Trials

chapter 16

Eva woke up and looked over. The bed was empty and she could faintly smell something cooking. Looking at the clock, she groaned when she realized it was six in the morning. She’s never been a morning person. Slowly, Eva rose, and decided to use one of the sheets from the bed as a temporary cover. She had no clothes at AJ’s house and she was not about to put her business suit on first thing in the morning. She stumbled to her purse and fondled the inside until she found her cigarettes, where she immediately lit one. Keeping the pack and lighter with her she made her way to the bedroom door. Once she opened it she could smell food full on. Definitely smelled bacon, and something else.

It took Eva a few moments to reach the kitchen. She wasn’t exactly sure where it was – she’d only been to his house two or three times and the kitchen visits were rare indeed. When she entered she saw AJ busy at the stove, pouring what appeared to be pancake mix into a pan.

“Hey,” AJ said, without looking up.

“Hey yourself…” Eva watched AJ intently. The beating of her heart quickened as she watched his agile movements. He was wearing a cotton beater and what looked like black jogging pants. She couldn’t believe they had finally… damn he was so beautiful.

“I know what you’re thinking. ‘Oh my God, AJ’s cooking!’” AJ laughed a little. “I suck at this, you know. This is the eat at your own risk diner.”

“Anyone can cook pancakes,” she joked, making her way to the fridge. “Got anything in here that I’d like?” she muttered.

“You know I wouldn’t touch Diet Coke with a ten foot pole, Eves,” AJ finally looked up at her, biting his lip so as not to laugh. “How the hell do you drink that stuff anyway? That shit’s nasty.”

“Whatever,” Eva rolled her eyes and giggled under her breath. She opened the fridge and fumbled around a bit before choosing the only liquid in there: Mountain Dew. “I might say the same for this.”

“Look at this. I suck,” AJ ignored Eva’s comment. Eva walked over next to AJ and looked into the pan. The pancakes were uneven ovals, that were attached to eachother by thin white lines. She laughed.

“Well at least they’re the right color,” she noted. AJ looked at her and grinned.

“So you dare to eat my food, then?” AJ raised his eyebrows. He looked away from her for a moment so he could scoop the hotcakes onto a waiting plate next to the range. “You are brave, grasshopper.”

“I’m also starving,” She inhaled the smell of the cakes and smiled to herself. “They smell good.”

“Yeah, they do.” AJ picked up the plate and set them on the dining table. “I’ll be done soon.”

“Okay, good. I kinda missed dinner last night because of a certain someone,” Eva raised an eyebrow and laughed as AJ blushed.

“Well I sure ate last night…”

“That you did,” Eva shook her head. “We are so sick.”

“You started it,” AJ chided, as he made his way back to the stove. He uncovered the pan with bacon in it and placed the strips onto a plate, covering them with a paper towel.

“Yeah, but you continued it,” Eva watched as AJ turned his attention to yet another pan, stirring its contents. “What’s that?”

“Eggs…” AJ looked up at Eva and smiled.

“Where did this come from anyway?”

“I dunno, I just woke up, and I was hungry. Aren’t you?” AJ turned the stove off and Eva followed him to the table. He dumped the steaming eggs onto the plate with the bacon and placed the pan off to the side. Eva looked at all the food on the table and grinned. It had been a long time since she’d had real cooking.

“Why’d you make so much?” she asked suddenly, noticing that there was far too much for the both of them.

“Just in case of any unexpected visitors.” Just then the doorbell sounded. “Oh gee, what a surprise,” AJ laughed wholeheartedly and stood. “Well, dig in. I’ll go get the door.” Eva complied almost greedily. If there was one thing in the world she loved it was breakfast food. She often found herself wondering – especially right now – how anyone in their right mind could dislike bacon.

AJ opened the door and to his true surprise Kevin was on the other side of it. “I know I wasn’t invited,” Kevin mumbled, letting himself into the foyer. He could smell the remnant aroma of grease and he inhaled deeply. “Nick couldn’t make it. Something about his girl. He asked if I’d come over instead.” AJ felt as though he was rooted to the ground. He shut the door despite the heaviness in his legs and locked it. He felt Kevin’s hand on his back and turned around. Two beautiful green eyes stared into his and he grinned. “I miss you.”

“You see me all the time, Kev…”

“No, I mean, I miss you.” To show his meaning Kevin leaned forward and planted a light kiss on AJ’s lips. “I miss us.” Kevin was so close and AJ felt his heartbeat rising. He did not move away.

“Kev, Eva’s here.” AJ sighed when he felt Kevin tense. The larger man’s hand left the small of his back and he backed up.

“I know. It’s about damn time, man,” Kevin faked a smile and playfully punched AJ’s arm.

“Can we talk about this later?” AJ pled, his eyebrows rising. “The food’s getting cold. It probably isn’t any good knowing me, but still. I made enough for four, knowing Nick,” AJ smirked at his own joke. “So let’s go.” He needed to change the subject. Even if he wanted to go back to Kevin he knew it wasn’t for him. He wasn’t ready. Before last night, he’d feared never being ready for intimacy again. He was startled from his thoughts when he heard a belch. “Damn!” He and Kevin both laughed. Eva was halfway finished with her breakfast.

“It’s not bad manners, just good food,” Eva replied, laughing herself. She had always been known for her loud, rude, ‘manly’ burps. “Well, now that this planned surprise has arrived, are ya’ll gonna eat or what?”

“Hell yeah,” Kevin replied, as he took a seat at the large table. AJ shook his head lightly and sat down also. Both men piled hotcakes, bacon and eggs on their plates and dug in without a word.

“So… Kevin, what brings you here?” Eva asked, even though she felt odd inquiring. After all, this wasn’t her house.

“Well Nick was supposed to come over. He had to stay in Tampa, though, something about his girlfriend. I have no clue what,” Kevin laughed. “He’s always canceling shit because of her. She must be damn good- er…”

“What? In bed?” Eva teased.

“Uh… yeah.” Kevin blushed. He didn’t really talk to Eva much. But she wasn’t shy around him, that was for sure.

“You didn’t think I’d get offended by that did you?” Eva grinned, sending a glance over to AJ – who seemed to be in his own little world. “Kevin, there are few things that offend me. You should at least know that by now. Come on, you came walking in and I’m wearing a fucking sheet for clothes. How could I be meek about sex if I’m still here, not upstairs putting some clothes on?”

“True,” Kevin lightened up a little.

“Besides. I already know Nick’s girl. And Kev, I’d have to say she is good in bed. Not that I know from experience or anything,” Eva laughed, “but that’s what I’ve been told by a certain buxom blond.”

“Buxom?” Both Kevin and AJ piped as they looked at her and bursted out laughing.

“Sorry. Big romance fan, here.” Eva replied.

“You mean romance writer,” AJ added, winking in her direction. After she’d slipped one day and told him she wrote… well, fiction, he’d pestered her until she finally confessed exactly what kind of fiction it was. Eva rolled her eyes.

“I wouldn’t exactly call it romance, Alex,” she quipped, sending him a look that plainly said ‘you know I love to tease you.’

“Does that mean I finally get to read it?”

“Hell no!” Eva laughed nervously, though she didn’t let the tone of the laughter show her uneasiness. ‘Not in a million years,’ she thought.

prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 home