Bare All

by L M Allen

  “Eva, that man loves you. He is in bits. He knows now...they all know...that it was a lie. Bells, Mum and Gary know that it wasn’t you who told Bells you were sleeping together.” He nods when I squeak, still trying not to speak, my eyes wide. “An email came from your account, but I can prove it wasn’t sent from your computer.

  “Blue, come home. Please. You don’t have to do this alone.” His gaze falls to my belly.

  “I...” I shake my head, not knowing what to say. “I don’t know if I can, Davey. I don’t know if I could ever forgive them for...that.” He frowns, but drops his eyes and nods once. “Maybe I should just be glad Will didn’t try to kill me, then?”

  “Not fuckin’ funny, Blue.” Davey and I sit in silence for a long time, watching the waves, my brain running wild, before he says, “Why don’t you let me take Summer back with me in a couple of days? You can have a few days to yourself. Think it all through. Decide what you want to do. How you want to proceed.”

  I nod. A few days to myself would be amazing. I haven’t had that luxury in a long time either. “Okay, thanks.” I glance over at him gazing patiently back at me. I swallow hard. “Who told him that? Why would he believe it?”

  “I’m dealing with it.” I nod. He won’t tell me.

  “Why would they do that?” I gasp as a piece slides into place. “It can’t be just about Will if Dan thought the same thing...?”

  “It isn’t. I’m dealing with it.”

  “You drive me nuts. You know that?”

  “Back at ya, little sister. Back at ya.”

  “Davey! Just bloody tell me! What the hell does this have to do with Dan?”

  “It’s more to do with his father than Dan. I think.” My eyes go wide, and he nods. Not this shit again. “Stay. Out of it, Blue. I mean it. I’m dealing with it. We all know what happened last time.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I grumble, but snuggle under his arm when he stretches it around my shoulders. A gun pointed at my brother’s head. That’s what fucking happened.

  ***

  I stand at the kerbside and wave Davey and Summer off in their taxi to the airport. It’s hard to watch them go, but I’m also glad that I have a couple of days to think. To allow myself to feel and explore what’s there. My feelings have been pushed down so hard, I’m not sure what they are anymore.

  I take a slow walk to the beach and find a sun lounger under a shady palm that looks like a good spot to kill a few hours. I lie back and take a deep breath, my hands resting on my belly as I listen to the gentle waves lapping the shore, and allow the thoughts to come and go. Emotions to rise and fall. I love him...I still love him. But...

  I must have fallen asleep, because when I open my eyes, the sun is hanging low in the sky and the beach is busier but still not crowded. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon than snoozing under a palm tree.

  Hunger claws savagely at my belly. I obey its demands, gather up my stuff and head towards the delicious smells of food.*

  I stand in line at the nearest restaurant, the local Mediterranean-style eatery, but decide to order room service instead when I see how packed the seating area is. I grab a takeaway menu and walk back to our villa. I’m going to miss this place. I haven’t lifted a finger for a month. Someone else has done the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning. Even work has taken care of itself, now that I have an office full of staff. The extent of my input has been an hour’s video call each week.

  Once I’ve eaten and showered, I crawl into bed to sleep. I’m a little bit surprised I’m still so tired. I’ve been out cold most of the afternoon, but I’m consumed by slumber within minutes.

  The mattress dips, and warm soft lips brush my face. Gentle fingertips trace over my cheekbone, and I sigh his name. “Will.”

  He gasps, moving over me. My legs part, making room for him. Soft, splattering water drips down onto my face, and I blink my eyes open. It takes a moment for my vision to focus. I reach up.

  “Why are you crying?” I ask Will, running my fingers through his hair. He draws a shuddering breath, his eyes searching mine. I lean up and press my lips to his. I can feel him trembling. “It’s okay,” I soothe. “I’ve got you.”

  “Eva...” he chokes my name, and I pull his head down to mine. “I...I am so, so fucking sorry. Baby...I...I love you so much...”

  “Shhh. I’ve got you. It’s okay.”

