Authors: T. A. Foster
Kissing Eden (17 page)
“What made you change your mind
, then?”
“I never stopped feeling it. You need to know that.” His hands gripped the sides of my arms. “When the suitcase showed up, I knew I needed to get out of my own way and stop fighting what I know we have. I took a chance coming up here—a chance you still felt the same way you did in Padre.”
“This is so messed up, Grey. I hurt you and you hurt me. For the last few weeks, we’ve just been drifting in our own worlds, mad and broken.” I was so annoyed tears were starting to form. I still hadn’t learned how to control them yet.
“Wait here. I have an idea.” Grey walked out of the room. Where in the
hell was he going? He poured out romantic, gut-wrenching confessions and then disappeared?
I sat for a minute, brushing the tears away from my cheeks. There was a gentle knock on the door. I hopped off the bed and pushed open the door. Grey stood
, smiling at me with an outstretched hand.
“Hi, I’m Grey Lachlan.”
“This is silly. It’s not spring break anymore. No bonfire. No beach.”
He gave me a stern look. “Play along. Just try it.” He cleared his throat and extended his hand a second time. “Hi, I’m Grey Lachlan.”
This time I took his hand, and as it slid along my palm, I felt the charge connect through the center of my body.
“Hi, I’m Eden Brady.”
My breath stopped.
The heat spread and I couldn’t throw my arms around him fast enough. My lips parted as he kissed me. His mouth was urgent and unrelenting. Had we really been confused and apart for three weeks? All of that was gone. I fisted my hands through his hair as he hitched my legs around his waist.
“Bed, over there.” I pointed across the room and smiled at him.
“We just met. You’re taking things a little fast.” Grey teased the bottom of my ear with his teeth before placing me on the edge of the bed.
“I like fast.” I winked, then pulled his shirt up enough to plant kisses along the rigid lines of his stomach.
He growled and climbed on the bed, sending me backward underneath him. “Baby, I like to take it a little slow.”
Oh, God, yes. Slow was good. Grey doing anything slow to me was good.
“Like this shirt.” His finger traced the V until he hit the top button. “I think it should come off one—” He loosened the first button. “—
stitch—” He nuzzled his lips along the top of my bra. “—at a time.” His fingers worked the second, and with his teeth, he pulled the edge of lace down over my nipple, giving him full access with his mouth.
I leaned back into the bed, as the building heat swirled through my belly. His tongue was amazing. I pulled my arms through the sleeves, leaving the shirt underneath me.
Grey hungrily eyed the waist of my jeans. Hovering over me like a tiger, he nipped along the side of my stomach until his fingers worked the zipper. I raised my hips so he could shimmy the jeans off my legs. It was hard not to rush. I knew where we were headed, and I wanted to be with him again in the closest way possible. This is what I could do to show him how much I cared and how sorry I was I hurt him.
I watched as he pulled the belt from his jeans and tossed them to the floor. He was above me
, and I felt the anticipation for him making me breathless. I parted my legs, ready for him.
“Eden?” He stared into my eyes.
I was breathing so hard I had to bite down on my lip.
“
Mmm-hmm?” My hips rocked forward to take him.
“I love you.” I heard the whispered words as he thrust deep inside me
, sending me into sheer oblivion.
I hoped
Taylor had left for the mixer, because there was no holding back. Grey slid his hands under by back and rolled to the side, bringing me on top of him. I kissed him on the mouth, matching my breath to his. Every time I rocked forward, his eyes closed. I leaned back, giving more of myself to him than I ever had.
“Grey
, I can’t … wait … any …” I wanted to make it last and go slow like he wanted, but the pressure was too tight and my body missed all of this way too much.
“It’s ok, baby. I missed you so much.” He sat up, locking his arms around me.
