Ethan’s brows rose as he shot Linc a look. “Uh, okay. Thanks for the update.”

  Ignoring his brother’s attitude, he disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door so he could type out the text to Eva in private.

  Idea. What if you move into my guest room and Emmett moves into your apartment? Just until he leaves.

  He held his breath, staring at the display, waiting for her answer. It felt like forever. But it might have only been a minute or so, when the dots appeared and he knew she was typing.

  Heart pounding, he waited, and finally, her text appeared.

  Sick of him already? You invited him. You get no sympathy.

  No surprise. Of course she couldn’t just give him a straight yes or no answer. But he could. He typed it in and had no trouble admitting the truth.

  Yes I am and you were right.

  Fine. But wash the sheets. Boil them! That fucker probably has all sorts of diseases.

  He smiled as he read her reply and sent her a thumbs up emoji in response.

  It was a genius idea, even if it did originate from Ethan’s comment. Could things actually be working out? Getting better?

  Someone tried the knob, found the door locked and started to pound on the bathroom door. That was followed by Emmett calling out, “Hey! I gotta get in there.”

  It was the reminder Linc needed that things wouldn’t really be all right again until Emmett—and the specter of that will hanging over them—was out of all their lives. For good.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “Did you two get your Secret Santa done yet?” Olivia asked Eva and Poppy, as if everything was normal and the snake hadn’t intruded on their happy Wilder family Christmas.

  They were sitting in Olivia’s bedroom in the mansion, which was now the norm and Eva feared might remain so even after baby Wilder made his or her appearance.

  God, how she hoped this would remain the norm and Emmett didn’t move into this room as one of the new owners.

  She pushed that residual fear aside. That wasn’t gonna happen. She had the means to make sure of it.

  Besides, she was here to get Olivia to relax and stop worrying. The doctor was not happy with her blood pressure lately. And there was no doubt in Eva’s mind why that was.

  So here they were, pretending life was like it was before the snake reappeared..

  At least she had a big screen television and a fireplace. Plus a couple of comfy upholstered chairs had been moved in to accommodate Olivia’s frequent visitors. All in all, there were worst places to hang out and kill a few hours.

  Eva looked away from the screen at Olivia’s question while wishing she had a cookie, because today they were watching some holiday baking competition and it was making her mouth water.

  Poppy pouted at Olivia’s question. “Yes. But I’m not enjoying it.”

  Eva lifted a brow. Emmett was not a part of the Secret Santa so it couldn’t be having to get a gift for him that was making the usually annoyingly happy Poppy so obviously unhappy.

  Maybe she had to get a gift for Wyatt? None of them were all that happy with him and his refusal to condemn Emmett for his past behavior and bury that will.

  Of course, it could be being separated from Ethan that Poppy was upset about. She had moved back to the Wilder to protest Emmett’s return, so Eva could imagine neither Poppy or Ethan were getting the amount of loving of the physical nature they’d gotten used to. Eva could relate to that…

  Or hell, maybe it was just Poppy lamenting the fact that Emmett’s return had put a damper on all of their Christmas merriment.

  Eva had been pretty pissed about that herself until she’d dropped off her stuff at the lodge on her way over here today. Just walking in the door of Linc’s place and being surrounded by the decorations they’d worked on together had picked up her spirits. As had the absence of the snake.

  The fact Linc had coordinated the roommate swap like a well-planned hostage exchange helped. He’d made sure Emmett was out—along with all evidence of him—before she’d arrived. And he’d made sure to keep Emmett out of sight—probably propping up the bar at the Last Call—until she’d cleared her apartment of all her stuff and had driven away.

  She’d be staying in Linc’s guest room again. But that didn’t mean she’d be in his bed—as much as she wanted to scratch that itch again.

  Sadly, like all things, her sex life had been altered by the snake. Because until she was completely certain of Linc’s feelings about Emmett, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see him naked again—even with as pleasant as that experience had been.