  “I don’t...I don’t understand?” he whispers, pulling back to see my eyes. “How do you not hate me?”

  “I love you, Will. I will always love you. I know it wasn’t your fault. Davey told me.” He scans my face and runs his thumb over my lips as I murmur, “I love you,” again and again.

  When his mouth touches mine, it’s slow and shuddering. Hesitant. But not for long. He groans and really kisses me, the way only he can, and I surrender to it, my fingers clutching his hair and my legs wrapping around his waist.

  He starts to sit up and I follow him, keeping our mouths and bodies connected. I don’t know how long this will last, but I don’t want to miss a second. He pulls away for a moment, to whip off my camisole, and his mouth is back on mine. Consuming me. Devouring me.

  My hands reach for the hem of his T-shirt and tug it up, disconnecting us for a second longer. I sink back onto the mattress, and he moves with me. His mouth travels over my skin, down, down over my breast, making me gasp. I feel his smile against my skin before he shifts lower, across my stomach, and lower, to my belly.

  Will inhales sharply and jolts back, his hands tracing the contours of my growing bump. He looks up at me. “You’re...?”

  “Pregnant,” I finish for him. He stares at my midriff for a few moments more, before he dives on me, kissing me around his smile until he ducks down and kisses my belly. I can feel his tears again.

  “Hi, baby. I’m your daddy.” I breathe out a laugh as I bury my fingers in his hair and sift through. So soft.

  “Is it safe to...?”

  “Yes. Please.” Will peels my satin shorts down my legs slowly, trailing his fingertips over my sensitive skin as he goes, and then stands at the foot of the bed to remove the rest of his clothes.

  When he steps out of his boxers, he crawls up my body, kissing, licking and nipping all the way back to my mouth until I’m writing beneath him, desperate for him. His hand creeps across my hip, skimming lightly over my mini bump before moving lower, his fingers circling slowly.

  “Will!” I plead. He shifts his weight and guides himself inside me at last. It’s heavenly. The stretch. The full feeling. The pressure.

  My head tilts back, exposing my throat as I arch into him, and he drops his mouth to my ear. “I love you, Eva Adams.” I smile as he starts to move. Long, fluid strokes that hit just the right note. His hips circle and grind, catching my clit and my G-spot and jolting me closer to the stars.

  My nails bite into his biceps as I try to hold on, to drag it out, but it’s been so long. And he’s so, so good...

  “Let go, baby. Come for me.” My back arches again, pressing down on his advances, and my muscles tense and quiver as pleasure courses through my body from my head to my toes. I call out and Will seals his mouth on mine, driving home harder, until his own muscles begin to tremble and he stills, before I feel the warm evidence of his release fill me.

  He drops down and stretches out beside me, his leg hooked over mine as I chase oxygen into my lungs. “We’re having a baby,” he says softly, wonder in his voice.

  I feel the gentle caress over my belly, over our baby, as I succumb to sleep once more.

  When morning calls me, I consciously keep my brain slow, holding onto last night’s dream. It was a really good one. But I do need the bathroom, so I stretch out in the cool sheets and roll onto my side to disentangle myself from them.

  I must have been tired last night. I didn’t even bother putting clothes on, I think to myself as I make my way to the loo and sit. I shiver in the cool morning air, and my body remembers, in vivid detail, last night’s dreamland romp in th
e sack with Will.

  I know I need to stop. I need to stop having sex with him in my head if I’m ever going to move on, but damn, it’s good. And do I want to move on? Davey said that Will still loves me. That he didn’t sleep with that woman.

  I don’t know. He believed some pretty awful things about me. Said some pretty awful things...because he believed a lie? Someone made him think that? If that’s the case, it really wasn’t his fault. Whoever did that is to blame. An ex- associate? They must have known how hard it is for Will to trust someone. They knew exactly what they were doing. Exactly which buttons to push. Possibly something to do with bloody De Luca. God, I hate that man! And then there’s the baby.

  I...I just don’t know. Will really didn’t seem keen on the idea of a pregnancy, even before that horrible woman tried to con him.

