Eden's Promise (11 page)

He didn’t say anything, just pulled the edge of the blanket over her, so the corner covered him below the waist. He stared at the ceiling of the tent, his arm crooked behind his head, his breathing heavy.
 

She had no idea what to say, just lay there beside him, her hand on his damp chest, until he fell asleep.

Then she got up, got dressed, and left the tent.

***

Jodie was sitting on the cement steps of her cabin with a highball glass beside her when Eden walked up.

“That didn’t take long,” Jodie murmured, pouring another splash of golden liquid in her glass and motioned for Eden to sit beside her.
 

“What do you mean?”

Jodie cast a pointed look at the tent.
 

Eden’s face heated. “Oh, God.”

“Sorry. You could just tell he was a man on a mission.” Jodie gave her an assessing look. “You’re a lucky woman.”

Since Eden’s body still tingled, she had to agree. What would happen next, how this would change their relationship, remained to be seen, but though her emotions were in turmoil, her body was very pleased with the outcome. “You were going to contact the camp in California. Any word about my sister?”

“I was going to come tell you but I figured you’d be busy. She’s in Sacramento and will stay until you get there.”

“Oh, my God, really?” She flung her arms around the other woman, making the drink slosh in the glass. Embarrassed all over again, she eased back. “I haven’t—it’s been so long and for us to know where she is...I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

Jodie gave her a slanted smile and offered the glass to her. “It’s going to delay your trip to Texas.”

Texas? Eden’s brow furrowed before she remembered their cover story. “It will be worth it.”

Worth it
. She took a slug of what she discovered was tequila and let it burn. She was going to have to go back to the tent and face Aaron after what they’d done, after what they’d done without a word before, during, after. He’d made love to her—no, had sex with her. The lovemaking had come before they got to the tent. He’d thoroughly seduced her by playing the guitar. Had it been intentional? Could she even ask him?

God, what was she going to say to him?

But when she returned to the tent, he was in his cot, wrapped in his blanket, his back to her, but she didn’t think he was asleep. She’d slept beside him three nights now, and the sound of his even breathing was familiar. To add insult to injury, her own blanket was on her cot, on the other side of the tent. With a sigh, she slipped into her own bed, but she lay awake a long time, wondering what would have been different if she’d stayed.

Chapter Eight

Two days later, Eden took a deep breath and heaved into the back of the cargo truck heading to California. Aaron had chosen for them to ride in the middle truck in the convoy of three, stating it would be the safest. They’d ride in the back, where crates were cinched together, filling enough of the back of the truck so she had to climb on top of them. One of the National Guardsmen, Devin, had warned her it would be a bumpy ride, since the roads hadn’t been maintained and the trucks weren’t exactly designed for comfort.

She didn’t care. She’d be reunited with her sister in a matter of hours, and tomorrow they’d be on their way home. She’d seen all she needed to see of the mainland, and knew her father and Damien were right—the island was the best place to be.

Below her, Aaron conferred with the National Guard drivers and guards. He’d always been confident, even back in high school, which was one of the things that drew her to him. But now, with these other men, who all dressed in body armor and camouflage while he wore a T-shirt and cargo pants, he was clearly the leader, clearly an alpha. The thought sent a shimmer of pure lust through her.
 

And she’d be alone with him back here. She hadn’t been alone with him, other than to sleep, for the past thirty hours. She had no idea how many hours it took to stop over in Oregon, northern California and finally Sacramento, but knew it was a lot of hours to fill. They hadn’t talked since they had sex, hadn’t talked about it at all. She didn’t know if she should let it go, or broach the subject. Would it happen again?

Did she want it to, if this silence between them was the result?

He hoisted himself into the back of the truck while she was making a space for herself on the crates near the front, using the extra blankets Jodie had given them. He glanced up and gave her a small smile before he positioned himself close to the canvas opening. The canvas cover did little to hold heat in, and the weather was unseasonably chilly. Maybe Aaron was wise to sit closer to the opening, though she reasoned his purpose was to guard against any who might come up on them.

Jodie stood at the back of the truck to wish them good-bye, and this time Eden didn’t imagine the longing look the other woman sent in Aaron’s direction. Eden was certain the other woman knew they weren’t really married, but she didn’t put them to the test.

No, they did that on their own.

The truck rumbled to life, sending a cloud of foul-smelling exhaust from the modified fuel that had been developed by the government for these vehicles. Aaron turned into the truck, coughing, and almost lost his balance when the vehicle began to roll forward, jouncing on the pitted road. He settled down on the bed of the truck, leaning against the gate, his gun at his side, as if he’d done this a thousand times before.

Maybe he had. She didn’t know anything about his time in the service. He didn’t share that, any more than he shared what had happened to him on his trek back home. Once the camp was out of sight, she slipped down from her perch, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and settled beside him.
 

He looked over at her. “Cold?”

“Aren’t you?”

He grunted. “I’m fine. Jodie sure liked you, to supply us the way she did.”

“I don’t think it was me she liked.”

That surprised a grin out of him. “Yeah?”

She wasn’t sure how to take that from a man who’d slept with her just over a day ago. Would he have taken Jodie to bed instead of her if he’d known of Jodie’s interest? She hated the jealousy that rose in her, not when she had more important things to think about, like her reunion with her sister.

