Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel) (15 page)

“Lainey? Is something wrong?”

Lainey opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. After a few more attempts, she blew out a frustrated breath.

Eve just watched in silent amusement. When they were together Lainey had been understandably nervous. If she were unsure about what to do, how to act or what to say, she would fidget, and a slight flush would creep up her neck. Eve enjoyed it then as much as she did now.

“Stop laughing at me.”

“I’m not laughing.” Eve smiled slightly, then hesitated. Before, she would distract Lainey with kisses, or touches in all the right places until Lainey was bold enough to say what she wanted. Eve couldn’t do that now, so she set the folder aside and clasped her hands in front of her. “Talk to me.”

“I wanted to ask you a question,” Lainey said in a rush.

Eve arched a perfect brow questioningly, and waited.

Lainey swallowed hard, squared her shoulders and went for it. “How long have you known you were … bisexual?”

The laugh that escaped Eve’s mouth made Lainey frown, and Eve cursed silently. “I’m sorry, Lainey. I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just, your question caught me off guard.”

“Do you know how long it took me to get the courage to ask you that question?”

“Two years?” Eve teased, and grabbed Lainey’s arm before she could get up and stomp out. “Sorry. To answer your question, I don’t think I’m bisexual.”

Lainey’s brows furrowed. “But, you’re … attracted to women,” she said quietly, as though someone would hear her.

“I’m not attracted to women, Lainey. I’m attracted to
you
.”

Not past tense, Lainey thought, headily. It didn’t mean anything would happen, but she still felt good about it. Still, she didn’t know if she understood. Of course, Eve was the only woman Lainey had been attracted to, but …

Eve stared at Lainey, wondering what exactly was going on in that pretty head of hers. She could imagine some of it, and went on to try to explain.

“I’m an artist, honey. I can see beauty in anything.” Eve thought of her father, and what was going on now. “Almost anything,” she amended. “I can find women attractive, but I have never been
attracted
. Until you. I didn’t fall for you because you were a woman. I fell for you
in spite
of that.”

Lainey blinked. She knew Eve loved her, but even so, anytime she heard Eve say her feelings out loud, it had the same devastating effect on her.

The breath Lainey blew out was filled with relief, for reasons Eve couldn’t begin to know. She gave Lainey a questioning look, and heard her sigh.

“I have been trying to figure out what is going on with me,” Lainey confessed. “I have never been attracted to another woman before. When I met you, I was having problems with Jack, and finding you to be incredibly sexy.” Lainey ignored Eve’s surprised—and sly—grin. “I didn’t know if maybe, somehow, I was … changing. Hearing how you explain it … helps.”

“You thought you were becoming bisexual?”

“What else could I think? You’re a woman, I’m attracted to you. Hell, I
slept
with you.” She whispered the word as though it hurt her to say it. “If it’s not that, what do I call it?”

“Must you put a label on it?”

“I guess not.”

Lainey almost sounded petulant, which made Eve smile. “How about equal opportunist?”

That brought a slight smile to Lainey’s lips, which was immediately replaced by a frown.

“Do you think we made a mistake?”

“Choosing not to be with each other?” When Lainey nodded, Eve took a deep breath. “I often wonder what my life would have been like had I chosen you. I don’t regret my choice, Lainey. I can’t. I love Adam, and I have Bella, whom I also love, desperately. But, what you and I had, what we
have
… that is special. It went way beyond just sex.”

Eve paused, and looked around her studio that Lainey took the time to clean. She peered at the wall that held the ugly word, which was now as pristine as it was before.

“No one else would have thought to do this for me,” she told Lainey quietly, gesturing around her. “Adam is more of the must-keep-my-woman-safe type. He will stand by me, fight for me, and I love that about him. I’m not saying you wouldn’t do that for me,” she said quickly when Lainey looked hurt. “I’m saying
this
,” Eve tapped the folder, “must have taken you hours to do. And, you did it because you thought it would help me. Not only here in the studio, but here.” Eve placed her hand over her heart. “
That’s
why you are who you are to me.”

Eve stood, and held her hand out to Lainey. When Lainey took it, Eve pulled her close.

“I don’t think we made a mistake, Lainey. But …”

She watched as Lainey closed her eyes on the ‘but’. Without much thought, but being motivated purely by feeling, Eve cupped Lainey’s cheek and leaned in. Their lips were a breath apart, and Eve felt Lainey tremble as Eve’s other hand came to rest on Lainey’s hip.

The shrill of Eve’s phone made them both jump, just as their lips were about to touch.

“
Shit.
” What in the hell had she been thinking. Oh, right. She wasn’t thinking. Eve chastised herself for doing that to Lainey, to Adam … even to herself. She could do nothing more than push it aside now as she took her phone out of her pocket. “It’s James,” Eve told Lainey before answering.

Lainey’s heart continued to pound in her chest. It sounded so loud to her, she was surprised Eve couldn’t hear it. What in the hell just happened? She was certain that Eve would have kissed her if the phone hadn’t interrupted them. Lainey mentally shook herself. It was only because of what she had done for Eve, and she was just feeling particularly emotional, and grateful, and caught up in the moment. It meant nothing. Lainey kept telling herself that as she listened to Eve talk to James.

“Eve, we need to talk.”

“You have information?”

“I have something. Can you meet me at the diner near your gallery?”

Eve paused. Adam wouldn’t like her being so close to the gallery, but if it meant finding
something
that could make all of this end, he would have to deal with it. “When?”

“Now, if you’re available.”

“I’ll meet there as soon as I can.”

She ended the call, and stood there for a moment before looking at Lainey. She looked as confused and scared as Eve felt. She went to her, and took both of her hands in hers. “Do you want me to apologize?”

