Chapter 1
Hunter walked in the door to Evolution's locker room and found Evie on the phone with someone. He set his bag down on the floor and checked the room over while waiting for her to finish her call. He half- listened to her side of the conversation, wondering who she was talking to.
"So when do we need to be there?" Evie asked the person on the other end.
Hunter's ears perked up at that question. He looked over at her. "Who are you talking to?" he mouthed.
Evie shook her head at him, indicating that she didn't want to be disturbed. "Well, it's pretty much a last minute kind of thing isn't it? I mean, how long have we known each other and you just ask me now?" She paused as she listened to the person. "Fine, we'll be there, you pain in the ass," she replied. "And don't expect me to do any work while I'm there; absolutely no schmoozing. I'll call you when I get home," she said and then disconnected the call.
Hunter spoke up again. "What's going on?"
"Philip wants us to come for some party he's throwing," Evie replied. "It's supposed to be a huge black tie, A-lister."
"A huge party, huh?" Hunter asked as he sat down on the sofa. "Actually, I could do with a little pointless partying."
Evie shrugged. "Well, with Philip, everything has to be huge or it's not worth it," she responded as she clipped her phone back on her belt.
Hunter laughed at her remark. "You know, that could be interpreted wrong," he stated.
She chuckled. "Yeah I know, but it is true. He likes everything huge, including his men," she said as she looked at him pointedly.
"Oh by the way, there's no ice bucket or water in here," Hunter said, ignoring her last remark as he gestured to the table alongside the sofa. "Do you think you could take care of that?"
An eyebrow shot up. She knew he was avoiding that last comment, but she couldn't blame him. Philip did have a taste for large men, either muscular or well-endowed. Philip had jokingly asked Evie if Hunter fit both bills. She had told him to behave or she'd put him in a headlock. Philip replied that didn't stop him from looking. Evie knew he was only teasing her. He was more of a brother to her than a friend. Of course, that didn't make Hunter feel completely comfortable around him either.
"Are your arms broken?" Evie questioned nonchalantly with a hint of a smile.
He made a show of examining his hands and arms. "Not yet." He glanced up at her, his eyes twinkling.
She laughed softly. "And what do I get if I take care of it?"
A sly smile slid across his mouth. "You take care of that and I'll take care of you later," he said meaningfully while he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Oh good grief," she choked out between laughter. "You're terrible," she replied as she headed for the door.
"That's not what you said last night," Hunter quipped.
Evie paused in the open doorway. "That was last night," she stated and then disappeared into the hall to take care of Hunter's request.
He watched her go, the smile still on his face. Since she had come back, things had been better for him; at least, on the personal front anyway. They still had their disagreements, but on the whole, things had been working out very well for the past few months. Ever since he had told her exactly how he felt about her, it seemed like their relationship had stepped to the next level. They were more open and honest with each other. So much so on Hunter's part, that he made it known to the other three members of Evolution that Evie was off-limits. She belonged to him.
Ric hadn't looked too thrilled at that announcement. He had approached Hunter with the "concerns" of how this was going to affect Hunter's goal of regaining the title he had lost to Goldberg recently. Hunter explained to him that business was business and he wouldn't let personal things interfere. Ric questioned if Evie understood what that meant. Hunter affirmed that she did, as they had talked about it extensively.
Batista had given Hunter a silent nod of approval and Randy had simply shrugged at the declaration. The youngest member of Evolution didn't give a damn who the World Heavyweight Champion was sleeping with, so long as it didn't affect his place in the faction.
Of course, there was still the occasional problem with the general manager, Eric Bischoff, but all Evie had to do was look at him a certain way, or mention a particular chair shot, and Bischoff would shut up right away. Bischoff remembered that crazed look in the eyes of Triple H's personal assistant. He had no desire to be on the receiving end of another attack. But he still did his best to piss Evie off in the most subtle ways.
Chris Jericho had practically stopped bothering Evie. He had become enamored with Trish Stratus. For the life of him, Hunter couldn't quite figure out why, but at this point, it was more of a blessing than anything else; especially for Evie.
And Shawn Michaels… well, some things were better left unsaid. He hadn't spoken to Evie at all since she had returned; not that Hunter minded. The less interaction Evie had with Shawn, the better. Hunter felt more comfortable dealing with Shawn directly, rather than having Evie in the middle again.
As for Evie herself, she was much more at ease in her role as personal assistant as well as the business end of wrestling. She seemed to be more accepting of the way things were handled. Hunter assumed it was a result of her last match with Jericho. After being on the wrestling end, she didn't question his motives as much as she used to. Recently, she had come up with a couple ideas on how to deal with Goldberg. Hunter implemented one or two of those ideas and they came off without a hitch and with satisfying results.
Hunter wondered if that change in her was going to stay. He kind of liked that little devious side of her personality. And it wasn't only confined to work. It would show up in the bedroom every now and then as well. Another satisfied smirk crossed his face at that thought. Yeah, things had been good lately. Except for his title loss to Goldberg, but that would change soon. No doubt about that.
Evie had procured the required bucket of ice and bottled water for Hunter and was on her way back to the locker room when an assistant stopped her.
"Miss Mackenzie?" the young man asked her.
"Yes Scott?" she replied politely, noting with some interest what he was carrying.
He shyly smiled at her. "These came for Triple H. Would it be okay if I gave them to you to give to him?" He looked a little embarrassed. "I'd deliver them myself, but frankly, those guys scare the crap out of me."
Evie smiled in response. "Sure, I'm heading back that way anyhow." She held out her hand for the bouquet of roses.
