Sabre pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth. However he answered he would be screwed. He remained silent.
“That’s what I thought. If you refuse then know this. Your sister, the beautiful and lovely Helene, will die.”
Fiery anger spread through him. In a lightning fast move Sabre reached across the table and had the president by the collar of his fine suit, the material crumpling in his fist. “You dare threaten her?”
The others jumped to their feet but Otes waved them back. So calm. As though unflustered by the hold Sabre had on him.
“She is your last remaining family member, is she not?” Otes had a smirk on his slimy face. “If you and your men don’t bring us the females as ordered then prepare to make her funeral arrangements.”
Slowly Sabre released the president and sat back down. He smoothed his hands over his uniform tunic willing himself to be calm.
“I’m glad you see it our way. Dr. Franco, you may prepare for the human female’s arrival.”
They rose one by one and filed out of the room. As they left Sabre knew he couldn’t risk Helene’s life. No matter what. He had no choice but to disobey his general.
Chapter Three
Eden found herself alone with the sweaty, leering man. He reeked of three dollar cologne and too much beer. He wore a cheap polyester shirt in the most obnoxious print she had ever seen unbuttoned to show off what little chest hair he had.
All that was missing was a thick gold chain complete with a gold medallion around his pencil neck. He had cornered her in the kitchen, leaning his elbow on the counter and telling her grotesque jokes in the hopes of making her laugh.
I’m in hell.
Could this get any worse? He was the third guy to hit on her in less than an hour.
Her best friend, Gillian, meant well bringing her here. After Gillian’s winter-long nagging Eden had finally agreed to all expenses paid getaway to Crooked Island in the Bahamas with her, her boyfriend and several others. Eden knew her friend wanted to make her forget her broken heart and her wrecked life. To relax and cut loose Gilly had said. To get away and forget it all. Even if it was for a week. She wouldn’t take no for an answer either—she’d handed Eden the plane ticket.
Eden had a passing fancy for all things Atlantis. She looked at the trip as a way to imagine herself as someone different. An archeologist on a trip to find artifacts. A diver plunging to the depths looking for evidence. It sounded so much better than unemployed data analyst. She’d done a little island exploring pretending she was searching for the lost city looking for a stud who could take her away from it all.
It had been six months since her two-year relationship had ended in disaster. She thought her long-time boyfriend was about to pop the question. Instead she got a different surprise—finding him in their bed with his face firmly planted between another girl’s legs.
It had nearly destroyed her. Sent her spiraling into a dark depression.
She’d tried to survive by pouring herself into work. But even that had come to an abrupt end when her company downsized leaving her unemployed. With virtually no savings the late bill notices came next followed by the repossession of her car and the eviction notice. She had no family to turn to for help. Her life was a shambles.
I’m pathetic and in hell.
Eden hated the memories as much as she hated the stifling atmosphere in the small confines of the kitchen. It was the one room in the house where the music didn’t thump through her bones. Unable to bear another dirty joke she quaffed her martini and set the empty glass next to the offending man’s elbow.
“Excuse me, Tom, won’t you?”
“It’s Tim,” he corrected, unflustered. “And I wasn’t finished with my story yet. As I was saying we’d boarded the boat when the weather kicked up—”
She brushed by him to make her escape out of the kitchen.
“Where you going, babe?”
She gave a half-hearted wave in response.
“Okay, so I’ll call you.”
Pretending not to hear him splutter she threaded her way through the crowd, her eye on the prize—the exit. She caught a glimpse of a couple making out in a corner. Others chatted and laughed or danced as close as they could get without actually having sex. It turned her already-sour stomach to see them. The music was too loud, the air acrid with cigarette smoke, sweaty bodies and beer. She needed away from the house before she suffocated.
“Where are you going?” Gillian snatched her by the arm as she reached the door.
“I need some air,” Eden said.
“You can’t leave now. Paul really wants to get to know you better.” She waggled her eyebrows.
