Without further hesitation, I escort Eva to my SUV. Like when we arrived, I crouch before her and assist with her shoes. Honestly, I will take any opportunity to touch her. You would think the drama of tonight would be over.
“Hey, I need to talk to you,” Cody shouts in our direction.
I’m kicking myself for not paying better attention to our surroundings. My vigilance decreased considering she’s confronted or been confronted by both her ex and her boss already this evening.
I rise to my full height, shielding her. “Eva was quite clear. She has nothing more to say to you.”
My words anger Cody more. “I’m not talking to you.”
“It’s okay.” She slips on her flip-flops and stands with the door and me between her and Cody.
“What did you do, Eva? I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Excuse me? I didn’t do anything except my job.”
“You cast stones at me for cheating on you, but you must’ve done something for the team to award the contract to you personally,” Cody states.
“Don’t lump me in with you. I crushed the design, nothing more.”
“What about him?” Cody points at me. “I’m sure he’s connected to the team somehow. I mean… look at him. He’s clearly an athlete. You aren’t that good at designing marketing campaigns.”
I feel anger roll off Eva from his words. The notion that she would only get the account on her own if she had an inside contact is preposterous.
She glances at me and asks, “Would you like to tell him, or should I?”
“Go ahead, gorgeous.”
Eva stands tall and proud, looking directly at Cody. “He’s a police officer with no connection to the team whatsoever.”
When Eva discloses my profession, Cody clams up. However, Eva isn’t finished giving him a piece of her mind.
“Oh, you thought I chose a brainless man who spends all his time in the gym. Did you know me at all? Then again, I briefly dated you, which was a mistake of epic proportions. I’m going to reiterate my words from before. Do not call me, email me, write me, or send a carrier pigeon with a message. I never want to see or hear from you again.”
“Eva, don’t be like this.”
“Like what? Strong. Independent. Resilient. Not your doormat anymore.” My gorgeous woman turns to me and says, “Take me home.”
She’s everything. Not only is she the things she mentioned to Cody but so much more. I kiss her and close her into the car. As I round the hood, Cody retreats a few steps, adding space between me and him. “I suggest you walk away, Cody. She won’t change her mind. Something you would know if you cared about her at all.”
I settle into the driver’s seat and pull out of the spot. Cody hasn’t moved, and I don’t care one bit. I thread my fingers into hers and rest them on her thigh. Most of the ride is silent as far as words. Truly, there isn’t anything to say. She was clear and honest with Cody. Hopefully, he’ll listen this time. I pull straight into my garage and close the door behind us.
“I’m grabbing a water. Want one?” she offers.
“No, I’m fine. I’m going to let Roxie out, and I’ll be right in.”
“Okay,” she replies, traipsing into the kitchen.
I release Roxie from her kennel, and she immediately lopes into the kitchen and rubs against Eva, who bends down and bestows love on my partner in crime. When Roxie is satisfied Eva feels better, she heels near the French doors. I follow her outside and stand on the deck while she runs around. When Roxie finishes checking out the boundaries of the yard, she trots up the steps and sits by the door. After letting her in, I arm the security system and tug at my tie as I walk to my bedroom.
The moment I cross the threshold, I see Eva wiggling out of her dress. Containing my reaction is impossible. “Holy fuck!”
She turns in the direction of my voice and doesn’t cover herself. It’s hot as hell. “What? It isn’t as if you haven’t seen me naked before.”
I grin. “You went to a work event bare beneath your dress?”
“Yes.”
“You’re my dream woman, and I need to feel you vibrate with pleasure beneath me right now.”
“Awww. saying sweet and dirty things in one sentence.” She walks in the opposite direction.
I expeditiously remove the rest of my suit and pile it on the floor. “Get over here, woman, so I can worship you properly.”
We close the gap between us and tumble onto my bed. Sealing my lips over hers, our kiss explodes. An undercurrent of desire pulses through me, yet I force myself to slow down. Beginning at the top of her foot, I kiss and lick my way up her long, lean legs. Each touch of my mouth on her skin causes goose bumps to skitter over her body.
“Lachlan.”
This beautiful woman has burrowed her way deeper than anyone else, and I yearn to let her unravel me completely. “Yes, baby.”
“Get up here, please.”
“I love it when you beg, but we have all night,” I reply, lifting my gaze to meet hers.
“I need to feel you inside me now. Later you can work on your tactile map of my body.”
Without a second thought, I scramble up and meet her lips before answering, “Yes, ma’am.”
Her glorious laugh surrounds me as I protect us both. The sweet sound stops the moment I bury myself deep inside her.
Keeping her out of my mind, heart, and soul is a futile endeavor. Each thrust brands us together. She screams my name, and her inner walls clench around me. Together we free-fall over the cliff into pure ecstasy.
When our panting decreases to steady breathing, she asks, “Will we keep getting better…?” Her question trails off.
“I certainly hope so. Ready for me to study the lines, dips, and curves of your body for my tactile map?”
“Completely.”
Hovering over her beneath the sheet, I shimmy southward and press a kiss to the top of her foot. A sweet moan echoes toward me. With painstaking precision, I follow the contours of Eva’s frame. Each nip forces shivers to cascade along her flawless skin. She arches off the bed, silently begging for me to settle between her thighs.
“Lachlan.”
“Yes, gorgeous.”
“I want you to explode inside me again.”
I hurry a little but don’t heed her request instantly. I slide a layer of latex over my length and penetrate her as deeply as possible. We find our rhythm easily this time and surrender to the thunderous pleasure we create. Once we clean up, I wrap her in my arms, and we fall quickly to sleep.