"Um, they're a bit heavy, especially in this vase," Scott told her. "Are you sure you can take them?"
"I'm pretty sure Scott, thanks," Evie stated as she hefted the vase into the crook of her arm. "The bucket has a handle on it, so I think I can manage."
Scott gave her another grin and shuffled off in the other direction. Evie continued the trek back to Evolution's locker room. As she rounded a corner, she almost ran into someone.
"Sorry," she muttered as she shifted the flowers so she could see who she was apologizing to.
"No need to apologize, Red. It was an accident," said Chris Jericho as he flicked his hair over his shoulder. He looked her over. "You're looking good. Have you been working out?"
Evie eyed him apprehensively. She wasn't quite sure about Jericho's new attitude towards her. Especially since the last time they had interacted, she'd laid him out with a steel chair. His remarks towards her had become tamer as well. Upon her return, Evie had noticed that he barely paid her any attention. At first she thought it was because of their match, but that didn't seem like Jericho. When she found out the real reason, it made more sense. Jericho had an interest in Trish Stratus. And from Trish's reactions, it seemed that she had a similar interest in Jericho.
Almost as if he could read her mind regarding tame remarks, Jericho smirked. "Of course you've been working out, you're still Hunter's assistant aren't you?" he asked with a hint of suggestion.
Evie opened her mouth to retort, but fell silent as Trish came up behind Jericho.
"There you are," Trish said to him. "I was looking for you." Her gaze turned on Evie. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"Not really," Evie replied shortly.
The smirk vanished instantly from Jericho's face. "Evie almost ran into me," he explained to Trish.
Trish looked from Evie to Jericho and back. "Oh, well in that case, you don't mind if I talk to him for a minute, do you?" she asked Evie.
Evie smiled. "No, you go right ahead." She swept off in the direction she had been going.
On her way back, she passed by Lance Storm and Val Venis trying to work their magic on two Utah girls. She was almost flattened by a little person running past, followed by Hurricane, who was holding a gigantic butterfly net, and Rosey. Rosey almost knocked her over, hurriedly apologized and then ran off in the same direction as Hurricane. Evie sighed exasperatedly and continued on.
Nice to know some things don't change, she thought sarcastically. Or rather, that Bischoff's matches don't change.
Other than that, things had been enjoyable since she had returned. The expression on Eric Bischoff's face had been priceless. He had spluttered and coughed upon seeing her and then demanded to know what she was doing back in the WWE. Hunter explained things to him in the manner one would talk to a child that has difficulty understanding directions. Bischoff had grimaced at the mention of the "no wrestling" clause in Evie's contract, but said nothing. Hunter told Bischoff that if he so much as laid a hand on Evie, he would make his life a living hell. So far, Bischoff had resorted to taunts and insults whenever he saw Evie, but she could deal with that.
Shawn Michaels completely avoided her now. That didn't mean much, other than the fact that he left her alone. He didn't try any of his old tricks, but that didn't mean he didn't have new ones up his sleeve. She'd cross that bridge when it came up though. Right now, she was glad that he didn't bother her at all.
And then there was Hunter. A smile flitted across her mouth as she thought about him. Ever since he had showed up at her house back in June to apologize for letting her go, things had changed between the two of them. Mostly on Hunter's part. He had become more open in their relationship. He actually told her things rather than hiding them. So much so, that he had told the other three members of Evolution that they were involved. This was more for Ric's benefit than anything else. Batista had already known, and Randy looked as if he didn't give a damn. Not that she cared what he or Ric thought anyway.
The smile grew. Frankly, she didn't give a damn what anyone thought about her and Hunter. If people didn't like it, they could go screw themselves.
Of course, there were some changes in her also. She realized that she actually enjoyed her working environment. In the time she had been away, she hadn't known what to do with herself. The constant travel did take a bit of a toll on her, but she become conscious of the fact that life was dull without it. It made her appreciate not just the job, but the excitement of the show, and the fact that anything could, and usually did, happen.
Not only that, but she had a better appreciation for Hunter's job since she had been in the ring with Jericho, and didn't give Hunter a hard time about his tactics in and outside the ring. As a result, she had become more involved in bouncing ideas around with Hunter. He had mentioned the problems he had with Goldberg and she had come up with a couple suggestions that Hunter had used. She rather enjoyed that aspect of things.
She also enjoyed other things about Hunter, but those would have to wait until later. She continued on her way back to Evolution's locker room.
Hunter turned his attention to the monitor where general manager Eric Bischoff was spinning the roulette wheel to determine what kind of match Randy Orton would be having tonight. It stopped on a Legend Killer match, which made Randy's smarmy grin even bigger.
Hunter was facing Goldberg later for the title. He heaved himself off the sofa to go change into his wrestling gear. As he pulled his trunks on, he heard the locker room door open and close. He stuck his head out to see who it was, and saw Randy.
"Hey Hunter," Randy said as he pulled open his own bag to get his gear out.
"You didn't see Evie on your way back, did you?" Hunter responded.
Randy shook his head as Hunter came out with his boots and pads in hand. Randy disappeared into the shower area to change as his match was up in less than five minutes.
No sooner had Hunter sat down to wrap his knees, than the door opened again. Evie came in with the requested bucket of ice and water in one hand and a dozen roses in the other.
"Who're those from?" Hunter asked.
She set the bucket down and turned to Hunter. "I have no idea. One of the assistants handed them to me and said they were delivered for you."
"Is there a card?" he questioned as he finished one knee and started on the other.
