Chapter Five

Anger surged through Tabby’s body, wiping away all traces of nausea and the fear of her secret being discovered in a rush of adrenaline. She clung to the wave with all she had.

“Thank you for the drink, Eli. But I don’t recall asking you to watch over me, nor do I believe I asked for commentary on my personal life.”

Eli growled. “I take one break, one phone call from the magazine and come back to find you with that.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

“That was a friend and acquaintance paying his respects.” She swallowed the rest of her tirade. He didn’t need to know she’d missed his presence and strength in those few moments. The mention of the magazine drove home that relying on him even for one night was too much. She ignored the swell of emotion, the yearning. He was dangerously close to figuring everything out, and that would spell disaster for his life. And hers.

He crossed his arms and narrowed his gaze, looking for something. Something she was determined to hide. She stood and placed the untouched champagne on a table. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Two steps and a cloud of perfume hit her like a punch to the stomach. She hugged herself and held her breath even as the bile stung the back of her throat. Strong hands wrapped around her shoulders, an anchor in a sea full of uncertainty.

“You’ve never had to ask me. I’ve always been there, and I always will be. Suck it up, Brodie. Now let’s get you out of here.”

With a stomach intent on broadcasting its contents to the crowd and skin still tingling from Eli’s breath fanning her ear, Tabby had no choice but to put one heeled foot in front of the other and let Eli steer her toward the entrance. So much for doing her family proud, for standing on her own. She’d managed a whopping hour before needing to escape and rely on Eli once again.

“Do you have your ticket?”

Breathing in through her nose, Tabby nodded and fished the paper out of her small beaded clutch. She leaned against the wall as Eli moved toward the coat check area. He cut a stunning path through a crowd full of men dressed in thousand-dollar tuxes, all chiseled or stately as their money or their breeding dictated. But Eli shone.

She’d seen him dressed up over the years, most recently at the wedding where she’d also undressed him. And it was that knowledge about what the crisp white shirt and tailored black pants hid that made him that much more magnetic. Like he was her due north and her body refused to be tricked into any other direction.

Only he couldn’t be her path. He may be her due north, but she absolutely wasn’t his south pole. No, she was the magnet that would mess up his direction and leave him spinning around in circles, trying to make her happy and solve her problems while he went absolutely insane.

Eli retrieved her shawl, and Tabby glanced around to make sure Dr. Kitt wasn’t going to make another appearance. Apparently, Eli hadn’t heard enough to ask the pertinent questions, and she said a small prayer for timing. And, to be honest, for jealousy. Something she absolutely refused to look at further.

He returned and draped the shawl around her shoulders. Brown eyes cataloged her face, looking for a chink, a sign, the billboard telling him what was wrong. She smiled. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you should drive home tonight.”

Tabby dropped her gaze and adjusted the shawl, pulling it tighter, armor against the next moment. “Actually, I have a room at The Inn. I wasn’t planning on driving back to Gatlinburg this late at night.”

She risked a glance, and the emotion she expected to see filtered through Eli’s face. His gaze became distant as he stared at his hands. Guilt over the assumption she absolutely was going to let him believe threatened to choke her, but the truth, that she would be too exhausted and sick to make the ninety-minute drive through the mountains at night, was too revealing. Especially after the near call with Dr. Kitt.

“Well, then I’ll see you to your room.”

Fate in the form of one stunning and extremely determined woman saved Tabby from arguing. Caro Nguyen was the foremost corporate prosecutor in North Carolina and on the short list for Attorney General. She looked ethereal with her sleek black hair, darker than Tabby’s, swept up and anchored with a diamond clip and a silver gown flowing down her long dancer’s body, as if it were water pouring over a waterfall.

Tabby was four inches shorter, even in heels, and about ten classes below Caro, and from the shocked and appraising look on Eli’s face, she’d fallen a few notches in his estimation as well. Time to examine that pain later, but for now, she could use the lovely Ms. Nguyen for what she was: a welcome diversion.

“Tabitha and Elijah, how lovely to see you both.”

Tabby exchanged cheek kisses and smiled. “You look lovely as always.”

Caro tore her gaze from Eli long enough to return the compliment. Tabby’s jaw clenched, and she focused on the one stray piece of hair that had come loose from Caro’s twist. That flaw gave her strength to ignore the long list of ways she didn’t measure up to the woman in front of her.

“If you’ll excuse me, it was lovely to see you both.”

She didn’t hesitate, instead brushing to the side of Caro and easily out of striking reach of a male she suddenly wanted to pummel in jealous frustration. As she went through the entrance, Tabby waved away the carriage driver and set out down the gravel path. The lot wasn’t far, the horses merely ornamental to the evening, and right now, Tabby needed the brisk mountain air to cool the burning fire in the area of her heart.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. Caro was exactly the sort of woman Eli needed. She was worldly and sleek. Eli probably didn’t feel one ounce of protectiveness toward the accomplished woman. And that meant she would never tie him down to a place he didn’t want to be. Tabby nodded. No, it was good Caro had interrupted them. She’d escaped and didn’t have to lie or, rather, skirt the truth anymore tonight.

