“Yes. I might have been able to get ahead of it but I had to pick someone up from the airport. His plane was delayed.”
His.Gabe rolled his shoulders. “I only brave the airport for my best friends.”And you, sir, are fishing for information.
“It was my roommate’s boyfriend. She couldn’t make it.”
“Ah.” He cleared his throat, trying to ignore the burst of pleasure at learning this wasn’t a boyfriend. “Late to be driving up here, though. Might have been better off waiting until tomorrow.”
“I’m an okay driver.”
“I’m not saying you’re not. It’s so dark, is all. Hard to see. Easy to get tired.”
“Nah. It’s still kind of early for me.” Was it his imagination or was her voice overly breathy? It was probably the steam in the room.
“Oh yeah?” She didn’t strike him as a night owl like him.
“Getting up in the morning is harder than staying up late. College was a challenge.”
“You couldn’t schedule your classes later in the day?”
She trailed her fingers through the water. “I overloaded on classes so I could knock a year off.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Impressive.”
“It’s no big—” She cut herself off and lifted her chin. “Thanks.”
“You must have been super studious.”
“I had fun sometimes.” She licked her lips. “I think I saw you once. While I was having fun.”
He tensed. Was she talking about...? No.
It had been at O’Killians, which had once had a solid reputation for not checking I.D.s too closely. He’d recognized Eve instantly, despite the fact that he’d kept his distance from the Chandlers for years. He’d had no choice but to choose Paul in that feud, and Paul wouldn’t have tolerated him fraternizing with the enemy.
Gabe had assumed she hadn’t known who he was when she’d stumbled up to him and locked her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his, or when she’d tried to drag his shirt up over his stomach. It had only been around five years ago, but she’d seemed way younger then, and he hadn’t been stirred at all. He’d gently righted her and helped her to her seat, making sure a waiter got her a glass of water.
He wasn’t about to bring that up now, though. He didn’t want to embarrass her. She must be referring to the other time he’d seen her. “You came into my shop with your friend, right? I remember that.”
She stilled. “Yes. My roommate, Madison. I was there for moral support.”
He squinted. “She got a bird, on her stomach.” He could see a trio of tiny birds on Eve. On her shoulder, maybe. His fingers itched for his pen.
“Uh-huh. You have a good memory.”
The temperature didn’t seem so warm anymore. She was looking away from him, her lips pressed tight.
Had he offended her? He focused in on those pursed lips, something niggling in his brain. The moment of recognition flitted away, though.
They’d both had a long day. Maybe it was time to cut this meeting short. He rose to his feet, hoping his wet trunks weren’t sticking too close to... things. “I’m going to head upstairs. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
He was preoccupied as he took the stairs to the top floor, so preoccupied he barely registered the oddity of the light being on in his bedroom, though he was normally a fanatic about turning lights off.
He didn’t bother to go into the bathroom, just tossed his towel on the bed and shoved his swim trunks down his legs. That was when he heard the door open behind him.
Startled, he looked over his shoulder, finding Eve standing inside the door. Her gaze was dark and wide, and fixed firmly on his butt.
