Page 31

Jo lifted her head, her eyes dark with desire. “Where do you want me to touch you, Evelyn?” she murmured, her voice rough.

Evelyn’s cheeks flushed, but she held Jo’s gaze. “Everywhere,” she breathed. A slow smile spread across Jo’s face as she shifted her body, covering Evelyn’s. By instinct, Evelyn opened her legs and felt Jo’s weight settle between them, the warmth of her body seeping into her skin. Jo’s lips found Evelyn’s again, her kiss deep and hungry while Evelyn’s hands roamed over Jo’s back, feeling the muscles shift beneath her touch.

Breaking the kiss, Jo paused with her hands under Evelyn’s top, her eyes meeting Evelyn’s. “Can I take this off?” Jo asked, her voice soft. Evelyn nodded, her breath coming in short gasps. Jo’s fingers hooked under the hem of the soft fabric, slowly pulling it over her head. Evelyn’s heart pounded as her breasts lay bare before Jo, her body trembling with anticipation.

As her eyes roamed over Evelyn’s body, hunger filled Jo’s gaze. “You’re beautiful,” she murmured. Evelyn felt her cheeks flush, but she didn’t look away. She watched as Jo’s head dipped, her lips finding Evelyn’s nipple. Evelyn gasped, her back arching as Jo’s tongue swirled around the hardened peak, drawing out a moan from deep within her. Suddenly, Jo’s hands moved to Evelyn’s hips, her fingers slipping into the waistband of her underwear. She looked at Evelyn. “Can I take these off too?” she asked, and Evelyn nodded again as her heart raced. Jo slowlypulled her underwear down and off. Evelyn held her breath as she lay completely naked before Jo. Any hint of doubt or fear that this was what she wanted was gone. All she could think about was Jo and her body, her fingers, her mouth.

Slowly, Jo’s attention moved to Evelyn’s thighs, and her fingertips traced patterns against her skin. Evelyn’s breath hitched as Jo’s hands moved higher, her touch gentle yet firm. When Jo’s fingers brushed over her center, Evelyn gasped, her hips jerking upwards. “Is this okay?” Jo asked, her voice soft. “Can I touch you here?”

Evelyn nodded. “Yes,” she breathed. “Do whatever you want to me.”

In response, Jo moved lower, trailing kisses down Evelyn’s stomach. Evelyn moaned when Jo’s head dipped between her thighs, her tongue finding her most sensitive spot and circling her clit. Evelyn’s body arched into the contact, her hips moving in time with Jo’s tongue. She felt pleasure building within her, her body coiling tighter and tighter. Slowly, Jo’s finger slipped inside her at the same time Jo used her tongue on Evelyn’s clit. Evelyn cried out. “Yes, oh my God,” she gasped. “Oh my God.” Unable to stop herself, she bucked in time with Jo’s hand, pressing her clit harder against her mouth. The pleasure was building within her, and she thought for the first time she might actually come. Having an orgasm with a lover was something she had never done, and it excited her to think Jo could draw one out of her.

Suddenly, Jo slipped a second finger inside her, and Evelyn felt herself widen with the added pressure. A long moan of pleasure came from deep within her. “Oh, Jo, that feels so good,” she said, and in response, Jo stroked her with long, slow thrusts. Evelyn’s entire body quivered, close to the edge, but still not able to tip over. She wasn’t sure she could do it, and then Jo sucked Evelyn gently and she came undone. Her orgasm crashed overher, her body throbbing as waves of pleasure coursed through her. She cried out. Jo’s fingers continued to move in and out of her, drawing out every last wave of pleasure until Evelyn’s body finally stilled.

Jo’s head lifted, her eyes meeting Evelyn’s. A slow, satisfied smile spread across her face. “That was...” Evelyn breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper. “That was incredible.”

“Just the beginning,” Jo murmured, her voice filled with promise. Evelyn’s heart pounded as she reached for Jo, pulling her up and into her arms. She felt the heat of Jo’s body against hers, and as they lay there, wrapped in each other, Evelyn knew that she had never felt more alive.

Fifteen

Taking a deep breath, Jo stood in the center of her garage, arms crossed over her chest, as she took in the damage. The front windows had been boarded over with plywood, but a few jagged edges of glass still clung to the frames. She had swept most of it up already, but there was still work to do. Stepping forward, her boot crunched softly over a missed shard while her gaze swept the room again. There were missing items and specialty tools she used that couldn’t be easily replaced. Some were parts that she had been holding for a customer. Thankfully, it was nothing her insurance wouldn’t cover, but she still felt angry and violated.But not as bad as last night,she thought.And that’s because of Evelyn.

The memory of Evelyn’s body pressed against hers that morning came rushing back. Her soft moans, the way her fingers had clutched at Jo’s back, the way she had said Jo’s name like it meant something. Jo closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the memory for a moment. She hadn’t expected it to feel so intimate. So real.And, God, how she had looked afterward,she thought.Curled up in my bed, hair tousled, lips swollen from kissing...Jo had never wanted to stay in bed all day so badly in her life. But work called to both of them, and they couldn’t afford to ignore it.