Eden glanced over at the man who was too suave and too debonair for her and rolled her eyes. Good-looking, six-foot-tall Paul who’d recently divorced. Another man who was not her kind of guy.
Who is my kind of man? Not the super rich or the super smarmy. I need someone who will love me and protect me.
Besides Paul reminded her too much of her ex-boyfriend and Mr. Cheap-Oh reminded her too much of a snake. Paul winked and gave her a knowing smile.
“Have another drink,” Gillian insisted, waving at Paul to bring a freshly made martini.
“I’ve had enough drinks,” Eden said dryly. Even now the third martini she’d finished pounded through her veins and her head.
“Paul’s bringing you another,” Gillian persisted. “Give him a chance. He likes you.”
“Is that code for he wants to fuck me?”
“Do you have to be so crass, Eden?” She pulled out her snooty tone.
“Do you have to be a matchmaker, Gilly?” Eden replied using the same snooty tone. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Well maybe that’s what you need. A good hard…” She paused, dropped her voice. “Fuck. You need to fill that void. If anything can mend a broken heart it’s a wild fling. And not burying your head in books about silly things.”
“Silly things? You mean because I love learning about lost civilizations?” Eden knew she referred to how she’d spent a good portion of time catching up on reading while waiting for callbacks from potential employers. “You know the only reason I came on this trip was because of the location.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Gilly rolled her eyes. “You think Atlantis is under the Caribbean.”
“The theory is it’s lost under the Bermuda Triangle,” Eden said. She couldn’t help the smile playing at the corners of her mouth. For as long as she’d known Gilly her friend had always poked fun at Eden for her fanciful thinking that Atlantis was real and someday scientists would prove it.
Eden saw Paul had nearly made his way to them and a flicker of dread went through her.
“I need to get out of here. I’m going for a walk, okay? I need to be alone for a little while.”
“Eden—”
But she gave her the slip as Paul joined them with martini in hand. The door banged closed behind her shutting out the music, the laughter and the cheerfulness. She left behind the stuffy beach house and made her way toward the surf.
Eden sighed. She wasn’t interested in being cheered up. She preferred self-pity and nursing her broken heart to some shallow relationship.
Maybe Gillian was right though. Maybe she did need a fling. A good hard fuck. No commitment. No strings. No nothing. Pure, wild, passionate, hot sex. With a man who would demand nothing in return and help her forget all her troubles. A man who could make her heart flutter, make her weak in the knees, make her orgasm with a flick of his tongue on her clit.
She snorted. Yeah, as if. That will never happen.
Sex with the former love of her life—again she snorted—was never that. It was calm. Vanilla at best. Nothing to fantasize over or crave. He’d always tried to get her to talk to him to tell him what she wanted but she never could. She was too shy, too reserved. Oh sure the sex had been okay. But what she really wanted—needed—was someone to make her blood boil. Make her pulse race. Make her heart palp
itate. And—she blushed—make her clit throb.
She wanted someone to give her earth-shattering orgasms with his mouth and his hard cock. She wanted someone to fuck her hard—from behind. She’d never done that before. And she flushed at the thought. It was so…carnal. So animalistic. So reckless.
I wish someone could make me feel like that.
At the water’s edge Eden paused, listening to the crashing surf. Her lungs thanked her for breathing in the clean crisp air. The sound of the waves soothed her.
Moonlight sparked on the dark sapphire waters of the Caribbean. She slipped off her sandals and let the cool sand sink between her toes. Glorious. The water ebbed and flowed out of reach of her feet. Her skirt swirled around her thighs. Her tangled chestnut hair blew in her face.
As she peered at the frothing waves trying to see where ocean met night sky she saw a shape emerge from the water not far from her. A man rose from the sea with his naked body glistening in the light of the full moon. Droplets of water shimmered on his flawless skin.
She blinked, sure she was seeing things. She closed her eyes and opened them again but he was still there. And still naked.
