“Uh…”
“Put off your fucking light!”
I obey that snarled order, only because I’m probably glowing the way I’m blushing and let out a soft curse when he storms out, leaving my door open.
Well. Hell.
Bright side?
I guess all I can think to say is that at least I’m not strung out anymore, no siree. I am so embarrassed I don’t think my vagina will come out of hiding for at least a year, if ever.
Oh, and I did warn him after all.
Chapter Ten
Blaze
Fury.
I’m enraged with myself for going into Evie’s room when I heard her muffled moans, and angrier at the fact that instead of leaving when I saw her pleasuring herself, I stayed and watched it all, desperate to see her face after she moved that pillow away.
Goddammit, the sight will be seared into my brain for the rest of my miserable life. I’m me, we all know what I need, and fuck me if I wasn’t a hair’s breadth away from diving into the pink skin face first and staying there for the next hour at least.
She’s beautiful, perfect and beautiful in that part of her that I’ve been denying myself, and seeing her that way, seeing the abundance and sensuality she’s capable of only makes the needs I’ve been pushing away so much worse.
You don’t understand. That useless little bear with its tauntingly happy grin is aptly named, and yes, I get why that thing is a bear, and what the joke was.
All that honey…
“Fuck,” I mutter, running the flat of my hand over my dick and cursing Jericho with every breath as pain sets a steady beat in my groin.
Want. Want. Want her so much I could almost taste her on the air that was scented with her arousal.
And not just to bust a nut or satisfy the want bombarding me—mine or hers—I want to wallow in her and get so deep I’ll be covered in her, every inch of my body stamped with her heat and scent.
And her.
The need to cover her with me and make her take it all is so strong I have to grip the edge of the couch to stop myself from going back in there and showing her exactly what I can give her that the little toy can’t.
She’s embarrassed though, and probably damn mortified at the thought of seeing me again. I saw her blush and the way she slammed her legs closed reflexively before I stormed out. And yeah, dick move on my part, ruining her bliss and forcing her to turn out the light, but I had to.
I needed that extra security, the darkness, in case I couldn’t help myself and stormed back in there. At least with the darkness, I’d miss the lazy, dazed expression she sports after a climax and the way her body seemed to liquefy with pleasure.
You will not go in there, Peters. Just seven more days of this, and then she’ll be with her brother and you can move on.
My first thought is that I’ll run to a bar, pick up a woman, and fuck the shit out of her, but I dismiss that thought the minute distaste hits me at the idea of touching another woman with the need I have for Evie riding me.
It would be unfair to her, myself and Evie, and that I won’t do. I could stroke one out, as I did this morning, but after dropping the towel and dressing, my renewed arousal put an end to that.
I already know that it won’t work and, in fact, will only make it worse as my body rebels and demands I sate it all the harder. That will only happen one way—with Evie.
“Shit.”
And I’m taking her to my home, somewhere I’ll feel more secure and probably more possessive since just the thought of her sleeping under my roof and eating what I provide makes me so damn hard I want to beat my chest.
“No.”
Feeling this way is bad news, bad, bad news because I recognize this feeling. Ownership, just what I felt for…the other one. In high school, just as I told Evie, I was popular, but I was just a kid then and living my life.
Once I met her though, that all changed. She became my obsession, something a man like me is prone to because that’s just the way I tick. Once I had her, once she became mine, it was a race to the finish.
We got married just before I shipped out, and I spent years juggling my career and my home life. Everything she ate, our home, her clothes were mine to provide—and I did.
Her job was something I never wanted but let her have because she told me she was bored and all alone, and at least at work she had friends. I sound like an ass saying I let her have it, but that’s just how I felt. She had no need to work because, as a soldier in the Army, I got a decent income, medical for us both, and our home was affordable.
I was the man, and I provided because, like I said, she was mine and I was hers, and I was obsessed to the point of needing to be her everything and give her everything.
All for nothing, I now see because she wasn’t at all what I thought she was. With Evie, I’m in real danger because she doesn’t front. She is who she is. She’s bubbly, sarcastic, open, and never pretends just for the sake of pretending.
With her, I’d know immediately whether or not she’s into what I need because if she wasn’t, I would lay my ass on the line that she’d just tell me.
That gives me pause, and for the first time in hours since I stormed out of her bedroom, I feel a smile bloom. She would tell me, without judgement or harsh words.
I trust her, I realize, enough to give her some of me and not lose it all. I also now realize that maybe the problem I’m having is that I need to show her the worst, maybe to scare her a little, maybe…maybe just to know once and for all that pleasure I haven’t had in so long.
This can’t go anywhere. She’s got her life, and I like mine just as it is. I won’t ever remarry or have children—it’s not me anymore—but I can take this time I have with a woman who is a free spirit with honesty ingrained in her and enjoy.
“Seven days.”
I smile as I start forming plans and mapping out the next little while in a way that I haven’t done in way too long, and I feel my dick finally relent a little now that he knows I’m listening. Hell yeah, Evie baby, that little show you just gave me just sealed your fate.
***
“Up and at ‘em, sleepy head.”
