WindSwept Narrows: #6 Eve Hastings Read online

  “I see.” Eve let her fingers loop through the belt on his sides. “Perhaps you should change while I find my oil and heat it…”

  “I have a request…besides some soft music…” Zach stared into the wide, violet eyes she lifted from his throat. There was no trepidation, no fear there. “Tonight…topless.”

  “Well, of course…you can’t very well receive…” Eve stopped when his head shook ever so slightly. “Oh…me?” Came the tiny little squeak.

  “Hmmm…”

  “I…uhh…need time to consider that request…” She stared into the deep laughter coming from the man holding her in place.

  “Start with your pajamas and we’ll work from there,” Zach told her, striding off to the bedroom to change.

  Eve felt her heart thumping as she opened the music on her computer, creating a quiet, soothing play list and starting it playing. She went to the small cabinet where she kept her herbs and oils, selecting a soothing one and floating it in a bowl of hot water before going to the bedroom, still in thought. She didn’t look at Zach laying the thick quilts and pillow out on the floor in front of the fireplace.

  Zach lay on his side, a glass of wine in his hand. He had to admit, the thought of lying on the floor two weeks ago would have had him sending someone to see a shrink. But here, in this house, it felt unbelievably natural.

  Just as natural as it had become to be with Eve. His eyes caught on the wide band she had slid on his hand that morning. Something else he would seriously have doubted ever possible. He took a drink of the red wine he’d poured, watching her move from the kitchen carrying a small towel with the plastic bottle of one of her oils inside. She had her pajamas on, top and bottoms.

  She moved gracefully, reminding him of the women in harem movies, delicately dropping to her knees and then to sit at his side. She set the oil to the side with the towel, her hands clasp before her. Eve looked around the wide, open expanse of room, the fire glowing a warm red behind him.

  “Eve?”

  “I’m working on it…” She said softly, raising one hand and one finger. “There was something I was working towards in the conversation this morning. Partly in thanks to the book Chloe gave me.”

  “Alright…is it an interesting read?” Zach sipped the wine slowly.

  “It is an…informative…very warm…read,” she admitted, glad he couldn’t see her blush when he chuckled. “Which is what led me to a kind of light bulb moment. It’s rather like Dorothy and the ruby slippers. She always had the answer, she just never realized it.”

  “And what is the answer?”

  “The answer…I think…is that it is not the act itself that…that causes the panic attack…” Eve took in a long draft of air. “It’s the…the person behind the cruelty…the behavior, if you will. Only all I knew was every time I was caught off guard…”

  “I’ve caught you off guard, Eve,” Zach had gone still, listening to her.

  “Yes…but not at first…men that I’ve dated…it was…they were…the first kiss was…abrupt…hard…taking,” she searched for the words, looking up from the fingers she was twisting to meet his eyes, attentive and warm.

  “Eve,” Zach fit his palm in between hers. “I will promise you…that I will never take anything you aren’t giving to me freely.” He saw the glow of the fire reflected in the dark eyes swimming with moisture.

  Eve felt another layer of doubt slip away. He did understand, her heart shouted!

  She nodded slowly, her palm going to his shoulder. “Lay down…”

  Zach did as she asked, the scent of wild pines and cedar filling the room when she dribbled oil over his back. Like before, she stood up and half sat on the rise of his behind. He closed his eyes, waiting for the soothing palms and fingers to begin their stroking when he heard the soft swish of something near his head. He opened one eye and realized what the pile of very pale fabric was. He felt his body tighten but closed his eyes and worked to relax.

  “This is a nice scent,” Zach commented, groaning softly when her palms rotated and massaged along his sides, always stroking upward toward his center. “Do you make these all yourself?”

  “Making infused oils is easy once you find the supplies,” Eve answered, gradually relaxing in the warmth of fire and exertion needed for a good massage. “Then you only need a cool dark place to store things until you need them. I don’t like medications. I don’t like side effects. Herbal anti-inflammatories are much less stressful on your body than pharmaceutical ones…at least I think so,” she said quietly.

