Eden's Pleasure (Pulse Book 1) (40 page)

She was more than happy with Chase’s gift and waited while it was gift-wrapped. She looked around the store to kill time, admiring the entire selection of diamonds and glittering cocktail rings, etcetera.

An all too familiar voice rasped along Eden’s nerve endings like nails on a blackboard as she turned to see Rheanna schmoozing with the salesman. Leaning forward and laughing far too loudly, she was visibly laying it on thick for the benefit of the male staff. She reminded Eden of a black-haired harlot from a fifties movie with just the right amount of cleavage displayed for her companion’s enjoyment. Eden shook her head with a snort, disgusted with the lengths that this woman would go to attract a man’s attention.

When the salesman returned with the carefully wrapped gift, alerting Eden that it was ready, Rheanna looked over and scowled before excusing herself from the drooling salesman long enough to skulk over to speak, to Eden’s dismay.

“What do you have there?” she asked in a rather sour tone, eyeing the black-wrapped box, tied with gold satin ribbon.

“A gift for your brother’s birthday,” Eden answered, wishing not to be having this conversation with the dragon lady.

Her shrill laughter and annoying throwing back of her head only riled Eden more. The vision of it tearing from her shoulders and crashing to the floor behind her, made Eden smile if only for a brief second. “You do know that he can’t wear cheap jewelry, it gives him a rash. Besides, if you knew him like you think you do, you would know you missed his birthday.” She tittered at her own bitter undertaking at humor.

“Not to worry, Rheanna.” She so wanted to put her in her place, but was holding back so as not to make a scene. Then she thought better of it since the sales staff had heard the insulting comment from
her
nasty lips already. “I left the cheap shit just for you!”

Eden smiled to herself, turning to thank the salesman who was trying hard to restrain his laughter behind the back of his hand, and walked ceremoniously out the door with her head held high.

***

Eden ordered a pizza and sat sipping a bottle of water while she waited. She sat near the counter, watching as couples shared romantic stares and glasses of wine by candles lit in cheap wine bottles with the wax drippings, now solid, down the sides. Her mind drifted to thoughts of the night to come. She missed his touch and the promise of pleasure only he could bestow upon her.

She’d carefully chosen what to wear with a wet appetite for only
him
in mind. She dressed in a pair of ratty, old, loose-fit jeans, folded over at the top to accentuate her tiny waist and curvy hips and a tight, form-fitting white t-shirt that left a gap at her waist, leaving her belly button exposed. She chose not to wear a bra and panties, well aware that her dark nipples undoubtedly could be seen through the thin fabric. Over it, she wore a heavy, grey hoody, now zipped up to keep her warm in the cold December air. It would add to the allure when it was removed.

The sweet Italian gentleman behind the counter called to her, holding out her pizza. She thanked him, turning to make her way out the door, when she was blocked by the unwelcome view of the dragon lady. Her stomach felt like a lead weight had been dropped into it, and she would have given anything to be able to sneak out the back way unscathed. Chase had mentioned that Rheanna was living at the country house until it sold, making Eden wonder what she was doing in the city.

“Is there anywhere in this city that you aren’t?” Rheanna spit at her. The sour smell of liquor blew in Eden’s face, causing her to turn her head away and hold her breath.

“Goodbye, Rheanna,” Eden said, trying to squeeze passed her without disturbing any of the nearby customers, without success. This just couldn’t happen three times in one day and in less than twelve hours. What were the odds, like a million to one?

“Who’s the pizza for? Got a date…must be a real loser.” The tail end of her statement was directed at her much older dinner companion, but said loud enough to attempt to annoy Eden. She really
was
a contemptible bitch, as evil as the day was long. Rheanna made the wicked witch of the west come across like the good fairy in comparison.

“Not nice, Rheanna…shouldn’t call your brother names.” She crushed passed her, bumping an empty chair, and apologizing to a family enjoying dinner, not waiting for a reaction from the dragon lady.
Three strikes and you’re done, with any luck,
Eden thought.

