“We’ve got the lights hung, Mrs. Hawthorn,” Jax said from his post at the tree. “If you’ll tell us what needs to go where, we’ll knock out the rest of the decorations.”
Evangeline stood, her knees shaky, but she couldn’t contain her broad smile. Maybe she’d never smiled this big.
“I’ll make everyone a deal,” she called so everyone could hear. “If y’all will hang the decorations as my mom instructs, I’ll start on a late lunch and feed everyone.”
A chorus of whoops went up and then it was a race to see who could hang the ornaments the fastest. Drake went back to sit next to her father, and the two of them quickly became immersed in conversation while Evangeline stood in the doorway of the kitchen surveying her packed apartment and the brilliant glitter of fifteen hundred lights draped from the top to the bottom of the tree.
Her heart swelled with contentment. This was her family now. She watched as the men taunted and ribbed one another, though they were all extremely respectful in front of her mother. She could hug and kiss every single one of them for being so wonderfully solicitous of her during her visit.
She dabbed at the corner of her eye to prevent any tears from falling down her cheeks.
“Evangeline? You okay?” Silas asked beside her.
She turned to see him standing next to her, a concerned expression marring his handsome features. She gave him her second-biggest smile of the day.
“I’m more than okay,” she breathed. “Look around, Silas. This is our family. What could possibly be better than family gathered to decorate the Christmas tree and eat dinner together?”
Silas smiled, something he seemed to do with increasing frequency around her lately.
“It’s you, doll. You’ve made us family.”
20
It was late when Drake and Evangeline returned to their apartment after seeing her parents back to the hotel. She was already dreading the following day, when her parents would fly back home.
As they walked off the elevator, Drake reached out and shackled her wrist with his fingers and pulled her to a stop.
“Go into the bedroom, get undressed and wait for me on the bed. Lie on your back, arms over your head, legs spread so I see what is mine the minute I walk through the bedroom door.”
Her mouth went dry and she swallowed at the knot seemingly lodged there. His voice was so sexy. Low pitched and husky. The mere sound had the same effect as if he’d stroked her with his hands. Each word was its own individual caress over her ears.
“I’ll give you five minutes,” he warned.
She’d be ready for him in three.
Turning, she hurried to the bedroom, already stripping her clothing off as she entered. She tossed her dress and shoes in the far corner and then crawled on top of the covers and eased down on her back. Then she lifted her arms up over her so they rested on the pillow above her head.
She lay there in a dreamy state of heightened arousal, every sense on alert. Waiting. Her pulse raced to life the moment she sensed his presence. Before he ever made a betraying sound, she knew he was there.
Her eyelids fluttered lazily as she moved her gaze to where he stood by the bed. He was staring down at her, his expression gentle, affection glowing from his dark eyes. She felt a decadent little thrill. It was times like this, times like the previous several days when his every action, word, look and touch whispered to her that he could love her.
She just had to be patient. Drake wasn’t a man to make himself vulnerable to anyone, especially another woman. All she could do in the meantime was show him that she wasn’t going anywhere. That she loved him unconditionally. The wait would be well worth it. She had no doubt there.
No longer did insidious thoughts latch on and take hold, undermining her self-confidence, making her fear the future and how long Drake would remain in their relationship. He’d done nothing to make her think he was growing tired of her. Just the opposite. It seemed that with every passing day, he openly accepted the bigger role in his life she played.
“What are you thinking, Angel?” Drake murmured as he stroked his hand over her naked curves.
Her entire body was painfully aware. She trembled and shuddered with nearly violent need. There was such a look of intensity in Drake’s eyes tonight. As though he’d come to some momentous decision or realization.
She wanted to question him about it, but what was she supposed to say? That she sensed a change in him? In his priorities, and that he’d placed her ahead of all else? It was a very good way of opening herself up to abject humiliation if she was wrong. No, she couldn’t try to rush commitment from him. That would be the biggest mistake of all.