When All Else Fails (5 page)

Eva’s marriage hadn’t been the best, but even after the divorce, they made it work for the kids by keeping a friendship together. Jenny and Bradley were great. She loved them and spent a lot of time with them the last few years. At times, when she couldn’t resist, she imagined what it’d be like to have a family with Eva. It was pointless and would never work. She was always the one to fuck up a relationship, although, she couldn’t keep from daydreaming about it.

Today proved something existed between them, a relationship beyond their flirty friendship. Her control had slipped. She’d learned she wouldn’t be her mother or father, or even a majority of the people she represented. Andrea wanted more. It was time to end the pointless and unsatisfying relationship with Natalia. She needed to take a chance on happiness and a fulfilling life. She’d wanted the auburn-haired beauty since the first time she’d seen her at Sappho’s and, later that night, when she’d seen Eva in Amy’s arms—jealousy she never experienced had torn at her gut.

At last, her chance had come—their chance—and she refused to let it pass. Breaking up with her current girlfriend was first on the list, and then she would take the woman she adored on a date. Decision made, a weight lifted from her chest. She should head back to the office, but she sat on a bench, watching mothers, fathers, and some nannies play with children while plans filled her head.

“I made a complete fucking fool of myself. She probably thinks I’m a horrible person.” Eva threw herself across Amy’s bed and covered her eyes with her hands. Going to Artie’s had been out of the question, so she’d ended up at Amy’s instead. Other than Andrea and Artie, Amy was her best friend. The Triple A’s—a true force to be reckoned with in Colton’s Pride District.

“I’m sure you’re exaggerating. She did kiss you back. Damn near sounds like a heavy and dirty make-out session. The whole office fantasy is hot.”

Amy dragged her hands away from her face—a face Eva knew had to be redder than a fire engine. Pouting, she stared up at her friend’s upside down smirk. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Stop it! You two are the blindest damn women I’ve ever met. For five years, you have cozied up, each making eyes at the other when she wasn’t paying attention. Hell, all the regulars at Sappho think you two are a couple, but you are both too blind to see it.”

“Artie told me the same damn thing. We’re just friends. Today proved it.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“It’s not that simple, especially not like you and everyone make it out to be. You and all my other friends are bold and confident. Putting on this outfit today almost threw me into panic.”

“Why? If I didn’t already know you belonged to one of my best friends, I’d be finding out if you wore panties under that skirt or not.”

“Do you ever think about anything other than sex?” Eva rolled her eyes.

“It’s been too damn long since I’ve been laid, my friend. My preoccupation with sex is at critical.”

“You know, if you’d drop the oversexed-Amy act, you might actually meet a nice girl who wouldn’t care about what is or isn’t in your pants.”

“Yeah, yeah. But we’re not talking about poor Amy. We’re talking about poor Eva and why she’s at my shitty apartment and not her sexy attorney’s place.”

Eva considered Amy’s words, her thoughts becoming twisted and chaotic. The object of her unrequited affections wasn’t a stranger, but her friend and boss—her
attached
friend and boss. Andrea might not do long-term relationships, but she was loyal, not a cheater. Going into Andrea’s office today, she’d planned to seduce, find out whether her boss regarded her beyond a friend or assistant. She remembered the kiss—their first and probably last—one she’d thought of for far too many years.

“Earth to Eva! Eva, come in!” A slightly calloused fingertip tapped her forehead, Amy’s face mere inches from hers. “From the very becoming shade of whorehouse-red blush, I’m thinking today’s experiment went well.”

“You have no idea. But then she stopped. She’s still seeing Natalia, after all.”

“My guess isn’t for long. Now, get your ass off my bed and go see her. At least talk about what happened. I’ve got to get work. Don’t wanna disappoint the ladies who come in to watch me flex.”

Eva frowned at the bitterness tinting her voice. Her friend didn’t show it to many, but under the jovial Amy lay a reserved, jaded woman. Grabbing Amy’s cheeks between her palms, she pressed her lips to the bigger woman’s upside-down mouth. “I love you, Amy Thompson, and don’t you forget it.”

“Thanks, Eva.”

