Tangled Temptations

Chapter 354

Eloise was caught between surprise and delight. Harvey stood outside the car, gazing at her with a look that turned her smile into a blooming rose.

His voice was husky. "Do you like it?"

Eloise buried her face in the roses; her voice was unusually sweet and alluring. "I love it." No woman could resist the charm of a man bearing flowers.

Harvey smiled faintly. He closed the car door, gracefully walked around to the driver's side, and got in. The sleek black sports car pulled away slowly, its silhouette against the streetlights like a shooting star.

At the hotel entrance, Jeffrey stood quietly for a long time.

...

Inside the car, Harvey played a soft melody. Eloise sipped some champagne and relaxed against the seat, feeling a bit tipsy.

They approached a red light. Harvey stopped the car and turned to her. "Home or the apartment?"

Eloise sobered up a little. She whispered into the roses, "Does it matter? If it's all the same, I'd like the hotel."

The atmosphere was charged with an unspoken tension.

Harvey watched her. Then, after a moment of silence, he unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to her. Eloise looked up, about to speak, but he was already kissing her deeply.

After a long while, he lifted his head. His voice was a deep rasp. "Eloise, do you know what you're saying?"

With one hand clutching the flowers and the other around his neck, she seemed torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer. Behind them, impatient car horns blared. Harvey buckled up, his Adam's apple rolling seductively. "Then, to the hotel it is."

Perhaps it was the rarity of Eloise taking the initiative that had Harvey so excited. He drove to the nearest five-star hotel and checked in with efficiency.

No sooner had they entered the presidential suite than Eloise found herself pinned against the door, possessed by him. He was more forceful than usual, having held back for so long. Making love once would not be enough.

Harvey carried her to the main bedroom and laid her on the bed's edge. Her designer gown soon joined the white roses scattered across the purple fabric on the carpet.

In the bedroom, passion reigned. It was not until the early hours of the morning that they finally rested.

Harvey held Eloise, kissing her, feeling thoroughly content, body and soul. "What's gotten into you tonight?" he murmured in her ear.

Eloise, damp with sweat, leaned onto his shoulder and said lightly, "It might be the champagne."

He kissed her again.

They both remembered that they hadn't taken any precautions that night, but neither thought to remedy it.

In the early winter chill, Eloise didn't want to move from the warmth of his embrace. Neither did Harvey. After a while, Eloise spoke softly, "We should get up. Time to go home."

Harvey kissed her, feigning displeasure. "That's the trouble with kids. If only we could just sleep in till morning after making love. But no, we have to head home in the middle of the night."

Though he spoke thus, he began to dress her. Her gown was ruined, so he gave her his shirt to wear. Finally, he draped his coat over her. And he, in a simple grey sweater, didn't look out of place.

He walked her down to the lobby to check out. It was 1:30 AM. The receptionist recognized them and discreetly processed their departure, wishing "Mr. and Mrs. Horigan" a warm welcome back.

Eloise flushed with embarrassment. Harvey, unfazed, casually inquired as he took the receipt. "Can we get a membership card for a discount next time?"

The receptionist obliged.

Back in the car, Eloise couldn't help but protest, "There won't be a next time." Harvey put the membership card away, adjusted his sweater, and then looked at Eloise. "Mrs. Horigan, are you not feeling good? Because I feel fantastic."

Eloise's cheeks turned pink, and she dropped the subject.

Harvey slowly started the car.

Just as Eloise was about to rest her eyes, she caught sight of a red sports car not far away with a woman inside who looked emotionless, staring at them. She had long black hair and a gaunt face, looking so much like Ravenna.

for a clearer view,

noticed her unease and

Eloise was still shaken.

"I thought I saw Ravenna. Harvey, why would she be here in the middle

hand. "I'll have someone check

mind was far from calm. Only when they arrived back home did she start to unwind a bit, especially after Harvey prepared a comforting

Harvey gently stroked her head, saying softly, "I'll call about

hotel parking lot footage within half an hour. The woman in the red car wasn't

watched the footage several times before thanking his contact, "You've been a great help, Coen. Dinner's on me

polite exchanges, Harvey returned to the bedroom to find Eloise still awake. He touched her head. "I checked. It's not Ravenna. Just someone

offered

asleep. She

window, he lay bloodied and motionless, but in his

white silk nightgown was

looking up quietly

warm body. "I'll call an ambulance!" She could hear

face was etched with sorrow. He spoke to her, voice heavy with finality, "It's too late, Eloise. It's just

tightly. Despite the anger she had felt towards him, she never wished for his death. She began to drag him towards the

matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't budge him an inch. Tears streamed down Eloise's

"

this is for you... I have to go. With those words, his body slowly started to fade.

Max was gone...

her with the amulet, his final smile, and three silent words - I love

"Max! Max! Max!"

was drenched in sweat, repeatedly calling

name.

a warm embrace. "Eloise,

gently, as tender as one

up at him, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, and her

everything from her

I dreamt of Max." She clung to his

comforting her, "It was just a dream, Eloise,

a dream."

fell.

his chest, her voice as fragile as a kitten's.

car. I tried to reach

his neck, sobbing. "In the dream, he gave me an

twinge of guilt. If she had accepted the amulet before, would Max have avoided

wish him well anymore, but she

him dead.

about

entirely unfeeling, but he understood that Max's death cast a long shadow in Eloise's heart. Otherwise, she

whispering, "Let's

shoulder, silent. Later, she lay in his arms, unable to fall asleep. Outside, rain fell, just like the day Max died, a fine misty rain, the world gloomy. But in Harvey's arms, there was warmth. He hadn't

his arm. "You wouldn't want to know." What man could

in and kissed the tip of her nose gently, insisting, "I

recounted bits of the past, and Harvey listened patiently and tenderly. He was

by her

complex, and as

their college days, with no horrific car accident, just trees, bicycles, and the library.

gone forever, etched in Eloise's memory. If she had

the bedroom, since

He just stood by the floor-to-ceiling window,

their marriage. It was improving, yet tinged with new regrets, regrets that only

she dealt with Joan and Monica, Harvey had

that was their respective life journeys. If they wanted to live well, they had to accept what