Eden's Dream (12 page)

After a second or so, when Noel still hadn't surfaced, her imagination went wild. He'd never made it out the Zodiac. Were those little bits of him she saw floating beside the mangled rubber? Treading water and gulping mouthfuls of air, Eden looked up into a deceptively blue sky. Her heart beat wildly while fragmented bits of advice from her swimming instructors came in incomplete sentences. Conserve energy—don't overreact—when tired float. Had anyone even witnessed that they'd come this close to being murdered? What if no one came to their rescue?

Eden's body convulsed, and the roaring in her ears filled her head. In moments she would be in the throes of a full-fledged panic attack, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it. As the real world receded and shock set in, she was unable to make even minimal effort to keep her head above water. She gave in to the sinking sensation. Then suddenly she was buoyant, gulping in huge breaths of air and fighting the arms that encircled her. She hadn't survived to be taken dawn by the Loch Ness monster.

“Ouch! Take it easy,” a familiar, gravelly voice growled. “You'll drown us.”

Reality check. They were both safe and alive. “Thank God, Noel,” she said, her arms clinging to his neck.

“Yes, baby we're alive. We're alive.”

For the first time Eden realized that boats were coming to their rescue, closing in around them. The nearest, a sleek sailboat, held a chubby blonde squeezed into a red bikini. She hung over the side next to a companion of equal proportions. The man held a life preserver. He tossed the ring in their direction.

Together they reached for it, hanging on for dear life, as their rescuers shouted words of encouragement.

T
wo days later
, Eden was still shaken up by what happened. Noel had stopped by to check on her.

“How you doing?” he asked, handing her a mug of piping-hot coffee.

“Fair to middling,” she said, accepting the cup and setting it down on the coffee table, deliberately avoiding his eyes.

“Only fair to middling? That doesn't sound good. Does the ankle still hurt?”

She shook her head.

Noel gingerly picked up her feet, eased into the vacant spot on the sofa, and placed her ankles on his lap. He made a place for Kahlua. The cat rubbed her head against Noel's arm, meowing coyly. He scratched the feline behind the ear. “Hungry, girl?”

“Hardly. She eats non-stop.” Eden bent forward to stroke Kahlua's head. “More likely she's looking for attention.”

“Just my luck to attract the wrong female,” Noel muttered.

“Do you do that a lot?”

He chose to ignore her, instead concentrated on the purring cat nuzzling against him. Darting a glance Eden's way, he felt the tightness in his groin.

She looked adorable, swaddled in an ancient terry-cloth robe and a towel wrapped around her head. And although she made a valiant effort to pretend she didn't know he was looking at her, her body language said otherwise.

“So how are you really?” Noel asked, noting the tight lines around her mouth.

Eden sipped her coffee and took her time answering. “As I indicated earlier, the ankle's no longer a problem. I'm still shaken up though.”

Noel ran a hand over the fuzzy socks covering Eden's arches. “And you have every reason to be. Imagine what would have happened if those yachters hadn't come to our rescue—”

“I don't even want to think about it.”

“Did the police grill you like they did me?”

Eden nodded. “But I don't think they took me seriously. I think someone convinced them the guy at the helm was drunk. In any case, they'd already made up their minds it was an accident. Now you and I know that's bull.”

Noel snorted. Despite the police speaking with eyewitnesses on several boats, it was his quick thinking and charm that had saved their butts. God had most definitely been on his side, assigning him two rookie cops, so overwhelmed to meet the infamous Noah Robbins, they'd become tongue-tied. And when he'd produced the ID to support his claim, they'd done everything short of lick his boots. He'd even pretended to take them into his confidence and admitted he was undercover. That strategic move had ensured him friends for life. Cops understood the need for secrecy.

The story he'd given them wasn't entirely true. Still, they appeared to buy what he'd said. Had either of them watched the news on the east coast, they would have known he was considered missing. At least that was the story the department had agreed to go public with. It beat saying he was in hiding, or even worse, had been forced to take a vacation.

