Out of Focus #SYTYCW15 Top10 Finalist! [COMPLETED]

32| Burned **Adult Content

The job. The promotion. Getting the story. Everything that had once been so important was now so completely worthless, and it was going to cost him the woman he loved.

Not if he had anything to say about it, Marshall thought as a fierce surge of protectiveness rose within him. He'd tear CTV news to the ground with his bare hands, if he had to.

"I'll take care of it," he vowed. "Just promise me-promise me-you won't quit? You won't run away."
"I promise." The lie came easy. Effortless. Without the hints of hesitation or a hitch in the voice that would mark a novice veering into the uncharted and unknown territory of deception.

After four long, exhausting years of nothing but, Eva Turner was a master of lies. And a mistress of secrets. Because she loved him, walking away was the only way to protect him from the mess of her broken life. He was too good, too deserving-and this was the only way to protect them both.

Visibly he relaxed, softening against her, brow to brow. Stirred by the brush of cool evening wind, the warmth of his body, Eva slid arms around his shoulders, pulled him closer. Slid into a kiss, all need and desire. And comfort.

"Touch me," she whispered. "Here. Under the stars. Touch me." He did. Hands slipping beneath her shirt to find soft skin and smooth curves. Peeling away his shirt, she savoured the hard lines of his athletic body stretched over her, fitting in all the right places like he was meant for her, for this.

She would miss him, Christ the ache was unbearable, but Eva set aside the gnawing sorrow and reached for him with love and naked abandon. They undressed each other slowly, all breathless groping and lingering kisses. Love was a flame burning within them both and it was dazzling to behold. She'd never known such a thing was real, could ever be real for her.

Filling her, Marshall moaned her name. Steeped in each other, they moved in a sinuous dance of slow thrusts and soulful passion.

"Stay," he whispered the words against her lips, between the glide of tongues and bodies. "Stay with me."

Eva knew what he was asking, and maybe it was selfish, but she wanted to take it. Even if only for tonight. She could give herself this one, small moment. To take. And give. Finally give. Everything she had, everything inside of her.

Tonight, the past didn't have to matter. Didn't have to touch them. She could do this. So that when tomorrow dawned, walking away wouldn't hurt quite so much because she'd have this to cherish and treasure and remember.

Always.

A glimmer to lighten the darkest days, to keep her going. Pleasure built, a sweet, powerful rise. Filling. Soaring. A blinding shock. And while the heart of her soared, Eva's soul wept for the loss of tomorrow.

#

Morning came too soon. Eva woke to an empty bed, the pillow dented but cool and Marshall's lingering scent folded all around her. He'd left early, kissing her breathless in the middle of the night, the pair of them making love, over and over, desperate almost-needing that constant reassurance.

I will fix this, he vowed, and left for an early flight that would take him back to Toronto. I'll see it buried. No one will ever know, Eva. I'll make it right.

While she desperately wanted to believe that-to believe in miracles, Eva knew she couldn't take the chance. If it were only her life on the line, she wouldn't have thought twice. But her girls...there was nothing more important, more paramount than their safety.

Rising from bed, Eva dressed. Brushed her teeth, made the bed and finally, having stalled as long as she dared, picked up the phone. And called Jerry.

"Kiddo," he barked, raspy with sleep. "Somethin' wrong?"

Eva drew in a breath, prayed for strength. "You were right. I fucked up Jerry. I've burned us."

A slew of curses erupted from him in a hot, seething flash, along with grumbles about cost, paperwork and a few more choice substitutes for I told you so before he found a measure of calm.

"I'll call the boys, get the team out on the evening ferry. We'll need to move quick-like, get ya's out in a day-two at most."

"No," she said, closing her eyes. The thought of all those people tearing apart everything she'd built here was about as devastating-as painful-as a bolt of lightning to the heart. "No, I'll manage it on my own."

"It's a lot of work and s'not a lot of time, Eva."

"I'll get it done. I promise. The girls can stay with a friend...I don't want them around while... I'll get it done. And we'll leave whatever is left behind."

"Okay, kiddo. I'm not gonna kick ya when you're down, but we're gonna have words about this. Get started. I've got a shitload of calls to make and an Attorney General who's gonna chew my balls off." She heard the rustling of bedding, the creaking of floors. "Don't need to tell ya to keep quiet 'bout this? Ya know the drill by now. Don't make me regret this."

Eva gave him her word. Hanging up, she curled up on her bed, hugged a pillow tight to her chest.

And wept.

Softly at first, and then more urgent. Until her body was wracked with spasms so strong and fierce they threatened to snap her brittle bones.

Her door whispered open and still Eva could not stop, could not reign in the deluge-a torrid flood too vast, too wild. Too strong.

The bed shifted and settled with the weight of a small body. Little hands gathered her close, tucking Eva's head onto a slender lap, gently stroking her hair.

And above the guttural groans of Eva's ceaseless sobs, was a single, pure voice-Payton's voice-rising and falling in the heart wrenching notes of a gypsy's song.