by Melody Anne
She hated how her body responded to him, instantly wanting their clothes gone, instantly wanting that connection she could find only with this one man. Instead of admitting that to him or herself, she glared up at him, trying to keep her cool even as she trembled against him.
“Do you honestly believe I could ever hurt anyone?” he said before lifting his hand, running a rough finger down her cheek before resting it at her throat where her pulse was thumping madly. “That these fingers could take a life?” he went on, his hand going lower, rubbing over the top of her breasts, making her nipples ache at how close he was to them.
“I know you can hurt people,” she said, too much emotion in her tone. She had to take a deep breath, which was a mistake. She inhaled his musky scent, and it nearly made her faint. This was too much. It was all too much. She wanted to push away from him, but she wasn’t going to show him how much his touch was affecting her.
Instead of trying to get away, she pressed closer, surprising him. “I definitely know how much you can hurt people, but that doesn’t matter. I’m just doing my job, and you’re on the list,” she said. “And the investigator wants you suspended until you’re either convicted or cleared.” His eyes narrowed. “Now back away.”
She was proud of the command in her tone. She even thought it might have worked—that was, until she watched his lips turn up. The expression reminded her so much of the boy she’d fallen in love with that it took her breath away. She was seventeen again, and he was just her Owen.
Just the way it was always supposed to be. Just the way it had been for so long.
Chapter Seven
Owen wasn’t sure what he’d felt when he’d made the decision to pin Eden against the wall. All he knew for sure was that he hadn’t been able to stop himself as he’d moved forward. Yes, there was a need to touch her, feel her, have her in his arms again. But there was also a feral part of him that wanted to prove to her she wasn’t as icy as she wanted him to believe.
He’d known her for fifteen years, had been friends with her long before they’d decided to make it more. Then they’d dated for three years, and he’d never been so in love. That had frightened him. He’d wanted so much more than to be that small-town guy who never left—who thought life was complete with the girl next door.
A twinge of guilt stabbed through him at such a horrible thought. The thing was, life had been complete with her. He hadn’t needed to traipse across the country to find himself. He’d left who he truly was back home—in this woman’s arms. And he’d royally screwed it all up. He had wanted to beg her to come back to him, but his pride had prevented him from doing just that. Besides, he’d figured all she’d need was time to realize he was a new man.
But she was doing her best to keep him at arm’s length, even when he showed up to events she attended. But somehow, even with all of that between them, they always managed to end up right back here—with his body pressed against hers, their hearts beating as one.
And now this woman, who he had no doubt he still loved, was investigating him for setting a fire that had killed innocent people, including some firefighters he’d known his entire life. He wanted to strangle her as much as he wanted to kiss her. He was sure he knew which way he’d decide to go. He’d hurt her once—he’d never do it again.
“I told you to back off,” Eden said, her voice still a little shaky but filled with resolve.
“I love it when you get all commanding,” he told her, making sure there was a smirk on his lips. He knew how much that infuriated her. And right now it was much wiser for both of them to feel anger instead of lust. Of course, lust and anger went hand in hand, he thought a second too late. Damn, his neglected body was hard as a rock.
Owen slowly stepped back, his body calling him a fool for letting her go, his mind telling him this was a much saner move. Once he took that first step, he managed to put a bit of distance between them. He was sure his brother was going to pop his head into the room at any minute, and then he’d never hear the end of this argument. His brothers might all love each other fiercely, but they also enjoyed poking one another as much as possible. That’s what family was for.
Once he was a safe distance from Eden, she pulled out a file she’d had stuffed in a cute lime-green bag. She always had loved bright colors. It suited her, he decided. When he glanced down and saw his name on the file, his nostalgia for her likes and dislikes evaporated quicker than the smoke from a cigar.
She pulled out a letter and handed it to him. He quickly scanned it, his irritation growing again. This was a suspension. She hadn’t been lying. He knew she wasn’t in charge of this, knew she was just the messenger, but he was still pissed enough to punch a hole in a wall. Wasn’t there a saying about not shooting the messenger? He wasn’t sure, but if there was, it was one hell of a stupid saying. It would feel damn good to lay into just about anyone in this moment.
“This is bullshit and you know it,” Owen finally said, the paper crumpling in his fingers.
She looked away, not willing to meet his eyes. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad sign. Right now there wasn’t a whole lot he was certain of. He’d once been more than confident in their relationship, and now he really wasn’t sure what his chances were with this woman.
“If you truly are innocent, then don’t fight me on this,” she practically begged. “Let’s get the investigation over with, and then both of us can happily go back to our . . . lives,” she told him.
She’d paused for a moment before saying lives. He wondered what adjective she’d been wanting to insert there. Boring? Happy? Fulfilled? Miserable? He’d felt all those emotions since the day he’d left Edmonds. He was still feeling them now. He knew he wouldn’t feel better until he had her at his side . . . permanently.
