10. A Little Quiz

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Our experimentsin the lake became a regular, much welcomed occurrence in my life as Eve. Wyoming and I tested three more distances and directions from the shore, plus sunrise, noon, and sunset. The same results came to us in the mysterious water, each time the magnetic draw toward each other, each time fucking so good, and then the magnificent finish, even better than the previous.

Each occurrence, after, he'd hold me in his arms, and we'd talk about what we experienced, observed, and how it made us feel.

I fell in love with…the lake. Sometimes when I sunbathed on the dock drifting off, I thought about Mom growing up here. Had she ever experienced with someone what I did with Wyoming? Did she feel it with Dad when they first met here in Steele Valley?

After everything that's happened over the past year, it's hard to imagine Dad the way he used to be, such a loving family man, before he turned into the monster I hardly recognized.

Sometimes Wyoming's fervor for solving the mystery of the lake reminded me a little too much about Dad's maniacal side. It scared me to compare them, but really, I knew Wyoming would never take technology to extremes and he'd never hurt anyone.

He was kind-hearted, intelligent, the sexiest man I'd ever been with, and every second in Wyoming's arms, I told myself not to fall for him. Reminded myself this was dangerous. Prevented myself from sharing parts of my real life with him, and trying not to let him fall for Eve.

It grew harder to keep track of who Eve was, and what I told him and didn't. Somehow, I had a feeling he knew I wasn't being honest with him. Lately, I came under his scrutiny, as if I was another of his experiments, often quizzed and questioned about my life, from places I'd traveled before to my favorite color.

While cleaning his cabin this morning, I found the list of things he knew about me written out in a new journal I'd given him to replace the one at the bottom of the lake. He detailed every answer on the pages in pencil, along with adorable sketches of me. Him creating those broke my heart; I took photos with my phone to remember them by, because surely this would end when he leaves.

So, what the hell possessed me to say yes to attending dinner with his family tonight? He asked, and I stunned him by agreeing. I couldn't remember the last time a man asked me to meet his family. With more people undoubtedly asking about me, though, I could easily trip myself up. Panic set in. I reached for my phone to cancel, but a honk from his horn outside brought that to an abrupt end.

I approached his Jeep tentatively. When I first arrived in Steele Valley with nothing but the clothes on my back, I started over with things from a Goodwill, which resulted in me having few options for this excursion. A simple sleeveless denim dress, buttons all up the front, with closed-toe black flats instead of my usual sandals, bikini top, and shorts, kept it nice because I had no idea what to expect from his family.

He grinned ear to ear when he saw me, with a protracted glance as he opened the passenger door. "Hey, beautiful. I've never seen you with your hair down like that. I like it." He kissed my cheek and helped me in, reaching over to click my buckle into place. "You look nervous. Don't be. Joe and Molly are really cool, and they're going to love you."

Love? I choked on the word, watching him walk around the front. He got into the driver"s side and started it up. We'd known each other for almost a month—and he didn't really know me to love me.

My hands smoothed my hair down, suddenly self conscious. "I don't wear it like this a lot in summer because it gets so hot and frizzes."

Liar. In New York City, daily I'd straighten and curl my hair, taming it into the latest trendy long hair of curls bouncing around my shoulders in every season with the best hair products. I couldn't even fathom now the amount of money I had spent at the hair salon bleaching my tresses blonde before, when a box brunette hair color on sale was all I used lately.

"Nice change. Although, you're wearing too many clothes for my tastes." He teased, and he would say that. If he ever saw me in my corner office in the city, all dressed up in my designer suits, dresses, and heels, what might his reaction be?

When he turned left off the property, how odd it was, leaving my self-imposed sanctuary of the campground. If only it was for good. We kept up a simple conversation on the way, talking about the current campers—another family and a couple of one night stays here and there.

Further down the road, he nonchalantly reached a hand over, resting it on my thigh. I wanted to cry. The meaning of the move gave me pause. Nothing but everything at the same time.

A hand like that meant a claim of possession, one even requiring a label of some sort. Boyfriend and girlfriend? Something more than lake lovers, for sure. Proof he was falling?

Now what should I do, cover his hand with mine? But that would only reinforce his move, giving positive affirmation with no words spoken that I was on the same wavelength he was.

Maybe I was falling...but I wasn't Eve. Wyoming was falling for the wrong woman.

My stomach twisted into a tornado of knots by the time we turned into Joe's place. I couldn't believe the sight of the gorgeous home. By my estimation, worth a million dollars, at least.

"I didn't know your brother did so well for himself." I stared in awe.

"Yeah, about that." He scratched the back of his neck. "Joe's a famous golf pro. He's won all the majors a few times over, and even designed several golf courses around the world, including this one at Steele Valley. But he's just a regular guy, Eve. I don't let it get to my head or anything." He rushed the end.

Interesting. The only thing he ever mentioned was they made golf clubs together. Only now was I putting it together—Dad loved golf, and visited here sometimes on business, often playing at the famous golf course here. Could he and Joe have met, or passed by in similar circles?

Was it too late to run? I tried to control a mild panic as we parked. A man and a woman walked out to greet us with three kids and a younger man in tow, and a dog running out after them.

"Uncle Wy!" The kids wrapped themselves around Wyoming's legs as soon as his feet hit the ground. He could hardly walk with the children glued to him there. The dog let out excited barks and tried to get in on the hugs.

I got out and calmed down a little, and chuckled at the sweet sight. Wyoming caught my eye and held my stare, a glimmer in them with a goofy grin. I think my ovaries just dropped an egg.

Oh, no. Him...the kids...hand on my thigh?He's definitely falling.

"Hi, I'm Molly," the woman called me out from my stupor.

"I'm Eve, just the general manager for some cabins across the lake," I said with conviction, trying to sell it.

"Oh, I get it now." She winked at me, then crossed her arms as she turned to Wyoming. "So she's why you rent away from us somewhere rustic instead of staying in our comfortable home."

"Yep. You caught me. The views there are gorgeous." All dimples, his smile tugged at my heart as he hugged me into his side.

"I'm so delighted to meet you, Eve. These minions are our kids, Jesse, Chloe, and Oliver. This dog, Tucker, is actually my brother Bodie's therapy dog, but whenever Wy is here, everyone jumps all over him." Under her breath, next to me, ushering us inside, she added, "He's super with kids."

Wyoming or the dog? Something told me she didn't mean Tucker. Oh. Boy.

"Molly, leave the poor woman alone. Kids, go wash your hands for dinner. Hi, I'm Joe." A man looking nothing like Wyoming with his dirty-blond straight hair and maybe a little older, reached a hand out to greet me. "It's nice to finally meet you, considering you're all Wyoming's talked about for the past month."

"Oh, really?" I cocked a brow Wyoming's way. I knew he visited his family every couple of days, but telling them about me was interesting.

"Leave it to my brother, finding someone to charm at a rustic cabin in the middle of the woods." Joe poked Wyoming in the ribs with a guffaw.

"Well, I like to think that maybe I charmed him," I said, going along with the tease. "Or it's the lake charming us both."

"My Lake of Mysterious waters?" Joe arched his brow.

"Um. I don't think it's just yours anymore." I winked at Wyoming, and he actually blushed, his dimples deeper than ever.

He cleared his throat. "Did you say something about dinner, Joe?"

"Yep. Come on in. We've got burgers to grill. Beer, Eve?"

Introductions over, I survived them, like a little quiz. But would I sail through dinner?