When she opened the door, she found him on his knees, crying. She had never seen someone so furious and relieved at the same time. It had taken her what seemed like months of apologizing before he was able to get over what happened, although, she knew deep inside, none of them would truly get over it.
They had, however, found a way to move on with their lives. Eve toyed with the ring on her left hand, and smiled when Adam walked out of the sliding glass door to join her, a seven month old fidgeting in his arms. Eve looked up at them both and beamed.
“I think our little Bella Marie wants her mommy,” he told Eve with a grin. “Daddy’s not doing something right.” He held the bundle of joy out to Eve, and sat next to them on the swing.
“Aww, hey baby girl.” Eve smiled down at the little chubby face and saw part of her and part of Adam staring back at her.
Bella certainly fit her name, Eve thought proudly. With her daddy’s black hair and a mixture of Eve and Adam’s eyes, she was beautiful. Eve would give her life to protect her from any harm.
“Are you okay, baby?” Adam asked her.
She looked at him, love beaming in her eyes. “Yes,” she said. “I’m happy.”
“Me too,” he whispered, and leaned over to kiss Bella’s forehead. “You have the magic touch,” he added as Bella quieted in Eve’s arms.
“So do you, baby,” Eve told him, grinning. “You’re a wonderful father. It’s just that Mommy has the food.”
“Hello?” Lainey poked her head out of the sliding glass door and smiled at the vision of the three of them sitting together. A perfect little family, she thought, moving to one side as her own two sons came bounding through.
“Hi, Eve! Is she talking yet?” Darren looked at Bella curiously, clearly prepared to hear her say something.
“She can’t talk yet, dufus. She’s not old enough,” Kevin told him with authority.
“Boys, that’s enough arguing. Let Eve breathe a little.” Jack came through the door carrying a plate covered with slices of steak and chicken. “Up for a little grilling, Adam?”
“You bet.” Adam leaned in to give Eve one more kiss, laughing at the boys’ disgusted sounds. “Let me know if you need anything,” he told her.
“I will. Go. Have fun.” Eve patted his behind when he got up and he shot her a look of desire before walking away.
“Can we play with Bella, Eve? We’ll be careful, we promise!” Darren looked at Eve pleadingly.
“Hmm.” Eve tapped her lips with a fingertip, pretending to think about it. “Of course you can, silly. Why don’t you take her over there on her blanket?”
“Be careful,” Lainey reiterated as Kevin reached out to take Bella.
Darren paused and turned back to Eve. “I got my wish, Eve,” he told her shyly referring to the time in Florida when he threw a penny in Eve’s fountain.
Eve smiled brightly as he walked away, talking to Bella.
Once they were safely situated on the blanket, Lainey sat down next to Eve. “How are you?” she asked cheerfully.
“Wonderful. How are you?”
Lainey returned the smile. “Wonderful.” Her pulse jumped when Eve lightly touched her hand. Both women glanced over at their husbands and their children. “You look radiant,” she whispered.
“So do you,” Eve replied. “I love you.” She winked at Lainey, whose face flushed with happiness.
“I love you, too,” Lainey replied.
Eve sat back. There was the smell of food on the grill, the sounds of Adam and Jack talking, the gentle breeze, the sound of the children’s laughter, and Lainey beside her. She had never been happier.
He watched her through the binoculars, focusing in on her pleased face. “Take it in while you can, Eve. You won’t have it for long.” He moved the binoculars until they were focused on Adam, and then on Bella. “There is so much for you to lose now. Let’s see how happy you are when it’s all gone.” He lowered the binoculars and looked around. When he was satisfied no one had seen him, he walked away.
Turn the page for a preview of Book #2 in the Eve Sumptor Series
Avaliable now!
Perfection. That’s how Eve Sumptor-Riley thought of her life. She may be flawed, but everything else surrounding her is perfection. She thought of her marriage to the love of her life, Adam. Being with him was more amazing than she could have imagined. There was a time when she thought he would never be hers. Eve’s past had stripped her of trust and emotion, and it was only when she met her best friend, Lainey, did she learn how to open herself up. She would never be able to thank Lainey enough for that gift.
Adam understood Eve’s past. He understood her. Loved her. Even though Eve had always believed she was unlovable, Adam proves her wrong every day. The way he looks at her melts her heart and drives her crazy. The day she allowed Adam in, was one of the best days of her life—even considering what she went through to get there.
The birth of their daughter was the other best day in Eve’s life. Eve smiled down at their baby girl, Bella, currently babbling and banging her toys on her activity walker. Bella’s dark hair held the softest curls, and bounced as she tooled around the kitchen table. Her eyes, a combination of Eve’s gray eyes and Adam’s blue eyes, twinkled when she peered up at Eve. Bella is turning one in a few days, and Eve has been frantically trying to put together the best 1st birthday party ever. She doesn’t really know why she’s bothering with making it so elaborate. Bella won’t know the difference anyway. But, your daughter only turns one once, Eve thought, and Bella is special.
