Something About Eve (An Eve Sumptor Book 1)

by Jourdyn Kelly

  Lainey felt drunk with power. Eve’s body quivered with passion and pleasure, the passion and pleasure that Lainey was giving her. She drove Eve faster, loving how Eve’s body moved beneath her, how Eve felt so hot and wet.

  “Don’t stop, Lainey! Please, don’t stop!” Eve gripped the pillow with one hand as she buried the other in Lainey’s hair, bringing her down to kiss her. She spread her legs further and lifted her hips giving Lainey more. Eve’s moans became louder and she felt Lainey’s movements hesitate. “No! Don’t stop!” She looked up at Lainey. “They can’t hear, baby. It’s okay,” Eve told her, reading Lainey’s mind.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. Please, don’t stop.”

  Lainey relaxed and her hand began to move again. Eve moved her body in a small circular motion and Lainey followed.

  “Does it feel good?”

  “Oh, yes.” So good, Eve thought. Just when Eve didn’t think it could get any better, it did. She didn’t know what Lainey did, but whatever it was, it was spectacular. “There! Oh, God, yes!” Eve fisted her hand in Lainey’s hair, almost painfully. “More, more.” Her breath was sobbing, her fingers digging into the pillow. The orgasm came fast and hard, drowning her in a wave of pleasure. She moaned Lainey’s name, as she relaxed.

  “Now I know why you enjoy this side so much,” Lainey said a little breathless.

  “This side is pretty great, too.” Eve’s smile was slow. “You’re wonderful.”

  “So, I did okay?”

  Eve chuckled. “You did fantastic.” She rolled over until Lainey was pinned underneath her. “Now, it’s my turn.”

  They lay spent, their bodies slick with sweat, holding each other. Every thought, every worry had disappeared while they were in each other’s arms. No one existed but them. Not Jack, not Adam, not Tony, no one. It was only after the pleasure, when they were coming down from the high of being together, that each of them thought of the consequences of their actions. Though they both felt a bit of guilt about what they were doing, neither of them would have changed a thing. They needed this. They needed each other, to find themselves.

  Eve felt Lainey shift beside her and held her tighter. “Don’t leave yet,” she whispered.

  “I have to.” Lainey tried to move again, but Eve stopped her.

  “Eve.”

  “Just a little longer, baby, please?”

  The lazy plea had Lainey snuggling closer. “Don’t let me fall asleep.” She ran her hand over Eve’s naked body, taking pleasure in the fact that she could make Eve tremble with just a touch.

  “Keep doing that and neither of us will sleep.” Eve trailed a fingertip down Lainey’s bare shoulder. “Are you cold?”

  “No.” The chill bumps on her skin were not because of Lainey’s naked body being uncovered. “It’s you,” she told Eve softly. I can’t be falling in love with you, Lainey thought to herself, but if I’m not, what am I feeling?

  Don’t fall in love with me, Eve pleaded silently, I don’t deserve your love. Eve tried hardening her own heart against what she was feeling for Lainey. She didn’t love, didn’t feel. Hadn’t she already proven that with Adam? And, wasn’t it just like Eve to be selfish enough to want to be with someone who was already taken and confused? You really are that much of a bitch aren’t you Eve, she scolded herself.

  “Eve!” Lainey rolled out of bed and rushed to put her clothes on.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” Eve rubbed her eyes and tried focusing on Lainey. “Where are you going?”

  “I told you not to let me fall asleep!” Lainey snapped. “What if the boys had woken up? What if they’re awake now and looking for me?”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Eve pushed herself up into a sitting position and glanced over at the clock. “It’s only five o’clock. I doubt they’re up yet.”

  “That’s not the point, Eve. I told you I couldn’t stay.”

  Eve raised an eyebrow. “I said I was sorry, Lainey. And, this is not all my fault. You fell asleep, I fell asleep, no one else is awake, and we haven’t been caught. Let’s take a breath, okay?” She reached up and took Lainey’s hand. “Sit. Calm down.” Eve tugged Lainey down on to the bed. “I understand why you’re so upset. I do. But, honey, don’t ever use that tone of voice when you speak to me again.”

