“The evening features a cocktail reception, a silent and live auction, dinner, live entertainment, and an even livelier dance floor. The spirit of the gala is intended to generate media attention, raise big buck, and help survivors. Thank you all for your attendance.”
And then he quickly steps down, heading in my direction, his confidence never wavering.
“We’re leaving. Let’s find Alex to say goodbye.”
He reaches for my hand, and we battle our way quickly through the crowd of people.
“Why?” I’m assuming it could be any number of reasons, but I desperately want to hear his answers.
“Because I need you, that’s why,” he says, never glancing back at me.
If he did, he would have witnessed the shocked look on my face. It wasn’t the answer I was anticipating—at all.
And there is Alex, huddled at the bar in an intense conversation with a rugged man. He’s got military-style haircut with a goatee, and he’s built like a rock. A very handsome man, power literally oozes off him as we edge closer.
“Alex, we have to leave.”
Alex’s eye contact never wavers. It’s as if a silent conversation is taking place between them.
“Well, before you go, let me introduce the both of you to Steel Archer. Steel, this is Theo and Eden, the couple I was talking to you about.”
Steel reaches out to shake Theo’s hand, then mine.
“I would like to talk to you both at your earliest convenience,” he says.
“Looking forward to it.” Theo hands him a card.
A nod between the men is all it takes, and then we were out the door. Theo hands his ticket to the car attendant, and within moments the car purrs to life once more.
Silence stretches between us as I drift through a chaotic haze of events that have unfolded tonight. Searching for the words, I don’t know which to address first: the kiss, Olivia, or his revelation concerning his past. Each seems too big to take on individually, let alone discuss all at once.
I glance his way, taking in his square jaw with a hint of evening shadow. Why does he have to be so damn handsome? His intense need for order and control make it hard to find the courage to tell him how I feel about everything.
“Why haven’t you ever gotten married?” I always want to ask, but it isn’t really the question in the forefront of my mind. It’s not what I need answered most, not after tonight. But it’s a start, after all. If we are moving forward, I want to know as much about him as he knows about me.
His eyes narrow, and I sense there is still an internal struggle going on inside of him to let down his guard.
“Leave it to you, Eden, to ask the one question I’m not prepared for.” Transfixed by his wide grin, he turns “No one has ever been able to tame me,” he says simply.
I feel the color leave my face, but I quickly recover.
“Well, maybe you’ve finally met your match, Theo.”
“Indeed.”
Chapter Thirteen
Theo
I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. The way she could reach down inside me and calm my raging soul. In spite of everything, I now know I can’t stay away, even if I wanted to. Her free-spirited nature has undergone a traumatic experience, but it hasn’t stopped her from being who she is.
“Back to my place?” she asks as I turn down her private road.
“Yes.”
It’s not lost on me whose house I’m pulling into.
The last house on the cul-de-sac is lit beautifully. Somber illumination hits the front windows, other light strikes the trees from the ground up to touch each and every limb. The fine qualities shouldn’t surprise me. Matt and Amanda had impeccable taste.
I pull into the driveway and watch as Eden quickly opens her door.
“Coming?” she asks with a backward glance, and I quickly make my way around the car to take her hand in mine.
I watch as she glances down at our joined fingers entwined together. A sweet smile escapes her.
Something achingly familiar stirs as I follow her through the house. We enter through the kitchen, which is immaculate, and I wonder if she ever uses it. We pass a room that only has one small light on in the corner, but there are paintings, drawings, and an array of supplies scattered everywhere. I glance over in question, and she gives me a one-shoulder shrug.
She continues until we reach a glass enclosure where a modern fireplace comes to life with one click. The outdoor lights calmly accent the greenery by the pool.
“Quite the setting.”
Her vibrant smile glistens in the firelight as thunder rumbles outside the house windows.
“There are so many great memories here,” she says as she sits on the massive lounger built for two.
She pats her hand several times for me to sit by her side. Another bright streak crosses the sky, she points to the glass roof, urging me to join her, share the space next to her. We eventually lay side by side. The glass ceiling allows us to witness the lightning igniting across the sky. It’s quite a show.
“Let’s talk about the event, Eden.”
“Let’s.”
I feel her thigh brush against mine.
“Which part?”
Our hands become joined once more, and I feel the heat when her violet eyes find mine.
“Well, Olivia was a fleeting moment in my past that meant nothing to me. Please don’t give her another thought. I’m actually referring to the secret I exposed tonight concerning my past. I’ve carried the guilt my entire life.”
I inhale a deep breath and blow it out slowly, buying myself some time to find the right words.
“I’ve been punishing myself for years.”
She takes a hard look at my face.
“I blamed myself for my sister’s death, for saving myself, and not her.”
“What happened?” With each revelation, her body moves closer to mine becoming warmer, sexier.
“It was a car accident.” I feel her grip tighten. “Over a bridge into the water. I was seven, and Madison was five. I was her big brother, and I should have protected her.”
“We bleed grief, Theo, you and I. The day it doesn’t bother you is the day you stop feeling. I’m sorry to dredge up the past, but you have to know that it wasn’t your fault. You were a child. You were seven years old.”
