Becoming Eve (The Becoming Series Book 1) Read online

  I slowly peel open the door, carefully peeping through the crack. I breathe a sigh of relief when Ian’s gorgeous face comes into view. One of his dark eyebrows rises in question. “Happy to see me?”

  I open the door for him to come inside. “I wasn’t sure who was here. I have no peephole in the door. I’ve never been totally alone before so I get a little jumpy sometimes.”

  Ian looks back at the door, taking a second to inspect it. “This door needs to be replaced. It’s not heavy duty at all and has a huge crack running down the middle. It would be too easy for someone to kick it through if they wanted.”

  I gasp, glancing between the door and him. “Kick through it! Why would anyone do that?!”

  “Evie, calm down. I’m not saying someone is going to do that, just that it’s not very secure. Plus, it keeps sticking. I have a few doors in my shop that I think would be perfect. We could head over there and check some out if you want.”

  He moves toward me so only a few inches separate us, making me have to tilt my head back to see him. He’s so much taller than I am. I didn’t notice at first because I always have my heels on, but being barefoot next to him really makes me feel short. He reaches out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear, trailing his finger along my jawline before dropping his hand back down.

  “I like your hair.” He gives me a sexy smile before turning around toward the kitchen.

  I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. That man is swoon-worthy. Right before he disappears into the kitchen, I see him holding a tin bucket, and I follow him. “What do you got there?”

  “I brought over the paint you wanted for the kitchen. I figured I could start by taking off the baseboards and taping around the cabinets.” He sets the paint can on the table as he reaches behind him, pulling a flat-looking knife out of his back pocket. He holds it up. “And I brought my trusty putty knife to help me out.”

  I grab the putty knife out of his hand. “You mean, help us out. I want to learn how to do this stuff too. I’ve sat around my whole life never doing a thing myself, and that changes today!”

  He props his butt on the corner of my table and the side of his mouth comes up in a half smile. “I like a girl who knows what she wants.” He gives me a wink. “Shall we?” The sonogram photo falls to the floor when he pushes off the table. He reaches down, picking it up. He is still staring at the photo when he asks me, “Your baby?”

  I smile. “Yeah.”

  He looks back at me when he hears the warmth in my voice. “It’s amazing.” He sets the photo down, smiling at me. “I take it you’re feeling better about everything now?”

  “About the baby, yes. About my parents, no. I want them to be a part of our lives, but I’m not sure they will. It’s a strange feeling actually. There’s a part of me that wants to protect my baby from my parents—after all, they wanted me to destroy it—but there’s another part of me that wants what you have with your family, and I want them to know their grandbaby.”

  He must sense my unease because in the next instant, I’m being wrapped in his firm arms. I sigh. I think this is quickly becoming my favorite spot.

  “I understand Evie, but just know, me and my family will always be here for you. Blood doesn’t make family. Everything in life you earn—love, trust, loyalty, everything.” He rubs his hands back and forth over my back. “And you have to work to keep those things once you have them. It’s like a job: once you get a promotion, you don’t just stop working; you work harder to keep that title.”

  He pulls away from me, tipping my chin back with his finger. “If someone doesn’t want to be in your life, to hell with them. That only leaves more room to love the people that want and deserve to be there.”

  By now, tears are spilling down my cheeks. He uses the pads of his thumbs to wipe them away. “Thank you.”

  Once all the tears are wiped away, he gives me his famous sexy grin. “Ready to get to work?”

  I take a deep breath then nod my head. His sweet words ring true, and now it’s up to me to believe in them.

  Ian shows me how to use the putty knife to gently pry off the baseboards. It doesn’t take long before we’re almost finished prepping the kitchen. Ian is standing above me, reaching up to tape the top of the cabinet edge. I glance up from where I’m kneeling on the floor and my eyes are instantly drawn to where his shirt is riding up, showing off the bottom of the most perfect set of abs and a mouth-watering V that leads into his jeans.

