Eden

by Bobbi Smith

  Eden studied Logan in the dark shadows, seeing the strength in his chiseled features. He was arrestingly good-looking, and she was drawn to him in a way she'd never been drawn to any man before. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and she wondered suddenly what it would be like to press her lips to his-to kiss him fully on the mouth. Eden shocked herself with the boldness of her fantasy. Forbidden excitement shivered through her as she pictured the exchange in her mind. She told herself this was Reverend Logan, believing that admonishment would discourage her runaway imaginings, but the answering thought came: I know.

  Logan was gazing down at Eden, his hands still resting on her waist. He had always thought she was pretty, but standing there before him now on this warm, starry night, she was exquisitely lovely. He knew Eden was a strong woman, and yet at this moment she seemed so incredibly fragile. His gaze traced her delicate features, settling on her lips. He knew a sudden driving need to taste of her sweetness, but he held himself back. He struggled for logic, fighting against the need that urged him to draw her to him and kiss her.

  It was only when the horse stirred that reality returned, and Logan let his hands drop away from Eden. He turned quickly from her to see to the horse, relieved for the interruption. Eden was proving too tempting to him-too irresistible. He couldn't afford a weakness, and Eden could easily become his if he wasn't careful.

  "I'll take care of the horse and then walk you in," he said, keeping his back to her and concentrating on unharnessing the animal. He wanted to keep Eden at a physical distance from him. He had always prided himself on being a man in control, but she was testing his limits.

  "I can take care of the horse," she told him, coming to his side. She was used to tending to it by herself. "It's all right if you want to go ahead and leave."

  "No," he said, stopping to look at her. "I want to make sure you're safely inside before I go. I don't trust those Yankees not to come back. I'd like to think they wouldn't dare, but I want to be sure."

  "Thank you."

  The thought that Logan was concerned about her and wanted to protect her touched Eden. Leaving him to his task, she moved away to walk the path in her flower garden. Eden cast one last glance back at him as she went, and she was surprised by the longing that filled her. She had really wanted to kiss him.

  Sternly, Eden reminded herself that she shouldn't be having those kinds of thoughts about Logan-no matter how handsome he was. She made her way down the narrow path, enjoying the heavenly scent of the blossoms that surrounded her. The flower garden truly was an idyllic place, and she needed the peace and serenity of it right then to help her forget her attraction to Logan.

  Logan finished tending to the horse and buggy, and then went in search of Eden. He found himself worrying about her being alone on the grounds in the dark. True, he was nearby. All she would have to do was call out if she needed him and he would be there in an instant, but the realization didn't calm his concern. He knew what evils could be lurking in the night, and he didn't want her at risk. He would make sure she was safely inside the Haven with the door locked behind her before he left.

  Logan followed the narrow path Eden had taken and caught sight of her a short distance ahead of him. She was standing in profile to him, and he was once again struck by her sheer beauty. He paused, his gaze raking over her in a visual caress. Eden was slender, but every bit a woman. Her dark hair was loose about her shoulders in a cascade of untamed, silken curls that he longed to caress. He moved forward.

  "Eden." He said her name softly.

  She heard Logan's quiet call and looked up. Her eyes widened at the riveting vision he made as he came toward her in the night, so tall and broad-shouldered, moving with an easy grace, his expression darkly intense. Her heartbeat quickened, and a surge of sensual awareness shot through her as he drew near.

  Logan stopped beside her.

  "This really is the Garden of Eden, you know," he told her with a half-smile, his voice deep and husky.

  She smiled up at him. "I try to make it as heavenly as I can. I want it to be a place where I can come and pretend the real world doesn't exist at least for a little while."

  "Your own paradise."

  "Yes."

  The night was dark, and time seemed to stand still as their gazes met. They were alone under the canopy of stars.

  Eden was breathless as Logan closed the distance between them. He stood over her, staring down at her, the flame of desire burning in his eyes.

  As if in slow motion, Logan lifted one hand to cup her cheek, then bent to claim her lips, whispering, "Ah, but there was temptation in the garden."

  His mouth took hers in a tender-soft exchange.

  Eden went still at the touch of his hand, and when his lips moved over hers, she gave a small blissful sigh.

  This truly was paradise.

  She had longed for Logan's kiss, had wanted Logan's kiss.

  It was heavenly.

  Logan heard her sigh, and it emboldened him. He gathered Eden to him, deepening the exchange.

  A whirlwind of emotion swept through Eden. Dancing with Logan had been delightful, but kissing him was pure ecstasy. She'd been kissed by several suitors before, but no other man's embrace had ever affected her this way. Logan's lips were a searing, demanding brand upon hers. She responded fully to him, looping her arms around his neck to draw him even closer.

  Logan wanted her. There was no denying it. Passion flared within him at the feel of her crushed so intimately against him, and it was the power of that passion that jarred him to the depths and forced him back to reality. With painful clarity, he realized that this was wrong-very wrong. He stifled a groan as he ended the embrace and, taking her gently by the upper arms, put her from him.

  "Logan?" His name was an endearment upon her lips as she looked up at him questioningly. She couldn't imagine why he'd broken off the kiss when it had been so wonderful and she had been enjoying it so.

