Meant For Her (18 page)

Chapter 34

They eventually transitioned to one of the bedrooms upstairs, where they continued enjoying this new development in their relationship. After a while, they’d both burned off enough energy that they fell asleep. It was nearly four in the afternoon when Sierra woke up and found herself entwined in Evan’s arms.

The covers had long ago been discarded and were somewhere on the floor. He radiated enough heat to keep her warm, though. She took a few minutes to study him as he slept, unguarded, unfettered by the darkness of the past. This was what she wished for him…a future where happiness and contentment overshadowed his loss.

Reaching beside the bed, she grabbed one of the bottles of water she’d brought up earlier and drank some of it. They’d have to eat soon. They hadn’t eaten anything since the cookies in the car, and they’d long ago burned those off.

Until then, though, she didn’t see why she couldn’t take advantage of the sexy sleeping male lying beside her. She returned the water bottle to the nightstand and once again snuggled up against Evan’s side. He made a small noise and briefly tightened his hold around her before once again going still.

Keeping her touch gentle so she wouldn’t wake him, she ran her hand over his chest and abdomen. She loved the carved muscles and how they felt as she traced them with her fingertips. He responded to her touch, his breathing growing more uneven and his body hardening. It felt empowering, having this control over him.

When she felt they were both ready, she took a condom from the box beside the bed and opened it. Again, her movements were slow and deliberate as she prepared him for her, wanting to stimulate his dreams as much as his body. Finally, she climbed over him and took him.

His eyes opened as she fully seated herself, the dark blue irises briefly rolling back into his head as she moved. A loud groan escaped him.

“Dear God, Sierra,” he said in a sleep-drugged voice. “You must be trying to kill me.”

She moved again. “Are you ready to die, Evan?”

“Hell, yes.”

She’d gotten them both worked up enough that they were downstairs rummaging for food fifteen minutes later. He’d thrown on his swim shorts and she’d put on her bikini, figuring they could go for a walk on the beach once they were refueled.

It took them a few minutes to unload the cooler, which was full of cold water rather than ice by then. She’d packed bottles of water and some beer, figuring they could buy more over the next couple days if they wanted. She’d also packed a Riesling wine and some finger foods, some of which needed to be heated to eat.

While the oven preheated, they ate some cheese and crackers and enjoyed a glass of wine. They didn’t say much, content to just be in each other’s company. Evan walked over to stand by the large glass doors leading out onto a wide balcony as she loaded mini quiches and pigs in blankets onto a cookie sheet.

“It’s beautiful here,” he said.

“Open the doors. It’s warm, but the breeze off the ocean makes it tolerable, and the balcony is shaded.”

He figured out how to unlock them and pulled one open as she put the cookie sheet in the oven and set the timer. She topped off her glass of wine and carried it with her as she joined him outside. There was a small plastic table and two chairs, which they took advantage of.

“How’d you manage to swing this place in the middle of the summer?” he asked.

“I have an ‘in’ with the owners.”

“Still, they have to be turning away some serious business for us to be here in mid-July.”

She smiled. “They’re very generous owners.”

He took a drink of his wine, studying her expression. “Your aunt and uncle?”

“No.”

“Your parents?”

“Yep. They own a number of beach properties here and in Hilton Head. Aunt Caroline turned them onto the business. It’s how they both get to work from home.”

“That’s nice.”

She waited, sipping her wine. It didn’t take him long.

“Do they know we’re both here?”

“Who do you think has the dogs?”

“Oh.”

His expression made her laugh. “I’ve never seen you blush, Evan Dorsey, even through several of the things we did earlier. Who would have thought this would do it?”

“They’re your
moms
,” he said, emphasizing the last word. “It’s weird knowing they’re aware we’re out here having sex.”

That wasn’t all they were doing, but she let it be. “We’ve always been very open about this kind of stuff,” she said with a lift of her shoulder. “I guess because we’re not a conventional family, we’ve never felt it necessary to abide by society’s typical taboos, either in our family or our social lives.”

