Evan let his mouth drop open. "Me?"
"Yes, you." She was laughing as she said, "You were our little prankster. Remember that time you put a frog in my apron pocket?"
"That was because you made us all watch The Sound of Music." He looked around the coffee table, grinning as he said, "Seriously. Five teenage boys watching Maria flirt with Captain von Trapp?"
"So you're saying Evan was incorrigible?" Kelsey asked.
Susan nodded happily. "Totally."
He looked at Paige. "You've known me all these years. You could defend me, you know."
"Actually," Paige said with a wicked little grin, "I'd rather Susan and Bob tell us more stories about their little prankster."
It turned out there was no end to the mischief Evan had caused.
There was the time he'd put the goldfish in the toilet while he cleaned the fishbowl. "How was I supposed to know Matt wasn't going to look down?"
And the time he painted the windows shut. "Daniel was the one who was good with his hands. No one told me I was supposed to tape first."
"And what about when you put the hammer through the wall while you were hanging a picture for me?" Susan's smile was fond with the memory.
"The walls were like tissue paper," Evan protested. "The hammer just followed the nail right through."
"And you didn't know your own strength," Bob added.
"Exactly. But how did you two know about that? Daniel helped me patch it up so it looked like new."
Susan laughed. "Lyssa."
"That little tattletale," Evan grumbled, but there was light in his eyes for the youngest Spencer. All the Mavericks had a soft spot for her.
Paige wondered if those small incidents had been Evan's way of acting out like a normal kid--especially considering he'd grown up with a father who wouldn't let the slightest transgression pass, even if it was an accident. If so, Susan and Bob had taken it all in stride. They told the vignettes with a smile, a laugh, and, from Susan, sometimes a little swat at Evan. Meanwhile, he and Tony kept racking up the points on their Yahtzee scorecards.
"I'm so glad Evan had such a wonderful family to live with." Theresa clutched the cup to her chest before she shook out the dice.
Susan's eyes softened with emotion. "We're so glad to have you and Tony and Kelsey with us now too."
Susan had more than enough love to share. She would never be jealous of Theresa's sudden return.
As for Evan, he didn't seem to be as tense or upset. Paige wanted to believe he was enjoying this. But what did he truly feel?
She longed to get him alone to find out. Longed just to be alone with him. Even though that was bound to be impossible this weekend with family all around.
Still, she had faith that more magic would happen between them soon. Magic so powerful that he wouldn't be able to walk away this time.
In the meantime, she was delighting in all the things she was learning about him. With their scorecards almost filled and Evan neck and neck with Tony, the intensity of the game punched up. There was whooping and hollering with every throw.
"I've still got a really good chance against you two," Kelsey groused as she took her throw. And came up with zilch.
"Hah!" Tony crowed.
She leaned over to rap his arm lightly. "I'll get you next time." Paige sensed the love there, the deep twin bond.
Then it was Evan's turn. "You're going down, dude," he boasted to Tony as he shook and threw, then punched the air when he rolled four fives. "Gotcha."
"No way. I still beat you." Tony pointed to his scorecard, then Evan's, and punched the air too.
"Let me double-check." Kelsey grabbed the two cards.
"Now don't cheat just because he's your brother," Evan warned.
She wrinkled her nose at him. "You're my brother too."
Evan leaned in. "But he's your twin," he emphasized.
The three siblings were so easy with each other, as if they'd known one another for years. Evan laughed and joked and teased. God, it was so good to see him smile, especially with his family. Paige caught Susan's eye, and she was sure she saw the mist of happy tears there. This trip had truly been an engineering masterpiece. Even Theresa was smiling as she gazed at all three of her children.
"I declare it a tie," Kelsey said. "And we're going to need a rematch so I can beat the pants off both of you."
They were all competitive, but what Maverick wasn't? Tony and Kelsey clicked with Susan, Bob and Evan as if they'd been born Mavericks.
With the game finished, Susan announced, "I'm starving. Let's take a dinner break." Then she said that she and Bob were going to make grilled cheese sandwiches.
"My favorite," Evan said as he hugged her off her feet. "I'll help you."
As the two of them headed off to the kitchen, Paige watched Theresa, looking for signs of jealousy over Evan's relationship with his foster mom. It would be natural, as much as it would be a consequence of her own actions.
"I'm very glad you and the twins came," Paige said as an icebreaker.
Theresa turned, a sheen in her eyes. "I am too. Susan and Bob took such good care of him. He obviously loves them very much."
"All the Mavericks do." Throughout the game, Susan had talked of her other foster sons and of her own children. "Susan and Bob have a lot of love to give."
"So does Evan," Theresa said in a soft voice, one that was filled with so much longing it nearly broke Paige's heart.
She wished she had the right words to make it better. Something more than, "This trip is a good start." One small step on what Paige hoped was the road to forgiveness.
Theresa clasped her hands, as if in prayer. "He seems to really be bonding with the twins. I'll be patient. It can't happen in one weekend."
Paige felt a great kinship with Theresa in that moment.
Because patience where Evan's heart was concerned was something Paige knew all too well.