Amy gave her another chaste, smacking kiss. She grinned and rubbed their noses together. “Off with you. Don’t deprive those superficial bitches of your sexy ass.”

“I’m gone. Lock up when you’re ready to go, and I’d better have naughty news on the Andrea and Eva front when we next meet.”

Amy rose from her spot on the bed, and Eva sighed, staring at the ceiling again.

She couldn’t leave what happened earlier today to fester. Embarrassed or not, she had to make peace.
Now or never
. Rolling to a sitting position, she leaned over and grabbed her shoes. She reluctantly stood.
Time to face the music
.

Twenty minutes had passed since she’d left Amy’s, and what seemed like a good idea had turned into a horrible catastrophe waiting to happen. Her fingers tightened around the heels of her stilettos. This had stupid stunt branded all over it.
Too late now, baby
. She groaned at the echo of Amy’s voice in her head.

She sighed, raising her fist to knock a second time. If she didn’t get an answer, she’d head home to a pint of mocha espresso. Her fist almost connected with the heavy metal door, again, but it opened. Eva froze.

Gray sweatpants hung low on narrow hips. A white man’s tank didn’t hide the dark outline of small, hard nipples. Andrea’s slim, lean-muscled form was perfect, and she found herself speechless.

“Eva, are you okay?” Andrea asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out several octaves above normal. “I made a complete ass of myself.”

“Stop! Get in here.” Andrea stepped back.

She entered Andrea’s apartment on autopilot. She’d been here a time or two. The place had an open floor plan, the only enclosed room the bathroom beneath the loft bedroom, hidden from sight by heavy, dark curtains. Black, stainless steel with hints of cream and crimson, the modern minimalist décor reflected its reserved owner.

The door closed, and the click of the lock echoed too loudly. She chewed on her bottom lip. Turning around, she opened her mouth to apologize again, but Andrea held up one slender hand.

“Eva, babe, don’t say you’re sorry. I’m not. The one thing I regret is the fact I had to stop. I don’t have the best rep when it comes to women or relationships. I have taken home more than my share of women from Sappho.” She set her fists on her hips. “I just need to talk to Natalia before I can take what’s between us further. I want to take you on an actual date. To pick you up, have dinner, conversation, and a good-night kiss at your door.”

“You w-want to date me?” The question came out an embarrassing squeak.

“Among other things. But I want to do this right. I’m not here for a hook up or a short fling. Whether you believe it or not, I have thought about this before. The question is, are you willing to try?”

Eva let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Andrea leaned against the door, watching and waiting. “Pinch me.”

“What?” Andrea asked with a confused smile.

“Because I have to be back in Amy’s bed, asleep and dreaming,” she whispered. “There’s no way this is real.”

“Amy’s bed, you were—”

She rushed to the other woman and brushed Andrea’s lips with a quick kiss. “Absolutely not. Therapist Amy had office hours today, and she’s very good at kicking my ass when needed.”

“Did she put the sexy outfit in your head to torture me with?”

“Actually Artie did.” Her cheeks heated. “I really did think I made a fool of myself.” She gazed down at herself, cringing at the amount of cleavage and the too-tight skirt. “Not exactly my usual choice.”

“You’re beautiful. I’ve always thought so, especially when you wear those wide-legged pants you’re so fond of. They fit just right across your hips and ass.”

Andrea smirked at her, letting that dark gaze move over Eva’s curves. The nervous butterflies swarmed in her stomach, and she brought her cool palms up to cover her warm cheeks.

“Come on. I haven’t had dinner, and I’m sure you didn’t either, if you were at the Queen of Take-Out’s house.”

Pushing away from the door, Andrea reached for her hand. A date—more than she’d expected. Part of her still thought she might be dreaming. If that was the case, she would enjoy it while she could.

“A date? An actual date with the confirmed-bachelorette Andrea Slade? Wow, my big sister is moving up in the world.”

Eva rolled her eyes then rummaged through her closet for something appropriate to wear. Andrea had told her to wear something dressy. Artie was right—everything in her closet screamed soccer mom. Although…one dress might work. She pulled out the black garment bag where the dress stayed hidden at the back of her closet.

“It’s a date, Artie. She said she wanted to try to do this right, whatever that means. I’m nervous enough without your jokes, so, please keep them to yourself.”

