Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched Jamie turn and look at her car. Summoning all the courage she had left, she climbed out of the car and made her way slowly down to the pier. All the speeches she had rehearsed in the wee hours of the morning fled with the breeze.
"Um...hi...Al told me you'd be here," Eden said as she approached warily.
Jamie looked at her as though she were a ghost. Eden stood before her wearing jeans, boots, and a V-neck sweater covered by a brown leather jacket. It struck Jamie funny that even though she had seen Eden a few times, she never realized how good she looked in her own clothes. "You stink. Have you been in a bar all night?" Jamie asked as she kept her distance.
Eden expected a number of responses but not to be told she smelled bad. That was plain insulting. "I smoked some cigarettes on the way up here."
"Some? You smell like you've smoked a whole pack."
Eden shrugged. "Actually, I did, and when I ran out, I bought a carton."
"So did you come here to see me, or did you miss this place?" Jamie asked, not knowing to say.
"Actually, I had an undeniable craving for fresh fish," Eden said as she shuffled nervously from one foot to the other. "And I was hoping you would be willing to talk to me now."
"What's on your mind?" Jamie asked meekly.
"Can we go inside? Your teeth are chattering."
"I'm not cold, I'm nervous," Jamie said as she awkwardly approached Eden, wanting to hug her.
Unsure of Jamie's intentions after their last two meetings, Eden stepped back and lost her footing, sending her headlong into the lake.
"Can you swim?" Jamie called out while looking for something to help Eden, as she struggled under the weight of her clothes to make it to the bank.
"Unfortunately for you!" Eden barked as she grasped at the slick reeds.
Jamie couldn't help herself and laughed hysterically as Eden scrambled up the bank. "I didn't push you, you stepped off the dock."
Soaked to the bone and feeling slightly hypothermic, Eden stomped back onto the pier. "I had no way of knowing what you would do after the last time I saw you. For all I know, you were coming to claw my eyes out!"
Jamie put her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I know I was an asshole, but I promise to behave now. I really need to talk to you."
"I drove all night and slept in the woods until daylight so we could do just that, but if you're going to tell me that we just need to be friends, say it now so I can change my clothes and get out of here," Eden said as her teeth chattered against the cold.
"I promise that's not what I'm going to say. How about you go in and take a shower before you freeze to death?" Jamie said as she slowly approached Eden again.
Jamie was still chuckling at Eden's mishap as she made the coffee. When she heard the water in the bathroom shut off, she quickly poured Eden and herself a cup, then sat at the table, nervously awaiting Eden's return.
Eden emerged minutes later with her wet hair combed away from her face, wearing jeans and a sweater that she brought with her.
"It's a good thing I made a fire this morning or you would be frozen stiff," Jamie said, sliding the hot cup of coffee in front of Eden as she sat.
"Does this have rat poison in it or something that'll make me shit for a week?" Eden asked sarcastically as she eyed the cup.
"Neither, it's a peace offering. I'm sorry about the way I've acted and you falling into the lake," Jamie offered.
Eden nodded and took a trusting sip, enjoying the way it warmed her still-frozen core. "I'm sure I deserved it after the way I've behaved," Eden acquiesced. She nervously tucked her wet hair behind her ear. "I should've contacted you right after we got home, but I felt so guilty for your loss. I felt like you might've needed a break."
Jamie opened her mouth to speak, but Eden held up her hand.
"I don't know how to say this other than just laying my feelings out on the table. I regret how we left things the last day we spent here alone." Eden watched Jamie's face for signs that she wanted to hear what she had to say. Jamie avoided her eyes but drummed her fingers on the table. Eden took comfort in the fact that Jamie seemed as nervous as she was.
"The night we spent together meant more to me than I was willing to admit to you or even myself. One night at dinner, you made the comment that you migrated to people who weren't looking for serious relationships. That comment played through my mind over and over, and I was so afraid that you were going to tell me that what we shared would only remain while we were stuck out here. Then when I found the phone, I allowed my anger to take over."
