by V. K. Powell
“Yeah.” JJ laughed. “Good luck with that.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Eva walked to the edge of the porch and looked again toward the road that led into town. It seemed like hours since Greer had sent her home. She was no good at waiting, pacing didn’t calm her, and sitting was impossible.
“Pacing won’t get her here any faster, honey.” Bessie raised her glass of tea. “Do you know the secret to a great batch of sweet Southern iced tea?”
Eva laughed. The tension in her body demanded release, and screaming wouldn’t be polite. Bessie had already cleaned the cuts on her face and arms and listened to her story of being kidnapped by Baron Wallace. The least she could do was indulge Bessie’s attempt to entertain and distract her. She returned to her seat. “I can’t imagine.”
“Some people think it’s the sugar. But the secret is in the tea bags. If you don’t use the right ones, it’s either too bitter or too weak. You can tell who your true friends are if they share their beverage and cooking tips with you.” Bessie took a big gulp to prove her point. “Perfect.”
“I’m dying to know. What are the best tea bags?”
“Everybody knows they’re—” Greer’s motorcycle rumbled. They both met her as she pulled into the driveway. “Are you all right?” Bessie asked.
“A little stunned, but no physical harm.” Greer hugged Eva and clung to her for several minutes. “How are you?” She held Eva at arm’s length and seemed to check every inch of her for signs of injury.
“I’m fine. Bessie fixed me up and I’m good as new.”
Greer then turned to Bessie and gave her a prolonged hug. “Fluharty is dead.”
Bessie clutched her chest. “Oh, honey, you didn’t—”
“No, I didn’t kill him. It looks like suicide or an accidental overdose of cocaine. Somebody probably laced his sugar with coke.” Greer hung her head, and Eva could tell the guilt had already set in. “He was dirty—drugs.” Her voice cracked. “And he’s the reason Clare died. If I hadn’t trusted him, you two wouldn’t have been in danger. I remember what Eva said about having to choose between loyalty and the truth.”
“No!” Eva and Bessie said at once. Eva nodded to give Bessie the go-ahead.
“You will not take the blame for Fred Fluharty’s weakness and deception. I won’t allow it. If it hadn’t been for you and Eva, none of this would’ve come to light. God knows how long he might have gotten away with it.”
Greer’s eyes filled with tears and Eva put her arm around her waist. “Yeah, what she said goes double for me. You can’t blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in this crazy world. And what about Breeze?”
“The clerk’s office finally found the sign-in sheet. He was in federal court like he said, so he’s been cleared. At least we didn’t have two rotten apples.”
Bessie patted Greer on the back. “I’m glad you’re okay and this case is finally solved. Why don’t you two go talk or something. I’ve got reports to do on my wayward nurses. See you later.” She herded them in the direction of the garage and walked back toward the house.
When they were alone in the apartment, Eva remembered the last time she’d shared this space with Greer. She’d been conflicted about her life and what she wanted. Her past and her unwillingness to take a chance had clouded her feelings for Greer. As she stood here now, those things seemed small and insignificant. She had no doubt about her feelings for Greer. She wanted to spend her life with her and needed to say those things aloud.
“Greer—”
“Wait.” Greer put a finger under Eva’s chin and tilted her head up. “I’d like to kiss you. Is that all right?”
Eva stretched on her tiptoes and brought their lips together. Greer’s response was tentative at first, but warm and inviting, reverent in appreciation. Eva allowed her to set the pace as her own need rose—the need to be completely and totally joined.
She wasn’t ready for Greer to pull away. “Thank you.” Her blue eyes lacked some of their usual sparkle and vitality. “I need to take a shower. I feel—”
“I know.” Eva understood the film of degradation and distaste that permeated the pores after dealing with the bottom dwellers of life. She’d spent an hour under a hot stream of water to sluice the unpleasantness of the Baron Wallace experience from her body. “I understand.”
Greer started to touch her face but stopped. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do your cuts still hurt?” A look of pain flashed across her face and she turned away. “I should’ve kept you safe.”
