Page 45 of Storm's Embrace

Tears pricked her eyes athowperfect when he settled over her and hugged her close. In that moment, she knew this was just the beginning for them as his heart hammered against her back and gentle kisses passed over her cheek.

And nothing would ever come between them.

* * *

“Oh, my,” Renee said on a sigh and patted over her heart. The other woman sat across from Miriam at her desk, along with LaDonna, Gail, and Sallie who had brought in chairs from other rooms. Pam and Bonnie hadn’t been able to stay but had told Miriam before they’d left theywouldbe finding out all the details. So, it was just the five of them gathered for an impromptu lunch at Miriam’s desk, with the last few bites still spread out in front of them.

Miriam grinned to herself. Her friends had actually lasted longer than she’d thought they would. It had been three days and they’d waited until Eli had gone out for a lunch meeting before the four of them had cornered her in her office. They’d closed the door and plied her pizza and sweet tea, while begging for all the details. So, she’d given them an abridged version of hers and Eli’s sudden romance.

“It’s like one of those feel-good romance movies from that network I love to watch,” Renee added, with a huge smile as the others chimed in their agreement.

“Well…”

Miriam chewed on the last bite of her mushroom and sausage pizza and thought back to the last few days and the number of times she and Eli had found time to be alone. She swallowed while holding back a laugh. The channel Renee was referring to probably wouldn’t approve.

“Not quite, but Iamhappy.”

The back exit door chimed. Eli was back from his meeting. She took a sip of tea and smiled into her plastic cup.

“So, when’s the wedding?”

Miriam’s eyes widened as she sputtered into her drink at Gail’s question, while the other three women nodded and leaned toward her. She didn’t have an answer, and didn’t think it was something they should be discussing when Eli walked in.

“We haven’t talked about that yet.”

Eli hadn’t denied the idea of marriage to Tyler Simmons when the other man had mentioned it, but the subject hadn’t been brought up again between them. She didn’t think it was out of the realm of possibility—they weremorethan actively working on her getting pregnant, after all. But she had to admit she hoped he would say the words soon.

Because she more than wanted it. She craved having a life with him above everything else.

She grinned as her office door inched open and then kept her gaze trained on it while her friends talked about perfect months for a wedding. Eli was probably hoping to catch them talking about him. And he almost had. But her smile faltered when the door swung completely open.

“Shouldn’t you all be working?”

Not again.

Miriam wanted to physically droop as the conversation going on around her halted, but she managed to maintain her calm as she wiped her mouth and stood. She faced Deidre Bennett filling her doorway, while her friends glanced at each other and then between her and the other woman, with Renee saying, “Oh boy,” under her breath.

Oh boy, is right.

She straightened her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face. Ms. Bennett shouldn’t expect, much less deserve, an explanation, but Miriam was determined to maintain a professional attitude. “We’re having lunch and then we’re done for the day.”

Ms. Bennett gave a cursory glance over the remnants of their meal and then snarled her nose up. “I see that.”

“Can I help you?”

“Canyouhelp me?” The other woman’s raised brow and slight sneer wasn’t lost on Miriam. “No,” she said, sauntering closer to Miriam’s desk without breaking away her gaze. “Believe me, there’s nothing fromyouI need.” Miriam bristled at Ms. Bennett’s words and tone, but she wasn’t going to rise to the bait. It was hard, but she maintained her passive expression, even as the other woman said, “I’m here to see Eli.”

Of course she is.

Miriam’s smile tightened. “He hasn’t made it back from his lunch meeting.”

“Lunch meeting?” Ms. Bennett let out a delicate laugh. “I guess I’ve heard what we’ve been doing the last hour or so called that before.”

Miriam’s quick indrawn breath and startled-wide eyes had to have registered with Deidre, if the other woman’s snide smirk was anything to go by. Ms. Bennett pursed her conspicuously bare lips.

“Interesting.”

Okay. So what if Ms. Bennett had happened to have been at the same meeting? Miriam wasn’t going to believe this woman was doing anything with Eli that she was obviously trying to imply.

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