"I don't..." Jamie tried to interject, but Eden stopped her again.
"Wait, please. I need to get this off my chest before I lose my nerve.
"The morning when Detective Salamoni told us about Holly, I tried to comfort you, but you pushed me away. I tried to convince myself that you didn't want me anymore. Plus I felt so responsible for her and Donald's death that the guilt was more than I could bear." Eden's eyes brimmed with tears. "Some days, it's almost too much for me to cope with."
"I understand how you feel," Jamie said, as her voice filled with emotion. "I've been struggling with my own guilt. That's why I was such a jerk."
"Jamie, I never meant to hurt you. I've questioned my feelings for you every minute of every day. I needed to be sure that it wasn't feelings of indebtedness that makes me feel the way I do about you."
"And how is it that you feel about me?" Jamie asked, meeting Eden's eyes for the first time.
Eden's face flushed with color. "I thought my attraction to you was because you took such good care of me, but I think the day I hooked you with the fishing lure on the lake, I lost my heart. I just was so afraid to let go and tell you how I felt."
Jamie's mind reeled from the words Eden spoke. "I...I was so caught up in my feelings of rejection and guilt over what happened that it never occurred to me what you may have been going through," Jamie stammered. "And when we got home and you pulled away from me, I just lost it."
"I guess my lack of fortitude kept us from being there for each other in an extremely difficult time, but if you'll forgive me, I promise to never let that happen again."
"Are you saying you want another chance...with me? Even after the way I behaved?" Jamie asked shyly.
Eden tentatively reached across the table and took Jamie's hand. "I would love to know where things will go with us. And thanks to Ann, I understand why you wanted to rip my head off there for a while."
"Well, you're not the only one who lost her heart," Jamie said with a chuckle. "I could've told you how I felt, too. I think I fell for you the day I shaved your legs."
"Nothing spells romance like a woman's hairy legs," Eden teased. "You can shave my legs every anniversary."
"Do you believe we'll celebrate anniversaries?"
"Till we're old and gray," Eden said with a grin.
Jamie's expression turned serious. "You were right that morning; we come from two very different backgrounds."
Eden felt her stomach sink.
"I'm a little nervous about how I'll fit into your world." Jamie stood and began to pace nervously. "I have to admit that when I've been in Al's home, that way of living is a little intimidating. What will your friends think of me?"
"Jamie, I don't have many friends, and frankly, I couldn't care less what they think. I think I know better than most that all the trappings of wealth mean little when you're alone." Eden stood and pulled Jamie close to her. "Just give me a chance, and I promise you'll see that I'm not the rich brat you think I am."
Jamie stroked Eden's face and smiled. "I never truly thought of you as a rich brat.. Just a brat."
"How do you know that Miss Spencer didn't make the call to Laura McManus?" Detective Marchand asked between bites of his steak.
Detective Salamoni rubbed her glass against her temple, feeling her headache intensify. "Because she's the one who brought it to my attention, and frankly, I don't think she's lying."
"I'm still sticking with my theory that Holly Patton is alive and was working with McManus." Detective Salamoni polished off the remainder of her drink and motioned for another.
Detective Marchand wiped his mouth and leaned back in his seat, feeling full from his meal. His portly stomach still touched the table. "You heard what the DA said. McManus's attorneys will tear your theory apart. They're going to do their best to discredit Spencer. I'm not saying McManus will walk, but a jury may buy into the reluctant accomplice defense. And, Melanie, you're putting a lot of stock into what Jamie Spencer is telling you. Have you even considered that she may have been working with McManus and killed Holly Patton? She may be the bad guy."
"Eden Carlton said Spencer was with her the whole time. She couldn't have sneaked out, killed Holly Patton, and dumped her body in Florida."
"First, Carlton was admittedly out of her head for a while. Second, Spencer could've had an accomplice," Marchand argued.
"I hate it when you play devil's advocate, Dale," Detective Salamoni replied bitterly.