Near eight the next morning, I wake, tug on a fresh pair of boxer briefs, and slip out of the bedroom. Once Roxie is fed, I brew coffee for the two of us. I stare at her a bit longer than I should before nudging her. Like when she watched Lilah for me, she’s sound asleep in my bed as if it’s ours. I want it to be ours. I’m not questioning whether Eva can make us happy. She already does. My concern is when Clare drops the other shoe, can we survive it?
“Are you going to share?” Eva mumbles from the bed.
“Yes, but you need to put on some clothes first.”
Without a second thought, she sits up, the sheet pooling at her waist. Her full, pert breasts on display tempt me to take her again. “Why would I do that?”
“We don’t have enough time for me to worship you properly again before we need to leave.”
“Nothing wrong with hard and fast.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
“Drink up, sweetheart. Your statement has me planning to act ungentlemanly this morning.”
She gulps half the cup and sets it on the night table. Uncovering herself fully, Eva turns and positions herself on all fours before me.
“You’re as insatiable as I am.”
“True. Get over here and make me come before we run out of alone time,” she demands.
Without further hesitation, I sheathe myself and climb onto my bed behind her. I drag my length along her core before plunging into her to the hilt.
“Lachlan. Yes!”
I smirk and set a quick, steady pace with my hands gripping the swell of her hips. My release coils at the base of my spine. To push Eva to the edge faster, I slide one hand around her and rub circles with my fingers on her swollen nub. Before long, she’s meeting me thrust for thrust, and heat barrels through me with Eva screaming with pleasure seconds later.
Given our short timeline, I kiss down her spine and withdraw from her. When I reach the bathroom, I turn to see her a few steps behind me. She starts the water and steps into the shower while I dispose of the condom and brush my teeth. When I join her, she’s nearly done.
“Sorry, no time to shave my legs this morning,” she shares.
I kiss her hard and deeply. “I don’t care if your legs are as prickly as a porcupine. I’ll still want to make you scream my name in the throes of passion.”
“Good to know. Hustle up. This spacious shower gives me ideas. Sexy wishes we can’t fulfill right now.” She kisses me lightly and steps out of the tiled enclosure.
“Are you going to share your dirty thoughts involving my shower?” I ask while washing.
“Eventually.” She winks at me, brushes her teeth, and leaves the bathroom wrapped only in a towel.
Despite my need to be alone with Eva, I miss my daughter. Finding a balance in the future will be a necessity. Then again, if Eva moves in…. A few months is soon considering Lilah. I push my desire to have her closer all the time away and dress to pick up my daughter.
“Ready to go?” Eva asks, tapping her foot on the hardwood floor.
“Are you nervous to pick her up?”
“No. Can I be honest with you?”
I frown at her. “Aren’t you always?”
She scowls at me. “Yes. I missed her last night. Please don’t misunderstand, I thoroughly enjoyed our… adults-only time, but—”
“I completely understand. I did too. Let’s go. I’m sure she’s driving Maggie nuts.”
When we arrive, the kids are sitting at a small picnic table on the front porch, coloring.
“Daddy! Miss Eva!” She runs over and wraps one arm around each of us at once. “How was your work thing?”
Relief and a bit of pride slither into my heart. We are fine after taking a huge step. “Sweet pea.”
“Morning, Lilah. It was eventful.”
“Did you get the job?” Lilah asks.
“I did.”
“Yay!” She raises her hand for a fist bump. “I knew you would get it!”
Eva complies. Maggie joins us on the front porch soon after we arrive.
“Morning. How did it go?”
“Miss Eva got the job!” Lilah informs her.
Maggie smiles. “Aren’t you the cutest pint-sized cheerleader of them all?”
Eva shares the details of last night more fully and accepts Maggie’s congratulatory wishes. “Ready to go home, Lilah?”
“Yes. I need to share my epic sleepover with Roxie and get some doggy kisses.”
I laugh. “Can I tell you a secret?”
Lilah nods quickly.
“Roxie is in the truck.”
“Really?”
“Yup. We need to go to Miss Eva’s for a little while, so I brought her along.”
“Perfect!”
Lilah returns to her seat and starts cleaning up her coloring space.
“Is Grant here?” Eva asks.
“No, he went for a run.”
“Okay. Can I grab her stuff, Maggie?”
“Sure, it’s on the island.”
When Eva steps back outside with Lilah’s bag, the kids are saying their goodbyes.
“Daddy, can we host the next sleepover?”
“Sure.”
The kids say, “Yay!” at once.
After a short greeting with Roxie, we drive to the cottage once I assure Lilah that she’ll have plenty of time to share the activities of her evening. When we arrive, I walk Roxie around the perimeter with Lilah while Eva heads inside.
“Honestly, how was it?” I ask her.
“Awesome. Did you have fun?”
“I did. Last night was a big deal for Eva.”
“I can stay with Miss Maggie whenever you need to do adult stuff.”
Confusion streaks through me. “What do you mean?”
“So you can spend time with Miss Eva alone.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks, sweet pea. Let’s go inside.” We climb the back stairs, and Lilah knocks on the sliding door.
“Your house is pretty, Miss Eva. The beach is right outside!” my daughter shares when Eva opens the door.
“I know. I love that too.”
I hear their conversation while I show Roxie the remaining exit. We spend the rest of the afternoon together coloring, baking a cake, and then cooking a huge dinner. I can’t wait for days like today to be possible in our home. One we share with Eva as well.