“Is that what I think it is? The infamous booty-guaranteed dress. Tell me it is.”

The unzipping of the bag happened in some cinema, slow-motion cliché, and silence filled the room. She stood to stare at the dress. Figure hugging and off the shoulder, it left no curves to the imagination.

“I can hear the angels weeping at the sins to be committed and demons laughing in glee because that’s a thing of sinful perfection. Details, woman. I want details in the morning.”

“I don’t put out on the first date.” Eva lifted the dress from the bag and hung the hanger on the hook on the back of her door. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts, tilting her head, and looked at the onyx silk dress.

“Um, big sis, the amount of time that’s passed since you last got some you’ve re-virginated. If I were you, I’d pounce hard and fast.”

Eva couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out at the sadly true statement. When the staff of the best toy store for adults knew your name, it was beyond time to stop playing solo. “Out, out I say! I’m not a teenager, and I don’t need a chaperone. Go. I’ll call you in the morning.” She pushed Artie out of her bedroom and down the steps, and stopped at the front door.

“Who’s going to ask her intentions and make sure they’re honorable?”

“I love you, li’l sis, but you’re not embarrassing me tonight.” Eva opened the door and shoved her sister through it.

Artie pivoted and parted her lips to speak.

“No.” She waved and slammed the door.

She turned on her toes and, with a smile, headed upstairs to get ready. Tonight, she needed to be perfect.

***

Andrea pulled the car to a stop and shut off the engine. Her mind kept playing last night’s call with Natalia. It had taken her two days to get the woman to answer her damn phone, and it hadn’t gone well. Who knew Natalia had a temper from hell hidden beneath a normally easygoing appearance. Until last night, she’d never known how little the woman thought of her and her friends—actually more than friends, the small group was the only family she had. Her parents didn’t meet the family classification.

With a heavy sigh, she smoothed her short hair and put away all thoughts except her date with Eva Lange. She opened the door and slipped out of the seat. Straightening the jacket of her black suit and tugging at the cuffs of her tailored indigo dress shirt, she headed for the house.

She made her way up the cobblestone path, ascended the steps to the porch and, with one deep breath, she knocked.

“Come in!” The words muffled through the door, but she opened it and walked inside. “I’ll be down in five minutes. Make yourself at home.”

“You know it’s unsafe to leave your door unlocked.”

“I saw you pull up from my bedroom window.”

“Still.”

“Yes, dear.”

“Smartass.”

Eva’s laugh from the top of the steps drew her gaze upward.

“Wow.” She’d thought the short skirt was sexy, but nothing compared to the dress Eva wore. The off-the-shoulder bodice hugged her date’s full breasts, skimmed over her sides, and accentuated the small waist flaring generously into rounded hips and thighs. It left nothing of the lush gorgeous body to the imagination.

Eva descended the steps, stopping on the last one. She gave a trembling smile. “Hi.”

Eva’s spot on the steps putting them eye-to-eye. “Hello. You look very nice. Gorgeous even.”

Smirking, she moved a bit closer, reaching to casually straighten and tighten Andrea’s tie.

“Thank you. Like always, you’re beautiful, Eva. Wow covers it.” She lifted her hands, placing them on rounded hips and, in an instant, realized her mistake. The warmth of the woman through the silk called to her. Leaning in, her mouth found plump lips, and her arms stole around Eva’s small waist.

Eva seemed to melt into her. The subtle sweetness of perfume and the warmth of bare skin—it all combined to make her head swim. So many years she’d thought about this—what Eva would feel like in her arms—and nothing had prepared her for the reality of it. The short episode in her office hadn’t come close to the heat burning low in her belly.

The angle of the kiss became awkward, and she realized they were slowly making their way upstairs. Long fingers wrapped in Andrea’s silk tie. Just the tip of tongues teased. The rational part of her mind told her to stop, but the desire-muddled part had her easing the zipper down on the too-sexy dress.

“Maybe, um, weren’t we going to have dinner or something?” Eva’s words were breathless and husky, her eyes heavy lidded.

“Apparently, it’s going to be the ‘or something.’ How do you feel about takeout?”