“Thank God for that,” he murmured.

She smiled again. “So you’re saying your mom didn’t know when you—?”

“Good Lord, no,” he said, looking appalled at the thought. “She found a porn magazine under my mattress once when I was fifteen. Scarred me for life.”

If he was aware of how easily he’d just spoken of his mother, he didn’t show it. She wasn’t about to make a big deal out of it.

“Well, when Lane and I first started expressing curiosity about sex,” she said, “my parents had to figure out the best way to share the specifics with us. We were only showing interest in boys, and they’re obviously not geared that way.”

He nodded thoughtfully and took another drink. “Did either of them try…?”

“Being with a guy?” she finished. “Yes. They met in high school in the small West Virginia town where they grew up. That’s where my grandma and the rest of both sides of my family still live. Anyway, to hear my parents tell the story now, they both had a mutual attraction to each other right away. But I’m sure you can imagine that a small Christian town in West Virginia isn’t the most welcoming place for a young person to announce he or she is gay.”

He made an acknowledging sound as she sipped her wine.

“They dated boys and gave being straight a try. My mom, Regina, went the whole way, giving her virginity to Ralph Hester in the back of his Ford pickup at the age of sixteen, or so the story goes. After that, she knew that she’d never feel the same way about a guy as she did for my mother. She met Deanne for lunch the next day and confessed how she felt. They’ve been together ever since.”

He finished his wine and set the glass to the side. “How did their families feel about it?”

She took another drink and looked out at the rolling ocean. “Much as I imagine many families do. Some members have been supportive, others haven’t. My parents moved to Atlanta after high school, since their chosen lifestyle is more accepted in the city. I’ve never met most of my mom, Deanne’s, family.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. They’re really missing out.”

A part of her heart that she hadn’t realized was hurting felt lighter after he said that. Although she’d had years to come to terms with the snub by her biological family, his comment made her realize how much it still upset her. It also made her realize how much it meant to her that he accepted her family so unequivocally.

“Thanks. I think my parents hoped that having children might help bridge the gap between them and their families,” she said. “They’ve never said as much, but I sense it. Still, since there isn’t a father in the picture, that’s enough reason for some members of the family to see us all as abominations.”

“I don’t understand that kind of narrow-mindedness.” He reached across their chairs and took her free hand, loosely linking their fingers together. “Did your moms use a sperm donor, then?”

“Yes. They requested the same donor each time they went through the fertilization process. My moms were deemed compatible, so the eggs used were Deanne’s, but Regina carried us. That way, they could both truly feel like our birth parents.”

“So you and Lane are full-blooded sisters?”

She nodded. “She’s almost two years older than me. It took a number of tries and some financial support from Aunt Caroline, but in the end, my parents got the two children they wanted.”

The timer beeped, so they both got up and went back inside. Evan refilled his glass and added some more wine to hers. She took the tray out of the oven so everything could cool off and then grabbed the bottle of ketchup she’d packed and put it on the counter.

“Was it hard on you and Lane?” he asked as he sat at the island.

She picked up her glass. “Sometimes. It’s especially hard when you’re young and don’t understand why people think you’re different. We had two parents, they just happened to be the same gender. Eventually, Lane and I learned to stick together and people left us alone. Still, it can be hard not having a father in the picture.”

He nodded. “Yeah. My mom and I were on our own right around the time I turned thirteen.”

“I’m sorry. That had to be hard. Did your father die?”

“No. He still lives in Australia.”

She sensed he didn’t want to discuss it. Since he’d never mentioned a father before, she figured they weren’t close.

“Your mom must have been a brave and wonderful woman to take on raising a thirteen-year-old boy on her own,” she said.

“She was, for more than just that.”

She looked at him, studying his profile. That was as far as she was going to push him on the topic of his mother. For now.

