Off the Record (Off #3)(37)
The sun is setting behind the mountain range, which pushes an orange glow over the top and blackens the face of the slopes.
We pull out the groceries and carry them in first. As we walk into the kitchen, I hear Ever say, “Wow!”
I turn to her. “This place is pretty spectacular, right?”
“I don’t know that spectacular really does it justice,” she says in awe.
I lay my bags on the counter top and look around. The house is rustic with knotty pine floors and thick wooden beams hatching the ceiling. The kitchen is state of the art with stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.
I take Ever’s bags, lay them down and then grab her hand. Leading her into the living room, I let my eyes wander over the overstuffed leather furniture and massive stone hearth. A searing image of me making love to Ever in front of a roaring fire flashes before me and I reflexively squeeze her hand.
The east wall of the vaulted living room is nothing but floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Tetons. We stand before it, just staring at the sunset before us.
“In all my life, I don’t know that I’ll ever see anything as beautiful as this.”
I glance down at Ever, whose head barely comes to my shoulder, and she has the most peaceful and serene look on her face.
“I agree. Nothing as beautiful as this.” But I say that without taking my eyes off of Ever while she stares out the windows.
She turns her head to me and I don’t know what is reflected on my face, but it causes her lips to part slightly and her eyes to shine. Does she see in my gaze how beautiful I think she is?
Whether it’s the magic of the setting sun, or because it’s just been way too long, my hands go to Ever’s face to hold her before me. I don’t waste any time before I bring my mouth down on hers. She wastes no time either and steps right into my body, pressing herself against me. The contact is electric and I am overwhelmed with desire for her.
The kiss is immediately hot. There are no soft, feathery touches or tentative movements. Our mouths are wide open and greedy for each other. One hand stays on Ever’s face but the other slides down to her ass and I grip it hard to pull her tighter against me. The move causes her to sigh a tiny moan into my mouth and I eat it up, silently begging for more.
There is a tiny doubt...it floats in the back of my mind. That Ever may hold this against me. That she may write about this. As this rolls through my mind, I realize I’m on the precipice of a major decision. Do I move forward with Ever...not just a single f*ck right now, because this will be so much more than even I had imagined. Or should I back away now and resolve myself to leave her alone?
Before I can come to a rational decision, Ever pulls back from our kiss. “I think we should talk first, Linc.”
My brain says that’s a good idea but my aching body is rebelling. I almost pull her back to me but rationality prevails and I realize a talk is probably the best thing for us before we go further.
Ever leads me over to the couch and we sit down. I’m trying to think of the best way to open this conversation but she beats me to the punch. “Linc...I want you to know that whatever happens between us, I promise you I will not write about it. Everything of an intimate nature between us is off the record. In fact, I promise you my article will not say a word about your love life.”
I look at her skeptically. I want to believe those words, but I had been duped by her before. My emotions are raging because I want her...very badly. And I like her, a lot. But if this ends badly between us, I can come out on the losing end if she writes about it.
Ever grabs my hands, sensing my doubt. “I swear it, Linc. On my mother’s life.”
My eyebrows go skyward. For Ever to say that, I know she means it. “Why? What’s changed?”
She gives me the sweetest, shyest look ever. “Let’s just say that I’ve come to realize that you’re a good man and I just can’t imagine writing anything that would hurt you.”
Vindication!
And I can’t help myself when I say, “I told you so.”
Ever throws her head back and laughs with pure delight laced in. “Yes, you did. And now I fully admit it.”
I study her face again. It’s a face I’ve looked at probably a hundred different times a day. It is still no less beautiful or fascinating to me. Her eyes are luminescent, framed by ivory skin and black hair. Her cheeks carry a high blush, that sits just on the upper edges of her cheekbones. She is ethereally stunning and sometimes I’m at a loss for words when she turns those blue irises my way. But this time, I know what I want to say.
“I appreciate you saying that...about not writing an article. But I have to be honest with you, that has no bearing on whether or not I make love to you. I’ve already decided I want you too much and I’m willing to risk your written retribution.”
Her lips purse together in a tiny “o” as she understands what I’m saying. Then she gives me a wicked grin. “So...you’re saying there are no more barriers between us right now? That the timing is finally, right?”
I answer her grin with my own. “That’s right.”
Ever’s pink tongue slips out of those perfect lips and runs along her bottom one. Her eyes go a shade darker and she stands from the couch. I start to get up too...why I don’t know, but her sudden movement startles me. She holds her hand up to halt my action, and comes to stand between my legs.