Evie's fingers gently pushed through the blossoms and encountered a small envelope. She pulled it out and, after setting the flowers down on a side table, she opened it. "It says, Hope you enjoy the smell of roses because you aren't going to be smelling success in a title match any time soon." She checked for a signature but there was none; not that it mattered. She glanced at Hunter. "Guess who."
Hunter shook his head. "I always knew there was something funny about Goldberg." He finished wrapping the second knee and began to pull on the braces. "First its flowers, and then its dinner and then they want you to move in with them. I keep telling him I don't bat for the other team."
A grin spread across Evie's mouth. "Yeah, but he can dream, can't he?" She waved the card at Hunter and then gestured to the flowers. "What do you want me to do with these?"
He shrugged. "Give 'em to Randy. Tell him they're from an admirer," he said in a low voice.
Evie pocketed the card. "You are terrible," she whispered.
Hunter grinned up at her. "So you keep telling me, but I don't hear you complaining." He held the tape out to her. "Tape me up, will you?"
She sat down next to him and took the tape. "I should tape your damn mouth shut," she teased.
Hunter leered at her. "Maybe later. Right now I've got a title to win back."
As Evie started wrapping Hunter's left wrist, Randy came out of the shower area in his ring attire. He grunted a hello to Evie and then his eyes fell on the roses.
"Where'd those come from?" he asked Hunter.
"Ah, Evie brought those in. She said they were delivered for you. Must be from an admirer, but there wasn't a card," Hunter said, trying to keep a straight face.
Randy nodded his head. "Not surprising. I mean, we are talking about the Legend Killer, here. Women can't help themselves." He smirked at Hunter and then left for his match.
Hunter snickered as the door closed behind Randy. Evie just shook her head. She didn't care much for Randy. He was too arrogant, not only towards his opponents, but towards her as well. It seemed that with every match he had won in her absence, his ego had gotten bigger. Now he was the self-proclaimed Legend Killer.
Probably overcompensating for something that's not quite up to size, Evie thought with a little smile.
"He's not a bad kid, but sometimes it's just too fun to pass up an opportunity," Hunter said as Evie began wrapping his right hand and wrist.
Evie said nothing. She didn't want to get onto the subject of Randy Orton. She finished taping up Hunter and he sat back to watch Randy's match.
Randy made short work of his "special guest legend", who turned out to be Sergeant Slaughter and RKO'ed him for the win. Randy was in the middle of working the Sergeant over when RVD ran down to the ring and began beating on Randy. HE laid Randy out for A Five Star Frog splash, but Randy rolled out of the ring just in time to avoid it. Sergeant Slaughter thanked RVD by teasing him with a Cobra Clutch and RVD played along.
Hunter rolled his eyes at the whole scene, but his attention was turned back to the screen as a replay of Evolution versus Goldberg over the last two weeks was replayed, explaining the match between Hunter and Goldberg tonight.
"After tonight, I'll be wearing that title again," he said to himself.
Evie waited until the clip had finished and then she glanced over at Hunter. "Oh, by the way, Lauren blames you for Jacob's latest escapade at school."
He looked at her with some interest. "Is that so?"
"Yeah," Evie replied as she smiled. "She said that if you don't quit teaching him wrestling moves, she's going to make sure you never have kids of your own."
Hunter chuckled. "Well, if he wasn't so enthusiastic about it…" he trailed off. "So, what's the latest?"
Evie shifted so that she was facing him. "He gave one of the kids on the playground an arm wrench the other day. Turns out the other kid was bullying him and-"
"Well, there you go. Your sister should be glad he can defend himself," he interrupted.
"Just watch yourself, will you? She's having a go at me too," Evie said. She grinned. "Not only are you a bad influence on me, but now you're becoming a bad influence on my nephew."
Hunter only grinned in response. Evie was about to say something else when the door banged open and Ric walked in.
"All set champ?" he asked as he spied Evie and Hunter on the sofa.
Hunter stood up. "You bet I am. Goldberg is gonna wish he'd taken the night off."
"Well, we're up next, so let's get going," Ric replied. He nodded at Evie and he and Hunter left, shutting the door behind them.
Ever since Hunter had made it public knowledge among the rest of Evolution that he and Evie were involved, Ric's demeanor towards her had been impersonal. He would talk to her about things work related, but other than that, he didn't go out of his way to try and be "friendly" with her anymore. Evie supposed it might be in part with her rebuffing him abruptly when he had snuck into her hotel room last year while she had been sleeping. Well, maybe rebuffing wasn't the right word; more like physically discouraging him. The other part being that he wasn't happy that Hunter was getting involved and possibly losing focus on more important things. Evie knew that was part of the reason because Hunter had told her. They had talked about all that when they got back together.
She heard Lillian announcing Hunter on the monitor and turned her attention to watch the match. She was glad she wasn't out there. The pyrotechnics for Goldberg's entrance created too much smoke. After it cleared a bit, Hunter's music hit and he walked down to the ring with Ric.
Hunter and Goldberg began trash talking one another and then stared one another down until Ric distracted Goldberg long enough for Hunter to hit first. He pummeled Goldberg and as he went for an Irish whip, Goldberg reversed it and hit a back body drop on Hunter. Both men ended up outside the ring where Hunter gained the advantage again. They went back into the ring and then out again and Hunter threw Goldberg into the steel steps.
