A WOMAN APART: Chapter 3 - DINNER

by tarskeewee08

John hung up with Eve and looked at what he'd created. The steaks he made earlier on the grill was easy but the Colcannon didn't seem like his moms.

The cabbage was undercooked and the potatoes were overcooked.
He stirred the mixture and hoped that Evangeline wouldn't know the difference. He smiled to himself. "Of Course she wouldn't".

Then he heard the system announce a visitor. He went to the door and pressed the answer button hearing her say her name. She was right on time.

He buzzed her through and surveyed his layout for her. She wasn't the first woman he's entertained but definitely the most intriguing one. He only cooked for one of other woman in his life and that's been many years ago.

Why had he gone to such extreme measures to court her? What was it about her that he found irresistible?

John knew the answer; it was what he saw in her eyes when her guard was down. He knew there was more to her than most suspected and the challenge of winning her trust along with her heart was one he was up for.

He heard the knock at the door and went to answer it "Hello" he said looking her up and down.

She'd changed into a white sundress with intricate petal looking straps. She wore her hair down and it fell invitingly over her shoulders. Her face was freshly scrubbed minus makeup just a hint of lip-gloss. He was surprised to find her more alluring without makeup. The strappy sandals she work again made her legs provocative to him. He tried to absorb every detail of her.

"Can I come in?" she asked smiling at how long he stared at her

John blushed "I'm sorry please come in" he said quickly stepping to the side.

Evangeline walked in and surveyed the loft. The Innovations Designer furniture gave off an eclectic vibe.

The dark chocolate block sofa in the middle enhanced the brick lined walls. Mediterranean artwork was perfect adding colors of orange and splashes of purple making the flow of the loft cool and airy.

She knew he was behind her watching her and she was amused. Men in the past have been awkward around her but never a man like McBain. She'd heard women speak of him in a whisper along the courthouse walls.

Every single woman in this town knew of the sexy ex FBI agent that breezed into town. The first time she saw him he was bringing a suspect into the courthouse. He wore a dark suit and his hair hung in his face from fighting with the perp and dragging him down the hall. The guards offered to assist but before they could, John had full control over the situation.

The way he threw the inmate up against the wall and took over kept her staring. When he released the man and forced him to walk further he swiftly moved his hair from his face. She saw the handsome chiseled jaw and rugged sex appeal he exuded. He looked at her and her breath stopped. She'd never seen eyes as blue or as intense as his. She looked away quickly so he didn't notice her reaction and she was thankful he didn't.

The dare kiss she gave him at the Palace was a surprise to the both of them. But the night in Mary's basement was no shock to her. She didn't plan it of course, but from the moment her lips touched his she knew she wanted him in her bed.

"Very Nice place" she said dropping her purse on the chair in front of her.

John smiled "Glad you're impressed" he said walking back to the kitchen.

Evangeline ran her fingers across the back of the couch and walked around the living area. She spotted the stereo and his cd collection. Walking over she picked up a couple and thumbed through it.

"Coltrane, Miles Davis, Branford Marsalis, Charlie Miller, Nina Simone, Billy Holiday, I take it jazz and blues are your thing" she said laughing.

John looked up from the salad he was making. "What you don't like Jazz? I would think a woman like you would appreciate the soulful sounds of Nina Simone"

Evangeline smiled "Why because I'm black?"
John looked at her and frowned "No, of course not" he said quickly
Evangeline laughed "Calm down, I knew what you meant. I'm into more classical music but I am interested in this Billy Holiday cd you have do you mind if I play it?"

John nodded "Would you like something to drink? I know we agreed wine should be off the menu but I got a bottle just in case" he said holding it up.

Evangeline knelt down to the player and inserted the cd "I never agreed to no wine….that was something you said" she replied

John looked at her kneeling and saw more of her thigh than she intended when her skirt rose. He dropped his eyes embarrassed by the heat he felt from that glimpse.

Evangeline pressed play and the melodic sounds of a smoky saxophone filled the loft. Billy Holidays soulful voice came through and was hypnotic, she'd inadvertently choosen "Summertime"


Summertime and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is fine
Oh your daddy's rich and your ma is good lookin'
So hush little baby, don't you cry

One of these mornings
You're goin' to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take the sky
But till that morning
There's a nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

John looked at her staring at the stereo listening to the song. Something in her demeanor seemed strange. He picked up her wine glass and walked over to her. "Evangeline, something wrong"

She looked up at him and her eyes glistened with tears. She took the glass and walked away from him. He watched her go to the couch and sit down sullenly. The song played and the more it played the darker her mood became. He pressed pause and she looked up quickly as if the trance was broken.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

Evangeline blushed from embarrassment. The song had taken her back and it was 1988, she was 17 again in her parent's basement with this song playing and her heart was in shambles. She could hear her mother screaming for her to come upstairs and face them both but she turned up and Billy Holiday and drowned their voices out. She forced the horror and pain of that day out of her conscious mind and looked at John.