  Lainey heard the edge in Eve’s voice and saw the warning in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, pulling her t-shirt over her head. Lainey has seen Eve in a temper before and certainly didn’t want to be the brunt of it now. Especially after the time they just spent together.

  “Lainey, I’m sorry,” Eve leaned forward and kissed Lainey. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

  “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have blamed you for me falling asleep.”

  To Lainey’s surprise, Eve looked amused. “I’m not going to argue with you about who was at fault. We fell asleep. Let’s be thankful the boys didn’t wake up.” She reached up and tucked hair behind Lainey’s ear.

  “I overreacted,” Lainey admitted. “I was just worried that the boys would find I wasn’t in my bedroom and get scared.”

  “I understand.”

  “So, you’re not mad at me anymore?”

  “I was never angry with you, Lainey.”

  “I’ve seen that look before, Eve. It scares me.” Lainey let out a little laugh. “Remind me to never do anything that makes you look at me that way again.”

  Eve embraced Lainey suddenly, holding her tight, so tight that she could feel her shaking. “I would never hurt you,” she murmured. “Never!”

  Suddenly Lainey was afraid. This was not the Eve she knew. The woman clutching her had nothing in common with the self-possessed, confident, playful Eve she knew. There was even something childlike about her voice when she repeated, ‘I’d never hurt you. Never.’

  “Eve? Honey, look at me.” Eve was, trembling, holding on to her as though she were afraid to let go. “Eve, please.” Eve finally loosened her grip and Lainey framed her face in her hands. “I know you would never hurt me.”

  Eve heard the familiar screams now. “Don’t hurt her!” Eve cried, pulling her knees up to her chest. “Don’t hurt her!”

  Alarmed, Lainey took Eve’s wrists in her hands and held them. “Baby, please. Look at me.” Not certain what to do, Lainey put her arms around Eve as she would one of the boys and kissed her closed eyelids.

  Eve laid her forehead on Lainey’s shoulder as though she were exhausted.

  “Eve? Honey, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She gave Lainey a small smile. “You should go back to your room before the boys wake up.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Do you want to talk about this?”

  “Talk about what?” Eve’s voice was expressionless. She had hoped this would never happen when she was with someone, particularly someone she cared about.

  “Eve, you really zoned out there for minute.” Lainey held Eve’s ice cold hand in hers. “You were so scared.”

  Eve couldn’t think, not with her head pounding the way it was, not when she was vulnerable enough to possibly say something she didn’t want Lainey to know.

  “There’s some aspirin in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom,” she said. “Could you get me a couple, please?” Eve waited until Lainey disappeared into the bathroom, then buried her head in her hands. “Damn it!” How was she going to explain this?

  When she opened the medicine cabinet, the prescription bottle caught Lainey’s eye first. Eve Sumptor. Pentobarbital. A sedative? Why would Eve have a sedative? It’s none of your business, Lainey, she told herself as she tapped three aspirin into her hand and filled a glass with water.

  Eve raised her head from her hands when Lainey came back into the room. When she looked up, it was clear she was confused.

  “Do you feel better?” Lainey set the tablets and water on the side table. She wanted to make everything all right again. But she had no idea what to do to help Eve. />
  “I’m getting there.” Eve reached up and brought Lainey’s palm to her lips. “You can go back to your room now. I’ll be fine.”

  “I told you, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Lainey...”

  “Eve. Don’t argue with me. You’re so pale. I’ve never seen you like that before.”

  Lainey suddenly remembered the episode in the gallery the day Eve found out about Jackie’s death. She recalled the way Eve had looked as though she were somewhere else, digging her fingernails into her hands until they bled. And afterward she had spoken about ‘him’ getting past her, that she wouldn’t let it happen again. But, this time was different. Clearly Eve was still in the grip of whatever had happened to her, trembling as if she couldn’t get warm.

  “Talk to me,” Lainey said. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I’m tired Lainey,” Eve told her. “I’m sure the boys will sleep for a couple more hours. I’d like to get a little more rest myself.”

  “Eve.” Lainey was torn between wanting Eve to open up to her, and wanting to let her rest knowing she still hurt.

