by Linda Verji
“Mom, don’t!” Carter protested.
Myth had it that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law couldn’t get along. However, his wife and mother had proved that myth wrong. From what he’s seen, their relationship was cordial and loving – like that of a real mother and her daughter. Sharon was the biggest cheerleader of their relationship and was always bugging him to get closer to Eve. It was the reason why he’d agreed to her proposal that all of them live together. The house was big, and they all liked each other.
“Okay, I’ll stop.” Still smiling, Sharon turned to Eve, “Eve, now that Carter’s here, we should do something special. What do you think about giving Martha a break and cooking for him ourselves?”
Carter immediately protested, “You don’t have to do that.”
“But we will if we want to.” Sharon smiled at Eve. “What do you think? Are you game?”
Eve smiled. “If that’s what you want, then okay.”
Though she smiled, Carter had an odd feeling that she didn’t want to cook for him and was just going along with his mother. However, before he could tell her that she didn’t have to do it, she cut him off.
To Sharon, Eve said, “Jackson and I will go get changed then come back down to help.”
“Great.” The older woman nodded. “I’ll just head to the kitchen and see what we’ve got to work with.”
“Come on, Jackson.” Eve led the boy towards the ornate stairs.
“Carter, you’re with me.” Sharon gestured for him to follow her. “You can tell me all about your new documentary while I scavenge.”
“Sure!” Carter followed her obediently. However, even as he sat at the kitchen island regaling her with stories about his stay in Colombia, Eve hovered in the back of his mind. After two months of having not seen her, the five minute welcome wasn’t enough. He needed more.
“Mom, I’ll be right back,” Carter said then escaped before she could ask him where he was going.
He took the stairs two at a time then branched into the left wing where his and Eve’s suite was. Eve wasn’t in the main room. The bathroom door was open so he assumed that she wasn’t in there either. When he crossed the room and entered their walk-in closet, the sight that met him stopped him in his tracks. Eve was standing by one of the closets, her back to him and only in her bra and panties.
Christ! She was beautiful. When fully clothed, she had the power to make traffic stop. When undressed, she could make a heart stop, and Carter felt his bump against his ribcage in excitement. Though she was facing away from him, he could tell that her lacey, red bra was barely holding in her generous breasts. Her back was cinched in at the waist but flared out at the hips to give her a voluptuous figure that left his hands itching to touch. But it was her ass that held his attention; large, juicy and perky. Carter swallowed hard even as his cock rose at that tantalizing sight.
He must’ve made a sound because Eve chose that moment to turn around.
The moment she saw him, she yelped, “Carter,” and crossed her arms over her chest.
Her arms didn’t offer much coverage, but he got the message.
“Sorry,” he murmured as he turned around.
“Get out,” she yelled.
“Okay.” He started towards the door. “Sorry.”
As soon as he was out of the walk-in closet, the double-doors noisily shut behind him. But the damage was done. After more than five years without sex while lusting over his wife, the sight of her almost-naked had sent his dormant libido into overdrive. He bit back a groan as a vision of how she’d looked flashed in his brain. Immediately, the thought of how she’d look when stripped of her underwear crept in.
Damn! He bet she’d look fantastic in nothing but her skin. Seeing her naked would be great, but what if she let him touch her? Just one touch would be enough. Okay, it wouldn’t be enough but right now, with the way he was hard, he’d take any crumbs she threw his way. Settling on the bed heavily, he wiped his palms over his face then pulled in several deep breaths to calm himself down.
A few minutes later, his lust was once again leashed. It was just in time too because the doors to the walk-in closet opened right then. Eve walked out, and this time she was fully dressed; gray sweatshirt, gray joggers and socks. Practically every inch of her was covered. However, it still wasn’t enough to erase the seductive image of her in her underwear. Without conscious thought, he lowered his gaze to her breasts.