“I’m sure you can imagine that my parents had an interesting time communicating with me and Lane about sex,” she said, bringing them back to their original topic of conversation. “Regina, at least, could explain how it mostly worked. In the end, they bought us as many steamy romance novels—a girl’s version of porn magazines—as we wanted. You would be surprised how educational those books are.”

“Probably a hell of a lot better than porn mags.”

She laughed. “I have no doubt. If you want, I can share a few things those books taught me that we haven’t tried yet while we eat these appetizers.”

His eyebrows lifted. “I’m all ears.”

Chapter 35

Deciding that they didn’t feel like dining out that evening, they ended up ordering pizza after a relaxing walk on the beach, eating it on the balcony as the sun set. Sierra made sure the conversation stuck to fun, random topics that allowed them to learn more about each other without making Evan uncomfortable. She sensed he was easing toward a willingness to share more with her, but knew he wasn’t going to be forced into it.

They spent the evening making love and fell asleep around one in the morning. Seven hours later, Sierra woke up feeling refreshed and happy. She decided to let Evan sleep, getting up and starting the water for a bath. While the tub was filling, she hopped in the shower to scrub her hair and run a razor over her legs. She added some bath salts to the hot water before she climbed in. The scents of jasmine and vanilla floated around her in a steamy vapor.

Evan knocked on the door fifteen minutes later. “Sierra?”

“You can come in. I’m just in the tub.”

He opened the door and looked around until he spotted her. An appreciative smile spread across his face as he approached the tub.

“Now that’s a nice sight first thing in the morning.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she said. “Want a spin in the tub? I’m about to get out.”

“Not right now. I slept later than I thought I would. I want to go for a run. Are there any weights here?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“No worries. I can exercise without them.” His gaze slid along her body. “Maybe you can help me out with a few of them.”

She smiled. “Consider me at your service.”

“All right. More motivation to get through this run.”

He surprised her by walking over to the tub and bending down to give her a kiss. It was tender, not passionate, and went straight to her heart.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” he said with another smile.

When he left, she got out of the tub and got dressed in a long, flowing skirt and a blue tank top. She replayed the quick kiss in her mind as she brushed her hair.

Did Evan realize how much progress he’d made since she’d first met him in November? Did he know that he’d smiled more in this single span of twenty-four hours than he had in all the weeks they’d lived beside each other?

Did he know how much she loved him?

It was hard to know whether he would welcome a declaration of love from her, or anyone else for that matter. She wasn’t oblivious to the fact that he had intended to keep his distance from others when he moved to Atlanta. He’d been clear from the start that he didn’t intend to put down roots in the city. The question was how flexible he would be if his heart defied his mind.

She was determined to find out, even if the answer ended up breaking hers.

*     *     *

They went out for breakfast and hit a few of the galleries and shops along Butler Avenue. Sierra picked up a birthday gift for her sister, whom Evan found out was about to turn twenty-five. He wanted to get something to thank Regina and Deanne for letting them use the rental house and watching the dogs, so Sierra helped him pick out a few colorful glass watering globes and a bronze figurine for their garden.

A bell chimed when Sierra led the way into Dee’s Designs. Evan looked around as the door closed behind him. He saw that the shop carried a combination of wall art, sculptures, and custom jewelry. Judging by the limited inventory and the special lighting over most of the displays, this shop catered to discriminating collectors. The air was lightly scented with something flowery and inviting, keeping the place from feeling too aloof for casual browsers. Since there were currently at least twenty people milling around in everything from dresses to swimsuits, he supposed the owner was doing something right.

He spotted a petite blonde woman wiping the glass over a display of jewelry and a dark-skinned male in a collared shirt and pressed slacks talking with a couple about a marble statue. A tall, willowy woman with silver-streaked black hair stood behind the main counter near the door, assisting a guest with her purchase.

“Hi, Dee,” Sierra greeted the woman behind the counter.

“Why, as I live and breathe,” Dee said, returning the smile. “Sierra Stratton. What a pleasant surprise!”

The guest turned with wide eyes, glancing at Sierra and then back at Dee. “I’m sorry. Did you say Sierra Stratton?”

