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PART THREE
Eve took a step back unable to believe that she was here. What was she doing in this spot? This wasn’t where she’d intended on ending up as she’d walked out of his office tonight. He’d infuriated her beyond belief and he was wrong, completely wrong and there was no way about it. He’d been so smug, so condescending and there was no way she was going to let him get away with it, and yet here she was. She took in another breath wondering what had possessed her to be here at this moment when she knew that she should be somewhere else, with someone else, someone who’d she’d promised so many things to.
Letting out a long sigh she was holding, she tapped on the door rapping it gently as she wondered if she should just follow her gut feeling and just turn around to leave. She moved back a step from the door and began to spin on her heel as she heard the lock clicking. Too late, she thought to herself as she took in another breath.
“What a surprise,” his voice captured her movement and she froze for a second before she let out a sigh as she turned again to find him standing there expectantly with a glass in his hand and a smile painted on his face.
“Back for round two?” he questioned raising an eyebrow as he eyed her carefully, “forget one last biting remark from before?”
“Can I come in,” She demanded more than questioned as she pushed her way past him into the apartment without hesitation.
“You don’t live here anymore Lambert, so there’s no point in you pushing your weight around,” he replied closing the door behind her as he watched her cross the room stepping over towards the sofa rubbing her hands together as she was in obvious deep thought.
“You were wrong,” Eve blurted out turning to face him, “I hope you realize that.”
“I don’t think so,” Chris shook his head as he assessed her behavior, “I think I was dead on judging by your reaction.”
“You don’t know the first thing about my life anymore, Chris,” Eve reminded him harshly.
“I think I’m more in tune with it than you’d like me to be,” he noted as he realized her hands shaking with a fury or a fear perhaps. He couldn’t decipher which.
“You really have no right to make any kind of assessment of my life and you were out of line tonight,” Eve blurted out again as her voice staggered a bit.
“That’s why you came over here?” he raised an eyebrow watching her curiously, “to tell me how wrong I was?”
“That’s right,” She nodded lightly, “I couldn’t let you think that you won something earlier.”
“I never believed that to be the case,” he admitted watching her as he fought to suppress the grin tugging at his lips, “so that’s it?”
“That’s right,” She said squeezing her purse to her hip as she watched him trying to decipher his thoughts as she saw the wheels turning behind his eyes.
“And now you feel you’ve put me in my place?” he questioned taking a step forward.
“That’s right,” She nodded in agreement taking a step back as he moved in closer again and she repeated the movement.
“Something wrong, Eve?” He questioned with obvious amusement as he watched her back off once more.
“Everything’s fine,” Eve she answered tightly feeling the walls beginning to constrict around her as she took another step back.
“So then you’ve had your say and you’re done with me?” Chris questioned with a smirk as she took one more retreating movement and she collided with the desk. “Are you sure about that,” He asked lightly as she realized what she’d done and she stood up taller.
“I’m positive,” she nodded firmly as she clenched her purse tighter digging her nails into the dark material of her purse, “I’m going to be leaving now.”
“Are you sure that’s what you really want, Eve?” he asked unable to suppress his amusement.
“Positive,” she nodded lightly as he stepped in towards her and she took in a sharp breath. It was too much, she thought to herself as he towered over her just gazing over her features as he leaned in towards her. She felt her chest rise and fall with the pounding of her heart in her chest as she felt his breath upon her face. Anticipating his movement, she felt her lips curl a bit towards his as he inched in closer to her his mouth lingering just centimeters over hers.
Sensing her response to him, Chris felt a smirk spread across his features as he braced his arms up against the wall behind Eve. He leaned in closer to her watching her for a moment as their lips were barely a breath apart and his grin widened, “well, if you’re done with me, Eve,” he whispered lightly letting each word roll from his lips as he felt her shallow breath beneath his.
“I’m finished here,” Eve spoke up feeling her throat tight as one false movement would join their lips together in a kiss, but no, she wouldn’t let that happen. Kissing Chris was not something she’d come over here to do. When he’d kissed her earlier, she’d slapped him and he’d deserved it. Now with him being so close, she should’ve decked him, would’ve decked him if she was in her right mind, but he’d gotten her furious so there was no way she could possibly think straight. Not like this.