  “You have very firm…very strong muscles,” she said softly, walking the heels of her palms along his spine and back down, spreading the oil evenly. “I can’t reach…” she swallowed and slid to the side, moving to sit at his head. “Turn over and keep your eyes closed,” she said when she was sure her voice wouldn’t shake too badly.

  Zach did as she asked, pulling the quilt over his lower body. He felt her position one of her legs, lifting his head and sliding her ankle beneath his neck. He felt her stomach against the top of his head while her fingers and palms massaged along his shoulders and up his neck.

  “I think I’ve been missing out on a lot of massages in my life,” Zach commented, the strength in her hands as she stroked and spread the oil a continual surprise. Against what he was told, his eyes opened to view the full rounded bottoms of her breasts. She was slightly larger than his closed fist, a firm roundness that fit the willowy form.

  “I like them…I enjoy giving you a massage…you’re a little tense…” Eve looked down to see him peering up at her. “Zach…” Her breathing caught in her middle somewhere.

  “Shhh…it’s okay…” He moved carefully to the side, leaning on his elbow. He patted the quilt beside him. “Lay down with me…”

  Chapter Twelve

  Eve slowly unfolded, wiping her hands on the towel. She kept her elbows bent, the towel a strategic cover along with her forearms. She did as he asked, lying beside him on her back, blinking into the warm firelight.

  Zach smiled, lifted her palm and tugged gently until she lay on her side facing him. He raised the quilt and put it over her lower body. They weren’t touching, other than their hands.

  “Can you teach me how to give a massage?” Zach asked after a few silent minutes, her eyes leaving the spot on his throat and meeting his in surprise. “It’s only fair, Eve…”

  “I…yes, of course…there’s a couples class at the university…”

  “Really? We could take it together?” He let his palm slide along her arm, brushing the hair behind her ear. “Is it an evening course?”

  “Sixteen weeks…in the evening, yes…it begins in January, I think,” Eve felt herself slowly relaxing.

  “Sign us up….and send me the dates and times,” he said.

  “I…Zach…your project…”

  “An evening class relaxing with you would be beneficial. I don’t work all the time, Eve. I might be later once we have daylight, but usually I end the day before six,” he told her easily.

  “Alright…I think that might be fun…”

  “Tell me about the book you’ve been reading,” Zach asked softly, his fingers letting the soft hair at the side of her head tease his senses.

  “I’ve read it twice now…” She saw the surprise on his face. “It’s very well written. Very…graphic and simple to understand. Men and women are different in more ways than simple physical appearance.”

  “How so?”

  “Their sex drives aren’t always in tune. Both use sex to connect to a certain extent, males seem to need it more often because of hormones or stress or general desire,” Eve gave into the urge and brought her palm up to touch his chest, feeling the soft dark coils against the center of her palm. She shifted a little closer, her fingers tracing the lines and indents of his muscles. “Females need more lead up time…foreplay, if you will, but then foreplay doesn’t have to be sexual for them. It can be as simple as spending the day together, talking and laugh
ing and just being…it’s most fascinating.”

  “And this is in your book?” Zach remembered the name she had said. “Wasn’t she a…”

  “Hooker,” Eve nodded, lips pursed as she continued stroking over his chest. “If anyone would know all the secrets of sex, she would.”

  Zach felt his brain shut down. His wife was learning about sex from a hooker.

  “She’s very adventurous…and has really interesting advice,” Eve said thoughtfully. “Zach…did you mean what you said…about not taking anything I wasn’t ready to give?”

  “Yes, Eve, I did…” Zach peered into the wide eyes. He was positive he could see her brain working out a plan, her teeth nibbling the corner of her lip in thought. “Eve?”

  “No intercourse until your birthday,” she said slowly.

  “I…when…”

  “Monday, Zach.”

  “Does that mean one minute past midnight…” He met the narrowed eyes with a crooked grin.

