The Dean Family & Friends.
She printed off a map and directions, folded them, and placed them in her purse. Gathering her papers, placing them in her briefcase to work on tonight at home, she quickly left the office.
***
The funeral home was practically bulging at the seams when she arrived. Eden kept to the back of the room, watching the family as they shook hands, hugged, and shared tears with the assembly of friends, family, and business associates.
She assumed that the two gentlemen standing on either side of Chase were his brothers since the resemblance was uncanny. If they all had beards it would have been difficult to tell them apart, besides the height difference. Chase towered over them all. They all had curly, raven hair and beautiful bright green eyes. Rheanna moved towards her brothers and Chase wrapped his arms around her. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, it was sweet to see him attending to her like the prodigal big brother.
As the crowd took their seats, Chase looked over the congregation and his eyes met hers. She stared into his eyes, not a word needed to be said. He looked so sad. His eyes were glassy, and dark circles under them gave proof that he had not slept in a very long time. He looked away and sat with an older woman, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. His mother, no doubt. Her raven hair, mixed with a touch of grey throughout, gave away her identity.
After the service ended, Eden made her way through the crowd to the outside. She was glad that Chase had at least known that she was in attendance, that she had not let the passing of his father go by without her condolences, from a distance anyway.
“Eden, wait!” Chase called out as she walked across the parking lot.
She turned and Chase pulled her into him, holding her tight to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist and allowed their embrace to linger on. He slowly released his hold on her and stepped back.
“I’m sorry for the emotional outburst. I just wanted to let you know how much it meant to me to see you here today.” He buried his hands into his pockets and stared into her eyes. Even through his sadness, she could see a whisper of want deep in his eyes. The last time she saw him, she had rejected him, and she felt bad for leaving it like that.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Chase. I didn’t have a chance to meet your father. I wish I had.” She wanted to hold him again until he smiled and his sadness left him. Her heart ached for him.
“Thank you. He was a great man and I’ll miss him. You would have liked him. I know he would have liked you and your rock solid business only ethics.” She looked at him, surprised by the sting of his comment. Was she being such a tyrant? Or was Chase just acting out because of his loss?
“Will you be coming back to the house?” His eyes didn’t plead and he didn’t beg. If he really wanted her there, his voice spoke otherwise.
“I don’t know that I should. Isn’t it just family or close friends that get together? It wouldn’t be very appropriate.” She felt uncomfortable and stepped from foot to foot, trying to nicely excuse herself without hurting his feelings.
“You’re my friend Eden, and you should be there.” He presented her with a funeral program and turned it over in her hand, showing her the address and directions printed on the reverse.
“I’ll be there…I promise,” she said.
“Give me an hour to say my goodbyes and I’ll meet you there.” Chase walked away, leaving her standing alone, watching him without so much as a hand shake. He was acting strange, nothing like the demonstrative man she shared a night of passion with.
She parked a fair way from the townhouse and killed time listening to the radio, drinking a coffee she purchased at a nearby drive-thru. Eden strolled along, admiring the picturesque neighborhood. She had designed kitchens, baths, and bedrooms for some of the residents in Beacon Hill, but she did not have friends that could afford to live there. As she walked up to the front of the Beacon Street townhouse, she saw Chase sitting on the steps, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together, staring at the ground.
She would have given anything to be able to walk up to him, run her hands through his hair, and hold him, but she knew they had to keep things professional. She was here as his friend, and a friend was all she could be.
“Chase?” she spoke softly.
“You came. I wasn’t sure you would.” He continued to stare at the brick interlocked sidewalk. He seemed detached, continuing to take pleasure in the few weeds that grew between the cracks at his feet.
“I told you I would. Can I sit?” she asked.
“No,” he said, shockingly abrupt. “Come with me.” He stood and took her hand roughly in his. He walked swiftly to the rear of the house and she had to jog to keep up with him.
“Slow down.”
“Shhh…keep quiet.”
The back garden was beautifully landscaped with surrounding flower beds and flowering shrubs, a spectacle of bright, lush colors. Amid the floral splendor stood a large, ornate wooden gazebo that Chase quickly pulled her into before she had time to take in all her surroundings.
He pushed her carelessly against one of the columns and took her face in his hands, tilting her head back. His dark eyes melted into hers. She closed her eyes slowly as he placed his lips over hers, caressing them softly and gently with his, his hot sweet breath smoothed over her mouth. Intensely gentle and caring, it lasted forever before he pulled his lips from hers and she opened hers eyes.
“Chase…” she started.
“Shut up…don’t say a word.” He spoke with a nasty severity. She stood still and silent at his mandate. His kiss was a deceptive lure, created to entice her, make her feel needy with desire.
Chase’s hand reached under her skirt’s hem, up into the elastic of her panties, and shifted them aside as two of his fingers gained entry into her dampened opening. Eden grasped hold of his arm to stop him, surrendering instead to the touch she knew too well. His powerful arm held against her weak, effortless tugs, as his thumb caressed over her clit, sending exciting spasms through her body. Eden’s moans increased in volume, triggering Chase to cover her mouth with his free hand, whispering a shhh into her face. He watched her eyes intently as she reached orgasm and pushed her further into the post to stop her from collapsing to the ground until she stilled.
