by Mia Carson
He read the paper and smiled. “Perfect. I’ll get mine done on Monday, then, and we can go from there. I’ll schedule an appointment to discuss the insemination after the tests come back. I have the contract here. We can go ahead and sign it tonight if you want, or we can wait a few more days.”
“Maybe we should wait, just to be sure,” she agreed. “No point signing it if it’s not going to work, right?”
“Not a problem,” he said, hoping she didn’t hear the disappointment in his voice.
“Great. I’m going to go hop in the shower and change, if that’s alright.”
Viktor was glad he’d turned to the fridge when she mentioned getting in the shower. His libido shot into overdrive, and all he could do was nod while he pictured her under a hot, steaming shower with the water running over her naked body. She disappeared down the hall, and he cursed, banging his head on the freezer door when he stood up too fast and cursed again, wincing in pain.
He had no reason to act like this. No reason at all, but the way she smiled, the fire in her, the stubbornness that reminded him so much of himself, drew him to her. He glared at the contract sitting on the kitchen table.
***
The water wasn’t nearly hot enough, but Evelyn was too distracted and didn’t notice. She wanted to hurry up and get out anyway. Viktor had filled her whole house with furniture, just like that, and even picked out the polar bear pillows and a throw to match. His thoughtfulness was touching… more touching than almost anything else anyone had ever done for her. She’d been pissed at first, having him come into her home and think he could just do what he wanted. But she had seen the nervousness on his face and the set to his mouth. He had done it for her, to make her happy.
But why? We’re not even dating! And we’re not going to date. It’s a business deal, nothing more, she told herself like she’d been doing since she stepped into the shower. You can’t possibly think it will go anywhere else.
Except that’s where her mind ventured every time she thought of Viktor. When he’d held her, she had wanted to stay there, lean in even more and tilt her head up to see if he would kiss her. It was crazy and insane, but damned if she couldn’t stop picturing it. At home, she’d found hives all over her torso, and spent all night cursing the bastard who ruined whatever chance she had at a normal relationship with a man.
But her mind wouldn’t stop wandering as she closed her eyes and let the stream of water tickle her nipples as it ran down her body. She felt his fingers run through her hair again as his arms closed around her, holding her protectively to his chest. All she wanted was to feel that again—well, feel it for the first time, really. Kissing Ajay had been alright at first, but it turned weird. With Viktor, she wanted to go as far as she could and then some.
When she couldn’t stand the cold water anymore, she turned off the shower and dried quickly before pulling on her comfy yoga pants and tank top with her purple hoodie. Her hair she braided and let hang over her shoulder, too wet to leave it loose, though she wanted to… anything to tempt Viktor into running his fingers through it again.
The house smelled delicious, and she followed her nose to the kitchen to find a stock pot on the back burner with the lid on and Viktor leaning on the counter, glaring at a bottle of wine so hard, it looked like he wanted to shatter it.
“What did that wine do to you?” she asked with a smirk, leaning against the opposite counter.
He started and turned to her, quickly putting a smile on his face that softened into an appreciative gaze as he looked at her body. “Nothing, except it’s not open yet.”
“Then I guess you should open it. What did you make? Smells fantastic,” she murmured as she tiptoed to the stove and lifted the lid off the pot. Heavy scents of garlic and basil hit her nose, and she sighed, breathing it in. “Wow, I hope you know I can’t cook worth a damn.”
He chuckled and poured two full glasses. “No worries. I’ve been cooking for a long time. Learned from my mom.”
“Sadly, I never acquired that skill, nor any from my mom,” she mused. “Probably a good thing, to be honest with you. Not sure what I could’ve ever learned from her except how to royally screw up my life.”
She gulped her wine, staring absently into the living room filled with furniture she knew she’d never have been able to afford on her own, yet there it was, all for her, with no strings attached. She didn’t deserve it. Hell, she didn’t deserve the life Viktor offered her, but she fiercely wanted to reach out and take it, simply hoping for the best. Even secretly hoped something more would come of this agreement than what she was signing on for, but she couldn’t know if he would reciprocate those feelings. What if he simply found her attractive and didn’t actually want more? She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about getting anything else out of this, yet she prayed he would be her white knight and whisk her away in more ways than just financially.
