After the Storm (KGI #8)(82)

Eve sucked in her breath, not even realizing she was holding it until she became light-headed. She sucked in a deep breath, overcome by all that he’d said. He was so . . . sincere. Earnest. Could she believe him? Was she crazy to want to believe him? And should she tell him what she’d barely begun to entertain herself?

He’d been honest with her. Straightforward. No holding back. No games. She had to do the same for him.

“I think I could fall in love with you, Donovan,” she said in a whisper he had to lean forward to hear. “It’s crazy. I shouldn’t be talking like this. I shouldn’t even be thinking it. I can’t be entertaining the notion of love and a relationship, the future, when my life is in complete turmoil.”

He nudged her chin upward again until she was staring into his implacable eyes.

“You better damn well be thinking about your future—with me—because I’m already looking down the road to when we have children of our own. At the life I intend to have. With you. Travis and Cammie will always be part of our hearts and our family. I consider them my own children already. But I want children—with you—to fill our house. Lots of children, love and laughter, and I want you to give me those children. I want to see Travis and Cammie graduate high school and college, get married and have families of their own. I want to grow old with you and watch our grandchildren grow up, loved and protected just like I intend to protect you, Travis, Cammie and any children you and I have together. Our family, Eve. Our family.”

She could no longer hold back the tears. They sloshed over the rims of her eyes and slid soundlessly down her cheeks, colliding with his fingers as he stroked her face.

“When you say these things, I believe you. I want to believe you, but I’m afraid. I’m so afraid that it will all be snatched away. I’m afraid to be happy because I couldn’t bear it if it was all taken away. I don’t want to lose you.”

Donovan kissed her tears away, gently removing all traces of dampness on her cheeks. Then he smiled tenderly at her as he continued to stroke her hair and her face.

“We have all the time in the world for me to convince you that I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. We’ll face your—our—problems head on. Together. I’ll always be at your side and always at Travis’s and Cammie’s.”

CHAPTER 25

EVE snuggled into Donovan’s embrace and emitted a contented sigh. They were sitting on the couch enjoying a perfectly normal evening watching movies with Travis and Cammie.

Cammie’s IV had been discontinued earlier that day when Maren had come by for her daily checkup. Travis was no longer taking pain medication, and the soreness and pain he had been experiencing was diminishing greatly.

Donovan had cooked an early dinner for them and they’d sat around the table, laughing and acting just like a . . . family.

The threat of Walt that had loomed over Eve for so long had diminished. It was easy to forget that danger existed. That it was out there lurking, just waiting for the chance to strike. But here, secluded in Donovan’s home, behind the walls of the compound, Eve felt safe. Travis and Cammie felt safe. They’d smiled and relaxed for the first time since they’d run from their father.

It made Eve’s heart ache for all that could be. For all she wanted. Never would she have imagined having all she now had in the palm of her hands. She’d chickened out the night before. Had been so overwhelmed by the depth of her feelings for him that she’d taken the easy way out and said she could see herself falling in love with Donovan.

It was a lie. She loved him. But it had seemed too soon. He acted as though he cared about her. Maybe even loved her. But he hadn’t said the words. Neither had she. She had been afraid to say them matter-of-factly. Too worried that he wouldn’t believe her, that she’d been too caught up in the moment and would have said those words without truly meaning them.

Did she? She’d examined her feelings, their making love, until her head had spun. No matter how hard she tried to talk herself out of the idea of loving Donovan so soon, her heart had stood firm and told her in no uncertain terms that she did. And yet she’d still hesitated, too afraid to give voice to the sentiment for fear that he didn’t love her. That he too was carried away by the moment. By everything.

It all seemed too good to be true, and she found herself anticipating the other shoe dropping. She was just waiting for the bottom to fall out and for it all to be taken away in the blink of an eye.

Donovan’s arm tightened around her and he kissed the top of her head. He touched her and kissed her often. Reassuring her, being loving and affectionate, almost as if he realized her fears of it all vanishing.

“You’re quiet tonight,” he murmured close to her ear.

Eve glanced down on the floor where Travis was sprawled on the rug, Cammie nestled against him as the two were absorbed in the movie.

“I’m just enjoying it,” she said simply.

“Enjoying what?” Donovan asked.

She tipped her head up to him, finding his gaze. “You. Me. Us. It’s going to take time for me to get used to it, Donovan. I’m so afraid that at any moment it’s all going to disappear.”

He smiled tenderly at her and then captured her lips in a gentle kiss. “I’m not going anywhere, Eve. I’m here for the long haul. I understand your fears, but in time they’ll disappear. In time you’ll know that I’m keeping you, Travis and Cammie. You all belong to me. But I also belong to you. No one else will ever have the hold on me that you do. Not my family. Not KGI. You come first.”