by BJ Wane
"We've got it covered, but I have to get started since it's my turn to cook, so make yourself at home. The guys will be here shortly."
Nate sat on a stool on the opposite side of the counter where she was slicing potatoes and onions with amazing efficiency, constantly moving her slender fingers around to feel her way. She was as adept in her kitchen as she was on the piano and he again found himself admiring her accomplishments and comparing them with his own only to find his lacking. Her face was intense with concentration, making him realize how mentally exhausting her blindness must be.
"Do you get a lot of headaches?" he asked her, wanting to know how she coped with the stress.
Curious, Eve tilted her head. "No, why?"
"Watching you, it just dawned on me how mentally challenging your days must be."
"They are, yes, but a lot less now than those first years. I'm comfortable here," she told him, reaching for a large pot and deftly scooping diced potatoes and onions into it without missing a beat. "I've been in this condo now for over six years and know exactly where everything is. I don't even have to count steps anymore, which is a good way to acclimate to new surroundings. The same goes with the school. Of course, I have to be extra careful when using a knife or scissors, and I'll only admit to you once I've cut myself a few times when I've allowed my mind to wander." Turning on the pot filler faucet, she filled the pan with water. "I'm lucky; I have my music to turn to when I'm feeling stressed. Many people don't have an outlet they find soothing to fall back on. That's one of the biggest challenges with our students, trying to find that one thing they enjoy enough, and are good at, to give them a respite from the physical and emotional stress they live with."
A challenge, he suspected she took to heart, just as he suspected the look on her face meant she wasn't comfortable with his scrutiny. "From the little I heard, you're a talented pianist. Ever thought of auditioning for an orchestra or the symphony? I'm convinced you'd be successful." At this moment, watching her move around the kitchen, putting a meal together with flawless movements, he couldn't think of anything she couldn't eventually accomplish. But the closed look that came over her face and the bleak sadness in her expressive green eyes told him he had touched on a sensitive and closed subject before she said so.
"No, that's not an option for me. Feel free to turn on a game while I cook. Do you follow a specific team?" she asked, wanting to divert him from the painful subject of her lost dream.
"No, I'm an equal opportunity football watcher. I'll go see who's playing, but Eve?" He waited until she looked over at him, her head cocked like she did when she was listening attentively. "I find I'm interested in knowing more about you than what makes your body fire up."
Eve listened for the television to come on before she forced herself to turn her attention back to cooking. She didn't know what to make of that statement but was at least smart enough not to read too much into it. His inquiry into headaches and how she dealt with stress had pleased her in a way she didn't want to ponder on. She had been comfortable with Nate wanting just sex and fun with her because it took the stress off of constantly wondering where their relationship was going or if it would go anywhere. The only thing she had to keep in mind was that the newness of fucking a blind woman and introducing her to adventuresome scenarios would wane for him and they would part without either of them regretting their short time together.
Getting out the makings for brownies, she went over all the possibilities and ramifications of what that one statement could mean and liked none of them. She knew giving into her body's demands would be a risk. Correction, she knew giving into Nate's demands for her body would be risky, and until now she hadn't regretted her decision.
Of course, she rationalized, whisking together eggs, oil, cocoa, sugar and flour with vigorous briskness, just because he was curious about other aspects of her life didn't need to mean anything more than that. How many times in the past few weeks did she wonder about him, what he did all day, what activities did he enjoy other than kinky sex, did he have any family close by, and that didn't mean anything except she was curious. That was it, nothing more. That was her story, and she was sticking to it no matter how fast her heart accelerated or how clammy her palms became when he tossed out that statement.
Carl and Mark's playful bickering as they came in was a much needed diversion from her scrambling thoughts. She vowed to enjoy the afternoon and to quit worrying about what might be and just enjoy what is for now.
Chapter Ten
"What gives, sweetie?" Mark asked, giving her a hug and leaving Carl to question Nate.
Eve hugged him back, his short, decidedly soft frame a direct contrast to Carl's tall, lanky body. She had spent many entertaining minutes conjuring up mental pictures of the two of them together. "It's nothing, Mark," she assured both him and herself. "Nate stayed the night and I invited him to join us. I didn't think you'd mind."
"Of course, we don't. He makes you happy; that's all that matters, isn't it?"
Eve laughed off the discomfort of thinking just how happy Nate made her. "That's all. He scratches an itch I desperately need scratched, nothing more."
"Uh huh." Mark thought it was doubtful, but that might be true for Eve. However, from the look they caught on Nate's face as he watched her from the den, it definitely meant more to him. "So, what're we grilling for you today?"
It was a standing joke between them that, knowing the guys won't let her near the grill, she would always pick something to barbeque when it was her turn to cook. "Joke's on you this time, neighbor. I've already got chicken in the oven and the rest is keeping warm until we're ready, so ha!"
"Did I just hear you've fixed everything?" Carl called out from the den, the open concept of her first floor allowing for voices to carry.
"Watch your damn game. I'll let you know when it's ready."
