Evie's Knight (30 page)

She heard the rustling of the doorknob, and looked down to see Calvin secure the lock on the door.

Her heart skipped.

His mood had altered. Shifted into something she couldn’t quite place. The topaz color in the room played up his caramel skin and rich brown eyes in a way that seemed almost cruel.

Never before had Evie seen such ache–such desire–so prevalent on his face. She recalled her recurring dream then–the one where Calvin returned, wanting her back, needing her in his life–and wondered briefly if it was about to come true.

“Evie, I swear to you, there’s no one else.”

“Oh, really?” Sarcasm coated her words.

He nodded slowly, his gaze intently on her. “Really. Nobody.”

Her next words were swallowed up by the sincerity she saw in his eyes, heard in his voice. “Say it again,” she said.

“There is nobody else, Evie.”

The sentence gave her a thrill, because this time, she believed him. She replayed it in her mind, enjoying the confirmation more than she should.

Her heart fluttered out of beat as the tension in the air settled into something new. Something warm and pleasant, alive and familiar. And suddenly she didn’t want to ask any more questions. Not if it meant spoiling a moment she’d dreamed about since the day he left. A dream in which she did nothing but reach out to him, plant her lips on his, and relish the blessed sensation of his kiss.

“Do you have any idea how miserable I’ve been without you?” he asked.

The sound of his low murmuring voice pushed her senses into tangled disarray. He’d never said that in her dream. Yet she couldn’t imagine a more beautiful phrase. She tuned into the feel of his wrists, grazing her shoulders as he propped himself up against her, so close she could nearly taste the smell of him.

When Calvin nudged her feet apart, Evie glanced down, watched as his brown work boot slid between her high-heeled shoes. Her gaze moved up the length of him, taking in his lean, muscular build. He inched closer, sliding his leg between her knees, the rough denim of his jeans scratching against her bare legs. She gulped.

His gaze shifted to her lips before meeting her eyes once more. Slowly, he slid his hand around her waist, fumbling with the bottom hem of her blouse. The warm tips of his fingers, slightly rougher than she remembered, caressed the skin along her lower back. His other hand moved to her neck, where his thumb traced the v-shaped hollow at the center of her throat. Gently, he slid his fingers up the back of her neck and gripped a handful of hair; the sensation raised goose bumps on her skin.

He urged her head to tip back and brought his mouth to her ear. “I’ve been aching for you,” he purred, before grazing her lobe with his lips.

Evie’s heart misbehaved when she felt his breath, hot against her neck. She remained motionless as his heated mouth traveled to the base of her throat where he pressed a warm and inviting kiss. Her body went limp.

“I’ve missed your smile, your laugh.” He traced her collarbone with the tip of his nose before pausing, pulling in a deep, hearty breath. “I’ve missed your smell.” He kissed her there, and breathed in again, before letting out a throaty sigh. Then, with the skilled movement of his mouth, he teased his way back up her neck, along her jaw, her chin, until he reached the very corner of her lips.

“And your kiss,” he whispered. He skimmed his mouth along hers. Back, forth, the heat from his breath fueling the flame within her.  He wanted her, and the acknowledgement left her breathless.

Evie reached up, gripped Calvin’s shirt in her fists, and pressed her mouth to his, releasing the pent-up passion inside her. The heavenly taste of his kiss, the blessed movement of his strong and certain lips, only fueled her desire for more. She let him toy with her, lead and encourage her, as she enjoyed the euphoric state of pleasure that was Calvin Knight’s kiss.

Soon their motion changed into softer, slower exchanges that savored their sweet reunion. The memory of his silky lips, the ruggedly tempting smell that belonged to only him. The feel of his hands sliding along her bare arms, tickling her skin, circling her palms. He laced his fingers through hers, in and out of her grip, gently smoothing, touching, feeling.

She gave no more than a thought to the potential ruin this would cause if Calvin left her again. She was utterly lost in him, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

***

Calvin could barely believe the moment was real, that he actually had Evie back in his arms. She had come for answers. He’d give her answers. But for now, he would enjoy the softness of her skin, the slick warmth of her lips and the delicious taste of her kiss. He ran the bridge of his nose along the soft, silky sheet of her hair, took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of her, proving to himself once again that she was real. Entirely lost under her spell, he pressed his mouth to her throat once more, felt her pulse race beneath his lips, and reveled in the quiet sound of pleasure she made. Caressing, cherishing, owning. Evie was his. She belonged to him.

