Chapter 2
Early the next morning John’s beeper going off made him pounce on it in the hope that Evangeline was finally checking in. Instead he found he was needed on a breaking case with the Llanview police department that might tie into one of his on-going investigations. Knowing he would eventually have to swing by the hospital for the job John decided to check in with his brother, Michael, and see if anyone matching Evangeline’s description had been examined or admitted. With his brother and cousin, Shannon, living in the town John had chosen Llanview for his base of operations and he was starting to really think of it as home, even though he was still living in a residential hotel instead of renting or buying a place.
Arriving at the station John tried not to anxiously check for messages of any sort, obvious or cryptic, that might hint of Evangeline. He choked on his disappointment as her silence held for another day. Lost in worry over her he didn’t hear Michael enter his office and jumped when his brother shook his shoulder, "Hey bro, wake up, no sleeping on the job. I think this is the first time since you joined the Feds that I’ve been able to just walk up on you."
"I let you walk up on me."
"Yeah, right Johnny."
Michael ducked John’s light jab at his jaw, "No kidding man, you look beat. Work? Or is Lady E working you out?"
John raised an eyebrow but the quick retort never left his mouth instead the truth fell from between his lips, "If I could lay my hands on her I’d gladly…" catching himself he takes a breath, "She’s…unavailable to me for now. When she shows we’ll all get together and hang out."
"Forever the mystery woman, huh? What is she, undercover? Is she with the Bureau too? You know mom asked me what she does—she thought she was a model—and I didn’t know what to say."
"It’s not for you to say, Mikey. Let it go and get out I have work to do. Wait, why are you here?"
"Oh, I came to say that I ok’d Roxy letting your mystery babe into your place. She’s something else and she’s in your room now with Roxy, who’s trying to chat her up and get all in your business."
John held Michael’s gaze saying slowly "If you’re jerking me little brother…"
"John go home, the looker’s waiting for you. I don’t know why, but she is."
John was out the door so fast Michael thought he could see his words hanging in the air waiting to enter John’s ears, but he was long gone. John made it to the Angel Square Hotel and up to his top floor room in no time. Outside his door he paused to force himself into a relaxed posture—he didn’t want to startle her if she was sleeping or scare her by showing how frantic with worry he had been. He opened the door quietly and was greeted by wonderful, tantalizing aromas.
"Oh good, you came right home. I was wondering where and how I would store this food if I had to wait on you. Your brother’s word is good." Evangeline stood up from the sofa and crossed the room to John’s side with quick long strides. She was standing close to him and he breathed in her subtle signature scent, her own customized fragrance that brought mountain flowers with a tang of the ocean to his mind.
"McBain…" she breathed then pressed her mouth against his and they kissed deeply, repeatedly, barely able to pull apart to inhale or exhale before their lips sought each other’s again. Their hands moved sensually over the other’s body; John pulled her flush against him and groaned his displeasure at her stubborn turtle neck that didn’t give him much room to explore her swan’s neck. Evangeline sensed that her top was going to become a casualty of lust but since it was a long sought after color and a favorite of hers she leaned slightly back from John’s insistent mouth and hands—causing him to moan in frustration, and quickly undid the sweater’s side and shoulder buttons before he could resort to ripping them off. "The food will get cold John, stone cold."
"As long as you’re hot why should I care?" then he stopped himself, "I’m sorry, are you hungry? You probably need to eat something don’t you?" With visible effort he stepped away from her and went towards the food, "What did you bring?" he asked while his brain queried "Where have you been?!" But he held it in, for now.
"Italian and all fresh, I made a little Philly detour before I headed into Llanview and picked up some tasty treats for the mouth," Van felt the loss of his heat wrapping around her and hastily added, "nothing that can’t be reheated. If you don’t have a microwave we need to get you one. Anyway, food is not the hunger I need to quench the most right now." She turned John to her and slipped out of the turtle neck and tossed it towards the sofa, her skirt followed and the ever-growing bulge in John’s pants told Van her lilac lace underwear where on their way to becoming his favorites.
John’s eyes roamed and feasted on her body, he knew he’d stopped breathing and reminded himself to start again. Looking at her he started to unbutton his shirt with one
hand and undo his belt with the other when she stepped closer to him, "I’ll take off your clothing, mister, it’s one of my favorite things to do," her comment accented by her unzipping and reaching inside his pants to stroke him. Her fingers made electrifying contact with his skin then they were on half on the couch, half on the floor undressing each other.
"I was worried you know," John said happily exhausted and wide awake at the same time. Lying on his stomach with Evangeline stretched on top of him tracing his tattoos, playing with his hair and kissing his ears and neck causing him to shudder with the need to possess her again.
"I knew you would be, so I came straight to you in the flesh rather than leave a trail of messages. I made each flight with seconds to spare otherwise it might’ve been another three days before I got to you. I’m telling you air travel’s just not the fun it used to be, but I’m here now, nothing else matters."
"I’m more worried now, what happened to you out in there in the world? You winced when I held you tightly and when I put my full weight on you so I backed off and touched you carefully. Should you see a doctor?"
"Oh, I scraped my ribs in a minor accident, a slip. They’re still sore but no worries. And you weren’t hurting me."
A lengthy silence stretched between them as John tried to think of how to get real answers out of her without starting to really interrogate her which would only bring on a fight, but he was at a loss on how to handle her.
"John, I’m fine. I capsized on a sail boat and hurt myself trying to right it again. Obviously all the bruising is gone or you would’ve noticed right away."
"That’s why you’ve been out of touch, sailing?"
"Mostly."
He waited for her to elaborate until it became clear she considered the topic dealt with and that she wanted to move on to something else. "Sailing where that you couldn’t phone, e-mail, snail mail, nothing?"
"Well, I launched from New Zealand and I decided to end the trip at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, everywhere else was just where the wind took me."
"How many in your crew?"
"Just me, I was in one of my smaller…"
"You were out on the ocean for weeks on end all alone?!! You could’ve…never mind, I know, I know you’re safe and here with me."
"Well, yes John I’m home with you. You know I like to travel alone, you know I can protect myself; I deeply appreciate your concern. I stayed in touch for as long as possible. I so do not want to fight with you over something that’s already done." Evangeline saw his face and appreciated that he was trying hard not to pull his stoic mask into place but to share his emotions with her, worry that she had inflicted on him. Speaking more softly she continued, "John, I met and shook hands with my death long ago so I know in a boating accident isn’t the way I’m leaving this earth. I’m not as careless or as reckless as you seem to think I am. You’ve given me all the reasons in the world to keep living."
"I hate when you drop out of sight like that. Don’t you know what it does to me? I’m trying to respect your independence and your privacy but help me out here!"
"I know and I don’t mean to panic you, you know that. Just remember, all my life I’ve been alone and so many times I faced serious injury and possibly my death and who was there to know? Who was there to care? I’m used to being on my own; but I want to share things with you and I’m trying to be better about making sure I don’t scare you unnecessarily. To that end, how would you feel if I moved Stateside instead of all this international traveling?"
"You’d move to America? You’d move in with me?"
Move in? She hadn’t thought he’d put that offer out there, but now that he had…..
"Yes, and yes if you want me to live with you but….John, I can’t possibly live someplace with so few closets and no room service. I’m a woman. We come with stuff."
