Sinner (Shelter Harbor #1)(29)

I bite my lip again.

“This sort of sounds like you’re sidestepping the whole thing.”

I frown. “No, I just-”

“Here, what about this. Let’s just start. Right now.”

“Here?” I squeak, immediately, rolling my eyes at myself.

“Yeah, just go ahead.”

“How?”

“Just ask away.”

I shake my head. “No, that- not here.”

“Why not?”

“Because we can’t?”

He chuckles. “Darlin’, you’re going to have to get used to the idea that you can do a whole lot more than you think you can.”

“Thanks,” I say dryly.

“Any time.”

“Where have you been!”

Chastity’s voice hits me from the side as she comes storming out of the volunteer tent.

“Howdy, Chastity.”

She scowls at Rowan before turning her sour attitude on me. “You’ve been gone a long time.”

“I was right down the street getting coffee!”

“The Center won’t build itself, Eva.”

I roll my eyes, but she pulls me away. I glance back at Rowan and shrug.

“Rain check,” he shouts after me with a wink.

“Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to…do it.”

“Do what.”

“Make love to me.”

“That what you want me to do to you?”

I swallow, slowly shaking my head. “No,” I whisper.

“Then why don’t you tell me what you really want me to do to you.”

Lingering tendrils of heat from the night before tease into my head as I glance back one last time at the man who barged into my dreams.

I quickly swallow.

“Oh, Eva, isn’t all this just wonderful?”

My mother smiles warmly as we step into the volunteer tent. She’s wearing one of her long, buttoned-all-the-way-up dresses with the long sleeves and high collar.

I always feel like she’d be happier wearing something slightly cheerier.

“Yes,” I say with a smile. “It’s very wonderful.”

“We’re building the Kingdom, honey!” She beams at me.

I smile back, but the sight of her dress makes me frown for another reason, as I think back on what Rowan said.

Am I all buttoned up? Am I just becoming another church lady like my mother? Just a housewife for some male church member?

I shake my head.

“Oh, Eva!” My mother places a hand on my arm, beaming at me. “Your father just heard from Milton!”

“Oh?”

“He’s moving his visit up!”

I can feel my face pale. “He is?”

“Yes, dear. He had business in Boston sooner than expected, and your father invited him to come by earlier to see the progress on the Center. And of course, to see you and to begin the courtship.”

The courtship.

I take it back; we are in feudal England.

My mother and Chastity are looking at me with big expectant smiles on their faces. I quickly blink away the sinking feeling. “Oh, that’s…great!”

Chastity crooks her head to the side and places a hand on my arm. “This is so exciting, Eva!”

“Yeah,” I say distantly. “Exciting.”

Shit.

Yeah, I am becoming my mother and everything I don’t want to be. Or at least I will become those things.

Unless I break free.





Chapter Fourteen





Rowan




I’ve got the Ramones record turned up loud, a pen in my hand, and a beer sitting across the kitchen counter from me — my reward if I ever finish going through last month’s numbers.

I scowl as my eyes run down the columns, and I groan as I finish typing numbers into the calculator next to me.

Shit.

Wonderful news as always.

Between the bank and Rich breathing down my neck, it’s going to be amazing if I ever turn a profit. I briefly wonder if Jade would ever work for free booze instead of cash.

Probably not.

Of course, the fact that I spent the first part of my morning going right back down that primrose path with Eva isn’t helping my concentration here. The fact that again, I pushed the envelope and moved from banter to straight out flirting isn’t helping my mood.

That’s the sort of shit that’s going to get me in trouble with that girl.

I grumble, toying with the pen in my hand. I should just call Fiona. I should get her over here, get her bent over this kitchen counter and fuck the hell out of her until I get this out of my system, as much as that idea does not actually appeal to me.

I glare back at the numbers in front of me, when there’s a knock on my door.

I freeze. Slowly, I reach for the baseball bat with the Sox logo on it leaning against the wall next to the fridge

The knock comes again as I grip the bat tight, clenching my jaw and advancing on the door. Rich showing up early in the day like this and not on the first of the month can not be good news.