The Drifter by Kate Hoffmann

making love outdoors. She felt completely exposed, her emotions laid bare for him to see.
    If she didn’t love him now, Eve knew it was only a matter of time. How could she resist a man who made her believe in the possibilities of a future? She wasn’t sure she could save herself from another round of heartache and disappointment. But there were moments, like this one, when all the heartache would be worth it.
    When he moved to touch her at the spot where they were joined, Eve grabbed his hands and pinned them on either side of his head. She was going to control this one small thing. She was going to make him want her as much as she wanted him.
    And in the end, he gave in to the pleasure she offered. But to Eve’s surprise, the seduction was more than she could handle. His soft whispers sent her over the edge and she collapsed against his chest in a string of delicious spasms.
    He wrapped them both in the sleeping bag, drawing her tight against his warm body. Eve sighed softly, snuggling into the curve of his arm. “You were right,” she whispered.
    “About what?”
    “I need to get outside more and get some exercise,” she said. “I feel so much better already.”
    Charlie chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “This isn’t exactly what I was thinking about. And it’s not something you can do in Boulder.”
    “It might be kind of fun,” she said. “Sneaking around looking for places we can be alone.”
    He drew back and looked into her eyes. “Really? ’Cause I know a few spots.”
    She reached down and smoothed her hand over his belly. “We wouldn’t have to stay in town. I think I should take a bit more time for myself. I work hard. I deserve a break every now and then.” She smiled. “So where should we go next?”
    “You know where I’d love to take you? India. No, Turkey. And then Nepal. And China.”
    “I was thinking about Estes Park,” Eve said. “But I’ve always wanted to see the Great Wall. And there’s a lot of vegetarian cooking in China. I do a lot of Asian-influenced cooking. I’d love to go to Thailand.”
    “We’ll go there first,” Charlie said. “You’ll love it.”
    “Hmm,” she said. It was a nice diversion to dream about such things. But Eve knew that the chances of them traveling to Thailand were slim at best. She had a restaurant to run, he had his work.
    “I’m not just blowing smoke here,” Charlie said. “I’m serious. I think we should travel.”
    “I thought we discussed this,” Eve said. “It really isn’t good to make promises we can’t keep.”
    “I’m not making a promise. We get along well and I’m tired of traveling alone. I think you’d make a good companion.”
    “I’d want to spend all my time in restaurants,” she said.
    “I have to eat. And I’d want to spend my time seeing the countryside.”
    “I need exercise,” she countered.
    “See? We’d make the perfect pair.”
    Eve closed her eyes and curled more deeply into his embrace. They did make a good pair. But as nice as that felt now, Eve knew this infatuation would fade over time. Sooner or later, they’d have to deal with the realities of their relationship. The impossibilities would overwhelm the potential.
    She sighed, her breath clouding in the chilly air. There was no predicting when the end would come or how it would happen. But Eve already knew how she’d feel. He’d always be the one that got away, the one she could have loved.

5
    “I JUST NEED A LITTLE ADVICE, ” Charlie said. “I thought I’d start with the appliances.”
    They stood in the kitchen of the Garden Gate, Charlie sitting on the edge of the prep table and Eve moving easily around the kitchen.
    After their night in the wild, Charlie had noticed a subtle change in Eve. She was a bit more distant, more introverted. The sex was still incredible, but he felt as though she were pulling away.
    He could guess what she was worried about. The more time they spent together, the more it became