Lainey shook her head. God, no, she didn’t want to hear an apology from Eve. It may have made her head spin, but she wouldn’t complain about it. Except maybe to complain that it was stopped.

“I have to meet James. Do you want to go with me?”

Lainey, still unable to trust her voice, nodded. Eve smiled before pulling her into a soft embrace, and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Eve needed to tell Lexie they were leaving, so they walked to the house together in silence. Neither of them knew what to say anyway. Despite what had just went on in the studio, there wasn’t any discomfort between them, and Eve was pleased by that.

They found Lexie feeding Bella lunch in the kitchen.

“Lexie, we have to go out for a bit. Do you think you could stay here with Bella until I get back?”

“Yes, ma’am, of course.”

“Don’t go anywhere. Stay inside with the doors locked, and don’t open the door for anyone. Do you understand?”

Fear flashed across Lexie’s face, and Eve was sorry for it. She really had no right to ask Lexie to work for her during this mess. “I know this is a lot to deal with, Lexie. If you’re uncomfortable being here, I understand …”

“Eve, I love Bella. And, I enjoy working for you and Mr. Riley. I wish all of this wasn’t happening, but I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“Thank you, Lexie. I won’t be long.”

Eve strolled into the diner with Lainey, immediately spotting James. He eyed Lainey as they slipped into the booth in front of him.

“Lainey was with me when you called. Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of her.”

James shrugged, sipping his coffee.

Eve nodded to the two guys that followed them into the diner. “Yours?”

James shrugged again. “Your husband was insistent that you be watched at all times.”

“Adam had you put a detail on me?”

“I would have done it even if he hadn’t demanded it. But, he wanted to make sure you were safe. And, he wanted someone on Bella and Lexie if Bella wasn’t with you. And, Mrs. Stanton,” he finished, jutting his chin up at Lainey.

Both of Eve’s brows raised almost enough to meet her hairline. “Adam asked for a detail on Lainey?”

“Mmhmm.”

“And, the suit?”

In a casual move, James spied the ‘suit’ Eve asked about. “Not one of mine. Could be your fed’s.”

“Billy?” Eve watched James’s eyes spark with anger. “What’s going on?”

“We have him. We
had
him.”

Eve frowned. “Him?”

“The shooter.”

Eve lurched forward. “Who is he? Wait, what do you mean you
had
him?”

“Donovan swooped in and took him before we had a chance to ask him anything.”

“What does Billy say?”

James laughed mirthlessly. “We haven’t heard a damn thing since.”

“Why would he do that?”

“He wanted to pull out his dick and show us his was bigger.” James glanced at Lainey. “My apologies for the language.” He turned back to Eve. “So, he took the shooter, and locked us out. My theory, he wants to solve this and be your hero.”

Eve caught herself before she rolled her eyes. “Billy is married, James.”

“Marriage never stopped anyone from cheating, Eve.”

She felt Lainey stiffen beside her, and discreetly laid a hand on her thigh and squeezed. It was a move made to show solidarity, and Eve was disappointed when Lainey pulled away.

“Well, I have told Billy in no uncertain terms that there would be nothing between us. I’ll talk to him, again, and make sure he loops everyone else in.”

“Good luck,” James muttered. “Dude has a hard on for you, Eve,” he continued when she arched a brow. “I guess if he’ll listen to anyone, it’ll be you.”

Eve sighed. “See if you can find out who the suit is.”

If Billy was really keeping things from the others, Eve would take care of it. She had enough to deal with between Adam and Lainey. She certainly didn’t need more.

“Is it true? About Billy?” Lainey asked as they walked out of the diner.

“That he has a hard on for me?” Eve saw Lainey wince slightly at the words, and nod. “I suppose. He fell for me years ago, when I was younger and he was the rookie FBI agent assigned to me.”

“No surprise,” Lainey muttered with a smirk. “Do you think he’ll listen to you?”

“Who knows. I would have said yes before, but it seems those around me have decided I don’t demand the respect I used to.”

Lainey detected the mock disappointment in Eve’s voice, and at a glance, saw the sly smile. She slipped her arm through Eve’s, and laughed.

Lainey’s fingers thread through Eve’s silken hair as their mouths crushed together. She could feel Lainey push her towards the platform leading to her bed. In the back of her mind, she knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t stop.

“
I want to touch you, Eve
.”

A small moan escaped Eve’s lips when Lainey lifted Eve’s shirt, slipping it over her head, and tossing it to the side. Lainey dipped her head to run her tongue against the exposed skin above the lace of Eve’s bra. Eve felt her heart pound, her breathing become heavy, and she knew she was wet and ready.

When she moved her hands over Lainey, she was stopped.

“No, baby. Let me do this for you. Just let go.” Lainey gently nudged Eve until she was laying on the bed. With nimble and slightly trembling fingers, Lainey unbuttoned Eve’s jeans. Eve lifted her hips to assist Lainey as she slid Eve’s jeans and panties down, pitching them to the side with Eve’s shirt.

Lainey trailed her fingertips up Eve’s smooth legs, over her thighs, and resting right before reaching her sex.

“So beautiful.” Lainey got to her knees on the bed in front of Eve. “I’ve missed you so much.” She lowered herself, kissing Eve’s toned stomach, and ran her tongue down to that sensitive area of skin that made Eve shiver with pleasure. After a bit of kissing, teasing and nibbling inside Eve’s thighs, Lainey finally pressed her tongue to Eve, tasting her. They both groaned with pleasure at the contact, and Eve arched her back, pressing herself harder against Lainey’s tongue.