“Indeed, I did,” Dee confirmed.

Evan saw the guest’s eyes light up. She clasped her hands in front of her chest.

“I absolutely love your work, Ms. Stratton,” the woman gushed. “This is the third print of yours I’ve bought, and they always get the most comments when I have guests over. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to sign this one? I’d pay more for it.”

Sierra waved that away. “I’d be happy to sign it. No charge.”

It was an interesting experience, being with a woman popular enough in her profession that people were willing to pay for her signature. For once, he wasn’t the one being asked for an autograph. A corner of his mouth lifted as he stepped away to give Sierra a moment with her fan.

He moved along the outer walls of the store, which displayed a combination of paintings and framed photography. Most of the artwork contained scenes related to the beach or Savannah. All of it was exquisite.

When he reached the section dedicated to Sierra’s work, he had to view it from behind a handful of people who were pointing at some of the framed photographs and discussing which one they should buy. His gaze moved from one photograph to the next, marveling over her talent. She’d captured beautiful, timeless moments and breathtaking images. A bird riding the crest of a wave, its wings tipped to capture the sunlight. The silhouette of two parents holding their child’s hands as they walked into the sunset along the shore. Wispy reeds swaying in the foreground, perfectly framing the brilliant blue of the ocean beyond. A young mother touching her forehead to her young son’s, a wistful smile on her face.

His eyes remained on that last image for several minutes. Eventually, he tore his gaze away to collect himself. He happened to notice a small price sticker at the bottom of one of Sierra’s photographs.

Holy shit
.

Doing some quick math based on the sizes of the photographs, he realized that he had roughly three to four thousand dollars sitting on his walls at home. Maybe more, since the photos were personalized and one of a kind.

He turned to look back at the counter, where Sierra stood talking to the woman who had asked for her signature. Looking at her, no one would know that she was more successful in her craft than many people twice her age, and she worked damn hard at it. She looked so carefree…so happy. Sunlight sparkled on the display cases, but it couldn’t compete with Sierra’s bright smile.

She gave so much of herself without asking for anything in return. He didn’t think he’d ever met anyone so unassuming and generous. A fierce desire to protect her swept through him. He wasn’t sure what he needed to protect her from, except perhaps that generous nature. It would be far too easy for someone to take advantage of her.

“Can I help you, sir?” asked the woman standing behind the jewelry counter.

“I’m here with Sierra,” he explained, “but thanks.”

“Oh, how nice,” she said with a smile. “My name’s Marlene. I’ve known Sierra since she was knee high. It’s always a pleasure to visit with her. Maybe I’ll be able to convince her to splurge and finally buy the necklace she’s been eyeing for months. Dee told me I could offer her a twenty-percent discount because of how well her photographs have been selling.”

Drifting closer to the counter, he looked down into the case. There were several necklaces, as well as bracelets and earrings. Everything gleamed under the showroom lights.

“The green one?” he guessed.

“Yes.” Marlene smiled. “You know her tastes well. This is a one-carat light green tourmaline in a platinum setting. The design is a pear-shaped infinity knot, which has several meanings, including never-ending love and friendship or the intertwining of wisdom and compassion.”

Glancing again at Sierra, who was now speaking with the customers that had been viewing her photographs, he nodded. It suited her perfectly. The stone’s color nearly matched her eyes.

It took fifteen more minutes for Sierra to wrap up with Dee and for them to head out. He took her hand as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

“Did you pack anything we could wear to a nice restaurant?” he asked as they once again strolled along the sidewalk. “I’d like to take you to dinner tonight.”

She smiled. “Not really. I figured we’d spend most of the time at the beach. You don’t have to take me to dinner.”

“I want to. We haven’t ever been on a real date.”

“Well, there’s a boutique right over there. I suppose we could—”

“Excellent.” He tugged her hand and led her across the street. “I never thought I’d be saying this to anyone, but hell…let’s go shopping.”