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Chapter 21

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Eva is quiet on the short drive to Escape. I reach across and take her hand, resting it on my thigh, and her fingers curl into a tight fist.

“You okay?” I ask, unable to see her face with the curtain of hair hiding her, combined with my need to concentrate on the road.

“Yep,” she squeaks, her shoulders as tense as her voice. “Fine.”

Ah-ha. Fine. Got it.

“You have a busy day planned?”

“I do.” She nods but doesn’t look at me. “You?”

“So-so. What’s in your diary today?” The nervous energy coming from her is astounding. She’s really wound up about this. Telling her ‘relax, it’s no big deal’ would probably get my head bitten off, so I’ll stick to shop talk. Nonpersonal. Nonsexual.

“Richie. He’s the 3D artist designing the rabbit hole. He’s supposed to be...amazing.” She looks over at me. Her face lights up like she’s expecting bloody Van Gogh. So, now she’s excited. About bloody Richie.He comes highly recommended. A very talented man by all accounts.” She glances over at me again and I straighten out my scowl, forcing my facial muscles to relax, but my teeth refuse to unclench. “Then I need to check off the health and safety stuff, set up a taster with the local farmers, figure out what the hell Bells was talking about when she said we need to...what?” No, you don’t, Eva. Not today.

“Busy day, then?” I smirk. I have other plans for her first day on-site as mine.

Bigger, better plans. But I won’t tell her that yet.

“Yep. But Richie should be the highlight. I can’t wait to see his drawings. They’re going on all the advertising and everything, so it’ll be a big piece in its place once we have them. I hope he’s as good as they say he is.” She gives me a wide, excited smile and shows me crossed fingers on both hands. 

I take a deep breath. She means at art. She only cares about his artistic skill set. Stop being ridiculous. You’re being ridiculous.

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When we roll to a stop in my reserved space at Escape, Eva is pensive again. Her knee is bouncing up and down, and her hands are clasped white-finger tight between her thighs as I get out and walk around to the passenger side.

“Let’s go to work, Ms Adams.” I keep my voice light. She swallows hard.

“Will... are you sure you want your staff to know about your personal life?”

Is she trying to get out of this? Would she rather Richie didn’t know she’s seeing someone?

Ridiculous! Again. Stop. Stop with the self-doubt.

She’s nervous. She has a lot of reasons to be nervous. Show her it’ll be okay.

We walk into the foyer, hand in hand, and I stop her halfway across the lobby. Here’s as good a spot as any.

Yes or no, baby? Do you want me? Or am I supposed to stay a secret?

My hands lift to her head and my fingers spread over her scalp, threading through the silken strands of her hair. She stops breathing.

I drop my mouth to hers. She’s hesitant but not unwilling. I keep my movements slow and sensual.

Convince her. Teasing and tempting.

Show her. Hot and carnal.

My kiss, this kiss, says: I love you, Eva Adams, and I don’t give a fuck who knows it. I want them to know it.

I love you.

When her hands glide up my back, my skin humming under her caress, I know I’ve got her.

“There you go,” I murmur and plunder her mouth again. Her arms link around my neck. Her body starts to relax and melts into mine. And I want more.

I break away from her mouth, praying that her expression doesn’t hold panic or tension. I open my eyes and take a deep breath, ready to put up a fight if I have to.

Eva’s eyes are still closed, her lips parted. She sways slightly on her feet. “That was some kiss,” she mutters. Her eyes flutter open, and I take her hand and bring it to my mouth before leading her to the end of the queue for our morning coffee, greatly appreciating her relaxed acceptance of my affections.

She’s watching her boots as we walk. I’m trying not to grin like the Cheshire Cat. It’s all I can do to keep quiet as every man here throws me a death glare.

Yes. She’s mine. And you will never know how good that feels.

Stefan doesn’t even speak as he hands me two cups. He can’t meet my eyes. That’s okay. He’ll get over it. He doesn’t have a choice.