*
After they'd eaten, Evan said, "It's been a great day, but I've got a few things to take care of before bed. I've got a room at a local hotel so I won't crowd anyone out. I'll see everyone in the morning for breakfast." He pulled Susan beneath his arm. "You haven't eaten breakfast until you've had Susan's eggs Benedict."
"Paige," Susan said suddenly, "it would probably be best if you stayed at the hotel too."
Paige couldn't hide her surprise at this suggestion. A beat later, however, she wondered if this was Susan's way of not only saying she approved of what might be going on between her and Evan, but also giving them a helping hand in making it happen.
Still looking at Susan as if she'd just lost her mind, Evan said, "There's always been plenty of room here for Paige before."
She wanted to smack him, even if he was running scared after the three deliriously glorious kisses they'd shared. But she wanted to hug Susan.
Especially when she said, "The bathrooms will be crowded when we're all trying to get ready in the morning. Not to mention the hot water with all those showers."
With that, Evan didn't have a single excuse left.
While everyone hugged Evan good-bye for the night--even Theresa, who, miracle of miracles, he didn't push away--Susan gave Paige a hug.
In a low voice, she said, "He needs to decompress and talk through the day's events. This has been a big step for him."
"I know." Paige nodded. "I'll make sure he doesn't hold it all in."
"Thank you, honey. I can always trust you to take care of him. And I know he'll always be there for you too."
Susan could have simply been talking about their friendship. But Paige was certain that she heard something more in his foster mother's words.
Something that sounded a lot like love.
Chapter Twenty-One
Thank God the hotel had another room available. Because if they'd had to share a room...
Evan didn't have one damn ounce of willpower left after sitting next to Paige all day, surrounded by her fragrance, her heat, her voice, her laughter. Just the
five-minute drive to the hotel had been almost more than he could bear.
"Let's have a drink in the bar," she said after the young man at reception had given them their room keys.
It wasn't a five-star hotel, but Evan had wanted to stay as close to Susan and Bob's as possible. This place was well-maintained, with soft music playing and modern decor. It had a bellhop, and he'd already sent their suitcases up to their rooms. The bar next to the restaurant was fairly full, populated by tourists and business people.
Having a drink with Paige? Not a good idea. She was too much temptation, her lips too kissable, her scent too mind-altering.
But how the hell could he possibly resist her invitation when what he wanted above anything was to spend more time with her? Exquisite, torturous, amazing time with her. "Sounds good."
Paige looped her arm through his. Her soft curves were tantalizing, making him recall his brief, accidental touch along her calf when he'd leaned down to find the fallen die.
Although he could have avoided touching her if he'd really wanted to. Evan Collins was a Maverick, after all. A master of control.
Except when it came to Paige.
Everything inside him ached with a desire he'd never known. It was like the warm waters of the bright blue Caribbean Sea, all-encompassing. It was more than want, more than desire. It was complete and total aching need. She was the only person who made him feel whole and good. The one person who made him feel like he had a prayer of figuring out his family, his failed marriage, his life, so that he could actually find true happiness one day.
And still, he knew he couldn't have her. Couldn't be with her. Knew it was impossible.
After they'd found a small table, he asked, "What would you like to drink?"
"Champagne."
He cocked a brow. "Are we celebrating?"
She smiled up at him, her face so beautiful and hopeful in the flickering light from the table's candle. She was one of the most direct people he'd ever known, which was why he wasn't surprised when she said, "I hope so."
He knew what she wanted to hear: that he'd forgiven Theresa and they would all live happily ever after. But he couldn't give her that.
Not when happily ever after had let him down so badly.
The waitress was inundated by the other tables--and he was in dire need of some space to get his head, and heart, back in rational, working order--so he went to the bar himself, returning a few minutes later with champagne and a beer. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy champagne. But drinking it together seemed so romantic. Too romantic, if he wanted even half a hope of resisting her.
Which he most certainly had to do.
However, considering the way Susan had all but forced Paige to come to the hotel with him, Evan wondered if that hurdle--the one where his family disapproved of him being with his soon-to-be ex-wife's sister--even existed anywhere but in his own mind.
Paige shot him a mock frown as he sat beside her. The chairs were close, his knee brushing hers as it had all afternoon while they played Yahtzee. He felt the headiness of her proximity like the bubbles in her champagne.
"You're not celebrating with me?"
"Beer has fizz." He clinked his mug against her glass, then drank, licked the foam off his lip, and noticed the way her gaze locked on his mouth.
Like she wanted to do the licking.
Jesus. She wasn't just invading his dreams, she was inside his head, his body, his heart, every second of the day.
"Today went extremely well, don't you think?" She looked at him over the rim of her glass as she sipped the champagne.
"It did," he agreed, even though he'd rather be leaning close and whispering hot nothings in her ear and closing his eyes to steep his senses in her.
"Are you going to give me two-and three-word answers all night?"
Kiss me. Those were the two words he wanted to give her. And then three more. I want you.
Instead, he said, "No." And thought, I shouldn't be having these feelings for you. "Tony and Kelsey are great." But I can't stop thinking about you.
"And what about your mom? Does her story help at all?"
