Chapter 19 #2
His every nerve ending felt like it was on fire and not because of his injuries.
No, it was her. She was doing it again—whatever it was that she did to him.
It was like a spell or something. She only had to touch him and he forgot all about his plans and his rules and his aversion to anything that even resembled a relationship.
“Just so you know,” she said as she dabbed at his wounds, “I’m here because Stephanie asked me to be, and not for any other reason.”
“I never thought otherwise,” Evan said, lying through his teeth.
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to think it had anything to do with you, because it didn’t.”
Well, he thought, that wasn’t very nice, but it was probably the least of what he deserved.
He sat still for as long as he could before he grabbed hold of her hand and withdrew it from his face.
“That ought to do it.” He tried to ignore the current that traveled through him like lightning when his skin came into contact with hers.
“But there’s a whole area—”
“It’s fine.”
She shrugged and tossed the ointment into the first aid kit. “Suit yourself.”
The potentially awkward moment was diffused by the arrival of Dr. David Lawrence, Victoria Stevens, the nurse practitioner-midwife at the clinic, and Seamus O’Grady, who made a beeline for Grace.
Evan watched in stunned amazement as Seamus greeted Grace as if she was his long-lost best friend, making a big production out of hugging her and kissing her cheek.
And Grace! She giggled like a schoolgirl. What the hell was that about? How did they even know each other?
“Gracie, my love, help me find a beer,” Seamus said in the ridiculous accent that made the women swoon. Whatever! “This has been the longest day in the history of long days.”
He thought he’d had a long day? And her name was Grace, not Gracie. Why didn’t she tell the bloody bloke that?
Seamus tucked Grace’s hand into the crook of his arm and whisked her away. She never so much as glanced at Evan as she took off with the Irishman.
After what they’d shared just twenty-four hours earlier, who did she think she was, flaunting another guy right in front of his face? Apparently, she was pissed he hadn’t called her. Maybe he hadn’t called her yet. Had that occurred to her?
Couldn’t a guy take a few hours to get his head together after a woman turns his well-ordered world upside down? And what was with her telling her friends about what’d happened between them? As if a guy could do that and get away with it. Total double standard!
Grant handed him a beer. “Looks like you could use this more than me.”
“What’s the latest protocol on next-day phone calls?
” Evan asked his older brother. He kept an eye on Grace and Seamus, who were standing far too close on the back deck.
She was wearing a dress that showcased her abundant curves, and Evan rolled his hands into fists to keep from going out there and dragging her away from that Irish charmer.
“What do you mean?” Grant asked.
“You go out with a girl, have a good time and want to see her again. How long do you have to call her, before you’ve officially blown it?”
“Define ‘have a good time.’”
“You know. A good time.”
Grant sighed with exasperation. “Sex or no sex?”
Evan wished he’d never started this conversation. “Option A.”
“With sex, I’d say a day. Two at the most.”
“So I’m not a jerk because I left before she was awake and didn’t call her today. I knew it.”
“Wait, whoa. You left before she was awake, and you didn’t call her all day?”
“You just said—”
Grant looked at Grace, who was laughing at every word Seamus had to say. To Evan, her laughter had never been more inappropriate.
“I hate to say it, but you might’ve blown it, bro.”
Hearing his brother say those words, Evan wanted to hit Rewind and undo this entire day.
Everything he’d done had been wrong. He wanted to be there when she woke up, share breakfast in bed with her, entice her into the shower and spend the entire day with her.
He couldn’t have blown it beyond repair. Not yet.
He stood and headed for the deck.
“Evan!” Grant grabbed his arm. “Wait! Don’t go out there spoiling for a fight. Think about what you’re doing.”
Evan tried unsuccessfully to shake off his brother’s iron grip. “I want to talk to her.”
“She’s talking to Seamus right now. Bide your time. Wait until she’s alone.”
“I don’t want her talking to Seamus,” Evan said, consumed, for the first time in his entire life, by a fit of jealousy so fierce it stole the breath from his lungs.
Grant, that son of a bitch, threw his head back and laughed. “Welcome to the club, my friend.”
Infuriated by his brother’s laughter, Evan said, “What club? What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s a super-secret club for guys who’ve lost their minds over a woman. I’m a new member, but Mac, Joe and Luke are veterans. They can probably advise you better than I can.”
“Keep your damned club. I haven’t lost my mind or anything else over her.”
“Then why do you look like you want to go out there and disembowel poor Seamus?”
“I do not look like that.”
Luke hobbled up to them on his crutches. “Whoa,” he said when he got a good look at Evan’s battered face. “Definite improvement.”
Evan scowled at Luke.
“Don’t mind him,” Grant said. “He’s pissed because his lady is talking to someone else.”
“He has a lady?” Luke asked as Mac joined them with Hailey asleep in his arms.
“Who has a lady?” Mac asked
Grant nodded to the deck. “Evan.”
“Evan has a lady?” Mac asked, incredulous.
“I like Grace,” Luke said. “Syd and I met her on the ferry. She’s great.”
“Everyone likes her,” Grant said. “Especially Evan. Right, Ev? Apparently, Seamus likes her, too. That’s making our boy good and mad.”
Since he wasn’t allowed to talk to her at the moment and didn’t feel like listening to any more of his brother’s bullshit, Evan headed upstairs to take a shower.
Their laughter followed him all the way up.