“What can you investigate, Eden?” he asked. The anger was completely gone now. He knew he was innocent. He also knew she knew it. If they needed to play these games, he was willing to. He just didn’t have time to do too much of it because there was a fire that needed to be doused.
“I have to follow all leads,” she told him.
“And how did they get this lead that I’m the person you’re looking for?” he asked her.
“I didn’t ask them that,” she admitted.
“So don’t you find it odd that one of the key players in trying to get this fire put out is now on suspension?” he asked.
“What are you trying to say?” she replied.
“I’m just saying that if this is arson, then someone out there started it. And that someone might just have a lot of power,” he told her.
Her forehead crinkled as if she was deep in thought. Good. That made him feel a lot better. His name might be on a list, but he had no doubt she was just doing her job. He knew that even with their roller-coaster history together, somewhere deep inside her, she did know him, knew he would never do something so heinous. Knowing that made him realize he could get through anything.
“Are you going to fight me?” she asked wearily.
He was quiet for a moment, then decided not to answer her question but to ask one of his own. “Do the powers that be know we have history together?”
She visibly stiffened as she looked up, this time meeting his gaze. “Our relationship is in the past. It’s not relevant to what’s happening now,” she assured him.
“We’re never in the past, baby,” he told her. His eyes caressed her from the tips of her toes to her sexy hair. Though she looked as if she could stand to put on a few pounds, she was even more beautiful today than she’d been the first time he’d seen her as more than a friend. After that moment, it had all changed.
And now ten more years had passed. Age had ripened her, had improved her in ways the cosmetic industry had no chance of doing. She was stunning.
“Look, Owen, distracting me isn’t going to work. Like it or not, I’m a part of this investigation. I want it over as much as you do,” she told him. “I’d hoped you could act in a professional manner
. You are a Forbes, after all.”
He hated that reminder. Though her voice didn’t change in the least, he knew that last sentence was meant to offend him. He’d known from the time he was a preteen that he was going to make it on his own. He’d refused to be considered someone special just because of his last name. He wanted to make his mark on the world, and while firefighters were sadly underappreciated, he knew he’d made a difference. He didn’t need his name in lights. He just needed to be a hero to one person at a time.
“That’s a low blow, Eden,” he said. He advanced on her again. This time he was going to do more than push her against a wall.
He was stopped when there was a light tapping on the door, right before it was thrust open. A nurse walked in, pulling Owen’s attention away from Eden. He was impatient as he asked what the woman needed.
“Dr. Forbes signed off on your discharge papers,” the nurse said, oblivious to the tension in the room. “Here are your take-home instructions. You have a couple of minor burns, so keep salve on them, and you’ll be a hundred percent in a couple of days.”
“Thank you,” Owen told her, his voice dismissive.
She finally seemed to understand she’d walked in on something. She shifted on her feet before handing him the papers and quickly turning to flee. Owen turned back to where Eden had been—and found her gone.
She’d slipped away like a thief in the night. He wanted to be frustrated but instead found a light chuckle escaping him.
“You can run . . . ,” he whispered. But you can’t hide, he added silently.
Chapter Eight
Eden knew the moment she’d slunk out of Owen’s hospital room that she was acting the coward, but she’d seen that look in his eyes, knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what was on his mind. Though they’d been apart for a long time, her body reacted to his. If they hadn’t been interrupted, the two of them just might have ended up in that small hospital bed.
A shudder passed through her. She could tell herself time and time again that wasn’t what she wanted, but Eden knew it would be heaven, knew only Owen could make her body sing, could make her forget all her sorrows.
Instead, she found herself driving along the roads of Edmonds, wondering where she was going next. She pulled over and took a few moments to compose herself. She had a job to do, and the only way to do it was to either confirm Owen was a lunatic arsonist or to clear his name. She had to remind herself she wasn’t biased in this.
But, of course, she was.
Declan. She needed to see Declan.
Of all Owen’s brothers, he was by far the most clearheaded. To tell the truth, the man scared her a little. He was so large and foreboding. He rarely smiled, and he was some supersecret spy or something. It was downright intimidating, even if she’d known him most of her life.
Still, she had to cast aside her fears and go visit the man. She’d probably have to interview all the siblings, but Declan was the hardest, so it was best to get that one over with. She had no doubt the brothers would lay down their lives for Owen, but they were moral. And if their brother had been responsible for the deaths of others, they wouldn’t stand idly by, protecting him. She was pretty sure of that.
As she pulled back onto the road, changing directions to head toward Declan’s home and hoping he was there, she couldn’t help but think about that small room with her and Owen in it together.
The two of them had never had an issue with sexual compatibility. But their relationship had been so much more than that. They’d laughed together, shared everything, and had been so connected she’d been sure they were soul mates. Maybe they were. It didn’t seem to matter anymore, though. In this world of temptation, love was often cast aside for momentary lust.
That was too depressing to even think about. She thought instead of how badly she’d wanted Owen to close that small distance between them, of how she’d wanted his lips caressing hers, his hands to smooth down the straight line of her back. It was so easy being with Owen that when she was, she forgot about all the bad.