Viktor stood in front of her, and she blinked, wondering how she’d missed him moving. He took the wine glass gently from her hand and set it down. “Evie, what’s bothering you tonight?’
“Nothing, except… You know, this guy I just met bought me a house full of furniture, and I’m trying to figure out what it means in terms of a man and a woman when one buys the other one a couch with cute polar bear pillows,” she rambled. “And then he cooks me dinner two nights in a row, and I’m just… I’m really confused all of a sudden. I think I need more wine.”
Her face flushed, and kicking herself from embarrassment, Evelyn reached for the bottle and poured another full glass. She might as well enjoy it while it lasted, anyway, before she became pregnant with this man’s child. A man she was so attracted to because of his rugged features and his bulging arms under that flannel. His eyes darkened to molten silver as he watched her, his lips turning up in a crooked grin. Evelyn waited for him to change his mind, decide she was too mentally unstable for what he wanted, and walk out the door, but he only grinned at her.
“What?” she asked finally, wanting to sound annoyed but grinning with him.
He opened a few cabinets, found some bowls, and set them on the counter. “Nothing. Nothing at all, Evie.”
“You can’t look at me like that and just not tell me what you’re thinking,” she said, hopping up on her kitchen counter like she used to do at home and at Ajay’s. She was eye-level with Viktor, who still watched her with that silly grin. She laughed quietly, then louder, not even sure what was funny but unable to stop herself.
When her sides hurt and her cheeks ached, she sucked in a deep breath, telling him she was sorry.
“Don’t apologize,” he told her, setting two steaming bowls of chowder on the counter. He leaned his hip right beside her leg, and Evelyn’s heart jumped. “I like hearing you laugh. I have a feeling you don’t do it as often as you should.”
“Coming from the man who wears heartbreak on his sleeve?” she replied with a bump of her leg to his. His face fell, but she reached out and rested her hand on his arm. “Sorry, but I’ve made it a habit to be good at reading people, and honestly, there’s no other reason for you not to be the marrying type.”
His shoulders relaxed slightly, but his smile didn’t return. “Hope you’re not looking for the story because I’m not going to tell it. At least not yet.”
“Nope, that’s your story to tell when you want,” she said. “I’m just saying maybe I’m not the only one who needs a little more laughter in her life.”
“Guess so. You want to tell me what you were cackling about?” he asked as he handed her a bowl with a spoon. When she curled her legs up under her and stayed on the counter, he shook his head and the crooked grin she couldn’t get enough of returned, softening his rugged mountain man face.
She took a bite of the chowder, muttering through a mouthful how good it was before she started laughing again and covered her mouth. “Sorry, that was rude. I was laughing because… well, doesn’t this seem crazy to you?”
“What’s crazy?” he asked, bro
w wrinkling. He returned to her side and leaned on the counter
“We met by accident, talked a few times, and now, we’re here in my kitchen and it feels… I don’t know,” she said, turning her spoon over in the chowder as she scrunched her face, realizing what she must sound like. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.” She set her bowl down and hopped off the counter. When she took a few steps away, he reached out and took her hand.
“Feels what, Evie?” he asked, setting his bowl down too. He studied her face closely, and she saw the same confusion reflected back at her. He didn’t let go of her hand, either, but held it tighter when she thought of stepping away.
This was trouble, and Evelyn knew she should’ve said good night and gone to bed, but her hand in his felt comfortable, more so than she’d ever been with anyone. It was insane that this man she found completely by accident could do this to her after only a few times together, but when she stared into the silver depths of his eyes, she saw someone she could relate to for once. Someone who might understand her stubbornness, her fighting spirit, and her drive. Maybe even understand that she wasn’t always perfect because of a past that haunted her. Because Viktor was almost exactly the same as she was, trying to get over a past and live his life the best he could while everyone around him told him what he should be doing. He didn’t have to tell her more than his parents nagging him to settle down. Her foster parents told her the same thing all the time.
