by Tawny Weber
9
MY, HOW THINGS COULD CHANGE in just a few days. Pretending she wasn’t a little shell-shocked—and pessimistically positive it wouldn’t last—Eden circulated between clients in the clinic lobby, taking a payment from one and offering another’s puppy a treat while telling the third she’d be right with him.
Five days ago, right after her night with Cade, dozens of people had come in to get the inside dirt on their date. When they’d realized she wasn’t giving anything away free, the smart ones had made appointments for their pets. For the price of a checkup here, an inoculation there and the occasional heartworm test, they’d gotten damned good veterinary service to go with the coy responses Eden had liberally dished around.
She’d been delighted when she’d tallied her receipts from all those nosy new clients. Given that the bank manager was an old family friend, and the fact that Eden hadn’t known anything about the loan, he’d agreed to accept a one-time payment against the interest, and extend the loan another thirty days. So she had a month to get her mother home to deal with it—or to find thirty grand to pay it off herself.
“Eden, I want to make an appointment for next week. You’ll be around, won’t you? Not jetting off somewhere with Cade?”
Eden’s smile was a little shaky around the edges as she assured the woman she was taking appointments all month. Hurt tangled with disappointment, but she wasn’t about to confess that she hadn’t seen or heard from her hot, sexy date since Cade had dropped her at her front door.
“Thanks so much for bringing the kitten in for a visit,” she said to the next client as she handed her the invoice. “If you decide to go ahead and get her vaccinated, let me know.”
Eden had to resist the urge to shake her head. The woman had obviously already had her cat to a different vet, gotten a thorough checkup and all the accompanying care. But, hey, everyone knew by now that Eden wasn’t offering info for free.
“Mrs. Went, would you like to bring your goldfish back now? We’ll see if we can figure out why she’s swimming slower than normal,” she offered, keeping her smile in place. If they wanted to pay for her to meet their pets, that was on them. And maybe one or two would be impressed enough to make the next visit real.
Eden figured she’d be ready for her Pollyanna tattoo before the weekend.
Two hours later, her feet were hurting, her smile wilting and her mood edgy. She watched the last customer leave for the day, then hauled out the mop and cleanser. Maybe she should offer housebreaking classes. At least then her new clients would go away with something other than frustration.
She wondered what it said about her that she was so happy to share that particular feeling, even if she wasn’t sharing any gossipy news.
Because she was frustrated. And angry. And feeling like a damned fool.
What had she been thinking, trying to seduce Cade Sullivan?
Now, instead of a buddy, the sexy guy who fueled her fantasies and hauled her out of trees, he was that guy.
The one she’d gone too far with. Not physically. That particular experience hadn’t gone nearly far enough. But she’d gone too far counting on him. Actually thinking he’d finish the bone-melting job he’d started. That he’d be interested enough after a taste to come back for the whole banquet.
Instead, he’d pulled a dine and dash.
According to his grandmother, if the ever-so-reliable gossip that’d kept her doors open the last few days was to be trusted, Cade was only gone for a few days.
According to the miserable knot that was now living in Eden’s stomach, everything was ruined.
Her easy, comfortable relationship with Cade.
The pride she took in just being herself, and pretending that she didn’t care if people accepted that or not.
And her secretly cherished fantasy that after one kiss, he would be so crazy for her that he wouldn’t be able to resist showing her every sort of delight she’d heard he had to offer.
She slammed the mop into the sink and smacked the knob to send water spraying everywhere.
She blamed Cade, she decided as she quickly adjusted the flow. She really did.
If only because he made her think she could have everything she’d dreamed of.
Before she could slide into the pout that had become her almost-constant companion over the last day or so, the phone rang. Turning off the water, she hurried across the room.
“Gillespie,” she answered.
“Eden, how’s business?”
Bev’s good cheer floated across the line like music, upbeat and chipper.
And totally irritating.