“Don’t you know how to knock?” Eve drew his attention back up to her face. Unlike him, she didn’t seem enthralled by the encounter. She just looked angry.
“Sorry,” Carter apologized again. “I didn’t know you were naked in there.”
“Well, next time ask before you come in.” Kissing her teeth, she started towards the door.
“Hey.” He stopped her just as she reached the door. “I actually came up because I wanted to see you.”
“Me?” Turning, she pointed to herself and frowned. “Why would you want to see me?”
“You’re my wife,” he reminded her. “Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
Something flashed in Eve’s eyes but she didn’t say anything.
“We haven’t seen each other in two months.” Forcing a smile, he asked, “How have you been?”
She leaned back against the door and shrugged. “Fine!”
If this was five years ago, a question like ‘how have you been’ would’ve elicited a whole session of storytelling and laughter. Now all he could get was a ‘fine’. The worst part was that he had no idea what he’d done to elicit this kind of coldness from her. If he knew what he’d done, then at least he could fix it.
Tilting his head, he watched her. “Aren’t you curious about what I was up to?”
She didn’t answer. She just stared at him.
“The trip was more intense than I thought it would be.” He hesitated a second then said, “I almost got killed this time.”
He had no idea why he mentioned the whole almost getting killed part. He’d kept it a secret even from his mother just to keep her from worrying about him. Perhaps it was because he wanted to see a reaction that wasn’t disinterest from Eve.
She didn’t disappoint him. Immediate concern flashed in her eyes and she stood straighter. He waited for her to verbally express that concern; ask him how or if he was okay. But she didn’t. She just stared at him.
Still, her concern was enough to reignite the hope within him. She still cared about him. His best-friend was still somewhere beneath that thick, icy veneer.
“Don’t worry,” he reassured. “It was just a brief encounter with the local drug-dealers. Apparently, they don’t like it when foreigners talk to the locals without their say-so. Fortunately, we got out of it unhurt.”
Relief filled Eve’s expression and she sagged back into the door. However, that relief was soon replaced by the cold mask, and she asked, “Is that all you wanted to tell me?”
“No.” He smiled. “But we can talk later.”
“Fine.” Eve opened the door and left the room.
Carter watched the closed door for some time wondering what to do about his wife. Any other man in his position would’ve given up by now. And he’d considered it several times too. But he was haunted by memories of their past friendship and his considerable attraction to her.
Instead of giving up, he’d chosen to run away. He could’ve taken projects that were closer to home, but it hurt too much to be around Eve. It hurt to see her watching him with those cold eyes. It hurt to share a room with her when he knew that he couldn’t even touch her. It hurt to feel like they were planets apart even when they were in the same house. So he’d run away.
But that hadn’t worked out so great, especially not on this trip. When he and his crew had been attacked in Colombia and it looked like they were about to die, the only person he’d thought of was Eve. While driving like a madman to get away from the bullets that were being sprayed at their jeep, all he’d thought of was that he couldn’t di
e here. She’d be devastated.
And when they’d found safety in the form of an army contingent, Carter had promised himself that he’d change their relationship. Five years in this limbo was enough. It was time to stop running and instead change things.
* * * * *
CARTER’S RETURN WAS such a big deal that two days later, Sharon invited Eve’s parents over to celebrate the event.
“Isn’t this great?” Sharon cheerfully exclaimed as she looked around the dinner-table. “I don’t think the mood has been this happy in a while.”
“That’s because we were all worried about this one.” Toni gestured towards Carter.
“Well, you all don’t need to worry.” Carter grinned. “I’m back now.”
Eve, who was seated next to him, kept her eyes on her plate. Like Jackson, who was seated on her right, she quietly listened to the conversation as she ate.
Truth be told, her heart had almost stopped when he’d revealed that he’d almost died in Colombia. Though she couldn’t reveal it, the truth was that she still cared about him. A lot.
