If it hasnt changed since the last time I was in your house, it could use an update. Its not that late and Im still wound up from work. Why dont I take a look now?
Was she really interested in his kitchen, or had she decided to accept his invitation inside? Hell, they both knew what would happen once they stepped over that threshold. Clothes would come off and bodies would come together and theyd both be lost for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. That would be nice, he said.
They got out of the car and slowly strolled up the front walk. We should probably talk about appliances, he said. And cabinets. I was thinking about a trash compacter.
Lots of people think that trash compactors are good for the environment, but they really give you a false sense of accomplishment. Recycling combined with composting would nearly eliminate the need for a trash compactor. We give most of our food waste to a worm farm. They come and pick it up every morning.
Charlie could tell she was nervous. He unlocked the front door and swung it open in front of her. The light from the street filtered inside and she took a few steps forward. Charlie followed her and closed the door, leaving them both in the dark.
He reached out to place his hands on her shoulders and he felt her turn to face him. Evie stepped toward him and a moment later, they were caught in a gentle kiss. Without light, her hesitation seemed to dissolve along with his resolve.
There wasnt much use fighting it. And if he had any doubts about her need for him, they were banished the moment she stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside. Charlie cupped her face in his hands, molding her mouth against his as her hands wandered over his hair. They stumbled backward, kicking off their shoes along the way.
It had been a while since hed gotten naked with a woman, so his reaction to her touch was immediate and intense. He tugged off her jacket, then drew her camisole over her head. When she brushed up against him, Charlies breath caught in his throat, the friction causing him to grow even harder.
He steered her toward the leather sofa in the center of the living room. Tell me you want this, he whispered against her mouth. He didnt want any misunderstandings.
Yes, she breathed. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast, pushing aside the satiny fabric until he touched bare skin. Charlie rubbed his thumb across her nipple, bringing it to a hard peak.
He remembered her body so well and the way she reacted to his touch had been burned into his brain. Maybe hed always known hed come back, that what theyd shared would be revisited one day. Thats why he hadnt forgotten her or the way her skin felt beneath his touch.
Spanning her waist with his hands, Charlie pulled her along toward the bedroom, both of them bumping into furniture along the way. But when she cried out, he stopped. Evie bent over at the waist and moaned. Ow, ow, ow.
What is it?
I stubbed my toe. Ow. Oh, I think its broken.
Charlie fumbled for the light. When he flipped it on, he found her sitting on the floor, holding her foot, her eyes watering. He squatted down beside her. Let me see, he said.
She looked up at him, her pretty face etched in a grimace of pain. No.
He gently pried her fingers away, then lifted her foot to examine it. Wiggle your toe, he ordered.
She winced, then did as he asked. Gently, he rubbed the hurt away, then drew her foot to his lips and kissed her toe. Better?
No, she said.
He kissed it again. Now?
I think the gods are telling us that we shouldnt do this.
Charlie scooped her up into his arms, then straightened. Compared to the backpack hed hauled up mountainsides, she was as light as a feather. He nuzzled her neck. I think the gods have better things to worry about than us, he murmured.
He carried her into the dark bedroom and set her on the bed, then stretched out beside her, pushing her back into the pillows. Furrowing his hands through her hair, he kissed her, taking time to calm her fears. Better? he asked.
Yes, she replied in a breathless voice.
He found the clasp of her bra and unhooked it, then brushed it aside. Her body hadnt changed much in five years, though shed become a bit curvier. He liked the way she looked, like a woman who occasionally enjoyed a good meal. Charlie had never cared for obsessively thin women or those who used too much makeup or dressed provocatively. In truth, for the past five years, hed been looking for someone exactly like Eve.
Slowly, they both shed the remainder of their clothes, each item tossed to the floor to make way for a more detailed exploration. Everywhere he touched was perfection, soft and yielding, warm flesh beneath silken skin.
He rolled on top of her, bracing his hands on either side of her body. The heat of his erection pressed against her thighs and she shifted, pulling her legs up along his hips. Charlie held his breath, fighting the urge to slip inside of her.
With a low moan, he trailed a line of kisses from her shoulder to her breast, taking time to caress her nipple with his tongue. Then he moved lower still, to her belly and then to the damp spot between her legs.