  "I'm sorry, Eden."

  Sorry? Eden was surprised and a little hurt by his apology. She didn't know why he was apologizing.

  "Let me see you inside." Logan had not meant for this to happen. He had not meant to touch her, let alone kiss her, but she had proven too much of a temptation for him.

  Like Adam in paradise, he had fallen.

  But he wasn't Adam.

  And this wasn't Paradise.

  It would not happen again.

  "Oh-all right." Eden struggled to hide her disappointment as they continued on the path toward the front of the building.

  Logan was very conscious of her beside him, and he deliberately did not walk her all the way to the door. He stopped at the top step and watched as she crossed the porch to unlock the portal and let herself in.

  "Good night, Eden."

  She looked back at him as he started to turn away from her. "Good night."

  Eden did not wait to watch him mount up and ride away, but went quietly inside, closing and locking the door behind her. She made her way to the bedroom and paused to light the lamp on the small bedside table. The glow filled the room, and it was then that she spotted an envelope lying on the bed along with a note from Jenny. She snatched both up and, not recognizing the handwriting on the envelope, quickly scanned Jenny's note.

  This was dropped off tonight for you. Thought it might be important

  Tearing the envelope open, Eden pulled out the single-page missive and read it.

  I have the information you requested. Meet me outside at midnight.

  The note was unsigned, but she knew it was from one of Adrian's men. She glanced at the mantel clock; it was only a little after nine. Midnight seemed an eternity away, but she could wait. She wasn't sure yet what she was going to do with the information. She guessed it would depend on what she found out. But she would be ready at the appointed hour no matter what.

  The time passed slowly. When finally it was midnight, Eden silently left the house.

  "Over here," came the whisper from the side yard in some trees.


  Eden made her way to join the man. He was not a total stranger to her, for she had seen him before with Adrian, but she had never learned his name. "You sent the note?"

  "Yes."

  "What did you find out?"

  "There's a tavern near the riverfront that they frequent called the Palace."

  "How often do they go there?" Somehow she was going to find a way to pay the Yankees back for what they'd done at the Haven.

  "I talked with George Sosson, the bartender, and he said they're in there pretty regularly."

  "What about tonight? Would there be a chance that they might be at the tavern, or is it too late?"

  "There's no way of knowing until we check and see. Can you get away?"

  "Just give me a minute."

  "What about a horse?"

  "We can ride double on yours." Eden was not about to be deterred. She had no saddle for her own horse, and she didn't want to risk taking the carriage, for she was certain someone would notice that it was missing.

  The contact was surprised by her daring declaration, but said nothing. He knew she worked with Forrester, so she was capable and could be trusted. He faded back into the night as she returned inside the house.

  Earlier after reading the contact's letter, Eden had hoped there would be a chance to go after the soldiers tonight, so she had gone through the laundry during her hours of waiting and gotten a pair of boys' black pants and a dark shirt to wear. She donned them quickly now, then tied up her hair and put on a boy's hat, tucking her hair under it. After getting a dark scarf to use as a mask when the time came to confront them, her disguise was complete. As ready as she would ever be, she got her father's gun, checked to see that it was loaded, then stuck it in the waistband of her pants.

  Eden unlocked and opened the window in the bedroom and slipped out through it, closing it behind her. She would reenter that way, too. She didn't want to risk being discovered. Certain that no one had seen her and that all was quiet in the Haven, she was ready to go. No one would miss her, and she would be back before dawn.

  "Do you have a name?" Eden asked the contact as she went to him where he was waiting in the yard.

  "I'm Darrell. Darrell Ankarlo," he replied, staring at her in amazement. Moments before, she had been the image of the perfect lady, and now she could pass for a youth. He again admired Forrester's choices of operatives. The man had surrounded himself with a very capable group. Then Darrell saw the gun tucked in her waistband. "Do you think you're going to need that?"

  "You never know," was all she answered.

  Darrell had tied his horse in back behind the carriage house, and they made their way there, walking down the path she had traversed with Logan. Eden was grateful that Darrell hadn't arrived earlier when she'd been in the garden with Logan.

  Eden blushed at the memory of Logan's kiss, and she was glad for the cover of the night to hide her emotions. The thought of Logan filled her with longing, but she put it from her. Right then, she had only one thing she wanted to think about, and that was finding the Yankees Moran and Layton. She wanted to make sure that they never thought about bothering a Southern lady or any children ever again.

  They reached the place where Darrell had tied his horse. He mounted first, then reached down to help her up behind him. They headed off to the tavern at a slow pace, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

  When Darrell had been to the Palace earlier that day to speak with the bartender about the two soldiers, he'd noticed that the alley across the street from the place offered an unrestricted view of the tavern's main doors. He knew they could safely keep watch from there.

  "I thought this would be a good place to hide out and watch for them."

  "It is, thanks," Eden told him as she slid to the ground and went to take a position near the alley's opening.

  "Will you be able to recognize them from here?"

  "Oh, yes. I'll never forget those two." She rested her hand on the gun and felt confident.

