Evelyn Vine Be Mine (35 page)

“Fuck Evelyn,” he muttered against my lips, nipping them slightly as if in punishment.

“Grant,” I whispered, startled by the faint ripples of my sex and the slow tightening of my core, “I’m…I won’t take long.”

He covered my mouth with a groan, kissing me deeply, but slowly as he carefully eased out and pressed back in again. My nails sank into his back and he swallowed my gasp, his hips moving a little faster the next time as he slid almost out and thrust back in. There was no part of my sex that he didn’t stimulate as he built a steady rhythm. Five strokes, six strokes, seven…eight… nine…Oh god!

I clutched the discarded pillow to my face as I screamed my release, Stone still moving at the same steady pace, drawing out my pleasure until I released my grip on the pillow. Then, he was sliding his arms beneath me, lifting me off the mattress as he rose to his knees, my arms pinned to my sides and my chest to his, as he crossed his arms behind my back and thrust me hard and fast down on him. I held on tight with my legs, unable to move as he pounded into me. My mouth hung open, unable to form a word or sound until he came with a roar and I found myself screaming a second release, my head thrown back, letting the sound echo off the high ceiling with no pillow this time to muffle my pleasure.

Stone turned and collapsed back on the mattresses, not pulling out and not relinquishing his hold on me.

“Wow,” I whispered, my voice hoarse, both of us panting for breath. Once we calmed, I lifted my head slightly to look at him, his eyes closed, his face relaxed. He slowly opened his eyes, the irises a strange, warm grey hue as he smiled at me. It was a soft smile, content and lazy and satisfied. It completely transformed his face.

I felt my heart skip a beat and couldn’t control my own blissful smile from forming. I wanted to savour the rare moment…maybe even snap a picture if he’d let me…but I yawned, my eyes growing heavy, and the last thing I recall, is the soft press of lips against my hair.

TWENTY-TWO

“I don’t like that dress.”

I looked up at my boyfriend of four months with surprise. He was frowning at me – an expression he often wore when I did something he didn’t like.

“Oh,” I whispered, tugging at the short hem of the pretty yellow dress Charlie had given me at Christmastime several months ago. I’d only just worked up the courage to wear it. It only reached mid-thigh and tied-up at my neck in a halter neck style. It was fun and flirty – something I’d never be.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his frown deepening.

“To the movies with Gemma,” I replied uncertainly.

Ben’s face twisted at her name.

I stayed silent, fidgeting anxiously, worried about what he was thinking. Was he displeased with me?

“I don’t think Gemma is a suitable friend,” he commented absently, playing with a strand of my hair, “I’m not sure I like you hanging around her.”

“B-but she’s my only friend!” I whispered in horror.

“You didn’t tell her about me, did you?” he demanded, examining my face closely.

“No!” I hurried to reassure him, “I didn’t tell anyone. I promise!”

He smiled at me softly and cupped my face. “That’s my girl,” he praised, giving me a gentle kiss.

“You’re not mad?” I asked carefully. He shook his head with a smile.

“It’s okay baby,” he murmured, kissing my forehead, “I’m sorry I said that about your friend. I just worry about you being friends with someone as violent and opinionated as she is.”

His expression turned a little sad and he shrugged his shoulders, glancing down at the floor, “And I guess I was a little jealous…I was hoping we could celebrate our four month anniversary.”

My eyes widened. “That’s today?”

He nodded and smiled brilliantly. I melted.

“I’m really sorry Ben,” I murmured quickly, reaching up a little to give him a kiss on the cheek, “I’ll go change into that long, blue dress you like and I’ll call Gemma and cancel.”

His smile widened further. “You don’t have to do that baby,” he muttered, swinging me up into his arms and heading toward my bedroom, “I’ll help you undress.”

I blushed madly and buried my face into his shoulder. No one was home, and I was pretty sure what Ben wanted to do. He’d been hinting quite a lot lately that he’d like to take our relationship to the next level.

He lay me down on the bed and I quivered with nerves, trying to find the words to tell him I wasn’t ready. He eased over me, smiling at me lovingly, brushing the hair from my eyes.

“Ben, I…”

“You’re going to let me make love to you aren’t you Evie?” he asked me quietly, his eyes looking worried as he bit his lip.

“I…”

“I know you love me as much as I love you,” he purred against my neck, his hand running up my thigh, “Please let me love you.”

“I’m…I’m not ready for that,” I whispered frantically, “I’m sorry Ben. I’m really sorry. I’ll let you…Instead you can…” I broke off, too shy to suggest any of the alternatives brought to mind.

He sighed with disappointment, but smiled with understanding. “That’s okay baby,” he said smoothly, “We’ll do other things and you can tell me when to stop.”

I nodded hurriedly, determined to make up for it in other areas…

But he didn’t stop when I stiffened and murmured a soft no. He persuaded and guilt-tripped and sweet-talked his way inside me. He patiently soothed me when I cried in pain, but then pressed on through my tears. And when he finished, he looked down into my eyes and his face was full of so much love, appreciation and tenderness…

…that I found myself smiling back.

***

I startled awake with a small cry, my body jerking from its slumber and disturbing the watery surface below me. I sat up and blinked in confusion.

I was sitting in the middle of the large waterbed, naked, and covered in the warm quilt as the air-conditioner continued to keep the room cool. I was alone, and the curtain beside the bed had been drawn all the way to the opposite wall, closing me off from the rest of the hut. I ran a hand through my messy hair, bewildered that Stone had managed to move me to the bed without waking me.

I frowned. How long had I been sleeping? Why had he moved me?

More importantly, why wasn’t he in bed beside me?

