The By Request Collection. Kate Hardy

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       Eight

      Seven o’clock. Most nights she’d still be at the office, but it was Saturday so Eve had opted to come home. She really needed to cut out the weekends for a while. She was exhausted, and her doctor had told her to listen to her body. Well, she was listening and her body was telling her she needed to get rid of these heels and kill the suit. Yoga pants and a tee sounded pretty good right now. Oh, and a ponytail.

      She rarely was off her game. Even at home she was always professional because she often did video meetings and had to look the part. Sure, the other day she had on yoga pants and bunny slippers beneath her desk, but she’d put on makeup, earrings and a suit jacket. Boom. She so owned this corporate world.

      She’d nearly cried with relief after she washed her face and pulled her hair back. Now that she was comfortable, she had a little boost of energy...and an extremely empty stomach. She’d had an early lunch to work around meetings, but she seriously needed to keep some snacks in her office at work. Her assistant would’ve gladly gone and gotten her anything, but Eve had her assistant doing so much lately with the acquisition of the Australian company, Eve hated to even ask for a pack of crackers.

      Maybe she’d lie in bed, gorge on food and watch a movie on Netflix. A date with herself? Sounded heavenly and completely relaxing. Just what the doctor ordered.

      When someone knocked at the back door, Eve nearly cried. Only one person came and went via the French doors overlooking the outdoor living area. The door was conveniently located by the garage Graham used.

      She peered down at her attire and shrugged. He’d seen her in her suits, in a ball gown and in her birthday suit, but he’d never seen her in sloppy, I-want-to-be-left-alone mode.

      Circling the kitchen island and bypassing the breakfast nook, she reached the French doors. Only the soft glow from the motion lights illuminated Graham’s broad frame, slashing a streak of light across one side of his face. His eyes pierced her straight through the glass. There was an intensity to this man that her body couldn’t deny. She hated how, even now, especially now, she didn’t want to deny him anything. But if she didn’t watch out, she would end up hurt. Right now, she had to focus on her baby.

      Flicking the lock, she opened one of the doors. Because she knew he wasn’t just here for a quick visit, she stepped aside and let him in.

      The second Graham was inside, she clicked the lock back into place. When she turned, his eyes raked her, as they always did. She shivered, but was too tired to even appreciate her instant arousal. There had to be some sort of stop button where this physical relationship was concerned. Shouldn’t they focus on how to make this parenting thing work? The time for selfish desires and needs had come to an end.

      “If you’re here for—”

      He held up a hand. “I’m not.”

      When he took a step forward, closing the gap between them, Eve waited for his familiar touch. But he simply held her gaze and offered a gentle smile. “I’m here for strictly innocent reasons.”

      Eve laughed, waiting for him to deliver the rest of the punch line. When he only quirked a brow, she sobered. “Innocent? Honey, you don’t have an innocent bone in your body.”

      Honey? Had she seriously just used that term? Exhaustion had obviously stolen her common sense.

      “I don’t mean to be rude, but really. Why are you here?”

      Graham took her elbow and guided her through the house. Her house. As if he owned the place. And she was allowing this to happen. Then he led her up the stairs, toward her bedroom, and pulled back the pristine white duvet on her king-size four-poster bed. Eve darted her eyes between the inviting bed and the confusing man.

      “Okay, what’s going on?”

      Graham took her hand and ushered her into bed. “I had no plans until I got here. But now that I see you’re practically swaying on your feet, we’re going to relax.”

      “We?” Eve slid into bed because the temptation was far too great for her to fight.

      “That’s right.” Graham picked up the remote, hit a few buttons. The flat screen slid up from the entertainment island that separated the bed from the sitting area. “I’m going to watch a classic with you.”

      Okay. So if she had all of this straight in her head, Graham had just appeared at her back door not looking for sex, but to watch a movie and...snuggle?

      Eve continued to stare as Graham as climbed into bed beside her and began studying her remote. After several minutes of muttering under his breath—something about his law degree being useless—he finally figured it out. Instantly the room filled with music as the movie popped up, and Eve had to brace herself. He was legitimately here to watch a movie. They were in her bed...completely clothed.

      “You’re still staring and you’re going to miss this opening,” Graham said without looking her way.

      Her gaze went to the large screen and she instantly recognized An Affair to Remember. It was one of her favorite movies. But how did he know? They’d certainly never discussed such personal things.

      “Why are you doing this?”

      Graham sighed, paused the movie and glanced her way. Those striking blue eyes pierced her heart. But she couldn’t have her heart involved, not with him, not now. Her emotions were simply all over the place. She couldn’t act on any temporary feelings.

      “I love old movies. I want to do absolutely nothing right now but watch one with you. We both work too hard, and now we’re having a baby. Maybe it’s time we get to know each other.”

      Without another word, he took the movie off pause, turned the volume up and reached for her hand. The detail-oriented nerd in her wanted to know what was going on. Was this a date? Albeit a warped version of one. Was this some ploy to get her to fall for him? If so, he was doing a damn good job. Did he truly want to get to know her?

      Eve attempted to concentrate on the movie, but between exhaustion and the way Graham’s thumb drew lazy patterns over the back of her hand, she was having a difficult time.

      What was Graham up to? The man was ruthless in a courtroom, if his reputation around Chicago was any indicator. He could’ve easily had her undressed and beneath him had he tried, because denying him was nearly impossible. Yet he seemed all too happy to lie here, hold her hand and do absolutely nothing.

      Graham Newport was playing some sort of game and if she didn’t figure out the rules soon, she was going to find herself on the losing side. And that was not an option because СКАЧАТЬ