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"And, Eve? Just so you know Ito be your last as well"
Her eyes widened just as he kissed her again For several long seconds, he plundered herthe lazed ant--and need
She put her hand to his chest, her fingertips resting over his heart "You can’t possibly mean that, Donovan"
He arched one eyebrow and stared challengingly at her "Can’t I? I don’t think you realize it, but you sealed your fate the ivenI’ll always cherish Being your first And yes, I fully intend to be the last man who ever makes love to you"
"How can you possibly know that?" she whispered
He kissed her nose and smiled down at her "Because you’re mine And I’m very possessive of what I consider mine And you areto me We’re fa half of what I’ht now"
Eve sucked in her breath, not even realizing she was holding it until she becaht-headed She sucked in a deep breath, overcome by all that he’d said He was sosincere Earnest Could she believe him? Was she crazy to want to believe hiun to entertain herself?
He’d been honest with her Straightforward No holding back No games She had to do the same for him
"I think I could fall in love with you, Donovan," she said in a whisper he had to lean forward to hear "It’s crazy I shouldn’t be talking like this I shouldn’t even be thinking it I can’t be entertaining the notion of love and a relationship, the future, when ed her chin upward again until she was staring into his i about your future--withdown the road to e have children of our own At the life I intend to have With you Travis and Cammie will always be part of our hearts and our family I consider them my own children already But I want children--with you--to fill our house Lots of children, love and laughter, and I want you to give raduate high school and college, get row old with you and watch our grandchildren grow up, loved and protected just like I intend to protect you, Travis, Caether Our faer hold back the tears They sloshed over the ri with his fingers as he stroked her face
"When you say these things, I believe you I want to believe you, but I’m afraid I’m so afraid that it will all be snatched away I’m afraid to be happy because I couldn’t bear it if it was all taken away I don’t want to lose you"
Donovan kissed her tears away, gently re all traces of dampness on her cheeks Then he smiled tenderly at her as he continued to stroke her hair and her face
"We have all the ti anywhere and neither are you We’ll face your--our--probleether I’ll always be at your side and always at Travis’s and Caled into Donovan’s e on the couch enjoying a perfectly nor movies with Travis and Cammie
Cammie’s IV had been discontinued earlier that day when Maren had co painwas direatly
Donovan had cooked an early dinner for the just like afamily
The threat of Walt that had looet that danger existed That it was out there lurking, just waiting for the chance to strike But here, secluded in Donovan’s home, behind the walls of the compound, Eve felt safe Travis and Cammie felt safe They’d smiled and relaxed for the first time since they’d run from their father
It made Eve’s heart ache for all that could be For all she wanted Never would she have i all she now had in the palht before Had been so overwhels for him that she’d taken the easy way out and said she could see herself falling in love with Donovan
It was a lie She loved hih he cared about her Maybe even loved her But he hadn’t said the words Neither had she She had been afraid to say them matter-of-factly Too worried that he wouldn’t believe her, that she’d been too caught up in thethes, theirlove, until her head had spun No matter how hard she tried to talk herself out of the idea of loving Donovan so soon, her heart had stood firm and told her in no uncertain terms that she did And yet she’d still hesitated, too afraid to give voice to the sentiment for fear that he didn’t love her That he too was carried away by the ood to be true, and she found herself anticipating the other shoe dropping She was just waiting for the bottom to fall out and for it all to be taken away in the blink of an eye
Donovan’s arhtened around her and he kissed the top of her head He touched her and kissed her often Reassuring her, being loving and affectionate, al
"You’re quiet tonight," he lanced down on the floor where Travis was sprawled on the rug, Caainst him as the tere absorbed in theit," she said si what?" Donovan asked
She tipped her head up to hi to take tiet used to it, Donovan I’ to disappear"
He sentle kiss "I’ haul I understand your fears, but in ti you, Travis and Ca to you No one else will ever have the hold on me that you do Not my family Not KGI You co the ache that had settled in at the thought of losing hiood to be true
"I don’t knohat I did to deserve you," she whispered "But I thank God every day that you foundwhat I’d done to deserve you and Travis and Caether"