  Darrell tethered his horse farther down the alley, out of sight, and then came to stand with her. For all that she was armed, she was still a lady and deserving of protection.

  "Why are you after these two? What did they do?"

  Eden told him about the attacks.

  "So that's what happened to your cheek," he said, having noticed the bruise even in the darkness.

  "Yes," she answered.

  "Once we find them, what are you planning to do to them?" He didn't think cold-blooded murder was her style.

  "I don't know yet, but once I see them, I'm sure I'll think of something."

  They remained there in the darkness, watching and waiting. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Eden finally gave up her vigil.

  "Can you meet me again tomorrow night?" Eden asked.

  He was surprised by her request. He'd expected her to give up after the long hours they'd spent there.

  "Are you sure you want to do this?"

  "I'm sure." She looked up at him in the darkness. "If you don't want to, it's all right. I'm going to find them either with you or without you. It doesn't matter."

  Darrell stared down at her, seeing the very real determination in her expression. He knew he couldn't let her seek the Yankee soldiers alone. "I'll be back for you at midnight tomorrow night."

  He returned her to the Haven, and she crept silently back in through the window.

  Eden got no sleep. Lying in bed, she tossed and turned, too tense and too excited by all that had happened that day to get any rest. Thoughts of the Yankees and the revenge she wanted to exact from them played in her mind, but were quickly forgotten as the memory of Logan's kiss returned. Her thoughts of Logan's embrace were most satisfying, and she smiled.

  Eden wondered how Logan could have come to mean so much to her in such a short period of time. It had only been a few days since he'd arrived at the Haven, and yet it seemed as if she had known him forever. Her heartbeat quickened as she relived the touch of his lips on hers. She remembered his clean, manly scent, and the warm strength of him as she'd been held in his arms. His embrace had been heavenly, and she still wondered why he had apologized for it. It left Eden fearing that he hadn't enjoyed the kiss as much as she had. The only regret she'd had was that he had ended it too soon.

  Eden sighed as she turned to stare out the window at the eastern sky. Weariness threatened now, but she could not give into it. Logan would be arriving soon, and then, later tonight, she would meet Darrell again and continue her quest to find the Yankees. She would find no rest today.

  As the sky grew ever brighter, Eden arose to wash and dress. She found she was a bit nervous in anticipation of Logan's arrival. She feared she'd been far too bold with him the night before. Certainly she'd responded fully to his kiss, but he was a minister. Had she been too brazen? Too forward? Doubts began to assail her.

  As Eden started from the bedroom, she glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of the flower garden. A soft smile curved her lips.

  Logan was frustrated and angry as he arose that morning. He had gotten little sleep, and what sleep he had managed had been restless and filled with troubled dreams of Braden.

  Logan always considered himself a man of action, but the situation he found himself in now left him feeling useless and thwarted. There had been no word from Sam, and no contact from Larry's other operative. It would be days before Forrester returned-days during which his brother was suffering God-only-knew what torment in the Rebel prison camp. The reality of Braden's plight tortured Logan.

  And then there was the memory of Eden's kiss that would not be dismissed.

  Damn, but the woman was wreaking havoc on his sensibilities. He'd known many women in his life, yet none of them had affected him the way Eden did. He didn't understand what it was about her that attracted him so. True, Eden was beautiful, but he'd been around many beauties in his day. There was something else-something deeper and more elemental that drew him to her, and he had to fight against
it.

  Their kiss should never have happened, and yet Logan could not deny that he had enjoyed it. Eden was a very desirable woman, but he had no time for any involvement with her. He told himself that she wasn't important to him. She was simply a means to an end just as Mark had been. He was using her, biding his time at the orphanage until he could discover whether Forrester was involved with the raiders.

  Thinking of the raid brought his thoughts back to Eden-and her unusual presence on the Bayou Belle. He remembered, too, how she had gone to his brother's aid, and he was grateful to her for that.

  Logan admitted to himself that he had never known another woman like Eden. She was selfsacrificing. She thought nothing of putting herself at risk to save others-first Braden, and then the children.

  As tempting a distraction as Eden was proving to be, Logan wondered how he was going to keep his distance from her. Even as he thought about it, he knew the answer: the children. He would make sure he never allowed himself to be alone with her again. That would be the safest way.

  He was Reverend Logan Matthews, and he was in New Orleans to work with the orphans. In the back of his mind, though, Logan added, he was also a Yankee. Eden's enemy.

  Logan got dressed and picked up his Bible. It was time to head to the Haven and see the children-and Eden-again.

  Logan reached the orphanage and went to join everyone in the dining room. Little Connie commandeered him as soon as he stepped into the room. After leading everyone in saying grace, he found himself seated with the youngest girls to have his breakfast. He was caught up in their conversation, but found himself glancing Eden's way. She looked even lovelier this morning, and he tried to ignore the feelings just the sight of her aroused in him. When the meal ended and the children were filing from the room, Logan made his way toward her.

  "Good morning." Logan grinned at her.

  Eden had been pleased that he'd arrived in time for breakfast, and watching him with the girls had warmed her heart. She wanted to talk with him, and just as she would have replied to his greeting, her sister's call interrupted them.