Eden's Pleasure (Pulse Book 1) (30 page)

She awoke with a start, the bed sheet over her face. She sat up, stripping the sheets and her robe violently from her body. She jumped from the bed and ran for the door, peering into the dark hallway, looking to the end for any signs of life before making her way to Chase’s door. She slowly opened it, closing it quietly behind her, and walked over to the bed where he was sleeping soundly.

Eden could hear him breathing, the smell of his scent in the air. Standing beside the bed, she watched him sleep. The sight of him was so hot. Chase lay on his back with the sheet draped to his waist, revealing in no uncertain terms that he lay naked beneath the satin material. The outline of the head of his penis caused her breath to hitch. His strong muscular arms were tucked under his pillow. His lips were slightly parted, making them look full and kissable. She wanted to lean down and run her tongue over them, but he was so peaceful.

“I can’t lose you now. I’m falling in love with you,” she whispered into the night air.

Eden slipped into his side, and Chase gave a gentle moan, stirring for just a moment, and wrapped an arm around her to nestle against his chest. She couldn’t close her eyes for fear of any more dreams, but she was happy to listen to his breathing and the odd moan as he slept.

***

He was shocked when he woke to find Eden pressed into his side. She was asleep, but from the dark circles under her eyes and her furrowed brow, he could tell that the night had not been peaceful.

What am I going to do?
he asked himself. Not wanting to push her into a relationship, something that she had told him time and time again that she didn’t want, his feelings were going to get harder to hide. He needed to use self-control, keep his mouth shut and listen to her for prompts, something that he just wasn’t sure of with his domineering nature.

“Oh, what you do to me,” he whispered, stirring her from her sleep. “Good morning,” Chase said, tightening his arms around her when her eyes opened and sadly stared into his.

“I had a dream. I didn’t want to be alone,” she offered as an explanation for her being in his bed.

“I’m glad you came to me. You should have woken me.”

“I didn’t want to wake you. I just wanted to feel you beside me. I’ve gotten used to you in the bed with me. Come back to your bed, don’t leave me alone again,” she urged.

“Do you want to tell me your dream?” he asked, but she shook her head. “I should have never left you alone. I wanted you to get a good night’s sleep, that’s all.” He stroked her cheek and rolled her onto her back so he could drape his leg over her and kiss her gingerly. “I guess that idea backfired. I’m so sorry.”

Her fingers ran up and down his back, driving him crazy with her touch. He slowly probed her mouth with his tongue. She opened to meet him in a tangle of desire. He slid his hand up under her pj’s with no desire to remove the garment.

He took his time, his touch pleasing against her soft skin. Her breasts, he kneaded and teased with his hands, pinching her tight nipples lightly enough to arouse. His touch was like no other touch she had ever known. Their breathing intensified, and their moans amplified throughout the room.

Slowly, patiently, he slipped his hand into her panties, stroking her clit in circles as she moaned and raised her hips to meet his movement until she climaxed with a flutter of explosions. He pulled at the lace of her panties, tearing them away with a single rip. Her eyes widened as his eyes leered at her.

He rolled onto her body and slowly inserted his cock into her opening, careful to use her hot juices as a lubricant with each stroke. His rhythm was intentionally slow, penetrating her to her full depth, before withdrawing so that he could feel the head of his cock at the rim of her opening and then each inch as he glided back to her depth.

His breathing was heavy, and with each forward stroke, he moaned with pleasure, sending a thrill through her body. The sound of his pure, unbridled enjoyment was like no aphrodisiac known. He stroked over her G-spot with perfect rhythm each time he penetrated her, and she moaned to match him, running her hands gracefully up and down his sides.

This didn’t for a moment feel like the act of sex for gratification. It felt like so much more. If Eden had to put it into words, she would say he was definitely making love to her. Painstakingly slow, unhurried, and passionate. They lost themselves in each other. All that existed was that moment in time.

All the troubles and torture that plagued them vanished, and the here and now was all that mattered, all that they craved. No need for dominance, they submitted to the magnificence of it all. Nothing was more natural and satisfying than two bodies entwined together during the magic that was the performance of making love.

As they got closer to their releases, he increased the pace, reaching his hands to hold her ass tight to him as he rocked her powerfully beneath his weight. She cried out his name as she climaxed, squeezing her legs at his sides with each wave. His orgasm came on the tail of her final wave with a low rumbling growl.

“Baby, what you do to me,” he whispered into her ear.

Chase spent most of the morning in his office working. He had finally caught up on his workload and was researching a brilliant possibility, one that he hadn’t been too sure of when it came to him in the shower with Eden this morning. Smiling, it seemed all so doable now. It was a very viable idea indeed, and the initial cost would be minimal. The outcome would save millions over the next five years. The board of directors would love the idea of saving money.

This can be done,
he thought to himself. All that he needed to do right now was convince his Mom first—and that should be easy, then talk to Rheanna before arranging a directors meeting.

“Hey, man, you busy?” Mason asked from the doorway.

“I’m finished for now. What can I help you with?” Chase asked as he cleared his paperwork, stacking it neatly to one side and placing a paperweight that looked like a large gold nugget on top.

“We lost the little fucker,” Mason told him, waiting for Chase to freak out.

“It’s one fucking guy! You have a team of men on his tail, and he gets away how?” Chase sat back in his chair, taking a deep breath to calm himself, and rubbing his beard in frustration.

“I know, I’m pissed too. This guy is fast. Freakishly fast,” Mason tried to explain.

“Don’t give me that shit, man. Get more guys if you have to, but find him,” Chase ordered. “And Mason…” He leaned in, looking at the doorway to assure no one was listening. “Not a word about this to Eden. Got it?”

