Chapter 26

The horses were settled in their stalls, munching contentedly on their evening feed, and the only sound was the gentle rustling of hay and the occasional snort or nicker. Despite the peacefulness of the moment,Claire's mind was far from calm. It had been a week since Arianna had arrived atthe estate, andClairehad hardly seen Evelyn since. They had managed to steal a few moments together three days ago, sharing a passionate kiss here in thestablesbefore Evelyn had to hurry back tothe main house, but it had only leftClairewanting more.

She knew that Arianna wanted Evelyn to return to Los Angeles with her, pointing out that she had already been at the estate for three months and that surely she must be ready to go home. The thought of Evelyn leaving caused a sharp pain in Claire's chest. She'd already grown so used to having Evelyn around, and the idea of her leaving was almost unbearable even though Claire knew it was coming. October loomed in the not so distant future.

Clairewas startled out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps approaching. She turned to see Evelyn walking towards her, a small smile playing on her lips.Claire felt herself smiling back at her. In the fading evening light, Evelyn's hair took on a golden hue.

"Hey," Evelyn said softly as she reachedClaire, her eyes warm and inviting.

"Hi,"Clairereplied, trying to keep her tone light despite the butterflies that had suddenly taken up residence in her stomach. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

Evelyn laughed, the sound sending a shiver downClaire's spine. "Never," she said, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behindClaire's ear. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much."

Clairenodded, leaning into Evelyn's touch. "Did you make use of your rental car?"

"We did. Arianna wanted to see the Wild Atlantic Way. She's one of those people who does plenty of research before she goes somewhere, so she had certain beaches she wanted to see and the Cliffs of Moher."

"No incidents?" Claire asked, a smile tugging at her lips as Evelyn's hand fell away. She wasn't about to tell Evelyn that she'd been right, but she was glad that she was finally relaxing.

"With fans? No. With roundabouts?" Evelyn made a face. "There was a near miss."

Claire laughed. "I probably should have given you a few pointers."

"Hm. Arianna was actually a good co-pilot, so between the two of us and the sat nav, we managed."

Claire's smile faded. "Is she...is she still trying to convince you to go back to L.A.?"

Evelyn didn't answer her right away, andClairefelt a twist of anxiety in her gut. But then Evelyn shook her head, her expression clearing. "No."

Relief flooded throughClaire, so strong it nearly made her dizzy. She had been so afraid that Evelyn would leave, if not with Arianna today, then maybe in the coming days, that whatever was growing between them would be cut short. "So you're staying?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"I'm staying," Evelyn confirmed, her smile widening. "I'm nowhere near ready to leave this place...or you."

Claire couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face. "Well, that's a relief," she said, even though the logical part of her brain was telling her that Evelyn would still be leaving, that she couldn't get too caught up in this.

But Claire ignored those thoughts. Instead, she closed the distance between them, capturing Evelyn's lips with her own in a searing kiss. Evelyn responded eagerly, her hands coming up to tangle inClaire's hair as she deepened the kiss, a soft moan on Evelyn's lips.Clairelost herself in the sensation of Evelyn's mouth on hers, in the way their bodies fit together so perfectly.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily. Evelyn rested her forehead againstClaire's. "I've missed you," she whispered.

"I've missed you too,"Clairereplied softly, running her fingers along the Evelyn's jaw.

Evelyn sighed as she pulled away. "Are you free tonight?" she asked, searching Claire's eyes.

"Yes." Even if Claire had any plans, she would have canceled them.

"When you finish up here, do you want to come up to the house? I'll make dinner."

"I would love that." Claire's gaze dropped to Evelyn's lips, already thinking about what would happen after dinner, and how much she was looking forward to waking up in Evelyn's bed again.

Evelyn's smile turned into a playful smirk. She leaned in close, her lips brushing againstClaire's ear. "I can't wait to have you all to myself tonight," she murmured, her voice low and seductive.

A shiver ran through Claire, her body tingling in response to Evelyn's words. "I can't wait either," she breathed, her hands coming to rest on Evelyn's hips, pulling her closer.

Evelyn capturedClaire's lips in another kiss, this one slower, more sensual. Her tongue teasedClaire's lips, seeking entrance, andClairegladly granted it. They lost themselves in the kiss, and Claire didn't think she'd ever get enough of her. She wouldn't in the next three months. That much she knew.

Evelyn pulled back, her eyes roaming overClaire's face. "You're so beautiful," she whispered, her hand coming up to caressClaire's cheek. "I should go," she said softly.

Clairenodded. "I'll come up around seven?"

"Perfect." Evelyn leaned in for one last, lingering kiss.

With a final, smoldering look, Evelyn turned and walked away, leavingClaire standing there, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched until Evelyn was out of sight, then let out a long breath. She hadn't realized how afraid she'd actually been of Evelyn leaving with Arianna, or shortly after her, but hearing Evelyn say that she wasn't was the highlight of her day. They still didn't have much time. A little over three months. But a part of her, as delusional as it was, hoped that the more time they spent together, that maybe, maybe Evelyn wouldn't want to leave.

Claire leaned back against the stall door. It was a crazy thought. One she hadn't dared think until this point, but seeing the way Evelyn looked at her just now, with so much desire in her eyes, she knew Evelyn felt this too. That this was more than lust. That there was something real here.