Romance Warfare: a Tigress' Guide to NOT Secure a Mate(8)

“Well, now isn’t that interesting.” Dean sat up and slid closer to Eva, eyes sweeping over her, lingering on the sliver of flesh exposed where her dress had slipped up over her thighs. “No one at all?” He draped his arm over the back of her seat. “You know, I’m single.”

Eva quirked her lips at him. “I can’t believe no one’s snatched you up yet, Dean.”

Dean’s hand dropped to her knee, giving it a light squeeze. “It would take a special girl to settle me down.”

“And what kind of girl would that be, hmm?” Eva purred at him.

“I’m thinking a smart-mouthed little redhead would do nicely.”

“Stop it.” Adam ground out.

“Stop what?” Eva asked innocently.

“Dean, get your goddamned hand off her leg.” Adam was staring daggers at Eva and Dean, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes sparking with tightly leashed anger.

Dean exploded with laughter. “Why cousin, I do believe you’re jealous.”

“I’m not jealous. Your behavior is inappropriate.”

“We’re all old friends here. Nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting.” Dean squeezed Eva’s leg again.

“I said, get your hands off her.”

“You wait just a damn minute,” Eva exploded, “you don’t get a say in who touches me or who doesn’t! You lost that right years ago.”

“Well, now that you brought it up, would you like to explain to me as to why I lost that right? I mean, you didn’t exactly give me a choice in the matter. You just stopped talking to me and then disappeared altogether. Did I do something, Eva? Why did you leave?”

The air in the car was suddenly heavy. Adam felt his throat tighten around his words. He told himself that he wouldn’t ask her those questions, but they just slipped out. When he saw Dean’s hand on her leg he couldn’t stop the jealousy that washed over him and he began to wonder if she’d left him for someone else. He’d been happy to hear her say she wasn’t dating, but watching her flirt with Dean was more than he could take. He knew Dean was doing that just to get a rise out of him and he was disappointed in himself that he took the bait. He couldn’t help it, he’d tried to give the appearance of ignoring her, of being professional, but he’d been aware of every move she’d made.

The look on Eva’s face was unreadable. She was chewing on her bottom lip and had wrapped her arms protectively around her waist. Dean had raised his eyebrows at Adam, his look questioning Adam’s sudden emotional outburst.

“Okay,” Eva said “if you really want to know…you told me you loved me, Adam.”

The leather seats creaked as Adam leaned forward and Dean tried to sink back and made himself as unobtrusive as possible.

“I really do want to know,” Adam said softly.

“You said you loved me but I saw you that night. I saw you with your tongue crammed down Rachel Morgan’s throat! So yes, I left. I have too much respect for myself to stay with a man who doesn’t mean what he says.”

Shock passed over Adam’s face before he let out a loud, rumbling laugh. “That’s it? You left because of that? Why didn’t you come talk to me about it?”

“I didn’t think we had anything left to talk about.”

“Eva, you should have come to me. We wouldn’t be where we are now if you’d let me explain…”

“I know an asshat when I see one, no explanation needed.”

“How about: she kissed me, I didn’t kiss her.”

“Right,” Eva snorted.

“Rachel Morgan had been after me since she moved to Trenton. Didn’t matter to her that I had no interest whatsoever in her.”

“I don’t believe you,” Eva fumed.

“I can’t help what you do or don’t believe, but I can give you the truth at least. I did not kiss Rachel Morgan. She’d been throwing herself at me for months; when you went to the ladies’ room to comfort your friend, what’s her name, little blonde girl…because her boyfriend broke up with her…anyhow, Rachel saw her chance. She cornered me when I went out into the hall for some air. Rubbed herself all over me like she was in heat and finally went in for the kiss. I guess that’s when you saw us.”

Eva was chewing on her bottom lip and thinking over Adam’s words. “No, I know what I saw.”

“Then you saw me push her off.”

“I saw her trying to hump your leg like a dog.”

Dean let out a sharp laugh before coughing himself into silence. When Adam skewered him with a dirty look he appeared to suddenly find the crisscross patterns on the ceiling very interesting.

“True, she was clinging to me like a leech…and maybe I did enjoy it for a minute, I was only eighteen…but I didn’t kiss her back. I didn’t want to kiss her, I didn’t want her. I was in love with you, Eva.”

“I know what I saw,” Eva insisted.

“Damn it, woman, will you listen to me? You didn’t see everything. And you didn’t bother coming to me for an explanation. You ran. If you hadn’t run, we’d be…” Adam trailed off.

“Married right now,” Eva said quietly.

“Your little adolescent temper tantrum caused a lot of problems between our clans, Eva.”