It felt like he was a part of me, that the more skin I touched or the more kisses I stole we were completely in sync. Then I felt it, the sexual goddess in me that Grey always unleashed. I wanted him to feel how sorry I was, how much I missed him, how much I loved him. I pressed against him and let the rhythm of my hips quicken, taking him with me. I clung to his arms as the satisfying release shook our bodies.
We
lay down on the bed, exhausted and out of breath.
“Grey?”
“Yeah, baby?”
I leaned over him. The butterflies were fluttering and my entire body was still tingling from unbelievable makeup sex, but I had to do this. I had never done it before, and it was way past time.
“I love you too.” I kissed him and let the feelings between us wash over me like the waves at South Padre.
He sat up, grinning.
He pulled me close against his chest and let his hand rest on the small of my back. I loved that our bodies fell back together like we had never been apart. It all felt perfect.
“I know something I wanted to ask you.” I ran my fingers along his chest.
“Shoot.”
“Before I left
, you got a package from Texas State. Are you going to go back to school?”
He laughed.
“I haven’t seen you in three weeks, and of all the questions, I didn’t expect that one.”
“Stop laughing at me
. I’m serious.” I swatted him lightly.
“So y
ou saw that package, did you?” He grinned.
“
Mmm-hmm. Does it mean you’re going to get to work on your windmills or airplane wings?” Ever since Grey told me about his dream on our border town date, I had wanted that for him.
I could tell he was being cautious with his answer. “It was my transcripts and letters of recommendation.”
“Wait, are you transferring?” I sat up and looked at him.
“Maybe. I heard there were some pretty good engineering schools in North Carolina.” He watched my face for a reaction.
“But you can’t leave Texas or the Palm.” The prickly sensation I felt on my neck whenever I was nervous surfaced.
“Baby, I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but I have transcripts and I have letters.”
“So I’m not making you abandon your family’s business?” I settled back into the crook of his arm.
“No. You’re not. All I know is
, three days ago, your suitcase showed up in the Palm office, and I got in my truck and headed north. I’m hoping the rest of it I’ll figure out with you.”
I was now completely in
heaven. Where had this Texas boy been my whole life? Whatever happened next we were going to figure it out
together.
He ran his fingers through my hair. “Why, are you thinking about moving to South Padre and turning the Palm into a mini-resort, complete with regular luaus?”
It was as if he could read my mind. I leaned up to kiss him, ready to tell him all my daydreams about him and the Palm, but he interrupted.
“Hey, I almost forgot. I brought you a present.” Grey was excited.
“A present? Not just the suitcase?” I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I was ecstatic to get my favorite Carolina T-shirt back, and I had him in my bed. I didn’t need anything else.
“No. But it’s out there.” He pointed to the bedroom door. “Do you think your roommate is still here?”
I crept to the door, knowing he eyed every step of my naked body.
“I don’t hear anything. I think she left for the mixer or either we scared her out of the apartment.” I giggled
, and then jumped back on the bed. I would have to apologize later to Taylor for my lack of sanity.
“Ok, but I’ll take this just in case. I would hate to meet her in the dark hallway in my birthday suit.” He pulled the sheet out from underneath me and wrapped it around his waist. “Be right back.”
Within thirty seconds, he closed the bedroom door behind him and revealed a brown shopping bag that was shielded by his back.
“For you,
darlin.” He handed me the bag.
I pulled out white tissue paper and retrieved a long rectangular box. I gave Grey a quizzical look. He was having fun watching me with the gift. I slid the lid to the side.
“Boots!” I pulled the pair of chocolate brown western boots from the box.
“Like ‘
em?”
“They’re beautiful. These are my first official cowgirl boots.” I loved the intricate embroidery on the side.
“Yep. Why don’t you try them on?”
I looked around for my clothes. “Like this?” He wasn’t serious, was he?
“Oh yeah, you are going to be the hottest cowgirl I’ve ever seen.” Grey kissed my neck and I giggled as he held the boots up to my feet. “I’ve got three weeks of making up to do that starts right now.”
