Abby was again asleep, and Eva unhooked the car seat from its base and carried it to the door just as Gavin opened it. On the house beside him hung a slate plaque, hand-painted with the wordsSafe Haven.
Her shoulders dropped, the muscles of her neck relaxing. A safe haven was exactly what he was providing, and she reminded herself to be grateful no matter the tension between them. Without his help, she would be on the run, or possibly worse. She or Abby might have been killed.
She couldn’t even think about that now. Sometime in the future when the immediate threat was gone, she’d unpack it, allow the terror to sluice over her nerve endings like an electrical charge. But right now, she needed her wits about her.
He gestured for her to enter first. She’d been expecting a rustic cabin, but this place screamed money, with wood-planked walls in a rich golden brown, high ceilings and a stone fireplace with a wide hearth in the center of it all.
Her whole life she’d wanted a fireplace. She hoped he’d light it while she was here. Putting Abby’s car seat on the floor, she worked to strike a balance between pleasantly impressed andholy shit. “This is quite a fishing cabin.”
“The Esopus creek is at the end of the road. More like a river, actually, especially in the spring.” He moved to the kitchen island and unpacked the groceries he’d bought on their way in, the stunning glossy countertops drawing her near. They were polished stone with swirls of color, and she ran her hands along their cold, smooth surface.
His voice was gravelly. “You like them?”
“I do.” His eyes were hooded, and she was suddenlyunsure if they were talking about countertops. She took a step back. “Think I could take a shower? I’m wiped out, and Abby should sleep for a little while, anyway.” That last part was a lie—the baby had already exceeded her typical nap—but Eva was desperate for the promise of hot water and privacy.
“Sure. I’ll show you where you’re staying.”
Climbing the stairs behind him, her eyes followed the shape of his jeans around the familiar curves of his firm ass and muscular legs. She remembered touching his naked body, the springy hair that covered his legs tickling her fingers, her fingernails sinking into his glutes as he filled her eager body with his.
Stop it.
She shook her head.
The same golden wood walls flowed upstairs, a single door leading to a bedroom. The cabin was small but luxurious, with textured fabrics and decor that must have been chosen by a professional decorator. Following him into the bedroom, her mouth dropped open at what she saw.
French doors framed a snow-covered porch, the deep green of the forest blanketed with white snow, its majesty broken only by a fissure where white water gushed over boulders and rocks. Purple and white hillsides flanked the distant horizon, drawing her toward the glass.
“It’s gorgeous,” she said softly, trailing her hand over the king-size bed, a subtle reminder of their long weekend together. She walked to the doors, touching the cold glass as if she could touch Mother Nature’s majesty beyond.
His masculine scent lingered on the air, and she took it deep into her lungs, memories of the last time she’d smelled him assaulting her clear-headedness. “This is your room,” she said.
“Yes.” His voice strummed her skin, making the hair on her arms stand on end.
Her fantasies had taken her here so many times. This reunion with Gavin, being with him in a bedroom again was how every one of them started, and she was aware of his presence behind her, her pulse thrumming at the crotch of her jeans.
She bit her lip. “It smells like you.” She shouldn’t have said it. She shouldn’t have even thought it. Her cheeks grew hot, imagining he felt the draw of attraction that was sucking her in, spinning her around as she circled the drain. But it was all in her head, and the rational part of her screamed that he didn’t want anything to do with her.
What did he have to do to prove that? She’d told him she loved him once, and he’d walked away from her without looking back. So why couldn't she get that? What was it going to take?
She turned around, annoyance with herself adding haste to her movements. His face was lightly flushed, as if he’d just exerted himself. She licked her lips, his eyes dropping to watch the movement of her tongue. For an instant, his stare held a mirrored intensity.
He looked away, leaving her certain she’d imagined his attention on her mouth. “There are towels in the bathroom closet,” he said. “You and Abby will be comfortable here.”
“Great. Thanks.” She walked to the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“To get the baby. I’ll put her car seat on the floor in the bathroom in case she wakes up.”
“You don’t need to do that. I can watch her.”
Eva furrowed her brow. She’d barely left Abby’s side in the tiny girl’s entire life. Oh, she’d tried—but it never worked out—and what he was suggesting soundedheavenly. Heavenly, and definitely not something she wanted to get used to. Waving her hand dismissively, she said, “Thanks, but it’s fine.”
“Really, I can watch her for half an hour.”
Narrowing her eyes, she said, “You told me yourself you’ve never held a baby.”
“How hard can it be?”