Though theyd done all this before, he hadnt remembered this overwhelming need to please her. This time, he was looking for more than just a physical connection, more than ultimate release. He wanted to possess not just her body, but her heart and her soul.
She was wet already and she guided him to the spot, her fingers tangling in his hair. The moment he touched her with his tongue, she cried out in surprise, her hands clutching, her body twisting.
Charlie waited, then began again, slowly teasing her toward the edge then bringing her back again. He was interested only in her pleasure, in her release. But as he drew her closer, he felt his own need being driven by her response.
She murmured his name, pushing him away. I want to feel you inside me, she said. Charlie didnt need to be asked twice. He reached for the drawer of the bedside table and retrieved a box of condoms. After tearing a packet open with nervous fingers, he sheathed himself. But he decided to continue what hed started.
Slowly and deliberately, he caressed her with his tongue and when he was sure she couldnt last any longer, he moved up along her body until he was buried deep within her.
It took only one stroke before she dissolved into her orgasm, her body first arching, and then shuddering in her release. He felt her spasms and a moment later, Charlie joined her, waves of pleasure washing over him until he was lost in the intensity of their coupling.
They rode the crest for what seemed like forever. And when they were both completely spent, Charlie rolled off of her, pulling her body against his. She pressed a kiss to the center of his chest and he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair.
How is your toe? he asked.
What toe? she murmured, with a soft giggle.
Hmm. I think weve come up with a cure for stubbed toes. He drew back and looked down into her face, filling in the details that the dark room did not allow. So what are we going to do about this? Because I want to spend a lot more time with you.
Naked? she asked.
Yes. But clothed, too.
How long are you going to stay this time?
I dont know, he said.
A week?
At least, Charlie said. Was that all she wanted of him? Just a week? It didnt seem like enough time. But he could give her at least that. And maybe, after a week, shed want another and another.
Right now, I think I could stay here for a year. Maybe ten or twenty.
She brushed her lips against his. Dont make any promises you cant keep, she whispered.
Maybe it was time he started making promises, Charlie mused. If he wanted someone to share his life, then he had to be willing to give something in return. And no matter how he looked at it, Eve belonged in his life. Now hed just have to convince her.
EVE OPENED HER EYES, rubbing the sleep from them as she peered at her surroundings. This wasnt her bedroom. It took a moment for her to remember where she was-Charlies house. Theyd spent the night together and sometime in the hours before dawn, shed fallen asleep.
She rolled over to find Charlies half of the bed cold and empty. The scent of bacon and coffee hung in the air and she could hear noise coming from the kitchen. Eve grabbed his shirt from the floor and pulled it over her naked body, then got to her feet.
She found him standing in front of the stove, dressed in a faded pair of jeans and nothing more. What are you doing? she asked before stifling a yawn.
Making breakfast, Charlie said, glancing over his shoulder. Are you hungry?
She stood next to him and stared at the bacon draining on top of a paper towel. Not for that. Do you know whats in bacon? You might as well just swallow a handful of deadly chemicals.
I love bacon, Charlie said. Everything tastes better with bacon. An English muffin popped out of the toaster. He slathered it with butter and honey and offered it to her. No chemicals in this. All natural, whole grain.
She reluctantly took a bite. Well, Bacon Boy, Im proud of you. Are the eggs in that omelet from free-range chickens?
I dont know. The chickens werent hanging out at the store so I didnt have a chance to ask. Are you really going to be that fussy and ruin my efforts here?
Eve sighed, realizing there was a proper time to stand on her soapbox and a time to kick it aside. Sorry. But when Im doing the cooking, Im going to make sure you eat healthy.
Does that mean that when Im doing the cooking, youll eat unhealthy? he asked, waving a piece of bacon in front of her face. Tempted?
It takes a lot more than bacon to tempt me, she said before taking another bite of the muffin.
Charlie grabbed her hand and took a bite of the muffin, then grinned. You were tempted last night.
She felt a blush warm her cheeks. That was different. What you were offering washealthyand natural. Low in cholesterol and calories, and high on fun. If bacon had as much to offer, maybe Id start sleeping with a slab under my pillow.
Im not sure I could give up meat, he said, taking a bite of the bacon. Im a guy. We need protein or we cant function. And dont tell me I can get protein from tofu or those sprouty things.