Because their game was close, Eve got out TV trays and brought their plates to them. "Don't expect this very often," she told them as she sat on a chair instead of the sofa next to Nate. Whenever she was near him, her body went haywire with lust. She would've thought her neglected libido would be appeased by now, but that didn't seem to be the case. No matter how many climaxes he'd given her or how sated they left her, her body clamored for more as soon as she touched him. If Mark and Carl saw how susceptible she was to Nate, she would never hear the end of it. Besides the constant need he brought out in her, she was trying not to read too much into him wanting to spend last night and today with her.
Thirty minutes later, she was collecting their empty plates and listening to the three of them arguing over a play when her phone pealed with Holly's ring tone. Smiling, glad for the diversion, she set the plates on the counter and fished it out of her pocket. "Your timing's great, Holly. The guys have deserted me for football."
Nate immediately noted the contrast between Eve's smile and Carl and Mark's scowls over her caller. "Problem?" he asked them as Eve moved into the kitchen. From the little she had said about her friend, she and Holly go back to grade school together and were close.
"Eve has blinders on where that girl is concerned," Carl told him, his look toward Eve concerned. "She can't see how inconsiderate Holly is of her feelings, but we see plenty."
"Eve's a very astute judge of character. You have to admit you're both over protective of her."
"With good reason. Never mind," Mark snapped when Nate's look became skeptical. "We don't trust the girl. Let's leave it at that."
Shrugging mentally, he figured the guys didn't like anyone intruding on their Sunday ritual or on their close relationship with Eve even though they seem to have warmed up to him.
The friendly banter between Eve and her neighbors combined with the mouth-watering aromas of a home cooked meal and the sound of Sunday football screamed family to Nate's sensitive ears. He could no more picture this scenario in his parents' home than he could picture them welcoming Eve into it with open arms. The Radcliffs, along with his friends' parents, were
all about appearances, and it wouldn't do to introduce them to someone they would consider both inferior and flawed. Damned if that didn't make him want to do just that. Flaunting a woman with Eve's accomplishments and poise in the wake of tremendous odds would be as much of an eye opener for Eleanor and Nathaniel II as it has been for him. Introductions would have to wait though, because his relationship with Eve was too tenuous to subject it, or her, to the stress of meeting his family.
A few minutes later, Eve returned to the great room with a plate of brownies and a pinched look around her mouth instead of the pleased smile she walked out with. The knowing look Mark sent Nate irritated him and he returned it with a silent shake of his head. He didn't want either of them to let their personal feelings towards Eve's friend dampen the afternoon. She'd been relaxed and enjoying herself, making fun of the commentators and their curses until she took Holly's call. Whatever happened between them was their business, and knowing Eve, he was sure she'd shrug it off. She had an enviable way of deflecting little dust ups to her day and setting them aside to keep herself balanced.
"Thank you, sugar." Nate took the plate from her then pulled her onto his lap when she made to move away. "Keep me company, will you?"
The steel band of his arm around her waist made the decision easy for Eve. Shoving aside Holly's well-meaning concerns about letting her relationship with Nate evolve past sex only, she leaned back against his hard frame and concentrated instead on the feel of his cock stirring to life against her ass. He still wanted her, and that was enough for her.
"I will if you behave," she told him quietly with a meaningful nod towards Carl and Mark.
"But I know how you get off on others watching."
Uncomfortable, Eve squirmed, her face reddening from his teasing reminder. "Not in front of them," she hissed. "They're like family."
"Relax, Eve. Despite what you might think, I do know where to draw the line. The game's almost over then I'll go."
"You two want us to leave?"
"Of course not," Eve assured Carl. From the humor in his tone, she suspected he was teasing, but with them she could never be sure. "Just eat your brownies and watch the game. All three of you," she said in her strictest teacher voice before leaning against Nate and giving herself permission to enjoy being this close to him without sex. Holly's reminders of all the reasons she shouldn't expect, or even want any more from Nate than sex, reinforced her own determination not to read any more into spending this time with him.
"Gentlemen, thank you for letting me join you today." Nate shook both Carl's and Mark's hands at the door, his other arm slung casually across Eve's shoulders, keeping her pinned to his side.
"Glad to have you," Carl told him, speaking for both of them since Mark wasn't as keen on trusting Nate as he was. "Pumpkin, I have to go into town in the morning so how about I drop you off at school?"
"Sure, that'd be great. See you at seven."
"If you're sure you don't want my help cleaning up the kitchen, I'll be going too." Nate left the door open as the guys walked next door and he backed Eve against the wall. If they happened to turn around, he wanted to leave no doubt in their minds he was planning on returning.
"No, I can get it," Eve whispered breathlessly, her mind not on the kitchen but on the way he grabbed her buttocks and hoisted her up, her back braced against the wall. "I don't like people in my space," she added, wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Well, that part's too bad because I'm about to invade your space big time." Nate ravaged her mouth with his own, his lips and tongue as demanding as his hands as he squeezed her ass and rubbed her crotch against his raging erection. Why that admirable independent streak made him want to shove those tight jeans down and plunge into her pussy he had no idea, but someday soon, he swore he would get her to accept him into her life for more than weekend sex.