The real truth was he'd been removed from the investigation. Gary's boss had decided Ty's death had caused Noah to lose his objectivity—that he could no longer be impartial. In a sense, that was true. Avenging his friend's death was all consuming, and finding someone to blame was now a personal crusade. He still remained resolute even after being taken off the case. He was bent and determined to find Ty's killer, even if he had to identify the person posthumously. Not even Eden would stand in his way.

“Noel, you're a million miles away.”

He shook his head to clear it. Day by day it had gotten easier to remember to answer to “Noel.”

“What's that, honey?” He shifted his gaze and focused on Eden. Caught staring, she lowered her eyes. Had his endearment made her that uncomfortable? Taking advantage of her unease, he set Kahlua on the floor, ignoring the cat's angry meow, and lifted one of Eden's sock-covered arches to his lips. He kissed the instep.

“Noel…” Eden squirmed, attempting to free her foot.

Her ankle felt so tiny in his hand. He turned over her foot and planted a kiss on the sole.

“Stop it,” she hissed, swatting his arm.

Noel's free hand captured her wrist. Slowly, he brought the palm to his lips and blew against the flesh. “Didn't you say you thought you might have seen the operator of the Weekender before?”

Eden's breath came in little gusts. “You're deliberately trying to distract me, quizzing me while I'm weak and vulnerable.”

Noel could tell she was trying to make light of the electricity jolting off both of them. He suckled a finger. “Nope. Just curious. I thought maybe the man's identity had come to you.” He sounded as if he were out of breath. She made him feel like he had run a mile.

He captured her pinky in his mouth and bit down gently, letting his tongue circle, then captured another finger.

Noel removed her feet from his lap and swung her into a sitting position. Taking her chin between his palms, he stared into her eyes. “Baby, that little incident scared the hell out of me. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you.”

His admission gained her full attention. “Actually, I thought I'd lost you too.” He heard the catch in her voice. It sounded like she was hurting. Maybe she did care for him after all.

Hiding his surprise, he pressed the point, sensing she was now willing to listen. “Eden, I get this idea you think I'm joking when I say I love you. You're responsive to my touch, yet you shut down almost immediately if I put my feelings into words. Am I rushing things? Are you still in love with Rod? If that's the case, I'm willing to wait. It's not like I'm unreasonable.”

For a moment her cognac-colored eyes flickered. He sensed she was about to say something. His ego desperately needed reassurance. He couldn't be that far off base. Instinct told him she cared. His instincts had never failed him before.

Before Eden could look away, he dipped his head, claimed her lips, and probed gently, seeking an opening. An intimate dance began as their tongues melded, separated, and rejoined in an ancient game of hide-and-seek. He needed to find out how she really felt about him. His feelings weren't purely one-sided, that was for sure. His fingers plucked the belt of the terry-cloth robe, loosening the tie just enough to let him in. His hands stroked soft silk, and he buried his nose in the hollow of her neck, inhaling her smell. Honey and almond. A nectar too sweet to resist. He wanted to drink her up. He pressed his body against hers. She had to feel how much he wanted her and needed her in his life.

“Noel.” Eden's voice sounded throaty as she pressed against him.

Needing no further invitation, he lowered her onto the couch, covering her body with his. His hands roamed the smooth expanse of her chest, crested the hills, found the valleys, and plucked at the buds her nipples had become. He used his tongue to lave them, then moved his hands downward to caress her taut stomach. With the tips of his fingers, he explored the crevice of her belly button.

“God, Noel.”

“What, honey?”

“We shouldn't be doing this. I was so mad at you.”

He focused on the
was
. Must mean she'd forgiven him. “And you're not anymore.” It wasn't a question.

“No. How could I be? You saved my life.”

He didn't want gratitude. He wanted her love. Yet common sense flew out the window as it always did. He would willingly take her on any terms.

“I want to make love to you,” he said, kissing the corners of her mouth.

“Then make love to me.”

She was willing to give him another chance. He yanked at the robe's belt quicker than it took to blink an eye.

As he'd suspected, underneath the heavy dressing gown she was completely naked. He expelled his breath in an audible sigh, feasting his eyes on all of her: Firm breasts that were definitely more than a mouthful, a trim waist, curly apex, and long, long legs. Perfection, if such a thing was possible. When he felt himself grow harder, he covered her hand with his own and let their joined hands touch his aching need. Eden quivered. Easing off her, he loosened his belt and quickly lowered his zipper.

