Page 98 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

Chapter Thirty

Four days later, I was meeting Callen and his partner, William, at the restaurant Martin Wishart in Edinburgh. We had already started full blown promotions and the book was going through the last round of editorials. We were all excited and reception to promotion was better than we even hoped.

I entered the restaurant with Callen. He waited with me outside while William, his partner, grabbed us all a table. Callen was excitedly talking about statistics and numbers of pre-orders and I chuckled glancing at him.

“Callen,” I told him through a smile. “You are more excited about this than I am.”

“Damn straight,” he told me. “You are my big snatch.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “I am not a big snatch.”

His face suddenly sombered as he stared past me. Wondering what switched his happy mood so quickly, I followed his gaze and froze. My heart stopped for two brief seconds, and then sped up like it was racing for its life.

Lachlan was sitting at one of the tables, a beautiful brunette next to him. His grey eyes, I dreamt of every night since he left, watched me.

Just like on the first day I met him in his office, I found myself in front of his table unaware I walked to him. Seems I would always walk to him. His face was even more striking than I remembered. He had a subtle shadow of a beard and my fingers itched to touch it.

“Hello, Lachlan,” I spoke softly to him. It was as if my heart started finally beating again after months of not seeing him. This man was my heartbeat.

“Hello, Eve.” God, his voice!

Just his voice was enough to make my body respond and the excitement pool between my thighs. Our gazes locked and we watched each other like there was nobody else around us. When he was in the room, there was nobody else that I noticed. Nobody compared to him. My chest ached with the love and need for him.

He looked tired, I noted absentmindedly.

“And who are you?” The gorgeous brunette asked, putting her hand on Lachlan’s arm as if she was laying the claim and telling me to back off.

From my periphery, I could see Callen’s discomfort as he noticed the woman's hand on Lachlan’s arm.

“I’m his wife,” I answered calmly, although my hands trembled. I wasn’t sure if it was from the need to touch him or something else. I felt like his hot stare was stripping me naked right here and now, in front of everyone.

I was proud of myself for keeping it together. He said he loved me once, maybe he still cared for me at least a little bit. His eyes weren’t as cold as the last time I saw him.

Maybe if I’d told him I loved him, we wouldn’t be here? Gosh, life is ironic. When we first met, he took my breath away because he reminded me of Hunter. Now, my whole being was consumed by him, there was nobody that could compare before or after him.

If there was still hope that he loved me, I wouldn’t just let him go. Not without showing him I wanted to be with him.

“Eve Bailey McLaren,” I added, just in case she didn’t get the point that I was his wife.

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed that statement. Lachlan’s eyes drilled into me while the poor woman stared at him. As if she was waiting for him to say something, to discredit my claim.

“When did you get back to Edinburgh?” Lachlan’s voice sent little shivers down my spine.

I couldn’t look away from his handsome face, and those grey eyes that could burn like coal when he kissed me. God, I loved him! I wanted to fix it all but wasn’t sure where exactly to start.

Maybe here and now is the good start,I thought to myself.

McLarens’ hearts are given only once,his words during the honeymoon lingered in the back of my mind.

“Four days ago.” My voice was soft and slightly breathless thinking about the last time we locked eyes as he thrusted hard into me.

His gaze lowered to my chest and my hand instinctively went to it hoping to calm my wild beating heart. I wondered if he sensed the direction of my thoughts.

“Your ring matches Lachlan’s,” the woman exclaimed and broke the moment. I followed her gaze to my hand. I hadn’t taken it off. I glanced back at Lachlan and couldn’t help but look at his right hand. The wedding ring I put there was still tightly edged on his finger and I felt a glimmer of hope.

“Eve,” Callen’s partner broke the moment. “Do you want to take care of the paperwork here or would you prefer we go back to the office?”

I looked away from Lachlan to William.

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