  She was horny, but she was even more stubborn, and pissed off at the snake’s return.

  “Eva? You?” Olivia’s question knocked her out of her thoughts.

  “Me what?”

  “Your Secret Santa gift?” Olivia clarified.

  “Oh. Yeah. My gift is mostly done. I’m just putting on the finishing touches,” she answered, keeping it purposefully vague, as per the rules, in addition to her desire to not go to jail for the less than completely legal way she’d gone about setting up his gift.

  Then there was the other thing she’d worked on, which she figured could be a gift for them all. The in-depth information packet containing all of Emmett’s dirty deeds. It was as complete and professional as any target package she routinely supplied to the people she usually worked for. Watching Emmett getting hauled away in handcuffs would be the gift that kept on giving.

  That was a dark thought, in stark contrast to the sparkly white Christmas confections on the screen in front of her.

  Maybe working on the dark web to shine a light on the worst of this world’s evils had made her a cynic with a cold black heart. Like the Grinch. And like the Grinch had eventually helped the Whos, she could help the Wilders by ridding them of the snake. By making sure he was locked in a dark hole for a long time for his crimes.

  But would the Wilder family thank her or condemn her for it? She wasn’t so sure her moral compass was the same as theirs. She’d begun to wonder lately, after being around these people, if she was a bit off of true North.

  Maybe she wouldn’t have to do anything at all. He had to have found the thumb drive by now. Shouldn’t he be leaving town again since he’d gotten what he wanted?

  Did she let him keep his stolen money so he’d leave the Wilders alone? How could she when she had the knowledge and the power to tip off the authorities so the woman’s son could get back what was stolen from his mother? That’s what seemed right and just. What she had to do.

  The whole thing made her head spin. She’d have to worry about it later. For now, her friends needed her.

  “How are you doing?” Eva asked Olivia. “Do you need any help from us? You’re stuck here. It’s got to be hard.”

  Her friend wobbled her head. “It’s been okay. You’d be surprised how much you can get done from bed. Thank God for the internet.”

  “Amen,” Eva agreed.

  Meanwhile, Poppy was still pouting and the worst part of it was, she somehow managed to look even more gorgeous doing it.

  “Okay. What’s with the puss face?” Eva asked her.

  With her gaze on the television where the amateur bakers were creating Christmas cookie creations that would no doubt put anything they made to shame, Poppy screwed her mouth up further. “We’re supposed to have the cookie decorating in a couple of days. I’m definitely not in the mood for that, but Darcy is so excited. And Dad said we shouldn’t cancel.”

  “Dad?” Eva repeated, eyes wide. When had Ethan’s father William become Dad to Poppy?

  Partially turning in the bed to better look at Poppy, Olivia looked as interested in the answer as Eva was.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just when I moved in here, that’s what the boys all call him.” Poppy shrugged and tried to roll her eyes and look casual but all Eva could think was that the lady doth protest too much.

  So the Wilder brothers were now the boys too. Interesting.

  “Mm-hm,” Eva said. She turned to Olivia. “Livvie, do you call him Dad too?”

  Olivia smiled. “Not yet, but now I think I’d better start.”

  Eva laughed as Poppy’s cheeks turned red. There was no hiding a blush for either of them. Not Poppy as a blonde or Eva as a redhead. Luckily for Eva, she was the one who usually said something that caused other people to blush, not the other way around.

  “I could talk to Darcy and see if she’d be okay with pushing the cookie decorating off for a little while,” Olivia offered.

  “Do you really think she’s going to be keen on delaying that event? It involves cookies,” Eva pointed out.

  “Yeah. You’re probably right.” Olivia’s shoulders sagged with her exhale.

  “Thank God Ethan and I moved the tree trimming up or that would have been ruined too.” Poppy scowled.

  Damn Emmett Wilder. She hated that he could affect them like this.