“You’re sure?” he questioned lightly watching the turmoil behind her eyes as he held her features in his memory with obvious amusement.
“Positive,” she replied nodding slightly as she caught the corner of his mouth with hers. Big mistake, she thought to herself as she felt the quick brush of their skin against one another. She leaned back further into the wall feeling as though there would be no justice unless it engulfed her and eased her out of this situation.
“In that case,” Chris replied seeing her uneasiness as he took a step back, “you're free to go.”
“Good,” Eve let out a breath of relief as she held her purse close to her and she stood taller feigning her strength she’d had in driving over here. She wouldn't let him see how he’d effected her. “I’ll just be going now,” she said forcing her trembling legs to take a step forward as she brushed past Chris feeling his arm against hers as she walked on by making contact with him.
Chris smiled slightly feeling her pass by as he turned to face her watching her walk on, “Oh Eve,” He spoke up as he contemplated his next move, “just one more thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked stopping in her tracks as she felt his arm slink around her as his hand grasped her forearm pulling her back to him.
“This,” he replied seizing her in his arms as he kissed her roughly.
She found herself wanting to lash out at him like before in his office when he’d done that to her, but now in his arms, she couldn’t find the strength or the will power to tell him to go straight to hell like she’d intended upon. As their mouths moved with one another, she found the taste of him to be far more pleasurable than she’d imagined as he slinked his arms around her waist before sliding his hands over her hips rounding them slowly as they parted. She felt breathless as she met his eyes once more.
Saying nothing, Chris gave her a long perusal before pressing his hands onto her firmly sliding them down her slender arms before he laced their fingers together. She watched him with a strange combination of shock and excitement as he remained still for a few moments which felt like an eternity to Eve before he finally swept her arms up over her head in one swift motion as he pressed her into the wall kissing her again.
Feeling the fierceness behind it, Eve’s breath caught in her throat as their tongues met with a dueling frenzy. She leaned towards him trying to free herself up to touch him, but with each attempt he only pressed her back further into the wall squeezing her hands together while holding them firmly above her head with one of his large hands as the other boldly explored her curves.
“Chris,” she breathed his name as she felt his body pressed up against hers pinning her to the wall as his apparent need for her cut through the surface. She gasped slightly feeling the heat of him as her body arched towards him instinctively, despite the hold he’d had on her.
“I knew you didn’t want to leave yet,” Chris replied with a soft moan pleased with her response as he moved his lips over her neck gently. He felt her body shift beneath his and he was greeted with a pleasant moan of his own at the feel of her. With a smile upon his lips, he gently nipped at her skin, savoring the exquisite taste as he pressed a kiss beneath her earlobe, “I have such plans for us, Eve.”
Eve took in a soft breath unable to deny the growing attraction between them as she felt his lips work their magic over her. She gasped slightly feeling his one hand move underneath her silken blouse coming into contact with the taut skin upon her abdomen, “What are you going to do with me, Chris,” Eve questioned almost timidly though she was far more certain of what his answer would be.
“Oh Eve,” he smiled slightly bringing his hand up over her heated skin as he came into contact with her. He felt her shift beneath him once more as he pressed another kiss onto her neck just below her earlobe, “you silly girl,” he smiled gently nibbling on her skin before meeting her eyes once more, “why it’s quite simple,” he paused making eye contact with her as he felt the power surge through him, “I’m going to have you.”
Before she had a chance to form a response, he seized her lips in his finding himself armed for battle as he probed her mouth determined to bring forth the hidden passion beneath the surface.
“Chris,” she breathed his name finding herself unable to suppress what it felt to have him touching her like that as she felt his hands upon her. She shifted a bit trying to break her hands free as he sealed his mouth to hers once more.
“Patience Eve,” he warned her simply as tightened his hold upon her wrists. He stopped caressing her as he pulled his hand away from her. He saw the disappointment in her eyes as she shifted against him once again trying to urge him to continue.
