When All Else Fails (3 page)

“Sahara? Flick the bean?” Her voice raised a few octaves and squeaked.

“Yes, the Sahara, and I have been dying to use the term
flick the bean
. At last!” Artie threw her hands in the air and let out a relieved sigh.

When Artie crossed her eyes and flicked the air with her index finger, Eva rolled her eyes, almost snorting her coffee. “Only you.” She needed to change the subject. “I did suggest she needed to be more serious about dating.”

“Buuut, you suggested she date people other than you. Just give in already.”

“I know.” Her mind flashed back to the night her divorce had become final and she’d met Andrea Slade.

Five Years Earlier
…

Eva walked into Sappho’s Kiss, wondering if she had the right address. The only thing Artie’s note had written on it was an address and time. A bar was the last place she wanted to be.

“Surprise! Happy Independence Day!”

She almost jumped out of her skin when strangers surrounded her. Her sister pushed through the circle and wrapped slender arms around Eva’s neck.

“Welcome to the first day of freedom. How does it feel to be released from the shackles of wedded misery?”

Somehow, a drink found its way into her hand. “Artie, I’m not in the mood for this.”

Her sister threw a comforting arm over her shoulders and hugged Eva to her side. “This”—Artie motioned to the packed club with a sweep of her arm—“my dear emancipated sister, is exactly what you need. Find you a nice freaky butch or stud for the evening to rock your world. It’s time to broaden your horizons.”

“Art—”

Artie cut her off with a hard glare, and she sipped her drink. Her divorce final a mere six hours and she already hated single life. She’d found comfort in her marriage, in her routines and her role as a mom. Now, she felt lost.

“Come on. I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”

Artie dragged her through a crowd of gyrating bodies, causing Eva to trip over her own feet. Her breath hitched as she caught sight of a tall woman dressed casually in jeans and a red V-neck T-shirt, her hair in a short mussed boy cut. The stranger laughed at something her beautiful blonde companion said, while the woman adoringly watched the stranger.

“Smarties!” The tall woman waved Artie over, and they shoved their way faster through the crowd.

“Andrea, just the stud I was looking for.”

The woman rolled her warm brown eyes and leaned down to brush a kiss to Artie’s cheek. “Who’s your beautiful friend?”

“Andrea, meet Eva Lange, my sister,” Artie said. “Eva, this gorgeous specimen is Andrea Slade.”

The most beautiful woman she’d ever met winked at her, and Eva’s cheeks burned. “A pleasure to finally meet the guest of honor. Your sister talks about you all the time. I hear congratulations are in order.”

Elegant fingers took hold of hers, and Eva’s tongue twisted and tied. The stranger brushed her full, silky lips over her knuckles.

“Thank you.” She forced the words past the tightness of her throat. “I never expected to get a congratulatory celebration for the falling apart of my thirteen-year marriage.” At the release of her hand, a sigh caught at the barrier of her tightly pressed lips.

“Every great breakup—good or bad—should be celebrated with lots of booze and rebound booty.”

Andrea said the words with another wink that took her by surprise, causing her to choke on her drink. Artie slapped Eva on the back.

She cleared her throat. “I have no interest in rebound booty, but the alcohol I will accept.”

“Shame.” The smirking woman took a draw from an almost-empty brown bottle. The expression on Andrea’s face caused her thighs to clench, but she pushed away the thoughts, chalking it up to the strong drink making her head fuzzy.

Unaccustomed to drinking, the sweet, strong cocktail caused her stomach to warm and her limbs to tingle. No one had shown Eva attention in so long, a stranger’s harmless flirting and a few sips of liquor made her imagine things.

“Nice meeting you.” She spoke to Andrea and only received a nod. “Artie, I’m going to get a refill. I’ll be right back.” Eva sighed and sidestepped through the crush of bodies until she reached the long, glossy crimson-colored bar. A black marker appeared as she noticed names and dates covered the surface.

“Newbies give us their autographs.”

She glanced up, way up, at ice-blue eyes. The bartender was a big woman, tall and slender, with a bright toothy grin. “Thanks, I’m—”

“Eva, the fresh meat on the menu.”

“What?” Her voice squeaked.