He threw Goldberg back into the ring and climbed in after him. Hunter hit him with a couple high knees and then began choking Goldberg on the ropes. The ref reprimanded him and while his back was turned, Ric picked up where Hunter had left off, by continuing to choke the champion. Once Ric was satisfied that Goldberg had had enough, he let go, watching Hunter climb up to the top rope. Hunter leapt and Goldberg moved out of the way in time to avoid him. Goldberg quickly delivered a sidewalk slam to Hunter and then set him up for a spear. But he never made contact with Hunter. Hunter had rolled out of the ring at the last second.
Goldberg stalked his opponent around the ring and then back into it. Hunter hit a face buster out of nowhere, went up to the second rope and as he jumped off it, received a boot to the face. Goldberg then gave Hunter a military press and that carried over into a power slam. As Goldberg readied for another spear, Ric grabbed his ankles. Goldberg quickly gave Ric a boot to the face and turned his attention back to Hunter as Randy Orton ran down and attempted an RKO. Instead, Goldberg speared him as the ref called for the bell.
Hunter got to his feet and gave Goldberg a low blow, followed by a pedigree. He trash talked Goldberg as he lay on the canvas, but was interrupted by Kane appearing at the top of the ramp. While Hunter was distracted by Kane, Goldberg managed to get to his feet and spear Hunter. That didn't stop Kane however, and he ran down to the ring and cleaned house. He destroyed Goldberg as the bell rang over and over.
Hunter retreated backstage and stormed into Bischoff's office to complain. Wasting no time, he got right in Bischoff's face. "What the hell was that!" he demanded.
Bischoff tried to calm Hunter down. "Now Triple H, you know I have no control over-"
Hunter cut him off. "You know that Evolution is the reason why you have a job, Eric. I want a shot at the World…" Hunter trailed off as he felt someone pressed up against his back. He turned around to see Kane right behind him.
"Eric," Kane rumbled, "I want my shot at the World title. I deserve that shot."
Bischoff mumbled something about a match between Hunter and Kane but both men protested vehemently. It was one of them or nothing at all.
"What I'm saying, gentlemen, is that at Armageddon, it will be Triple H versus Kane versus Goldberg for the World Heavyweight title," Bischoff finally managed to say.
Both men fell quiet for a few seconds and then Kane spoke up. "How do you feel about that, Triple H?"
Hunter turned around so he was face to face with Kane. "I feel fine with that. In fact, I fell that I'll be walking out of that ring at Armageddon with the title." He pushed past Kane and headed towards Evolution's locker room.
Inside he was livid. He alone deserved that title shot. He didn't want Kane involved in any way whatsoever. "Dammit," he muttered as he approached the locker room door.
Hunter threw the door open, causing it to slam against the wall. He said nothing as he strode in, gathered up his clothes and walked into the shower area. Evie said nothing as she watched him. Ric followed Hunter into the shower area to talk to him. She could hear the low murmur of voices and then Hunter started yelling about Kane's interference and the 3-way match for the title at Armageddon.
Evie sighed in response as she got up and started packing her computer into its carry bag. It sounded like it was going to be a night of angry silence for Hunter. As she zipped the bag up, she noticed that their voices had dropped again and after a couple more minutes, Ric emerged.
He looked at Evie. "He'll be fine. He's just a little pissed off with Bischoff right now."
Evie shrugged. "Who doesn't get pissed off by Bischoff?" she asked wryly.
Ric chuckled. "He'll be out in a few minutes." He glanced around. "You seen Batista anywhere?"
"No, I haven't seen him since we got here." She glanced at Ric. "You two have a tag team match tonight, don't you?"
Ric nodded. "I suppose I should get changed and go look for him," he replied. Just then, Batista strode in. He smiled as Ric noticed him. "Where the hell have you been, big man?" Ric asked.
Batista gave Ric a conspiring look. "I've been hooking us up for the night, Ric. I found three ladies who all have friends and they'll be meeting up with us tonight."
Ric laughed as he clapped Batista on the back. "Nice job. I can't wait to meet 'em."
Hunter came out with his gear in hand and a murderous expression on his face. He noticed Batista in the room. "Don't you two have a tag match tonight?" he asked curtly.
Batista said nothing, simply nodded at Hunter, and winked at Evie. Ric shook his head and they both disappeared to change.
Hunter stuffed his things into his own bag and then sat down on the sofa with a huff. Wisely, Evie said nothing. Usually it was best to let him alone and let his mood disappear on its own. She kept her attention on the monitor, where Miss Jackie and Trish were in the process of ripping their clothes off each other in a bra and panties match. Evie rolled her eyes at their antics. Bischoff would put two women in a match just to get them to take off their clothes, which made her doubly glad she had a "no wrestling" clause in her contract.
Batista and Ric came out, dressed for their match. Hunter nodded at them as they walked past and out the door. He was still incensed that Kane was a part of the title match against Goldberg at Armageddon. His foul mood continued through Batista and Ric's match and didn't improve when they lost to HBK and Jericho. Batista, outraged at having been beat, gave HBK a power bomb and then posed and screamed at the camera as the show faded to black.
Hunter abruptly stood up and began pacing the room, his mind working furiously on the issue of Kane. Evie watched him warily. She still didn't say a word. That could wait until they got back to the hotel. Hopefully by then, he'd calm down a bit. The other three members of Evolution entered and quickly changed into their street clothes.
Ric let Hunter know that they would be going as far as the hotel with him and Evie but after that they were meeting up with female company back here.
"Makes more sense for us to take the limo and then send it back here for you guys," Hunter grumbled.
They agreed on that and Evie and Hunter headed out to the parking lot. Once they were on their way to the hotel, Hunter leaned his head back and let his eyes close. He didn't want to think anymore and he certainly didn't want to talk. He just wanted to be left alone for a few minutes to clear his head.
