by Lynn LaFleur
I won’t push you, Eve. It’s completely up to you if we make love.
Quade’s words repeated over and over in her mind while he drove to her apartment. She didn’t speak and neither did he. She looked out her window, the purr of the car the only sound breaking the silence. The half moon hadn’t risen yet. Millions of stars sprinkled across the dark sky. Eve focused on the brightest one while she debated on whether to invite Quade into her home.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly.
“Yes.” She turned her head and smiled at him. “Just enjoying all the stars.”
“Adrian loves looking at the sky. I bought him a high-powered telescope for Christmas last year. You’d think he won the lottery.”
“Is he interested in astronomy?”
“Meteorology. Weather fascinates him. I think he’ll probably take whatever college courses are necessary to be a meteorologist.”
Quade pulled behind Cozy Crafts and parked next to her car. It hadn’t taken her long to realize he had impeccable manners, so she waited for him to come around the car and open the door for her. He offered a hand to help her from the seat, then kept it clutched tightly in his while they walked up the steps to her balcony. With a single word, she could be wrapped in Quade’s arms all night long.
Eve didn’t know if she was ready for that, but she did know she didn’t want the evening to end yet. “It’s barely ten o’clock. Would you like coffee or a glass of wine?”
He smiled. “A glass of wine sounds nice.”
She handed him her container of prime rib so she could get her keys from her purse. Once inside the kitchen, Quade walked to the refrigerator and placed her leftovers in it. Eve laid her shawl and purse on the counter. “I only have red until I go to the grocery store on Tuesday.”
“That’s what we had with dinner, so red will be perfect.”
Eve took a bottle from the wine rack in the corner, and a corkscrew from the drawer beneath it. “I know it’s best to let it breathe after opening, but it’s still wonderful to drink it right after removing the cork.”
Before she could open the bottle, Quade laid his hand over hers that held the corkscrew. “Let me.”
She relinquished the wine to him and went for their glasses. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he expertly opened the bottle. He’d put his jacket back on before they left the restaurant. She wished he’d taken it off so she could enjoy the play of muscles while he wielded the corkscrew.
Eve set the wineglasses on the counter next to Quade so he could pour. He handed one glass to her, took the other for himself. She led the way to the living room, sat in the same spot where she’d sat last night. Quade sat a few inches closer to her than he had last night. When he stretched his arm along the back of the couch, his fingers grazed her nape.
Quade took a sip of his wine. “Mmm, that’s very good.”
“Thanks. I’ll admit my father is a wine snob. I’ve learned a lot about wine from him.” She swirled the red liquid in her glass. “He has a good friend who owns a large vineyard in the Rhône Valley in France. My father arranges for a case of this Châteauneuf-du-Pape to be shipped to me every year for my birthday.”
“Which is …”
“December twenty-third. I’m usually with him then so I don’t actually get the wine until a couple of weeks after I get home, but I can always count on it arriving. If I want more during the year, I let him know and he arranges for it to be sent.”
“I’ll admit I’m not a wine expert, but this may be the best red wine I’ve ever tasted.”
Eve smiled, pleased he liked it. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
“Have you been to France?”
She nodded. “Several times. In fact, I met Rhea in Paris at a bookstore.” She drew her knees up on the couch, arranged her dress over her thighs so they were covered. “I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to travel a lot in Europe while visiting my father. I haven’t been to any other continents yet. Maybe someday.”
“Where would you like to go?”
“Everywhere.”
Quade chuckled. “Could you be a little more specific?”
Eve grinned. “You asked, I answered.” She sipped her wine. “Australia and New Zealand are at the top of my wish list.”
“I took Adrian to Sydney two summers ago when he turned thirteen. He had a blast. So did I. I wish we’d had time to explore more of the continent. I’d love to go back someday.”
She’d love to go with him. How strange that she’d been engaged twice, yet had never fantasized about traveling to other parts of the world with either of her fiancés. One mention of Quade wanting to go to another country and Eve thought about packing her bags.
He ran the back of one knuckle down her cheek. “What happened? You looked happy, then the light went out of your eyes.”
Once again, she must have let her thoughts show on her face. She quickly smiled. “I’m sorry. I got lost in memories for a second.”
“Bad ones?”
“In a way. I wish I could see my father more often. I miss him.”
He continued to caress her cheek with his knuckle. “I’m not trying to get too personal, but can’t you afford to see him more often than you do?”
“Oh, that isn’t a problem. He pays for all my trips. But he’s also very busy, and two to three times a year seems to work the best for him.”
“Do you have family anywhere else?”
Eve shook her head. “Only child of two only children. No cousins, aunts, or uncles. I do have my father’s parents, but they live in the Netherlands, too. My mother’s parents died before I was born.”
“I have one brother, Quint. He’s married with three boys. My father has one brother who has two boys. We Eastons can’t seem to produce any girls. There hasn’t been a girl born in our family for five generations.”
Quade had mentioned his son many times, but hadn’t said whether or not he wanted more children. “Would you like to have more children?”