“Here you go, baby.” I hand Eva her cup. “Hungry?” She knows what I mean. I can see it on her face. Her eyes sparkle. Her fingers brush over mine, like the temptation she is.

“Starved,” she says quietly. “You?” She’s playing me at my own game. And I like it. She laughs, knowing exactly what she does to me. “I have work to do. See you later.” She leans in closer, her hand over my pounding heart, and kisses me. Light and quick. And I fight every instinct in my body not to throw the coffee cups and haul her over my shoulder. “Bye!” she calls, looking back at me and biting the tip of her tongue.

She’s turning me on. And she knows it.

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I watch her walk away and settle herself at a table in the coffee bar as I lean against a pillar. She rummages through her bag for her stuff and sets up her work station.

My attention jumps around the room and to the various people in it. I’m suddenly aware of the quiet and lack of movement. Every person in here is watching us. Some are looking at me. Most, at Eva. It’s the expressions on their faces, that ‘Christ, I’d love to have her’ expression that kicks my feet into action and sends me silently over to her table. I lower my lips, level with her ear.

“When is your first meeting?” She jumps and lets out a slow stream of air.

“In about twenty minutes.” She glances back at me, the ‘why?’ in her eyes.

“How many times do you think I can make you come in twenty minutes?” She gasps, her eyes falling to my mouth, and I know she won’t say no. “Let’s find out.” I push her laptop shut with one finger and flip it off the table and into my hands.

She stands and turns to me. “My office,” I growl. I’ve wanted her in my office for months.

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We don’t make it to the desk. As soon as I’ve locked the door, I pin her against it and drop to my knees to yank her jeans and underwear down, my mouth feverish on her flesh. “Oh Goddd,” she groans, her fingers tugging my hair. I grip her hips to still them when they grind and circle and wash my tongue over her body.

I slide two fingers inside her and she clenches around them, so close already.

Someone tries the door handle, but Eva doesn’t notice. This needs to be quick. I alternate between sucking, flicking and licking her clit, my fingers moving inside her in deep, powerful, circular thrusts. She cries out and her thighs tense. Her head bangs on the wood of the door. Yes!

I don’t stop. I realise, with a rush of testosterone, that I want whoever it is to hear her come. Come on, Eva! I nip with my teeth at the little bud of nerves and she explodes, her head tipped back as she calls out to the ceiling, her legs wobbling. I stand up fast and catch her, and she slumps against my chest, breathing hard.

“Will?” Sounds like the PT calling out. I grin at Eva’s scandalised face. Oh, baby.

“Shhh,” I tell her, unable to stop grinning, and trace my fingertips up her inner thigh back to her trembling sex.  She shakes her head, her eyes wide, but her body’s saying yes as I rub a slow, two-fingered circle over her clit, and she buries her face in the crook of my neck as I nudge her towards another climax. “That’s it,” I whisper in her ear as her body tightens. Her arms stiffen around my back, her fingers claw at my shirt and she falls apart in my arms again. “There you go, baby,” I murmur, encouraging her out from my neck and kissing her gently as she settles.

“One more,” I tell her, dropping my jeans and boxers and kicking them off. I kneel and unzip one of her boots before removing it and letting it fall. I stand quickly, putting one foot on her jeans, and pull them all the way down as I lift her around my waist. The door handle jiggles.

“Will?”

I’m inside her in one swift thrust, her slick body warm and welcoming. She breathes out a soft, sexy sound and I groan. Christ, this woman.

I move my hands to her hips and yank her down as I thrust up. Eva’s fingers are pressing into my back, hard. Fuck, that’s good.

“Will,” she groans softly as she drives her weight forward to meet my thrust.

“Will? Are you in there?” the PT asks. His voice sounds about as strained as mine probably would.

A quick glance at Eva’s face tells me she’s too far gone to give a fuck. Her fingers move to my hair as she brings her mouth to my neck in hot, wet kisses, her teeth nipping up to my earlobe.

“Baby,” I groan as my hips thrust, nailing her to the door with soft, rhythmic thuds.