He took his hand from her mouth. She opened her mouth to speak, but he put his index finger to her lips to stop her. Chase pulled his fingers free, deliciously licking each one clean as she watched him fixedly, reveling in his roguish pleasure. He tugged her panties back into place and smoothed her skirt back down. She was so taken aback by his slow sexual appetite, that she closed her mouth tight in spite of herself.
“Not a word,” he commanded, and then took her hand in his, silently making his way to the rear door of the house. He opened the door and reminded her in an angry, harsh tone, “Not a fucking word.”
Inside the back kitchen, he took a glass from a tray and handed it to her with an insignificant smile. They walked hand in hand from room to room as he greeted people, introducing her tenaciously as his ‘friend’. She politely nodded her head and smiled nervously, making small talk only when she needed to.
She noticed Rheanna in the long hallway, staring them down with a look of hostility as they headed to the elevator. She was truly a number one bitch, even in grief. The elevator closed and Chase pushed the top brass button without a word. His eyes stared ahead and the scowl on his face scared her.
When the door opened, the view took her breath away. The deck overlooked a public park, and there was a never ending lap pool in the center of it all. They were alone, and this prompted her to take action, but she didn’t know whether to speak or run. But she needed to know what was going on in his head and to find out what the hell he had been thinking in the gazebo.
“I think we need to talk Chase,” she insisted. “If your treatment toward me is meant to hurt…I don’t understand.”
The scowl only intensified as he spoke
. “Am I treating you badly sweetheart?” he asked with evil, sarcastic amusement.
Tears stung her eyes, unsure of what she had done to cause such hate from him. “If you don’t want me here, I can leave.” She rotated toward the elevator.
“No, stay.” He turned to look away. “People have been telling me for days that I need my friends around me at such a terrible time. You keep telling me we’re nothing more than friends, so you should be here, friend.”
Fully understanding now that he was acting like an ass because of her need to keep a distance and maintain a working friendship, she came back and stood behind him. He could feel her, and she could feel his acknowledgment of her close proximity.
Chase shifted away and took a seat on the deck, then watched her as she paced back and forth before him. She was in a fine state, and he was the cause of her unease. He found great pleasure in unraveling her and being disgusting, having someone else feel his pain. He wondered for a moment what she would have done if he had taken it one step further and screwed her in the gazebo.
“I know you enjoyed yourself, baby. I certainly did. I can still taste your sweet cream on my tongue. I wanted to…no, I knew I had to do that from the moment I set my eyes on you today.”
“You’re trying to break me Chase,” she said, more as a notification than a question.
“And you’re fucking with me. Playing a dangerous game with what little heart I have left. It’s just sex, Eden. You enjoy it, I enjoy it. We could be enjoying great sex together if you’d stop thinking about it so much. I swear you enjoy watching me make an ass of myself around you. Admit it. Does it turn you on? Make you all wet and horny? Do you get yourself off while you think of me making a fucking fool of myself?”
Eden bit back the hot tears that were welling up in her eyes. His words burned deep into her soul this time. He was hurting and she was his only target. She had taken as much as she could take and wiped away the lone tear that escaped. He didn’t notice, and if he did, he was so unconcerned with her, that it hurt twice as much.
She was frustrated with his attitude, but didn’t care to push the issue further. He was grieving, which explained his bad behavior, nothing else made any sense; she would have to forgive him and force herself to move past this, and hope he would come around.
Eden came over and sat beside him, keeping an eye on a group of small children kicking around a soccer ball in the park, enjoying their innocent laughter.
“Is this your house?” she asked, trying to break the silence and change the subject.
“No, it’s my parents’. I moved out years ago. I stay here on occasion, since it’s home. Rheanna lives here… she’ll keep my mother company now that my father’s gone,” Chase said, a little more to himself, the bitterness fading away somewhat.
Eden reached over and took his hand in hers, squeezing it tight. He turned his head to look at her with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes.
“I don’t get you. Perhaps I never will. You fight my every advance, kicking and screaming, yet you take my hand and hold it like you’re comforting me. You complicate everything. You fucking confuse me all to hell. You know what you are? You’re a cock tease, a fucking cock tease.”
“That’s enough, Chase. I won’t take any more of this abuse. This here has nothing to do with sex, Chase.” She held up his hand. “I’m your friend, this is a difficult time for you, and I’m trying hard to understand your heartache. I hold your hand because I care. It has no sexual innuendoes tied to it.” She tried to explain, but wasn’t sure he gave a damn to understand her. She was a complicated mess, and it tired her just thinking about it. “Yes, I may confuse you, but your cruel behavior is scaring me. And I so want to be your friend, but not if you keep acting like this.”
Tightening his hold on her hand, he forced out a long, heavy breath. “I never meant to scare you. I’m sorry,” he said, but the lack of feeling in his voice wasn’t convincing her that he actually gave a shit.