“Evie?” he asked again and shifted until he stood in front of her. Their bodies were so close, and Evelyn wanted to melt into his arms.
“It feels like I’ve known you for years,” she said quietly, the words barely able to escape her lips. “Like I know all about you, even though we’re still learning about each other. And I’m not sure what to do here. I mean, I know this is supposed to be just a business deal,” she rushed on, trying to cover her embarrassment when he didn’t say anything. “I get that, and I’m not trying to be pushy or anything—”
Viktor leaned down and brushed his lips gently against hers, the heat reaching all the way down to her toes until they curled with want. She sighed against him. He pulled back, but Evelyn stood on her toes and kissed him back. His arms slid around her body and drew her into his chest, holding her tightly as her fingers massaged the muscled arms she’d craved to touch since they met. He was warm, and suddenly, the last thing she wanted to be wearing was her hoodie.
She waited for him to stop and tell her they needed to remember their deal, but his tongue flicked out against her lips and they parted for him. She waited for the usual feeling of panic to set in, but only fire flowed through her body until she hungered for him more. Kissing Ajay those few times had not felt like this, and Evelyn wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop herself. His hands slid up under her hoodie, and she yanked it over her head, revealing the tank underneath. He grunted to see her bra-less, and desire flared in his eyes that only grew darker until they resembled a stormy winter sky.
“Evie.” He growled deep in his chest and cupped her face sweetly in his hands, his thumbs brushing her cheeks.
Her chest heaving from trying to catch her breath, all she could do was stare at him. What the hell were they doing? This wasn’t supposed to happen, and as a voice in her head told her she should stop before they did something stupid, she simply leaned her cheek into his hand and smiled at him.
His hands moved lower, smoothing down her sides to the hem of her shirt and lifted it slowly as she ran her hands over the buttons of his flannel, ready to undo them. Viktor’s eyes dropped as her shirt lifted, but he frowned and cursed.
“Jesus, Evelyn. What’s wrong?”
She glanced down and saw the red hives covering her torso. He ran his fingers over them gently, asking if she was allergic to something in the chowder. The worry on his face touched her but didn’t stop her sigh. “Well, shit,” she mumbled and knew the moment was ruined.
Chapter 11
Viktor wasn’t sure what the hell happened in the kitchen, but he’d been thoroughly taken in by Evelyn’s laughter and blatant honesty. Hearing her admit the same things he felt struck him speechless, amazed at how easily she could read him, but she was right. He might not be willing to openly admit it, but if anyone asked him when he met Evelyn, his gut reaction would be to say years ago because of how comfortable he was with her.
The kiss was an impulse, and he had no idea how she’d react. He half expected her to smack him, but when she sighed and leaned into it, he knew he was screwed. Where it would’ve led he wasn’t sure, but when he lifted her shirt and saw the hives, worry smothered his desire.
“Evelyn, are you allergic to something?” he asked, staring at her stomach—her smooth and wonderfully toned stomach with a six pack he could barely see.
“Maybe,” she said and cursed again. “There’s some Benadryl in the bathroom, though I’m going to warn you, it makes me ungodly loopy. Guess that ends our fun for the night. I’m sorry.”
The last thing he wanted was for her to be sorry because she’d had an allergic reaction to something. He held her face in his hands and brushed his lips against hers. “Don’t apologize. Not your fault. I’ll get the Benadryl.”
He hurried to the bathroom and dug around in the medicine cabinet until he found it, grabbed two pills, and hurried to the kitchen. She had a glass of water and thanked him as she took the pills. He cleaned up the dishes, not wanting her to eat any more of the chowder, and wondered what was in it that she might be allergic to.
Evelyn muttered to herself as she slumped to the new couch. Taking the throw, she plopped down on it and covered herself. “You have really good taste in furniture,” she called to him. “You sure you’re not secretly gay?”
