Without a Net

by Blake, Jill

He touched her elbow. “Come on, I’ll escort you out.”

  “No.” She pulled away. “Don’t.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

  “I don’t want anyone to know…” She bit her lip. It felt swollen, tender. “I don’t want people to see us together and think…”

  He waited a beat. “What? That we’re friends? Lovers?”

  “Yes. That. My son can’t know that there’s anything going on between us.”

  “We went out to dinner, Eva. I’m sure people saw us. And I doubt your son would expect you to be alone forever.”

  “You don’t understand.”

  “No, Eva, I don’t. Why don’t you explain it?”

  “You’re not a parent.”

  “Not as far as I know,” he said. “I’ve always been careful.”

  “Until today.”

  “Yes,” he conceded. “Until now, with you.”

  His soft tone, even more than his words, triggered a strange sense of longing. Could it be she was starting to fall for him, just a little?

  She stiffened her spine. Ridiculous. She didn’t have time for this, or for him. He was the ultimate player, sleeping his way through Santa Monica’s ranks of nubile young females. Hell, she was probably underestimating his reach. Why limit himself to the eight square miles of Santa Monica, when there was all of Los Angeles and its environs to explore? And what was he doing playing around with Eva, ambushing her for a quickie at his own sister’s house, while scores of guests—including Eva’s son—mingled within hearing range?

  To be fair, she hadn’t said no. She’d reveled in the sheer eroticism of the moment, the incandescent pleasure of his body sliding against and then inside of hers, the orgasm so intense that she actually saw stars.

  But now that both her clothes and her common sense were back where they belonged, she needed to get away from him. Back to her real life, with all its responsibilities and unresolved issues.

  She tightened her hand on the doorknob. “Two days, Max. That’s all I’m asking. A little breathing room, okay?”

  A muscle in his jaw ticked. She held her breath as he leaned forward, his chest brushing her shoulder. But all he did was unlock the door.

  “Wednesday,” he said. “Come by anytime. I’ll be home.”

  Chapter 16

  Wednesday morning dawned too soon. She wasn’t ready to face Max.

  It wasn’t the work that was the problem. That was chugging along quite nicely, right on schedule. The website and blog were all set to go, pending Max’s final approval. She had a list of promotional sites and dates, along with a publicity kit that included links, book excerpts, sample Facebook and Tumblr posts and Twitter tweets that could be fired off with a single keystroke. The only things still missing were the tchotchkes for contests and giveaways she had planned for an online launch party in two weeks. The orders were in, and Eva was expecting delivery any day.

  So as far as the promotional campaign for Max’s book, things were definitely on track.

  The issue was Max himself. Hard as Eva tried to distance herself, the man had a way of getting past her defenses. What woman wouldn’t melt beneath the impact of those moss green eyes and seductive grin?

  But it wasn’t just his looks and charm. He had strength of character, a gritty determination tempered with compassion. Or maybe that was just his protagonist. Was she making the classic mistake of confusing the writer with his creation? He’d penned a novel, after all, not an autobiography. What did she really know about Max, other than the fact that he had a way with words, seemed quite fond of his sister and nephew, and could bring a woman to orgasm repeatedly while barely breaking a sweat?

  She’d promised to stop by his house after dropping Ben off at school. But if she did that, she was afraid they would wind up in bed. Again. Her body might be screaming yes, but her head was telling her not to be foolish. There was only one way for this to end, and that was badly. Someone was bound to get hurt. Frankly, Eva wasn’t enough of a risk taker to chance it.

  Which meant she was back where she started a few days ago, when Max had first presented his date-me-or-else ultimatum. She could continue on this self-destructive path with him, or she could deliver everything that was already completed, and ask him to find someone else to take over the marketing.

  Unless…

  She pulled out her phone and texted him: Meet for coffee?

  His response was almost instantaneous. I’ll make some. Come over.

