Chapter 17

Evangeline paced the living room, her silk robe billowing slightly behind her due to the speed and ferocity of her steps. Watching the hands move on the clock, she seethed. The rational, intellectual, part of her knew that she shouldn't have made that deal with Natalie, but with like so many other things she had done over the years, she couldn't seem to listen to those parts or stop herself. In fact, she would use whatever means were necessary to accomplish her goals.

Right now, her goal was to hold onto John.

Although a part of her wanted to sop what she'd set in motion, another part didn't, and it wasn't just because of John.

Natalie represented so many of the things that she hated.

The rich girl who took so much for granted and additionally tool jobs away from those who really needed them. And what made it worse was that Natalie should've known better. She should've taken advantage of the opportunities that the Buchannan name afforded her.

Made something of herself.

And if there was one type of person Evanegeline hated, it was those who didn't make something of themselves.

Who didn't beter themselves.

Who took their money for granted; expected things to come to them, but never worked for those things.

Which, actually, made her issues with Natalie worse, because she was a conundrum of two personalities, both with attributes that Evangeline would admire; both with attributes she despised.

Turning at the sound of the door opening, she made sure that she had a smile firmly in place. "Hey, I was starting to get worried," Evangeline said as she walked towards John.

"Sorry, Bo asked me to go and check in on Natalie," he answered as he shrugged out of his leather jacket.

"Oh? If he was concerned, why didn't he go?"

"Nora has a date with Colson and so he has Matthew tonight," John explained quickly. "And I would've been back sooner, but I had to take a call," he added as he dropped onto the couch, his cell ringing as he did. "I gotta. . ."

Frowning in disappointment, Evangeline moved away, "I'll get you a beer," she said by way of answer.

"Thanks," he called after her as he flipped open his cell and raised it to his ear. "McBain. . . Oh, hi. . . yeah, thanks for calling me back. . . I know, I know. Sorry. . .No. . .Look, I can be there tomorrow. . ." he replied on a slight laughed as Evangeline walked back over with a bottle of beer for him. "sometime towards mid or late morning, or would afternoon work better for you. . . what can I say? I seem to remember that you aren't exactly a morning person," he rationalized as he took the bottle from Evangeline, and gave her a half smile as he nodded his thanks. "I'll call when I roll into town to firm up the wheres and whens… No I'm just glad I can finally get there. . . I know. . . I just hope I can be as big of a help as you seem to think I will be. . . ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow morning," he finished, disconnecting the phone as soon as the words left his mouth.

"You're making plans for tomorrow?" Evangeline asked, a touch of accusation in her voice.

"Kinda,"

"I just thought that since you agreed there was nothing we could do for Natalie that we could actually do something for ourselves this weekend. Leave the jobs at the office so to speak."

"I know, and I wish we could," he responded as he knew she'd want him to. "But I've got a former informant who's calling in a favor."

"It can't wait?"

"I've been putting her on hold for a while now."

"Well, I could come with you."

"No. She might not be willing to talk if I came with someone."

"I could. . ."

"'Vang, come on. We'll do something Sunday, or if I really need to do leg work for this person, than Monday," he interrupted. "I have to do this. She's helped me out on a few things over the years and I owe her."

"Fine," Evangeline pouted. "We'll at least have tonight, I quess," she added as she bended and leaned into him.

"I have to get up early," he said softly.

"So we'll finish early," she laughed, shedding her robe while simultaneously straddling his legs while she started to kiss his neck and unbutton his shirt.

Closing his eyes as Evangeline kissed her way down his chest, he felt torn. HE was betraying a lot of his beliefs by allowing her to continue knowing what he now knew, but, stopping this could end up hurting Natalie.

As the beer bottle slipped through fingers grown lax with arousal, John knew he wouldn't stop. He was too aroused to.

Besides, he and Evangeline had started out with sex and no strings between them, why couldn't they end that way as well?