Irresistible In Love
Page 62
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Whitney growled, tossed her hair over her shoulder, opened the front door, and slammed it on the way out, shaking the whole building.
Paige looked at the door, feeling like an earthquake had just rumbled through her. Or a tornado had snapped her up and spun her hard and fast.
And yet, she was lighter too.
For her whole life she’d kowtowed to her sister. But she never would again.
Paige’s career was helping people achieve freedom after years of emotional oppression. Finally, she’d done it for herself.
She wanted to call Evan to tell him her news, her epiphany, her breakthrough. And she needed him to know that Whitney was going to mess with the divorce in any way she could.
Determination—and that growing lightness within her—made her hand surprisingly steady as she fished her phone out of her purse and dialed his cell phone.
“Paige.” She loved the sound of her name on his lips, soft and low and full of need. “I was just thinking about you. It seems like I can’t stop.”
She wanted to tell him the same, to talk as lovers did. But she needed him to know, “Whitney was just here.”
He cursed, four letters that crudely, and accurately, summed up the situation.
“She saw us kiss at the door and disappear inside.” Her heart raced as she remembered the beauty, the passion of their connection. “She was still watching when you come back out. After.” Heat infused Paige head to toes with the pleasure, the joy, and the love still tingling deep inside her. “After we made love.”
Again, he swore, fury—and frustration—underlying the short word.
“She’s going to use it against you in the settlement. Use me against you. She wants to destroy you.”
“She won’t.” His tone was hard. All the warmth with which he’d said her name was gone now. “I won’t let her, damn it.”
Paige was suddenly holding a phone full of dead air. And wondering if, like an emotional vampire, Whitney had just sucked away everything that was good.
No. That was the past talking. No matter what Whitney said with that snap of her fingers, Evan wouldn’t go back to her. How could he possibly do that?
Shoving her insecurities away—the insecurities her sister had built up simply so she could toy with Paige—she rolled her suitcase back to her bedroom and started unpacking. A simple, routine act that would help ground her back into reality.
But Evan’s imprint was on each piece of clothing. The hungry look in his eyes as he’d stripped her sweater away. The reverence as he’d traced the line of lace along the top edge of her panties. The deep emotion in his voice as he’d said, I’m yours.
The doorbell rang for the second time that evening. She closed her eyes and took a bracing breath. Whitney was back for more. Maybe she’d thought of some new threat. Clearly, she hadn’t accepted that Paige was done taking her crap.
When she reached the front door, she threw it open, ready to do battle.
But this time, Evan filled her doorway.
And her heart.
“I was already on my way back to you when you called.” His gaze was fierce and passionate and protective. “I shouldn’t have left. But I swear to you, I won’t make that mistake again. And I won’t let her hurt you,” he vowed.
Then he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. The purest vow of all.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Paige stole his breath right out of his chest. Just the way she’d stolen his heart. Both now and all those years ago, talking and laughing and connecting on a deeper level than he ever had with anyone else.
Evan made himself set her down, though he never wanted to let her go. “The thought of Whitney threatening you makes me crazy.”
He’d already been on his way back, trying the whole way to convince himself that desire was what drove his urge to be with her again. But when Paige had called and told him about Whitney’s surprise blitz attack? He’d finally realized, finally accepted, just how much he felt for Paige. How much he cared. How much he wanted her in his arms, in his bed, in his life.
And not just for one stolen weekend.
“You were the one she was threatening, Evan.”
“She’ll use you to get at me.”
“She can try,” Paige said, lifting her chin. “But it won’t work.”
He stroked her cheek. She was so brave. So strong. So honest. If only he’d realized nine years ago that brave, strong, and honest were traits worth fighting for. Even if you had to fight your own demons. Especially then.
“Tell me what she said.”
She was silent for a moment that was heavy enough for him to what had happened between them. “She wanted my sympathy. She wanted to know where I was this weekend.” Pausing, it was obvious she had to weigh whether to continue. Her chin lifted with her decision to tell him. “She wanted to know how I could possibly think you would have feelings for me when you could have her instead.”
“I will crush her before I let her hurt you.” He would give away all his money, all his worldly possessions if that was what it took to protect Paige. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to protect you from her.”
“Don’t be sorry. It was good for me.” When his eyebrow rose in disbelief, she clarified. “The things she said were horrible. But knowing I could stand up to her and defend myself? That was good. Great, in fact. Although,” she added with a small laugh, “I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch Sleeping Beauty again any time soon. I swear she actually looked like the wicked witch when she was yelling at me.”