The doorbell rang.

Rotten timing.
“Don't answer it.”

“What if it's important?”

“Nothing's that important.”

The bell chimed again. This time for a longer period.

“Why don't I look out the window and see who it is?” Eden said.

Noel groaned as Eden fastened her robe and pushed off the couch. He watched her pad to a nearby window, shift the blinds, and peer outside. Turning back, she mouthed, “Federal Express. Might be urgent.”

His erection now history, he muttered an oath then zipped his pants.

As Eden approached the door with some trepidation, sanity returned. She'd had a close brush with death. Capsizing had been a traumatic experience, so who could blame her for losing her head? And emotions had continued to run high after she and Noel were safely on land. He'd held her, hugging her close, telling her a dozen times or so how much he loved her. She'd obviously let those three little words go to her head, allowing them to color her judgment.

Her focus needed to be on the investigation. She approached the door with purpose. “Who is it?”

“FedEx.”

“Can I see some ID?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Noel's nod of approval.

As she raised the blinds, the man in the gray walking shorts and light blue cotton shirt fished out his identification and held it to the windowpane. Eden pressed her nose against the glass, making sure the face in the picture matched the guy holding the square plastic badge. Noel come up behind her. He imprisoned her with his arms, body pressed closely against hers.

“Looks authentic.”

“Yes it does. Be with you in a second,” she yelled.

Noel left behind, she moved toward the front door, opened it quickly and accepted the envelope. Hurriedly scribbling her name, she stepped back inside.

Who's it from?” Noel asked.

For the first time Eden glanced at the return address. Her eyes met his and held. “My job. They probably want me back at work.”

D
ays later
, Eden spotted the sign for the mall and made a quick right. She circled the parking lot, eventually finding space in the very last row. It had been a grueling morning so far. She'd been forced to leave the relative safety of her home to take care of things like replacing her driver's license. Her purse, containing credit cards and other essential documents, had been lost when the Zodiac capsized.

It had taken her two full days to get up the courage go out. A driver's license was a necessity and something she needed. Calls to various financial institutions had taken care of replacing credit cards, but a driver's license and Social Security card meant appearing in person, standing in line, and dealing with bureaucracy. Things she hated.

She'd left early that morning, avoiding having to explain her whereabouts to Noel. But as the day wore on, she regretted her impulsive decision to head out alone. Noel's presence would have made the long wait in line bearable. Much as she hated to admit it, she missed him.

Eden pushed the button on the remote key ring. Reassured to hear the click of the automobile lock, she headed into the mall to purchase a pocketbook and wallet. Next she would head home.

Inside, cool air conditioning greeted her. She ignored the signs for Nordstrom and headed for Mon Caché.

“Can I help you?” an overly cheery voice inquired from behind the counter. A saleswoman peered at her through a maze of expensive-looking leather bags. The woman wore huge glasses and an oversize smile.

“I'm looking for a great big leather bag that will accommodate both my makeup and appointment book. Maybe something by Coach or Michael Kors.”

The woman's eyes twinkled. She crouched down and reached into the display case. “I've got just the thing. How about this?” Standing up, she held out a bucket bag.

“Perfect.”

Removing the cash, she'd gotten from the bank, Eden held the cash out.

The saleswoman's eyes widened. So seldom did anyone pay with cash these days.

“Can I get you anything else?” she asked.

“Yes, a wallet, please. I'd like the same manufacturer if at all possible.”

After looking at what appeared to be the entire collection, Eden finally made her choice and handed her cash.

When the saleswoman attempted to wrap her purchases, Eden declined. “It's okay, just give me the receipt and I'll put the wallet in my bag.”

Impulsively she made a slight detour through the lingerie section and then decided it was a waste of time. Why would she need lingerie? Who would she wear that little black teddy for? Noel? She was being ridiculous.

The electronics department was close to the exit leading outside. Why not surprise Noel and replace the radio he'd lost when the Zodiac had gone down? She'd make a fast purchase then head home.