I chuckle when she groans and shoves her head under the pillow to avoid me, her cheeks so red it looks like she played in her makeup before going to bed.
“Go away.”
“Nope. I made breakfast and got the coffee started, Evaline Evans. Get the hell up and get ready for the day because as soon as that meeting is done, you and I are hitting the road.”
She snarls a curse and kicks her legs in a tantrum-like way before bolting to her feet and pouting.
“I’m tired.”
Do not laugh, Blaze.
“Baby, how the hell that can be after you took care of things is beyond me. I slept just fine, and my dick was hard enough to take my pulse with. Now stop trying to hide out in here, shower and come eat so we can get things done. Oh, don’t forget to shave or whatever it is you do to your snatch because I’ve decided you and I are definitely going to be a thing.”
I leave before she can throw her alarm clock at me and laugh my ass off when she starts shrieking when she realizes she still isn’t wearing panties and I just got more than an eyeful.
“Don’t talk to me,” she mutters, as she sails into the kitchen twenty minutes later dressed in loose, airy, high-waisted black pants, an orange band that only covers her huge boobs, and heels I can’t see for the pants bottoms.
Her hair is a sexy mess that she’s clipped back off her face and hangs to her ass, and she’s got on enough makeup so that I can’t see a trace of her fading yellow bruises.
“Now come on, Evie, don’t be a grump in the morning. You’re the chirpy one, remember?” I chuckle, serving her eggs and bacon as she pours us both coffee and starts pouring enough sugar into hers to make my teeth rot for her.
“Just…” she pauses and closes her eyes, blushing strongly. “This is awkward, okay? Masturbating as a turn on during sex is on
e thing, but you catching me do it isn’t my idea of fun. And did you have to look so damn disgusted?”
I wince at that and fall into my seat with a frown. She thinks I was disgusted? When it was damn near all I could do not to attack her like a sex-crazed junkie ready for a fix after years of drying out?
“I wasn’t! I was not impressed with myself, Evie. Never think it was you or what I saw that disgusted me. Jesus, woman, I was almost foaming at the mouth for you.”
Her color deepens, but I see hope spark in her eyes, and I feel like the worst idiot alive to know she had to go to sleep thinking I didn’t like what I saw.
I’m into everything about a woman, especially Evie, I now understand, and to have her feeling lacking and unwanted makes me feel like hell. The woman should know her body is glorious in every way. Hell, I want her so confident that she turns me on that she’ll walk around naked all day and let me ogle her goods.
“Really?”
“Really. I just was not happy with seeing you that way because I knew that put an end to whatever control I was still clinging to,” I mutter, forking up eggs and bacon in an attempt to keep from saying more.
That seems like enough for her though, and I see her relax and smile softly as she tucks into her food with renewed gusto. Ahh, my woman likes to eat, and thank god for that, because I like curves if I’m going to get down and dirty with one.
We spend the next two hours with Evie making calls and collecting the things she refitted and steamed yesterday, and by the time I have her in her car, the clothes lovingly secured, I feel okay about today.
I have something to look forward to, even if my investigation has stalled in its tracks, and I have a better plan to keep her safe now that I can move her without her having a fit.
I drive. I can’t have her behind the wheel when I see her hands trembling and the adorable way she keeps playing with her hair.
“You’re nervous.”
She just nods and starts bouncing her knee rapidly, glaring out of the window with a frown. I haven’t seen this side of her yet, so it’s a surprise to learn that this confident, laughing woman can feel unsure and outright scared of meeting people.
“Talk to me.”
I turn into mid-morning traffic and grab her hand when she starts chewing at her nails.
“This boutique is not my first choice because they’re ridiculously pricey, but if I can get my clothes in with them, I can relax about the others. The owner is a notorious bitch in our circle, and even Kimber didn’t want to come today, hence you and me alone without having to come up with a cover for your presence. I’m a little scared she’ll razz my designs and I’ll punch her in the face or something. I have a temper,” she says sheepishly, making me laugh.
“I’ve met Jericho, remember? No doubt it runs in the family.”
“Huh. Well, imagine that temper on fire, and then imagine a defenseless woman after I use the stuff Jericho showed me.”
I cringe at that, just thinking of what she can do with that little body and start laughing when she snorts indelicately.
“Yeah.”
“So do yourself a favor, Evie, don’t go in there expecting anything good.”
“What?”
“Calm down, little hellion. I’m not trying to tell you your clothes don’t make the grade. All I’m saying is don’t go in expecting good so that if she gets iffy with you, you’re prepared for attitude. What’s the worst that could happen anyway?”
“She could tell me to fuck off and then spread it around,” she mumbles.
“In which case you still have the online store. Jericho told me you were more than happy with it, so I still don’t get all this stress you’re putting yourself under.”
“I am. I mean, I make enough money not to stress about anything, but Kimber just wanted more for Geek, so here we are. And, you know, I don’t want to disappoint her, Blaze. She’s my best pal, and she and I have been through the trenches together. Granted, she comes from some money, but her family cut her off when she came out and moved in with her girlfriend. It’s just…”
“You’re trying to make her dreams come true, too. What happens if this works and your sales double?”