“Chris....” she spoke his name raggedly as she hated what he was doing her, but more so hated herself for enjoy it, for allowing herself to get lost in his touch.
“I want to look at you, Eve,” he informed her as he slid her arms down her sides pressing them into the wall next to her slender frame. He watched her eyes for a moment seeing the curiosity and anticipation behind them as he released her hands allowing her free access once more. As he’d hoped, she made no attempt at pushing him away as their eyes locked once more. Grinning slightly, he traced her neckline on her blouse with his index finger as he let it taper over the material onto her skin. He watched as she closed her eyes making no attempt to leave him and with a confident smile, he swiftly moved his hand to the top of her blouse tearing it open as the buttons went flying across the room as he tore it from her shoulders.
Eve gasped slightly as she felt the heat behind his sudden movement. Meeting his eyes she saw the determined look upon his face as she felt her chest rise and fall with nervous anticipation as her heart raced within her chest.
“You’re so beautiful, Eve,” Chris replied his eyes feasting upon her. Finding that he couldn’t take her in fast enough with his eyes, he moved his hand over her skin touching her jaw line, her shoulders, her abdomen, her collar bone. He noticed the goose bumps forming on her sensual skin as he pressed his lips to her shoulder gently biting her. He heard her gasp slightly and a pleased smile curled upon his lips.
“You like that, don’t you, Eve?” He questioned lightly watching her response clear in her face as he smiled again. He continued to touch her slowly, gently circling her skin as his other hand slid around her back. Seeing her standing before him in her nearly naked perfection Chris found it was his turn to have a breath catch in his throat as his eyes caressed her and he finally was in this moment standing before his living, breathing dream.
Eve watched him for a moment seeing he’d frozen at the sight of her. Uncertain of how to respond to his sudden change, she reached out to him taking his hand in hers as she questioned lightly, “Don’t you want to touch me, Chris?”
He watched her for a long moment feeling her words circling through his mind. Want was such a light word to express how he was feeling about her. Seeing her before him, feeling the heat of her so close to him, the way her skin felt against his as she held his hand, he’d wanted more than to take her in that instant, but now seeing the look on her face as his eyes fell upon her swelled lips, he found himself frozen in the moment wondering if this was just another dream.
“Chris?” she questioned again feeling a slight sense of nervousness reach her as he hadn’t said a word. Boldly she brought his hand up with hers bringing it over her skin once more, “touch me.”
“There’s nothing I could want more,” he admitted leaning in to kiss her with a soft, gentle ease unlike before when he’d first decided he was going to have her.
Eve felt the change in him and she responded accordingly drawing her arms around his neck as he held her close to him. She felt his hands moving over her slowly, with such gentle ease as they parted and he met her eyes once more.
“I want to make love to you, Eve,” Chris informed her his voice lacking that overbearing confidence he’d had only moments earlier when he’d pressed her into the wall, but there was no denying the passion lying beneath them as he caressed her skin, “I want to feel you Eve, to know what it’s like to have you in my arms, to know how it feels to touch you and make you cry out in ecstasy.”
“Chris,” she whispered his name feeling her pulse racing with the way in which he was holding her. She leaned forward kissing him affectionately, “I want that.”
“You do?” He asked sounding almost unsure as he searched her eyes for the answer behind them hoping he hadn’t misinterpreted this.
“I want you, Chris,” she stated clearly as she gazed into his eyes seeing a side of Chris she hadn’t imagined existed before, but looking into him, she found something different, something softer, something that she could almost classify as an insecurity of sorts as she touched his cheek, “I want you to make love to me.”
Seeing the truth behind her eyes, he kissed her once more before scooping her up into his arms holding her body to his as he carried her along the apartment towards his bedroom. He felt the warmth of her against him as she kissed his neck gently refusing to let go of the moment between them as he set her down upon the comforter. He took in a breath feeling his eyes looking her over with a growing hunger as he felt all his dreams coming to life.