Eva touched Greer’s arm and gently urged her to face her again. “It wasn’t your fault. You’ve done everything possible to protect me. I decided to take a drive without telling anyone. What happened after that is my fault. Besides, I’m perfectly fine. Now go shower. I want to be with you, soon.”
Without responding, Greer walked toward the bathroom, peeling off clothes as she went. By the time she reached the glass enclosure, she was completely nude and Eva throbbed with the need to touch her. She listened to the steady flow of water from the shower and imagined it running down the length of Greer. She controlled the urge to go to Greer as long as she could, then stripped and sneaked in behind her in the spacious shower.
Greer braced herself against the tiled wall with her arms stretched out shoulder height and her head bowed. Water saturated her thick blond hair, ran down the taut muscles of her torso and over the exquisite swell of her ass. Eva saw the tension along Greer’s shoulders, back, and legs. She stepped closer and smoothed her hands up Greer’s sides.
“Let me help you, darling.” Eva massaged the bunched muscles of Greer’s shoulders and felt them relax beneath her touch. She pressed and squeezed her way down Greer’s rib cage to the top of her buttocks, paying particular attention to the lumbar section of her back. As she worked some of the tightness away, Greer seemed to unwind and the strong lines that defined her athletic body loosened.
“God, that feels amazing. Your hands are magic.” She let go and swayed with the rhythm of Eva’s strokes. Greer stood quietly for several minutes as Eva worked her way around her body, kneading and releasing tension in her stiff muscles. “That is great. Would you mind if I hold you for a minute?”
“You can do whatever you want,” Eva replied, straightening to make eye contact.
Greer pulled Eva under the shower spray with her. When their bodies merged, Eva thought she might stop breathing. The connection was sensuously gentle and the physical fit perfect. Her breasts rested comfortably under Greer’s smaller ones, and the firm ridge of Greer’s leg eased naturally between her own.
Eva shifted to accommodate Greer’s movements as the slick moisture of arousal coated her sex. She rode up and down Greer’s thigh, purposely rubbing against Greer’s pubic mound with each rise. Greer responded with deep, guttural moans that shot another current of excitement through her. Eva could come within minutes by rubbing her body against Greer’s. But she wanted more than corporeal satisfaction.
Her body ached for the physical touch that would sate her flesh. She craved the release. But the desire to surrender, free from mental and emotional doubt, to give without reservation, consumed her. Greer kissed her and Eva matched Greer’s fervor, the hunger growing with each second of contact. Her body tingled with stimulation and her legs weakened.
“Can’t stand much longer,” she said between kisses.
Greer turned off the shower, wrapped Eva in a bath sheet, and swept her up as though she were weightless. She carried Eva to the bed and placed her gently on the edge. With the corner of the towel, Greer dried Eva’s hair and body with light, delicate strokes. “I need you so much, Eva.” Her breathing was deep and halting.
“I need to say one thing before we make love.”
“Tell me.” Greer’s touch was excruciatingly tender, the tips of her fingers barely touching skin as she gazed into Eva’s eyes, waiting.
“I love you, Greer. I’ve been afraid to say it. I didn’t trust myself.”
“And now?”
“It’s the only thing I’m completely certain about.” As the words gushed from Eva’s lips she experienced a sense of peace. The words rang true in her ears and in her heart.
“And I love you, Eva Saldana.”
“Are you sure? We have to be sure.” Eva searched Greer’s face for any sign of reservation but found none. She didn’t want to ask about Clare but needed to know if Greer could love her fully while still carrying Clare in her heart.
“If you’re concerned about Clare, don’t be. She has a special place in my heart, but you’re my present and my future…if you want to be.”
Eva answered with a kiss, deep and passionate. Their tongues poked and sucked, fueling the heat in Eva’s center. Her answer at this moment and forever was yes, and she’d spend her life making sure Greer knew how much she was loved.
