by Leddy Harper
Table of Contents
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Leddy’s Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Leddy Harper
Dane
Leddy Harper
Contents
Author’s Note
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Leddy’s Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Leddy Harper
Author’s Note
Some will pick this book apart…they will tell me it needed a warning. They will condemn Dane for his choices, and they will talk about how he made the wrong ones. People will say it’s a hard read, that it deals with tough topics. These are not assumptions…this is fact.
I am not saying these things to scare you away. I am simply stating them here, as my warning, because I will not add it to the blurb. And here is why:
If you’ve ever read anything by me before, you should already know this answer. If you haven’t, let me explain. We, as a society, understand that we all come in different shapes and sizes. We have fought to not be judged based on our gender or race, and taught to be accepting of many different personalities. However, I feel we can all benefit from becoming more tolerant of others’ flaws and learn to take a moment before judging others on their mistakes. We’ve all heard “walk a mile in his shoes.” Well, I am giving you someone else’s shoes.
When I set out to write each book, I do so with the hope of helping just one person. I feel (and strongly believe) that any negative opinions given about my books become worth it if I’ve succeeded in offering hope or peace to just one person struggling with something I’ve written about. I feel better when I know I’ve given at least one person the chance to see past the words and into a situation, to hear more than a warning and learn to forgive another, to accept someone they normally wouldn’t.
So with that being said…if this book makes you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. If it makes you mad, please accept my apologies. If it opens your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your arms, or your heart…thank you.
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, dead or alive, are a figment of the author’s imagination, and all incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author’s mind's eye and are not to be interpreted as real.
* * *
Copyright © 2017 Leddy Harper
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.
This is dedicated to my best friend, Amanda Ledford.
Without her, there would be no Eden.
1
Someone bumped into my shoulder, causing my nearly full beer to tip and douse the table in front of me. The crowd gathering around the bar grew brassier and more obnoxious by the minute. I didn’t usually mind it…if they kept to themselves.
“Hey, man,” I warned as I moved to get off my stool. I immediately recognized he wasn’t a threat, just heavily intoxicated and unable to keep his balance.
“Sorry, dude.” He swayed side to side as he spoke in slurred words.
I wasn’t here to converse or get to know anyone. I didn’t care about the numerous sports teams vying for a win on the TVs. The scores didn’t influence me in the slightest. I’d only come to have a few beers and pass some time before heading home.
My eyes followed the man as he made his way toward the bar, and that’s when I saw her. My gaze met hers and I found myself unable to turn away. I offered her a lazy smile before glancing away, only to find myself staring into my half-filled glass of beer. I tipped it back to take a swig, and again, my line of sight went straight to her.
Like me, she sat alone, although she didn’t appear to be bored out of her mind. Her hair was dark red at the roots and faded into a brighter shade of the same color about halfway down to the ends. I’d seen that type of style on women before, but I assumed they’d missed a few appointments at the salon or were trying too hard to be cool. For some reason, it looked different on her. It seemed to fit her.
Taking her in further, I noticed brightly colored ink on her left arm. I’d always found tattoos on women sexy as hell. Admiring hers, I found myself entranced by the swirls of color, neat lines, and intricate detail. For reasons unknown, I longed to study it closer.
Just before I turned away, realizing I’d begun to gawk, a guy sat down at her table. He wasn’t what caught my attention; it was her reaction that kept me from turning away. Irritation marred her beautiful face. Her red-painted lips curled up in disgust—a good sign she wasn’t interested in him being there.
I was never one to involve myself in other people’s business—unless they were on the verge of hurting themselves or others. I had enough problems of my own. But the way she recoiled as he talked to her made me keep a close eye on them. Then he touched her hand, and she flinched. Instantly, I was out of my seat, my patience gone. In a few strides, I stood next to him, although I didn’t glance his way. I kept my eyes on hers as she gaped at me in surprise.
“Can I help you, bro?” he asked, irritation evident in his gruff tone.
Finally, I turned to him and stared into his beady eyes. He had to have been twice her age and half my size. “Actually, bro, you can help me by leaving my girl alone.” I winced inwardly. Here I was, inserting myself into another situation, when all I came here to do was sit by myself with a cold beer.
He turned away from me to face the woman across the table, but I didn’t stop glaring at him. I wanted him to feel the burning holes in the side of his face from the intensity of my stare. I wasn’t able to see her reaction, but after a moment, he turned back to me. This time, he seemed extremely apologetic, though he didn’t say anything. He simply put both hands up in front of him as he slid off the stool and walked away. He didn’t even offer a glimpse over his shoulder.
