EVAN SONNTAG COULDN’T catch his breath, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but pant and smile. Which was fine, since his girlfriend seemed to be in exactly the same state. Gazing down at her beautiful, flushed face, he pushed back strands of her straight blond hair that stuck to her damp forehead. They were both coated in sweat. Shifting, he pressed his lips to hers for a long hot kiss before rolling off of her.
“Oh my God,” Shari Cohen managed between gasps for air. “That was wild.”
He nodded and his smile grew wider. “Sure sounded like you enjoyed it . . .”
She snorted and lightly smacked his shoulder. “Shut up.”
“Aw, c’mon now,” he teased. “You know I love making you sound like that.”
She rolled her eyes, but grinned. “Well,” she panted, “there was my cardio workout for the day. Now I don’t feel guilty about skipping the gym to come back here and let you have your wicked way with me instead. Not. At. All.”
He laughed and leaned in to kiss her again. “Glad to hear it. Be right back.” He got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom to clean up.
Shari lay in his bed in content satisfaction. As she finally caught her breath, she felt the adrenaline ebb and the sweet, relaxing afterglow flow through her and over her. Somewhere below on the Manhattan street, a car horn blared long and loud. Bluish light from the lamppost just outside streamed through the fourth floor window. She just smiled and curled into the blankets. Evan’s apartment was small, his bedroom even smaller, but it felt cozy to her instead of claustrophobic. She shared her apartment in Brooklyn with a roommate, and had a decent-sized bedroom. His place was tiny, but it was all his, and they could be alone together without worrying about Gail overhearing or seeing anything she shouldn’t. Besides, Shari loved spending time with him in his Chelsea neighborhood. Or maybe she loved it so much because she loved him.
Evan got back into bed, immediately pulling her into his arms. She tipped her face to his, an unspoken but unmistakable request for kisses. His fingers sifted through her hair as he sipped from her lips, slow and sweet, making warmth ripple through her. Ohh, what he did to her. She adored him.
“So,” he said, pushing her hair back from her face. “You really ready to meet the whole clan tomorrow?”
“You really sure you’re ready for me to meet them?” she teased back.
“I don’t know . . .” He grinned playfully, and she saw the spark of mischief in his warm brown eyes. “Yeah, I guess so.”
She ran her hand over the dark scruff on his jaw, so soft and long now it could almost be considered a beard. She loved to play with it. “What train are we catching?”
“Six-oh-seven out of Penn,” he said. “We’ll be a little late, but that’s fine. It’s a party, not a trial date.” He pulled her closer so his free hand could sweep up and down her bare back in deliciously slow strokes. “Speaking of court, what time do you have to be at work tomorrow? I’ll set the alarm now.”
“I wanted to get in at eight-thirty,” she said, letting her fingers drop from his jaw to caress the sparse dark hair on his chest. “The Carter case is killing me. You?”
“We’ll go in together.” Again his smile turned playful. “I always like to go in at eight-thirty, you know that. You’re the one who straggles in at nine most days. Slacker.”
“Straggles? I do not straggle, mister. In fact, I do not believe I have ever straggled in my life.” She leaned up and her brilliant blue eyes narrowed at him. “Nor am I a slacker. You wound me, sir.”
He chuckled and cupped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her mouth to his for more tender kisses. “I love you.”
Her smile bloomed against his lips. “I love you, too.”
EVAN HADN’T THOUGHT bringing a woman home to meet his family would make him nervous . . . but his leg wouldn’t stop bouncing. Sitting beside his girlfriend on the train, his damn leg wouldn’t stop bouncing, as it always did when he was nervous or had adrenaline to burn.
“You okay?” Shari asked, her brows puckering slightly as she studied him.
“Fine,” he lied. “Just thinking about work.”
She glanced at his bobbling knee, then back up to his face. They’d been dating for seven months now; she knew his tells. Her pale blue eyes narrowed on him. But she said, “All right,” and went back to her phone to continue playing Words With Friends.
Evan raked a hand through his hair and turned his gaze back to the window. He hated how early it got dark in December. The only things visible were lights from faraway buildings as they whirred by. The window served more as a mirror; he could see his reflection clearly and Shari’s profile next to his. God, she was gorgeous. The corner of his mouth lifted, he couldn’t help it. She was a beautiful woman, inside and out. To him, her sharp mind and quick wit were matched by her physical beauty. Her straight, shoulder-length blond hair fell forward, hiding half of her sweetheart-shaped face. Her pale skin was soft, always enticing him to touch her, like a siren’s song. Her curvy, luscious body had the same effect. But it was her eyes that always captivated him, that clear sky blue, sparkling with intelligence and humor.
Her remarkable eyes and direct manner were what had drawn him in the day they met, at the company picnic in May. It was a sunny day in Central Park, and strange not to see all his colleagues in their business attire. He played Frisbee with a few of the guys, then eventually went to grab a beer and a hamburger from the long table covered in food. As he was about to grab a paper plate, he noticed a short, curvy woman in front of him, scooping bean salad onto her plate. Her wheat-colored hair hung loosely, her attractive figure clad in a sleeveless blue top and tan capris . . . something about her compelled him. She was just . . . damn. His eyes skimmed over her and desire started to simmer in his veins.
Suddenly, she glanced over her shoulder, her bright blue eyes pinning his, catching him in the act. His mind went blank. Those eyes . . . he could stare into them for a week and never get bored. She grinned wickedly and quipped, “I can feel you staring at me, you know. Like what you see?”
Damn, she was direct. And brazen. She’d intended to embarrass him, he knew that. But he recovered quickly, his eyes not leaving hers as he said, “Yes, actually, I do. But with no disrespect intended. With what’s left of my dignity, I assure you it was a genuinely appreciative ogle.” He took a deep breath and added, “God, I hope you’re not married. Or this could be a little awkward.”