Chase looked at his watch and stood. “We better go back downstairs before my mother sends out a search party.” He pulled her hand to his lips and placed a hurried kiss on the knuckles. “Thanks for being here, friend.”
Upon entering the front room, Chase made his way across to the woman he had sat with at the service, keeping a grip on Eden’s hand and leaning in to place a sweet kiss on her cheek.
“Son, I was wondering where you got to. Are you better?” she asked, holding his forearm with concern.
“I’m okay, Mom. I worry more about you.” He smiled the first smile, Eden noted, since seeing him this morning, and he tightened his grip. Moving her to the side so that his mother could see his companion, she raised her brows in a questioned look.
“Sorry, Mom, this is my friend, Eden.” An overly emphasized use of friend was starting to really rub her entirely the wrong way. He moved her forward to shake hands. “Eden, this is my Mom, Deanna.”
“Eden. Eden Fox?” she asked.
“Yes, Mom, Eden Fox. She’s the design executive at McLean & Associates,” he replied, and Eden smiled.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Dean. I’m terribly sorry for your loss, please accept my deepest condolences.” She noted that Mrs. Dean held her hand tight for several moments, her emerald green eyes examining Eden closely, before smiling sweetly.
“Very pretty. Thank you dear, and please, it’s Deanna.” She stood and pulled Chase down to meet her cheek, whispering something into his ear. She kissed his cheek, his face lit up, and a smile followed as he looked at Eden, almost embarrassed.
Deanna stood. “You’ll excuse me. I need to tend to things in the kitchen. It was very nice to meet you. I hope we have a chance to meet again.” She glided through the room and disappeared down the hall.
“She likes you,” Chase said subtly.
“She doesn’t even know me.”
“Does anyone really know you?” His voice was acrimonious and the sudden silence in the conversation nipped at her core. She was done. Chase took Eden’s hand in his and leaned over, planting a rough kiss atop her head.
“Why are you being so…never mind, I’m going. I have to run into the office on my way home for some papers I forgot.” Choking back her tears was starting to get the better of her. She needed to escape his cruelty.
“I’ll see you to your car.” He placed his hand at the small of her back, and moved her to the door. He walked her to the car, holding her hand in his.
“Chase, can I ask you something without setting you off?”
“Maybe. That seems like a loaded question.”
“Why do you hold my hand all the time?” She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, waiting for another cruel answer. He held her hand up, looking at his hold on her, and as he thought, he softened to some degree.
“Why do I hold your hand?” Like she should have known, he answered, “To touch you…feel you…keep you as close to me as I can. Your touch is like nothing I’ve ever known. It brings my heart to life.”
Eden’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt a rush of heat rise to her face.
“I love when you blush,” he said, lifting her chin with his fingertip, not making a move to kiss her, openly holding back.
They shared a long hug before she finally got into her car and drove away. She watched him stuff his hands into his pockets and walk away slowly towards the townhouse, totally unconcerned with her departure. Finally letting the floodgates open, she held nothing back and sobbed.
Eden stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and peered around the boardroom table to see if it had gone unnoticed or not. The complete concentration of the group rested on the open folders on the table and the presentation being given. The morning’s report was dragging on and on, and in her current state of far too little sleep, she took in absolutely nothing being discussed.
Amanda stood outside the clear glass wall trying desperately to gain Eden’s attention. When she finally noticed and waved her to come into the room, Amanda quietly entered
with her head down, handing Eden a large manila envelope.
“This arrived for you from Mr. Dean a moment ago. I thought it may be important,” she whispered into Eden’s ear.
“Thank you Amanda,” she whispered, dismissing her secretary, noticing her name beautifully hand written in the center of the envelope.
Eden untied the looped string and opened the envelope, peeking in at the contents. There was a letter and a smaller envelope. She slipped the letter up enough to read it without removing it. It was also hand written in the same beautiful calligraphy.
Dearest Eden,
I have been such a fool. I hurt you and there is no excuse for my abysmal behavior. I can only beg for your forgiveness and hope that you will find it in your heart to take me back as your friend.
To try and make it up to you, if at all possible, I would be honored if you would please join me this Friday for an evening of music.
I have enclosed a ticket, should you consider my invitation, my way of saying how sorry I am for treating you so badly.
Your Friend!
Chase
The ticket was for The Boston Conservatory of Music, a recital of graduating piano students. She loved piano, especially classical. Smiling at the thought of an evening listening to beautiful music and seeing Chase, she would most definitely join her friend.
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar shape standing just out of view of the other occupants in the boardroom. Chase came into view, smiling with a wink, before walking away towards the elevators. Eden didn’t have a chance to respond. She counted the minutes until the meeting was over. The hands on the wall clock seemed to stand still, as if taunting her.
After the meeting, she rushed back to her office, intending to send an email with her acceptance of his invitation, only to find an email waiting for her.
From: Mr. Chase Dean C.E.O
To: Miss Eden Fox
Eden,
Eden's Pleasure (Pulse Book 1) Page 7