I didn’t wait until he was two feet from the table before I sat down on the stool he’d vacated. With my elbows on the wooden table top, I leaned in slightly and smiled at her. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, but it didn’t appear as if you cared for his company,” I said with my lips still turned up into a grin. It was unexplainable, but smilin
g at her came naturally. Moreover, I yearned to see her beam one at me in return.
“No. You’re fine. I thought he might’ve been my date and it grossed me out. Thank you.” Her voice was soft and smooth like satin sheets on bare skin.
My grin faltered as I tilted my head. “You don’t know what your date looks like?”
Her gaze danced around the room, focusing on anything but me, and her cheeks darkened slightly. However, the corners of her mouth lifted somewhat, expressing what I took to be bashfulness. “Not really. I mean, there are profile pictures, but you never really know if they are who they say they are.”
“Online dating?” My question came out in a higher pitch than my usual deep tone. I was in shock. She must’ve been certifiable to have to pursue online dating. This woman was downright gorgeous and probably could’ve had her pick of any guy in the place. I’d noticed many men shooting envious expressions my way as soon as I’d taken this seat.
The blush remained, but her eyes moved to mine while she lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “I’m new to town, so it’s pretty much the only way to meet people.”
I nodded, understanding the need to fill in the loneliness. “You don’t know anyone here?”
She shook her head, answering me silently.
I extended my arm across the table. “My name’s Dane. Now you know at least one person.”
When she put her palm in mine, the caress of her smooth skin caused heat to cover me from head to toe. It wasn’t much of a shake, more like simply holding hands, and that alone made my blood pressure spike. It’d been too long since I’d felt such intimacy…even if it was nothing more than a cordial greeting.
“Hi, Dane. I’m Eden.”
I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. My grin widened, sending an ache through my jaw, a burning tightness in my cheeks. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a name to match. The Garden of Eden—the first symbol of all that was pure, and the birthplace of temptation.
Snapping back to reality, I removed my hand from hers and glanced around the bar. “Well, I’m sure your real date will be here soon. I’d hate for him to misinterpret this and leave.”
“You can stay. I’m pretty sure he’s not coming.”
“Then he’s an idiot.” The sentiment was true, although I didn’t mean to voice the actual words. I had no right to say such things. And I certainly didn’t have the right to stay—although it didn’t stop the desire.
She lowered her chin, hiding herself from me. I didn’t know what it meant at first, but then she glanced up again, and I noticed the blush in her cheeks deepening. Her dark eyes met mine, and I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t tell what color they were in the dim lighting, but I knew they weren’t brown. Some other shade of dark. They captured me, detaining me from the life around us.
“Are you here by yourself?” Her voice softened, almost sounding timid, in complete contrast to her bold tattoo and bright hair.
“Yeah.” I nodded and then tugged on the collar of my white button-down. “Stopped here on my way home from work.”
“Bad day at the office?” Her words were laced with intimacy, as if I’d come home and found her in the kitchen making dinner. “Bad day at the office, dear?” And it sent a pang of guilt-ridden desire through my chest.
“I guess you could say that.” But I didn’t care to talk about me. I didn’t want to offer her any room to ask questions I couldn’t answer, so I cleared my throat and changed the subject. “So, tell me, Eden…where are you from?”
“Originally from California, but I came here from New York.”
My eyes widened, my tongue heavy with intrigue. “Why the drastic moves?”
“Well, I left home to go to school, and now I’m here for a job.”
“Where did you go to school?” I itched for the beer I’d left behind when I came to her defense. But I had no desire to get up and fetch it. That would mean I’d leave Eden, and that thought didn’t sit well with me. It’d been a long time since I found myself in easy company, and I wasn’t ready to give it up quite yet.
“NYU. I studied accounting and finance.”
My eyebrows raised, my interest surely showing on my expression. “Wow. That’s impressive. NYU is a really good school. I went there.”
“You did?” Her excitement punctuated her question with a lilt.
A small rumble, but a rumble nonetheless, started in the base of my sternum and rolled its way up until the whispers of a laugh filtered past my lips. “No. I didn’t. But it sounded good, right?”