Eden was so locked in her own thoughts, she nearly missed the unmarked driveway that led to Declan’s private residence. She only knew where it was because she’d been with Roxie and Keera one day when they’d been dropping off food for their brother-in-law. Keera shared a bond with Declan that Eden had never seen anyone share with him. It was very sweet to see the normally stoic man so gentle with his sister-in-law.
She slowly made her way down his driveway, feeling her heart lodge in her throat. She tried telling herself she had nothing to fear, that she’d known this man before he’d been so scary, but that wasn’t helping.
She stopped her car and turned off the motor. Then she sat there for several moments. She wasn’t sure how to approach this situation. Should she tell him exactly what was going on? Yes. That would be best. Declan wasn’t a fool, and to be honest, she’d be surprised if he didn’t already know. He took it upon himself to watch out for his family and those few friends he allowed in. If she tried for even a second to deceive the man, he wouldn’t listen to a word she said.
Declan’s home was surrounded by western red cedars, red alders, and big-leaf maple trees. The consistently fresh smell in the air was what had made growing up in this region as close to perfect as possible. However, even though Declan’s home wasn’t in danger from the fire—at least for now—the overpowering smell of smoke was overtaking the other luscious scents of the forest.
Being out in the woods like this sent another pang through Eden’s heart. She could close her eyes and picture her father and her traipsing through these woods as he pointed out different types of plant life and animals. Her dad had definitely enjoyed the beauty of nature and had taught her to respect the land they were so blessed to live upon.
She was nowhere near as humble as her father had been, but maybe that was something he was going to leave her. Maybe she’d gain a better appreciation for this land, and for life in general. Damn, she missed him. She missed him so much she wondered if the ache would ever diminish.
Shaking her head, she looked at Declan’s house and squared her shoulders. She couldn’t keep going back to that sorrowful place that made it hard for her to even get out of bed. She again had to remind herself that wasn’t at all what her father would have wanted.
“But you aren’t here anymore, are you?” she whispered quietly. “So if I want to have a pity party and curse the heavens, that’s my right. You left me behind without warning, and I’m ticked about it, Dad.” She waited for a response.
She wasn’t surprised when she didn’t get one. She’d said at least a few words to her dad every day since he’d passed on. That thought made her scoff. Passed on. Who in the heck had come up with that term? Was it better for everyone to believe a person hadn’t died, but they’d simply passed on? She couldn’t even think those two words without a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
Since her dad had died, she’d begged him to visit her, to show her he was indeed out there in the universe. And all she’d gotten was silence. She’d read books on the afterlife, had looked up mediums, had done everything she could think of to communicate with her father. And nothing had worked. Maybe he was just gone. Gone forever. But if that was the case, then what was the purpose of life? Why should anyone ever lay their heart bare for the world to take a stab at if love wasn’t eternal?
She still hadn’t found answers to those questions. So instead of trying to find the meaning of life, she was focusing on the here and now. The present was something she could grasp, and at least sort of control. The past was what had shaped her into who she was, and the future . . . well, the future wasn’t up to her. She hated to admit that, but it was a reality she knew she couldn’t escape.
Once again shaking away her gloomy thoughts, Eden took action and walked up the front steps of Declan’s massive home. She had no doubt he already knew she was there. She had a feeling he had cameras everywhere. That thought made her want to look around, but she didn’t want to ap
pear nervous, especially if he was watching. She needed to be the confident professional.
She rang his doorbell, hearing nothing from the outside, wondering if it had worked. She highly doubted anything on this home wasn’t top-of-the-line. The doorbell had worked. She stood there and waited, wondering if he was zooming in a camera on her face. She tried to leave her expression neutral.
The door swung open with no warning, making Eden jump, though she’d been telling herself to stay composed. The man who opened it was larger than life, his shoulders so massive they practically took up the entirety of the doorframe, his height intimidating, and his face showing nothing of his thoughts.
“Hello, Declan,” she said, hating the slight squeak to her tone. She’d spoken to this man her entire life. There was nothing to be afraid of, she repeated in her head.
“Eden,” he replied, his tone giving away nothing of what he thought about this visit. “I’ve been expecting you.”
The way he said those words sent a shiver down her spine, and everything within her told her to run away. Run far and fast. This man was deadly, and there was nothing she could learn from him. He wouldn’t give up his brother even if Owen was guilty, even if the man had lit five hundred fires. This was pointless.
And then a thought entered her mind that frightened her even more. She shivered as she stared at this huge man—this man she had no chance of beating in a fight. What if the arson investigators were very wrong? What if it wasn’t a firefighter? What if it was someone so set on catching a drug ring that he was willing to do anything to flush them out?
What if it was Declan?
Declan moved aside, welcoming her in. She really had no other choice but to move forward. It was either that or hang her head in shame at what a coward she was. She stepped forward, feeling as if she were being locked in a tomb the second Declan closed his front door.
