“He needs a change.” Eden drew in a sharp breath and tensed not having realized he’d come so close. He stood at her side, the scent of his cologne not helping the sudden effect he had on her as he moved to set Liam on the changing table. He didn’t wait for her but rather gathered the items he needed before he continued on his task. Eden watched silently as he carried on with a methodical thoroughness of a determined male and as opposed to the prior times he’d attempted to change Liam, where clumsiness and cursing had been prevalent, he was doing a great job now, showing much progress in Eden’s opinion. She saw him struggling a little with the diaper’s side closing flap and though instinct compelled her to move forward and help, she remained where she was. It was only when she heard Liam’s slight cry of discomfort that she was moved to walk forward.
“This is what I get for buying bargain brand diapers,” she mused, reaching over to help him. In doing so, their hands touched, a slight bit of unexpected intimacy sent a jolt through Eden. She didn’t dare look up at him as she was tempted to do, but rather continued on as though nothing had happened, although her heart raced so fast in her chest that she knew he probably heard standing as close as he was. “It also doesn’t help that Liam is growing like a weed. But there’s a trick to get the diaper to close.” In saying so, she demonstrated, gathering Liam’s chubby feet in one hand and lifting his bum up slightly so that she could slip the diaper beneath him, making sure it did not go all the way up his back. She folded the front panel over his penis and gently detached the Velcro on each side to close it. It still appeared a little snug but at least it was better than having one side of his butt sticking out.
“I do not see why you insist on him wearing bargain brand when we can very well purchase the entire damn name brand aisle.”
Eden shrugged, distracting herself with Liam. “That would be a little excessive. Besides, I don’t see the point in paying more for a product that does the same thing as the cheaper guy.” She didn’t protest when he reached over to reclaim their son. Unable to stand in his presence for too long without fidgeting, she stepped around him and continued her task of folding Liam’s clothes. The nursery had been a first in a slew of compromises they’d made over the last few weeks. Eden had tired of him coming into her room at all hours, and he’d been adamant on spending as much time with his child as possible. So they’d agreed to convert the room beside the master bedroom into a nursery while Eden conveniently occupied the room directly across, making it possible for them both to be around Liam.
It was the most grown up decision they’d made and luckily it hadn’t proved very difficult, seeing as they were working in Liam’s best interest. He’d deferred to Eden’s expertise in the nursery’s décor, and Eden had taken on a more minimalistic approach. The dark furniture had been purchased to offset the powder blue of the walls and aside from the few decorative elements she’d allowed in the pillows and stuffed animals at the nook by the wide bay windows, Liam’s room was quite simple. The diaphanous curtains at the window were drawn open, allowing ample lighting to filter through and a spectacular view of the east grounds with its lush verdant lawns constantly manicured by a set of invisible landscapers. When she had the luxury, she preferred to sit at the nook and nurse Liam with that amazing view to lull her.
“Do you have plans for the evening?” The impromptu inquiry had Eden blinking a few times uncertain of where this line of questioning was leading.
“Not that I know of,” she replied slowly. Done with her current task, Eden pulled open the dresser to put away Liam’s clothes. She wasn’t scheduled to work until Friday evening, and even then, she was only there for the afternoon shift. Her leaving unexpectedly the other night had not only incurred Lena’s wrath but had put her name on the woman’s permanent shit list. And in proving just how pissed she was, she’d cut back Eden’s hours for the next two weeks. Nothing for her now but slow lunch hours and zero guarantee of the great tips she’d made during the evening’s rush. If she wasn’t over the whole thing, she would’ve felt angry enough to say something about it. But working at Carver’s had begun to lose its appeal, and the more time she spent there, the more Eden realized how badly she missed being a real estate agent. At least she’d thrived doing it, and it hadn’t been a complete blow to her self-esteem. Every time she’d thought of quitting, she’d chicken out because the thought of getting rejected again scared her. But maybe it was time, she thought silently. Maybe this sudden lull in her schedule was a sign for her to hit the pavement again.
“I want you.” That silken avowal had Eden noticeably stiffening, the blatant innuendo she heard in his rich baritone unsettling her even more than the acute focus of his green gaze as she nervously ran her tongue across her bottom lip and found him following the path with marked intent.
“You what?” she asked dully.
“Your company that is,” he said with wry amusement, the corners of his mouth quirking. “I would like your company for the evening.”
“You’re asking me?”
“I guess I am. I’ve noticed you respond far better to it.”
“Yes, it’s a little thing called courtesy, but I think that might be a little bit out of your comprehension.” The icy rejoinder was unwarranted, he had yet to do anything to incur her wrath, but the bitch in Eden couldn’t help the jab. “It would actually require you to think about someone other than yourself.”
“I have only ever had myself,” he uttered thickly, his candor utterly unexpected. “Self-preservation can turn you into the thing you fear most.”
Eden was not sure of how to respond but knowing just how precarious the moment was, she preceded furtively, “Dominic—”
He held up a halting hand, his palm facing her. “I’m not very good at asking for things that I could simply just take, and as much as I hate rejection, I will not push if you wish to deny my request.”
He made it simple for her. The choice was hers today. A rather rare occurrence considering the amount of influence he’d had over her life thus far. He wouldn’t force her to accompany him to wherever it was he wanted to take her. She could very well say no and not fear that she was breaching their contract in some way. Eden was poised to say just that, tell him thanks but no thanks for the invite, but unfortunately, she found herself saying something completely different than what was going through her mind. “I’ll go.” That didn’t sound anything like a rejection, she thought morosely. “But on one condition.”
“Name it,” he said quietly, battling with a squirming Liam.
“The minute I’ve had enough, you bring me home.”
He paused for an interminable second in which Eden thought he would refuse and call off the entire thing, but with a clenched jaw and shuttered features, he conveyed his resolve. “The very minute.”
Chapter Seventeen
The evening started off well enough. He hadn’t told her where they were going, and Eden hadn’t bothered to ask. But she figured they were probably headed out to eat, and given Dominic’s pension for fancy restaurants, she dressed accordingly. The dark rinsed jeans and sleeveless blouse she’d opted for were a far cry from the overtly extravagant dresses she’d worn all the other times they’d gone out. The only thing remotely fancy about the outfit was the pair of opened toe three inch heels adorning her newly pedicured feet. She’d kept her layered locks down so that it just barely skimmed her shoulders, having grown a few inches in the last few months. A gold statement necklace hung around her neck, stopping just about her navel, while a thin gold bracelet adorned her left wrist. It was simple, casual, and comfortable and because he hadn’t outright opposed when he’d seen her, Eden had figured it was okay.
Their mode of transportation was another black, sleek vehicle that was as magnificently powerful as its owner, which he handled with fluid control. With the atmosphere in the car rife with pervasive tension, the conversation was strictly lacking, but that was altogether fine with Eden because she wasn’t sure if she would’ve tripped over her tongue if she’d made the attempt to speak. She was incredibly nervous for some undefined reason, and that nervousness only heightened when they finally arrived at their destination. He was at her door before she could open it, and as Eden descended from the car, he set a hand at her hip to draw her effortlessly closer to his muscular frame. “You look beautiful.” His radiating breath smelled like cinnamon as it grazed along her ear.
“Thank you,” Eden managed, though inside she was all frantic heart and fractured nerves. She exalted in her outward composure. But with every step they took towards the small Italian bistro, Eden found it difficult to sustain that composure as she grew disturbingly cognizant of his proximity and the familiar sent of his cologne. It didn’t help that he maintained a leading, decisive hand on the small of her back, low enough that he was practically touching the top of her butt.