“Got it.” Mason left the room, closing the door behind him.

Chase took the business card that Detective Blackstock had given him and dialed the numbers into the phone.

“District C-6, how can I direct your call?” the operator asked in a droll tone.

“Detective Blackstock, please?” he asked, not knowing if he would be welcomed to ask questions.

“Blackstock,” the detective snorted into the phone.

“Detective, this is Chase Dean. I was calling to ask how the investigation was going.”

“Mr. Dean, you know that I can’t discuss the case with you,” he said in a condescending manner.

“Surely you could tell me something. This involves me too. Miss Fox is starting to feel a little stir-crazy,” Chase explained, hoping for the detective’s sympathy toward Eden. Hoping that the police were on this idiot’s tail.

“Sorry, can’t help you,” the detective said dryly, clearing his throat in the silence. “Listen, Dean…you’re a resourceful young man. Take her out of the country for a while. Surely your security team can arrange something. Treat her to some fun in the sun. Buy her a bobble or two.”

Chase swore he heard a little good-guy side of the detective that rarely got out. He could arrange a trip, take her away, and the nightmare could all be over by the time they returned.

“Thank you, Detective, you’ve been very helpful. You have my number.” Chase hung up the phone and pulled out his Blackberry to make another call.

“Mason, I need to make some plans for a trip. Meet me in my office at four…I’m going out for a while.” He disconnected the call without waiting for a response and hit speed dial for his next call.

“Hi, Mom, I need to talk to you if you have some time…now, if possible. I’ll be there in say, thirty minutes? Great, see you then.” Chase hung up.

He had thirty minutes, time to get his ass in gear. He would come up with his proposal en route. This would be the easy part. The tough part of the plan would be convincing Rheanna and the board. The idea of talking to his sister made him sick, but he would deal with her when the time came. He jumped into the Audi R8, pulled from the garage, and relayed his plan to Mason, who stood in the driveway with a disapproving scowl on his face. Chase drove down to the gates and disappeared in a blue streak while Mason stood shaking his head.

***

Eden looked intently at the control panel for the intercom/security system, worrying her lip as she waved her index finger over the buttons. You practically needed to be a brain surgeon to figure out which button called which area of the house. She knew the red one was the panic button, blue ambulance, yellow fire and each bedroom was numbered. Other than that, she was baffled.

“What are you doing, sweetheart?” Mason asked, amused by the concentration on her face as she chewed away at her lower lip.

“Oh thank god, this thing is nuts. I was looking for you, actually. I couldn’t find Chase. I wanted to tell you I’m going for a run,” she told him as he gazed up and down her form in the spandex outfit with great appreciation. He liked a woman that looked after herself. Her outfit hugged tight in all the right places, showing her well-toned abs and the sexy shape of her legs.

“Mason? Hey, Mason, snap out of it!” She reached out and punched his arm, realizing that he was far too into what she was wearing.

Swallowing back the dirty little secrets and images that whirled in his mind, he looked at his watch. “Chase went out for a while. Don’t be too long, and stay on the property,” he instructed.

“Where did he go...never mind.” She held up her hands. “It’s none of my business…I plan on staying to the fence line.” She took off out the front door, and Mason smiled as he took in the sight of her tight round apple-shaped ass cheeks.

Eden smiled to herself as she flew through the door, knowing that Mason was watching her ass. He was such a man!

It was chilly this afternoon, but she would warm soon, and the run would do her good. It would clear the cobwebs from her mind and some of the tension that was causing the throbbing in her head. The trees were starting to change color, and birds flew from them as she ran by. The heavy tamping of her shoes on the ground and her fast-paced breathing were the only notable sounds, aside from birds chirping and a dog far off in the distance somewhere. Totally alone, her thoughts turned from her surroundings to Chase, as she gained a little speed running along the white picket fence.

Where has he gone?
she wondered. She hadn’t seen him since their morning shower. She had even eaten breakfast alone. She appreciated the time to herself, but she feared that he had heard her whispers last night and was avoiding her, reluctant to get too close.

When she got back to the house, she saw the garage open and the Audi R8 gone. She concluded that Chase must have taken the car and gone on his own since Mason was still here. She had met up with each of the marksmen on her run, surely distracting them with her outfit, which meant that only Chase had left.

She showered quickly, avoiding getting her hair wet, and dressing in jeans and a sweatshirt with “I heart Boston” on the chest and “The Fox” written across the back in red lettering. She tied her hair into a knot at the back of her head and wore a pair of tennis shoes without socks.

Rheanna came from the office with her arms wrapped across her chest, concealing something under her sweater, when she noticed Eden walking down the hall. They passed each other without a word to the relief of Eden. The smell of liquor wafted in the air, and Eden shook her head, knowing that Rheanna had been into the sauce again. Chase would be pissed and surely a fight would ensue.

Wandering aimlessly around the huge house, Eden took in her surroundings, checking out the many pieces of artwork. There were many paintings and photographs that sat on side tables, hung on the walls, fireplace mantels, and seemed to adorn every room.

Most of the pieces of sculpted art were originals, names she recognized from local galleries; the paintings were reproductions of famous works. One in particular caught her eye; it hung in the hall leading to the kitchen. Eden had passed it so many times before but never noticed it. A memory of seeing it in Chase’s apartment came to her. It was a Renoir reproduction called “After the Bath” painted in 1888. She knew it well; she had taken inspiration from it for the painting she produced for the auction. It was beautifully reproduced and the frame was exceptional, bringing out the brilliance of the paint colors. Why was it hanging in such a place?