More Than Friends (27 page)

“You wanted me to…”

“Fight for me.” She smiled. “Old-fashioned, I know.”

“I guess a part of me expected this not to work out, even though I very much wanted it to.” Evelyn took her hand and rested both of their hands on her knee. “So when you started talking about us as if we were a mistake, I saw that as the other shoe dropping.”

“I wouldn’t have let you jeopardize your friendship with Kendall if I wasn’t serious about us.”

“I haven’t really done this before—this long-term thing. If that’s what we’re doing,” Evelyn said hesitantly.

She nodded. “That’s what we’re doing. I love you, Evelyn. So, yeah, I hope it’s long-term. But that means you can’t avoid me for two days when we argue. We can agree on a mandatory cooling-off period, if that’s what you need. But it sure as hell can’t be two days. I’ve been going crazy missing you.”

Evelyn smiled. “Let’s go back to the part where you said you love me.”

Melanie touched her cheek, then stroked down to her neck. She drew her close, and when their mouths were only a whisper away, she said, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Evelyn said. Then she closed the space between them and touched her lips tenderly.

Melanie leaned into her, deepening the kiss and letting all of her emotions from the past few days flood their embrace. Evelyn stretched back on the chaise and pulled her with her, until they lay together, with her nestled close to Evelyn’s side, resting her head on her shoulder.

A gentle breeze feathered across their skin, carrying the sweet scent of Margaret’s rose garden, the one piece of landscaping that Melanie’s crew didn’t maintain here. In the distance two birds sang distinctly different songs. She closed her eyes and drank in the feel of the sun on her face and Evelyn’s body pressed next to hers. Six months ago, she never would have imagined herself here, but now, she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

“I didn’t realize our schedules bothered you so much. I supposed I should have, though,” Evelyn said after a few minutes.

“It probably shouldn’t. It’s not as if I think we need to be together every minute. I guess I just worry about the toll it took on my relationship with Kendall.” She raised a hand to stop any forthcoming protest. “I don’t mean to keep bringing that up, but you work the same shift, so it’s a very real concern.”

“We rebid in a couple of months. I can change shifts.”

“You don’t want to do that.”

“It’s no big deal. I’ve been on long enough to get good days off, even if I bid for day shift.”

“But you love the guys you work with.”

“Yeah, they’re good guys. But I’m sure I’ll eventually feel the same way about whatever shift I’m assigned to.” Evelyn stroked the length of her forearm lying across her stomach. “We could have a similar issue as one you had with Kendall, I’ll give you that. But you didn’t give me a chance to address it before you assumed I would react the same way Kendall did. I would have told you that day that I would rebid.”

She shook her head. They’d both been too quick to give up on their fledging relationship out of fear that the other would hurt them first. “I was wrong to make you feel bad about your shift. We can make this work no matter what hours we keep. I would never want you to think you can’t have the career opportunities you want because of us.”

“If an assignment or promotion comes up that I want, we’ll talk about it, whether it means more or less time for us. But as long as I’m in patrol, I’m just as happy on days if I get to spend my evenings with you, to have dinner with you and tuck you in at night.” She smiled. “I’ve been missing those things, too. So, let me be clear, if it’s between you and my job, I choose you—every time.”

Warmed by Evelyn’s words, Melanie rolled to cover Evelyn’s body. “You are an amazing woman. And I’m so lucky.” She slipped her leg between Evelyn’s.

“That’s true. But let’s not traumatize my mother too much. I’m pretty sure she’s keeping an eye on us through the kitchen window.”

Melanie chuckled and shifted back to Evelyn’s side. She closed her eyes and sighed, immersed in the sensation of Evelyn next to her and the harmony created by two distinct avian melodies.

Chapter Twenty-two

Evelyn sat on the front steps of her parents’ house marveling at how her life had changed. She’d gone from enduring serial fix-ups to facing a hopeful future with a woman she loved. Even more strange, that woman had been one of her closest friends for the past five years. But the change in her relationship with Melanie felt natural. And they had already successfully navigated the first bump in the road.