“Don’t tell me you’re not feeling dirty from all the leers you’re getting.” The Valkyrie chuckled and shook her head. “You didn’t even notice. How much of a newbie are you, or are you just taking a short walk on the Lezzie Side?”

Indignation burned in her gut at the amusement in the bartender’s expression. “Most people would consider me bi, but I never paid attention to who I’m attracted to. The package isn’t all that important.”

“You’re one of those greedy pansexuals.”

“I’m not greedy!”

The big woman bent at the waist to lay her forearms on the bar and let out a shocking belly laugh.

“You know, it’s not nice to make fun of people.”

“You’re cute.”

She growled. “I’m not a puppy.”

“Oh, baby, throw a little bite in with the growl and I’ll upgrade ya to totally fuck-able.”

She stared, mouth agape, at the bartender. The woman placed her fingertips beneath Eva’s chin to close her mouth. The action pulled her from her shock. She shook her head. “Do you drink on the job?”

The belly laugh notched up a few more decibels. “Honey, I don’t drink. The name’s Amy. You ever need anything, a bodyguard, whatever, you know where to find me.” Amy took her glass and mixed her another. The amount of vodka flowing over the ice cubes shocked Eva. “Relax, you’re celebrating.”

“I also need to be functional and not hungover in the morning.”

“You only get divorced once, if you’re lucky. So, enjoy a few drinks or a dozen.”

Eva huffed as Amy finished making her drink but the bartender merely chuckled. That second drink turned into the dozen Amy had spoken of. With her head swimming, her body decided she needed to dance. She lost herself in the moment and the alcohol.

Closing her eyes, she danced to one pumping beat after another in a long techno frenzy, a writhing mass of damp skin and grinding bodies. Time flew while she consumed several drinks during occasional breaks. The shock of bright lights and a yell of last call had her swaying and stutter stepping to the nearest stable surface. Eva clumsily pushed sweaty curls back from her face.

“Artie!” She threw her arms around her sister’s neck. “I love you. I sooooo needed this.”

“Sister dear, you’re fucking trashed.”

“Am not!” Eva protested and ruined it with a giggle.

“Oh, she really is.”

She recognized Amy’s voice and grinned.

“Baby, wasn’t there nonsense talk about being functional and not hungover?”

“It’s your fault!” She turned on Amy and fell into her arms. “Wow!” Eva stroked her palms over flexed biceps and felt the shift of muscle beneath soft, tanned skin.

“No, no, no.” Artie grasped her arm before Amy lifted her out of her sister’s reach.

“Wait now, Smarties. Your sister is examining the magnificent package that is me. Leave her be.”

Amy’s breath brushed her ear, her biceps flexing tighter, and Eva gasped. “Wow,” she said in a breathless sigh.

Soft lips pressed to hers, and a tongue thrust into her mouth. The sweetened bitter flavor of coffee burst on her senses, and her arms came up to rest over broad shoulders.

“Aw, hell naw! Put my sister down right this minute, you Neanderthal-ette.”

As Artie protested, the roaring of blood in Eva’s ears nearly drowned out her words, the alcohol driving away all rational thought. Her thighs tightened and heat built between them. Amy’s tongue danced with hers. The curl and the teasing flick made her softer stomach clench against rock-hard abs. The kiss seemed to last forever, but ended much too soon. Moving back, Amy nipped at her lower lip, causing Eva to make a strange gasping moan.

“Wow. You always that good with your tongue?” The drinks had loosened her inhibitions.

“Aw, hell naw!” Artie protested louder.

“Amy, are you molesting poor inebriated women now to get your kicks?” Eva turned to find Andrea scowling at Amy.

“Fuck you. You get enough pussy. Let another bitch get a piece every now and again. Don’t seem like you’re going to be lonely tonight.”

Eva’s gaze bounced back and forth between them until she made herself dizzy.

“Don’t push me, Amy.” Eva couldn’t understand the woman’s icy tone.

“We’re not having a fucking stud fight over my sister,” Smarties announced. “I’m taking her home.”

She felt a tug-a-war battle between Amy and Artie in the exchanged glares. The tension crackled thickly in the air around them.

“You got a phone, Miss Eva?”