“I would.” His eyes shone with humor when he smiled. “Maybe I’d break the Easton curse and finally father a daughter.”
The image of a little girl with her father’s skin coloring, black hair, and sapphire eyes filled Eve’s mind. She would be stunning.
“But maybe it would be better if I didn’t have a daughter. I know she’d completely wrap me around her little finger. I wouldn’t be able to tell her no.”
Eve smiled at the thought of Quade jumping to do whatever his daughter wanted. “You’d have to be strong.”
“That’s hard for me. I’m a pushover when it comes to kids. I’d like to protect every one of them.”
His comment sobered Eve. She knew Quade worked as a counselor at the high school, plus counseled adults on the side. He’d probably heard some terrible stories of mistreatment and abuse. “Your job must be hard at times.”
“It is. All I can do is try to help the kids through the bad times instead of finding whoever is hurting them and throwing their ass against a brick wall the way I want to.” He blew out a breath. “I guess that makes me as bad as the abuser.”
“Not at all. I’d feel the same way.”
He swirled his wine before taking a healthy sip. “I don’t think I could ever take a life, unless I found out that person hurt Adrian. I’d protect my son with my last breath.”
Eve had no doubt about that. Knowing how much Quade loved his son raised her respect for him.
Quade drained his glass. “Now that I’ve depressed both of us, I’ll leave.”
“You haven’t depressed me, Quade.”
“Still, I’d better go so you can get some rest.”
She followed him to the kitchen. Quade placed his wineglass in the sink. “Thanks for the wine. It was excellent.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the door, he faced her. “I enjoyed our evening. Maybe we can do it again soon.”
Eve smiled. “I’d like that.”
She set h
er glass on the counter and waited, breath held, for his good-night kiss. He tilted up her chin with one finger, lowered his lips to hers. It started the same as last night’s kiss with a bare mingling of breaths, but he soon deepened it. His mouth moved over hers, then he tilted his head the other direction and kissed her again. Eve parted her lips to allow his tongue entrance, but he didn’t take advantage of her movement. Instead, he continued to kiss her slowly, tenderly, using only his lips.
It had to be the most arousing kiss Eve had ever received.
Quade lifted his head. Eve struggled to open her eyes as he swept his thumb across her chin. “Good night.”
“Good night,” she whispered.
She stood on the small balcony, desire curling in her stomach, and watched as he descended the steps. He’d told her it would be her decision if they made love. If she asked him to stay, to be with her, he would. They’d have an incredible night of passion and then move on with their lives.
Eve battled with herself over the right thing to do. Desire won.
He’d reached the bottom step when she called out to him. “Quade.”
He stopped, looked at her over his shoulder.
“Please stay.”
He turned, but didn’t move toward her. She thought he clenched his jaw, but couldn’t be sure in the dim lighting. “If I stay, you know what will happen.”
“Yes, I do.”
After hesitating a few moments longer, Quade climbed the stairs.
6
It hadn’t been easy for Quade not to bend Eve over his arm and ravish her mouth the way he longed to when he said good night to her. He enjoyed little pecking kisses, but he craved more from her.
He’d meant what he’d said at dinner about it being her decision if they made love. Now that she’d invited him to stay, he didn’t have to hold back and could kiss her the way he’d longed to.
He stepped through the doorway, pushed the door shut behind him. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I’m sure.”
Quade held out one hand. Eve placed her palm against his, let him tug her closer. He slipped one arm around her waist, cradled her nape with his other hand. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to hers.
As he’d done the other two times he’d kissed her, he started out soft and slow, giving her time to accept him. This time, however, he didn’t stop with a tender kiss. Gripping her nape, he held her still while he deepened their kiss. His tongue tickled the corners of her lips until they parted. He could taste the wine on her breath, along with the distinct flavor of Eve.
So delicious.
Her soft moan encouraged him to continue. Quade parted her lips more with his tongue, darted it inside to sweep against hers. He groaned when her fingernails dug into his mid-back. He took her action to mean she needed even more from him.
Ending the kiss, Quade rested his forehead against hers. “Tell me what you want, what you need.”
“I want … I need … you.” Her voice came out sounding as if she’d just run ten miles.
Despite the lust raging through his body, Quade teased her. “Could you be a little more specific?”
She pulled back and looked into his eyes. The green irises glowed with heat, desire. “You and me naked. How’s that for specific?”
Her comment surprised him. After her hesitation earlier this evening, Quade thought he’d have to gently coax her into getting out of her clothes. He’d bare her body a bit at a time to give her the chance to relax and get used to his touch. Apparently, once she decided they would make love, she didn’t want to wait one second to get close to him.
That worked for him.
“Take me to your bedroom.”
Grasping his hand, she led him down the hall to her room. Once standing by the bed with the pale lamplight shining on the bedspread, Quade took a deep breath. He refused to rush this. No matter how much his body craved her, he didn’t want their first time together to be a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am situation.
Quade lifted both her hands to his mouth, kissed each palm. “Last chance to change your mind.”
“I’m not changing my mind.”