Paige looked at the door, feeling like an earthquake had just rumbled through her. Or a tornado had snapped her up and spun her hard and fast.
And yet, she was lighter too.
For her whole life she’d kowtowed to her sister. But she never would again.
Paige’s career was helping people achieve freedom after years of emotional oppression. Finally, she’d done it for herself.
She wanted to call Evan to tell him her news, her epiphany, her breakthrough. And she needed him to know that Whitney was going to mess with the divorce in any way she could.
Determination—and that growing lightness within her—made her hand surprisingly steady as she fished her phone out of her purse and dialed his cell phone.
“Paige.” She loved the sound of her name on his lips, soft and low and full of need. “I was just thinking about you. It seems like I can’t stop.”
She wanted to tell him the same, to talk as lovers did. But she needed him to know, “Whitney was just here.”
He cursed, four letters that crudely, and accurately, summed up the situation.
“She saw us kiss at the door and disappear inside.” Her heart raced as she remembered the beauty, the passion of their connection. “She was still watching when you come back out. After.” Heat infused Paige head to toes with the pleasure, the joy, and the love still tingling deep inside her. “After we made love.”
Again, he swore, fury—and frustration—underlying the short word.
“She’s going to use it against you in the settlement. Use me against you. She wants to destroy you.”
“She won’t.” His tone was hard. All the warmth with which he’d said her name was gone now. “I won’t let her, damn it.”
Paige was suddenly holding a phone full of dead air. And wondering if, like an emotional vampire, Whitney had just sucked away everything that was good.
No. That was the past talking. No matter what Whitney said with that snap of her fingers, Evan wouldn’t go back to her. How could he possibly do that?
Shoving her insecurities away—the insecurities her sister had built up simply so she could toy with Paige—she rolled her suitcase back to her bedroom and started unpacking. A simple, routine act that would help ground her back into reality.
But Evan’s imprint was on each piece of clothing. The hungry look in his eyes as he’d stripped her sweater away. The reverence as he’d traced the line of lace along the top edge of her panties. The deep emotion in his voice as he’d said, I’m yours.
The doorbell rang for the second time that evening. She closed her eyes and took a bracing breath. Whitney was back for more. Maybe she’d thought of some new threat. Clearly, she hadn’t accepted that Paige was done taking her crap.
When she reached the front door, she threw it open, ready to do battle.
But this time, Evan filled her doorway.
And her heart.
“I was already on my way back to you when you called.” His gaze was fierce and passionate and protective. “I shouldn’t have left. But I swear to you, I won’t make that mistake again. And I won’t let her hurt you,” he vowed.
Then he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. The purest vow of all.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Paige stole his breath right out of his chest. Just the way she’d stolen his heart. Both now and all those years ago, talking and laughing and connecting on a deeper level than he ever had with anyone else.
Evan made himself set her down, though he never wanted to let her go. “The thought of Whitney threatening you makes me crazy.”
He’d already been on his way back, trying the whole way to convince himself that desire was what drove his urge to be with her again. But when Paige had called and told him about Whitney’s surprise blitz attack? He’d finally realized, finally accepted, just how much he felt for Paige. How much he cared. How much he wanted her in his arms, in his bed, in his life.
And not just for one stolen weekend.
“You were the one she was threatening, Evan.”
“She’ll use you to get at me.”
“She can try,” Paige said, lifting her chin. “But it won’t work.”
He stroked her cheek. She was so brave. So strong. So honest. If only he’d realized nine years ago that brave, strong, and honest were traits worth fighting for. Even if you had to fight your own demons. Especially then.
“Tell me what she said.”
She was silent for a moment that was heavy enough for him to what had happened between them. “She wanted my sympathy. She wanted to know where I was this weekend.” Pausing, it was obvious she had to weigh whether to continue. Her chin lifted with her decision to tell him. “She wanted to know how I could possibly think you would have feelings for me when you could have her instead.”
“I will crush her before I let her hurt you.” He would give away all his money, all his worldly possessions if that was what it took to protect Paige. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to protect you from her.”
“Don’t be sorry. It was good for me.” When his eyebrow rose in disbelief, she clarified. “The things she said were horrible. But knowing I could stand up to her and defend myself? That was good. Great, in fact. Although,” she added with a small laugh, “I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch Sleeping Beauty again any time soon. I swear she actually looked like the wicked witch when she was yelling at me.”
