He started to laugh, but his robust chuckle quickly turned into a coughing fit. Eve rushed to the wet bar in the corner and refilled his water. She hated seeing him suffer even the slightest bit. For a man who was known to be a ruthless shark in the real estate world, he was now as weak as a baby. The vulnerable side of Sutton Winchester would only be known to his family, though. He’d never let outsiders see him in such shape.
Eve let him hold the cup while she took the framed picture and set it up on the table near the sofa.
“Thank you,” he said after taking a few sips. “Damn disease.”
Eve went back to his side and took his cup. She placed it on the small table next to him.
“You girls don’t have to lie to me,” he went on, taking her hand and squeezing it between both of his. “I know what I look like.”
Eve kissed the top of his head. “Like my handsome father.”
“You’re going to find some man and charm him one day,” her father teased. “Just make sure when you do that you don’t leave my company in a bind.”
As if she’d ever settle down and take the time to nurture a relationship. A global company and a new baby were definitely enough to keep her occupied. “I’ll never leave Elite,” she promised.
“I hate to bring this up—”
“But you will because you’re honest,” she joked. “Go ahead.”
“I know that before all the questions came up about me being the Newport boys’ father, you and Graham were—”
“Nothing,” Eve interrupted. “We were nothing.” And that was the truth. It was after the paternity test results came back that they tore each other’s clothes off.
This conversation was entering dangerous territory, and that was putting it mildly. Guilt squeezed her chest like a vise. There was no way to avoid it much longer, but she wasn’t going to tell anyone about the baby until after the party. No way was she going to ruin Nora and Reid’s evening. There would be enough time to discuss it after the guests were gone and only family remained.
“I saw how he looked at you, Eve,” her father went on. “Getting involved with a Newport would be the biggest mistake you could make.”
Eve bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything. What could she say? She could deny that she was involved, but that would be an obvious lie. She could even pretend they weren’t going to be anything more than parents sharing a child, but since they were still flirting and she couldn’t get him off her mind, it was only a matter of time before her control crumbled and they ended up intimate again.
Pulling her hand from her father’s grasp, she leaned down once more and kissed his head. “I’m going to go see if Nora needs help since the guests should be arriving any minute. I’ll be back in a bit.”
To tell you I’m expecting a Newport’s baby.
“You’d better,” her father winked. “But keep in mind what I said, Eve. Graham and Brooks have an agenda. They think I know their father’s name and they’ll use any means necessary to get it. I wouldn’t put it past him to use you to get to me.”
Eve stilled. She’d never thought for a second that Graham was using her for anything other than a bedmate...and she’d used him right back. But did her father’s words hold any truth? Nora had hinted at the same thing the other day. Was her family just being overly cautious or did they truly believe Graham would use her to get to Sutton?
No. Graham wasn’t the type of man to play games. He was a lethal attorney and when he wanted something, he went straight at it. He wasn’t the type of man to hide behind a woman and let her do the work.
Eve let herself back out into the hallway and pulled in a deep breath. Voices filtered through the house and it was clear guests had started arriving. Giving her cleavage one last glance in a mirror, she gave a mental shrug and headed toward the formal living room.
Grace, Nora and Reid stood near the mantel, talking and laughing. Grace was dressed as a sexy witch with glittery hose, a sparkly black hat and some killer black stilettos. Their guests were dressed in various fun costumes. Eve glanced around the room and saw an oversize Mrs. Potato Head—presumably the Mr. Potato Head by the wet bar with an appetizer in his hand was the spouse. There was another couple dressed as Vikings and a few others in glamorous gowns and masks. Some reminded her of Mardi Gras with their ribbons and gems.
Eve was stopped by Lucinda Wilde and Josh Calhoun. Lucinda was their father’s main caretaker and had pretty much morphed into being one of the family. She and Josh had fallen in love recently and Eve smiled as the couple approached her.
“If there’s a contest for best costumes, you two win hands down.”
Lucinda smiled as Josh wrapped his arm around her waist. “Josh isn’t one for dressing up, so he basically threw on things he already owned.”
Eve gave him an approving nod. “The cowboy look works. And your saloon girl is perfect,” she told Lucinda. “I could never pull that off, but you guys look so authentic.”
“I’m here for the food,” Josh joked as he tipped his hat down in a typical cowboy fashion. “And I’d use any excuse to have Lucinda dress up like this.”
Lucinda gave him a playful swat. “Eve, you look amazing. This is such a fun party, and I think it’s just what Sutton needs. He may come out later.”
“Really?” Eve asked. “I hope he does. Everyone here loves him and I know it would do him good.”
“I agree,” Lucinda said. “I’m going to talk to him in a bit and coerce him to join the party. I even dressed him up.”
“I saw,” Eve laughed. “I love the pirate.”
“It’s all he would agree to.”
Lucinda glanced around the room, pushing her curls to the side so they slid over one bare shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to talk to Nora and Reid. They look great, too.”
Eve watched as the two couples met in the middle of the room. They laughed and chatted. Eve stared for a moment too long because she caught Grace’s curious look and quirked brow, silently asking if Eve was okay.
Eve pasted on a smile and gave a brief nod. Everything was fine. Seriously. Just because she was expecting a child by a man who was an enemy of her father, just because the two families would go ballistic once the pregnancy was revealed, and just because her father was dying...why shouldn’t she be fine?
She needed air desperately. The more guests that filled the house, the more Eve felt as though she was suffocating. She’d spent over an hour smiling, making small talk and wondering if anyone noticed how she kept her water glass full and ignored the wine.
The Winchester mansion was vast, but still, the walls had been closing in on her.
Escaping out the back patio doors, Eve slid off her gold sandals and padded barefoot around the pool. The stones were cool on her feet and for once she welcomed the brisk breeze. She’d started getting so warm inside, but then her body temperature had been off lately. Thank you, hormones.
When an arm snaked around her waist, Eve gasped.
“It’s me,” a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
Her entire body tingled at the warm breath against the side of her face, the taut chest against her back. But as much as she relished the feel of Graham against her, fear gripped her. “What are you doing here?”