Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3)(83)

I nodded and reached for my glass of iced tea, unable to say a thing. But iced f*cking tea. The woman even made iced tea. How the hell was I supposed to just let her go?

Fine. Iced tea had nothing to do with it. Even if she'd never once cleaned or cooked a damn thing, I still want her to stay.

"Skylar and I packed our things this afternoon," she added, stabbing me right through the chest with her casual announcement. "After the supper dishes are cleaned, we can call Reese to come pick us up."

"No!" When Eva blinked in surprise, my face heated. "I mean . . . " Shit. I ran my hand through my hair. "You don't have to call her. Fighter and I can drive you guys over."

"Oh." Her shoulders fell half an inch, and I swear I saw disappointment in her eyes. It lit a fire of hope inside me. I opened my mouth to ask her to stay, but then she grinned and added, "That'd be great. Thanks."

Damn it. What the hell had I been thinking? I couldn't keep her forever.

Skylar saved my mortified ass by picking that moment to spit up, and Julian helped by throwing his chew toy over the side of the high chair and crying for someone to fetch it. But that was only a temporary distraction. After Eva and I worked side by side to clean the dishes, she brushed her palms over her hips and turned to me with a tense, expectant smile.

"Well . . . " she said.

"I'll, uh . . . " I blew out a breath. "I can carry your things down to the Barracuda."

Her blue eyes were soft and appreciative. "Okay. Thank you."

I nodded, stalled a minute, and then turned and headed from the kitchen. It only took me three trips to get everything she'd accumulated over the past few weeks piled into the trunk, which meant, after only three brief trips to my car and back, it was time to take her home.

We were both quiet as we bundled up the kids. I picked up both Julian's and Skylar's carrier, one in each hand. Eva slung her purse over her shoulder and slowly glanced around the front room as if bidding it farewell. Then she lifted her shoulders and asked, "Ready?"

I couldn't answer so I turned toward the exit. Tink got the door for me and led the way down the stairs, and then she opened the main entrance for me as well. I wanted to blurt out, "We work so well together, it seems like a damn shame to end this so soon," but I swallowed the urge.

Once the four of us were buckled in, I fumbled for the keys. There was a moment of silence before I could start the engine in which Julian screwed up his face and began to whine, tossing his arms as if prepared for a royal tantrum.

"Hey, it's okay, little man." Though she was technically no longer my babysitter, Eva undid her seatbelt and leaned over the seat to check on him, finding him a toy to latch onto and chew.

I glanced over and watched her sooth him. "I think this is his way of telling you he doesn't want you to go."

Eva sent me a sharp look and abruptly turned around, settling herself forward again. I bit my lip, gnawing on the rings at the corner, and stabbed my key into the ignition.

When I didn't turn the engine on and just stared straight ahead out the front windshield, Eva cleared her throat.

"Um . . . Pick?"

"Hmm?" I shifted my attention to her.

She crinkled her eyebrows. "Why aren't we going?"

"Oh." I looked down at my hand still resting on the key. But I just couldn't turn it.

Fuck. It was confession time. "I guess it's my turn to balk." I drew in a heaving breath and added, "Because this is my way of telling you I don't want you to go."

Then I held in the breath I'd just gulped down, creating a pocket of distress in my gullet as I waited for her response.

"You want me to stay?" She sounded hopeful as her eyes lit up. Or maybe I was the hopeful one, trying to project it onto her. Yeah, that had to be it.

"Ignore me," I mumbled, reaching for the key again. "I'm being stupid."

But she snaked her hand out and covered my fingers, stopping me from starting the car. "I want to stay, too," she said, her admission so low I almost didn't hear it.

I straightened and twisted my entire torso to face her fully. "You do?"

Nodding, she yanked her hand from mine and began to wring all ten fingers at her waist. "I mean, Julian's going to need a babysitter anyway, whether it's me or Mrs. Rojas. And if you pay us the same, then I don't see why it'd make any difference if I—"

"Stay," I said simply.

Eva bit her lip. Her chest rose as she took a deep breath. And then she nodded. "Okay."



EVA



This was crazy. Insane. Completely foolish. I'd pretty much just agreed to move in with a guy I'd never even kissed after only having known him for a few months.

We never did clarify how long I had agreed to stay. I'm not sure if that made the situation better or worse. Maybe he only wanted me another month or two. Maybe forever.

I hoped forever, though oh God, I shouldn't be hoping that, should I?

What if his wife came home? What if he started dating? What if . . . ?

"Do you need to call Reese and let her know you're not coming back?" he asked, carrying both kids again as he followed me back up the stairs to his apartment. "She was expecting you tonight, wasn't she?"