“It’s just the way I’m made. I protect my own.” I let my eyes roam to her lips and back again. “Nothing else has mattered to me, until…”
“Say it.” Her smile slips.
I chuckle at her goosebumps, trembling with anticipation as I run my finger over the length of her bare arm.
“Until you.”
My fingers fondle the curls that lay gently on her shoulders, falling over the top of her gown. She didn’t object to my pulling her toward me as we lay face-to-face.
“You’re so tempting, Eden, the forbidden fruit I desperately want to taste.” My lips passionately brush over hers. “I can’t be alone here with you.”
A large streak of lightening soars in a jagged line. Followed by the loud rumbling of thunder in perfect timing., We both look at each other. It doesn’t disappoint.
“You don’t mean that.” She locks her eyes with mine and arches her back as an offering. “Touch me. Please, just touch me.”
My fingers burn caressing the length of her, itching to own every part of her. My lips come down hard on hers with breathless urgency, the bold caress of my tongue chasing hers. I’m kissing her with everything I have.
She clutches fistfuls of my jacket as I quickly work my way out of it, dragging my mouth from hers. “This can’t be just one night, Eden.”
“Right or wrong, Theo, I can’t deny how I feel. I want you, like this.”
I’m moved by her confession. The strength in her embrace undoes me. I reach around and find the delicate zipper pressed against her back, slowly sliding it down until it hits the bottom stop.
I see her flawless skin, the soft curve of her back. I unfo
ld the dress down her body. Her long legs endless, leaving her in the sexiest sheer undergarments.
I’m prepared to tear her panties completely off her, but I hold back my aching need to control and conquer her instead. As I lift her garter-clad leg and kiss the back of her knees, I admire the long line of her leg. My hand finds her clasp, allowing me to seductively slide the garter-and-lace-topped hosiery down each leg.
“Use your mouth on me,” she says in a low sultry voice.
“Jesus, Eden, you undo me.”
As I peel her panties down her legs, I swiftly deal with my clothes and worship her on my knees. My hands hold her legs captive as I gently part them. Her smoldering look has me imagining my every desire, savage lust unleashed in wicked delight as I climb between her legs, parting her sweetness with a loving attack. I taste her heat and honey. I taunt the pink morsel, prolonging her pleasure.
She relentlessly moves her hips against my face, which is buried deep between her thighs with unabashed pleasure. A cry of release with an all-consuming climax devastates her control, a final surrender as she throws her head back, riding out her pleasure.
Once back on earth, a naughty smile appears on her face, and I own it.
“I’m not done with you yet, angel.”
“I hope not. I’ve wanted this for weeks. I want to feel it all. All of you, Theo.”
Deep down, I knew this would change me. I will savor her like no other. I slowly climb up her body and watch as she reaches behind to unclasp her bra. An enticing image, naked and beneath me, she’s just brought my world to a stop.
“Your smile has chased away the demons and opened up a part of me that I’ve hidden from all others.”
I kiss the slender column of her throat. The kiss speaks of things unsaid, stirring a primal need deep within me. I take her breast in my palm, molding the flesh as I find her mouth again, eager to sample the feather stokes of her tongue.
“We can heal each other, Theo. Let me heal you.” I cup her exposed breast, explore the texture. Her fevered skin hot with longing. I find her mouth as my body hoovers over her. Fingers tangle in her curls as my firm lips caress her sweet luscious ones. I search deeper mating our tongues in a ritual dance.
I enter her slowly as her gentle moans escape. I’m throbbing inside her, my pulse felt by the deepest part of her.
I cradle her face in my hands, my forearms supporting my weight, filling her with my hard cock. Her violet eyes lock on mine with a need that defies reason. Kissing her swollen lips, I feel a smile appear.
“Let go, angel. Let reason tumble into oblivion.”
I’m buried in her sweet heat, filling her deeper and harder with each thrust, matching my rhythm with primitive recklessness. This is a savage lust unlike anything I’ve ever felt before, a mixture of searing desire and emotions on the verge of something big.
“Wrap your legs around me and come. I want to feel you shudder around me.”
Stoking the fire, she is tinder beneath my touch when I lift so my thumb can reach her vortex of desire. Her eyes slide shut in ecstasy as ripples of pleasure reach unbearable heights. She whispers my name.
As she trembles in the aftermath, I let my hunger have its turn. My thrusts and essential power flood her, and I know I will soon fly apart in her arms. My lips land in the curve of her neck. The smell of a spicy floral follows me over the edge. The deep primal tug signaling my release, a cry escapes me, I hear an unrecognizable voice: my own. I call out her name as she purrs beneath me.
Quiet sensuality brews for several long moments as we’re trapped in this hold of tenderness. I rise over her, searching for her emotionally. It doesn’t take long to discover that we are in the same place. Her bright smile is playful and sexy.
“Are you analyzing me, doctor?” She runs her fingers through my hair, making a mockery of any stylishness I’ve attempted.
“Of course not. Okay, maybe I was. A little.”