“Booming, thanks to the gossip ghouls,” Eden snapped. Then, like a geyser, all her frustration came spouting to the surface, casting a verbal splatter all over the place. “What is with these people? It’s bad enough that they think they can bullshit their way into getting me to unwittingly spill information. It’s another to be so blatant about it that it becomes an insult to both me and to themselves. You’d think they’d care enough to at least try to be clever with their snooping.”
Bev’s laugh rang over the telephone line, doing more to ease Eden’s frustration than any coddling commiseration could have.
“Well, as lousy as they are, I’ve given three perms, touched up two color jobs that are so fresh I can still smell the toner and given six kids their first haircut.”
“Pumping you for information, too?” Eden leaned against the counter and shook her head before giving in to the laughter. “That’s just sad.”
“At least we’re making money out of it.”
“I wonder if we can drag this out for another two months,” Eden muttered, figuring it’d take that long at her current rate of would-be clients to pay off the bank loan. Especially if the bank manager charged her the seventeen-percent he’d mumbled about when they’d made their appointment.
Before Bev could offer encouragement, or some wild new idea to capitalize on this newfound popularity, the front door opened.
Damn.
“I’ve got to go,” Eden murmured, not waiting for her friend to disconnect. As she always did when faced with the Oceanfront girls, Eden wished for a mirror. Silly wish, since there wasn’t much she could do to fancy up a ponytail, jeans and purple T-shirt.
“Hey there,” she greeted Janie and Crystal as they stepped into the converted barn as gingerly as if the linoleum floor were covered with horse droppings. “I’m sorry, but I closed about a half hour ago. Unless you were here to make an appointment?”
Since neither woman had a pet, she didn’t figure that was the case.
“Oh, no. We just stopped by to visit,” Janie said, sniffing surreptitiously before letting the door close behind her and coming into the center of the lobby to look around in fascinated curiosity.
Poor thing, she obviously didn’t get to go slumming very often.
Eden had to give them credit, though. Unlike the townspeople, and a few of the other Oceanfront set, at least they didn’t bother with subterfuge.
“Visit?” she prompted, since they’d never, in all their years of growing up together, sought her out before. “Really?”
“We’re here about the Spring Fling,” Crystal said, walking over to the cat cage where three kittens were snoozing after a busy day of chasing visiting pets. “It’s going to be so fun. And the dresses this year are to die for. You’re going, aren’t you?”
The cats woke, one of them pouncing on Crystal’s finger like it was a toy mouse. Eden waited for the woman to complain, but instead she giggled and reached between the cage bars to rub the furry ears.
“I haven’t missed a year yet.” Wondering if she’d misjudged Crystal, Eden walked over to unlatch the cage. The cats scrambled out to climb all over the pretty blonde, who laughed with delight. “Why would this one be any different?”
“Well, you haven’t brought a date in a lot of years, either,” Janie said, her smile brightly cheerful. “So we wanted to offer to help you this year.”
“To help me...? What? Get a date?”
Both women giggled like she’d just recited a naughty limerick.
There once was a girl on a rock
Who developed an intense craving for Cade’s—
“Of course not,” Janie said with a wave of her Kate Spade purse. “I’m sure you’ve got that covered. I mean, I know it’s been a few years since you broke Kenny’s foot the weekend before the dance, but it’s not like anyone’s keeping track to see who you bring.”
“Or who brings me?”
They wanted to know if she was going to the big country club party with Cade. The knot in Eden’s stomach tightened, making her a little ill.
“So why were you here again? Just to do a party headcount?”
“Oh, no, we’re not on the RSVP committee,” Crystal said, holding two cats now, her face buried in their fur. “We’re on the decorating committee.”
“We’re driving down to San Francisco tomorrow,” Janie explained, her tone upbeat and suspiciously friendly. “You know, shopping, lunch, fun stuff like that. We thought you might like to go.”
Once upon a time...heck, was it only a month ago, she’d have done anything for that kind of invitation. To be asked to join their exclusive little world. To be accepted, even on the fringes.
