Sexy SEAL Box Set: A SEAL's Seduction\A SEAL's Surrender\A SEAL's Salvation\A SEAL's Kiss (45 page)

Other than her realizing she was madly in love with him?

“Not much,” Eden murmured, finally pulling her gaze from the passing road to look his way. Even in profile, with those gorgeous eyes fixed on the night-blackened road, he was the sexiest man alive.

“You seem a little upset.”

Sexiest, and most perceptive.

“I’m just...” Confused, terrified, worried, freaked out. “Overwhelmed.”

“By the party? Were the gossips and gawkers a pain?”

For the first time that Eden could remember, the gossips and mean girls had been the least of her woes. Heck, after that scene with Robert, they’d practically been anticlimactic.

Oh, hell. Cade’s father.

“Um, something did happen with your father.” Eden winced. “He sort of had an incident while we were talking.”

“What kind of an incident?” He shot her a quick look. “Why would you talk to my father? What did he say?”

His father was fresh out of the hospital. So why did he sound more angry than worried? Eden frowned, twisting a little to get a better look at Cade. Wait a second. What was it Robert had said? Between trying to con her into manipulating Cade’s career decisions and choking on water?

Something about a check?

“Your father’s okay,” she assured him, despite the lack of concern. “But there was a little incident. Doctor Shaw was right there and took him off to rest.”

Brow furrowed, Cade slowed the car to pull into Eden’s driveway. He parked in front of the house, but didn’t get out. “So that’s all? He had an incident? Nothing else?”

“Yep. That’s all.”

She waited until the tension poured out of him, his fist unclenching from the steering wheel, then added, “Oh, and he mentioned something about you writing a check for me. Something about ten grand?”

Cade cussed under his breath.

“I told him it was taken care of,” he muttered. “What the hell, he thinks a country club dance is the place to bring up your mother’s debt to him? The man is unreal.”

It was like someone sucked all the air out of the car. Eden’s chest throbbed and she couldn’t catch her breath.

“Seriously?” she asked, her voice a faint whisper. Her mom had taken out
another
loan? How many more were there?

Fury and hurt tangled, making her head throb from the pressure of not screaming.

“Does nobody tell me anything?” she wondered aloud. “Is there some sign over the top of my head claiming I’m incapable of handling the truth? Some notice that was sent around suggesting I be treated like an idiot?”

“You know how Eleanor is,” Cade excused, his words rushed, like he was trying to convince her that everything was going to be okay. “She’s a little undependable, but I’m sure she intended to take care of everything. Nobody thinks you’re an idiot.”

“No? Then why didn’t you tell me about this added debt?”

Eden didn’t wait for Cade’s excuse. She was suddenly so mad, she threw open the door and jumped out of the car. Pacing in front of the little porch didn’t shake off her fury, so she headed for the wide side yard where she could stomp around freely.

“Wait a second,” Cade said as he caught up to her. That he had to shorten his step to keep pace with hers only irritated her more. Eden wanted him panting, struggling to chase her down. Instead it was darned near a leisurely stroll for him. Which pretty much typified everything about their relationship, she realized.

“You aren’t blaming me for this?”

“Blaming you for having vital information about my financial situation, and not telling me? Blaming you for knowing that my mother made yet another horrible judgment call that could affect my business and home, but not give me a heads up so I could make sure it’s the last one she does? Blaming you for writing a ten-thousand-dollar check...” She was so mad now, she couldn’t even walk. Eden stopped and poked her finger at Cade like she was drilling the words home. “To bail me out instead of trusting me to handle the situation myself?”

“Look, you had enough going on, trying to pay off your mom’s first loan, keeping up with all the new business. Nosy busybodies. Stuff like that.” For just a second, he looked defensive. Like an argument was right there on the tip of his tongue. But then he lifted both palms as if to say he gave up. “I was just trying to help.”

Eden’s heart, still reeling from the shock of facing her love for him, wept a little.

He was so sweet. So special.

Unable to stop herself, she reached up with both hands and cupped his cheeks, then stood on her tiptoes to brush a kiss over his lips.

