Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

Eva helped Easton and Walker with chores. When they got back to the house and Miles still wasn't home, she wanted to just take a shower and go to bed, not think about him being with Lily, holding her hand, cuddling her, kissing her. Her stomach turned over, and she feared she'd puke.

Easton and Walker didn't let her wallow. They let her shower and change into a T-shirt and shorts, but then they made popcorn, compiled drinks and treats, and started the movie A-Team in the theater down the hall from Eva's bedroom. Easton promised the show was ‘gas', even if she wasn't starring in it. His teenage lingo was funny.

Eva liked the action and witty dialogue in the movie. She knew a couple of the actors personally but still had to pretend to be invested. She was miserable inside. Miles was with Lily. If Eva cared about Miles and his happiness, and had felt bad for Lily, she should be happy for both of them. He was finally with his girl back home. She selfishly wished he'd choose her. That was messed up. Lily had been loyal to him for how many years? It sounded like a lot. Now Miles was seeing her again, holding her, kissing her.

Eva flinched and stood quickly.

"You all right?" Easton asked.

"I need to use the bathroom," she said, rushing out of the theater into the hallway and pumping down the stairs. She pushed down the handle on the front door, shoved it open, and ran out onto the front porch. Pausing by the railing, she drew in some breaths of fresh air. If only she could go on a long walk in the crisp night air. She knew this ranch was safe, but they were all still diligent with her protection, and she didn't want to stress anyone if she took off.

"Eva," Walker called, and she heard his footsteps on the stairs.

Lights flashed through the trees and the rumble of a truck approached. Eva backed up as Walker reached her. He steadied her with his hand on her arm.

"You all right?"

Walker noticed the headlights before she could respond. He stepped in front of her to shield her and ushered her back into the foyer. His body was coiled, the muscles in his arms flexing, one palm resting on his sidearm.

Then he relaxed. "It's my truck. It's Miles."

Eva did the opposite of relaxing. Her body filled with warmth and longing. Miles was back. Had he come for her? She edged around Walker, anxious to see him. Then disgust at her own reaction filled her. He'd been with Lily for over two hours. She was certain of it. She had never fallen prey to the loose guidelines about relationships that seemed to prevail in her industry. She wouldn't be the other woman. Why was she letting down her guard now?

The truck stopped, the engine cut, and Miles hopped out. The front porch lights revealed his handsome face shadowed by the cowboy hat. His strong form outlined in a T-shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and hat. Her body filled with warmth. He was irresistible. It wasn't just his good looks. She was drawn to him, body and soul.

"Eva," he said so softly she barely heard it.

Butterflies filled her stomach, and her breathing shortened.

Miles strode across the driveway and to the porch. A man on a mission.

Eva's feet betrayed her, and she rushed to meet him.

Miles pounded up the steps, determination in the lines of his face and body, anticipation in his blue eyes.

He stopped on the top step. She was at the edge of the porch. They were close to the same height, and the look of longing he gifted her with set her heart racing.

"Eva." He said her name reverently. "There's so much I have to tell you. I …"

Then he wrapped his arms around her, and she willingly went into his arms. He held her tight to his chest. Every wrong was made right. Being in Miles's arms was her spot. She owned this spot and never wanted to leave it.

The door closed behind them. Eva turned to look, but the porch was empty. Walker had stepped back into the house to give them privacy.

She looked back around at Miles. Being in his arms thrilled her. What would he tell her? Could she believe him? Trust him? She hadn't trusted a man in years. Even with how confused she was about him and their relationship, if they even had one, she knew Miles was honest.

She waited for all those things he had to tell her, but his gaze dropped to her lips, and he breathed out, "I've known you for twenty-four hours, Eva, and I feel like I've been resisting kissing you for several lifetimes."

Eva had heard every line in the book. She cherished this one. It was better than anything she'd heard on the set or off. Was it just a line or did he mean it? Even an honest cowboy could drop a schmoozy line to try to get a famous actress to kiss him.

In Miles's arms, it was impossible to think straight or to believe he wasn't genuine. She believed she was the deepest yearning of his heart. His touch was magical, and she was consumed by him.

He tilted his head, fused their mouths together, and captured her completely.

Captured was too mild. Miles Coleville took command of her lips like a man on a mission, a soldier returning from war and kissing his lifelong love, a cowboy claiming his girl with all the determination, thoroughness, and loyalty a cowboy could display, a man aching for the woman he'd loved his entire life and finally they were melded together. They were one heart, body, and soul.

The description was too much, yet it didn't feel like nearly enough.

Eva wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. She knocked off his hat and mussed up his thick hair. She knew he didn't care about the hat. He didn't care about anything but her.

The front door opened and then quickly closed again. They ignored it .

Miles swept her off her feet, carried her across the porch and to the swing. He settled into the wide seat with her cradled as close as she could be to his strong chest. She could feel his heart pounding against hers as the swing rocked and then settled.

He paused for half a beat, threaded his hand into her hair, massaging her scalp and making her tingle head to toe. Then he whispered, "Oh, Eva," before he kissed her again.