Releasing her lips, he nipped the bottom one hard enough to make her gasp then soothed the sting with a stroke of his tongue. "I'll be in touch."
Eve shuddered with longing as he let her slide down his body before releasing her and stepping back. "Have a good week, Nate," she managed to tell him even though her body was on fire and she was anxious for him to douse the flames he so easily lit.
"I plan to. See you soon, sugar."
She waited until she heard his car start up and drive off before closing the door and leaning back against it in frustrated, unfulfilled arousal. Damn it, she swore. He had fucked her senseless yesterday, last night and this morning. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to be sated, relaxed and able to set aside the weekend's indulgences now they were over. Instead, as she headed into the kitchen, she was wishing he stayed a little longer, just long enough to fuck her again and ease the ache he was responsible for, not because her home was suddenly too quiet, her space too roomy.
It's just sex, she mumbled over and over as she cleaned up the kitchen and found she missed the sound of his voice and the comfort of his presence almost as much as she wanted to discover what he had planned for their next encounter.
Eve repeated that litany throughout the evening and the next day, all the way until she heard his voice again.
"Eve."
Damn it, it wasn't just sex. Turning toward the doorway to her classroom, she frowned as she stood. "Nate, what're you doing here?"
"Since I know how astute you are, I won't bother saying I was in the neighborhood. If you're done here for the day, we can get to your place for a change of clothes and out to the stables in time for a ride before they close." Surprised pleasure replaced the distrustful wariness on her face, the quick transformation priceless but had him wondering if it was spending time with him or the prospect of riding and sex again that caused it.
"I'd like that," Eve replied before she could change her mind.
She saddled Sadie Mae herself and then brushed her down when they returned after an hour ride, enjoying tending to the little mare as much as riding her. Nate followed their ride with dinner at a small, family owned Italian restaurant and left her at her front door with nothing more than a kiss, leaving her to wonder what was going on with him.
On Tuesday, he picked her up at work and took her to Richmond's Museum of Fine Arts which boasted a new array of hands-on artwork and again left her at her door with nothing more than a kiss, her fingers still tingling from tracing over the displays, her mind filled with the images she had discovered. They went to the symphony on Wednesday and he left her at her door with nothing more than a kiss, the cacophony of music reverberating in her head along with a note of suspicion. On Thursday, they met Wes and Katie at the sports complex and played on the two seat bumper cars after hours, Katie putting the guys to shame with her driving skills. Then they went to O'Dell's where Fin treated them to burgers before Nate left her at her door with nothing but a kiss and a frustrating, slow rising need and worry he was telling her this was it. On Friday, he took her for pizza then ice skating at an indoor rink before leaving her with a kiss and a bruise forming on her ass from her numerous spills. Pent up lust and confusion aside, she was having too much fun despite the lack of sex to question his motives out loud.
The week of nothing but dating had taken her out of her comfort zone of just sex, reminding her of the college breakups that had followed a few short dates. "You know, Nate," she said now as he moved back from her, showing no intention of coming inside, "These dates aren't necessary." She was desperate to get this relationship back on track. Just because she knew it was more than sex for her already, didn't mean she had to give in to wanting more. She was good with just sex.
Nate's frustration matched what he saw on Eve's face and felt in her small body, but unlike the wariness she couldn't hide in those expressive green eyes about his actions this week, he was comfortable pushing forward on expanding their relationship.
"You didn't enjoy yourself this week?" he asked, knowing good and well she had. She couldn't hide the pleasure she had gotten from tending to Sadie Mae before a
nd after their ride. He was bored silly at the museum and symphony but not with watching the rapt attention on Eve's face and the sheer delight she couldn't hide. She had squealed with excitement as she and Katie rammed his and Wes's bumper car with well-aimed precision over and over and had laughed at herself each time she fell on the ice tonight only to get right back up and try again. Watching her had heightened his own fun and appreciation of those simple activities. To hear her try to coax him back into going out just for sex again really pissed him off.
"Yes, of course I did. But, really, Nate, I'm good with just sex." She felt his stiff posture and that didn't bode well. She wanted to reassure him she was fine with going back to just sex.
"You know, sugar, it irks me you're not willing to be more honest about your feelings. You want sex back on the table then by all means, let's put sex on the table." Irritated with her continued reticence, he backed her inside and shut the door behind him. "Better yet, let's put you on the table. Mind if I rummage for something in your kitchen first?" Taking her hand, he pulled her towards the kitchen, leaving the small table lamp lit on the way.
Heart tripping over the combination of excitement and worry filling her, Eve replied, "No, but, Nate…"
"Quiet!" he snapped out as he found the wooden spatula in the same drawer he had seen her put it in last week. "If you just want sex then you don't need to talk, now do you?"
Eve didn't have time to do anything except be bewildered by his mood, a combination of anger, frustration and disappointment, as the next thing she knew, she was lying face down on her kitchen table. Feet barely touching the floor, cool air greeted her bare ass when he shoved her jeans down to mid-thigh, leaving her in her thong.
"Nice." Nate snapped the string bisecting her cheeks. "Did you wear this for me, hoping I'd fuck you?"