He was disturbed only when Evie briefly touched his leg to let him know they'd arrived at the hotel. As soon as they had entered their room, Hunter walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Evie set her things down and within minutes, heard the water running for the shower.
After she had changed into her nightshirt, she plopped down on the bed and took up the remote for the television. Hunter took his time in the bathroom and Evie became tired of waiting. She turned off the TV and the light on her side of the bed and slid under the blankets. She hoped Hunter's mood would improve by tomorrow, as they were flying out to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with her family.
It would be nice to see them again. Despite the fact that she enjoyed her job, she did miss her family. Hunter had been extremely accommodating in visiting them frequently. He knew how close they all were. When Evie had asked him if it bothered him, he had told her no, and that he liked her family. She could understand that. His own family wasn't too supportive about his lifestyle or his career. He had described them as stiff and standoffish. Evie tended to think of them as stuck-up and snotty. She had met them not too long ago, and they had made it abundantly clear that they didn't approve of Hunter's choice. His mother went so far as to even say that in front of Evie. Hunter had apologized to her for their reactions. Evie had been offended, but brushed it off, telling Hunter that it didn't matter to her if they approved or not. It wasn't them she was in love with. They hadn't been back to see his family since then, which was fine by her.
While she was thinking about family, the bathroom door opened and Hunter came out. He tossed his clothes onto his suitcase and climbed into bed next to Evie. He said nothing; instead he reached out and pulled her to him. He nestled his face into the crook of her neck and sighed.
That could only mean that he had settled down. One hand came up and stroked his hair. "Hunter?" she asked quietly.
"Mmm," was his reply as he nuzzled her neck.
"Are you done?" she asked as her fingers gently entwined themselves in his hair.
He sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess so." His anger had abated for now. He'd save it for work. Besides, their holiday started tomorrow and he'd rather enjoy it than be pissed off. No sense in getting everyone else upset.
Evie's voice broke into his thoughts. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?" she asked with a hint of suggestion.
Hunter smiled against her skin. He knew she was trying to get his mind off things, but it had been a long day and he was tired. "Not tonight. I'm worn out enough as it is."
She dropped a brief kiss on his forehead. "All right then. I guess I'll let you go to sleep."
He nuzzled her neck in response as his eyes closed. "I love you," he whispered.
"I know," she said in response. "Go to sleep."
"Another Thanksgiving," Evie sighed as they pulled up in front of her parents' home.
"You make it sound like a bad thing," Hunter stated. "I like your family."
Evie smiled grimly as she turned the engine off. "Oh, my immediate family is fine. It's the aunts and uncles and cousins you have to watch out for." She pocketed the keys and looked at Hunter. "They like to drag everyone into the old family arguments, especially my Aunt Celia and Beth."
Hunter grinned. "I'll watch my step," he said as he and Evie got out of the car.
Before they could even reach the front door, it was flung open and two boys ran out. Evie laughed as Jacob and Colin descended on them, hugging Evie around the waist and shaking hands with Hunter.
They tugged on their hands, pulling them towards the house and into the family commotion. Evie's mother and father were the first to greet them. They both hugged Evie and Hunter shook hands with David and received a hug from Lillian. Evie's sister noticed them and let out a whoop of excitement.
Lauren plowed through the press of relatives and hugged her sister and then Hunter. After that, the rest of the family plagued them, greeting Hunter and talking to Evie. When the commotion had subsided, Evie escaped into the kitchen to get a drink, leaving Hunter with Jacob and Colin. They were taking him to each cousin and introducing him. Evie grinned at that. She supposed it had more to do with showing off Hunter than anything else. As she poured herself a Guinness, Lauren appeared next to her.
"So Hunter decided to brave the family this year?" she asked Evie as she smiled.
"Yeah. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was determined to come," Evie replied as she tossed the can into the recycling bin.
"He'll be fine, so I wouldn't worry too much. I don't think Jacob and Colin will let him out of sight for more than two seconds," Lauren said with some amusement. "And speaking of my sons, have you told your man to quit showing them moves and holds?"
Evie grinned. "Yeah, but somehow I don't think that's going to keep him from doing it. I told him about Jacob's altercation and you know what he said?" When Lauren shook her head, Evie continued. "He said that you should be glad he can defend himself."
Lauren rolled her eyes. "That's what Gavin said too; typical guy response." She reached over and took a swig of Evie's ale. She made a face and gave it back to Evie. "I still don't understand how you can drink that stuff. You must get it from mom's side of the family."
"Speaking of which, are Tom and Dana at her family's this year?" Evie questioned. She hadn't seen her brother when she had come in.
Lauren nodded. "Yeah, they went to her parents' house this year. Tom said they complained about not seeing their granddaughter very often."
"Well, seeing as they live in Oregon, I'm not surprised. So, anything happen before we got here?" Evie asked her sister.
Lauren laughed and started telling Evie about Aunt Celia trying to take over the kitchen. Their mother was having none of it and promptly threw Celia out. "You should have seen mom's face. I swear that Irish temper is going to assert itself one of these days; especially around Celia."
They moved back into the family room and after looking for Hunter, who was talking to Gavin, Evie made the rounds to talk to the family members she actually liked. She checked on Hunter to make sure he was surviving; occasionally introducing him to yet another family member. Eventually dinner was served with a minimal of fuss and everyone was soon busy gorging themselves on turkey and all the trimmings. Of course, Evie's two nephews insisted that they sit next to Hunter. The conversation ranged from family news and goings-on to questions about Hunter's job and all the traveling that he and Evie do, to Thanksgivings past.