I take her hands from my hair and stretch her arms above her, pinning them there and giving gravity more grip, pulling her heavier onto me and sending me deeper inside her. “Ohhhh,” she groans, her head tilted back again.

“That’s it, baby. One more. Come on.”

Reaching down, I tilt her hips, angling her. And she screams, grabbing onto my shoulders. Yes! There. “Come on, Eva,” I growl as my cock expands, ready to blow. 

She calls out as I pound her G-spot.

Her eyes are wild, her mouth hanging open, and then her muscles lock, clamping my waist between her thighs like a vice.

“Come,” I tell her and she lets go, calling out and digging her nails into my skin. It’s barely painful through the euphoria of my own release.

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I fold down to the ground, flipping us around so my back’s against the door and Eva’s in my lap, trying to slow my ragged breathing.

Eva startles when the sound of retreating, running footsteps fills our ears. “Oh God,” she groans, covering her face in her hands and burying it in my shirt.

“Yeah, he’s just ran off to have a wank while imagining he’s me right now,” I pant, laughing.

“Eww! Will!” 

“You know it, baby. But he’ll only ever get to imagine. You’re mine.”

I catch myself too late. I said it. Shit! I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction. Her eyes move to mine, a slow, soft smile on her lips. “And you’re mine,” she whispers. She presses her mouth to my stubbled jaw and lays her head on my shoulder as relief floods my system.

“I am.”

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“Is that a bathroom?” Eva asks after a few moments of silent satisfaction. She nods towards the slightly ajar bathroom door.

“It is. There’s a shower in there too...”

“I don’t have time for a shower!” She giggles when she looks up at my disappointed face. “I have to go.” She manoeuvres herself to standing and I watch her turn away, her jeans and underwear in her hand, her discarded boot beside my foot. 

I fold my hands behind my head and stay exactly where I am, listening to her moving around in my bathroom. It’s nice in a homey, comforting way. She’s here. In my space.

It’s drafty, sitting with my bare backside against the door, so I don’t stay there listening for too long. I’m buttoning my jeans when Eva opens the door and, spotting her boot, dashes my way.

I snatch up the boot. “Sit,” I command.

“Will...”

I raise an eyebrow and she huffs out an impatient breath. “Please?”

She narrows her eyes but perches her bum on my desk. Hmm. On my desk? Now that has some possibilities. One glance at Eva’s face and I know she knows what I’m thinking. I kneel at her feet and look up at her, a cheeky smile stretching my mouth.

Bloody hell, she’s beautiful.

My mind fills with a different scene. One where I’m still kneeling but it’s not a boot in my hand. My mouth dries and my brain runs off on its own, diving through my bedside cabinet to find Gran’s ring.

“Will?” Eva’s voice brings me back to here and now, her brow creased in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” I clear my throat. “Yes. Here.” I slide the boot onto her foot and zip it up.

“You sure?” Her eyes scan my face and fall to my heaving chest. Her brows pull together as I straighten the bottom of her jeans over the top of her boot.

“I’m sure, baby. I’m better than okay. I’m great.” She gives me an uncertain smile. We both stand and she rises up on tiptoes to kiss my lips lightly.

“Good. I...um...I’ll see you later.”

A grin creeps across my face. If I were a gambling man, I’d put money on her almost admitting that she loves me.

Almost.

And I want to marry that girl.

Me! I want to marry her.

I make my way in a near-dazed state to the bathroom and clutch the edge of the sink. I raise my head and stare straight into the eyes in the mirror.

Same colour. Different sparkle.

Same face. Different expression.

Same hair. Different use.

Same mouth. Different angle.

Same me. Whole new man.

The man in the mirror is me but someone else. Someone I recognise but don’t know. Someone... I never thought I’d be.

He’s in love with a woman the old me didn’t believe exists. Someone sweet and strong. Someone gentle and genuine. Someone loyal and loving. Brave and beautiful.

He wants to marry that woman, and who could blame him? Not even the me of six months ago could blame the guy in the mirror for that.