  “Eve. Hello? Are you listening to me?”

  I blink a couple of times. “W-what?”

  “I asked if you were ready to go.”

  “Oh, right, yeah, of course I am.” God, I hope he didn’t catch me staring at him. I stand up, dusting my knees off, trying to act as nonchalant as I can. “I think I might want new baseboards altogether. These ones are pretty dinged up and old.”

  The look he gives me lets me know he knows exactly what I was doing, but thankfully he lets it drop. “I have some samples at my shop but will have to order more in.” He holds out his arm to me. “Shall we?”

  I’m reminded again how breathtaking his place is when we pull up. I can only imagine how spectacular everything will look in the spring and summer when all the flowers bloom. He leads me around to the back of the house where he has a large shop that matches his house. His back yard is huge with a small tree house off to the side in a thick cluster of trees.

  He sees me staring at the tree house. “I made that for Conner. He absolutely loves it. With how much Scarlett works, we all pitch in and help babysit.”

  “What about her husband?”

  “Steven died about five years ago,” he says solemnly. “He was in the army and deployed at the time.”

  My heart breaks for Scarlett. “Wow, I had no idea. I feel so bad for her. I could tell she seemed a little down, but I would have never known it was something so extreme. She seems so composed every time I’ve been around her.”

  “She’s definitely not the same as she used to be. She was so full of life, always the first one to pull a prank on someone. If it wasn’t for Conner, I think she would have just given up. I would stay at her house some nights watching Conner for her when she had to go into work late to deliver a baby, and every time I would wake up in the middle of the night to her crying herself to sleep.”

  His eyes tear up and he takes a moment to take a few breaths. “She hides it, but I know she’s only putting on a front of the person she used to be. We all support her the best we can but…”

  I take his hand in mine, giving it a little squeeze. “I know she appreciates it; I could see it in her eyes when I first met her.”

  He nods his head, offering me a tight-lipped smile. Opening the shop door, I can’t believe how well organized every thing is. It looks like each tool has a specific place and even his drawers are labeled.

  “Wow, I bet you never lose a thing in here.”

  Ian laughs behind me. “I would always need Lacey to come grab something I forgot while on a jobsite. She threatened to burn the place down if I didn’t clean it up. I never put anything past her, so everything in here now has its special place. I hardly ever forget anything anymore.”

  I find the perfect baseboards while Ian writes something down in a little notebook.

  “I have a couple orders to call in so I’ll just add yours to the list.”

  He leads me over to the doors he has stacked against the back wall. As soon as he pulls away the first door, I gasp. It’s perfect! A deep red door with windows at the top.

  “This one. I love it!”

  Ian chuckles. “I had a feeling you would.”

  I look around his shop some more before we head back outside. “So…do you have any plans? Would you maybe want to stick around and watch a movie?”

  I hadn’t realized how late it was. I’m getting tired but don’t want to leave. “That sounds nice.”

  He gives me a wide grin, showing off his straight teeth. “Well, I don’t
have any girly movies, but I do have a lot of action, comedy, and some Disney movies.”

  “I knew you were a little kid at heart,” I tease.

  “Oh I am, but Disney sure beats watching all those stupid TV shows they play for kids nowadays.” He grimaces. “Conner watches this one were they are all animals. The main character is a pig, and they’re all British, so he started saying all these British sayings. He calls my lawn a garden and instead of saying he needs to call his grandma, he says he needs to ring his grandma.”

  I laugh out loud. “I’ve never watched any little kid shows, but now you have me curious.”

  He shakes his head vigorously, eyes wide, as if he is deadly serious. “It will fry your brain!”

  We laugh as we walk in through the back door. I follow him into the kitchen where a gigantic tin bowl is sitting on the counter.

  “I hope you like popcorn.” As he pulls his sweater off over his head, his shirt rides all the way up, presenting me with a stunning view of his washboard abs and defined pectorals. Oh, what I wouldn’t do to run my hands all over that! He pulls his shirt back down, winking at me. That little tease—he meant to do that!

