Reckless With Their Hearts (6 page)

He swatted at her but returned to his favorite chair. “Feeling better?”

Eve shrugged as she sat on the sofa and tucked her feet under her. “A little, I guess. Although he should thank his lucky stars I am not in front of him right now. His king would have to find another ambassador.”

“Just don’t fret over it right now, angel. I will take care of it.” He gave her a smile that told her she could trust him, which she did wholeheartedly. But there was something about the glint in his blue eyes that told her he was in a dangerous kind of mood.

Poor old man
, she thought with a malicious smile. Her grandfather wouldn’t even see the danger of this Savage man until it was too late.

Eve’s love for Garth swelled in her chest. “I love you.”

“Back at you, sweetheart.”

Christmas Eve night found everyone gathered in the family room. The lights were all off except for those that glowed on the beautiful Christmas tree. The soft light along with that of the fireplace was comforting. Garth was relaxing in his favorite chair while Eve and Quinn, both in their pajamas cuddled under a large throw on the sofa. With Cameron in the only other chair and Sebastian leaning back against the sofa as he set in the floor closer to the fire, it felt complete to Eve.

Everyone was enjoying big mugs of homemade hot chocolate that Eve had made for them. She hid a smile behind her own warm mug as Garth continued to attempt to bribe anyone who would listen to let him open a present. He was worse than any child when it came to Christmas and presents and kept glancing at the tree with glittering eyes in anticipation.

Finally she decided to put him out of his misery and went to the tree. No one could stop at getting each other just one gift, so she had several in which to choose from. She found the ones that she was looking for and gathered them into her arms.

She passed out one to each of her beloved family members, saving Garth’s for last. She placed it in his hands and perched on the arm of his chair while everyone else tore at the pretty, shiny red wrapping. But even though he was last to receive a present he was the first to get his opened.

“Eve!” He exclaimed, pulling her down onto his lap for a tight hug.
“Thank you, angel.”

She had taken a picture of her mother and Garth—one of the last ones before her death—and had it cropped and enhanced in black and white. She had put it in a beautiful crystal and platinum frame which had cost a small fortune. But the love on the couple’s faces in the picture was priceless. Eve could see how happy her mother was in that picture and just how much Garth Savage loved Giselle
as they stared adoringly into each other’s eyes, secret smiles on their lips.

“Hey.” Quinn was running her new silk scarf through her fingers. “This is wonderful, hon. I love it. Thank you.” Eve blew her a kiss, knowing that her stepsister loved scarfs. Add in silk and you had a happy Quinn. This one was multi-pastel colored which Quinn was even now wrapping around her slender throat.

“This is perfect, kiddo.” Cameron was busy going through the camera satchel that she had given him. It was leather and big enough for all of his gear. She had had it personalized with his name on the shoulder strap. When she had first seen it in the shop a few weeks ago she had known that he would love it. “My old one needed to be tossed anyway, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy a new one. Thanks.”

“It has your name on the shoulder strap.” She pointed out and watched him drool in pleasure.

She would have been ecstatic that they loved their gifts if Sebastian wasn’t still quietly sitting by the fire. She bit her lip, wondering if he liked what she had given him or not. She had spent weeks tracking it down. It had been the main reason that she had even left the house on Friday…
Don’t think about the robbery!

He had a collection of first editions. For all his muscle and brawn, he could be a little bit of a nerd when it came to books. Something that she found so incredibly sexy! Eve knew he had had a favorite as a child, but for some reason had lost it. She also knew that he had been looking for a cop
y of it for years. It had been pure luck that she had found a first edition copy and even though she had had to pay much more than she normally would have it was worth every penny to give him something so special.

On the front inside cover she had written a little note:
Something special for
my
someone special~

Love E.

And now he just sat there staring down at the book without a word. She didn’t get a thank you, or even so much as a smile in acknowledgement. Tears burnt the backs of her eyes.

Garth
yawned long and loud. Now that he had gotten his way he was ready for bed. Eve blinked back her tears and gave him a big, if forced, smile. “Time for bed, I think.” She stood when he did and he dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Thanks again, angel. I’ll put it right beside of my bed.”

“I’m glad.” She
murmured, her smile less forced this time but filled with a sadness that she shared with him. “Goodnight.”

After he was gone she returned to sitting beside of Quinn. She pulled the soft throw over her bare legs and reached for her half empty, no longer cup of
hot chocolate.

“What about you?” Quinn asked. “Want to open something from me? I promise you will like it.” She wiggled her eyebrows in encouragement.

Eve laughed. “No thanks. I can wait.” She gave her another one of her forced smiles. “Knowing you guys liked your gifts so much is enough for me.”

“Well, Dad really loved his.” She assured her. “And I have a dress that will look wonderful with this.” She ran the scarf through her fingers once more. “Thanks, hon.”

“Welcome.”

“Ami’s plane gets in early.” Cameron said after a few more minutes of comfortable silence. “I promised to meet her, so I am going to turn in.” He gave each of his sisters a kiss, said goodnight to his brother—who didn’t seem to hear him—and went upstairs.

Feeling let down by Sebastian’s reaction to her gift Eve finished off her now cold chocolate and hugged Quinn goodnight. Without a look in Sebastian’s direction she left the room, fighting tears. It was senseless to feel this way. So what if she had put so much time and thought into finding it for him when she knew how much it would mean to him? It was just a stupid gift anyway.

Upstairs she washed the tears from her face and brushed her teeth, then tossing her pajama bottoms on the foot of the bed she crawled under her covers in only her tank top and panties. She punched her pillow a few times, more in frustration than any need to fluff them. Her day had royally sucked all around.

With a frustrated sigh she turned on her side to face away from her door and closed her eyes…

She dreamed that he came to her.