Whenever he left the country to shoot one of his documentaries, she was wracked with worry. Why couldn’t he be like other directors and film tame subjects like wildlife or something? No, he just had to be the guy who chased the most dangerous stories. Last year it was something about Chinese dissidents. This year it was Colombian drug traffickers. Every time he came back home, she wanted to hug him in relief then slap him for making her worry so much. But she couldn’t do that, could she? Not when she was trying to seem indifferent to him.
“Are you back for a little while,” Mark asked, “or for a long time?”
Like everyone else around the table, Eve waited for Carter’s answer.
“For a long time,” Carter said. “I don’t have any projects currently planned. And even if I do take up something, it will be something fluffier to clean my palate.”
“That’s great!” Toni, like everyone else, grinned. “Now that you’re around, you and Eve can get to giving us grandchildren.”
All eyes turned to Eve, but she studiously ignored them, choosing instead to focus on her food.
“Toni, don’t rush them,” Sharon scolded. “I’m sure they’ll get to it when they’re ready.”
“They should be ready by now. It’s been five years.” Toni’s eyes narrowed as they swept between Eve and Carter. “Or… is there something wrong?”
“Toni, leave the kids alone,” Mark chimed in. “If there was something wrong, they would’ve told us, right?”
His question was for Eve.
She met his eyes and forced a smile. “No, Dad. There’s nothing wrong.”
That is unless one counted the fact that she and Carter had never even consummated their marriage.
“We’re just taking our time,” Carter backed her up. Lying through his teeth, he added, “Eve and I wanted to enjoy being married for as long as possible before bringing kids into it.”
“Well, don’t wait too long,” Toni said. “You two aren’t getting younger, and neither are we. I want to be there when my grandchild goes to college.”
“Okay, that’s enough of that,” Sharon said. Changing the subject, she turned to Toni, “You guys just started the semester, right? How’s your new group of students?”
“Same as the last.” Toni snorted. “They’re all very proud of their very wrong opinions on subjects they’re too young to know anything about.”
That drew laughs from everyone at the table. Eve forced out a laugh so that she wouldn’t be the odd one out. As she faked her laughs and smiles, she watched the people around her. They all seemed so happy and at ease in each other’s company. Anyone watching them from the outside would likely assume that they were the perfect family. However, this happy, loving atmosphere was a mirage. Like fog, it masked the secrets, enmities and unhappiness that festered beneath their bright smiles.
Dinner flew by in a flurry of conversation and laughter. While Carter, Sharon, Mark and Toni went to the living room for after-dinner drinks, Eve went upstairs with Jackson. Her excuse was that she was going to check on his homework. But the truth was that she just needed a break from all that fakeness. She only came down when her parents sent the housekeeper up to let her know that they were leaving.
“Torchie, you were really quiet tonight,” Mark said as he and Eve walked out of the house arm in arm.
“Was I?” Eve asked even though that he was right.
“You were.” Studying her keenly, he asked, “Is everything all right with you?”
Eve smiled brightly. “Of course everything is all right.”
Toni, who was walking on the other side of Mark, said, “You know you can tell us if anything is wrong, right?”
Eve took a deep breath to ease the instant thread of irritation that shot through her at the sound of her mother’s voice before she said, “There’s nothing wrong, Mom. I’m okay.”
Mark watched her for a moment then asked, “Or are you angry because your mother and I asked about kids?”
Eve shook her head. “No, I’m not angry.”
“We’re just asking because we know you’ve always wanted to have kids,” Toni said.
Yeah, Eve had wanted kids. But that was before all these people had screwed up her life. Now all she wanted was revenge.
“You haven’t been home in a while,” Mark said once he and Toni were in his car. “Why don’t you come over this weekend?”
Eve, who was standing next to his window, said, “I’ll try.”
But even as she said those words she knew that it wouldn’t happen. One; because Sharon would never let her. And two: because she was too scared of herself. Every time Eve was alone with her parents, she always felt this pressing urge to erupt and spill her guts. But she couldn’t do that. Not when it meant the end of her family as she knew it.