"My dad was a big Billy Holiday fan…this song.." she stopped and stared away from him.

John reached for her hand and snatched it away. She looked at him coolly. "Is dinner ready?"

She had hardened and she was now distant again. Whatever opening he had with her had pass.

"Sure let go" he said rising and leading her to the table. He looked at her hand and saw she still gripped the Billy Holiday cd tightly. She saw he noticed and immediately let go of it placing it on the sofa.

John went and got the salads for them and Evangeline sat there drinking her wine staring at him.

"John"
"Yea" he said laying her plate in front of her
"Why did you invite me here?"

John sat down with her and looked confused "Because I like you and want to get to know you better"

She smiled "Because you liked the sex we had the other night" she said casually spooning some salad in her mouth.

The comment was crass and he didn't like the way she said it. "No, it has nothing to do with sex"

She looked at him intensely "Really? Then why cook dinner? Why not go out?"

John shook his head "Evangeline are you saying that a man only prepares a dinner for woman of your caliber for sex?"

Evangeline stopped chewing and looked away "Sorry, I'm a little out of practice with this" she said softly

John frowned "You were in a relationship for the past year with RJ how could you be out of practice?" he said amused

She gave him a heated look "I was never in a 'relationship' with RJ, it was friendship that now has been reduced to just friends"

John stared at her. What the hell was she saying? A friendship? He didn't understand her response or the anger on her face. "You weren't in love?"

The anger on her face softened and she smiled "Of course not." She said drinking more wine.

"Have you ever been in love?" he asked seeing it caught her off guard.
"Have you?" she shot back
"I asked you first"
"Well I plead the fifth" she said smiling

John smiled and continued eating with her. After they finished he served the main course and saw her eat his moms dish without complaint.

"Be honest, its horrible isn't it," he said laughing

She smiled and nodded her head "Yes but I didn't know if it was on purpose or a just the work of a bad cook" she said drinking more wine.

John laughed and she laughed with him. Maybe it was the wine but he saw her loosen up and the conversation flowed without the verbal jabs she usually engaged him in. When they finished she rose and collected the plates.

"You don't have to do this,"
"I want to. Why don't you put on some of your Coltrane, I'll join you soon" she said taking their plates in the kitchen.

John went over the stereo and popped out the cd that was in the changer and entered Coltrane. The tenor saxophone drifted into the room and he plopped down on the sofa.

After starting the dishwasher Evangeline walked back into the living room. She observed John drinking his beer and looked at his bicep draped around the edge of the sofa. She saw a hint of the tattoo that circled it and thought about it being wrapped around her. She walked over and smiled sitting close.

John smiled too surprised at how open she was being with him. "Why did you get that tattoo?"

He looked at his arm and pulled up the rest of his sleeve "Younger days in the FBI, me and some agents were in Mexico for a stint and well tequila can make a man do many things" he said chuckling.

Evangeline leaned in closer to him and traced it with her finger. She was leaning over him and John stared into her face that was now closer to his inhaling more of her scent. He hair smelled of lilac. She noticed his gaze and turned to face him. Slowly she kissed his lips and then provocatively bit his lower lip.

John still had the beer in his hand and her approach had him trapped.

She stopped her advances and looked at him. She was so close he noticed a tiny mole on her right cheek that he'd never noticed before "Why are you uncomfortable around me?" she asked seductively

John frowned "Why do you think I'm uncomfortable" he said nervously

She looked deeper in his eyes "Well maybe not uncomfortable maybe just unsure of yourself."

John smiled "Are you trying to seduce me?" he said amused

Evangeline blinked and pulled back. That wasn't the reaction she usually got. She usually made men like him into jelly with the offer. She didn't like the amused look he gave her. John sensed that she thought he was mocking her and recovered quickly

"Because if you are I like it" he said hoarsely pulling her back..

Evangeline smiled and reached for the beer bottle. He watched her take it and finish the rest of it in front of him. "Wow, didn't think you drank beer?" he said

Evangeline laid the bottle on the coffee table. "There's a lot you don't know about me" she said eyeing him.

Before John took her up on the offer he saw in her eyes he wanted to clear the air. "Evangeline, I want to get to know you."

She sat there staring at him. "I have more expectations than just another night of passion with you" he said moving a loose strand from her face.

Evangeline looked at him "You shouldn't have expectations detective they only lead to disappointment"

John shook his head "Why are you such a pessimist? Is it your job?" he asked concerned.