They exchanged kisses born of desperation, longing, love. They were conquering the fear together that they would never get here, never be together. Reaching this spot, entangled in Miles's arms, him securing her heart, she knew it was worth the long, long wait. Several lifetimes, just as he'd said.

They exchanged kisses created of and fueling the sparks between them that no longer had to be denied. Forbidden love no more. Their love could soar as they became one. The passion and joy of their being together grew until Eva suspected the sun was rising again, bursting over the mountains, lifted and fueled by their joy and their perfect kisses.

The kisses slowed down, and she clung to him. She felt blessedly content and crazily in love. She was drugged by Miles—his lips, his nearness, his strength, the fact that his kisses were unparalleled, never to be equaled, except by him. Each day, there would be new kisses to explore and savor. They could kiss until the sun rose and set. They could kiss until Aiden solved all her dark web issues. They could kiss until he had to leave on a SEAL assignment or she had to go on location for a movie. Being apart would be a torture all its own, but it would make moments like this even more incredible. The future was wide open for them.

Miles pulled back just enough to meet her gaze. "Eva …" He st udied her. "That was incredible. You are incredible. I feel like … I've been hiding so much?—"

Hiding? She didn't like the sound of that.

The front door flung open, banging against the house. Mama came storming out. Eva buried her head in Miles's neck, embarrassed that his mother had caught them kissing and cuddling. She took a long inhale of his manly scent. He didn't smell like his delicious and mind-clouding bergamot and pineapple. He smelled sweet, like flowers, a uniquely feminine scent. What flower was it …

Eva pulled back to look at him, but she didn't get the chance to say anything.

"Miles Coleville, I would like to speak to you about Lily," Mama said. She looked as angry as when Autumn had propositioned Easton.

Lilies. Miles smelled like lilies.

Mama should be angry. Furious, in fact. Eva was making out with her son, who was dating someone else. Eva should be angry too. At herself. At him. Hiding? He was hiding a girlfriend who smelled like the flower she was named after.

Eva yanked out of his arms and scrambled to her feet. He'd been with Lily, close enough he smelled like her.

The off-the-chart kisses she and Miles had exchanged were instantly tainted with the stink of betrayal.

She glared at him and seethed, "I am not into two-timers."

Mama folded her arms and glared at Miles as well.

Miles stood, holding his hands out. "Eva, it's not like that. I broke up with Lily tonight."

"Because you want to be with me?" she asked, her stomach churning .

"Yes." He nodded, stepping closer. "It's you for me, Eva. You have to see that."

"And give up on thirteen years with Lily?" his mother interjected. "That poor girl worships you and needs you."

Eva was nauseated. Thirteen years? Poor girl was right. She'd been cheated on herself. It was horrific. She'd seen this scene play out at movie sets, men and women getting together and betraying their significant other waiting back home. Sickening. She had never been part of the disgusting hookups. Ever. She'd let down her guard because she thought Miles was special, that they were special.

"You would break up a thirteen-year relationship over someone you met last night?" Eva shook her head, bile rising in her throat. "You don't even know me. You only think we have something special because I'm famous." Whirling away, she darted around Mama and for the front door.

"Eva, that's not true," Miles called after her.

He moved to go around Mama, but his mother grabbed his arm and hissed, "I cannot believe you would?—"

Eva made it inside. She ran past Walker, Jared, and Easton, who all stood in the foyer looking at her. She couldn't look at any of them.

She was on the third stair when Walker's voice stopped her. "Eva, my brother wouldn't?—"

She cried out and put her hands over her ears. "Please don't." Racing up the stairs, she made it into her room and slammed the door, pushing the lock button. She hurried into the bathroom and shut that door and locked it as well.

How could Miles do that to her? To Lily?

Tears trailed down her face. She touched her lips, unwittingly reliving the most incredible kisses she'd ever received in her life. She'd been swept away like magic in a Disney movie. But that wasn't real. She knew that.

Had he kissed Lily like that earlier tonight? Before he broke up with his lifelong girlfriend so he could be with Eva Chevron, the famous actress. Was it her insecurities acting up, or was a relationship with Miles doomed just like every other relationship she'd ever tried?

"Argh!" she screamed. She sank to the tile floor, her back against the door, and put her head between her hands. The tears came more freely.

For the past twenty-four hours, she felt like she'd found the man she'd always longed for.

And he would dump a thirteen-year relationship to his loyal girlfriend for someone he didn't even know. Why? Because he was infatuated with Eva because she was famous and he thought he knew her?

That felt wrong for the Miles she knew, but she'd seen it so many times she couldn't deny it was probably the reason. She had believed they had a bond that was unparalleled, but she didn't know what to think now. All she'd known up to this point was Lily was the ‘girl back home', which could mean any manner of things. But the way his family reacted to him breaking up with Lily, and thirteen years together? Thirteen years of Lily waiting faithfully for him? This was much more serious than Eva had understood.

Eva felt awful for herself, losing the dream of Miles.

She felt more awful for Lily.

Miles Coleville was a deceitful playboy. She would never have believed it. Somehow, she had to wrap her mind around it and digest it.

She could only pray Aiden's team would solve her other dilemma. She had no idea how she'd last another day around her bodyguard.