Her breath caught in her throat and for a moment she lost all thoughts. He was beautiful—tall, broad-shouldered, chest hair dewy from the sea water, long raven hair damp and dripping. His chest tapered into a narrow waist and down to powerful thighs. He was not overly muscular but enough to make her knees threaten to buckle. Darkness concealed his face. His thick cock hung between his legs and she couldn’t help but wonder how big he’d be at full attention. She couldn’t take her eyes off it.
Heat spread through her entire body making her weak with desire. Hot slick need pooled between her legs and she licked her suddenly dry lips in sweet anticipation. She shifted from one foot to the other, her clothes chafing her, her nipples tight and painful against her shirt. Something about this man made her want to shimmy out of her clothes and drop to her knees taking that beautiful cock in her mouth and sucking him until he came.
He paused mere inches from her, the water surging against his calves. She brushed her hair out of her eyes staring hard to see his sharp perfectly chiseled features. The moonlight played upon his face. His bright blue eyes pierced her, his square chin and cheeks covered in stubble. He was a walking wet dream. A man to whom she could willingly succumb.
Eden couldn’t help it as she stared at him with longing and her mouth watering. Especially when he looked her over seductively, peering at her so intently it made her knees wobble. Her pulse jumped into overdrive and her heart wouldn’t stop throbbing.
“Hello, Eden.” His deep voice rumbled around in that perfect chest.
Should she be bothered he knew her name? Or bothered her shaking fingers clutched the end of her shirt ready to strip?
“Who are you?” Her voice sounded weak, breathy.
His oh-so-kissable mouth turned into a smile showing off perfect white teeth. All she could think about was that mouth licking her in all the right places. Sucking her nipples. The tip of his tongue flicking her clit and tasting her hot juices.
“Am I not what you desire?” He spread his arms with his hands out as if to say come and get me.
Eden’s gaze landed on his hands. Perfectly sculpted hands with long slender fingers. Fingers she imagined pumping in and out of her and plunging between her folds circling over her making her shriek with climax.
Her mind knew it wasn’t right to have some strange man walk out of the sea naked saying he wanted her. But he intoxicated her like a good red wine on a warm summer night. Her troubles were forgotten. All she wanted was him. Her heart sped up another notch in a wild patter. She licked her lips again, her breathing jagged.
“How do you know my name?”
“Does it matter?”
Well no. It really didn’t. A breath of air separated them. She dragged her lower lip through her teeth, wanting, needing. Feeling as though she might explode into a thousand tiny pieces. Why doesn’t he touch me?
Her fingers were on the hem of her shirt again ready to rip it over her head. Ready to stand in front of this man, this god, this…whatever he was, naked. Ready to let him lick her from head to toe and everywhere in between.
“Is this not what you wished for?”
“I didn’t wish for you.” Her quiet words shook.
“You did.” His blue eyes twinkled with moonlight, challenged her.
How did he know that? That she’d wished for someone to make her blood boil, her heart race, her body need? Eden swallowed hard.
“Take off your clothes.” He demanded it with a half-smile. “That’s what you want to do, isn’t it?”
Oh yes. She wanted to be naked. She wanted him touching her. She wanted to writhe on top of him. Or underneath him. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t picky.
“Shall I help you?” Again that quirked grin.
Her hands trembled. Her knees weakened. Let him take off her clothes? Hell yes. It would prolong her need and heighten her desire. She wanted to savor this. She wanted to feel everything. She wanted every touch, every caress, every everything permanently burned into her memory.
“Yes. Help me.”
His eyes flashed reminding her of summer lightning. Magnetic. Beautiful. Heart-wrenching. All those things in one split second as he grabbed her and spun her around with her back pressing against his wet body. His naked wet body. She moaned with joy when his arms wrapped around her pulling her into him. She could feel his hard planes molding to her. His cock pressing her ass. So thick. So hard. So amazing. One hand dipped into the waistband of her skirt sliding, sliding, sliding ever so slowly down, down, down to the apex between her thighs. Sweet torture.
