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“The fibromyalgia?”
“Yeah. I hear she’s in a lot of pain lately. Has to have pain blocker shots in her spine. Sometimes they don’t work. Maybe that’s why he calls out so often?”
“Could be.” He glanced at Manuel.“Speaking of wives, how’s Alma?”
An instant grin spread across Manuel’s face.“Alma is great.” He gave Adam a conspiratorial look.“Nobody knows yet…but we have news.”
Adam’s brows lifted.“Yeah?”
Manny beamed.“Yup. Alma is pregnant. Finally.”
Adam reached to clap him on the shoulder.“Congratulations!”
“Yeah, thanks, man. We’re waiting until she’s past three months to tell everybody, but I had to say something. Been ready to explode.”
“Your secret’s safe with me. When do you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”
Manny groaned.“Not for another two whole months. It’s driving me crazy. Alma says she doesn’t care as long as it’s healthy, but between you and me, I’m really hoping for a boy.”
“Congrats again.”
Adam knew they had been trying for over a year.
Unbidden thoughts of Eve slid in, and for some reason, heenvisioned her smiling up at him, her belly swollen with his child. Another time, he would have thought such an idea meant he’d completely lost his mind, but he was pushing thirty-two, and with the right woman…
At twenty-one, his parents already had him and were expecting Ian. That was partially why, when Adam was seventeen, they’d taken it upon themselves to push him into marrying Ingrid.
Ingrid.
What a disaster she’d proven to be.
Immediately, he shoved away her memory.
He thought, instead, of how completely Eve had captured his mind and imagination. Most recently, his body too.
Now, he was left with only one more thing to give.
He pictured her pretty face, that mouth, those huge, brown eyes. The way she looked at him, as if he’d hung the goddamned moon.
She sure as hell didn’t fit the profile of an escort, and he would know because he’d certainly used his share of them.
He was no saint. Quite the opposite. Over the years, he’d taken out the occasional nice woman Jim and Connie had pushed on him but chose to stick to strictly escorts.
Just fucking and, when necessary for business, companionship.
No strings, no obligations. Easy.
Now, with Eve, he was stunned to realize he didn’t mind strings. He wanted to tie her to him so tightly, she’d never get near another man again. And that would be a problem, given what she did for a living.
It bothered him.
A lot.
Adam suddenly felt the need to stretch his legs. Yanking off his headset, he surged to his feet.“I’m going to the head.”
•
Three hours later, it was time to switch, and Manny went to the back to get some rest. Adam stared straight ahead toward the horizon, jaw working, preparing for the long-overdue talk with Devon.