  “No, it does not,” she told him patiently, her fingers tracing a line to his throat and over his shoulder. “I made reservations for dinner. And a little dancing, I think…I’ll send you the address. You can meet me there at five-thirty.”

  “Monday,” he said with a long, dramatic sigh. It was Saturday night.

  “However…in the mean time…I need your co-operation,” Eve said slowly, watching his face as her fingers trailed along his jaw and over his ear. He has soft hair, a grey one now and then peeking out through the thick waves of brown.

  “Alright…” Zach said the one word very slowly.

  “Lay on your back, please,” Eve pressed her palm firmly against his shoulder. “And close your eyes. And no peeking.”

  Zach exhaled thickly but did as she asked. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking off my clothes,” she said in a low whisper, swallowing hard and dropping the harem pants to the sofa. “I don’t really mind nudity…it’s quite…freeing…especially since the room is very warm to begin with…”

  “Take…Eve…” Zach felt the small towel she used on her hands suddenly fall over his eyes.

  “I said no peeking. You get your turn tomorrow,” she told him decisively.

  “My turn?” This definitely peaked his interest. “I get a turn?”

  “Yes.”

  “What are the ground rules on this game?”

  “Anything but intercourse,” she answered immediately. “It’s quite clearly outlined in the book. I thought it would make for a very interesting evening.”

  “Anything but…” Zach felt the moisture in his mouth evaporate. “Eve…” His eyes slammed wide but saw nothing but the towel when her hands went to the sides of his sleep pants. He could tell she was on her knees at his side, her hands carefully pulling the fabric down his legs.

  “You said…nothing is off subject in our conversations…we can continue to talk, Zach…” Eve felt the words stop in her throat, the strong erect male set free as she pulled the pants free and dropped them to the sofa. “I..I think nudity is very nice, actually…with the right person…”

  Zach groaned aloud. She placed one palm at each of his ankles, separating them enough to fit between them and stroke along each leg. He felt the nails on her fingers lightly grazing his skin, a shudder racing through him when she reached the soft, vulnerable skin of his inner thighs.

  “You’re beautiful, Zach,” she whispered. “Strong…very strong and hard…” She felt moisture gathering between her legs and worked to ignore it. Tonight she wanted to learn about him. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her palms from his thighs and brought them together at the base of his erection, cupping him and stroking along the hard, solid length to the soft tip. “Much bigger than I imagined…”

  Zach knew his sanity was slipping away. His hand lifted from the floor only to have her immediately release him and take his wrist.

  “Put your hands behind your head, please…no touching…it’s not your turn,” she told him firmly.

  “Eve…you can’t be…I don’t have control when you…”

  “I know…but you agreed,” she said softly, listening to the jagged groan from his lips when he did as she asked. She caught herself staring at him, the muscles of his arms and chest glowing in the red of the fire, his stomach flat and tensed. A shiver raced through him when she put both palms on his ribs and pressed lower, her breasts caressing over his stomach and surrounding his erection as she moved lower. She could feel the coarse hairs on his legs over her nipples, her tongue out to trace a long, slow line down his erection.

  “Eve…” Her name was pulled from deep inside him, his palms flexed into taut fists above his head to keep from reaching for her, touching her. “You don’t realize…”

  “Zach…” Eve whispered his name, stretching out along his legs and laying her face on his flat stomach. “I know what I’m doing…you aren’t going to shock me…or traumatize me…it’s okay…try and relax…”

  “Relax?” His voice was hoarse and thick when he felt her mouth kiss along the length of him.

  Eve tasted him. She let her tongue travel over and around the solid shape of him. She knew now it had never been the act she was afraid of; it had been the men behind it.

  Zach wasn’t those men. Zach was special, she had realized when she first met him. She had a small towel in her hands. She wasn’t quite up to the entire experience yet, she thought, letting the taste of him mingle in her mouth. She slipped to the side, just lying there and letting her palm stroke over the hardness; her fingers tracing the pulse that seemed to ripple through him.