Eden’s eyes fluttered closed as her pulse raced. A prickling sensation erupted over her skin. Her own need soaked her panties. She thought she might pass out. She thought she might die from the heat pounding between her legs if he didn’t touch her soon.
His fingers slipped under her cotton panties. His hand cupped her mound. When he pushed open her folds and moved inside her lips she climaxed exactly one second later. But he didn’t stop. His fingers glided in and out, in and out in a rhythmic movement that made all the blood whoosh from her head. She was light-headed. She couldn’t think straight. Light pricked her eyes as though she were about to faint.
But no. She needed more. She had to feel more. To know what that big glorious cock felt like inside her.
Eden forced her eyes open and glanced down. Her shirt molded to her body showing off her peaked nipples. The material scraped against them annoying her. She needed it gone. Pronto. But suddenly her arms filled with lead and she couldn’t move. A whimper escaped her before she could stop it.
“I enjoy you, Eden.” His breath was hot in her ear. He flicked his tongue over her earlobe. “Very much.”
She wanted to tell him she enjoyed him too. But she couldn’t form the words. It was as if her tongue had turned to cotton. Her mouth was dry as a desert.
“You are very wet and hot.” She could hear the smile of approval in his voice. “My hand feels good here.”
She couldn’t agree more. She never wanted him to stop. As he continued to touch she somehow forced her hands to move and grasped her breasts, massaging them. Pinching her nipples through the material. Heightening her desire. Pooling more heat between her legs with his perfect fingers.
“Let me do that.”
He released her for the second it took him to shove down her skirt and panties to her ankles. Then he grasped her shirt and yanked it over her head. She wasn't wearing a bra so her breasts sprang free and her nipples stood at perfect attention. He turned her around to face him, his gaze drinking her in. He palmed one breast then pinched the pebble-hard peak.
“Beautiful. Perfect,” he said.
She wanted to agree that he was beautiful and perfect but the words clotted in her throat. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she speak?
Now she stood naked before him. And
she didn’t feel one ounce of shyness. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist as he pumped hard and fast inside her. Filling her up. Making her come.
“We’ll get to that.” He grinned.
Holy hell. Could he hear her thoughts?
This beautiful man took her by the hand and led her to the damp sand where the waves came and went. He motioned for her to lay down at the water’s edge and she happily complied. He towered over her, looking down at her with sharp, assessing eyes.
He smiled.
She melted.
He fell to his knees between her legs gently nudging her thighs apart and opening up her most secret place. She wanted his head between her legs, licking, sucking. He swiped two fingers down her wet slit. She opened her legs wider, inviting.
Finally he plunged two fingers inside her and she cried out with pleasure. Her hips rocked against his hand as he pumped back and forth, in and out. But it wasn’t enough. She needed more. She needed to feel all of him.
“Tell me, Eden, what you want.”
Didn’t he know? Couldn’t he tell? Wasn’t it obvious by the way her hips gyrated against that glorious hand of his?
“Tell me,” he repeated. “I want to hear it.”
“I want you.” Finding her voice at last the words spilled out.
“No. Tell me what you want me to do,” his gentle tone demanded. Then, “To you.”
Really? He wanted her to say it out loud? She was so not good at that. She never talked during sex—it wasn’t a time to chat. Her cheeks flushed.
“You’ve been thinking it.”
He could read her thoughts. Gooseflesh erupted all over her and she shivered. Not from cold but from pure longing.
“I-I want you to lick me.” There. She’d said it. But she couldn’t look at him and kept her gaze focused on the sand beneath her feet. She was too embarrassed.
He cupped her chin and tipped her face up to his. “Now say it to me.”
Oh, god. Why? She swallowed hard. “I want you to lick me.”
“That’s better.” He gave her a devastating grin, his eyes lighting with that sensual flame. “As you wish my little vixen.”
Tempting Eden Page 2