Her parents soon drove off, and Eve strode back to the house. Martha, the housekeeper, met her at the door. Martha was in her early fifties, but remarkably well preserved with a heart-shaped face and honey-colored hair. Her black uniform hid a stout physique and a back that was straight as a rod. She had the air of a commander; something that served her well while trying to manage the rest of the household’s help.
“Mrs. Welling wants to see you,” Martha said.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in her office.”
Uh-oh. Sharon’s office was like the Principal’s office. No good ever came from visiting it. Eve squared her shoulders, took a deep breath then marched down the hallway to the office. She knocked on the large white door once, then after hearing Sharon’s ‘Come in,’ turned the doorknob.
The office was light and airy. The walls were painted a pure white that reflected the light brilliantly. Long windows looked out to a beautiful view of the garden outside, and several interesting pieces of art lined the walls. A tall shelf bursting with books occupied one whole wall. In front of that bookshelf was a sitting area, tastefully decorated with white settees and a glass coffee-table. There was even a vase of fresh pink and white roses on the coffee-table.
It was all very pure and angelic. Unlike the she-demon who sat behind the large white desk on the other side of the room.
Sharon looked up when Eve walked in. Gone was the smile that she put on for people she was trying to impress. Staring coldly at Eve over her wire-rimmed glasses, she asked, “Are they gone?”
“Yes,” Eve replied. “They’re gone.”
“You didn’t tell them anything funny, did you?”
Pretending ignorance, Eve asked, “Anything funny like what?”
But Sharon wasn’t fooled. She sat back in the leather chair to watch Eve for a long time before nodding. “Good. Keep it that way.”
Eve asked, “Is that why you wanted to see me? To ask me if I said anything funny?”
“No.” Sharon sat up straighter. “Did you and Carter have sex last night?”
Coming from any other mother-in-law the question
would’ve been shocking and inappropriate. But this was Sharon. There were no boundaries when it came to her interference.
Unfazed, Eve admitted, “No.”
Immediate anger flashed in the older lady’s eyes. “Why not?”
“He said he was tired,” Eve lied.
“Tired?” Sharon grabbed the acrylic paperweight that was on her desk and threw it at Eve. Eve ducked to the right, and the paperweight flew right past her to crash into the floor with a heavy thud.
Her voice rising, Sharon scolded, “What’s the use of that pretty face of yours if you can’t even get a man to get over his tiredness? Have you forgotten the reason I brought you into my family? You’re supposed to give me grandchildren. That was our agreement.”
“I remember,” Eve acknowledged.
Sharon’s blue eyes were spitting fire as she demanded, “If you remember, then why aren’t you doing anything about it?”
“I’ll talk to Carter.”
“Don’t talk to him. Seduce him.” Her tone sarcastic, the older woman added, “Or do I have to give you lessons on how to do that?”
“No, I can manage on my own.”
“Then manage it. Soon.” Sharon threatened, “Your deadline is coming up soon. If I don’t get a grandchild by the end of next year, you will be replaced. Got it?”
“Got it.” Eve nodded. However, as she left the room, she couldn’t hide her smile. Sharon didn’t know it yet, but her deadline was coming up soon too. By the end of this year, she’d be wishing that she’d never allowed Eve into her family.
CHAPTER 3
After her conversation with her mother-in-law, Eve headed up to hers and Carter’s suite. She’d just entered the room when Carter emerged from the bathroom. Except for the white towel loosely wrapped around his waist, he was completely naked. Muscles rippled across every part of his body; his chest, his arms…. It was almost as if they were flexing and calling out for her to touch him and make sure that he was just as rock-hard as he looked. Her gaze lowered, following the black smattering of hair that disappeared beneath his towel. When she noticed the sizable bulge pressing into the towel, heat flushed to her cheeks.