Shaking away the thought, Jo turned from the mess and strode toward the far corner of the garage. The tarp-covered shape there was a familiar, silent presence in the shop for the past few years. She hadn’t touched it in months. Too many other things needed her attention, but now, with everything else in disarray, she found herself drawn to it. Saying a small prayer that no damage had been done to it, she gripped the edge of the tarp and gave it a firm tug. The heavy canvas slid free, revealing the classic curves of a 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback. The paint was faded cherry red, chipped in places, and the body still needed work, but the lines were clean, the bones solid. She stepped closer, running a hand over the hood. The car had been her passion project once. It was something she had picked up cheap from a guy out in Hillsboro who hadn’t known what he had. Jo had planned to restore it completely, down to the last bolt, but life got in the way, as it always did.

She crouched beside it. “Still here, huh?” she murmured. “Guess we’ve both been waiting.” In a way, Jo felt the Mustang was a reflection of her. Something old school, a little beat up, needing time and care to be whole again. She hadn’t worked on it because, deep down, she hadn’t known what she was building it for. Suddenly, she wondered what it would be like to take Evelyn for a ride in it someday, once it was finished. Somehow, she knew Evelyn would like it. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, dragging her out of the moment. She stood, pulling it free and glancing at the screen.Maybe it’s Evelyn,she hoped, but instead it was an unknown number. She hesitated, then answered. “Jo Fuller.”

“Hello, Ms. Fuller. This is Denise from Westview Commercial Claims. I’m calling about the break-in at your property.”

With a sigh, Jo leaned against the side of the Mustang. “Yeah,” she said. “Thanks for getting back to me.”

“I wanted to update you. There’s a bit of a delay in processing,” the woman said, her voice polite but cautious. “We’re reviewing your policy, and I want to be transparent that there may be some limitations in your coverage.” There was a pause, and Jo heard typing on the other end. “It seems your current plan doesn’t include full theft protection on certain tools, specialty parts or electronics.”

Jo’s jaw tightened. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I were,” Denise said. “We’ll be sending an adjuster out this week to assess the damage, and we’ll do everything we can, but I wanted to manage expectations early.”

Closing her eyes, Jo pinched the bridge of her nose. “Right,” she said, her stomach already rolling with worry. “Thanks.” The woman offered another polite apology before hanging up, and Jo lowered the phone slowly. She stared at the floor for a long moment, the weight of the news settling on her shoulders. She could handle the repairs. She could fix windows and replace basic tools.But the cost...Jo thought.That is going to sting.Frankly, she wasn’t sure how much more she could juggle. Her phone buzzed again with a text. That time, it was Evelyn.

“Just checking in,” started the message. “I hope the garage isn’t giving you too much trouble. Do you want company later?”

Jo stared at the screen.Do I want company later?she wondered.Back to back nights?That would be unusual for Jo, but the idea of feeling Evelyn’s arms wrapped around sounded good. It was a tough decision.After another beat, she typed back. “Let me think about it. I need to process this.” She hit send and tucked the phone back in her pocket, glancing once more at the old car beside her. She didn’t have all the answers. The insurance might screw her, and the shop would take time to get back on track, yet she didn’t have to face it alone. Evelyn would be there for her if she let her. All Jo had to do was figure out what she wanted.

The building was quiet. Most of the building was empty late on Saturday. The halls were eerily silent except for the distant echo of someone wheeling a cart of supplies down the corridor. Evelyn didn’t mind. She liked the solitude. It gave her space to focus, and focus she had.

Sitting back in her chair, Evelyn stretched her arms over her head with a satisfied sigh. The presentation she had been agonizing over for the past two weeks was finally done. All the data was clean and organized, the charts polished, the wording precise without being dry. It was the kind of work she was proud of. The kind that made her feel like she was really contributing to something important. But even with the glow of accomplishment settling over her, Evelyn’s thoughts drifted elsewhere, and she smiled to herself, biting her bottom lip as her mind replayed the morning with Jo. The heat of Jo’s body tangled with hers, the way her voice had gone rough and low when she asked if Evelyn was okay. The way Jo had held her afterward, like it wasn’t only about sex. Like it meant something. Evelyn’s cheeks flushed, though there was no one around to see it. She still couldn’t believe how natural it had felt to wake up in Jo’s bed after a short doze, and they had kissed each other goodbye like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.Only it hadn’t felt just ordinary, Evelyn thought.It had felt just right.

Reaching for her phone, she suddenly needed to connect with Jo again. Their short text exchange earlier wasn’t enough. Jo’s “let me think about it” to her offer to come over left a lot of things up in the air. Besides, she deserved a break. The presentation was done, so she had earned that. Tapping Jo’s contact, Evelyn waited. Jo picked up on the second ring. “Hey.”

Jo did not sound good. “Hi, are you okay?” Evelyn asked, and Jo sighed.

“I’m okay,” she said. “I’m trying to figure out how to stretch my shop budget to replace a full set of stolen tools.”

“I’m so sorry, Jo,” Evelyn said. “Is there anything I can do?”

There was a pause on the line, and Evelyn could practically hear Jo’s mind weighing options. “Do you still want to come over?” she finally said. “I mean, at some point. I know you’re busy.”