Eva sighed, walking to the window to peek out and make sure the men weren’t coming back through the meadow. “I did something bad last night.”

“Why, what—” said Laura, then stopped as realization came over her. “Ohhh, you’re the skank! Eva, you didn’t!”

“I did,” she said with a grin.

“Oh, God, tell me everything. I’m in the worst dry spell.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t tell you anything, because…”

“Shit, was he that good, Eva?” Laura groaned into the phone and shut a door, probably to her small city office. “You ridiculous bitch. You’re so lucky.”

“Laura, you have no idea.” Eva licked her lips and looked around again, like she was secretly afraid someone was watching her. “Remember Richard, the bartender at Andy’s? What we used to fantasize about when we’d sit there watching him work?”

“Oh, God, you mean… on the bar?”

“Mmhmm.”

Laura let out a groan like a grumpy zombie, and there was a soft thump, and then a few seconds of silence. Eva laughed as she listened to Laura grasp for the phone and bring it back to her ear.

“Sorry, I dropped my phone in impotent fury,” said Laura. “Eva, I’m so proud of you, girl. How much better do you feel?”

Eva laughed. “So much.”

“Is all that drama over, then?”

“No, we’re still hunkered down here. I’ll let you know when it’s done. Will says it shouldn’t be much longer, if his instincts are right.”

“Oh, Will,” said Laura in a dreamy, exaggerated way, like she was in a Disney movie. “You better be a little careful, girly. I can hear love in them there hills.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” said Eva, stepping away from the window and toward her coffee. “I just had sex with the guy. I’m still riding the O-train endorphins. I’m not dumb enough to fall in love with some… whatever he is.” Enigma. Yes, what girl in history has ever fallen in love with a mysterious stranger?

“Maybe he’s a sex robot sent from the future to protect you from non-sex robots from the future,” offered Laura with a mouthful of what Eva suspected was a breakfast donut.

“Well, that would be an easier problem to solve than the one I have, wouldn’t it?” she laughed. “I could just reprogram him not to be an asshole. Or to not talk at all.”

Laura sighed. “One day, when the matriarchy finally rises. Seriously, though, technically he is your second fuck since Rick, so just be careful with yourself.”

“He’s third,” confessed Eva. “I went home with a guy a few months back, I just didn’t tell you.”

“Okay, now I’m serious when I call you a skank!”

“So just don’t worry about me!” Eva finished with a giggle. “I get it. Sex good, love bad.”

“No: sex good, love good, love with scary fighter jerk dude bad.”

“Sure.”

“Hey, someone’s at my door, I’ve gotta run. Call me later,” said Laura. She made kissy noises into the phone before she hung up as Eva shook her head laughing.

She may have laughed about it, but Eva took Laura’s warnings seriously. It was half the reason she chose to call her. She couldn’t admit to her best friend that she already felt like she was treading in dangerous territory with Will, and had called to help ground herself in reality before she had to face his soft dark eyes and full lips that glistened invitingly whenever he ran his wet tongue over them…

“Christ, get it together,” she muttered, shaking her head as she retreated to the bedroom to finish getting ready.

She lingered around the house after getting dressed, picking at her book and finishing off the last of the pot of coffee. The morning sunshine lit up the white kitchen in the most perfect, beautiful way that made her reluctant to leave until it had fully passed. Her body and mind finally felt relaxed together for the first time in what seemed like years and she wanted to soak up every second of that feeling. Life with Rick had taught her the value of embracing whatever happy moments arrived, before they passed her by forever.

At least the small ones, she amended honestly. She knew she could still use a push with the big ones, like she admitted to Will the night before. And like Will gave her.

Will. Just like that, she could feel his hands on her, roaming up her chest. Sexiest enigma I’ve ever met.

It was nearly noon by the time she wandered down to the bar to see what was going on and find out more about the job Charlie had referred to earlier. She brought her book with her, like a shield against the swords of boredom she knew were waiting. The forest meadow felt more alive and blazing with color than usual—or maybe it was just her.

As she passed through the back door, she almost ran directly into Will, who was crossing for the kitchen. A surprised noise escaped her throat as she reflexively hopped back.

“Pardon me,” he said, looking down at her with a soft expression, but no smile. He seemed to be searching her face for something.

Eva couldn’t fight her own half-grin. As close as they were, she was almost overwhelmed by the smell of his musk, now familiar and evocative. It drifted through her body as if it were trying to urge the heat in her core to seep out from between her legs to meet it. “Morning.”

“Sleep well?” he asked. She couldn’t detect a hint of teasing or lust in the question.

“Better than I have in months,” she said in a breathy way. She waited for a good response, but Will just nodded and continued on into the kitchen.

Eva watched him for a minute as he put down a towel he was carrying and absently shuffled through some wires and computer scraps he had dumped on the small counter from some dusty box.

When he didn’t speak again, she said, “Charlie mentioned you had a job for me?”

Will looked over to her, expression blank. “Yeah. Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Man, where did you leave your charm this morning, Will?

He nodded for her to follow and led her back across to the alcove that served as Owen’s office. Really, it was just a pantry closet he had stuffed a desk and some metal shelving into, a place he clearly spent little time in, only using it in short spurts to do the necessary bureaucracy that kept his bar running. Will leaned against the doorway and pointed inside.

She made a face when she looked in at the cramped space. “What… you want me to clean it, or something?”

“No,” said Will. He pointed to the set of three tiny, mismatched TV monitors stacked in the far corner. They were the closed-circuit feeds for the security cameras positioned around the bar’s perimeter. “This is a compromise between you staying close and staying safe. You can hang out in here, watch what’s going on…” He pointed again. “Be our lookout.”

Eva turned back to look at the dingy, dim office and felt her heart sink. “How is this better than being confined to the house?”

“I didn’t say it was better,” said Will, folding his arms. “You’re the one who didn’t want to feel trapped over there. I’m offering this compromise.”

She pointed incredulously to the tiny office. “This is your offer to help me not feel trapped?”

He shrugged again, nonchalant.

What the hell is the matter here? Heat began to crawl up the bottom of Eva’s face as she realized he was purposely being cold with her. The Will from last night, the soft, intelligent man who had her begging for his touch was nowhere to be found. Laura was right. Eva’s own fears were right. She was just another fuck to him.

She folded her arms in front of her and cleared her throat as that realization washed over her. So much for a happy morning. “Fine. Being the lookout is better than not helping at all. I’d rather not be treated like I’m helpless.”

“You have to stay back here,” said Will. “That’s the deal. I don’t want anyone knowing you’re here.”

“What happens if they search around?”

“They’d find you just as fast at the house as here. The distance might keep you safe from gunfire, but otherwise it’s only the illusion of safety. And they’re not going to get far enough to search around, anyway.” Will looked her straight in the eyes with an intense gaze that made her shiver. “Just stay in here, read, whatever. And call for me if you see anyone suspicious coming around outside. Understand?”