“You’re just about the sweetest guy in the world,” she declared, loving him even more. “But you always do this, Cade. You treat me like I can’t take care of myself. I’m not a rescue mission. I’m not the perpetual victim, just here to help you earn your hero badge.”

“I’m not using you to get a hero badge,” he muttered. “And you’re not a victim.”

“Oh, let’s see. There were three tree rescues, a flat tire, an invitation to the Spring Fling, the two times you got me out of lousy dates and then there is the infamous naked Kenny rescue,” Eden said, ticking the items off. “Shall I keep going?”

Cade stood there, moonlight glinting off his navy whites, looking like she’d just bitched him out for rescuing her kittens from a burning building.

“I think you’re overreacting just a little bit here. I’ve never seen you as a victim.”

What had he seen her as, then? The girl next door, always there waiting whenever he came home? Did he see her as a temporary fling, the same as she’d tried to convince herself she saw him? Of course, she’d thought that temporary was at least a month. Not two weeks.

“You didn’t even tell me you were leaving,” she blurted out. Then, slapping both hands over her mouth, Eden groaned, turned on her heel and spun away. Oh, hell. Why had she said that? She had a good reason to be mad. Why was she throwing sad in there, too?

“How’d you find out?”

The anger and defensiveness were gone from Cade’s tone now. Instead, he sounded sorry. Tired, even.

“Does it matter?” she asked, turning back to face him. Outing his father for the second time wasn’t going to do anybody any good. “Why couldn’t you tell me yourself?”

He shrugged, grimacing. “I didn’t want to upset you.”

“Another rescue?” she whispered, wanting to cry. Again, he was trying to save her. Even from herself. Did he see her as that needy? That pathetic? How could she think they had a chance of being more than just a fantasy if he didn’t see her as an equal?

Maybe that was the real fantasy, Eden realized, trying not to cry. Believing that she and Cade actually had a chance.

“Come to San Diego,” he said all of a sudden.

Still wallowing in the heartache, Eden frowned, then shook her head. “What? To visit? Shouldn’t you wait until you’re back, see where you’re assigned?”

In the time they’d been together, he’d never talked about his missions, hadn’t mentioned any locales or places he’d been. Other than describing the physical training he did on a regular basis, he hadn’t referenced his job at all. But she knew from his grandmother that Cade was often outside of the U.S. for months at a time.

“Sure. I’m thinking about a transfer. Out of SEALs, into the training program. I’d be one of those hard-ass drill sergeant types, molding the next wave of SEALs. It’d mean no more travel.” He hesitated, his face a study of doubt. Then he gave a shrug. “Maybe I could get an apartment instead of living on base. You could come, stay with me.”

Joy and shock tangled with a dozen other emotions, all rushing through Eden like a hurricane.

“Why would you do that? Why would you leave the SEALs?”

“I’m not happy,” he said simply. “Something’s missing. Something vital.”

“But to leave the SEALs? Are you sure you want to take that big of a step? Maybe you’re just suffering from burnout. We all hit it once in a while. I’ll bet you just need a little more time off,” she suggested.
Maybe a month or so, right here in Ocean Point
.

“Lives depend on me, Eden. On me being one-hundred percent. If I can’t give that, I shouldn’t be leading. Shouldn’t be on the team.” He walked over to the paddock, staring across the land toward his father’s house. “I figure I’ll give training a try, see how that goes. See if I still have a career with the navy.”

He sounded so sad.

But when he turned to face her, he wore his usual charming smile. “And, hey, now we have a chance. The odds of things working out if I’m a SEAL are slim to none. But this way, we can see where things go. You can visit me in San Diego. I can come up here. What do you think?”

What did she think?

Eden pressed her hand against her churning stomach.

She thought it was an incredible idea.

To see if this heat between them could last, could grow. She thought it’d be so much easier knowing that Cade was safe.

This was so much bigger than her birthday wish fantasy. So much more than she’d ever let herself hope she’d have with Cade.

He valued her enough to base the biggest decision of his life on her opinion. All it would take was one word from her and he’d take a safer job. One that’d keep him in one place for long periods of time. One that would give them a chance.

Eden had spent so much of her life wanting to be special to someone. Special enough that she’d matter so much that her opinion, her feelings mattered.