What she did next stole the breath from my lungs. She parted her lips, tilted her head back, and the most contagious giggle I’d ever heard erupted from her. It wasn’t contagious in the sense it made me join her. No. It made me want to do everything in my power to encourage her to keep laughing so I could sit and listen to the melody of her happiness all night. It was deep and throaty, almost raspy. It ran over me, scoring my skin as it settled.
“So where did you go?” she asked after catching her breath.
I didn’t care to talk about me. I didn’t want her humor to die. I wanted to listen to her talk and hear her laugh. To watch her pouty, red lips turn up at the corners and see her dark eyes sparkle with mirth. But I couldn’t be selfish—I wouldn’t even know how to be. So I answered her question, hoping I could turn it around on her. “I studied business at Florida State. Clearly not as interesting as you. I mean, you’re the one who got a job all the way here from New York. Someone must really want you.”
She glanced down again and fought against the unwavering grin. But it didn’t last long before she met my gaze once more. “I don’t have the job…yet. I actually interview for it tomorrow morning.”
I had so many questions bouncing around in my mind I didn’t know which one to start with. “So you’re only visiting here until you get the job?”
“Nope. I moved here.”
“Without getting a job first…” It wasn’t a question, more of an open-ended statement, waiting for her to finish with the details. It didn’t make any sense to me why someone would move thousands of miles away without any guarantee of income.
“It’s my dream job. So if I don’t get it, I’ll simply keep trying.”
Determination. I loved that in a person. I didn’t come across too many with that quality anymore. Most assumed they were entitled; they went to school, earned a degree or diploma, and expected to be handed a job. They also expected a paycheck simply because they showed up to work. Life didn’t work that way.
“Well, you should probably limit those,” I said, pointing to the drink in her hand. “You wouldn’t want to be unprepared for your big interview.”
She lifted the glass and smiled. “It’s vodka-water. The water keeps me hydrated while the vodka settles my nerves.”
“What do you have to be nervous about?”
“Oh, gee…I don’t know, Dane. I was supposed to be meeting a stranger, some guy who kept me waiting for a very long time—who probably had no intention of showing up. To top it all off, I have an interview tomorrow for my dream job. And if I blow it, I’ll have to flip burgers at a fast-food place until I can try again.” The lines next to her eyes deepened with her soft, easy grin.
“That guy is clearly a moron, but it worked out in your favor.” I wagged my brows at her. “I do a lot of interviews. Want my advice?”
Her shoulders lifted eagerly as she said, “Sure.”
“First, don’t be nervous. You went to a great school, got a degree, and you’re more determined than half the people I work with. You’ll do fine. Second, speak with confidence. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the answer—never let them know that. And last…you are the only person for the job. They could have a hundred applicants, but when you leave the room, the only person they need to remember is you. As far as they’re concerned, you are the person for the job.”
She nodded and toyed with her bottom lip between her teeth, taking in every word. “Okay. I think I can
do that—no. I can…I know I can do that.”
“See? Already a quick learner.” I winked at her and watched as her cheeks darkened yet again. “Now, you also have to dress the part. This is one of the rules I probably hate the most. I personally like individuality, but not everyone does.”
She blinked and nodded, waiting for me to continue.
I pointed to the vibrant flowers on her arm. “Your half-sleeve. As hot as it is, maybe wear a sweater. You never know, they may not care about it, but in the event they’re conservative, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
“Yeah, I planned to cover it up.”
“The diamond in your nose is probably okay; it’s tiny enough. But the Monroe”—I pointed to the silver ball in her smile line—“could be frowned upon. And please, Eden…” I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine, not thinking twice about it until the warmth of her skin met mine. My chest grew tight, my stomach coiled, and heat from an invisible fire licked up the sides of my neck. I snatched my hand away, realizing how inappropriate it all was. “Don’t be offended by my suggestions. If you worked for me, I’d tell you to keep them all in. They’re incredibly sexy on you.”
She slipped her hand off the table into the safety of her lap and tucked her chin, ogling the wooden table top between us. Her shoulders rose and fell with each breath. If I were a betting man, I’d say she was in the midst of calming herself.
Because I was in the midst of doing the very same thing.
“Why do you do that?” My voice was low, barely a whisper, but it was enough to catch her attention.
Her almond-shaped eyes met mine, and I could literally feel her stare through my entire body. It touched everything. Like it physically reached inside me and caressed every part of my being. My heart raced and my throat closed. All from one stare.
“Why do you look away like that? Like you’re insecure.” My God, this woman had nothing to be insecure about. I had no right to take notice, but it was impossible not to.