Friday, after they talked, she had left her family’s home and spent the night at Melanie’s house. Then they spent a leisurely weekend making love, seeing a movie, taking walks, and making love again.

Today, they had returned for Sunday dinner. Her father had filled her mother in on the change in her relationship with Melanie, and today they both treated Melanie like part of the family. Of course, she always had been to some degree, but for Evelyn their kindness felt different—like approval.

In the days since the shooting, she had done the mandatory counseling session and had agreed to return for a couple more voluntary ones next week as well. She’d pretty much come to terms with the shooting. She had done her job, by the letter, and had no qualms about going back out there. Despite what primetime television portrayed, the number of times she would likely fire her gun in the line of duty was pretty small.

But, logic aside, she still had her emotions to deal with, and taking a life had changed her. Despite his crimes, the boy she had shot was still someone’s child—she had since learned he was nineteen years old, but she still thought of him as a confused boy. Evelyn had participated in youth outreach through the police department before and had met men who, in spite of violent pasts, had turned their lives around. She didn’t believe everyone could, or would, do it, but some had. And she would never know if this particular boy could have.

So, she committed herself to making sure she was stable enough to do her job well, for her safety and that of her fellow officers. Personally, she also wanted to begin her relationship with Melanie in a good place.

She leaned against the porch railing post, tilted her head, and closed her eyes. The sounds of Melanie and her mother in the kitchen making dinner lilted through the window behind her. Her father was in his office, finishing a phone call with a client. So she’d snuck out here in order to take a minute to absorb it all.

She opened her eyes at the sound of tires on the driveway but remained seated as the car parked in the drive behind Melanie’s. Kendall circled the front of her car, approached the house, and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Hope sent Evelyn’s heart beating against her ribs, and she fought the desire to descend the steps.

Kendall shoved her hands awkwardly into the pockets of her jeans. “Melanie told me you would be here.”

Evelyn nodded, having decided to play this meeting cool until she could determine Kendall’s intentions.

“How are you?”

“I’m okay.”

“Mind if I join you?”

She inclined her head in an affirmative response. Kendall climbed the steps and lowered herself hesitantly to the step beside her.

“I heard it was a clean shoot,” Kendall said.

“Yep.”

“Any word on when you’ll be back?”

“Tomorrow. I’m cleared, but Stahlman told me to go ahead and take the weekend.”

“Have you had enough time?”

“Sure. I’m bored to death sitting around the house.”

“Don’t bullshit me. Did you talk to a counselor?”

“Department policy.”

Kendall nodded.

“How do you like working out West?” Evelyn failed to keep the slight edge out of her voice.

“It’s totally different. I’ve been in Green Hills and Belle Meade a lot of the time. Less crime but a lot more entitled rich people.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the house behind her. “Be careful, I come from entitlement.”

“You haven’t expected privilege a day in your life.”

Evelyn smiled. When she spoke again, she didn’t hesitate. She would say what she needed to say, and if things didn’t work out how she wanted, at least she’d tried. “I miss you.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

“Do you want to come in for dinner? I’m sure the folks would love to see you.”

“Not this time. You, your parents, Melanie…I’m not quite there yet.”

“Do you think you will—get there?”

Kendall shrugged. “Probably. We’re lesbians, after all. Staying friends after a breakup is what we do.”

She laughed. “I’d like that, and I know Melanie would, too.”

“I just wanted to check on you.” Kendall stood and descended the steps, stopping on the last one. She turned, sincerity shining in her eyes, and met Evelyn’s. “If you need to talk or anything, give me a call.”

“Thanks.” She made a mental note to phone Kendall mid-week and suggest they meet for lunch. She decided to hold off telling her she planned to bid for day shift in a couple of months.

“All right, I’ll see you around.” When she reached her car, she gave Evelyn a small, somewhat sad smile. “I’m glad you’re happy, Evelyn.”

She stood as Kendall maneuvered down the drive. Though their truce was tentative, it was definitely a good start. Maybe she would somehow manage to keep her friend and find love at the same time.