  Poppy’s eternal optimism had always annoyed Eva, but she had to admit that she missed it. She didn’t like seeing her friend miserable. And as much as she’d had her reservations about all of the Wilders when they’d first met them, she’d grown to feel part of this family. Love them even.

  She didn’t want to see them taken advantage of by the snake. And she really didn’t want to give him the power to ruin their Christmas.

  “I say we go ahead with the event as planned and just have a great time in spite of the snake,” she said.

  Both women turned to glance at her.

  “Okay.” Olivia nodded. “We’ll go on as planned.”

  “But the cockroach is not invited,” Poppy demanded.

  “Definitely not,” Eva agreed, because with any luck, he’d already have slithered away by then.

  “Hey.” Wyatt popped his head in through the hall doorway, drawing all of their focus.

  Eva was glad she hadn’t spilled any of the fail safes she’d put into place regarding the snake out loud. She never knew who was lurking in doorways here in the Wilder mansion.

  His gaze found Eva in the upholstered chair and he moved forward, arm extended. “Linc asked me to give you this.”

  She accepted the key, noticing it was on a Jack Daniels Tennessee Whisky logo keychain. She looked up at him with a frown.

  “It’s the spare key to the cabin we usually keep hanging in the kitchen. He didn’t have time to get to a hardware store to get another duplicate made. He said you’re staying there with him now and needed a key,” Wyatt explained as Eva made herself a liar as her cheeks heated.

  Apparently she did blush.

  She dared to glance at her friends and found both were extremely interested in the fact she’d just, according to Wyatt anyway, moved in with Linc. “Uh, I can explain.”

  “Mm-hm.” Poppy nodded, blonde brow cocked high, giving her back as much attitude as Eva had doled out to her just moments before about the whole Dad-slash-William thing.

  Olivia smirked. “Yes, please do explain. I’m dying to hear it.”

  Shit.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The logs crackled in the fire, adding a faint aroma of wood smoke along with a blast of warm air to the great room of the cabin. Bottles of red wine, white wine and whiskey sat out on the long table with glasses.

  Yes, he’d done all that for Eva. Would he ever admit that to her? Hell no. He’d just say he decided—while he was at the store replenishing everything Emmett had consumed during his short visit—to get a jumpstart on the Yule Log party if she asked when she got home tonight.

  Home.

  His heart fluttered at the thought of Eva’s home being his home—for the time being.

  Of all the bad things that Emmett’s return had caused, Eva moving in—for now—was one of the good things. Word from the main house, meaning Wyatt, was that Eva was visiting with Poppy and Olivia and as requested he’d given her a key.

  It seemed ridiculous—it was such a small thing—but a smile crept onto his face at the thought of her having a key to his place. And it wasn’t just because he really hoped they’d end up in bed. He liked having her around. As much as he disliked having Emmett there.

  A rattling of the doorknob had his gaze flying to the entrance. Trying to look nonchalant and like he hadn’t been sitting there waiting for her to get home, he propped his elbow on the arm of the chair, picked up his bottle of beer and pretended to be staring into the fire.

  He felt like an idiot being nervous. He just hoped he didn’t look like one too.

  When the door opened and closed again, he swiveled his head to glance at the doorway. “Oh, hey, you’re here. I see you got the key.”

  She scowled in his direction. “Yeah. About that. Did you really have to have Wyatt parade the key into the bedroom on a silver platter like the Christmas goose and present it to me, in front of Olivia and Poppy, like it’s a big deal? Now they think there’s something going on between us.”

  “There is,” he reminded her.

  “There was once.”

  “Twice,” he corrected earning him a glare.

  “That doesn’t mean I want my love life on parade in front of my friends and it also doesn’t mean it will ever happen again. Don’t think because I’m in your house, staying in your guest room, means that I’m at your beck and call for sex.”

  The more she ranted, the harder he got. God, he loved when she gave him attitude. “I never would have assumed that.” Hoped. But not assumed.