Sebastian sat on the side of her bed and grazed his fingertips down her bare arm. She shivered deliciously and turned to face him. “Bastian..?” She murmured.

“Sh.” He whispered and bent to brush a kiss against the top of her head. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Eve blinked. “I couldn’t tell if you liked it or not.” She couldn’t keep the hurt from her voice and he smiled.

“I was in awe, babe. That book means so much to me. And that you gave it to me…I love it, Eve. Thank you.” His
eyes, what she could see of them with the moon as the only light, were glazed with passion. “Sleep now, babe. Tomorrow I want to talk.”

She sighed happily. “Okay.”

Another kiss caressed her cheek. “Goodnight, sweet Eve.”

--

When Eve woke the next morning she was more than a little hurt and more than just a little angry. Her dream last night had shown her exactly what reaction she had been wanting from Sebastian. She jerked on her pajama bottoms, pulled a sweatshirt over her head and brushed her teeth. Not even bothering to brush the tangles from her long hair she pulled the heavy tresses back into a messy ponytail that hung half way down her back.

Tomorrow, she swore to herself. Tomorrow she was getting it chopped off to her ears!
Down stairs in the dining room she found the table loaded with platters of breakfast foods. Garth was already half way through his plate of bacon, eggs and toast and other delicious smelling food. Cameron was seated across from his father with a beautiful woman beside of him. Her warm brown eyes and short dark hair were gorgeous. Her kind smile was breathtaking even to Eve.

“
Bonjour
, Ami.” Eve greeted the French girl. “
Allait-il comment votre vol
?”

The older girl laughed and shook her head. “I have no idea how the flight was.” She admitted. “I was too busy thinking of being with Cameron to pay attention.”

“I can only imagine.” Eve reached for the carafe of orange juice, not feeling in the least hungry. She was in a horribly bitchy mood but she refused to take it out on the obviously happy woman across from her. Even if Ami did seem to glow with happiness…Eve sighed, wishing that she could be so content.

“We are thinking of getting married in May.” Cameron was saying. “But that doesn’t give us much time to plan a wedding.”

“I’ll gift you the best wedding planner in the country.” Garth assured his son with an indulgent smile. He was obviously happy for his youngest son. “Just find her.”

Eve took a small sip of her juice.
“I know just the person you need. She does all the party planning for Winthrop Charities and handled Kari and Keith’s wedding last year.” She informed them. “Remind me to give you her contact information later.”

Quinn joined them just a few minutes later. She stopped to greet her future sister-in-law with warmth before reaching for the coffee. Conversation was on a
neutral topic and Eve was thankful it stayed that way for the rest of the meal. She did not want to take her mood out on innocent bystanders.

Sebastian had yet to make an appearance by the time they all moved into the family room with cups of coffee.
But he was already seated in the chair his brother had occupied the night before. His head rose as they entered the room, and his gaze went straight for Eve. But she turned away as soon as she felt his gaze on her. The dream from the night before had been far too real and her hurt was too close to the surface for her to face him at the moment.

Cameron and Ami sat on the sofa while Garth took his normal chair. Quinn leaned against the arm of his chair while Eve sat in the floor in front of her stepfather, leaning her head against his knees.

“Who wants to play Santa?” Quinn asked, rubbing her hands together in glee.

“You do it.” Eve urged. “I’m not feeling well.”

“Darling what’s wrong?”

She shrugged.
“Just a little headache.” She lied.

“Oh, okay then.” Quinn went to the tree and picked up a stack of gifts. “Let’s see what we have here…Cameron, here is one from Daddy. And Ami one for you from Eve…Hush!” She shushed the other woman when she started to protest. “Eve gives the best presents ever. Trust me.” She winked and laughed.

Ami gave in with a smile as she took the prettily wrapped gift. “Okay. Thank you, Eve!” Eve gave her a small smile.

Quinn tossed a present to Garth. “That’s from me.” She put the largest bundle down before Eve. “So is that, love.” Then she dropped one down into Sebastian’s lap.
“From Cameron, darling.”

Eve took her time opening the wrapping. Inside was a pretty pillow that would look wonderful in her room.
No doubt, by the silky embroidering, that it had cost a pretty penny. All around her everyone was laughing and tearing into their gifts. Eve heard Ami exclaim when she unwrapped the picture she had given her of Cameron in a silver and crystal frame.

Garth played Santa next, giving everyone two gifts from the still large pile under the tree. E
ve received a gorgeous necklace from Garth and a funny hat from Sebastian. Quinn put her own hat on and hugged her big brother. The gift giving went on for a good hour and Eve was still feeling sour and sulky, but she kept a smile on her face as she thanked Cameron for the rosary and Ami for the designer handbag.

When the pile under the tree was down to only a few small presents Sebastian stood to play Santa. “Ho, Ho, Ho.” He said as he tossed gifts around.

He had given one out to everyone but her when he suddenly dropped down beside of her and carefully placed a thin little box at her feet. “Merry Christmas, baby.” He said, his eyes intent on her face.

Everyone else was busy either unwrapping something or clearing away some of the mess they had caused by the amount of discarded wrapping paper, so no one was paying the least bit of attention to her.
With a frown, Eve picked up the box. She knew that it was jewelry because there was no wrapping on it, just a little ribbon on the outside. It was long and thin and there was no card to say who it was from.

“Go on.” He urged as he dropped down beside of her.

Slowly she raised the lid…And caught her breath. Inside set a white gold bracelet with several charms. One was a cross, and then a book beside of it. There was a tiny sea turtle—her favorite sea animal. The last was two interlocked hearts with a perfectly cut diamond in the center. “It’s…Its beautiful.” She whispered.