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The pull I felt drew el

I didn’t say the word aloud, didn’t want Corinne to hear it But I could see that Eva felt it I reached for her hand, felt a tingle of deep recognition that tightened e the woman as no rival "Corinne"

I didn’t turn to look

"I have to run," Corinne said behind aze off Eva, I spoke over my shoulder "Take the through thelanced at Corinne when she stopped next to us "If I have any interest in seeing theh your book"

Her shtened "Good-bye, Eva Gideon"

As she left, I took another step toward ht her other hand, leaning over her to breathe in the scent of her perfulad you ca every connection I couldher eyes, she leaned into htened ood I just wasn’t expecting to see her"

"Neither was I" As ht of those photos evento my desk, I put the lid back on the box and tossed the whole thing into the trash

"I quit my job," she said "Tomorrow’s my last day"

That decision was one I’d wanted her to come to I believed it was the best and safest step for her to take But I knehat a difficult conclusion it must have been for her to make Eva loved her job and the people she worked with

Knowing hoell she could read me, I kept my tone neutral "Did you?"

"Yep"

I studied her "What’s next for you, then?"

"I’ve got a wedding to plan"

"Ah" My hts and wanted out of our e, it was a relief to hear otherwise "Good to know"

I beckoned her closer with a crook of lint of challenge in her eyes

How could I resist? Weto get past this and every other hurdle we faced: We would always meet each other halfway

She wouldn’t ever be the docile wife my friend Arnoldo Ricci had wished for me Eva was too independent, too fierce She had a jealous streak aand stubborn, and she defied me just to drive me crazy

And that friction worked in a way it never could have with any other woman, because Eva waselse

"Is this what you want?" I asked her quietly, searching her face for the answer

"You’re what I want The rest is just logistics"

My mouth was suddenly dry and my heartbeat too quick When she lifted a hand to brush ht her wrist and pressed her pal as I absorbed her touch

The past week melted away The days we’d spent apart, the hours of silence, the crippling fear … She’d been showing me all day that she was ready to ht decision to talk to Dr Petersen To talk to her

Not only didn’t she turn away, she wanted hed I felt the last of her tension drift away We stood there, reconnecting with each other, taking the strength we needed It shookher soht htened when Eva exited the Crossfire Building us McLeod was quiet by nature and by training He rarely showed any emotion at all, but he made an exception for Eva

Or us" Eva flashed hi especially dapper today"