In a daze, Eva reached into her back pocket for her cell and handed it to Amy. She blinked several times trying to get her bearings after the kiss and realized they had an audience.

“Baby, you ever want to find out if I really am good with my tongue, give me a call.”

Before she could respond, Amy’s mouth crushed down on hers, taking her breath and destroying her efforts to pull herself together. Seconds after the kiss ended and her phone had been returned, Artie led her from the bar.

“You almost started a war between Amy and Andrea. I can’t take you anywhere.”

Shaking her head, trying to remember what happened. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Your panties nearly dropped when you saw her, you go to the bar for five minutes and disappear. At the end of the night, you’re playing tonsil hockey with Amy. When you decide to come out, you really come out. But don’t you fucking dare use Amy’s number. If you do, I will find out about it and I will never let you forget.”

Present Day
…

“You’re gonna have to stake your claim or something. Natalia the Queen of Anorexia isn’t permanent, but she’s easy and familiar.”

“That’s not nice, Artie. She’s one of those naturally freakish thin people.”

“Nice doesn’t always get you what you want. She weighs ninety-five pounds. Take her zero-body-fat ass down!” A maniacal glimmer brightened Artie’s eyes and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“I can’t be mercenary, although, the chances are good she would crumple like one of those white silicone Barbie chicks falling in those horror movies.” She shook her head, ashamed of the thought. “No, Andrea seems happy.”

“You don’t really believe that, do you? I notice shit. I see the way she watches you when she thinks no one will notice. They ain’t friend-slash-boss looks either.” Her sister stood and gazed down at her.

She sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t want to mess up my job and especially not my friendship with Andrea.”

“Eva, do you even notice the way the two of you act? Like, last night, I came to the table, and you’re all cozied up to each other. Everyone thinks you’re a couple. I wonder when you two will figure it out.”

Opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water, she tried to form some sort of response. Nothing would come out. Denying it seemed futile. Artie wouldn’t believe her, but she didn’t have to say anything. Artie leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek then straightened to smile down at her.

“Andrea and you ain’t perfect, sis. You two are far from it. But anyone who sees you two together knows damn well you’re perfect for each other.”

Left gaping and somewhat in shock at her sister’s parting words, she stared down into her almost-empty mug. Were they too forward with each other? Did they give the wrong impression?

Eva took what she could get with her boss and friend. She treasured their friendship, but it had become more difficult watching her date others.

Maybe Artie was right. The time had come for her to figure out what she wanted and go for it.

Andrea tossed the Sanderson file aside with a heavy sigh and scrubbed her palms over her face.

“That sigh sounds like a pitiful cry for coffee.” The mere sound of Eva’s sweet voice brightened her day.

“I have been here since dawn. I’m….” Words failed, and all attempts at breathing stopped. “Beautiful.”

The husky tone and the short figure-hugging skirt stopping a few inches above her knees, exposing curvy, tanned legs surprised her. The black stilettos were sexy. She wore a crimson tailored blouse open enough to expose creamy cleavage. The sight made Andrea’s mouth water.

“What? What’s wrong, too much? I went shopping and thought it looked okay.”

Clearing her throat, she almost moaned at the seductive slide of Eva’s small hand caressing down a gently rounded belly and stopping just before she reached, the tease.
Damn
.

“Should I go home and change?”

“No!” Another clearing of her throat, and she repeated a little calmer. “No, you’re beautiful. Come here, I need a closer inspection.”

The high heels made the seductress’s natural sway more pronounced, and the effect had Andrea’s heartbeat picking up pace. She shifted in her seat.

“Is that mine?” Her tongue stroked along the bow of her upper lip. She took in the generous lines of the woman’s hips. The plump thighs had her imagining how sweet Eva would be between.

“Yes, it is.” A huskiness she’d never heard before laced Eva’s voice. “All yours, exactly like you like it.”

She almost reached out, grabbed those hips, and pulled the woman onto her lap. At this moment, she wanted to show her off-limits friend just how she liked it. An agonized groan came close to passing her lips. She wished Eva’s words meant what she needed them to.

“Thank you.” She reached out and took the to-go cup. Her fingers caressed over Eva’s, and she swore she felt them tremble. “Can you give me a twirl? Let me see this outfit of yours.”