Her brows lifted, a dimple appeared as her grin blossomed into a smile, and a hint of color rose in her pale cheeks. How she could be sexy and adorable at the same time, he didn’t know, but she was. Then she said, “It could be more than a little awkward. Or, it could be a little interesting.” Then she turned to him fully and held out her hand. “Shari Cohen. I’m single. And you are . . . ?”
From that day on, they’d been together.
They dated discreetly, not wanting to become targets of office gossip. A few of their closer coworkers knew, but that was it. Luckily, the midtown firm was big; almost two hundred people worked for Goldberg, Stein, & Hanrahan LLP. They were both in Family Law, but their offices were on different floors, which was why they hadn’t met before. Evan had worked there for five years, building a solid reputation as a matrimonial attorney. Shari had just joined the firm in January and was a Women’s and Children advocate. They rarely saw each other at work, perhaps bumping into one another on the elevator or in the cafeteria once in a while.
After the first week of texting and flirting, when they ran into each other in the company gym one evening, he asked her to join him for dinner afterward. From then on they were an item, and quickly fell into a routine. They’d text to see if they were free for the night, then both go to the gym around seven for a short workout. After, they’d meet somewhere to grab some dinner. And after dinner, a few nights a week, they’d go back to either his tiny apartment in Chelsea or the apartment she shared with a roommate in Fort Greene . . . and ravage each other. He hadn’t told her, but the truth was, he’d never had such great sex in his life. Shari blew up the myth he’d had in his head of the nice, prim Jewish girl; she was a lion in bed, passionate and wild. He couldn’t get enough of her. Especially on the weekends. With the extra time to spend together, they’d go out and explore the city. They went to movies, restaurants, or on long walks with no destination in mind. Sometimes they’d catch up on work at home, never getting out of their pajamas. And always touching, cuddling, getting naked and enjoying each other . . .
The relationship worked. They were good together. They understood each other’s heavy workloads and long hours, never begrudging the other for that, as past lovers had for both of them. The sizzling attraction and curious interest blossomed into true affection and caring . . . then went deeper, into love. They fit so well, it was almost seamless. Evan had never been in a relationship where it felt so natural, so easy . . . so right. It both thrilled him and terrified him at the same time.
Working as a matrimonial attorney, he’d seen the flip side of love and the worst in people. Their nasty sides, the dark hostile ugliness that came out as divorces went through the process was enough to make anyone shudder and cringe. The horrible things said, the tit-for-tat, the petty bullshit as former spouses attacked each other as a case dragged on . . . Evan was thick-skinned and always stayed pleasant but removed, even when he felt sympathetic for a client. He had to, and they were qualities that made him a damn good divorce lawyer. But over the years, it had soured him on the idea of romantic love. He’d gotten to the point where he didn’t even think he would ever marry or find someone to make him consider changing his position on that.
Until he met Shari.
She was all he thought about. Her intellect and boldness turned him on as much as her body did, if not more so. She had quick, cutting humor and made him laugh. And her kind heart, hidden behind walls he’d been willing to climb, only sealed it for him. Shari was a rare find, and he loved her. He’d told her so in the fall, as they held each other close one night, and was elated to hear she felt the same for him.
So why the hell was he so nervous about bringing her home to meet his family? It was their annual party, celebrating the first night of Chanukah. Always held at his parents’ house, the house he’d grown up in on Long Island, it was a low-key but important gathering for the Sonntag family. His older brother Mitch and wife and three kids would be there, his older sister Alison and husband and two kids would be there, his aunts and uncles, maybe a cousin or two, and, of course, his Bubby. His sweet grandmother had turned ninety-one that summer, God bless her, and someone would bring her from her nearby assisted living facility to the house. He adored his Bubby with all his heart and looked forward to seeing her. He wondered what she’d think of Shari. She’d likely interrogate him about her while his mom, dad, sister, and sister-in-law would make latkes from scratch, a team effort, and he and his brother would entertain the kids in the living room with video games, card games, and wrestling matches . . .
“You’re smiling. You look adorable.”
Evan turned his head. Shari’s voice had broken through his thoughts, and she was gazing at him with a cute grin. The dimple in her cheek was adorable, and he wanted to kiss it.
“What are you smiling about like that?” she asked.
“Thinking about my family, and the party,” he said. “Like I told you, it’s such a tradition in my family, the big party on the first night every year. Ever since they had grandchildren to spoil, my parents go all out.” He reached for her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. “It’s nice. I hope you’ll enjoy it. I think you will.”
“I’m sure I will,” she said, leaning in to drop a light kiss on his lips. He raised his hand to cup the back of her neck and hold her there so he could steal a few more kisses. Her mouth was warm and tasted of the peppermints she usually kept in her bag. Her kisses made him burn, made him want more. If they weren’t on the train, he could easily lose himself in her.
She drew back with a smile, leaned her forehead against his and murmured, “I’m looking forward to meeting your whole family. It’s sweet that you asked me to come. It, um . . .” A spot of pink warmed her cheeks and her voice softened as she said, “It means a lot. It does, doesn’t it?”
“I suppose so.” He sifted his fingers through her hair, silky soft against his fingers. “But hey, it’s not a total ambush. I mean, you’ve met my parents . . .”
“We’ve had dinner once,” she said. “It’s not like I know them well. And you said everyone’s going to be there. So I . . .” She looked into his eyes. “You’re presenting me.”
He snorted out a laugh, but nodded. “Well, it’s time. You know I love you. They’re all going to love you, too.” He took her mouth in another long kiss and felt her hand squeeze his in his lap. I’m being an idiot, he thought. Tonight’s going to be great. Everyone will like her, she’ll like them, we’ll eat too much, and we’ll go home. No big deal. Not a big deal at all.