“My two favorite girls,” Adam said softly, bending down to kiss Bella on the top of her head. He then moved to Eve, kissing her lips lightly at first. When she moved in to him, he deepened the kiss, touching his tongue to hers.
“Yum,” Eve murmured. The one thing about their relationship that has always been amazing is their sex life. And, Eve was completely happy that hasn’t changed one bit, even after almost two years of marriage. In fact, it has only grown stronger. They had made love earlier that morning—one of Adam’s favorite things to do since Eve let him stay—but even that wasn’t enough for her.
“You look beautiful.”
“So do you,” Eve returned.
“You’re the only one I will allow to call me beautiful,” Adam quipped playfully.
“Stop,” Eve chuckled. “You are beautiful.” She couldn’t think of any other word that would come close to describing him. His jet black hair, currently longer than he normally wears it—though you won’t hear Eve complain, she loved running her fingers through it when they made love—framed a perfectly chiseled face that made the artist in her weep with joy. It also made the woman in her hotter than hell. The stubble across that sexy jaw rubbed her in all the right ways when he used his incredible, delectable mouth on her. And, the way he looked at her with those crystal blue eyes, could turn her into a sexual deviant at any given moment. And, honestly, with the way he looked in his navy pinstriped three-piece suit, and knowing all of the lines and muscle that lay beneath, that moment was coming fast.
“Hmm. What’s on your agenda today?” She decided it was best to change the subject before her primal instinct took over.
Adam saw Eve’s eyes darken and it took every ounce of will power he had not to take her right then and there. Their daughter was in the room, for crying out loud. He had more control than that. Though, if he were honest, not much more. Damn, she was the most gorgeous woman he had every laid eyes on in his life. How in the hell did he get so damned lucky as to land Eve Sumptor (now Riley)? She was perfection in the truest sense of the word. Her blonde hair was so soft and silky, he couldn’t keep his hands out of it. Her face, God her face, with those striking gray eyes and full, pink lips could make him hard with just quirk of an eyebrow. And, her scent was intoxicating. So sensual, so purely Eve, it’s a wonder he could concentrate on anything else when she’s around.
“The bidding for Griffen Enterprises starts today.” He grabbed a piece of but
tered toast from the plate in front of her, stuffing his mouth before he lost his will power, and let lust take over. “This could be great for the company if I land this.”
Eve knew Adam had spent hours upon hours drawing up plans for Griffen Enterprises, and they were spectacular. He is a magnificent architect. She should know since he designed her gallery and their home, and they were both perfect. Hell, they were more than she could’ve ever dreamed of, even being the artist she was. At their home in the suburbs—Eve told Lainey she could see herself here one day when she settled down—Adam had given Eve her own space to create art, develop photos and just lose herself. He made sure she and Bella had everything they needed, wanted and more.
“I’ve seen the plans, amant. You shouldn’t have any trouble.” Eve paused and smiled at Adam. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“You’re just saying that so I’ll build that extra room you’ve been wanting for your studio,” he teased with another kiss.
Eve eyed Adam appraisingly. “Hmm. Do I need to compliment you for that? I thought a few sexual favors would do.”
Adam sucked in a breath, and bent to kiss Eve yet again. He just couldn’t keep his lips off of her. Damned waning will power.
“Well, now,” he said between kisses. “Let me think about what you can do …”
“Hello? Oh!” Lainey stopped short when she walked into the kitchen, catching Adam and Eve kissing. She felt a small pang of jealousy, but shook it off immediately. “Sorry!”
Eve broke the kiss, reluctantly. “Lainey,” she called before Lainey could walk out. “It’s okay. Come on in.”
“Please,” Adam said. “I have to get going, anyway. See you tonight.” He ran a thumb down Eve’s cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Eve grinned, knowing he was still getting used to hearing her say the words. She watched as he closed his eyes briefly and a smile touched his lips. Without another word, Adam kissed Bella on the head and Lainey on the cheek before leaving.
“I should know better than to just walk in,” Lainey sat opposite of Eve at the table.
“You know you’re welcome here anytime, Lainey.” Eve smiled warmly at Lainey. She loves Adam with everything she is, but Lainey would always have a piece of her heart.
Lainey’s smile was shy and knowing when she glanced quickly at Eve’s mouth.
Eve reached over and touched Lainey’s hand briefly, before turning back to her coffee and iPad. “Seriously, should it be this hard to plan a birthday party for a one year old?”