It felt as if she was teetering on the edge of that now. This thing, the heat and laughter and comfortable joy between her and Cade, it was special. It could be more. It could be everything she’d ever dreamed of.

All she had to do was tell him to leave the SEALs. But he was using her, using this career choice, as a way to hide. To avoid dealing with the pain of losing his friend. Eden knew Cade well enough to read between the lines. In his mind, the only way they could stay together was if he left the SEALs.

But if he left, he’d never heal.

All her life, she’d wanted to be special. To be wanted, just for her. To belong.

Now, when she’d finally found the one person who made her feel that way, she was thinking about sending him away.

“You need to ask yourself what it is you really want,” she said quietly. “Don’t think about your father. Don’t think about Phil. Don’t even think about me. Just focus on you.”

Cade shook his head, as if that was an impossible request. Eden took a deep breath, blinking fast to clear the hot tears from her eyes.

She turned away, staring at the small barn that housed her clinic. Her dream.

Years of watching Cade, of being rescued by him, of obsessing and fantasizing about him gave her a strong insight. She knew this man inside out. She knew what made him smile, and now she knew what made him groan with pleasure. She knew his likes and dislikes, his fetishes and, her heart sighed, she knew his fears.

She knew exactly why he was talking about giving up his career. And it had nothing to do with her.

And everything to do with him.

So, for the first time in their lives, she was going to turn the table.

This time, she was going to rescue Cade.

And then she was going to crawl into bed and cry for a month.

* * *

“L
OOK
,
YOU
’
D
REALLY
LIKE
San Diego,” Cade said, talking to Eden’s back. His words were edgy, a little desperate, but dammit, she wasn’t reacting the way he’d hoped. Hell, he’d just tossed relationship promises out there and she hadn’t jumped in to grab a single one of them. “I’ll introduce you to Alexia, Blake’s fiancée. You’ll like her. She’s an animal kind of gal.”

Actually he couldn’t remember if Alexia liked animals or not. He could barely remember his name after that chat with Seth. His uncle was worried. Afraid Cade was pushing himself too hard. He’d been the one to put the idea in Cade’s head that Eden come to San Diego. But as soon as the thought was there, Cade couldn’t get it out. He wanted it, wanted her.

And she was acting like she wasn’t even interested.

Damn, tonight sucked.

Finally Eden turned around. Her face was set, chin high and shoulders pulled back. What the hell? He’d seen enough people prepare for battle to recognize that look.

“You are so wonderful.” Her eyes were clear as she stared up at him, but Cade had the feeling there were tears behind them somewhere. Why, though? This was good, right? They were talking about their future, making big plans. Didn’t women love that kind of thing?

“So why don’t you sound like you want to be into wonderful?” he asked. His tone was teasing, but he didn’t stop searching her face for clues.

“This thing—” she gestured with her fingers between them “—between us... Cade, it was just for fun. You know, a good time.”

“Yeah, we did have a good time. But we had more than that, too.” Poor thing, she was so used to dating idiots like that Kenny that she probably didn’t realize she was making her declaration sound like a prelude to dumping him.

“No.” Eden shook her head, her eyes sad now. Shuttered. Like she was pushing him away. “That’s all we had. Fun. A fantasy. A birthday wish, remember?”

“What’s between us is bigger than just a fantasy,” he protested.

They had laughter. They had passion and joy and a connection that went deep. They understood each other. And dammit, they comforted each other. He found peace when he was with Eden. The nightmares didn’t ache when he woke to find her face on the pillow next to him. He could shove aside the memories just by focusing on her, on how she made him feel.

Cade stared down at Eden’s closed expression. Her lush lashes cast a shadow on pale cheeks, silky hair fell in soft curls around a face he knew as well as his own.

He didn’t know when it had happened. Maybe this week. Maybe years ago. But he loved her.

Simply loved her.

That
was what they had between them.

“Look...” Suddenly nervous, he tried to gather the words. He’d never told a woman he loved her before, so they weren’t coming easily.

As if she knew he was about to make a major declaration, she backed away shaking her head. Cade grabbed her hands to pull her back.