  I narrow my eyes at him. “I love it. So what movie are we watching?”

  “I’ll trust your judgment. All the movies are on the left side of the entertainment stand.”

  I hear the popcorn popping while I’m searching through the movies. I see one that catches my eye and grab it right as Ian walks into the living room.

  “So, what did you decide?” He sets the popcorn on the coffee table. I hold it up for him to see. “Super Troopers. Nice, that’s one of my favorites.”

  I put the movie in as he takes a seat on the couch. Not sure if I should sit right next to him or not, I pick the end of the couch just to be safe.

  “What are you doing clear over there, Evie?” He pats the spot right next to him. “Get over here before I eat all the popcorn.”

  I scoot over to him while he lifts his feet up on the coffee table. He puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in even closer. He seems so relaxed, like he does this every day. He must have felt me tense because he turns toward me, lifting my chin. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, but what are we doing here Ian?”

  “Well, we’re sitting on the couch, getting ready to watch a movie.”

  “You know what I mean, Ian. This. Us. I’m not sure—”

  His lips are suddenly on mine and I instantly melt into him. It is slow, sensual, never changing pace when my lips part for the sweet caress of his tongue. I’ve never tasted a sweeter kiss in all my life. A whimper escapes me when he pulls his lips from mine.

  He kisses the side of my mouth, then the other side, trailing kisses up my nose to my forehead. “I know this seems fast, and if you’re not ready to date or be with someone, I completely understand. I know what I want, and what I want is you, Evie. I’ve never felt such a pull for someone before. I’m not going to just sit back and let you slip through my fingers. I’ll wait for you.”

  “But, I’m preg—”

  He puts up a finger to silence me then takes my hand, kissing the inside of my palm. “I’m a huge believer that everything happens for a reason. You were meant to come crashing into my life that day.”

  I feel him smile against my palm and I can’t help but laugh. Of course he has to mention the gate.

  We end up lying on the couch side by side, my back snuggled up to his front. His arm wraps around my middle while I use his bicep as a pillow. I smile every time I hear him laugh at a funny part in the movie. I could listen to that deep, velvety laugh all day.

  I moan at the feel of soft lips trailing up my back. When they reach my shoulder, I turn over to see Ian’s heated gaze.

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  Without waiting for a response, he dips his head and starts kissing my neck. I tip my head back to give him more access. The feel of his tongue against my throat has me gripping his arms that are caged around me.

  His hand goes under my shirt and slowly inches its way up until he cups my breast. I arch my back at the wonderful feeling. His weight is suddenly gone and when I open my eyes, he grips my shirt and rips it up the middle.

  My eyes widen with shock then he’s upon me again. This time his hot mouth is attached to my nipple, then the other, lavishing them with equal attention.

  “Oh yes, Ian!” He starts kissing, sucking his way lower.

  “Eve.”

  “Don’t stop, please don’t stop!”

  “Eve, wake up.”

  My eyes flutter open to sunlight streaming into the room. I blink a couple times until my vision is able to focus. A face appears inches from my mine, staring at me. I jerk my head back in surprise, gasping.

  “Jesus, Lacey! What are you doing here?!” I pretty much growl at her but for hell’s sakes, who wakes a person up like that—especially when said person is having the most wonderful dream of their existence?

  She laughs, walking in the direction of the kitchen. “Why, I’m here to take you with me.”

  It’s way too early in the morning for my brain to try to process what Lacey is talking about. I yawn, looking down to see myself wrapped up in a thick quilt, still lying on Ian’s couch. I can’t believe I slept over at Ian’s. On his couch. With him. And had a sex dream about him!

  I rub the sleep from my eyes, sitting up. I look around, searching for Ian when my eyes land on a piece of paper lying on the coffee table. I frown before picking it up, leaning against the couch to read it.

