chapter 6

Eva sat up and took Sloane's hands. "I love and admire you, but you are desperately wrong.

"I hope so, for your sake."

But her friend sounded worried as she spoke. Eva appreciated the show of support. They were never going to agree on this topic. Better to move on.

She released Sloane's hands and grinned. "So Derrick is right next door. Whatever will the two of you get up to late at night?"

Sloane flushed. "Lower your voice," she whispered. "He'll hear you."

"Oh, please. He wouldn't hear a nuclear explosion if he was focused on something else, and when I walked by his room, he was already booting his laptop. We're safe.

Don't you love how I got the two of you into the house while everyone else is far, far away?"

"I guess," Sloane said with uncharacteristic indecision. "I know something has to happen soon or I'll be forced to back the car over him. He's such a sweetie. And you know I really like him, but I don't think I'm his type."

+

Eva groaned. "He doesn't have a type. He's a nerd. Do you think he dates much?

"I hope so, for your sake."

But her friend sounded worried as she spoke. Eva appreciated the show of support. They were never going to agree on this topic. Better to move on.

She released Sloane's hands and grinned. "So Derrick is right next door. Whatever will the two of you get up to late at night?"

Sloane flushed. "Lower your voice," she whispered. "He'll hear you."

"Oh, please. He wouldn't hear a nuclear explosion if he was focused on something else, and when I walked by his room, he was already booting his laptop. We're safe.

Don't you love how I got the two of you into the house while everyone else is far, far away?"

"I guess," Sloane said with uncharacteristic indecision. "I know something has to happen soon or I'll be forced to back the car over him. He's such a sweetie. And you know I really like him, but I don't think I'm his type."

+

Eva groaned. "He doesn't have a type. He's a nerd. Do you think he dates much?"

"He should. He's adorable and smart and funny."

Her friend had it bad, Vanessa thought happily. And she was pretty sure that Derrick found Sloane equally intriguing.

Usually Sloane simply took what she wanted in the man department. But something about Derrick made her nervous.

"He's afraid of being rejected," Van told her. "Something I can relate to."

"I wouldn't reject him," Sloane said. "But it will never work. We're on a project together. I'm too old for him and I'm too fat."

"You're six years older, which is nothing, and you're not fat. You're totally curvy and lush. Guys go for that."

They always had. Vanessa had spent the last decade marveling at the number of men her friend met, dated, slept with and dumped.

"Not Derrick. He barely speaks to me."

"Which is interesting," Van said. "He talks to everyone else."

It was true. Derrick was tongue-tied around Sloane. Eva thought it was charming.

At first, when her friend had confessed her interest in Derrick, Eva had been protective of her coworker.

Derrick might enjoy the ride that was Sloane, but once dumped, he would be heartbroken. Then Sloane had admitted her feelings went a whole lot deeper.

The L word had been whispered.

After getting over the idea of her friend being in love with anyone, Eva had agreed to help.

So far, she'd been unable to think of a way to bring the couple together. Emmett's lodge had offered the perfect opportunity.

"You have time," Eva pointed out. "Liam and I never come down here, so you have the whole floor to yourselves. You can talk to each other in a casual setting. No pressure. It will be great."

Sloane smiled. "Hey, it's my job to be the positive, self-actualized one."

"I know. I love being the emotionally mature friend. It doesn't happen often."

"It happens more and more."

Eva leaned in and hugged her friend. "You're the best."

+

"So are you."

************

Liam looked up as he heard footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, Eva appeared in his loft office.

She'd changed into a tight skirt and cropped top, curled her hair and put on makeup. Always pretty, she'd upped the stakes to come-get-me sexy.

A quick bit of research on the Internet had told him that the guy she'd mentioned wasn't one of her scientists. Instead he worked for a DC lobbyist and was safely several thousand miles away.

+

Not that Eva cared one way or the other.

The only issue for him was researching the man more thoroughly. If things were getting serious, it was his job to make sure Eva wasn't being taken.

His low-grade anger was something he would deal with later.

He didn't know why he minded the thought of her marrying some guy, but he did.

"We're going to dinner," she announced when she stopped in front of his desk. "You might not believe this, but we're actually a pretty fun group. You're welcome to join us."

"Thanks, but no."

"Want me to bring back something? The fridge is still fully stocked, but I could stop for chicken wings."

"I'm good."

She turned to leave. He stopped her with, "You should have mentioned you were engaged."

She turned back to him. "Why? You claim you're not sleeping with me. What would an engagement matter one way or another?"

"It makes a difference. I wouldn't have kissed you."

"Ah. Then I'm glad you didn't know."

Her blue eyes brightened with amusement. "Does the fact that I belong to someone else make me more tempting? The allure of the forbidden?"

He had to consciously keep from smiling. She'd always been overly dramatic.

"No," he told her. "Sorry."

"You're not sorry. And, for what it's worth, the engagement isn't official. I wouldn't be trying to sleep with you if I'd said yes."

A cool rush of relief swept through him. "You said no?"

"I didn't say anything. Justice hasn't actually proposed. I found a ring." She shifted on her high heels. "I didn't know what to think. I'd never thought about getting married. I realized we had unfinished business, so here I am. Seducing you."

He ignored that. "You're sleeping with him." The point was obvious, so he didn't make it a question.

She leaned forward and sighed. "It bothers you, doesn't it? Thinking about me in bed with another man. Writhing, panting, being taken."

She straightened and fanned herself. "Wow, it's really warm here at the top of the house."

He didn't react, at least not on the outside.

But her words had done what she'd wanted them to do.

He reacted on the inside, with heat building in his groin.

She got to him. He would give her points for that. But she wouldn't win.

"So no on dinner?" she asked.

+

"I have work."

"Okay. Want a goodbye kiss before I go?"

He hated that he did. He wanted to feel her mouth on his, her body leaning in close. He wanted skin on skin, touching her until he made her cry out with a passion she couldn't control. "No, thanks," he said coolly.

She eyed him for a second, then grinned. "We both know that's not true, don't we, Liam?"

And then she was gone.