  When I’m done, I flush and flip the shower on, running my hands under the spray to wash them, and I turn back to the sink to brush my teeth whilst the water heats up.

  I step under the warm, welcoming spray, tilt my face up and push the water back over my hair with my hands. And jump a mile when someone touches me.

  I yelp and spin around. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Will says with a thousand-watt smile.

  “W...wh...?” My wild eyes search his and he frowns, his brow creasing as he studies my face. I bite the inside of my cheek to make sure I’m awake. It really bloody hurts, so yes. Yes, I’m awake—I think—and Will is standing naked in my shower. In Greece.

  “What...? What are you doing?”

  “I went to get breakfast...” He reaches out slowly for my hips, his expression unsure. “I needed to feed you. Both of you.”

  “You...went to get...breakfast?” I don’t understand.

  “Do you remember last night?” he asks, anxiously scanning my face.

  “Last night?” Last night, I had a dream that...oh! “Are you...you’re saying it wasn’t...a dream?” I shake my head, not wanting to believe it.

  “No, Eva. It wasn’t a dream.” His knuckles graze my face, and I lean into his touch before I can stop myself.

  “So...we...you...?” He nods, half smiling at my stuttering nonsense.

  “We...and I...” He nods again as I gasp in short pants. “You said that you’re pregnant.” His eyes flick briefly to my belly. “You said you love me. And we made love.” I can’t move. I’m just standing here, staring back at Will Hunter, naked in my shower. In Greece. “Is that still true? In the cold light of day? Knowing you’re wide awake and lucid?” My breath catches, his turns sharp. And I nod. It’s still true. Even if it shouldn’t be.

  “Yes,” I choke, and he pounces, pinning me to the wall with his weight before groaning into my mouth as he kisses me wildly.

  “Eva...baby, I need you now.”

  “Yes.” Please. Yes!

  “Not here. In bed.”

  “What’s wrong with here? Now?” Just in case I wake up.

  “I don’t want any accidents, baby.” His hand brushes over my belly, and he wins. I flip off the shower, grab the towel he holds out for me and follow Will to bed.

  “So, what’s for breakfast?” I giggle as I snuggle into Will’s side several hours later, warm and replete.

  “Greek yogurt, honey, nuts and fruit.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “It does.” Will’s eyes light up and he springs from bed. He’s back so fast! “This sounds better.” And he upends a glass of yogurt, with a thick layer of honey at the bottom, all over my midriff.

  “Will!” I screech.

  “Stay still now.” He dips down to lick it up. “Eva?”

  “Huh?” I gasp.

  “Do you have many dreams like last night?”

  “Every night,” I admit quietly, and Will groans before dipping back down to lick his breakfast from my body.

  ***

  I’m just starting to rouse, lingering between asleep and awake. Walking that blissful line. I can hear Will speaking softly, as his fingers lightly rake through my hair. He must be on the phone.

  “Mate...I don’t know what else to tell ya...It’s like I already said. If she’s the one, there’s not a damn thing you can do about it... Aha...Hmm...so, jack in the job. Tell them no, and screw your reputation...Yeah? Woah. You must really like her.” He chuckles and soft, warm lips press to my temple.

  “My wild thing? Christ, she was hard work.” Hey! I slap him in my head. “But she was so worth it. Every second.” Okay, he’s forgiven.

  “Yeah, I’m with her right now. She’s sleeping. There’s no better feeling than having your girl in your arms...You’ll get there. It might take time, but if she’s anything like my girl, she’ll be worth it too. And you’ll be a different man.

  “Yeah?” Will chuckles. “Christ! Stop whining, man! Use your charms. Keep it on a level she’s comfortable with. For me, it was work-related so...Yeah, exactly. And play to your strengths. Dance with her. My wild thing loves to dance. And I love the aftermath.” He laughs.

  “Mate, I promise you, you’ve never felt anything like it. It’s...” He lowers his voice. “It’s not like sex. Not just sex. It’s...I can’t even tell you. I don’t know how...but it’s like this connection. Like you’ve been doing it wrong your whole life. You must have been, because it’s never felt so good, you know?” I stretch out with a smile, then curl around him, my knee kissing his balls. Accidentally, of course.