  “I don’t know what happened, Lainey,” Eve said quietly.

  “You don’t remember anything?” Lainey didn’t understand. She trusted Eve, gave herself to her, felt safe with her, but there was so much more under the surface that she didn’t know.

  “No.” Eve rested her pounding head on her knees again.

  “You said ‘Don’t hurt her’. What did you mean?”

  Eve’s head snapped up, a stunned look on her face. “I said that?” How could she have been so careless? “I...I have no idea what that means,” Eve lied. “I don’t know why I said that.” She took the glass from the nightstand and, still naked, rose from the bed and walked to the bathroom. She turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run as she leaned on the counter, her eyes closed. Idiot. She cupped her hands under the water and splashed water over her face. And then, reaching for a towel, she stopped cold as dread washed over her.

  “Fuck.” Opening the medicine cabinet, she grabbed the prescription bottle and hurled it across the bathroom, pills scattering everywhere.

  “I wasn’t going to ask you about them.”

  Eve spun around at the sound of Lainey’s voice.

  “He hit her,” Eve said, her voice harsh. “My father. He used to hit my mother. I tried to stop him once. He hit me so hard, I lost consciousness.”

  Lainey’s heart broke for Eve. Never once had she imagined that Eve had grown up with such pain in her background. She wanted to go to Eve, to hold her, but didn’t know if that was what Eve wanted right now. Instead, she found Eve’s robe and wrapped it around her.

  “Thanks.” Eve went back to the bed and pulled a blanket around her. She didn’t want to be telling Lainey these things, but couldn’t seem to stop.

  “After he hit me, I never defied him again. My nights were filled with screams and yelling, the sound of glass breaking. I’d hide deep in the closet, singing to drown out the screams.” Eve gave a humorless laugh. “I had a teddy bear, Mr. Snuffles. He’d keep me company. I wouldn’t come out of the closet until my mother coaxed me out.”

  Eve closed her eyes, her chest tightening at the memory. “Her face would be battered and bloody,” she went on. “She would try to cover it with make-up, but I saw. I saw everything. Yet every night when I heard her screams, I would hide.” Eve bowed her head. “I didn’t help her,” she whispered. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “You were only a child, Eve,” Lainey told her. Tears were running down her face, but Eve’s eyes were dry. “What could you do?”

  “I used to sit in there, in the closet, and make plans to run away,” Eve continued. “But, I couldn’t leave her with him. I would never hurt you. Never. When you said that you were scared, it triggered something inside that I try to forget. But I’m not like him, Lainey. I can’t be.”

  “I know, baby.” She had been frightened, but she knew, deep inside, that Eve would never do anything to harm her. Otherwise, she never would have gotten this involved. She had to believe that. “I know.”

  “You should go before the boys wake up.” Eve saw the disappointment in Lainey’s eyes and was sorry for being the one to put it there. “No one knows what I just told you, Lainey. I’m not sure how I feel about you knowing. Not that I don’t trust you. But I’m a strong woman. You have to believe that. And now I’m tired. I really just need to be alone.”

  Lainey was half way across the room when Eve called out for her. She turned and the need in Eve’s eyes made her rush back and take Eve in her arms. They held each other tightly for a moment in silence.

  “I wish there was more I could do for you,” Lainey whispered.

  Eve touched her finger to Lainey’s lips. “You have no idea how much you’ve done for me already,” she said. “No idea at all.”

  Once she was alone, Eve took a deep breath releasing it slowly. She rubbed her temples to relieve the pressure before picking up her cell phone.

  “Hello?” The voice on the other end was groggy with sleep.

  “It’s me.”

  “Eve? Is something wrong?” he said suddenly alert.

  “No. I’m sorry to call so early. Where is he now?”

  “He’s been holed up. Still sulking because he doesn’t know where you are.”

  “Have you persuaded Meredith yet?”

  “No, she’s not budging. I have to be careful, but I’ll get to her.”

  “And Katherine?”

  “Still nothing. I’m working on it, Eve. You don’t have to worry about it.”

  “I do have to worry about it!” She snapped. “I want him off the streets now. If the police can’t do it soon I will. I’ll be in touch.”