  “Good. I just want that clear,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder as she dumped her bag by the door.

  “Very clear.” He nodded, trying not to smile. “Did you eat?”

  Hanging her coat on the hook, she nodded. “Poppy made a box of macaroni and cheese for Darcy and I ate the leftovers.”

  He shook his head, giving up on not smiling at that image. “You eat like a child.”

  “There is nothing wrong with boxed macaroni and cheese. It’s good.”

  “Okay.” He nodded. He’d eaten worse in the service so he wasn’t going to argue. “I went shopping and picked up some wine. It’s on the table. I’m not sure which goes best with boxed mac and cheese. Red or white?”

  “Ha-ha.” She narrowed her gaze at him, making her way to the fire where she held her hands out toward the opening to warm up.

  “But seriously, help yourself. Open anything you want.”

  “Mm.” Her non-answer didn’t give him much to go on. Then she spun back to face him. “Let’s go to bed.”

  There were way too many things to be unpacked in that deceivingly simple four-word sentence. Starting with the word let’s, as in them together? And since it was barely seven-thirty, she couldn’t be tired so she had to mean go to bed to have sex. Right?

  He wasn’t sure of anything but he knew one thing, the correct response to her statement was, “Okay.”

  He’d let her lead. He’d follow. If she went into his room, they’d be golden. He’d know exactly what she wanted.

  If she went into her own room, that would be a little more tricky. What would he do then? Hang around in the hallway waiting for an invitation? Walk in and wait for her to yell at him or not?

  Women were hard. And this woman was particularly difficult. Like she had to be in the top one percent of confusing females in the world.

  “Wait.” She held up one finger. “Answer me this. Yes or no. If your father called that vote on Emmett today, which way would you vote?”

  Where had this come from? He didn’t know but he was sure of his answer. “No.”

  “No doubts?”

  “Fuck no.”

  “Okay.” She nodded. “Come on.”

  He scurried to make sure the screen across the fireplace was secure, flipped the deadbolt on the front door and turned off most of the lights downstairs, all as fast as he could. He wasn’t about to make this woman wait.

  When he turned back to face the staircase, the glow of the Christmas lights that they’d wound throughout the greens on the banister lit her features as she ascended. She glanced back to see if he was coming, and the light danced in her eyes.

  That was when he knew for certain—he was falling for this woman.

  This cranky, contrary, stubborn, possibly criminal woman was the only one he wanted in his home, in his bed, in his life.

  And she’d better want him back.

  Following her up, he supposed he’d find out one way or another soon enough.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “Your room or mine?” She stood at the top of the staircase and watched the mix of emotions cross his face. Surprise quickly followed by eagerness. She imagined it was a lot like he would have looked twenty or so years ago when waking up as a little boy, remembering it was Christmas morning and running for the presents under the tree.

  After a beat he said, “My bed’s bigger.”

  “Your bed it is.” She nodded and led the way into his room. And he let her lead. She liked that about him. Against all odds, she liked him. Period.

  She wasn’t going to tell him that, but since they were about to get naked, he’d probably make the assumption.

  Men were good at assuming things—whether their assumptions were true or not. Wilder men in particular. But Linc wasn’t as bad as his cocky, opinionated, overly domineering older brothers in that department. Maybe it came from his being so damn young—a fact she was staunchly blocking from her mind as she reached for the button on her jeans to get undressed.

  But the process was interrupted when Linc closed in on her, hauling her against him while taking her mouth.

  With his hands on her hips, he’d pulled their bodies so tightly against each other, she abandoned trying to unzip her fly. It was kind of nice to just enjoy the feel of his bulging back muscles under her hands through the cotton of his shirt anyway.

  He broke the kiss and moved to her ear, causing a tremor to pass through her at the warmth of his breath against her sensitive skin. He ran his open mouth down her throat and her body twisted in response. Tightening. Craving. Needing to be filled.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21