As he pulled her toward the bed, Evie stopped, slid out of her shoes, and stepped past him. She sat on the edge of the bed, and then lay back, looking at him expectantly.

Calvin’s heart sputtered, paused, and then galloped into full speed. He hesitated, but only for a moment. Evie was back in his life. She loved him. She belonged to him.

He nudged the opening of her blouse, just enough to press kisses along the smooth slope of her shoulder, pausing only to whisper her name. It took effort to move softly, slowly, due to the frantic racing of his heart. Still, he wanted to remain gentle, sensual, and tenderly aware of each sensation.

He thrilled in the way Evie responded beneath the touch of his hands, the graze of his lips, and the slight skim of his teeth. Her blouse was thin and silky, and as Calvin slid his fingers from the top center of her back, slowly down to the base, she arched forward, pulled her body closer to him where he secured her in place with his arms.

As a groan sounded from deep in his throat, Calvin realized his self-control was slipping away. Soon it would be lost completely. Just as the thought occurred to him, Evie stiffened, and then shifted away, though still engaged in his kiss.

He forced himself to pull away and let his gaze run along the silky strands of her golden hair, the softness of her face, and the conflicted look in her eyes. Her skirt, recklessly hiked up at one side, revealed her smooth, lower thigh, and the lacy hem of her slip. Her blouse, tossed up slightly at the base, left a trace of skin vulnerable along her abs and waist. He puzzled there for a moment, fighting the intense desire. His desperation to take Evie–to make her his own–was agonizing. Why hadn’t she spoken up? What could be going through her mind?

“Evie, what are we doing?” he asked.

A spark of hurt flared in her eyes as she sat up, straightening her blouse. “That’s a good question.” Her voice was a sad, defeated whisper. She looked up at him, a near pleading in her eyes. “Calvin, why did you leave me?”

He pressed his eyes closed, head aching at the mere thought of approaching the subject. How could he tell her? Where would he even start?

“There isn’t another girl,” she stated matter-of-factly, proving she’d believed him. “So what is it? Is it because of
this
?” Her bottom lip quivered as she gestured her palm to the space between them. “Because you want to go further, and I don’t?”

Her insinuation distracted him; he thought they were past that. “What? No. Of course not.” Anger flared at the thought. “I would never leave you over something like that, Evie. Never.” His voice had risen, carried the insult he felt.

“Then what?” She came to a stand. “Tell me why you left.”

“I will. Just give me a minute.” He ran his hand through his hair, took a step back, trying to clear his head.

“Why do you need a minute? The truth is easy, Calvin. You just say it. It shouldn’t require a lot of thought.”

“I
am
going to say it. Just…”

“Just what? Give you enough time to come up with another stupid lie?” She stepped toward him, a rush of pink coloring her cheeks. “Tell me why you left. Just say it. I’m a big girl, Calvin. I can take–”

“Because I’m dangerous for you, okay?” he said, louder than he’d meant to.

Evie pulled in a sharp breath, furrowing her brows. Calvin held her gaze through the lengthy silence, and tipped his chin when he saw a spark of enlightenment flitter across her eyes. And then it was gone.  Had Evie sensed it before? Known there was something different about him?

She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re dangerous? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“My family. We’re …” He released an angry moan and started again. “Something’s … after us. The women we love, actually.”

The knowing look returned to her eyes. As if she were expecting it. It frightened him. What did she know? He thought back to clues that might have tipped her off, recalling one.

“Do you remember that drawing from art class? The one with the wild-looking woman?”

When she gave him a wordless nod, he gulped. “She has a name. And a purpose.”  He shook his head, looked across the room at a sketch of Evie pinned to his wall. “I told you she was just someone my grandpa used to warn us about, though I wasn’t convinced she was real at the time. But what if I told you she was real? Is real. And that she’s after us. What if I told you that she’s been dead for years, but even that doesn’t stop her.” The truth of his statement sent a frigid chill up the length of his arms.