Eden walked along the street wondering what the hell that woman hated her for. She had never done her any harm. In fact, it should be Eden that hated her, since Rheanna was a big part of Jackson getting into the country house and terrorizing her.

She turned her sights to the window displays as she walked by the many stores and boutiques that lined the busy main street. A palm tree and cruise ship caught her eye in the travel agent’s window, complete with real sand and seashells. She dreamt herself soaking up the sun, and the sound of waves splashed along the shore of a tropical location. She almost felt warm, almost, when she became very aware that she was shivering. She picked up her pace, proceeding past the shops and into Chase’s apartment lobby.

At the Pen1 elevator, Eden punched in the code on the pin pad and climbed in when it opened. She checked her lip gloss in the mirrors and unzipped her hoody, so as to check that her look was just perfect and would have the effect she was hoping for. She zipped it back up just as the door opened to an empty foyer. It was quiet and quite dark inside. There was no sound. She frowned and tiptoed in a little further. He assured her he would be there when she arrived.

The dark was beginning to scare her, making her uncomfortable. She reached the hall light switch and turned it on, illuminating the living room area. She looked up the stairs for a sign of light under the doors, but they were dark. The kitchen light was off so she made no attempt to go inside. The only other place she thought he could be was the movie room. She turned the hall light on and made her way to the door. A flicker of light shone inside from the LED screen. His raven hair could be seen over the back of the couch.

Eden walked around to face Chase, who was sound asleep. She smiled at how sweet he looked. His lips were slightly parted, and she could hear his gentle breathing. Placing the pizza quietly on the coffee table, Eden leaned in close making sure not to touch him and possibly wake him too soon. Coming forward, she touched her lips to his. He startled and his eyes burst open, his hands grabbing her arms. Chase let out a breath when he realized it was her and pulled her onto his lap, smothering her with many tiny kisses.

“Hi, baby,” he said, smoothing her hair back from her face.

“Hi, nice sleep?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I was going to meet you at the elevator. I feel bad now.”

Eden ran her hand over his chest and shoulder with a smile. “You don’t feel bad to me, not bad at all!”

They kissed and caressed each other until they were breathless.

“I’m hungry, and I brought pizza. Let’s eat,” Eden said, getting to her feet and pulling Chase to stand.

“It’ll be cold by now. Come, we’ll heat it up.” Chase took her by the hand and carried the pizza box into the kitchen, placing the pizza in the oven to heat it.

“Can I interest you in a glass of wine?” he asked while retrieving two glasses from the counter.

“Yes, please.”

Chase poured the wine, and they clinked their glasses together, enjoying the first sip with locked eyes and then a soft kiss. When Chase peeked to see the pizza’s progress, Eden took the opportunity to check out his rear end, enjoying the view immensely.

“Did you find a movie for us to watch?” she asked.

“I did, but you’ll have to wait. It’s a surprise,” he teased.

“An action flick? Comedy? Perhaps porn?” she asked, laughing, causing him to choke on his wine as he guffawed at her question.

“Nice try, Miss Fox, but my lips are sealed.” He gestured zipping up his lips, locking them with an imaginary key, and throwing it away, making her laugh at how crazy he looked and how much she wanted him at that very minute.

They ate several slices of pizza each and had a few glasses of wine while carrying on a serious conversation about what they had missed at the meeting, which turned out to be a lot.

He shared with her how he started working for his father as a carpenter, moving up through the different departments in the company before taking the position as CEO. How that’s the reason he spends so much time on the construction sites, the physical end being his first, true love.

She shared her love of art and all the different mediums that she had tried and failed. They laughed as she told him of her disaster with clay and a potter’s wheel.

“Let me top up our wine, and we’ll go watch the movie,” he said, clearing the table and filling their glasses. He took her hand in his familiar commanding way, and they went to the movie room. All the while, she wondered what he had up his sleeve with the movie pick.