  She frowned. Meeting in a public place would provide some protection. Sure, they’d be seen together, but at least this time she could claim work as a legitimate excuse. She typed a response. Already ordered. Black, no sugar, right?

  This time he took longer to answer. Where?

  She bit back a smile and keyed in the name of the coffee shop where they’d met before. Then she grabbed her laptop bag, locked the house, and started walking.

  ###

  “Did you take the pill?”

  Her hands stilled on the keyboard. After forty minutes spent bringing him up-to-date, answering his questions about author interviews and guest blogs, she had relaxed. Big mistake.

  “No. I haven’t had the chance.” She forced herself to finish typing and saved the file.

  He didn’t take the hint. “I was thinking. I’m thirty-six. And you’re—what… thirty-one, thirty-two?”

  “Thirty-four,” she said, shutting down the laptop.

  He nodded. “Did you know that Nina and Paul have been doing IVF for the last year?”

  She raised a brow at the non sequitur. “And…?”

  “Nina’s thirty-two.”

  “I know.”

  “We’re not getting any younger.” He paused, glanced around, and lowered his voice. “It’s true what they say about your life flashing before your eyes.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “When you’re in an accident. One minute I was flying downhill, and the next I was in the air. There must have been a rock hidden beneath the snow. I saw the tree, knew there was no way I could avoid hitting it. I swear, I relived my entire life in those few seconds.”

  Eva stared at him. What he was describing was completely beyond her experience. But the wealth of emotion behind the words was something she had no trouble recognizing. How many times, in those early days of Roger’s illness, had she suffered the same turbulent mix of anxiety and regret?

  Before she had a chance to come up with an appropriate response, he continued. “It took hours for the ski patrol to arrive. And while I was lying there, looking up at the sky, you know what kept going through my head?”

  “What?”

  “I kept thinking, no one would miss me when I’m gone.”

  “That’s not true. What about Nina, and Connor, and—” She broke off, appalled at what she’d almost revealed.

  “Yeah, maybe. For a while. But Nina doesn’t exactly approve of the way I’ve lived my life.”

  “Why not?”

  He shrugged. “She thinks I’m too much like our parents. Chasing after adventure. Taking stupid risks. Wasting my life.”

  “Are you?”

  “Maybe. At least, until recently. Facing your own mortality has a way of changing your perspective.” He hesitated. “I imagine you know something about that.”

  “Yes.”

  He nodded. “So if you decided not to take the pill and just see what happens…well, it might not be such a bad thing. Having a kid, I mean.”

  His return to the earlier topic jarred her. “I already have one.”

  “You could give Ben a brother or sister.” He leaned forward, covered her hand with his. “Wait—don’t say anything. Just think about it, okay? I understand you’re going through a lot right now, and maybe this isn’t the best timing. But you wouldn’t be in this alone. I would help.”

  “This is crazy.” She pulled away from him and shoved her laptop into her bag.

  “Eva—”

  “No. I’m serious. Just because you’r
e having some kind of existential crisis, doesn’t give you the right to dictate what I should or shouldn’t do.”

  “I’m not dictating anything. All I’m saying is that maybe we should stop and consider this from a different perspective. Look at it as an opportunity.”

  “I don’t think so.” She got up. “I’m sorry.”

  He disposed of their empty cups and used napkins and caught up with her on the street outside. “I didn’t mean to upset you. We’re both adults here. Can’t we talk about this calmly and come to some sort of agreement?”

  “I’m not having this discussion.”

  He gripped her arm, drawing her to a stop. “Eva, please.”

  She tried to shake him off, without success. “Look, Max, I already told you I can’t handle another complication in my life. I’m sorry. If this makes it too awkward to work together, I’m happy to hand everything over to whoever you get to replace me.”

  “I don’t want anyone else.”

  A couple women walking past gave them a wide berth. One of them did a double-take. “Eva? Eva Landry? I thought that was you!”

  Eva glanced at the woman and dredged up a smile. “Celeste. How are you?”