He chuckled. “Pretty sure,” he said. Once the kitchen was cleaned up, he joined her. “So, how long until you’re loopy?” he asked, realizing she’d also had a decent amount of wine beforehand. “Evie?”
She giggled as he walked around the other side of the couch. “Evie… I like how you call me Evie,”
He grinned as he looked down at her curled up on the couch, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips still swollen from his kiss. God, how he wanted to kiss her again, but he wasn’t going to do anything while she was on the verge of falling asleep. He settled in the chair and propped his feet up on the ottoman, enjoying listening to her steady breathing and the laugh that bubbled up every now and then.
“You remind me of my cousin,” he told her. “She gets loopy like this on anything remotely drowsy-inducing.”
Evelyn snuggled deeper into the couch. “It’s what happens when you’re tiny. I bet your cousin’s tiny.”
Beth, his youngest cousin, was indeed small, smaller than Evelyn. “Yeah, she’s the small one in the family. Can’t hold her liquor, and since she had kids, she can’t stay awake after she takes anything that might have a chance of making her sleepy.”
Evelyn’s smile faded. “Kids,” she whispered. “I can’t wait to be a mom. It’s all I’ve wanted for so long.”
“I think you’ll be great at it,” he said, hearing the worry in her voice.
“Just have to keep them safe,” she whispered. “Keeping them safe is what’s most important.”
Viktor’s face scrunched. “Of course we will, Evie. You shouldn’t worry about that.”
“Have to,” she said. “Otherwise bad things can happen, bad things that stay with you for years and years and never go away.”
She fell silent and her breathing evened out enough that Viktor thought she’d fallen asleep, but then she laughed. The sound wasn’t so much happy as it was bitter, and he leaned forward, wondering if he should take her to bed before she started spilling whatever secrets she held back from him.
“The hives, they’re not from food you know,” she said and Viktor stilled. “Nope, not even close.”
Viktor leaned closer, his jaw clenching at the anger beneath the mocking tone of her voice. “Evie? Maybe we should get you to bed,” he suggested, but
she shook her head, her eyes opening to slits to meet his gaze.
“When I was ten,” she whispered, “I stayed in a home with a single mom with too many kids. One of my foster brothers who lived there, fifteen or so. He liked me… liked me a little too much.”
His hands clenching into fists, Viktor’s gut twisted in knots, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop her.
“He… uh, he did things… bad things… It went on for a year before I had the courage to tell my foster mom. She accused me of lying,” Evelyn snapped groggily. “It took another year before it was so bad that there were visible bruises and my school called child services. I was taken out of that home and given to the Turners.”
Viktor’s blood boiled with rage as he thought of a very young Evie trying to fend off a boy abusing her, hurting her and leaving lasting scars. He ground his teeth, cursing under his breath. “The hives?” he asked quietly.
She sighed, her face scrunching in frustration. “The hives are the result of that rat bastard. Any time someone gets close, I break out in damn hives. Funny, even after all these years he’s still in my mind, making me remember everything he did to me.”
He knew a fire burned in Evelyn, but he thought it was simply from having a hard life, being dumped from one home to the next, but this… This was so much worse. She snuggled into the couch, shifting as she tried to get comfortable, and he wanted to hold her close and keep her safe, swear to protect her and the baby they would hopefully one day have together. If he ever found the man who did that to her, he’d smash his teeth in and make him understand the meaning of the word abuse. Viktor waited to see if Evie would say anything else, but her face relaxed and her breathing evened out again.
He wondered, as he watched her, if she ever had any relationships other than what they were going through now. If she broke out into hives from just kissing him, he had a feeling she was a virgin, too. Tugging on his beard, Viktor wasn’t sure where to go from here. They’d crossed a line, and as much as he wanted to think it was wrong, kissing Evelyn stirred emotions he thought were long buried, even lost to him. But she brought out urges to hold someone again, to kiss her fiercely, and to show her what it meant to have a real relationship now that he knew what haunted her.