As if to prove her words, she slipped her hands beneath his jacket and drew it down his arms. It fell to the floor behind him. Quade let his arms relax at his sides so Eve could do whatever she wanted to. Looking into his eyes, she unfastened the first button on his shirt. She released each button, tugged the shirt from his pants.
Only after the shirt landed on top of his jacket did she lower her gaze. She touched his chest, her fingers gliding across the width, over his shoulders, down his torso. She circled his navel with a single fingertip. “I wondered if you have a happy trail.” Her eyes sparkled with humor when she looked back at his face. “I like it.”
The humor disappeared, to be replaced with awe. “You have a magnificent body, Quade.”
She reached for his belt buckle, but Quade laid his hands over hers. “Don’t you think it’s my turn to take something off you?”
Eve shook her head. “Let me finish undressing you first.”
Not wanting to disappoint her, he returned his arms to his sides. He helped her by toeing off his shoes, then stood still and waited for what she would do next.
She unfastened his belt, the button, and slowly lowered the zipper. Quade’s breathing hitched when she dropped to her knees before him as she dragged his pants down his legs. Her position put her mouth directly in line with his cock, still covered by his black briefs. Or barely covered. The underwear stretched over his hard dick to the point of being almost transparent.
He held her shoulder while he lifted one leg, then the other, so she could remove his pants and socks. Sitting back on her heels, her gaze slowly swept up his body and back to his groin. She licked her lips.
A man could take only so much before he had to act. He tugged Eve to her feet, turned her around so he could press his body against her back and ass. “Now it’s definitely my turn.”
Quade lowered the zipper on the back of her dress. He slid the garment down her arms to pool at her waist while he nipped the side of her neck. Eve whimpered. Arching her back, she wrapped her arms around his neck. That left her body completely open for his touch.
He decided her breasts needed his attention first. Quade found the front closure of her bra and released it. Cradling both full mounds in his hands, he squeezed, kneaded, caressed, loving the feel of her warm flesh. Tiny bumps rose on her areolae to surround hard nipples. He flicked the peaks with his thumbs. A long moan rewarded him.
“Do you like your nipples touched?” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes.”
“Sucked?”
“Yes.”
“How about other parts of your body? Do you like to be touched here?” He slid his hands down to her waist, splayed his hands wide across her stomach.
She shifted her hips, rubbed her ass against his groin. “Quade, please.”
“Please what? You have to tell me what feels good, Eve. I can’t read your mind.”
She took one of his hands, pushed it inside her panties. “That feels good.”
It pleased him to find her pussy so wet already. Quade slipped his fingers through the slick folds and easily found her swollen clit. She hissed when he rubbed it with the tip of his finger.
“Too much?” he asked.
“No. Not enough.”
“What’s better for you? Back and forth …” Gathering the moisture from her channel, he slid his finger from left to right and back over her clit. “Or is it better in a circle?” He changed his motion, rubbed his finger over her clit in a circle.
“B-both.”
He cradled a breast with his free hand while he continued to caress her pussy. He alternated his movements, sometimes moving his fingers back and forth, sometimes in a circle. She spread her legs as far as her dress allowed. That gave Quade more room to fondle her.
The extra room must have been what Eve needed. Her breathing became deeper, more err
atic. One arm remained behind his neck while her other hand clutched his thigh. She moved her hips in the same rhythm as his fingers. Every movement made her ass brush his dick.
“Come for me, Eve.” Quade nibbled her earlobe, pulled it with his lips. “I want to feel you come.”
He’d barely said the last word when a strangled gasp came from her throat. Her fingernails dug into his thigh and she threw her head back to his shoulder. Quade pushed two fingers into her pussy when her body started to tremble. The walls clamped onto his fingers, as if to keep them inside.
“My legs are weak,” she said in a raspy voice.
“Good. Weak legs are a sign of a strong orgasm.”
“Strong doesn’t even begin to describe it.” She turned in his arms, causing his fingers to slip from her channel. Sliding her arms around his neck, she kissed him long and slow and passionately. “Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure.”
She kissed him again while moving her pelvis back and forth over his cock. Quade clasped her ass to hold her still. It had been a long time since he’d lost control and come way too soon, but then, it had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman as much as he wanted Eve.
Eve’s hands slid inside his briefs to fondle his ass. “You have an amazing butt,” she whispered against his lips. One hand crept around to the front. She wrapped it around his cock. “And other things.”
Eve sighed at the feel of Quade’s shaft in her hand. Hot and hard with satiny skin that slid up and down with the milking motion of her hand.
She loved touching, but she also wanted to see.
She sat on the edge of the bed, urged him closer by his hips. Once she had him positioned where she wanted him, she pulled the waistband of his briefs forward so his cock sprang free. It stood out from his body, long and thick and straight with a drop of pre-cum at the slit. Eve swallowed a whimper as her pussy clenched.
She pushed the briefs past his hips and down his legs. Once he’d stepped free of them, she caressed his length with one hand, his balls with the other. She smiled when his cock surged in her hand.