Greer reclined on the bed and pulled Eva on top of her, still wrapped in the bath towel. Even with the barrier between them, they still fit perfectly, as if made for one another. Greer kissed her and rocked back and forth, their legs entwined for maximum contact. The firm muscle of Greer’s quadriceps rubbed and teased Eva’s tender clit through the terry fabric and made her wet with anticipation. Greer inched her hand up Eva’s side and cupped a handful of breast, teasing an erect nipple between thumb and forefinger.
The towel between them was like the layers of conflict and resistance they’d overcome to reach this point. With the peeling away of the fabric, Eva imagined their bodies and souls exquisitely revealed to each other. She ached for the sensuous feel of skin on skin again.
“Greer, please touch me.”
“With pleasure.”
She slowly peeled the bath sheet away from Eva’s body. Cool air settled on her heated skin and raised goose bumps. She shivered as her nipples puckered and she stretched toward Greer, begging for her mouth. Greer lightly brushed her fingers down Eva’s chest, circling each breast with tantalizing strokes, avoiding the firm contact Eva wanted.
Greer cupped Eva’s sex and her hips rose to meet the pressure. Moisture soaked her crotch, and the knowledge that Greer could feel it as well excited her. She wanted Greer to know how ready she was. Greer moved her hand and, again, the cool air against inflamed flesh caused a shudder that rocked Eva with longing.
“Please, baby.” Eva sat up and wrapped her legs around Greer’s body, rubbing her center against coarse blond pubic hair. She needed more stimulation. Her feelings for Greer magnified the physical sensations and brought her closer to climax. If she didn’t come soon, she’d burst. “I want you everywhere. Don’t make me wait any longer.”
Greer straddled her again and Eva thought she’d never seen a woman more beautiful. Nipples erect with need topped her perky breasts and Eva longed to suck them into her mouth. The patch of blond hair between her legs glistened with arousal. A bolt of excitement shot through Eva as she glided her fingers into Greer’s body.
“Don’t.” Greer grabbed her hand before she made contact. “If you touch me, I’ll explode.”
Eva tried again. “And what’s wrong with a little explosion?”
When Eva finally touched her, Greer’s sharp intake of breath was as stimulating as a caress. Her entire body ached and pounded for release. “Please, lie on top of me. I want you inside me when I enter you.” Greer’s blue eyes shone with emotion, like she was looking into her soul, at the love that radiated from her heart. “I want to come with you.”
Greer stretched out on top of Eva and their bodies moved as one in the rhythmic slide and stroke of lovemaking. Their timing was perfect, each moment of contact exquisite in its combination of friction and moisture. Pressure spiraled inside her and discharged bursts of electricity through her system. Soothing warmth became burning heat and demanded attention. She opened her legs wider. “Now, baby, inside me now.”
Eva worked her hand between their bodies and curved her fingers into Greer’s opening as Greer entered her. “Oh, yesss.” She gasped between breaths. “Like that.” The simultaneous internal stroking stoked her need and she struggled to maintain her rhythm inside Greer. She wanted to see her lover’s face when they came together for the first time. Her body arched to meet Greer’s thrusts. She was losing control. “Soon, my darling.”
“Tell me when.” Greer sucked Eva’s breast in time with their cadence. The firm momentum of her hand and the steady pull of her mouth drew Eva’s passion from deep inside. She wrapped her legs around Greer and opened herself completely as the coiled pleasure sprang loose. “Now, I’m coming now.”
Greer’s tempo increased and she answered, “I’m with you.” As her climax flowed from her, Eva kissed Greer. She thought she might die from all the sensations. She breathed her orgasm into Greer’s mouth as she spilled into her hand. They emptied and filled until they collapsed on top of each other and gasped for breath.
Several minutes passed before either could speak. “Wow,” Greer finally said. “That was, well, it was, I mean…you know?”
Eva laughed. “I certainly do.” Though words failed her, Eva knew exactly what Greer meant. They were perfect together. This was the woman Eva had dreamed about, hoped for, but had been afraid to find. She represented everything Eva wanted in life—love, excitement, stability, and home—all in one gorgeous package. She couldn’t imagine going forward without her by her side.