"Why do we have to dissect who Evangeline Williamson is right now? Why not give into what's happening in this moment. I know you desire me, and I plan to satisfy that desire. So how about you just kiss me and leave the conversation for later," she said pulling him to her.

John lowered himself onto her as she reclined on the couch. He kissed her forehead, nose and then mouth. She grabbed his head forced her tongue into his mouth deeper. His cologne had a hold of her senses and she felt like every nerve in her body was on fire.

He let his hands travel down her body and slid them under her skirt. His kisses trailed from her mouth to her neck. She closed her eyes and felt the sweetness of it. He stopped kissing her and looked at her. She opened her eyes and saw how much he wanted her.

Rising off the sofa he extended his hand to her, which she accepted. She followed him up the winding stairs in the loft to the open bedroom room that overlooked the living area they just left.

Once there she saw the king bed that had a futon base. It was low nicely decorated with big throw pillows.

He was behind her and she felt his hands on her zipper. He lowered her zipper slowly and she titled her head making her hair cascade to her right shoulder. Soon he was kissing the inside of her neck as he now forced the straps down on her dress freeing her from it. She stood in front of him in her g-string and he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close to him. She closed her eyes as she felt his manhood pressing against her from behind.

"You're beautiful, do you know that?" he asked

Evangeline opened her eyes. The way he called her beautiful made her ache for him. She should leave. She should stop before this got out of hand. Her mind was screaming it. But her passion for him made her turn around and smile at him. "Show me" She said unbuckling his belt.

She forced her tongue back in his mouth as she helped him out of his pants. She watched him pull his shirt over his head and admired his expansive chest.

"You're not to bad yourself," she said seductively.

She turned and climbed on the bed as he stood there admiring her. "Well?" she said looking at him.

"I want you,"
She smiled "I know you already told me" she laughed extending her hand for him to join her.
"No, I mean I want YOU" he said coming onto the bed.

Her smiled faded and she rolled her eyes "John" she said frustrated about to rise.

He pulled her down "You aren't going anywhere. What we do is intimate and I want you to enjoy it. I want you to experience it drop your guard for a moment and let me show you what desire and passion really is"

She looked at him and felt exposed. What she had suspected was true. He saw through her. And even though she knew she couldn't give him what he wanted not really, she accepted the fact that desire and passion from him is what she needed at that moment. She nodded and lay back down on the bed.

He moved her hair out of her face and kissed her. This time she felt his kiss. She didn't control the moment she let the moment control her.

He massaged her breast and then took one of them in his mouth; she squeezed her eyes shut and winced and the pleasure of it.

She felt as his tongue traveled to her navel and new what his intentions were. She turned her head to the right because even with her eyes closed she felt his gaze on her. The responses from her body made her vulnerable in ways she hadn't experienced since she was 17. Sex was something she enjoyed immensely but this was turning into something else and it frightened her.

He parted her legs and lowered his face between them. She gripped the sheets and bit her lower lip as his tongue explored her in ways her body demanded. Several times she arched her back trying to regain control over what was being done to her but his strong hands held her still until he got the release from her he wanted.

When he climbed on top of her, her hair was over her face and she was so weak from the orgasm she couldn't move it. He moved it and stared at her. She saw her reflection in those blue eyes and her fear was back..

She wanted this man. Not for sex, she actually wanted him. She teared up and turned away closing her eyes so he wouldn't know what her thoughts were.

When he entered her the force of his need for her took over her body again and she clung to him. She heard him whisper of her beauty and his desire for her in her ear and she fought against herself not to take it seriously. It was sex. It was only sex and she was in control, she said over and over to herself.

She matched his rhythm and locked her legs around him tighter forcing him to give into his burning need to release. When he finally did the power of it shook through them both. He laid on her and breathed heavily trying to find his voice. She looked up at the ceiling confused. What the hell just happened? How did this happen? She rubbed his back and wanted to remain in this embrace forever. He looked at her. "Will you stay the night?" he asked

She was surprised by the question. For him to ask he had to know she would try to escape him as soon as he released her. "I I don't know" she said weakly

He rolled off of her and used his elbow to prop himself up to stare down at her. "I can't let you leave tonight. I want you in my bed when I awake" he said tenderly

Evangeline turned over and allowed him to spoon her. She didn't trust herself when he stared at her like he did. "Okay" she said weakly hoping that he would just hold her and not talk.

John looked at her so vulnerable under his arm. Something kept her back and he hurt for her. He rubbed her hair and lay next too her. Soon he was sleep and the warmth of her body lulled him into it.

Morning

John awoke the sound of his alarm. He opened his eyes and reached for it. When he turned back in the bed he saw she was alone. He knew it before he saw it. She'd left him in the night….but why?