  “Oh, sweetie, I heard about Roger. I’m so sorry.” She leaned in for an air kiss, forcing Max to release Eva’s arm. “You must be utterly devastated. But you look good, considering. Have you thought of trying a little Botox? It would do wonders for those frown lines. And who’s this gorgeous man? You haven’t been holding out on us, have you?”

  Eva gritted her teeth and made the introductions. “Max Palmer, Celeste Stewart. Max is a client.”

  “A client? Oh, sweetie. Things must be bad if you needed to go back to work. Remind me what it is that you do?”

  “Graphic design.”

  “Oh, of course! I remember now. You did all those cute little ads for Tom and Roger when they were still flipping houses. Are you a contractor too, Max?”

  He stepped closer to Eva. “No.”

  “You look familiar. Don’t tell me! You’re a model, aren’t you?” She turned to her companion. “Doesn’t he look familiar?”

  The other woman ogled him. “Like one of those Abercrombie & Fitch models.”

  Eva cut off further speculation. “It was nice seeing you, Celeste.”

  “Oh, you too, sweetie. Don’t be a stranger!”

  Max waited until they were halfway down the block before speaking. “A client?”

  “What did you want me to say? The woman has a mouth bigger than Hilton Perez. And unlike him, she doesn’t get paid to gossip. She does it for the sheer pleasure of wreaking havoc.”

  “How do you know her?”

  “She was married to Tom Stewart, Roger’s business partner.”

  “Poor Tom.”

  “Yes, he was for a while. After the divorce.”

  Max shook his head, then lapsed into silence. It lasted all the way to her house.

  She unlocked the front door and turned to bid him goodbye.

  He didn’t move. “Ask me in.”

  “We’ve said all there is to say.”

  “Ask me in,” he repeated. “Or I’m going to kiss you right here, where all the neighbors can see, so there won’t be any doubt about what our relationship is.”

  She blew out a frustrated breath and pivoted to go inside. He followed, shutting the door behind him. Two strides brought him within reaching distance. Grasping her arm, he swung her back and brought her flush against him.

  Her protest never made it past her lips. His mouth came down over hers, stealing her breath, her will, until she was sagging against him, boneless.

  They broke apart, gasping for air. He speared a hand through her hair, pulling lightly until she tilted her face up to his. His voice was low, raspy. “Now tell me you don’t want anything more to do with me.”

  She licked her lips. “Max…”

  “Tell me,” he demanded.

  She swallowed, unable to force the words out.

  His lips gentled, whispered across her cheek, nuzzled against her ear. “We can take it slow,” he said. “I’ll try not to push for more than you’re ready to give. But don’t shut me out, Eva. Please.”

  She closed her eyes. “Fine. But Ben can’t know. Promise me.”

  His grip tightened for a moment, then relaxed. “For now.”

  The tension drained out of her and she released a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

  Chapter 17

  Max saw her from half a block away. She wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings—too busy trying to stuff a paper shopping bag into that voluminous purse of hers, while talking on her cell. He grinned. At least she wasn’t pushing a shopping cart this time.

  “Yes, Quinn, I got it,” she said into the phone. “I’ll be ready. Thanks.”

  She glanced up, and nearly stumbled when she saw him. The shopping bag tumbled to the sidewalk.

  “Careful,” he said, bending to pick it up. There were no handles, but the top was folded over several times, making it easier to grip.

  Eva frowned and tucked the iPhone into her purse. “I’ll take that, thanks.”

  He glanced at the bag before handing it over. A familiar red pharmacy logo stamped on the ubiquitous brown background had him sucking in a breath. “Is that what I think it is?”

  She folded the bag more compactly and managed to shove it out of sight. “If you think it’s tampons, then yes.”

  He blinked, absorbing the implications. Tampons meant he was off the hook, free to continue on his unencumbered way. He should be relieved. Overjoyed. Ecstatic.

  But all he felt was let down. As if someone had dangled the possibility of a reward in front of him, and then snatched it away. Sorry, not this time, pal. You want it, you’ve got to work for it.

