Chasing Joshua

by Cara North

  But now on the couch she just felt safe. Something about Joshua humbled her. It wasn’t his size. She had an appreciation for that, but she had fought men near his size before. It was more his disarming ability to care and coddle her. No one ever took care of her, played with her hair, carried her around on their back, brought ice packs and cooked meals. God, what planet did this guy come from? And could she live there when this was all over?

  “Six.” Joshua always got to work at seven, and the kids started rolling in between seven-thirty and eight.

  “When do you come home?”

  “Usually by four, I wait till all my kids are on the bus, and I straighten the room, spray Lysol all over. It helps cut back on colds.” Joshua suddenly went on the alert. His muscles flinched at the thought. “Why?”

  “So I know how long I have to be here alone. Relax, I’m not going anywhere. I told you I wouldn’t. I don’t lie to friends.” Evelyn stroked a tense muscle. “You’re very tense. Are you always like that?”

  “I don’t know, probably.” Joshua shrugged. Friend, yep, just friends. Evelyn had an exciting life full of adventure to get back to. Her exploration was over once she got her release. What could a second grade school teacher possibly have to offer her?

  “Hum.” Evelyn had never massaged anyone. The thought would have made her laugh long and hard before she met Joshua. But making him feel better, that wasn’t funny. It was somehow essential. She needed to study up on being a lady. “Is there a library around here?”

  “Up the street, in walking distance really.” Joshua drew his brows together. “What are you up to Eve?”

  “Don’t call me Eve till we get to New York, and I have to study art, remember? They have this amazing concept that in a library, you can find a book on many topics.” Her tone was playful and sarcastic.

  “Are you getting smart with me, woman?” He turned to face her with a wicked smile.

  “What if I am? You think you can take me, Big Dog?” Evelyn prepared to show him that she was small but wiry. She wouldn’t hurt him, but he needed to know she could handle herself.

  “I think so, yes.” His green eyes flickered, and he licked his lips.

  That knocked her senses a bit, so when he launched his fingers to tickling her ribs, it took a moment to regain her senses. She squealed and laughed. It was no fair using sexual suggestion. It didn’t take long to get a thumb lock on him. With a little pressure he was following her directions.

  “Up, up, up. Sit. Stay. Good dog.” Evelyn released his thumb and patted his head.

  Joshua was amazed at how much that thumb lock could have hurt. The slight pressure was enough. He didn’t want to feel more, so he indeed moved as she directed. Of course it wasn’t hard to follow directions, and though he could have sucked up a moment of discomfort to break free, he would have been a fool to do so. Evelyn was now on his lap straddling him, chewing her bottom lip with a look that screamed at him to take her to bed and ravish her.

  Of course he didn’t go to the store today, caught up in the domestic haze filling his senses with sharing a lazy Sunday with this woman, so there was no way to do anything about it.

  “Evelyn, I would enjoy nothing more than carrying you up those stairs and letting you take advantage of me, but the fact is ... we can’t.” His hands slid around her, and despite his words, his lips pressed into her neck.

  “Condoms.” Evelyn heaved a long loud sigh. “All my life I’ve been safe, watching my back, wearing my vest even in the heat of summer. And now, that safety is killing me.”

  “Well, you won’t die alone.” Joshua now took her lips. Hungry and heavy, he kissed her, nipping at her top lip when he withdrew. “Okay, we have to stop this.”

  “I agree.” Evelyn pressed forward and took his lips, nipping at his lower lip causing him to growl. “I like when you do that.”

  “What?” He was growing breathless by the moment, and rational, reasonable thoughts were jumping ship.

  “Growl like that. It’s so primal.” Evelyn pressed her breasts into him pushing him back into the couch. She was on fire. She knew there was nothing she could do about it, but she couldn’t stop kissing him.

  “Mmmm. It’s a growl of frustration, honey. We have to stop this.” Joshua pulled her back holding her face in his hands and looked her in those big brown eyes. “It’s getting late.”

  “I like kissing you,” Evelyn pouted.

  “Really, because I kinda got the impression you hated it,” he teased. “I mean I’m just a man, so on principal alone you should hate my kisses.”