Now it held about as much appeal as being shaved bald and forced at gunpoint to sing “Achy Breaky Heart” while break dancing.
Because even if they did accept her, the minute they realized Cade was out of the picture and Eden wasn’t great gossip fodder any longer, they’d push her right back out.
Smiling, so she wouldn’t give in to the stupid tears burning her eyes, she crossed both arms over her chest and arched one brow. “Because, what? You think I need to be decorated?”
“Of course not. You have wonderful taste in clothes,” Janie said in a humor-the-deluded tone. “We just thought it’d be fun for you. You know, maybe even throw in a makeover, and if you wanted, some lingerie shopping.”
Oh, nicely done. Eden barely kept her sarcastic applause to herself.
The backhanded-insult attempt to garner information. She wished she could tell them that she didn’t need lingerie, because Cade liked her better naked. That’d wipe the smirks off their faces so fast, they wouldn’t be able to smile for a week.
“Ladies.”
Eden jumped, her heart pounding at the sudden pivot from anger to surprise. She hadn’t heard anyone come in. From Janie and Crystal’s expressions, they hadn’t, either.
While the other women made a show of girly excitement, complete with hands waving in front of their faces and one grabbing the counter as if to keep from falling, Eden eyed Cade, then the door. He must have caught the bell before it could chime. Extensive special-ops training for sneaking up on gossiping women, no doubt.
All three of them moved toward the center of the lobby to meet Cade, but unlike the other two, Eden didn’t giggle, twitter or preen. Nor did she greet him with a smile.
Why would she? He’d brought her to a screaming orgasm, patted her on the head and disappeared.
Like he’d heard she’d been in a sexual drought and figured that was the next area of her life he’d sweep in and save.
And now that she was under mean-girl siege, he just happened to show up? Did he have an Eden’s-up-the-creek beeper or something?
“Playing hero again?” she murmured with a scowl.
Neither Janie nor Crystal gave any sign of having heard her. Cade did, though. He arched a brown and shot her a wicked, what else were you expecting sort of look.
Eden didn’t know what she had been expecting.
She just knew that she’d given up on expecting him.
* * *
CADE HATED BULLIES.
Even when those bullies were women. More so, he realized, since the female persuasion seemed to take an extra catty delight in knowing exactly where to stick the knife.
He didn’t know what they’d been giving Eden crap about—he was just glad he would step in and stop it. He hadn’t expected it to be quite this easy, though. Instead of doubling down on their bullying, they’d both plastered on friendly, there’s-nothing-to-see-here innocent expressions before offering bubbling, friendly greetings.
Eden didn’t look quite so thrilled.
As a matter of fact, he’d never seen her look quite as unthrilled to see him. Instead of the usual mischievously welcoming smile he was used to being greeted with, she just stared.
Cade twitched his shoulders, trying to throw off the feeling of guilt that was trying to settle there.
What? He hadn’t made any promises. Oral sex on a rock under the moonlight wasn’t a binding commitment, dammit. And he’d had to get away. The drive down the coast to San Francisco, a couple of days with Blake and Alexia—he’d needed that to clear his head after...
After losing it to the taste of Eden. After getting so tied up in worrying about her expectations that he’d essentially done the one thing he hated, the one his father always liked to toss out. He’d run away.
Still, he’d come back.
And if the crap she was taking was any indication, he’d arrived just in time.
“Cade,” the tall woman said, tottering over with less grace than Eden had shown at the cliffs wearing crazy heels. Batting her lashes like they’d help her balance, she squeezed his arm and pressed her boobs against his shoulder in greeting. “Welcome home. I haven’t seen you yet to tell you how sorry we were to hear about your father.”
We? Was she wearing a crown?
“He’s not dead,” Cade said, shrugging off her comment and her hold on him.
“But he had a horrible heart attack. Triple bypass—that had to be scary.”