He slid one boot on my pointed foot and kissed the top of my calf, before performing the same ritual with the second foot. I admired my latest footwear
and the man who was willing to drive thousands of miles to put them on my feet. As Grey gently pushed me back on the bed with a deep, mind-blowing kiss that stole my breath, I whispered his name.
I knew then that I was going to love hi
m
like crazy,
as if every day was spring break.
Read more about T.A. Foster, catch a sneak peek of
Hazards of a One Night Stand
by Alyssa Rose Ivy, and enjoy an exclusive excerpt of
London Falling
.
About the Author
T.A. Foster once spent a monthlong spring break on South Padre Island, where she soaked in the Texas sun, beach, and learned what real Texas country music is. Sometimes fiction does spring from reality.
She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the
state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children, and two canine kiddos.
T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach tri
p
.
http://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
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London Falling
T.A. Foster
Description
It’s London’s senior year and she only needs one class to graduate. She just didn’t expect her final assignment: fall in love.
Communication 224 has a reputation for giving out the most unique projects of the semester. When London James and Beau Anderson signed up for the class they had no idea they would be paired up together, much less spend an entire semester working on their final grade.
Professor Garcia tasks them to produce a study on the hit reality show, Love Match, a show about strangers falling in love on over the top dates. London and Beau decide to debunk the popular show’s fantasy portrayal of romance. Determined they can date the entire semester and not fall for each other, the classmates share blogs about their dates and start a website where everyone can follow their dating experiment.
Is staying out of love as easy as it seems? Headstrong and success-driven London discovers there might be more important things in life than an A.
London Falling Excerpt
Beau had planned our first four dates. It was only fair that I start contributing to the execution of this project.
Spoiled Hearts
ended its one-week run last night, and other than sitting next to him in class, I hadn’t spent any time with Beau since we watched
Love Match
together on Monday. My entire Saturday was devoted to preparing for the date. It was time I tried to surprise the campus expert on all things Carolina with something I knew he hadn’t done yet.
“No peeking.” I had wrapped the blindfold around his eyes as tightly as I could without hurting him.
“You’re not going to give me some kind of clue?” Beau was outwardly amused by the date I created.
“No way. I’m in charge today. You just have to trust me.”
“Does it involve body paint, bagpipes, or a floating hot tub?”
I laughed. The floating hot tub would have been fun, but I couldn’t find one of those in Chapel Hill on such short notice. “None of the above. You’ll see.”
I pulled the car onto the gravel path and turned into a dirt parking lot. It was almost sunset. We would have to hurry if I was going to pull this off. I threw my car in park and ran over to the passenger side to help Beau.
“I’m kind of at a disadvantage here with the blindfold.” I steered him toward the opening in the brush and led him down the path twenty yards before I stopped him.
I placed his hand on the trunk of the tree next to us so he could steady himself.
“Ready?” I couldn’t wait for him to get started.
“Yes, please take this off.”
I walked behind him to untie the knot, but as my hands traced over his neck, I changed my mind.
“There’s one thing you have to do first.”
I could see his eyebrow arch under the silk scarf and a smile crept across his face. I took a step back and my body met the bark of the tree. Beau turned in my direction, anchoring his hands on either side of me. I wasn’t entirely sure he couldn’t see right through the blindfold.
I reached forward, taking his face in my palms, and brought his lips crushing down onto mine. With the force of his body, he pinned me harder against the tree and hitched both my legs around his waist. We were completely derailing from the plan. I fisted my hands in his hair until I had loosened the knot on the scarf and freed his eyes from the cover. I watched as he took in our surroundings.
“Where are we?” It was getting darker. We were deep in the middle of the woods and I didn’t account for the light changing so quickly with the towering trees. Maybe we didn’t have time for a woodsy make out.
“You are on a
Love Match
scavenger hunt.” I smiled.
“Sweet. What am I hunting?” He pressed himself harder against me.