A low murmur of voices and soft laughter caught my attention, and I shifted toward the edge of the bed to investigate. I winced at the twinge in my thighs, reminded that it had been quite a while since those particular muscles were used. I blushed when I realised my suitcase was on the other side of the curtain. I peeked around the edge to see if anyone was in the room.

It was empty, but the front door was open a crack and the voices seemed to be coming from the front porch. If anyone needed to use the bathroom, they’d walk in on me rummaging in my suitcase. I bit my lip and eyed the bedcovers speculatively, wondering if I could wrap a sheet around me and make a dash for the bathroom, grabbing my suitcase on the way. It was then that I noticed the small bundle of clothes on one of the pillows. I rushed forward gratefully, wanting to cover myself before anyone decided to come looking for me.

I chuckled at the outfit that Stone had presumably picked out. A black, Oscar the Grouch T-shirt and a pair of knee-length, camo-print, cargo shorts…with lacy, black underwear. Barely-there, lacy, black underwear to boot. I threw on the clothes and dashed to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

I turned the shower on and stripped, deliberately avoiding the mirror over the sink, not wanting to see what my hair looked like. I heard the voices pause outside the bathroom window, before starting again more softly. Curiosity got the better of me and I leaned toward the window as I stepped into the shower stall. I couldn’t hear anything though, so I quickly washed and re-dressed, feeling slightly sheepish that I’d slept longer than the others. I was just reaching for the knob of the bathroom door, when I remembered how loud I’d been last night.

My hands flew to my face in horror and I squeezed my eyes shut.

Oh FUCK!

I glared at the doorknob…suddenly content to stay right where I was…despite how humid and hot the bathroom was. There was no doubt in my mind that they’d all heard me. I’d been able to hear them talking in their own hut yesterday evening, so they would have definitely been able to hear my screams.

I contemplated not moving from the bathroom. I could just sit down on the toilet and wait for them to go out somewhere…but no. Someone would want to use the bathroom sooner or later and, in any case, they’d come looking for me to drag me out with them.

The only thing I could do was to feign exhaustion and go back to bed. I reached for the doorknob again, but a sharp rap on the door made me pause.

“Evie?” Fredi called through the wood, “Are you nearly finished? I need to use the bathroom.”

I opened the door and smiled tentatively, wanting to pull the towel from my hair and hide my face in it.

“Morning sunshine,” she greeted with a wide grin. Her eyes dropped to my shirt and she raised an eyebrow, “Oscar the Grouch?”

I blushed. “He’s my favourite,” I whispered.

Fredi snickered, “No wonder you like Stone.”

“Stone’s not grouchy,” I said with a frown. Silent, gruff and mean maybe, but not grouchy.

She snorted. “Maybe not around you,” she said, her face splitting into a wide grin, “He certainly didn’t sound grouchy last night.”

I flushed bright red and fisted my hands to quell the urge to hide. Fredi laughed loudly and winked at me with a kind, but teasing smile. “Get out of my way so I can use the bathroom Evie,” she said with a mock scowl and I hurriedly stepped out of the way. She paused in the process of closing the door and smiled again. “Go and tell Stone what you want for lunch. The boys are going out to get us some.”

I nodded and unwrapped the towel from around my head, hurrying towards the front door to catch them before they left.

***

Alec and Donny were just rising from their chairs when I stepped out onto the porch. Simultaneously, they grinned. Stone was sitting with his back to me, but he turned his head slowly to look at me. I blushed under their gaze and ran a hand through my damp hair.

“Morning,” I whispered, even though it must have been nearing noon.

“Morning,” Donny greeted with a cheeky smirk.

Stone nodded slightly at me, his lip quirking at one side in a very small smile as his eyes darkened and swept over me.

Alec rolled his eyes at Donny and moved to give me a hug. “We’re going to buy lunch,” he informed me, “What do you want?”

Donny opened his mouth to say something, but Stone kicked him and glared. Donny shut his mouth, yet his eyes sparkled naughtily. I told the boys what I wanted and Stone stood as Fredi emerged from the hut. He moved closer to me, his hand coming to rest on my hip as he bent his head close to mine. Little ripples of pleasure shimmed down my body, my skin tingling beneath his hand and my nipples tightening as memories of the night before assaulted me.

“Back soon,” he murmured near my ear, his hot breath tickling the damp hairs at my nape. He brushed his lips against my temple in a whisper of a kiss, before he straightened and pushed Donny forward, towards the front steps.

“Don’t forget my calamari rings Donovan!” Fredi called after them as she sat down at the table and pulled out a chair for me.

Donny turned back to shout something, but Alec grabbed his elbow and tugged him onward.

***

I sat down a little nervously beside Fredi, unused to spending time with her alone. I was a little uncomfortable around her. She grinned at me and set her heavy, black boots on the table, leaning back in her chair and absently toying with the frayed ends of her very small denim shorts. I crossed my legs on the chair and reached up to tie my hair in a wet ponytail, unwittingly drawing Fredi’s eyes to my chest. I paused and shifted a little with discomfort. Fredi frowned.

“I don’t remember buying you that shirt,” she said, reaching for the pack of smokes on the table and pilfering one, “It looks like it fits well. Did you get that when you went with Briar and Candy?”

I relaxed and shook my head, letting my arms drop and smiling cheerfully. “Remember when Harvey called and yelled at me?” I asked her, leaning back in my own chair and carefully sliding my bare feet up next to hers. Her eyes narrowed and she paused, her lit zippo stopping just a little before her cigarette. She flicked the lid shut, dousing the flame as she snatched the fag from her mouth and slid it behind one ear.