Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel) by Jourdyn Kelly Page B

impossible.”
    Adam’s eyes twinkled with humor watching her. So damned beautiful and sexy. And his. With renewed vigor, he stood, flipped Eve over on to her back … and had a mind to take her all over again.
    “Don’t even think about it, pal. This area,” Eve waved her hands in a circular motion around her crotch, “is closed for the next few hours.”
    “Closed, huh?”
    “That’s what I said.”
    “Bet I could get it to open up for me.”
    Eve narrowed her gaze at him. “Try it and it’ll stay closed for a week,” she threatened.
    Adam threw back his head and laughed, and—damn her body—Eve responded with a quiet moan. Who did she think she was kidding? She knew, just as well as he did, she could never stay away from him for that long.
    “Shut up.”
    He smirked at her, still tempted to have another go. “It’s your own fault, you know. You’re just too damn sexy for your own good.”
    The shadow crossed Eve’s face for a split second before it cleared.
    “Baby …”
    “Don’t. Please don’t apologize, Adam.”
    “I should have chosen my words better, Eve.”
    This is what she didn’t want, what she had always avoided by not revealing her past. Eve never wanted Adam, or Lainey, to think about what she had been through as a mere child. The unspeakable things she had to do with her body. Those men had paid for her because she was ‘too beautiful’ to resist. But, that was then. And, this was Adam. She wouldn’t let her past hurt them anymore.
    “I don’t want you to have to worry about what you say to me.”
    “I made you think …”
    “No. Look, the words are something of a trigger. I can’t help where my mind goes when I hear them. But, when I’m with you, when you’re touching me, kissing me, making love to me, none of that other stuff ever happened. Do you understand?”
    Adam sat down next to her, and cupped her cheek in his hand. “It did happen.”
    “Not when I’m with you.” Her words were an urgent plea for him to comprehend. “Everything else goes away when you’re near me. When you’re inside me, it feels like I’ve never been touched by anyone but you. I want you to forget about it like you make me forget. Please.”
    Her words touched him deep in his soul. It never ceased to amaze him how strong Eve was. To go through being tortured the way she was, violated in the worst way a woman could be violated, and still be the generous, loving woman she was, astonished him. Knowing that he made her forget that awful time in her life, humbled him.
    He brought her lips to his, kissing her gently. Then smiled into her eyes. “Nothing outside of this house exists, beautiful. Just you, me and our baby girl. Let’s go to sleep.”
    They snuggled together, her back to his front, and slept dreamlessly.

 
     
    “I’ll get it, Lexie,” Eve called when the doorbell rang. She peered in the kitchen as she passed by, and saw the nanny wiping oatmeal off of Bella’s face. Eve smiled at the scene. Bella loved the young, fun-loving and sincere brunette—though that wasn’t necessarily a difficult thing for Bella—and, Lexie was excellent with her. Eve couldn’t be happier to have her there. She especially liked the fact that Lexie had multiple certifications in childhood education, and felt comfortable leaving Bella in Lexie’s care.
    Eve opened the door, and frowned. “Lainey? Since when do you ring the doorbell?”
    “Good morning to you, too.” Lainey pushed past Eve. “I rang the doorbell because I didn’t want to interrupt anything.”
    Eve didn’t detect any hostility in Lainey’s voice, but she still didn’t like it.
    “Before you start bitching at me,” Lainey smirked at Eve’s raised brow. She knew not many people had the nerve to talk to Eve that way. “I’m just trying to be more respectful.”
    “Fuck respectful, Lainey.” Eve’s voice was low, and if Lainey admitted it, kind of scary. “You are welcome in this house, without having to ring the