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I run the cold tap, splash my face a few times and pull out my phone to make a call.

He answers quickly. “Will? What’s up?”

“When are the five years up to get Eva divorced?” There’s a pause. A long one. “Hello? Gary?” I pull the phone away from my ear and check if the call is still connected.

“Why?”

“Because it’s about time she got divorced.”

“You think so?” he says softly.

“I do.”

“It’s not that simple, Will. Look, I can’t talk now but we will talk.” There’s an electronic-sounding beep somewhere in the background.  “I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

“Thanks.” I hang up, sliding the phone slowly into my pocket. It seems pretty simple to me. The man attacked her. If that’s not grounds for divorce, I don’t know what is.

My feet carry me out of my office and along the corridor, and I spot the PT coming out of the gents.

“Oh! Will!” He flushes when he sees me. “I... err... came by your office... but... err...”

I know.

“Oh? What’s up?” He falls into step alongside me as we walk back towards the coffee bar.

“I...um...I was just going to ask about the delivery for the treadmill. I’ve got it down as due yesterday but it didn’t turn up.”

My eyes seek her out without instruction. Eva.

And there’s a guy standing opposite her at the table. That must be Richie. He’s a good-looking prick.

“I’ll look into it. Excuse me.”

“Um...Will?” I flick him a look before my eyes fight their way back to Eva. “I just wondered...who’s your bird? Y’know, so I don’t land myself in hot water over the boss’s girl.” He follows my eyeline and I hear his breath get stuck in his throat.

“The blonde with bright, bluish-green eyes and a body she wouldn’t have to pay you to work with? She’s my girl.” I level him with a cool glare and make my way to the lady in question, leaving him lost for words and gaping.

She glances up as I approach.

“Hey!” she greets me with a genuinely happy to see me expression.

Huh.

“Hey.” I lean in and press my lips to hers quickly.

Still happy. Huh.

Richie is less than impressed as I take the seat Eva pulls out for me beside her. I can’t say I’m thrilled to meet him either. The amazing artist. The very talented man. My voice comes out in a restrained growl when I speak to him.

I can feel Eva’s eyes on me. Maybe she’s regretting me sitting here now. Maybe...fuck!

She scoots her chair a little closer to mine and her hand, her very talented hand, curls around my leg.

“So, do you have it? I can’t wait to see,” Eva says to Richie.

Fuck my stupid brain! I need a fucking lobotomy.

She confirms my level of paranoia when she leans against my shoulder and kisses my jaw.

Idiot! She chose you. When will you believe that?

Maybe when she knows everything about me and still chooses me.

“Oh! Err. Yes. Yeah. Let me just...” Richie pulls a leather portfolio case closer and lays it flat to unzip it. He reaches down and picks up a large, thick sheet of paper and holds it up, his eyes solely on Eva.

Her muscles tighten. Her back straightens. Her fingers dig into my knee.

“Did you watch the cartoon? The Disney thing? Or did you read the book?” Her words are slow and quiet. Carefully formed. A bad sign if ever I saw one.

“Err...the um...the film. Disney.”

“I would suggest you try the book. We can’t use that in the advertising. Disney would sue your arse. Lewis Carroll, 1865. Try it.” I feel her rib cage expand and she flexes her fingers. “So, you’ll have original artwork to me by when?” This guy is on thin ice.

“Um...a few weeks. Maybe three.” Her teeth snap and I know her patience has just run out.

“Well, you’ve got one if you want to keep this contract.”

“Okay.” Richie looks like a puppy waiting to be praised, but who got a telling off instead.

“We done?” She sounds as pissed off as she looks. He nods solemnly and I can’t contain myself any longer.

“You seem to have this under control, baby. I’ll leave you to it. See you, Richie,” I manage to say, somehow, without laughing out loud. I need to leave fast or I’ll be in as much trouble as my mate Richie. I can feel Eva’s eyes on my back as I make a hasty getaway, my laugh breaking free as soon as I’m at a safe distance.

Not so amazing, now, is he?