Eve bent down and kissed Paisley’s cheek. “Love you, baby girl.”
Beck bent down next and brushed his lips across her forehead. “Goodnight, Princess.”
“Love you, Beck!” she sang out happily.
Beck swallowed down the emotion and smiled. “I love you too.”
He put his arm around Eve and they walked out into the hallway and then down the stairs. He wanted to sit on the couch and kiss the night away but Eve kept walking toward the front door and he didn’t say anything. He understood she still had some reservations about moving too fast and he wouldn’t push her, no matter that he could’ve missed sleep to hold her in his arms all night.
The night air was crisp and cool as only a summer’s night in Colorado could be. He inhaled slowly and said, “I love it here.”
“In Colorado?” she asked as they stopped on the porch.
“Yes.” He glanced down at her. “But mostly here with you and Paisley. Thank you for letting me be part of the nightly routine.” His throat got thick and his voice automatically deepened. “Part of your lives.”
Eve nodded, biting at her lip as if controlling her own emotions. “Thank you, Beck. I loved hearing you read to her, your prayer, and especially your song.” She slid her arms around his neck and Beck’s chest swelled as his heart raced faster. “When Paisley said she loved you I thought I’d cry. Thanks for being so wonderful with her.”
“She’s easy to be wonderful with.” Beck bent down closer. “You’re even easier to be wonderful with.” He smiled. “At least I hope you think I’m ‘wonderful’ to you also.”
She gave him her clear, beautiful laugh and Beck knew he hadn’t been this happy since his parents died, or maybe ever.
“I do, Beck.”
Beck lit up. He imagined her saying those words so sweetly in front of a preacher. It might have been his grandfather’s fault that marriage rested so heavily on his mind, but the more likely instigator of dreams of marital bliss was in his arms. He’d never wanted to be married before and now he couldn’t imagine being married to anyone but Eve.
He bent and kissed her, softly at first, but the need for her grew quickly as she let out a sweet whimper of pleasure, dug her fingers into his hair, and pulled him in tighter.
Footsteps approaching on the sidewalk registered somewhere in the back of his mind and then a throat clearing. Beck ignored whoever it was and kept on kissing, but when the throat cleared loudly again he reluctantly pulled back.
Eve gave him a longing look before turning to face whoever was waiting for their attention. Beck caught her lips tightening in disbelief and her blue eyes filling with horror before she whispered, “Mark?”
Beck whipped around to face the man. The weasel had slicked back dirty blond hair, a pretty boy face with pale blue eyes, and a tall, lean build dressed in business casual.
“Eve,” the man breathed out, looking up at her on the porch, his eyes raked over her possessively, disgustingly. This man hadn’t earned the right to look at his Eve like that.
Beck felt like he was in the hockey rink with his team’s honor being threatened if he didn’t act. He released Eve, threw down his hands to toss his gloves to the ice, forgetting he didn’t have gloves on. Rushing down the steps, he slammed his fist into the man’s face. The loser crumpled to the ground, crying out as if Beck had pummeled him with multiple hits, not just one.Come on. Beck knew he hit hard, but he would’ve much preferred the guy trying to fight back so he could hit him some more. This jerk had hurt Eve deeply and he deserved pain, lots of it.
Beck stood over him, waiting for the guy to straighten or get mad and fight or something. Mark simply stayed on his knees, clutching his face, and moaning in pain.
Beck looked to Eve for guidance. She stood on the porch, white-faced, not moving. He didn’t know if she was upset he’d hit the guy or upset the guy had shown up here. Beck decided it was the latter and bent down low. “You are not welcome here. If you ever try to hurt Eve again I’ll hurt you much, much worse than a simple jab to the face. Get out of here… now.”
The guy finally scrambled to his feet, clutching his hand to his eye as if Beck had poked it out with a hot poker. “I’ll sue you,” he threatened in a whiny voice.
Beck chuckled darkly. “You’re trespassing on private property and I don’t think you want the wrath of the Jewel or the Tanner families coming down on your scrawny neck for how you’ve treated Eve. Get out of here.”
Eve had said her family never even met this loser. He could imagine how Caleb would react to the guy. Beck raised a threatening fist, knowing he’d have Caleb’s support. “Don’tmake me ask again,” he growled low and threatening.
The guy’s eyes widened, he cast one more glance at Eve, turned, and ran for the silver Lexus parked at the curb. Beck turned back to Eve. His brow wrinkled with concern. “Are you okay?”
She gave a little whimper, darted down the stairs, and threw herself against his chest. Beck caught her easily and held her as silent tears streamed down her smooth cheeks. He stroked her hair and whispered what he hoped were comforting words. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. He’s gone,” over and over again. He was relieved that she’d run to him and wasn’t mad about him getting physical and punching the guy, but he was very concerned that simply seeing that loser had this effect on her.
Finally, Eve pulled back and dashed away the moisture from her face with the back of her hand. “Sorry. I don’t want you to think I care about him, at all. It was simply the shock of seeing him and…” She reached up and kissed him, she tasted of salt and his dreams of happiness. “Thank you. Seeing you punch him was the best thing ever.” She tilted her head. “Well, not the absolute best. Seeing you with Paisley in your arms is the absolute best thing I’ve ever seen.”
Happiness rushed through him and the love he felt for her could not be contained. He tugged her in close and proceeded to kiss her until they were both gasping for air. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, “Seeing you smile… that’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. Hearing you laugh… that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. Holding you close… that’s the best thing I’ve ever felt.”
She smiled tremulously.
“I love you, Eve.” He felt it clear through and hoped she knew how sincere he was.
“I love you, Beck.”
The emotion rising in his throat would have been humiliating in any other circumstance. Beck didn’t care. He loved her so much he would grind all his man cards into the ice in front of his teammates if that’s what it took to show her what she meant to him. Luckily, she went onto her tiptoes and kissed him, distracting him before he did lose those man cards by tearing up or breaking down completely. He hadn’t felt pure, sincere love since his parents had died. He returned her kisses and then some, filled to bursting with love and happiness. Eve and Paisley were his—his future, his love, his happiness. Nothing would take them away from him.