“Was that Kendall?” Melanie asked as she came through the front door.

“Yeah.”

Melanie wrapped her arms around Evelyn’s waist and pressed her cheek against the back of her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good.” She grabbed Melanie’s hands and pulled them more firmly around her. She would fill her in on the details of her talk with Kendall later. For now she just wanted to enjoy being in Melanie’s embrace. She turned and put her arms around Melanie’s shoulders. “I love you so much.”

Melanie smiled and kissed her. “Me, too.”

“Do you want to sneak upstairs to my old room and fool around?” she teased, flicking her eyebrows upward.

“I’d love to, but your mother sent me out here to tell you dinner is ready.”

“Ah, one of the side-effects of my making up with my father. I’m afraid we’ll have to attend more family dinners.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Good, because I kind of like the idea of you and my mother in the kitchen making dinner, while my father and I retire to his study.” She smiled at the antiquated imagery. “You did say you were an old-fashioned girl, didn’t you?” She released Melanie and turned toward the front door.

“I did say that. But not so old-fashioned that I can’t picture you and your father clearing the table and doing the dishes after dinner.” Melanie swatted her rear as she followed her into the house.

As they stepped into the foyer, Evelyn spun and gathered Melanie against her once more. What began as a quick kiss heated up when Melanie slipped her tongue between her lips. She returned Melanie’s ardor, then reluctantly pulled back. “I’ll certainly help with the dishes if it means I can get you home sooner.”

“If I didn’t think it would offend your mother, I’d ask her to wrap our dessert up to go.” Melanie smiled, took her hand, and led her into the dining room.

As much as she’d come to enjoy spending time with her parents, she already looked forward to leaving. After all, she had plans to make slow, passionate love to her best friend.

About the Author

Erin Dutton is the author of eight romance novels:
Sequestered Hearts
,
Fully Involved
,
A Place to Rest
,
Designed for Love
,
Point of Ignition
,
A Perfect Match
,
Reluctant Hope
, and
More Than Friends
. She is also a contributor to
Erotic Interludes 5: Road Games
and
Romantic Interludes 1 & 2
from Bold Strokes Books. She revisited two characters from one of her novels in
Breathless: Tales of Celebration.
She is a 2011 recipient of the Alice B. Readers’ Appreciation Award for her body of work.

Erin lives near Nashville, Tennessee, with her amazing partner, and often draws inspiration from both her adopted hometown and places she’s traveled. When not working or writing, she enjoys playing golf and spending time with friends and family.

Acclaim for Erin Dutton’s Work

“
Designed for Love
is…rich in love, romance, and sex. Dutton gives her readers a roller coaster ride filled with sexual thrills and chills.
Designed for Love
is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s day.”
—Just About Write

“
Sequestered Hearts
is packed with raw emotion, but filled with tender moments too. The author writes with sophistication that one would expect from a veteran author. …A romance is about more than just plot and character development. It’s about passion, physical intimacy, and connection between the characters. The reader should have a visceral reaction to what is going on within the pages for the novel to succeed. Dutton’s words match perfectly with the emotion she has created.
Sequestered Hearts
is one book that cannot be overlooked. It is romance at its finest
.
”
—L-word Literature.com

“
Sequestered Hearts
by first time novelist, Erin Dutton, is everything a romance should be. It is teeming with longing, heartbreak, and of course, love. …As pure romances go, it is one of the best in print today.”—
Just About Write

In
Fully Involved
“…Dutton’s studied evocation of the macho world of firefighting gives the story extra oomph—and happily ever after is what a good romance is all about, right?”—
Q Syndicate

With
Point of Ignition…
“Erin Dutton has given her fans another fast paced story of fire, with both buildings and emotions burning hotly. …Dutton has done an excellent job of portraying two women who are each fighting for their own dignity and learning to trust again. The delicate tug of war between the characters is well done as is the dichotomy of boredom and drama faced daily by the firefighters.
Point of Ignition
is a story told well that will touch its readers.”—
Just About
Write