  “Joshua, you-are-not-just-a man.” Evelyn put her hands on both sides of his face as he let go of hers. She kissed his lips sweetly and got up. “Come on, you need to get some sleep.”

  “You’ll have to wear clothes if you’re going to sleep with me tonight.” Joshua stretched, and Evelyn eyed his reasoning fully strained in his shorts.

  “A T-shirt, that’s it. Clothing cuts off your circulation and slows healing.” Evelyn began straightening things up, turned off the television, and checked the lock on the door.

  “So you didn’t sleep naked to seduce me?” Joshua crossed his arms and gave her a skeptical once over.

  “Well, the first night I hadn’t planned on sleeping with you at all. I was meditating and ... well, I slept so good that afternoon, I thought if I just got close to you a minute I could relax. I woke up falling off your back.” Evelyn shrugged. “You’re quite comfortable to sleep on, you know.”

  “Maybe I should rent myself out.” Joshua followed behind her double checking locks. He ran into her as she spun on her heel to confront him with one hand on her hip and a finger pointed in his face.

  “No other woman better find her body on yours while I’m here, or she’ll find herself in a fix.” Evelyn felt stupid. Why did she do that? As the words were coming out, she wanted to suck them back in. What was she saying? She didn’t own him. She would like to claim him, but they had only known each other a couple days, a couple mind boggling emotionally driven days.

  “Easy killer, I’ve been untouched about as long if not longer than you have. I’m not a casual sex kind of guy.” He nipped her accusing finger with his lips and teeth. “But since you’re laying ground rules, I suppose the same holds true for you.”

  “As if. No one touches me. Well, no one else that’s for damn sure. I still hate men, Joshua. I just don’t hate you.” Evelyn turned quickly because if she didn’t hate him that meant she loved him and not the same way she loved her little oriental mentor Sanahasan. No, she loved him the way Grace must love Ethan. That was a lot to swallow. She had never been in love before. Maybe she wasn’t really in love now. It was too much to think about.

  “Well, I don’t hate you either.” Joshua was flattered by her statements. And thanks to it, he knew that whatever this was it was theirs alone, at least while it lasted.

  * * * *

  Evelyn set her mental clock for five-thirty. She had to get up before him and cook breakfast. She could do it. She knew she could, and tomorrow she would go to the library and figure out how to be more ladylike, womanly, and she’d find a book on art. She could easily ask to use the computer, but she hated sitting in front of one for hours. Especially if it involved art. Art, good grief, she mastered the art of war. What other art was there?

  Joshua settled into bed, and Evelyn snuggled right into him. “You know if you sleep on this side, I could hold you for a change.”

  “And then roll over and smother me, no, I like it where I am.” Evelyn pressed a kiss on his back and felt a rumble. “Sorry.”

  “Goodnight, honey.” Joshua patted her thigh and closed his eyes.

  Evelyn inhaled him several times and finally relaxed, drifting off to sleep.

  * * * *

  The alarm went off at six a.m. and Joshua awoke to a strange feeling. He shrugged his shoulders. Evelyn was gone. He jumped right out of the bed, landing on both feet looking around and realized he smelled something. Something
like coffee? As he opened the bedroom door, he caught more aromas—bacon, eggs. Huh. He headed downstairs slowly and quietly. Surely Evelyn didn’t run out and get breakfast this morning.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter 8

  “You’re up,” she said as he stepped on the third stair from the bottom.

  “How’d you know I was here?” He tromped down the last couple stairs and entered the kitchen. It wasn’t a disaster, and neither was she. Her silky red hair was in a high ponytail, and she was dressed. She slid the eggs on a plate next to the bacon, and Joshua wondered where Evelyn was. The woman in his kitchen could indeed cook, and resembled the woman who had destroyed it in looks alone. “Better yet, what have you done with Evelyn?”

  “Stop. You’ll hurt my feelings,” she whined. Great, now she was whining. She felt a need to prove herself. It ripped her in half. Part of her wanted to say to hell with that, she had nothing to prove to anyone, and another part said, she wanted Joshua and needed to prove to him she could be anything he wanted her to be.