"Some." If I kiss you right now, you won't be able to ask a single other question. And you'll taste like heaven. "If she'd tried to get me, if my dad had caught her trying to leave him, she might not have been able to run at all."
"Do you feel you could ever forgive her?"
One kiss is all it will take to clear your mind of everything but how good I can make you feel.
Before he could formulate a response to her extremely weighted question, her phone rang from the depths of her purse. Her pupils dilated slightly as she looked at him.
"Aren't you going to answer it?"
"No," she said flatly. Then she swallowed and said, "I'm sure it's Whitney."
Whitney. Always goddamned Whitney between them. "How can you be sure?"
Without taking her eyes off him, she fished out her phone and showed it to him. "I've been ignoring her calls."
"That'll come back to bite you." He knew that better than anyone.
"I don't care." Her gaze was militant. "She won't ever listen to reason or take responsibility. No matter what I say to her. No matter what anyone says. Like I told you before, I'm done with her games."
So was he. But would Whitney let either of them ever be done with her?
"This is why I don't see forgiveness in my future," he said, "because people never change, do they? Take Whitney. She was always a liar. And I was always the idiot who didn't know it."
Paige put her hand over his, and he realized his fist had clenched. "You weren't an idiot. She's just so good at--"
"Manipulating me."
"She manipulated me too." Her thumb stroked the back of his hand.
God, her touch. It made him insane. Filled him with so much desire that there was barely any room left in him to care about how bad his marriage had been. All he wanted was to drag Paige onto his lap and ravage her mouth until she forgot everything else. Until all that mattered was her, and him...and pleasure.
"Tomorrow." The word came out hard. Partly out of frustration over how badly she wanted him to forgive Theresa. But mostly because of the battle between his conscience and how much he wanted Paige, no matter the consequences. It was his mistakes with Whitney that made a relationship with Paige an impossible fantasy. "We can talk more about all of this tomorrow."
Her face dropped all expression, her eyes grew shuttered, and her hand slid from his. She pushed her drink away, picked up her purse, and headed for the elevator, Evan close at her heels.
The elevator door was closing as she said in a stilted voice, "The only thing I truly want is to help."
"I know that." He wouldn't let himself look away from her beautiful eyes. "But maybe I can't be fixed."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"You're wrong, Evan."
Nine years. She'd waited nine years for him to come around. Nearly an entire decade for him to look in the mirror and see what she did every time she looked at him.
Tonight, Paige was done with waiting.
Either he was willing to finally open his eyes to everything that she saw, everything she knew to be true.
Or he wasn't.
"I'm not trying to fix you." She refused to let her hands tremble. Wouldn't allow her stomach to twist. "You don't need anyone to do that. Can't you see that you're already perfect just the way you are?"
He stared at her for a long moment.
"No," he finally said, "you're the one who's perfect."
She didn't have time to breathe, or even to blink, before he was hauling her up the elevator wall and crushing his lips to hers. His kiss was brutal and beautiful.
And, oh God, he tasted like pure bliss.
Her mouth opened beneath his, and she wrapped her arms and her legs around him, holding him tight against her. He consumed her, testing every hollow and dip of her mouth, caressing her tongue with his, letting her feel all his heat, his muscles, his arousal ag
ainst her.
The elevator dinged, and he lifted his mouth from hers. "Don't leave me."
"I never could. Not then. Not now."
She was still in his arms, still curled around him, as he strode out of the elevator and down the hall toward their rooms.
His defenses were down after the day he'd had, after all they'd talked about tonight. Any other night, she would have made absolutely sure she wasn't taking advantage of the situation, or of him.
But she couldn't stop now. Even if he decided in the morning that it was all a mistake. She wanted all of him now, so she wouldn't worry about the rest until later.
Paige had fallen head over heels for Evan when she was twenty-one. She couldn't wait another second to love him with every part of her body, heart, and soul.
At the door to his room, he held her up against the wall and took her mouth hungrily. No man had ever kissed her as if he needed to devour her, to make her his, to bind her to him.
Didn't he know that her heart was already bound to him? That she had been his from the very first time she walked into his classroom and he'd smiled at her?
His breath brushed her lips, his forehead against hers. "Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure." Even if there were regrets in the morning, she didn't care. Paige needed tonight. "I want you. I want to be with you."
He stared down at her, his gaze intense. And so hot with desire that it took her breath away. "I don't have any protection."
"I'm on the Pill. And there hasn't been anyone for months." There'd only ever been Evan in her heart.
He shoved the card key in and pushed the door open, pulling her inside with him. The lock clicked with finality behind them--and this time, she didn't wait for him to kiss her.
She was so done with waiting.
Pressing her lips to his, she reveled in his groan and in how badly he wanted her. She licked over his tongue once, then again. Slipping her hand beneath his open coat, she splayed her fingers over his chest, loving how his body pushed into hers almost involuntarily, tantalizing her with the feel of every one of his hard muscles.
All day and all evening, she'd been wholly aware of him, every move, every look. Now, her fantasies turned blissfully real as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.
He set her down and stepped back to look at her.
"Paige." His voice was a reverent whisper as he slid her coat down her arms and let it fall to the carpet. "You are so beautiful."