Eve saw the look in his eyes and she felt herself blush slightly at the intensity of his gaze. With one look, she felt as though he’d touched her, that he’d reached a part of her that no one had ever truly been able to touch before and in looking at him, she found herself nervous, wondering if they were doing the right thing.
Slowly Chris began to remove his shirt as her eyes never strayed from him. She kept her focus on him as he slowly revealed himself to her. As her eyes scanned him, she realized that it had been such a long time since she’d seen him without a shirt on, only this time, she felt no need to suppress the effect it was having on her as she had before. She watched him disrobe before he moved in beside her kissing her gently after he’d shed his shirt.
“Oh Eve,” He moaned slightly as their heated kisses built, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”
“For me?” she questioned lightly as she felt his hands moving over her soft skin.
“I’ve waited a lifetime for you, Eve,” he confessed finally letting the words he’d kept hidden escape from his soul as he felt the warmth of her beside him seeming almost too good to be true.
“You can’t mean that, Chris,” she offered lightly with a soft smile as he locked gazes with her.
“I do, Eve,” he replied pressing a kiss onto her shoulder, “you have no idea how many nights I’ve dreamt about having you right here just like this,” he confessed.
“You’ve dreamt about us?” Eve questioned lightly closing her eyes as she took in a breath feeling him pressing a trail of kisses over her skin. She shifted beneath him as she felt his touch stirring up something in her she hadn’t anticipated from him before, “what was it like?” she asked with a slight moan as she felt his touch once again, a bit bolder this time.
“It was heaven,” he whispered, “just like you are, Eve.”
“Chris...” she breathed his name moving her hands down to his shoulders holding him, digging her nails into his flesh a bit before she moved her hands through his dark hair threading it tightly between her fingers.
“You’re so beautiful, Eve,” he whispered seeing the look of pleasure upon her face as he felt her hold on him tighten.
“I want you, Chris,” Eve moaned needing to be one with him, “I need you now.”
Hearing her words were like a fire to his soul as Chris pulled away from her briefly shedding the remainder of his clothes before returning to her moving in over her. As their eyes met, he realized that this was exactly where he’d wanted to be, with the woman of his dreams and now being so close, he couldn’t believe that this was real, that this was happening between them. He leaned down to kiss her gently as he felt the need to reconfirm that she was still here, that he hadn’t made this up in his mind like he’d done hundreds of times before.
“Tell me again, Eve,” he instructed wanting to hear her confess the words to him once more as he anticipated making love to her.
“I need you, Chris,” she spoke urgently as she met his eyes again touching his cheek, “please...”
“You’re so beautiful, Eve,” he replied pressing a kiss into the palm of her hand as he felt the weight of the moment. He took in a breath unable to comprehend any thought but those of her, he kept his eyes locked upon hers as she reached out to him, enveloping him in her arms as their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss and they began to make love.
“Chris,” she breathed his name against his lips as she felt the sensations rock through her. Finding herself lost in the feel of him, she found him searching her eyes for something, perhaps some unspoken words he needed to hear as she touched his cheek caressing it gently. Reaching out to him, she pulled him in for another kiss.
“Eve,” he spoke her name as a breath escaped his lips. Being here with her like this, it was everything he’d ever dreamed of, everything he’d ever wanted and she’d felt so good, so perfect as they began to make love. Now gazing into her eyes as their bodies were connected as one, he wondered if now was the right time, if he could tell her truly what this meant to him, what she meant to him. He kissed her again and again wanting to love her so completely, to prove to her how much she’d meant to him, how much he’d loved her for so long, but he feared he’d only frighten her as they made love.
“Chris,” Eve whispered catching his lip within hers as she nibbled on it gently. Nothing had ever felt so right, so amazing, so...she gazed into his eyes seeing so much reflected beneath the depths of him. This moment wasn’t about their bodies being joined together, it was about so much more as she felt him touching her, holding her, caressing her, capturing every part of her as they made love. She saw it in the way he looked at her, felt it in his touch, this was far beyond anything she’d planned on with him.