Dessert made the rounds and then the men took themselves off to the family room to watch football. Hunter went along with them. The kids trooped into the basement to play games or watch a movie on the television down there.
The women moved back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen with plates and cutlery, helping Lillian clean up. After Evie made sure her mother didn't need any more help, she grabbed her coat and escaped to the deck that wrapped around the back of the house. She took a deep breath of cold air and blew it out. At last, some silence. She loved her family, but gatherings like this were overwhelming sometimes; mainly when the extended family was involved.
Leaning against the railing, she looked out over the yard. It had been changed from the wide-open space she knew as a child, to a landscaped one. A stone path wound around shrubs and trees, beds of flowers that would burst with color in the spring, and down to the tree house at the back of the yard. It was relatively quiet for a holiday. Away from the chatter of family in the house, she could hear only the birds chirping occasionally in the trees and the distant bark of a dog.
The sound of the sliding glass door caught her attention and she looked to see who was invading her solitude. It was Hunter. A half-smile crept over her face. He had held up admirably under the zillion questions that most of her extended family had asked. Evie had overheard her Aunt Beth ask a question about marriage and grinned as Hunter completely avoided the question.
She waited for him to see her standing at the far end of the deck. He smiled when he did see her. She watched him walk towards her, admiring the way he moved. He also had his coat on over his grey shirt and black pants; his hair pulled back into his customary pony-tail.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked.
"Too many people inside and my face hurts from smiling and talking." She sighed. "I know they mean well, but..."
He nodded his head. "I understand."
A mischievous grin suddenly appeared. "So how many of my family have us married?"
"I lost count, but your second cousin Erin, asked me to marry her." There was a twinkle in his eyes.
Evie chuckled. "She's only ten Hunter. Are you willing to wait at least eight more years?"
He smirked. "Well, by that time I should be ready to get married again."
She laughed. "I don't think she'll wait that long though."
"Probably not. Probably find herself some young guy. Forget about old Hunter." He looked at her. "How are you holding up?" He knew she didn't mind her immediate family, but when everyone else was thrown into the mix, it became a bit much for her.
"I'm all right. It's just a bit overwhelming having all those people around. I needed some fresh air and a little peace and quiet."
"You want me to leave?" he asked her.
"You really want to go back in there?" she countered.
Now it was his turn to laugh. "Well when you put it like that... no."
"Well then you can stay out here with me." She glanced back at the sliding door. "At least until we're discovered." She leaned back against the railing, her gloved hands resting on the top.
Hunter looked her over. She had on a pair of dark red boot cut pants and a black button down shirt under the leather jacket. Her hair fell softly about her shoulders, stirring slightly in the cold breeze. He smiled as thoughts of taking her back to her place, taking off her clothes and performing a few unspeakable acts, paraded through his mind.
She noticed he was checking her out with a grin. "What? Did I spill something on myself?"
Hunter shook his head. "Just thinking about how much I'd like to get you out of those clothes," he stated as he leered at her
Evie laughed as he moved even closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered what he had been thinking a few seconds earlier.
She pulled her head back to look at him an expression of mock astonishment on her face. "Why Mr. Helmsley! I don't do those things!"
"You liar," he whispered just before he kissed her.
The sliding door opened and out popped a little head covered with a mop of brown hair. It was Colin. When he spied them, his head disappeared back inside and they heard him yell, "They're out here Mom! And they're making out!"
The kiss dissolved into laughter from both of them.
"So much for peace and quiet," Evie observed.
Lauren appeared at the door. "Evie, Hunter, people are starting to leave. You better come in and say goodbye." She grinned mischievously. "And stop making out!"
Evie stuck her tongue out at her sister and then glanced at Hunter. "Ready?"
He smiled. "Always ready."
They walked back into the house.
"Remind me why I let you talk me into this?" Hunter murmured as they approached the doors into the Gold Coast Room of the Drake Hotel.
"Because you love me," Evie whispered in return.
The strains of Opus One drifted through the doors with the low hum of voices and the tinkle of crystal. As they stepped through, Evie sucked in a breath at the sight of the room decorated in muted red and gold; the wood parquet flooring reflected the golden glow of the chandeliers. Windows lined the wall opposite them, affording an incredible view of Lake Michigan, framed by red draperies. Simple arrangements of calla lilies and orchids in various shades of red and white complimented the red tablecloths. A full band was playing on the stage at the north end of the room.
Evie stood in the doorway for a few seconds, taking in the view. For some reason, she hadn't expected the understated elegance. But then again, this was Philip, so anything was unexpected. Hunter cleared his throat, breaking her reverie and they descended the stairs into the room. Philip swooped down on them as their feet touched the wood floor.
"Evelyn," he said coyly as he kissed one cheek and then the other. He stepped back and looked at her. "My, my, don't you look absolutely gorgeous!
She had on a strapless full length gown. It faded from a muted dark yellow, to burnt orange to deep red at the bottom. Matching beads swept like scattered sunbeams from her left side to her right. Her hair was swept into a simple twist at the nape of her neck and she wore a circlet of small rubies around her neck while matching stones also glimmered in her ears.
"Very nice, dear," he stated and then turned to Hunter. "And it's good to see you again Hunter," he said as he shook Hunter's hand.
"Thanks. Good to see you too," Hunter replied politely.
"You clean up pretty good as well," Philip said with a grin as he appraised Hunter's appearance in a tuxedo.
Hunter smirked. "You don't do too bad yourself."