Evie looked at him wearily. “Calvin, I…” She didn’t finish.

“You what? Think I’m crazy?” Of course she did. How could she believe something so impossible? If he hadn’t seen everything he’d seen, experienced all that he–that was it. He needed to show her what he could do first. Let her witness the impossible, and then try to deny it. 

A quick rush of adrenalin surged through him as he made it final. “Evie, don’t freak out, okay?” he warned, searching the room. His eyes landed at the chess set on his dresser. He focused on one of the black knights.

Evie turned to follow his gaze, over at the motionless board. From the corner of his eye, he saw her look back to him and over to the dresser again. This time, his chosen piece was hovering over the board. She gasped.  

He smiled.

The knight continued to rise, slowly, higher, until it disappeared in a sudden, black flash across the room. Calvin had his hand up, waiting expectantly. The cool, marble piece hit his palm with a thud.

Evie jerked her head to follow its motion, her gaze landing squarely on his closed fist.

He watched her, waiting for her reaction.

“
What?” She grabbed onto his arm. “Calvin, what did you just do?” Her expression seemed to be conflicted. A mixture of admiration and disbelief. He was pleased to see hints of a hidden smile.

“Impressed?” he asked.

“Freaked out, actually.” She eyed the knight in his hand, glanced back to the remaining chess pieces across the room. “Do that again.”

Calvin smiled and placed the sturdy knight in her warm hand. Evie rubbed her thumb across the piece, watching the board with anticipation. Her reaction surprised him, settled his nerves a bit. He set his focus on the board once more, and chose a white castle at the edge, willed it to lift.

The piece obeyed by slowly tilting off its base and floating to a height just above the pawns. Before the clock ticked another second, the miniature castle shot across the room in a blurry streak of white.

He caught it in his left hand this time and looked over to check the expression on Evie’s face. Her lips were pulled into an open smile, her chin, dropped. She took the castle from him and held it in the other hand, studying it, seeming to ponder its journey from across the room.

“Calvin,
what
is going on?” She took her gaze off the pieces, looked up at him. “Really. How are you doing that?”

Calvin kept his lips tight, smiling. He’d show her more. “Watch this. You see where I am now, right?” He stood up next to her by the bed.

“Yes.”

He paused time in the room, freezing her as well, walked over to his art desk and leisurely took a seat. He set time back in motion and watched as Evie searched the room for him. Her eyes landed on him where he lounged comfortably at his drafting board. He grabbed a pencil, started to sketch for an added touch. 

She shook her head. “I don’t get it. You can teleport?”

Calvin hopped up, feeling excited about finally sharing this with her. “No. I froze you, froze time around us and walked over here.”

Evie’s mouth dropped open. She looked at him warily, shaking her head.

He explained further, “You were frozen in the moment, Evie, so you didn’t see me. It’s actually how I stopped that guy so quickly at the track.”

Evie lowered herself onto the bed, scooted back toward the center, and took a long, deep breath. “Calvin, I think I need a drink or something,” she said. “I’m not feeling…”

Before she could say another word, Evie dropped flat to the bed. Calvin rushed to her side, pressed his palm on her flushed cheek. She’d passed out. He shook his head, let out a short chuckle, and wondered if she’d be able to take any more of it.

He grabbed a washrag from the bathroom and dribbled some cool water over it. While he swept it across Evie’s forehead, her lashes flickered. He leaned over, waiting for her to come to, appreciating her beauty as she lay there unconscious.

After spreading the damp, cool cloth over her cheeks, he watched how her moistened skin reflected the lamp’s light, an angelic glow. How he’d missed that face, her touch, the utter warmth and light she exuded–effortlessly. How he’d missed Evie Mae Wylder.

Calvin’s need to protect her seemed to grow ten-fold in that very moment. “Evie,” he whispered. He swept the cloth across her cheeks once more, back over her forehead. Her eyes flickered open. A flash of confusion quickly gave way to a weak smile, and then her eyes closed again.

“Evie?” He leaned over her ear.

She nodded.

“I’m so sorry I left you,” he said, voice thick with remorse. “I love you so, so much. I’m never going to let you go again.” He announced it with certainty, making a mental promise. Leaning down, he kissed her cheeks, her forehead, and her lips.