“You’re talking to a guy who faces down automatic weapons, live grenades and sings cadence with a bunch of guys,” Eden said dryly. “I think he sees scary in a slightly different way than you do.”
“Oh, Eden,” the taller woman said, shaking her head and looking to Cade as if for sympathy. Why, he had no idea. “I’m sure he’s been frantic with worry, which is just like fear, isn’t it? Your poor father. The Garden Club ladies were at the hospital just this morning to check on him. You must be so glad he’ll be home tomorrow.”
Since his gramma would smack him for saying otherwise, Cade kept his response behind closed lips.
He looked back at Eden, wondering how she managed to look so much better, fresher, sexier than the two dolled-up tarts standing next to her.
He’d missed her.
He shouldn’t have.
He never missed people. Not from his hometown, none of his friends, not even his family. Hell, he didn’t even miss Phil, but that was probably because he refused to let himself think about his old buddy.
But he’d missed Eden.
Missed her smile, her laughter, and the sweet sexy scent of honeysuckle that seemed to float around her like a soft cloud.
He’d missed the taste of her.
How could a guy become addicted after just one small taste? And once hooked, how did he get over her without tearing up both of their lives?
“Hey, Eden,” he greeted, his tone low, and probably a little friendlier than she wanted, given the audience.
“Cade.”
Hmm, maybe that missing had been one-sided?
“Sorry I was gone so long.”
He’d had to remove himself from temptation, sure if he’d stuck around, he’d have done something crazy. Like beg Eden to sleep with him.
But the minute he’d gotten back into town, he hadn’t been able to resist coming to see her. And so far, so good. No begging yet.
“We were just talking about the Spring Fling,” the tall woman interrupted. What the hell was her name? He tried to remember it as she did that lash-fluttering thing again. She must be hell on wheels during allergy season. “All the girls are wondering if this is the year you’ll finally bring a date. A real one, not just your grandmother.”
Subtle. Cade looked at E
den, whose eyes were dancing with delight. At his expense, no less.
“I’m not really into the country club events,” Cade sidestepped.
Not far enough, though.
“Oh, this isn’t just any event. You probably know your grandmother is hosting this year, and dedicating the auction funds to her veterans’ program. She must be thrilled you’re home, since your presence alone will guarantee people bid even more.”
Well. Guilt, served up with a side of eyelash fluttering. He wasn’t buying it, though. Still, afraid she’d grab his arm again, Cade shifted away, heading toward Eden. Not safety, he wasn’t stupid. He knew damned well she was the most dangerous person in this building. But her kind of danger, he wouldn’t mind sampling a few more times.
“You’re going, aren’t you?” the blonde prodded.
Cade debated. He didn’t want to go, but he knew the power of a good show. If he put one on, he might have a better chance of manipulating his father into cutting a deal over the loan. And if the rumors he’d been hearing since getting back that morning were anything to go by, his going would likely toss a whole lot more business Eden’s way. A win-win.
“Yeah, I’m going,” he said. Then, tired of their snotty-ass attitudes toward Eden, he fully committed to the danger zone and stepped over, wrapping his arm around Eden’s shoulders. He had to hold on extra tight when she almost jumped across the room.
Amping up his smile to keep the two barracudas’ attention on himself, he added, “With Eden.”
* * *
IT WAS LIKE BEING WRAPPED in a warm blanket of sexually charged delight and facing a barrage of poison arrows at the same time.
Eden didn’t know whether to sigh in pleasure, or duck and run. Given the fury in Janie’s pretty blue eyes, running wouldn’t matter. The other woman was going to catch up sooner or later.
So, what was a girl to do?
Figuring spite over his disappearance wasn’t worth keeping herself from enjoying whatever game he was playing, Eden leaned into his body, absorbing the warm, solid comfort he offered. She wasn’t sure where the comfort came from. Maybe her usual, sexually overloaded reaction was inhibited by the women glaring at them. Hard to be horny when the voyeurs wanted to scratch your face off.