I already know the answer to that. As far as I can discern, Kimber is the business part of things and Evie is the creative one, who designs and actually makes most of the clothes. They have seamstresses and stuff from what she told me yesterday over breakfast, but she’s so hands on I can see her slaving away to get it all done.
I can’t say I like that, but hey, her dreams. At least what she wants to do for her friend.
“If this works—and God forbid we get all three places—I’ll be doubling my workload—if it sells. At this point, it’s a consignment deal until the line picks up. If it does, they’ll buy and then the costs are on them.”
“But for now, it’s all on you? So you have to design, buy the fabrics, make the clothes, pay your staff, and then hope it sells.”
She puffs out a breath and seems to deflate with a defeated sigh.
“Yeah.”
I don’t say a thing after that because it pisses me off that she’s doing this and taking all the risk just to satisfy her partner when, realistically, she’s done so well and doesn’t have a need to branch out.
Evie already works so hard I can’t see her working harder at this point, but I don’t say it right now because the poor woman is already tense enough to snap and attack me.
We arrive minutes later, and I whistle when the exclusive shop comes into view. It reminds me of those fancy places rich people go to for the sake of saying they shop there. I don’t like it, and I can tell straight off that it’s not the place to show Evie’s designs.
“Come on, baby, I’ll grab the clothes. There’s that model chick.”
She grunts and throws me a glare for some reason and slams the door with a hiss. I follow behind after grabbing the clothes carefully and barely miss her snarl when I say hi to the rail-thin woman in front of me.
“Oh hey, sugar. I saw you yesterday!”
“Hi, uh, I’m helping Evie with…carting this shit around, I guess.”
“I’m Giselle, but you can call me Gizzy.”
“Sure,” I mumble noncommittally, watching Evie frown out the side of my eye.
She looks ready to bean me and I haven’t done a Goddamn thing.
“Just ignore him, Giselle. He’s the pack mule, and he’s gay.”
“Really? What a damn shame because y’all look real hot together, sugar. Well, come on then, let’s go show those rich bitches what real clothes look like, shall we?”
I spend the next twenty minutes grinding my teeth down to nubs as Giselle walks around modeling outfit after outfit, as the silver-haired, old crone sitting beside Evie just scrunches her nose at every selection.
Evie seems ready to bolt, or hit someone. Poor Giselle looks like she wants to melt into the ground when Janice Nixon sneers at the next one and shakes her head with a huff.
“Honestly, Miss Evans, you thought this was acceptable for my boutique?”
Evie narrows her eyes before taking a breath and turning to face old crone face.
“Well sure, Janice. The thing is that your business has been down lately, and from what’s been going around, the reason is your exorbitant prices. Now, as you can see, I use the best imported and local fabrics, and the lines are all clean. The product is of the highest quality, but because I do not believe in short changing working women, I make it all more than affordable. I feel that we can do great things together, especially if I feature you as a retailer on the official Geek website. Women would have the option of coming out and buying instead of waiting on their purchases to be shipped, and you would earn a hefty cut of the profit.”
Goddamn, the woman has some balls facing this dragon down and telling her that her business is failing and also not as desirable as she seems to think it is.
Janice scowls deeply and huffs again, reminding me of Batshit when he’
s been eating his own shit and clumps of grass. She must be full of bile, too.
“I just don’t know…”
“Tell you what,” Evie says calmly, smiling through her annoyance as Giselle walks out and places the hangers on the rack. “You keep these pieces and give them a second look if you have the time. If you still don’t want to do business, no harm, no foul. Just give me a call and I’ll pick it all up again.”
“Hmm, I’ll consider it, though I have to warn you, it’s not for me, and so I highly doubt Brenda Clarks and the Asia West boutique would agree either.”
“Well, I guess that’s us then. Blaze, you want to grab the clothes for me?” she asks, rising.
I almost bust when Janice jumps up and starts toward the rack of clothes.
“Oh, very well, leave it and I’ll look it all over with Bernadette.”
The smile I give Evie as we leave is all pride, and she even grins at me before scowling like a loon when I wave at Giselle.
“You’re wasting your time, playa. She’s taken and so in love with her boyfriend it’s sugary.”
Ahh jealousy, you make me feel wanted.
“She’s too thin and her boobs may as well not even be there, they’re so small. I might look at her before I check you out if I was delirious and overmedicated on uncut meth.”
She huffs again, but I see her lips quirk as she gets into the car and waits for me. Damn woman, makes me want to laugh.
Chapter Eleven
Evaline
I love Blaze’s home. It’s a huge house that sits way off the main road, surrounded by fencing that he warned me not to touch, ever, on so much land and so many trees and…
It’s paradise, like one of those country houses that people keep for vacations, and the wide-open spaces that are in view from the porch are just…
I’m trailing off again in my descriptions, but the place is too picture perfect to even describe properly and chances are anything I say won’t do it justice anyway. I can see someone sitting on the porch swing in the waning light of late afternoon, watching the sun set from the backyard, and man oh man, you should see the inside.
THE WATCHERS: 6 Military Romance Bundle Page 39