"Well let's not stand here blocking traffic," Philip stated as he ushered them farther into the room.
"So what's this party for?" Evie asked. "You weren't exactly informative over the phone."
Philip waved his hand around. "You mean all this?" When Evie nodded, he continued. "Oh, it's just my way of saying thank you to all my clientele for all their faith in me over the years."
"Well, just keep in mind, Philip dear, that I am not working the room for you tonight," Evie reminded him. She had worked for Philip prior to becoming Hunter's personal assistant. She knew how persuasive Philip could be and it was always best to set the record straight with him.
He said nothing, only smiled sweetly in response, and proceeded to take them around and introduce them to different people. Most were Chicago society and some were Hollywood people; directors, actors and producers.
Hunter watched Evie in amazement as she greeted people she already knew and those she didn't. Despite her declaration to Philip, he saw her change from his assistant into a PR person. She made people laugh and feel at ease, no matter how briefly she spoke to them. He was also surprised at the wealth of information she seemed to have about certain people because she was asking about their families and businesses. Between her and Philip, he met several Chicago officials, fashion designers, and a few of the upper members of Chicago society. Not only that, but he was introduced to a couple of film producers as well as a director.
Eventually, Evie and Hunter made it to the bar. Philip had left them to meet someone else. After taking a glass of champagne each, they strolled over towards the windows. The view of Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive was stunning. Standing behind her, Hunter let out a low whistle at the view.
"You should see it with a full moon over the lake. Absolutely beautiful," Evie said before taking a sip of the champagne.
Hunter said nothing. Absolutely beautiful could describe the woman standing in front of him. He had to admit, she did look great in that dress from the front and back. His hands itched to smooth over the bare skin of her back, and where her shoulder met her neck, he wanted nothing more than to kiss that spot; to take her hair down and feel the scented weight of it slip through his hands. Hell, ever since she came out of her room in that dress, he'd been wanting to- Later, he reminded himself sharply.
"So, he's had parties here before?" Hunter asked nonchalantly.
"He's done weddings here and dinners, but nothing like this. At least not for himself," she replied, not sensing his mood. "I think this is the first huge party he's thrown for himself. Usually it's just a few close friends for dinner, or a few close friends and their friends at a club."
Hunter nodded, remembering the last time they had been invited to one of Philip's parties. "So how long did you work for him?"
"About five years. It was after I came back from California. He helped me out a lot with that whole mess," she told him. She took another drink of her alcohol.
"How long have you known him all together?" he asked with interest. She had talked about Philip and how he was more of a brother than a friend, but she hadn't really divulged too much about him.
Evie mentally added up the years. "Oh gosh, since I was a freshman in college, so that would be at least twelve years." She looked up at him. "Why?"
Hunter shrugged. "Just wondering." He returned her gaze, a smile forming on his mouth.
"What's so funny?" Evie asked.
"Watching you with all those people. I thought you weren't going to do any schmoozing," he said with amusement. Actually, he was thinking about what he was going to do to her once they got back in the limo to go home.
She chuckled. "Yeah, well, old habits die hard I guess." Her gaze traveled around the room. "It's been a while since I've seen some of these people." She saw Philip making his way towards them with someone in tow. "Uh oh, we've been spotted."
Hunter turned to see who she was talking about and saw Philip as well. "Who's that with him?" he asked as he squinted a little.
"That would be Jake; Philip's other half," Evie said as the two men approached.
"Evie!" Jake exclaimed as he enveloped her in a brief hug.
"Hi Jake," she replied as she returned the hug. "How are you?"
Jake smiled. "I'm doing fine. I've been keeping this one in line," he said as he gestured towards Philip. "How about you?" he asked as his eyes swept over her and then moved to Hunter. "And is this the man I've been hearing about from Philip?"
Evie suppressed a grin. "Yes, this is Hunter," she introduced them as Jake shook Hunter's hand.
Hunter was surprised at the strong grip. The way Jake was acting, he thought it would be a limp one. "Nice to meet you," he said politely.
"So you're a wrestler?" Jake asked with more than casual interest.
Evie caught the gleam in Jake's eyes and knew he was up to something. She quickly averted Jake's attention to herself. "So, how much of this did you take care of Jake?"
That did the trick. Jake was off and rambling about how much a pain in the ass Philip had been while organizing this party. Hunter silently thanked Evie with his eyes as he took a swallow of his champagne. He didn't mind Philip, nor did he care about the relationship between the two men, but he hated it when people baited him. The exception being Evie, of course.
As the evening progressed, dinner was served. Evie and Hunter were seated at Philip's table with a few choice guests. Hunter chatted amicably with the others, answering their questions and asking his own.
Philip, who was seated on Evie's right side, leaned towards her. "I must say, you are looking great. He seems to be doing wonders for you," he stated as he nodded in Hunter's direction.
"And how do you know that?" Evie asked as she raised an eyebrow.
Philip grinned. "I know you, dear. You forget that I've known you long enough to tell when things are doing well. Or," he lowered his voice, "when someone is doing you well," he said suggestively.
A soft laugh escaped Evie. "You're a bad, bad man Philip."
"That may be, but you know that I only have your best interests at heart," he said before taking another bite of his dinner. "And you know that if anything happens, you are always welcome to come back to work for me." He set his knife down. "Believe it or not, you are missed. Certain clients always ask about you."
"I appreciate that Philip, but I don't think I'll be back any time soon," Evie replied quietly. "I know that you're being pragmatic about all of this, and I thank you for that. You know what it means to me to have you watching out for me."