Her sister—she hadn’t even found out if Kelly was still with that Jake person, or if she’d ended up alone in Sacramento. And then there was her sister’s past with Aaron that Eden hadn’t allowed herself to think about. Would Kelly be upset that her little sister slept with her ex-boyfriend?
 

“How long do you think it will take to get back to the island from Sacramento?”

He winced. “Depends on if we can catch a ride to San Francisco or another port town, if we can find a boat. Two days on the ocean, easy, in good weather. Probably a week if we have to find our own way to San Francisco. Worried about your mother?”

She leaned against a crate. “I’ve never missed having a cellphone so much in my life.”

“You could have asked Jodie to call out for a message from the island to see how she’s doing.”

“And let her know our story was a lie?”

He blew out a breath and turned his attention to the road behind them. “I tried to buy that guitar.”

“What? From Linda?”

“Yeah, ah, I thought maybe it would be a little hard to cart around, but would be something nice to have.”

She drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. “You could just sing. I didn’t know you had such a nice voice.”

He lowered his head and shook it, a smile playing on his lips. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“Melted my panties right off.” Okay, that hadn’t been how she’d meant to broach the subject, but she was amused to see a blush creep up his throat. But the hint of a smile disappeared.
 

“Did I hurt you?” he asked quietly.

She hesitated long enough for him to look at her. “No. Not hurt.”

“I didn’t—I wasn’t using you.”

“No, I...” She drew in a breath, seeking courage. “It was something I’d thought about for a long time.”

“Jeez.” He coughed out a breath and gave his attention to the road again. “Like...months?”

“Like, years.”

“Shit. Eden.” He dragged his hand over his face. “And I—on the damn ground.”

“Not a lot of moonlight-and-roses scenarios these days.”

“I guess, but—” He shook his head. “I wasn’t using you. I was just—ah, it’d been awhile.”

“Since your wife?”

This time the blush was more uncomfortable, and he drew one knee up and draped his arm over it, making an effort not to look at her. “No. After that, when I was in the militia.”

She opened her mouth to ask more questions, but wondered how much she really wanted to know.
 

“Just once. Just...once.”

She nodded, unable to decipher what he was saying. “It—shouldn’t matter so much now, not in this world. We don’t know what’s around the corner so we take what we can get.”

He looked at her then, his eyes hard. “You don’t really believe that, do you? That that’s what happened back there?”

“Don’t you?”

“Just because I believe there’s no reason to plan for a future doesn’t mean I take what we did lightly.”

“Oh, I know you didn’t take it lightly. You were definitely—intense.”

That brought forth a grin. “Intense?”

The way he said it, low and husky, ignited a flame of desire. “The way you looked at me.”

“Looked at you.” He flicked the safety on his gun and set it on the floor beside him.
 

She swallowed. “Into my eyes. The whole time.”

He leaned forward and gripped her hips, pulling her onto his lap so she straddled him. “Did you like that?”

Her heart pounded. She hadn’t expected this, to feel his hands on her, his body beneath her, to see that look in his eyes. “Mm. But you didn’t talk.”

“What was I supposed to say?” His thumbs moved in circles at the tops of her thighs.

It was her turn to blush. “You could have asked if I liked what you were doing?”

“I knew you liked what I was doing.”

Her breath caught in her throat when his fingers traveled up to trace the line of skin between her pants and shirt. “You might have said you liked the way I looked, that I was pretty.”

“I thought I was showing you.” He tightened his fingers, urging her forward for his kiss.
 

She didn’t hold back the moan of pleasure when his lips slanted over hers, gentle this time, seductive, not demanding. She couldn’t say which she preferred. Easing closer, she threaded her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, accepting the caresses of his tongue against her lips, between them, as if he was savoring her. He brought his hand up to stroke his fingertips over her cheek, adding another layer of sensation. She moved into his touch, so unexpected, so tender from this hard man. She wanted more.
 

She shifted her weight onto the floor, drawing him with her, over her. His fingers stroked her temple, her hair. His mouth played over hers, his lips mobile, exploring.
 

He eased back to look at her, his fingers resting lightly on her stomach. “We keep this up, we’re going to give the guys behind us quite a show.”

She really didn’t care. Her whole body screamed to continue, to feel his touch, the heat of his body. They were supposed to be married after all. But she understood he needed to keep some respect.
 

“I don’t want us to be that vulnerable. I don’t know what to expect out here. I don’t want you to take your boots off to sleep even. All right?”
 

How had they gone from kissing to talking about keeping her boots on when she slept? Damn reality. She shifted, rising on her elbows.

“You don’t really think someone will have the balls to attack three armed trucks?”

“Depends on how desperate they are.”
 

He sat back then, discreetly adjusting himself, which gave her a little thrill at having such an effect on such a controlled man. Then, unexpectedly, he cupped his hand around the back of her head and kissed her, hard and quick, before resuming his position at the back of the truck.

***

The camp in Oregon was more crowded than the one in Washington had been, but still newcomers drew attention, especially those who arrived in a convoy. Aaron kept Eden close, and after they helped unload supplies, they moved through the camp with the National Guardsmen.

“Jodie went out of her way to get us this ride,” he said, his mouth close to her ear as they moved toward the mess hall. “It wouldn’t be good if people started seeing these convoys as regular conveyance.”
 

She supposed she understood that, but why not, if there was room? It might be a step in getting the country back to normal.