  “Eve…this is a really bad idea…”

  Zach stopped when her body slid up beside him, her palm stroking over his chest and onto his face. He groaned into the long, soft kiss, her tongue teasing his, her teeth nibbling over his lip before she settled down for a longer, more sensual kiss. He felt cloth over him at the same time her palm moved lower, caressing over the flat of his stomach and firmly surrounding his arousal.

  He groaned again, louder and deeper as he rolled to his side, his hands down to grip her shoulders. He intended to set her aside and stop her. But her palm was insistent; her kiss hot and arousing. Her breasts were pressed firmly against him at the same time her hand continued to stroke him, her thumb now and then raking her nail over the sensitive head; her fingers caressing lower and then gripping him tightly, taking the control from him.

  Eve lifted her mouth from his when she felt the strong contractions beginning. Her name was ripped from his lips, his head back and breathing sharply drawn into his lungs. She held the towel firmly in place, stroking him gently until his body collapsed on the quilt. Her palm traveled over the faint sheen of moisture on his stomach, over his chest and onto his face.

  “I…” Zach struggled for moisture, his tongue out to drag around his lips. He rolled to his side, both arms down and wrapped around her, pulling her close and taking her mouth in a long, hard kiss that she eagerly returned. “I cannot believe…”

  “A new experience…for a new relationship,” Eve whispered against his kiss, content to lay in his arms and return his kiss, her arms up and around his neck.

  “New experience…” he repeated slowly, his head still spinning. The single most erotic experience he’d ever known, his brain assured him when it finally came out of hiding. "You’re naked…”

  “I am…so are you,” she agreed, leaning on her elbow and just looking at him. His jaw was squared, his chin firm. She really liked the full lips to kiss and bent forward to brush her mouth against his. She bent her elbow, fingers toying with the longish hair at the side of his head, drawing a lazy line around his ear. “You seem to have survived…”

  “I am going to readily admit that I have never known a more erotic, fascinating couple of hours, Eve,” Zach returned her stare, thinking back to the brief encounter in her office and shaking his head. “Can I peek now?” He asked with a teasing grin.

  “No. Not until tomorrow…after dinner…”

/>   “Then it’s my turn,” he said slowly, his palm out to stroke lightly over her face. “And you trust me…” He said with awe in his voice.

  “I trust you, Zach,” Eve admitted readily. “I…I might need a glass of wine to relax…”

  “No…you won’t…” he assured her softly. “I think it’s time for bed.”

  “Close your eyes,” she said, laughing at the expression on his face and reaching to quickly snatch up her top and bottom and disappear into the bedroom.

  Zach watched the long legs and bouncing globes of her behind disappear down the hall before he sat up to see the small towel laying over his crotch, his head shaking again in amazement and fascination. Maybe it was the kids she played with all day, he wasn’t sure, but something about Eve Hastings made him feel like a kid again.

  Cade had been right. When it hit you, it hit hard and fast.

  Zach left the bathroom and felt a groan inside him. She had that look on her face, even white teeth nibbling her lip thoughtfully.

  “Eve?” He sat on the edge of the bed, one eyebrow up when a tint of red struck her cheeks. He pulled the blankets over him and reached out to tilt her chin up until their eyes met. “What?”

  “Oh…it’s nothing…”

  “It’s something. I’ve seen that look on your face when something had broken your logic stream,” Zach teased, relieved when she made a face at him.

  “I think I need to do more research,” she said quietly, sinking under the blankets with a long sigh.

  “Research regarding? I know I shouldn’t ask…” He turned the light out and closed his eyes.

  “Well…I’ve viewed erotic art before…it’s not anything new…”

  Zach felt his mouth open once and close for a long minute. “I’m relived you weren’t traumatized…”

  “That sounded sarcastic,” she returned, not protesting when he pulled her into his arms, his lips brushing her head.