“You’re so beautiful, Eve,” he breathed kissing her again and again wanting to savor every moment of this. He wanted so desperately to tell her those three words that had been hanging in his mind for so very long, but fear kept him from speaking them as he couldn’t lose her now, not when he had her like this.
“Chris,” she breathed his name.
“It’s okay, Eve,” he said more so to convince himself as he found his need for her taking over any rational thought in his mind.
No longer able to hold back, Eve reached for Chris seizing his mouth in a powerful kiss unwilling to let this go just yet as she whispered the words that had been lingering on her mind from the moment they’d began to make love, “I love you, Chris,” she breathed feeling her body soar over the edge of this moment they’d created with one another.
Hearing her words, drove Chris realized what she said and he kissed her passionately as he felt his control slip away. Breathlessly, he held her in his arms as her tremors died down and the passion they’d just shared together lingered over their damp skin. Finally rolling over onto his back, he held her close to him as he thought of her words wondering if he’d just imagined them in that moment. Though he’d wanted to believe she’d said them, he feared that he’d only heard what he’d wanted to hear in his mind as they’d made love. Now holding her close to him, he traced the small of her back with his index finger wondering if he should break the silence as they lay together.
Eve nestled in against his chest wondering if she’d made a mistake in telling him that she’d loved him. He hadn’t expected it, and she shouldn’t have felt compelled to tell him that, but part of her couldn’t let go of it. She knew in her heart that she’d meant it, but now being met by his silence, she feared that it had only driven him further from her. Closing her eyes, she wondered if she should attempt it again or let it be as things were already different between them.
“So...” Chris started clearing his throat as he pressed a kiss onto the top of her head.
“So...” Eve replied feeling an awkwardness in the air as she opened her eyes again realizing what they’d just done with one another.
“I guess this means you don’t hate me nearly as much as you’d told me earlier,” he spoke up trying to make light of the situation as he brushed a strand of hair from her eyes.
Eve looked at him bewildered as she sat up a bit, “Is that all you have to say?”
“Should there be more?” he questioned lightly trying to read her expression as she looked to him.
“Apparently not,” she replied feeling suddenly foolish as she rolled over back onto her side of the bed breaking the bond between them.
Chris felt an ache within him as he watched her turn away from him bunching up the sheet around her body holding it close to her as if to hide herself from him. He felt his heart sink as he realized what this meant. She regretted it, she regretted him, regretted making love to him. He felt completely crushed as she turned her back to him and he realized he’d messed up.
Feeling the silence in the air suffocating her, Eve cleared her throat, “I think I’d better get going now.”
Chris heard her words sting through him as he tried to remain firm trying not to let her see how much this was killing him that he’d let her down, “If you really have to..” he said lightly trying not to let his emotion show through his voice as his heart broke in two.
“I’d better,” Eve replied fighting to suppress her tears as she slid out from underneath the sheet bending down to the floor to retrieve her skirt as she covered herself with it bringing it over her chest as she crossed the room feeling tears slip down her cheeks.
Chris turned his head hearing her gather her things as she walked towards the door. He’d wanted nothing more than to hold her close to him, to keep her beside him and yet here she was walking away. He’d lost her forever and all because he’d been stupid enough to take her to bed. He’d given in to his fantasies and he’d only ended up being a huge let down to her.
“I’ll call you,” Eve muttered feeling like a fool as she stepped out of his bedroom the tears burning down her cheeks as he made no attempt to stop her. She searched the living room finding pieces of her blouse scattered along the floor as she scooped it up holding the pieces close to her as she felt her knees grow weak. Unable to think clearly the tears flooded down her face as she sank into the couch thinking about what had just happened between them. How could she have been so stupid to have said that now? What was she thinking?
Chris heard her leaving and he found
himself unable to contain how he felt as the realization of what happened
sank in. He’d lost her. He’s lost his best friend in the whole
world because he’d given in to the passion he’d felt for her and now, now
he’d taken her to bed and he’d become the one thing he’d never wanted to
be to her: a regret.