"I just want to make sure your head is in the right place. These aren't your typical Joe Schmoes; these people are wealthy and have some very high-profile attorneys, not to mention the media interest. I really think what the DA suggested earlier is a viable alternative."
"Drop it and let a murderer go free?" Detective Salamoni asked bitterly.
"If we don't push this phone call, we don't have to involve Spencer, which you don't want to do. McManus's attorneys aren't going to bring it up because that may link their client to an accomplice who could sway the whole case, so the best thing for all is to let this drop."
Detective Salamoni scrubbed her face in frustration. "I know, I know, play the game and everyone's happy."
Jamie lay on the sofa with her head in Eden's lap while Eden ran her fingers through her hair. "I think we've cleared the air on just about everything, don't you?" she asked, looking up into Eden's eyes.
Eden chuckled. "Just about? Is there more we need to discuss?"
Jamie sat up and shifted so she was facing Eden. "Well, there's one more thing I need to know. Do we start dating or do we pick up where we left off?"
Eden cocked an eyebrow. "That depends on where you think we left off."
Jamie smiled seductively. "I think we left off when I fell asleep in your arms that night."
Eden grinned. "So this is where you get up and cook me breakfast and tell me how great I was?"
Jamie leaned up and kissed Eden, nibbling on her bottom lip before pulling away. "No, this is where you refresh my memory about how good you are."
"I'd carry you up to bed, but I don't think you want me trying to make it up that ladder," Eden said breathlessly.
Jamie nibbled at Eden's neck. "I've had this fantasy since we left this place about us, a blanket, and a moonlit night. I have a bottle of wine stashed in my car, and if you'll climb up to the loft and get a blanket, I'll make the climb worth your while," Jamie said with a seductive tone that sent Eden scrambling up the ladder.
Jamie strolled out to her SUV and retrieved the bottle of Cabernet, as Eden appeared behind her with blankets and a grin. "I hope you don't mind sharing. I threw my bag on top of the other glass and broke it," Jamie said as she took Eden by the hand and led her to the spot she had spent many nights dreaming about near the lake. The sun was just setting and the mood was perfect.
She watched as Eden spread one of the blankets out on the ground with shaking hands. She remembered how brazen Eden was the first time they slept together, and now the cocky brunette seemed nervous. A grin tugged at Jamie's lips as she watched Eden fumble nervously with her shoes as she took a spot in the little nest she'd made.
"Are you nervous about being caught out here in the open or is it me?" Jamie pressed the corkscrew into the top of the bottle.
Eden struggled to look casual as she tucked the other blanket behind her head and lay back. "This just feels like the first time, and I'm hoping I don't do anything to screw it up," Eden responded sheepishly.
Jamie took a sip from the glass before passing it to Eden, who emptied it and passed it back to her. "I feel a little better now," she said with a grin.
Jamie set the glass next to the bottle and curled up next to Eden, resting her head on her shoulder. "I feel like I'm dreaming all this again. Did you dream of me while we were apart?"
Eden sighed. "I tried my best not to think of you, it was just too painful. But every night when I slept, you filled my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I swear I could smell you." Eden ran her fingers through Jamie's blonde tresses.
"Everyone has a scent that is so uniquely them. It doesn't have anything to do with your perfume or shampoo; it's just your smell. I remember being so sick, and even though I was too weak to open my eyes, I could smell you, and it comforted me because I knew you were close by."
Touched by Eden's words, Jamie leaned up and kissed her tenderly, savoring the soft feel of the lips she had missed so desperately. Eden wove her fingers deeper into Jamie's hair and pulled her close, moaning as Jamie's tongue slipped over her bottom lip.
When they broke the kiss, Eden gently pushed Jamie away. "I want to watch you undress."
Jamie chuckled. "You've seen me undress. I remember the way you stared at me that morning I helped you shower."
Eden sat up and tugged at the bottom of Jamie's sweater. "Yes, but that was different. I want to feel free to look at you."
