beautiful!”

“If you say so Julian.” Eve smiled again as she took a sip of her coffee and looked over the rim at Julian. He looked wonderful in his perfectly tailored dove-gray suit. He had on under it a brilliant white shirt and a gold power tie.

“That tie does amazing things to your eyes.” Eve mumbled as she took a bite of her muffin.

“I was just thinking the same thing about your shirt.” Julian chuckled. Sometime after he had let her, Eve had changed. Now she was wearing a block flowing ankle length skirt and a lowing gypsy shirt in many different shades of brown.

He stood up and slid into the booth beside her. He twirled one of the soft curls in her hair around his index finger. He watched as she smiled shyly and broke off another piece of her muffin. Watching her slide the food slowly into her mouth me almost groaned aloud. She broke off another piece and held it to his mouth. His mouth closed around the muffin and he gently sucked her index finger into his mouth. Releasing it he watched her eyes cloud over.

Eve let out a moan as Julian’s soft mouth released her finger. Seconds later she was pressed against his chest in a passionate kiss. As the tongues danced and mated she melted further into Julian. He tasted like chocolate, coffee and pure male. She moaned again as she was pulled towards him. Straddling his lap she tilted her head to even deeper the kiss.

“What the hell?” An angry voice bellowed.

Eve and Julian jerked apart to find a livid and red faced TC. Next to him was a slack jawed Liz.

“TC.” Eve gasped trying to catch her breath. She jumped off Julian’s lap and stood up.

TC lunged at Julian and started punching him. He landed a punch square on the jaw.

“Julian!!” Eve screamed as she watched TC haul up Julian and continue to hit him. “TC stop!!” Eve said trying to pull him away.

“TC stop!! You’ll kill him.” Liz echoed as she helped Eve pull him away from a bloody Julian.

Liz dragged TC to the side as Eve knelt beside Julian who was now on the floor.

“TC you have to calm down.” Liz said in a soothing voice. “If you kill him you’ll end up in jail.”

“That man deserves to die.” TC spat out as he watched Eve dial 911. He stomped over to Eve.

“What the hell were you going kissing Julian Crane?” TC yelled at Eve.

She stood up from Julian and looked at TC with fire in her eyes. “Now is not the time to talk about this TC. I have to care for a man that you almost killed.”

TC grabbed her arm and jerked her back up when she went to kneel again. “I want an answer damnit.” TC growled.

“Let me go.” Eve commanded. “You’re hurting me.” Eve tried to jerk her arm from TC’s grasp, but ended up crying out in pain when he tightened his hold and jerked her back.

“You’re not going to just walk away from our conversation this time. I won’t let you.”

Eve heard the sirens just as TC backhanded her across the mouth. “I want an answer Eve. What were you doing kissing Julian?”

Eve brought her free hand up to wipe the blood from her mouth. “TC, you’re hurting me. Let me go.”

TC jerked her again. “Not until I get an answer.

“Later TC, right now I need to tend to Julian.” Eve insisted.

TC released her arm only to backhand her again. Eve flew backwards, tripped over Julian and smashed her head against the wall.

“That’s enough TC!” Sam yelled as he came running up. He had just seen the last part of TC’s power trip.

“I’m not done talking to her yet.” TC yelled at Sam in a blind rage.

It took Sam and two other officers to drag TC away.

Eve staggered back onto her feet and made her way back over to Julian.

“Oh Julian.” She said just before she passed out next to his unconscious body.

Liz was by the police car trying to calm the handcuffed TC down. Eve and Julian were both rushed to the hospital in separate ambulances while TC was taken to the police station to calm down in a cell.

Eve woke up in the hospital to find two nurses and a doctor standing over her.

“Welcome back.” Dr. Brown said.

“How’s Julian?” Was her first question.

“Well, fortunately there is no head injuries or internal bleeding, but he has a dislocated left shoulder and plenty of cuts and bruises.”

“And me?”

“You have a bruised face, black eye and minor concussion.”

Eve closed her eyes and thought back to the wharf. “Where’s TC?” She finally asked.

“I had to put him in jail Eve.” Another voice replied.

Eve opened her eyes and slowly turned her pounding head to see Sam sitting in a chair in the corner.

“Are you up to answering some questions?” Sam asked.

Eve sighed, “Yea, ask away.” She pushed herself up into a reclined sitting position and settled back.

“Okay, first of all, what happened back there at The Book Cafe?”