And he always had. Ever since they had become friends during college, they had been almost inseparable. Evie's sister always joked that they were joined at the hip. Philip was family to Evie. He had always taken care of her; especially when she had returned from California. By that time, Philip had gotten his fledgling business off the ground and was in need of help. He offered Evie the job of being his personal assistant/PR person, since the last one had quit, telling Philip he was too demanding. Evie was one of the few people who could put Philip in his place and still keep her job. In a way, he was partly responsible for her low tolerance for B.S.
Dinner finished and Evie was able to talk Hunter into a couple of slow dances. Evie laughed as Hunter seemed to be having a difficult time keeping his hands from straying over her as they danced. After another hour, they said their goodbyes and walked out and down to the limo that was waiting for them. Once they were in the car and on their way back, Hunter slid across the seat and pulled her to him.
"What?" she asked.
He said nothing and his mouth came down on hers. Her arms crept up over his shoulders as the kiss deepened. He kissed her passionately, his tongue laving hers, the inside of her mouth and then her lips. As he withdrew, he looked down at her. Her breathing was coming and going in gasps. Her breasts were straining against the confines of her dress; the very dress that Hunter couldn't wait to help her out of.
When her breathing had calmed, she looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm in trouble when we get back?" she asked in an offhand manner.
"Because you are," he growled in response, sending shivers down her spine.
By the time they reached Evie's home, neither of them could keep their hands off each other. They thanked the driver as he let them out and they went up the stairs as quickly as possible. Evie had hardly locked the door, when Hunter swept her up in his arms and carried her into her bedroom.
Once her feet were on the floor, he gave her a blistering kiss while his hands worked the zipper of her dress down. She was pushing his tux jacket over his shoulders. He shrugged it off and it fell to the floor while her hands busied themselves with the buttons of his shirt.
Once his fingers had undone the zipper of her dress, he let it fall to the floor. She stepped out of it and pushed it to one side with her foot. He felt a surge of excitement as he looked at her standing in front of him clad in nothing but her underwear, a pair of thigh high stockings and her shoes. He watched intently as she reached up and removed the pins that held up her hair. Once it fell free, he gathered it into his hands and deeply inhaled its scent.
Her hands tugged his shirt from his pants and she finished unbuttoning it. It was discarded as he leaned in and captured her mouth with his. Evie's hands slid up over his broad shoulders and pulled his hair free from his ponytail; her fingers entwining in the strands as she pulled his head closer. She reveled in the feeling of his warm body pressed against hers and his hands heavy on her hips. Her fingers disengaged from his hair and traveled down towards the fasteners on his pants. Deftly, she undid them and then told him to sit down.
He sat on the edge of the bed as she knelt in front of him and proceeded to remove his shoes and socks. She set them aside and then told him to stand up again. He obliged her and closed his eyes as she pushed his pants down. He stepped out of them and then sighed as her hands began to work his briefs down his legs. Evie kissed her way up his thighs as she stood up. Her mouth burned a trail over his thighs, up his abdomen and over his chest to his mouth. With a growl, he crushed her to him, kissing her fiercely.
She gasped as he pushed her down to sit on the bed. Immediately, he removed her shoes and then his fingers worked the clasp on her bra. When that had been tossed aside, he rolled her stockings off her legs one by one and then moved to take off her thong. She shivered as his fingers brushed against her hips. He removed the fabric gently and set it aside. Repeating the act she had performed on him a few minutes earlier, his mouth blazed a path over her thighs and, pushing her down on the bed, up her body to her breasts. He gently nipped each one before laving the sensitive skin of her neck with his tongue. Hunter stopped and looked down at her.
She was watching him with those green eyes, the passion evident on her face. Slowly, she inched her way up onto the bed and he stretched out over her, continuing to lick, and caress her body. His caresses alternated between soft, melting ones and fierce touches, intended to incite an aggressive desire in her. Between the feel of his fingertips traveling on her skin and the touch of his mouth, Evie felt like she was drowning slowly.
Suddenly, his drugged touch stopped. Her eyes flew open at the absence of sensation and looked at him. He was deftly parting her legs and positioning himself. He hitched her legs up over his shoulders and thrust himself into her. Evie's back arched up as she moaned in response. His momentum quickened as he felt her tighten around him. Her legs slipped down on either side of and he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back as he laid his full length over her. She enjoyed his weight on her, his body crushing hers to the mattress as he pounded into her.
Evie moved quicker, feeling the familiar spiral of ecstasy ascending. When he felt her, he quickened his own motions, inciting her to come with him with words, his hands gripping her tightly. The climax thundered down on both of them and Evie cried out in half joy, half sob as Hunter roared out his satisfaction.
Still embracing, they collapsed against one another, waiting for their trembling bodies to calm and their breathing to subside to normal. Hunter's mouth kissed her neck over and over as her legs wrapped around his waist, keeping him close.
Eventually, he disengaged himself from her and lay on his side facing her. He watched as she turned her head to gaze at him with those green eyes, a smile of satisfaction on her lips. Hunter said nothing, simply pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. Her legs entwined with his as a satiated sigh slipped from his mouth.
"I love you," she whispered against the skin of his chest.
He smiled. "I know," he repeated her often used response.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the prologue. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm basically using this to give a little catch-up background on their relationship with each other as well as family and friends since the end of A Thousand Reasons. It's taken me a while to get back into the swing of writing these two, so please, do not be afraid to critique anything. Every little bit helps me write better! And if you feel inclined to have a look, I put a pic of Evie up on my site. She's under Fanfic & Misc and it's sort of a big pic, so it may take a bit to load.