Greer pulled the bedspread over them and sighed. She couldn’t believe how right this moment felt. It had been two years coming and she’d begun to think love wasn’t in the cards for her again. But she was wrong. She now understood that love wasn’t a one-shot deal. It was possible to fully and truly love more than once in a lifetime. But in order to love someone sometimes you had to let her go. If that’s what it took to prove her love for Eva, she would do it no matter how much it hurt. They had things to settle. The desire to resolve those issues tugged at her even at this perfect moment.
Eva snuggled closer and stretched her leg over Greer’s. “Mmm, that was awesome, but I can see those wheels spinning in your head, Detective. Spill.”
“It can wait. Let me hold you.”
“I don’t want us to keep things from each other. Please tell me what’s bothering you.”
“I was wondering what happens now.”
Eva rolled on her side and stared into Greer’s eyes. “Well, at the risk of sounding like a cliché, we live happily ever after.”
Greer thought her heart might pound out of her chest. “And what does that look like?”
“You and me together forever? Could that work?”
“You mean you’d stay here? What about your career? What about the assignment in Kyrgyzstan?”
Eva kissed Greer tenderly and her passion rekindled. “I turned down the job. I’ve negotiated another position—host of my own show on CNN. The boss has been trying to convince me to change tracks for months.”
Greer’s breathing increased and she smiled so big it almost hurt. “You’d give up the excitement of traveling all over the world covering the latest-breaking stories for a life here in New Hope?”
“About like you’d give up police work.” Her disappointment must’ve been apparent because Eva hurried to explain. “If I run my own show, I decide what stories I cover. You’d have to accept that as part of what I do—of course, with the understanding that I’d always come back to you.”
“I wouldn’t stand in the way of your career, no matter what you chose. But I do like that last part.” Greer gathered Eva in her arms and hugged her again.
“Besides, I have a story to finish here. I promised Tom a double byline. Who knows how long it could take to wrap that up, maybe months.”
“I’d like you to consider something else as well.”
“Yes?”
“If things work out, would you consider living in the house at some point? It’s my home, after all.”
“Living together?” Eva pulled away almost imperceptibly, and the words sounded tentative, as if she was testing how it f
elt to say them aloud. “I’ve never lived with anyone.”
“The ‘if things work out’ and ‘at some point’ parts of the request were for your benefit. Take all the time you need. I want you to be sure about how you feel, about us.”
“Oh, darling, my reluctance isn’t about my feelings for you. I just don’t want to disappoint you.”
“That can’t happen as long as you’re honest with me. It has to be right for both of us. Just let me know when you’re ready for the next step.”
Eva kissed Greer and nestled against her chest. “Thank you for being patient with me. I love you with everything I am. You’re my home.”
About the Author
VK Powell is a thirty-year veteran of a midsized police department. She was a police officer by necessity (it paid the bills) and a writer by desire (it didn’t). Her career spanned numerous positions including beat officer, homicide detective, field sergeant, vice / narcotics lieutenant, district captain, and assistant chief of police. Now retired, she lives in central North Carolina and divides her time between writing, traveling, and amateur interior decorating.
VK is a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of three erotic short stories and one romantic short story published in Bold Strokes Books anthologies. Her novels are To Protect and Serve, Suspect Passions, and Fever.
Books Available From Bold Strokes Books
Breaker’s Passion by Julie Cannon. Leaving a trail of broken hearts scattered across the Hawaiian Islands, surf instructor Colby Taylor is running full speed away from her selfish actions years earlier until she collides with Elizabeth Collins, a stuffy, judgmental college professor who changes everything. (978-1-60282-196-5)
Justifiable Risk by V.K. Powell. Work is the only thing that interests homicide detective Greer Ellis until internationally renowned journalist Eva Saldana comes to town looking for answers in her brother’s death— then attraction threatens to override duty. (978-1-60282-197-2)