Before they settled onto the couch, she intentionally stood in front of him and slowly unzipped her hoody, making sure that his interest was piqued. Her intention to tease was in the forefront of her mind as she slid it slowly off of her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Chase scanned over her from head to toe and back again, to focus on her breasts.

“Are you kidding me?” he asked with his mouth hanging open, just sitting and staring.

Eden was taken aback by his comment and uninterested demeanor. Suddenly feeling silly and discomfited, she reached down for her hoody to cover up.

“I don’t fucking think so,” he said, grabbing her hoody from her and throwing it back to the ground. “Very, very hot, Miss Fox!”

He ran his hand over her exposed belly and up to her breast kneading it with vigor. He took his other hand and cradled it around the nape of her neck, moving her waiting mouth to his own, and delved his tongue into her mouth in search of her hot tongue. Her hands ran up his back into his raven curls, and she buried her fingers deep in his unruly hair with such heat and passion, it hurt. He let out a painful moan. She untangled her hands from his hair and peeled his hands off of her breasts and stepped back.

“Slow,” she whispered, struggling to catch her breath.

“Tease.” Chase looked at her with a look like a child who just had his candy taken away. Laughing, she pushed him onto the couch, kicked off her shoes, jumped to sit beside him with her feet tucked under her, and snuggled into his arm.

“On with the show!” She smiled.

“Nice…two fucking hours with a hard-on. You’re killing me.” Chase growled a sexy sound while adjusting his erection and reaching for the remote sitting beside him. He turned down the lights and brought the screen to life. A familiar party scene came on the screen and she watched it, knowing this movie, not quite sure if it was the one until Christopher Reeve came onto the screen.

“
Somewhere in Time
…you remembered,” she said, squeezing his arm tight.

“You think I don’t hear you when you tell me what you like?” he asked.

“But it’s a mushy movie, and you hate mushy movies,” she said as if he wasn’t aware of this fact.

“This is for you, baby, anything for you…besides you’re going to make it up to me later.”

She poked his arm and laughed, settling in to his side again.

By the end of the movie, Eden had gone through practically a whole box of tissues. They had finished a bowl of popcorn and bottle of wine. Chase laughed at the pile of tissues she had accumulated.

“That was so good, thank you.” She threw herself on his lap and kissed him on the cheek playfully.

“I guess it wasn’t so bad for a chick flick.” But he knew he wouldn’t admit that with anyone else around. “Would you like more wine or something to eat?”

“No thanks. I’m going to have to spend an extra few hours at the gym just to work off what I had already,” she said rubbing her hand over her stomach.

“I know another way you could work it off,” he said with a glimmer in his eye and a smirk on his face.

“Oh my, Mr. Dean, is it getting hot in here?” she asked in her best Southern-belle accent, batting her eyelashes at him and fanning her face with her hand.

“Oh yeah, it’s hot,” he said as he ran his hands up under her t-shirt and tweaked her nipples to life, then pulled the t-shirt over her head, throwing it to the floor.

She climbed from his lap, pulling him to stand, unbuttoned his shirt slowly one button by one, making eye contact as each one opened to reveal his bare chest. Eden slipped the shirt over his shoulders, down his arms, and onto the floor. She ran her hands over his chest, up to his shoulders, and into his hair, pulling him into a slow, seductive kiss. Her lips parted, and her tongue ran across his lips, causing him to open to her command. Slowly, their tongues mingled and their breathing hurried.

“Come,” he demanded with dark, wanton eyes. He took her hand, and she followed without resistance. This was what she had waited for, for so long. When they got to the door to his room, he stopped, leaned against the door, and took her face in his hands, staring into her eyes.

“Tell me you want to be with me, this is what you want,” he said so seriously, it touched her heart and terrified her at the same time.

“I want to be with you, only you,” she declared.