  Evie,

  I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see your beautiful face when you woke up, but I had to go into work early and I didn’t have the heart to wake you. Next time I’ll be the first thing you see when you wake up. I called Lacey to give you a ride home, so if she’s not there yet, she’ll be there shortly. I’ll call you as soon as I can.

  Yours,

  Ian

  “So.” I jump at the sound of Lacey’s voice. “I brought you a chocolate muffin and your favorite coffee.” She sits on the coffee table, putting the muffin in my lap. She snatches the note right out of my hand and before she can even read the first line, I snatch it right back.

  “That’s mine, Nosey Josie.” I take a bite of my muffin. “Thanks for this.”

  She takes a sip of her coffee. “No problem. Ian called me and told me he had to leave early. He wanted me to give you a ride home, but I have a better idea.” She stands up, ripping my blanket off of me. “Come on, you’re coming with me.”

  “And where exactly is that?” I give her the sternest face I can manage, letting her know that her peppiness is not appreciated this early in the morning.

  She laughs at my expression, not intimidated in the least. “To the shelter. Today is my day to help out for a few hours. Let’s go!”

  “Right now? I have to go home to change first. I wore these clothes yesterday!” I look down at my white t-shirt and faded jeans.

  “Well no one else knows that. Come on, before I’m late.” She starts to walk to the door, leaving me on the couch.

  I know she’s not going to leave without me so I go to the bathroom, taking my time washing away my raccoon eyes from my mascara. It serves her right for waking me from my dreams.

  Ian’s note was sweet, but I’m still bummed he wasn’t here when I woke up. We need to have a serious discussion about him wanting to be with me. I never responded to him after his little vow, I just lay down next to him. I’ve never been in love before, not even close, but Ian is someone I could easily fall in love with—and that scares me. It leaves me feeling so vulnerable, knowing that if I hand him my heart, he can undoubtedly crush it into tiny pieces.

  Loud banging on the door jolts me out of my thoughts. “Eve! Get your ass in gear, woman!”

  I let Lacey lead the way out to her little red 1983 Mazda truck. I look at it and wonder if this old thing is going to make it out of the driveway.

  “Is this thing safe?”

  She look
s offended. “He is not a thing. This right here is Edgar.” She pats the hood before sliding into the driver’s seat.

  I grudgingly walk up to the truck, sliding in on the passenger side. We are almost shoulder to shoulder inside. I know if we crash, we are done for. I quickly strap in as Lacey throws it in reverse, making me have to put my hand on the dashboard to catch myself before I fly through the front window.

  “Watch this!” She hammers forward and as soon as she gets to the third gear, a loud bang echoes out from the back, sounding almost exactly like a shotgun being fired.

  “What the hell was that?!” If she hadn’t told me to watch her, I would have thought we were being shot at.

  “That was ol’ Edgar here backfiring.” She’s laughing so hard I start laughing along with her.

  “How was your appointment? I tried to ask Scarlett but she’s so damn professional she never squeals.”

  “Great! I got to see the baby and hear its heartbeat.” I can’t help myself, I get a little teary eyed thinking about it.

  “Scarlett always says that’s when it really seems real.” She looks at me as she responds, her eyes turning playful. “So, you and my brother, huh? She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

  And there it is.

  “I’m not sure if we’re anything, and nothing like what you’re thinking happened.” I’m not sure if Lacey is one to gossip around or not, but she’s really the only female friend I have.

  “Really?” She gives me a disappointed look, “So, no horizontal tango? Bumping uglies? Nothing?” She shakes her head. “I can’t believe you stayed all night and he didn’t give you the hot beef injection.”

  I gag. “Lacey! That is disgusting! You know you’re talking about your own brother, right?”

  This time it’s her turn to get a disgusted look. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be talking about him wettin his willy.” I look at her for a beat before we are both cracking up laughing so hard we’re struggling to take a breath.