“I guess some things never change, doctor.”
“Oh, they most certainly do, Miss Barnett.”
I point out our nakedness and what has just happened. “I’m starving. Is there any food in this house? If the kitchen is any evidence, I tend to say no.”
“Just because you’re handsome, it doesn’t give you permission to judge. I’ll give you a definite maybe.”
She grabs my white tuxedo shirt and rolls up the sleeves, making her way to the kitchen. I follow, dressed in only my tuxedo pants.
***
“I’m thoroughly impressed.”
I shove the last bite of eggs benedict in my mouth. It was a decadent extravaganza. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“Gage, my best friend. He grew up with a nanny and a chef. Growing up, he would hang out in the kitchen, watching and learning. I guess it wore off on me, too.”
I take in every detail, her well-defined features, those mesmerizing eyes, the power they hold over me. Her beauty is ravishing. I suddenly can’t imagine my life without her.
“I’m glad to know you have a best friend, Eden.”
“I’m lucky to have him in my life, and he has quite the personality.” Grabbing my plate and loading it in the dishwasher, she turns to me. “We should sleep.” Then she winks. “And when I say sleep, I do mean sleep. It’s been a long day.”
My arm curls around her waist, tugging her next to me as she leads me to her bedroom.
“Ignore the boxes. It’s a daunting task.”
I notice she bites her lip and glances away.
“Don’t be ashamed, Eden. I understand.”
An expression of sadness shadows her face.
“You of all people should know that I understand.”
Our shared grief underscores the truth: we are on the same life journey. At war with our pasts, I have to admit that she has the power to wash away the ghosts who haunt me, follow me through life, causing sorrow where ever I land..
We silently climb into her bed, wrapped in each other’s healing arms, and push the fragments of our past away.
***
I wake, realizing that last night was the first time I didn’t dream of the accident, of Madison. I’ll take any silence I can. I can only hope they stay dormant, chased away by this newfound peace. Or was it her?
I have broken a lot of rules, rules I put in place to protect myself. I desperately want Eden in my life, but I still want her in my office, too, under my protection and professional guidance. The reality, however, is that I’ve crossed the line, and now I’m walking a tightrope. On one side is my personal life, the other my professional one. The trick is somehow not to fall.
I hear my cell ringing where I have it sitting in the kitchen. I carefully get out of bed and make my way downstairs. One last glance from the doorway proving the vision was real, as I walked away from Eden sprawled out in white sheets crinkled from our restful sleep. A smile escapes me as if I am a teenager.
I find I’ve missed the call when I pick up my phone, but I listen to the message. It’s Steel Archer, so I immediately call him back.
“Steel, it’s Theo Grant. Sorry I missed your call. I’m eager to talk to you.”
“Thank you for the prompt call back, sir. I’d like to set up a meeting as soon as possible.”
“Of course Eden.
“Yes, that of course, Alex didn’t have any details, he mentioned doctor-patient confidentiality. Will that be an issue?”
“No, you’ll be meeting my patient. I’ll be there. too. How about next week?”
“Sir, I’ve come across information that you may find to be of an urgent matter. Are you free later?”
I can’t even imagine what he might have found. I rub my fingers along my jaw, the tension rolling off me in waves as his deep voice filters through the phone.
“Sir?”
“Everything okay?” I ask.
He certainly has my undivided attention.
“Don’t be alarmed, sir, but this is very time sensitive.”
“Then l
et’s make it tonight, seven o’clock. I’ll text you the address.”
We hang up and I’m left unsettled, with a million questions unanswered. I silently walk the long, dimly lit hallway back to Eden.
Leaning a shoulder against the door jam, guilt washes over me as I listen to her sweet steady breath as she sleeps so peacefully. I try to think of the precise moment when everything changed. In reality, she has been changing me. From the first day she whittled at the barriers, layer by layer until she exposed my hidden scars.
Where is my lust for control now? All the boundaries I’ve set so perfectly in place have completely disappeared, replaced by her touch, voice, and presence. For years I’ve been so fucking empty and guarded, but now the moment of truth has come.
She is worth the risk…
Chapter Fourteen
Theo
At seven o’clock sharp, there’s a knock on the door. I wait several beats as our eyes meet.
“Go ahead.” She says, worry written all over her face.
I reach out to cup her face. “I’ve got you.”
Her smile reassures me that she will be alright.
“Come in,” I invite Steel in, and step aside. I’m surprised to see Alex trail in behind him. Suddenly a dull ache begins in my gut. I try to ignore it.
“Have a seat.” Directing them into Eden’s great room, I shoot her a sideways glance.
Everyone takes a seat.
“Something to drink?”
Everyone declines, and something tells me that this is the calm before the storm.
“Your speech at the event the other night…” Steel speaks up as he claps his hands together silently, his forearms leaning on his knees.
“Yes.” A cloud of curiosity has battled its way into my beating heart.
“You mentioned your past, sir. The accident, in particular.”
“Yes.” It’s the only word my brain seems to be able to articulate.
“I did a preliminary search for that period of time.”
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