  He shook his head at his own folly. Hooking up with Eva had messed up his thinking, big time. Imagine him trying to be a family man! Changing diapers, soothing hurts, helping with homework, coaching Little League. Crazy.

  And yet…

  He turned to catch up with Eva. There were already a bunch of parents milling outside the school gates. Just as well. What was running through his head right now wasn’t something he was willing to say out loud. At least not yet. Not until he’d given it a lot more thought.

  They needed to spend time together, get more comfortable with each other first. And Eva needed to get over her ridiculous insistence on keeping their relationship confined to work and sex. Who ever heard of a woman balking when a man offered her more?

  He studied her profile, the tightly restrained hair and determined chin, the austere business suit and frou-frou heels. It was those heels that gave him hope. That, and the memory of her breathy cries as she convulsed around him, head thrown back and nails digging into his skin.

  Her voice interrupted his fantasy. “What are you still doing here, Max?”

  Clearly, this was going to be an uphill battle. Good thing he wasn’t easily discouraged. He smiled. “I’m picking up Connor.”

  “Where’s Nina?”

  “At the ob/gyn with Paul.”

  “Oh.” She took a moment to digest that. “So you’re on kid duty?”

  “Today and tomorrow,” he confirmed. “Speaking of, how late can I come by tomorrow night?”

  “Wait a minute.” Her brows drew together. “Ben is supposed be at Connor’s tomorrow for a sleepover. Nina and I arranged it a while ago. And now you’re babysitting?”

  He shrugged. “She asked me this morning. Said she’d clear it with you later. It was kind of a last-minute thing. Paul’s case got settled, so they’re going out for a celebratory dinner.”

  “You agreed to babysit Connor and Ben?” Her frown deepened. “I thought you were going to stay away from my son.”

  It was his turn to scowl. “I agreed to keep our relationship private. I did not agree to avoid contact with your son, or anyone else in your life, for that matter.”

  “I’ll call Nina and reschedule.”
<
br />   “Why? You don’t trust me?”

  She hesitated. “It’s not that.”

  “Then what is it? You don’t think I can handle two boys?”

  “Now that you mention it…”

  “Fine. Then why don’t bring Ben over and stay?” he said. “We’ll watch the kids together. And when Nina and Paul get home, you and I can take off.”

  “I don’t think so. Besides, I’m not in any position to host you tomorrow night.”

  “Why not? That was the plan.”

  She gave him a pointed look.

  “What, you’ve never had sex during your period?”

  She glanced around quickly. “Will you keep your voice down?”

  He leaned in, lips barely an inch from her ear. “Admit it, Eva. You know you want to. In the shower. Hot water pounding down on us. Wet tile against your back. Me, buried deep inside you—”

  “Stop it,” she hissed, pushing him away. Her cheeks bloomed with color, and before she dropped her gaze, he could see that her pupils had dilated, leaving a narrow blue halo around the periphery.

  “So we’re agreed,” he said. “Dinner with the boys, maybe a DVD, and then—”

  She cut him off. “I’ll think about it.”

  The school gates opened, and he decided to let it go for now. He’d talk to Nina as soon as she got home from the doctor. Maybe his sister could convince Eva to let the sleepover stand. If he could just figure out how to spin it, without giving too much away.

  ###

  “You did what?” Max glowered.

  Nina looked at him as if he were crazy. Hell, maybe he was. After all, who willingly traded in a hot date to babysit not one, but two, eight-year-old boys? His offer to have Eva come over to help had been brilliant. He’d still get to enjoy her company, even if he had to keep his hands to himself, at least for first half of the evening.

  Leave it to his sister to muck things up.

  “I thought you’d be relieved,” Nina said. “Less work for you.”

  “Since when have I complained about work? Besides, we’re talking about entertaining eight-year-olds here. If I can deal with violent drunks and meth heads in the ER, I think I can handle a couple of kids.”