“Me.”
His right eyebrow shifted high. “What?”
“You better get going if you’re going to get your prize.” I wiggled out of his tight hold and landed next to him. “Here’s your first clue.” I handed him a folded piece of paper and tried to refrain from laughing. Mr. Adventurous looked worried all of a sudden.
“You’re not going to tell me anything else? I don’t even know where we are, London.”
“You have your phone so you won’t get lost, lost. You just might not find me. Good luck.” I winked at him. “Go that way.” I pointed ahead on the path where the light was dimming and watched until he was out of sight.
I had walked the route of my scavenger hunt three times
, and it took me an average of twenty minutes to complete the course I had created. Beau could probably beat my time, so I estimated I had about fifteen minutes before he found me.
I ran back to the car and grabbed my bag. Everything I needed was packed inside. I had sent Beau on a loop so I could safely walk in the other direction without running into him. We would eventually meet in the middle.
There was an open patch of ground near the stone wall overlooking the grounds. I pulled out a thin tarp before spreading a blanket over top. I had two camping lanterns, which I anchored just off the corner of the blanket.
I pulled out my phone to check the time. He should be here any second. I looked down the path. It was empty. I had hiked past this place twenty times since I was a
freshman, but I had never really stopped to look at the building that made the area such a famous landmark.
The round turret and the climbing ivy gave it a gothic feel that was starting to creep me out. Maybe I hadn’t concocted the best date. Beau was missing, the sun was almost down, and the legends about ghost stories in these woods all of a sudden haunted me.
One of the stories from the 1830s was about a student who had died on this land in a duel. Legend had it that in a panic to cover up his death, the students at the duel buried his body under a rock. When the girl he had been courting found out her beloved had died, she supposedly waited at the rock for him to return. The eerie part of the story was that the rock also happened to be the rendezvous point where the couple used to meet secretly for dates. There were legendary stories that circulated about people who had seen the ghosts of the torn apart couple walking the woods together.
After I watched last week’s
Love Match
episode, I thought this was the closest thing we had to medieval tales and a castle. I nervously scanned the woods again. Finally, I swiped the screen on my phone to call Beau. I couldn’t stand it anymore.
“London. Found you. Man, this is awesome!” Beau was smiling as he jogged through the trail.
I hid my phone in the bag.
“
Gimghoul Castle at sunset? Great idea. Did you know this was on my bucket list?” He seemed ecstatic.
“Maybe.” Of
course, I had started studying the list more intently. “I’m glad you like it.” Now that Beau was here, I wasn’t as nervous about the ghost stories. The castle did look like it was glowing from the dropping golden rays of the sun. It was beautiful.
He
knelt at the edge of the blanket. “Now do I get my prize?” He started crawling toward me like a tiger on the hunt. It gave me chills thinking what he would do when he caught me. Although, that was the whole point: kiss at Gimghoul Castle at sunset.
I sat up on my knees
, anxious for him to make his way to the edge of the blanket. His body collided with mine, and in one swift motion, he pulled me directly under him.
“Gotcha.”
My giggles quickly turned to something else. Beau was staring directly in my eyes, and it was impossible to hide how much I wanted him. My mouth parted as his lips descended on mine. I tried to steady my breathing, but the way he touched me only made me want more. I already loved kissing him. It felt hot, sexy, and just a little dangerous every time he made me moan. And he could make me moan.
“Hey! Hey!” I heard someone yelling at us. This was not happening.
“You kids shouldn’t be out here. Go on!” A guard from the castle walked on the other side of the wall and motioned to us to leave, throwing his hands in the air.
Mortified, I scrambled out from under my frustrated partner. My romantic gothic date was a complete catastrophe.
Beau reached for my hand and pulled me up. He shrugged his shoulders. We started stuffing my scavenger hunt items back into my bag. Back to the drawing board.
You can read the rest of Beau and London’s dates.