  “Since when did big bad bounty hunters get feelings?” He stepped behind her and kissed her neck.

  Evelyn should have been pissed at that remark, but he was teasing her and not with his words. “It’s more pride than feeling really. I couldn’t let you think you were a better cook than me.”

  “Oh I see. You think you’re better than me.” Joshua kissed the other side of her neck. He knew he should have been creating distance between them, but he just couldn’t help himself. Evelyn smelled good; she tasted good. He wanted to claim her.

  “Well, not at everything, at least not yet.” Evelyn slid her hand back and cupped it over his groin. His rumbling growl reverberated in her ears and sent vibrations all down her body. “But I’ve only had one lesson.”

  “You sure know how to wake a man up in the morning.” Joshua pressed into her hand and closed his eyes. Damn if he didn’t want her all the time, but he wouldn’t risk it. And he would definitely be late coming home today because he couldn’t go another day without condoms just in case she was serious.

  “Well, you know how to put a woman to sleep at night.” Evelyn squeezed just enough to get another growl. His anatomy absolutely fascinated her. The reactions she could get from him. She definitely wanted to know if he could possibly feel a release like she did.

  “I have to work today ... I absolutely have to go to work today.” Joshua tried to step back, but his big feet were stuck to the floor in rebellion.

  “All right, if you insist.” Evelyn released him and stepped away. He wanted her. Any time she wanted him, he wanted her. That was a good feeling, especially since she wanted him all the time.

  * * * *

  It felt good to have a woman at the door to straighten his tie and kiss him goodbye. It felt too good. The softer Evelyn became toward him the more he liked her and the more he wanted to keep her.

  She seemed to take to the role of a homemaker a little too easily, which made him think she was trying. He didn’t want her to be someone she wasn’t, but he didn’t want her to keep being a bounty hunter either. No way could he sit home at night while his wife was out in the thick of danger.

  “Wife? Wife? Get a grip, Big Dog!” he shouted at himself in the rearview mirror. He thought for sure once he got to school he would be able to keep his mind off Evelyn, but then one of the kids wanted to read Little Red Riding Hood for story time. My, what big teeth you have. All he thought about was Evelyn and the banana. He lied and said a page was torn out. He would remove that book today.

  * * * *

  Evelyn paced outside the library doors waiting for them to open. Finally a woman in casual clothes let her in.

  “You must be really anxious to find something,” the older woman said with a warm smile. “You’ve been pacing for twenty minutes. Can I help you find it?”

  “Well, I need a few things really. I have a lot of work to do and in a really short timeframe.” Evelyn decided it wasn’t asking for help. It was letting the woman do her job. Joshua was not going to make her soft everywhere. She was strong and independent and didn’t need help.

  “This, child, is an impressive selection of books.” The woman eyed the stack and nodded. “Eclectic reader, I like that.”

  “Thank you.” Evelyn smiled.

  “Thank you, Miss Perkins,” the librarian replied.

  The woman waved as Evelyn toted the four books out the door. It was past time to be home, but Joshua said he had to run a few errands anyways. Still she wanted to have dinner on the table when he got home. As she turned the corner, she realized that wasn’t going to happen. He was already home.

  * * * *

  “Honey, I’m home,” Evelyn called and went to the kitchen table to set down the books. She heard him coming down the stairs, but then he stopped abruptly. She could feel tension. Oh yeah, she forgot. “It’s me, Joshua.”

  Evelyn turned around to face the man who was on full alert. “Here.” She pulled the short blonde wig off. “You need me to take the contacts out, too?”

  “Shit, woman, it’s like living with Sybil.” He relaxed and moved toward her. He hadn’t been home long, just long enough to worry. All her things were still in the guest bedroom and her car was in front of the house, but still. “How many disguises do you have?”

  “Enough to get your neighbors talking.” Evelyn winked her now blue eye at him, reached for his tie, and pulled him down to her lips. She had been at the library all day. She was hungry, but food could wait. “I should start dinner. You shouldn’t have to wait to eat.”

  “You lock the door?” Joshua pulled her in tight.

  “Yes.” Evelyn smiled.