Lainey smirked. Seeing Eve as a mother was definitely entertaining. “You know, she’s not going to remember any of this. You could just have a nice quiet day.”
Eve raised her eyebrow. “Are you telling me that when Kevin or Darren turned one, you didn’t hire acrobats and ponies?”
Lainey laughed. “I didn’t go as far as acrobats and ponies, no.” But, Eve was right. She did go overboard when her sons’ first birthdays came around. “Just wait until she’s a teenager.”
Eve remembered Darren’s thirteenth. The party Lainey threw for him didn’t seem too overly done. It was simple and fun with friends, video games, pizza and cake. How hard could that possibly be.
“Boys are way easier,” Lainey cautioned, reading Eve’s mind.
“Awesome,” Eve mumbled and rolled her shoulders to ease some of the tension.
Lainey cleared her throat, and changed the subject abruptly. The mere glimpse of Eve’s cleavage—granted to her by Eve’s customary three-buttons undone—was enough to have Lainey’s mind reeling. “Are you ready to get to the gallery?” She rose from the table, and picked Bella up out of her activity walker.
Eve searched Lainey’s face for any indication of discomfort or sadness, but for the first time since knowing her, Eve couldn’t read the emotion on Lainey’s beautiful features. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back, delicately, away from her face, giving Eve an unobstructed view of Lainey’s alluring, green eyes. Her slightly bowed—and Eve remembered, very kissable mouth—was curved in a small smile as she cooed to Bella. Everything about her seemed happy and normal, but Eve couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering her best—her only—friend.
“Lainey?”
Lainey shivered slightly at the sound of Eve’s voice calling her name. It’s silly to feel this way, Lainey thought, chastising herself. The two of them haven’t been intimate since before the shooting, and she’s been fine with that. Yes, of course, she has thought about Eve many times, but she has learned to compartmentalize it. For her sake as well as Eve’s. She turned to Eve, avoiding looking directly into those amazing eyes.
“Yes?”
“Is everything alright?”
“Of course,” Lainey answered, a little too brightly.
Eve sighed and reached out to take Bella.
“Hey there, baby girl. You ready to go to work with your Momma?” She glanced at Lainey, again. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”
She didn’t wait for an answer from Lainey. She didn’t expect one since Lainey wasn’t being particularly forthcoming. Instead, she walked out the front door, waiting for Lainey to follow, then locked it behind her.
Eve settled Bella into her car seat in the back of her Lexus LX 570.
“I sometimes miss your Jag,” Lainey said softly.
“I still have it.”
“I know, but you rarely drive it.”
Somehow Eve didn’t think they were actually discussing her sleek Jaguar.
“Lainey, just because I don’t drive it as often, doesn’t mean I don’t think of it constantly.”
“Hmm.” It was Lainey’s only response before turning up the radio. She lost herself, listening to P!nk urging her to try, try, try.
Something About Eve is the first novel I have finished. When you don’t write for a living, it gets difficult to find the time it takes to put your mind and imagination to a book. You also have to rely on those around you to pick up your slack when you just have to write.
Being a first time writer, there are really no other people than those around you to thank. Your family, your friends. Those are the ones who listen to your obsessive talking about this book you want to write. Those are the ones who have to answer the questions like; “How does this sound?”, “Do you think she would do this here?”, etc. And, those are the ones that you insist on reading your book and give you feedback, as long as it’s completely honest. Fortunately, those are also the ones that really do give you complete honesty.
So, thank you to my family and friends who have endured this process with me, bought the book to support me, and bragged to others for me. Your love means the world to me, and I give it right back to you.
Jourdyn Kelly was born in California in February of 1975. She now resides in Texas and writes as well as design web pages. Jourdyn has always enjoyed the arts in one form or another. She has been writing songs and stories since the age of fourteen and has recently just finished her second novel, Destined to Kill. She believes that her love of writing comes from the fact that she loves to read. She was captivated by books that led you into different and exotic places and through impossible scenarios, letting you become someone else for a time. As she read, she was inspired to write herself and bring the characters in her mind to paper. She hopes that her writing will inspire others or just give them a way to escape from everyday life even for a moment.
Jourdyn graduated from high school in a small town in Arkansas and promptly moved to Florida and attended college where she majored in Commercial Art and minored in Video Production. Since 1997, Jourdyn has spent her time working in a different area of the arts. As web designer, etc. for singer/actress Deborah Gibson, Jourdyn has had the opportunity to be involved in wonderful experiences, travel around the country and meet exciting people. Jourdyn believes this has helped with creating unique and lovable characters.
Currently living in the Houston area, Jourdyn hopes to continue to bring her characters out for everyone t
o meet. Her goal is to bring Something About Eve to the big screen and finish three more novels she is presently working on.
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