Eden's Promise by MJ Fredrick Page A

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