As the stone crunched under heels way too tall for this kind of stroll, Tabby thought ahead a few years. Would she be settled enough with the baby and her career to possibly look for a man? She knew her family would be there to support her once the truth came out, but ultimately, the baby’s welfare was hers to shoulder, and time for men and sex seemed too far away to ponder right now.

And really, would any man measure up to the one I just ran away from?

She batted the thought away. There would be other men. Eli would continue his life flitting in and out of hers. She just needed him out before he discovered her little secret and felt compelled to permanently attach himself as a support structure.

Was she being naïve? As soon as Eli found out about the baby, who was to say he wouldn’t be right back there? Was she in a no-win situation?

Tabby stumbled, cursed, and slipped off the nude pumps, hooking the straps around her fingers. She moved to the manicured lawn and felt the earth sink beneath her toes. This was better. Barefoot and pregnant. She laughed.

No. Distance would allow Eli to hear her words and understand the need or rather lack of need from him.

It was only as she backed out of her parking spot that she remembered the other spurt of jealousy she’d witnessed tonight. Was that Eli being Eli and thinking no man good enough, or was that Eli the man reacting to another alpha in his territory? As much as Tabby wanted it to be the second, she hoped and prayed it was the first. Because Eli the man was far more potent a force to turn down.

As evidenced by that impulsive night fifteen months ago.

…

For the second time that evening, Eli cursed horses. Tabby had planned her damn escape well, and it had taken considerable charm and effort to extricate himself from Caro without leaving hard feelings over her denied advances. They’d had a time, once, many years ago, and while it was a nice memory, that was all it was, a memory. His chief concern was making sure Tabby really had chosen to stay at The Inn. And maybe find out just how jealous she’d been tonight.

Only someone who’d known Tabby her whole life would have seen the narrowed eyes and the tense way her body had been ready to pounce on Caro’s avid interest. And while having the interest of two stunning woman would soothe any man’s ego, it was probably best that Tabby and Caro had parted ways as quickly as they did.

“You can stop here,” Eli ordered, and this time he waited until the carriage rocked to a halt. He thanked the driver, palming him a tip, and walked to the gravel parking lot.

Tabby’s car wasn’t there.

Eli moved farther down the row and slid behind the wheel of his silver Audi. The Inn was on property and just down the road near the vineyard. And for both his and Tabby’s sake, she better be settling into a room as he drove.

Sadly, it took a lot of charm and even more money to weasel Tabby’s room number out of the front desk. He spun a tale about getting separated at the function and him wanting to surprise her and make it up to her. Everyone knew the Brodie and Ellis clans were close—probably the only reason he’d won through what should have been a definite privacy block, although ordering room service and the bottle of Moet & Chandon might have sealed the deal. With a sensual smirk and widened eyes, the mature woman mouthed, “Three twenty-three,” and went back to typing on her keyboard. Eli blew her a kiss and headed for the elevator.

Three sharp knocks and the door flew open to reveal Tabby, wearing an open robe with a cami and shorts underneath, her long hair hanging loose around her shoulders and framing her fully on display chest. A flash of pale skin peeked out from between her shirt and waistband, and Eli knew if he traced the smooth curves, they would be as silky as a rose petal.

“What are—”

She didn’t finish the accusation. Instead, a hand flew to her mouth, and she whirled away farther into the room. Eli slammed the door shut and followed, only to find her collapsed beside a pristine white toilet, retching.

“Go away,” she managed between spasms.

A helplessness he’d never felt washed through his body. He needed to be doing something, helping her, making the pain and sickness go away. Only he lacked critical knowledge.

“Should I call 9-1-1?”

A shake of her ebony locks was all she managed before leaning up and over the toilet again.

He dropped to his knees beside her and gathered up her hair, despite mumbles of protests. When the next spasm hit her, he held the strands back and mumbled his own words of encouragement.

Who knew how long the two of them suffered together? With every gut-wrenching wave, Eli thought for sure his insides were emptying right with her. It was emasculating watching a woman you cared about your entire life dealing with such a draining episode and not be able to do a damn thing about it.

When it seemed she’d finished, he scooped her up with no protest and carried her back to the bed. Settling her, she managed to look both angry and thankful, a feat only Tabby could pull off.

“You can argue with me in a moment,” he said and went back into the bathroom and wet a washcloth.

He sat beside her and laid the cool fabric across her forehead. Her eyes closed on a sigh.

“So, you ready to tell me what’s going on?”

Blue eyes batted open and met his. “Nothing’s going on. I must have eaten something bad.”

A lie.

Eli knew that as sure as he knew his name and birthdate. But after what she’d been through tonight, he wasn’t going to call her out on it.

Tomorrow, however, was fair game.