If good old Uncle Ted sees Eddie and me together now, it’s all over. There’s no way to hide the desire simmering between the two of us, or the faint mark he’s left on my neck.
Double shit.
I dab at it with my powder, but it’s still visible. Pulling my hair to one side, I hide the evidence. For now, at least.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. Got a bit exuberant.” Eddie drags his fingers through my hair, adjusting it slightly. “There. Can’t see a thing.”
But that doesn’t make me feel any better.
I have zero clue what Uncle Ted looks like. Hell, for all I know, maybe it was him tripping about one room over, or worse, peering through the door slats at our intimate rendezvous.
Panic drips over me like boiling water, scalding away everything but fear.
I need to get Eddie out of here. Now.
“You better go. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” I motion toward the door as I search for my other shoe.
Eddie grins. “We don’t have to rush out of here.”
Actually, we do. Sprint is more like it.
“I’ll wait for you.”
“You can’t,” I blurt. “We can’t walk out together.”
I freeze, gripping my heel in my hand, my eyes locked on his concerned expression, and realize I don’t deserve a man like Eddie Landry.
Knowing my luck in life, I never will.
“Kiki, it’s fine. Even if someone saw us, it’s no big deal.”
“No one can know, Eddie.” I shove on my shoe and rush to the mirror to ensure my makeup isn’t smudged. “We can’t be seen together. Not now.”
A scoff flies past his mouth, confusion twisting with the affection carved across his face. “Are you serious?”
Actually, I’m three seconds away from a panic attack, buthe doesn’t need to know that. I point to the door again. “I’m very serious. Get out there, and if anyone—anyone—asks where you were, make something up, but don’t mention you were alone with me. Promise me.”
Eddie closes the distance between us, his hand locking around my wrist and pulling me flush against him. He grasps my chin, ensuring I have nowhere to hide. “Are you kidding me? I came inside you, Kiki. For all we know, I just got you pregnant and now…nowyou want to pretend this didn’t happen?”
No, I want to spend my life with you, have a beautiful baby with you, and love you every day.
But that isn’t an option. Not for a woman like me.
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.
But I won’t let them take you down with me, Eddie.
I’ll burn alone.
“We don’t want the wrong people to see us together.”
I pray he reads between the lines, realizes what I’m trying to say. That it isn’t safe. That loving me may never be safe.
The fire in Eddie’s eyes extinguishes, leaving only dark coals to glower at me. “Let me guess. Don’t want darling Nolan to know you’re fucking the help. Is that it?”
The man couldn’t be further from a bullseye if he tried.
But then I realize, we never talked about my life. About the demons closing in ranks. About why I need to maintain distance.