  “Speaking of, I’ve gotta go. She’s waking up.” He pushes my hair from my face. “Hello, beautiful.”

  “Hi.” I take a big breath, and he pecks my lips. “Who was that?”

  “Jack. He’s been bitten. Bad.”

  “Yeah? Maybe he should get some cream for that?”

  “Or maybe he should stop pussyfooting around his girl already, because...Christ, he’s missing out.”

  “Hmm. And so is she... Ahh!” Will’s hand glides over my hip bone as he nuzzles my neck.

  ***

  We’ve talked and made love, and made love and talked. All day, and long into the night.

  “I’m so glad you love me,” Will mumbles as he pulls my body close to his, curling around me and resting his hand over our baby. “And I can’t wait to meet this little one.”

  “Me too.” I sigh and allow my eyes to close.

  “I’m going to make him pay, Eva. I’m going to rip his whole fucking life apart.” The sheer venom in his voice jolts me awake, and I turn over to face him.

  “Who?”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m handling it.” Again!

  “It does! It does matter, Will! This is my life too. My heart. My soul. I... was devastated. I think I deserve to know why.”

  “You do,” Will says softly. “But, please. Just this one time, let me take care of you. I’ll sort it. I don’t want this in your head, and our baby in your belly. Let me carry this.” His hand brushes lightly over our baby. “You carry this.” He moves fast and flips me onto my back, before he kisses every inch of my belly from navel to pubic bone. And then lower, making me forget my argument altogether. Bloody hormones!

  Chapter 11

  I sit beside Will in our upgraded, first-class seats and gaze out of the porthole-style window as Greece fades away below us. “Are you planning on working this week?” Will asks and then brings our joined hands to his lips.

  “Yeah. I need to go in and catch up. There have been some pretty major changes since...Bells left.” Will’s eyes drop for a second but land back on mine with intensity.

  “It wasn’t her fault either, Eva.”

  “I know.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “I know that. The logical bit of my brain knows that...but I just can’t. Not yet. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s going to take some time,” he says, but then he frowns. “Why did you forgive me?” He peeks up at me, like he doesn’t really want to know the answer.

  “Because. I. Love. You. It’s different. I... love you so much, Will. I need you more than I want to. More than is good for me. Bells, Gary,
even Mum... I already learned to live without them. I don’t want them in the same way I want you. And because...this guy, whoever he is, knows you. He knows how to hurt you. The pain he caused you... And I hate that. He knew exactly what would happen...and he did it anyway.”

  Will goes quiet, but when he looks back at me, I can see the heat in his eyes. “I love you too, more than is good for me. More than I have control over. Probably more than I can handle. But I won’t ever stop. Not for a second. I promise you I never did. But this...Bells, Gary, Joyce—it’s all your call. I can’t tell you what you should do.”

  I lean over and press my lips to his. “Thank you.” I wrap both my arms around his right one, rest my head on his shoulder and settle back for the short flight to Blighty.

  ***

  “Eva, we’re home, baby.”

  I inhale deeply and look through the taxi window. It takes a second for the familiar surroundings to click into place. Oh! Oh no!

  “Will!” I grab his hand as he starts to slide out from the back seat. “I sold it! I don’t own Eden anymore.”

  He looks at me with a soft smile, and I don’t think he’s listening. I try again, but he puts a finger over my lips. “I know. I bought it...and The Nook.” He replaces his finger with his lips in a light, quick kiss and leaves me staring blankly as he climbs out. I’m still frozen when he opens my door.

  “Come,” he says quietly. He leans in and takes my hand as the taxi driver unloads our luggage. I follow him in a dream, right up to a new oak front door with an apple depicted on a small stained-glass window.

  Will is watching my face carefully as he speaks softly. “I did the renovations. I hope that’s okay?” I can’t find words. Or movement. Will thanks the taxi driver and unlocks the door. He stoops down to lift me, and his arm tightens around the backs of my knees as he scoops me up and carries me inside.