  “Good.” Joshua pushed her up to the table, lifted her, and sat in a chair in front of her. “’Cause I don’t wanna wait to eat.”

  Joshua teased his fingers between her legs, and Evelyn gasped for air. She was sitting up in front of him holding herself up. He propped her legs on his thighs removing her shoes in turn. Joshua had just gotten the top button undone when the loud knock hit the door. Evelyn jumped. He didn’t move. He pulled at the zipper. “They’ll leave.”

  The lock began to turn, and Joshua rose to his feet quickly. Evelyn didn’t have time to do anything but fasten her pants when the door swung open.

  “Surprise,” Ethan shouted. Ethan raised a brow at his cousin, who was flushed, looked at Evelyn scrambling to get off the table, and then looked back at his wife, Grace, waddling up the stairs behind their two-year-old, Gray. “Gracie, I think you surprised them all right.”

  “Ethan.” Joshua reached behind him pulling Evelyn to his side with one hand and making a not so discrete adjustment with the other. “It’s just Ethan.”

  “Gracie!” Evelyn shouted as the pregnant woman entered passing the toddler off to his father’s hands. Evelyn was flushed and nervous, but she was so happy to see Grace she left Joshua immediately and hugged her.

  Ethan lifted the tike and moved closer to Joshua before setting the headstrong child back down to walk on his own. “Counter’s a lot easier to work with, Big Dog.”

  “Ethan.” The look Joshua gave him would have made a normal man cower, but Ethan was family, and Joshua didn’t scare him, except when he was really pissed.

  “Grace made me come. What can I say?” Ethan winked.

  Joshua looked at Evelyn who now fawned over Grace and realized that his plans to seduce her had been put on hold. He was now second fiddle, and that made him jealous. At least he had Ethan and Gray to occupy his time. “How long are you here for?”

  “Two days max, I wanted to tell you in person I got your meeting set up. Grace doesn’t know anything other than Evelyn’s lying low for a bit, so the whole other name thing has her and Megan in a frenzy of excitement. Apparently Miss Blade has a reputation among women, like a damn superhero or something.” Ethan smiled at his son who now pulled a blonde wig on. “Gray, come her with that. Bring that to daddy.”

  “Oh, it’s o
kay.” Evelyn smiled. He was a handsome little tike. He looked just like his father except for his eyes.

  Joshua held up the little rascal and walked toward Grace and Evelyn. “What do you think Grace? He look good as a blonde?”

  “He looks like his uncle as a blonde.” Grace pulled the wig over his eyes and said peek-a-boo. Gray laughed and began playing.

  “You guys drive here?” Joshua asked and gave Grace a kiss hello on the cheek. He kept his distance from Evelyn unsure how she wanted to look in front of others. Ethan had seen the suggestive pose she was in but only for a flash. It could have been misinterpreted. Though his counter suggestion let Joshua know otherwise. “Yes.” Ethan grumbled, “It took forever, like fourteen hours, with all the stops.”

  “You must be exhausted.” Evelyn looked at Grace.

  “No, not too bad, we left yesterday, got a hotel room,” Ethan answered just to feel the woman out. She hadn’t said a word to him, and that seemed strange. Now she looked at Joshua. He just smiled at her, damn him. How rude.

  “He’s not used to women ignoring him.” Joshua spoke to her like Ethan wasn’t even in the room.

  “I’m not ignoring him.” Evelyn now looked to Grace, who smiled from ear to ear.

  “Do you feel left out, baby? Come here.” Grace held her arms out to Ethan. She knew Evelyn and was flabbergasted that she interacted so easily with Joshua, but even if she thought Ethan was attractive, she wouldn’t make any attempts to acknowledge him. And for Ethan, that was a shock. Women still drooled all over him, and she knew in many ways he had grown to expect it.

  Grace moved toward her husband and hugged him. She pushed her hand through his chocolate brown hair and tiptoed to kiss his lips. Evelyn’s chest hurt. She visibly winced and grabbed it.

  “You okay ba ... Evelyn?” Joshua caught himself. Maybe it was a good thing they had shown up. Surely no one would believe they just met if he called her baby.