Page 54 of After The Storm

“Is he right next to you? I want all the details! What’s he look like? Is he hung like a horse? Give me all the info right now!” Eve squealed into the phone.

“He’s gorgeous. Everything I could ask for in a man,” she said, trying to be cool as she answered Eve’s questions. “He’s hung like…well, I don’t know what he’s hung like, but let’s just say he left me boneless after we made love.”

“Oh my God! Kate! I can’t believe this. So are you two madly in love or what? Was it love at first sight? Tell me everything!”

She didn’t know what the two of them would be after sleeping together. She hoped they’d be more than just two bodies who bumped into one another that one time. And she certainly didn’t know if he loved her.

Honestly, she didn’t know if she loved him either. It seemed too soon. They’d known each other less than a week. It took longer than that to fall in love with someone, didn’t it?

“I don’t know, Eve. I just know we need to find out what was behind the murders before we can think of anything after that.”

“Okay, okay. I can see that. But the second you two figure out what else you are, I want to know. Got it?”

“I got it.”

“So have you been able to figure out who killed Jonas and his client yet?”

“No, not yet. I tried to follow all the clues he left on his laptop, but I kept running into dead ends. I still don’t think I can trust the police, though, so no matter what, do not tell them you heard from me, okay? I’m serious, Eve. Don’t tell a soul I called you.”

“I won’t. I promise. How did you get your boss’s laptop?”

Chuckling, Kate explained the caper she and Roman had done to get it. “We broke into his office and stole it. A security officer saw us and chased us down the stairs and out into the street. I swear it was the scariest and most exhilarating thing I ever did in my life.”

“Good God, honey! This isn’t like you. You’re all wild and crazy. Now I can’t wait to head out with you the first night you get back. We’ll have a blast!”

The thought of all of this being past her and returning to her life again seemed like a near impossibility as she stood on Butcher’s porch looking out toward Lake Pontchartrain. She had no idea when that would happen or how it would come about, but she liked hearing her friend talk about it in such a positive way.

It made her feel like she and Roman were going to make it out of all of this alive and well.

Looking around, Kate suddenly worried she’d been out in the open for too long. She couldn’t afford to risk anyone finding them there.

“I better go, Eve. Remember, don’t tell a soul you heard from me. Promise?”

“I promise, honey. You take care of yourself, you hear? And let that Roman do his job. I know you. You’ve probably been fighting him every step of the way, right?”

Leave it to Eve to hit the nail right on the head.

“Not all the time,” Kate said, only half-heartedly trying to defend herself. Eve knew her too well to believe she’d gone willingly into anything a man wanted her to do.

“Well, I want to meet him, so you two stay safe and come to see me the minute you get back. I love you, honey.”

“Love you too, Eve. Remember, tell no one I called.”

“This time my lips are sealed. I swear. Take care, Kate.”

She ended the call with a feeling of melancholy settling into her heart. She missed her apartment and her life. Hopefully, someday soon she’d get to introduce Eve and Roman when life returned to normal.

The night air chilling her, she hurried back inside and to the warmth of the bed Roman still slept in. Stripping out of her clothes, she crawled in next to him and loved when he reached around her to take her in his arms and pull her to his body.

As much as they’d felt perfect together during sex, this felt even more like they were meant for one another. Closing her eyes, she let herself enjoy how safe and protected she felt in his arms.

She didn’t know how long she lay there pressed against him, but she could have spent the rest of her life in that very spot. Just as she began to drift off to sleep, she heard him moan softly behind her.

“Where did you go?” he asked in a sleepy voice as he gently squeezed his arm around her.

“I just took a walk outside for a breath of fresh air. I didn’t mean to wake you up. I’m sorry.”

Roman nuzzled her neck. “It’s okay. I was just worried when I didn’t feel you next to me.”