Jamie stood and pulled her sweater over her head, as Eden lay back on the blanket watching. So much was reflected in her eyes—love, adoration, and desire—that Jamie shivered at the intensity. She shrugged out of the T-shirt, silently cursing the layers that prolonged the process. Eden's eyes widened as she unclasped her bra and let it fall to the ground.
Eden clutched unconsciously at the blanket beneath her as each layer of clothing was discarded until Jamie stood before her completely naked. "Come here," Eden softly ordered as Jamie slowly dropped to her knees and straddled her body, holding her gaze the entire time.
Gray-blue eyes closed as fingertips grazed over smooth skin. Memories of the first time she touched the soft body flooded Eden's thoughts, filling her with a desire she fought to keep at bay. She wanted to savor each second and touch of the gift that had been offered to her. Her hands trembled as she ran her fingertips over the velvet skin of Jamie's stomach, feeling the muscles beneath the skin twitch under her touch. Eden exhaled the breath she had been intentionally holding, wanting nothing to impede what she was feeling.
Jamie watched Eden's brow furrow with concentration as she explored her skin. Jamie unbuttoned Eden's shirt and traced her fingers over her skin, slowly stoking the fire within her. When her hands made their way to exposed skin, Eden suddenly grabbed her hands. "Please don't touch me; I don't want to lose my concentration," Eden pleaded as she sat up and pulled Jamie closer to her.
Jamie wrapped her legs around Eden's waist and buried her face into soft brown hair. "I won't, but please don't deny me that pleasure when you're done," Jamie whispered breathlessly as Eden's tongue traced her collarbone.
"You can do anything you want to me, but for now just let me enjoy you," Eden said as she dipped her head and slowly circled Jamie's nipple with her tongue. Jamie leaned her head back, lost in the sensation, gritting her teeth and moaning into the dusky sky. The fall air nipped at her skin as the warmth of Eden's mouth encircled her nipple, making her tremble.
Eden nibbled and sucked at the tender flesh as Jamie's moans and whimpers fanned the flames of her desire higher and higher. Needing more, she gently forced Jamie onto her back, giving her more access to the body she had craved for so long.
Jamie wove her fingers into Eden's hair as she kissed her way down a trembling stomach. Her murmurs of pleasure teased Jamie
's ears as her tongue and mouth teased her skin. Jamie's breath left her as she felt Eden's mouth graze her inner thigh. And when she felt Eden's tongue press into her, her eyes opened wide, barely taking notice of the starry sky above her.
Eden's bare toes flexed in the grass as she pushed her upper body harder against Jamie. She wrapped her arms around flexing thighs as she used her tongue and mouth to make Jamie squirm beneath her. Her lover's pleas washed over her in waves and settled in the pit of her stomach as her own excitement built and threatened to take over. Jamie's body arched off the blanket, and every muscle in her body went rigid. The shuddering cry came all too soon for Eden, who was enraptured with the task at hand.
Jamie bit at her lip as Eden refused to be pushed away. Avoiding the tender spot, she kissed and nibbled until Jamie began to feel another orgasm build.
Eden lightly ran her tongue over the swollen pebble of flesh and groaned with satisfaction as Jamie's body arched again off the ground for the second time. Only when she felt Jamie's body go limp with exhaustion did she stop, still longing to take her to the same heights.
"Come here," Jamie rasped hoarsely as she pulled Eden's body against her. "I want these off," she whispered as she tugged at Eden's clothing. Eden shrugged out of her sweater and jeans and groaned with delight as she snuggled against Jamie's hot skin.
"Okay, I'm ready to admit how wonderful you are, but I'm not cooking breakfast," Jamie grinned. "I'm too relaxed and I have other things on my mind." She rose up on one elbow and looked down at Eden, who lay grinning next to her.
"I'm pretty content right now," Eden purred as she ran her fingertips down Jamie's stomach before being stopped.
"Are you trying to distract me?" Jamie teased as she pushed Eden's hand away.
"Is that a bad thing?" Eden asked as Jamie ran her fingers over her stomach, making her pant.
The Taking of Eden Page 16