  Taking a steadying breath, she dialed again.

  “Hello?” Adam answered sleepily.

  “Hi.” Eve realized she was nervous. After their last conversation, she wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to speak to her again.

  “What...why, why are you calling?”

  Eve could imagine him, the way he looked. His hair mussed from sleep, his body naked and warm. “I...” She hesitated. “I’m sorry.”

  Adam closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. “Sorry? For what?”

  “For everything.”

  “Could you be more specific?”

  “We’re always fighting about something, Adam,” she said. “I know that it’s my fault. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am.”

  Adam tapped the phone on his head with disgust. Eve had already hung up. There were so many things he could have said. He could have told her that it was his fault as well, or that he was sorry, or that he was happy to hear her voice. But, he said none of that and now it was too late. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” He dialed her cell and hoped that she would answer. She didn’t.

  “Shit.” Adam tossed the phone down and sank back down into bed.

  “When are we going, Mommy?” Darren sat on the stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen and swung his feet.

  “I told you, honey. Soon.” Lainey stood at the stove, cooking breakfast for the two boys. They hadn’t slept for much longer after Lainey left Eve’s room, but Lainey wouldn’t have been able to sleep anyway. She couldn’t get what Eve had told her out of her mind. There was so much more there that Lainey didn’t know. One thing she was sure of, she would be there for Eve, if and when she needed her.

  “Is Eve still sleeping?” Kevin ruffled his brother’s hair before stealing a sip of his juice. “Did we wear her out yesterday?”

  “I think you might have,” Lainey told them. “She’s not used to having two boys running around like I am. Now eat. We’ll let Eve sleep as long as she needs to.”

  “What’s Eve going to eat?” Darren demanded.

  “I’ll make her something when she comes down.”

  “She can have some of my eggs and shosheges if she wants,” Darren said. “I’ll share with her.”

  Laine
y chuckled. “You eat your eggs and sh...sausages. But that’s very sweet of you, honey.”

  “Yes it is.” Eve leaned over Darren’s shoulder. “Smells great. Good morning, boys. Good morning, l’amant. Sorry to keep everyone waiting.”

  How confusing it was, Lainey thought. One moment she was being pushed away and the next she was l’amant. Who was this woman she desired so passionately? Would she ever really know her?

  “Did you rest?” Lainey asked her.

  “Don’t make anything for me,” Eve replied, avoiding the question. She filled a cup with coffee. “I’m not hungry.”

  Lainey studied Eve from the corner of her eye. She looked rested. Certainly there were no signs of the hysteria that had shaken her a couple of hours before.

  “You guys ready for some fun?” Eve asked, hopping up onto the counter.

  “Yeah!” They both yelled simultaneously, their mouths full of food.

  Darren looked over at Eve. “Do you know Mickey Mouse, Eve?”

  “Hmm, maybe. Why? Do you want to meet him?”

  “Yes! And Goofy, too! Can you ‘troduce us?”

  Eve chuckled. “I’ll make some calls and see what I can do. How’s that?”

  “Cool!”

  “Cool.” Eve repeated and took another sip of her coffee. “As soon as you guys are finished eating, we’ll be ready to go.”

  “I’m finished! Can I be excused, Mommy?”

  “May I, and yes you may. Go put your shoes on and use the bathroom before we leave. You too, Kevin.”

  Eve was dressed in black short cotton shorts and a hooded shirt that was unzipped to show the tops of her perfect breasts cupped in a bikini top rather than a bra. “You look great, Eve,” Lainey said after the boys raced out of the room. “I’ve wanted to tell you that since you came in here. You have great legs.” She ran her fingertip over Eve’s bare thigh. What was it about Eve that made her yearn to be in her arms?

  “You look great, too.” Lainey’s Levi shorts were only slightly longer than Eve’s, showing off much of her shapely legs and she wore a white t-shirt that clung to her breasts. “Lainey, you’re arousing me. You know, we’re probably going to get wet today.” Eve shot Lainey a wicked grin. “There’ll be at least a couple of water rides. As much as I’d love to see you in a soaking, white t-shirt, you should think about wearing a bathing suit underneath.”