And what was even better...she knew him. Take now, for instance. She was sucking his tongue into her mouth-back and forth, back and forth-making him want her hot, talented mouth wrapped around his rod, sucking him until his b.a.l.l.s ached and release rocketed from his loins.

Desperate for the feel of skin on skin, Bennett slipped his fingers beneath the hem of her shirt and tugged it upward. Eden shifted, allowing him to draw it over her head, then she sat back on her haunches, reached behind her back and undid her bra.

Bennett reached up and fingered the aqua lace-apparently part of a set-and felt his mouth parch with need. "Nice," he murmured thickly.

Pale blond hair shimmering over her shoulders, her green eyes darkened to a mossy hue, her lips swollen from his kisses, her pretty bra barely clinging to her heavy b.r.e.a.s.t.s...

Eden painted a picture in that moment that would forever be branded into his memory. She was so gorgeous it made his chest ache. Beautiful from the inside out.

"You're so beautiful," Bennett murmured, unable to keep the compliment to himself.

Eden's lips slid into a smile as she shrugged the rest of the way out of her bra. "Your flattery is wasted-you've got me in bed already."

Bennett chuckled. "Smart-a.s.s."

Her mouth curved into a little half smile, Eden bent forward once more and licked a hot path up the side of his neck, sprinkled leisurely kisses along his jaw then kissed the corner of his eye. She sighed softly, fondly, as though she'd missed that particular part of him. Lucky for her, he had more parts and he was more than willing to share them with her, adnauseam, should she so desire.

Her warm palms slid over his chest, mapping him slowly and reverently, and he had the pleasure of watching her body go boneless with desire.

Unable to keep from tasting her, Bennett bent forward and pulled the rosy bud of her breast into his mouth, groaning with pleasure as the taste of her spread over his tongue. Eden gasped, tunneled her fingers into his hair and held him fast, anchoring him to her.

Fire licked through his body, settled in his loins and pushed his d.i.c.k up so hard against his zipper that he winced. He couldn't wait to get inside her, couldn't wait to feel her sweet, greedy heat clamping around him, holding on to him.

And to that end...

He wanted to go slow, to take his time, to love her properly...but he couldn't. This was Eden, after all, and he'd never had any self-control when it had come to her. He'd never been able to adhere to any sort of seduction-he'd always just had to have her. Period. And from the little sighs of delight, the mewls of antic.i.p.ation he was already wringing from her primed little body, Eden didn't appear any better at resisting him.

Thank G.o.d.

And considering they were in what used to be a church, he meant it literally.

Eden's clever hands suddenly found the snap at his jeans and he felt the clasp leave its closure. His zipper whined, and a second later her hot little palm was wrapped around his d.i.c.k, milking a single bead of moisture from the tip.

Bennett tested the weight of her other breast against his hand, then moved over and sampled it, as well. Same flavor but better somehow, Bennett thought dimly, wondering if s.e.xual attraction had somehow momentarily unhinged his brain.

Eden worked the slippery skin back and forth, back and forth, then mult.i.tasked by removing his pants and drawers with the other hand, slowly inching them down over his a.s.s until Bennett could kick them away.

Then the only thing that stood between him and her was a thin patch of silky lace and his ultimate intentions. He'd been patient, Bennett thought. He'd let her hold on to the dominant position, but now it was his turn. He wanted her beneath him, hot and ready, wet and willing and just as desperate as he was.

In an instant he had her on her back.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and rocked up against him, wincing with pleasure. Her eyes fluttered shut, her mouth rounded and a needy sigh leaked out of her lungs.

The drenched lace between her legs slipped over his d.i.c.k, making him jump impatiently against her. It felt curiously nice, better than he would have expected but not good enough. A broken gasp erupted from his throat.

Not nearly good enough.

Bennett nudged her panties aside and pushed up through her wet, hot folds, purposely nudging her c.l.i.t.

Predictably, Eden's back bowed off the bed. A wicked, almost sleepy-sounding chuckle of relief bubbled out of her ripe mouth, making Bennett want to beat his chest and roar.

Him, he thought. She wanted him. he thought. She wanted him.

Still.

He slid through her folds again, drenching himself in her heat, then went painfully still as thought struck. Son of a b.i.t.c.h.

Eden's questioning gaze tangled with his. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have a condom."

"You don't have a-" Eden blinked, seemingly astounded. "You don't have a condom?" don't have a condom?"

In her mind, he imagined, it was a bit like van Gogh not having a paintbrush, but what could he say? He hadn't had good s.e.x since Eden, and the bad s.e.x had gotten old quickly. He grimly suspected that she'd ruined him, but there you go. There was nothing for it.

Bennett shook his head, felt his lips twitch into a small smile. "Haven't needed them until now."

Something shifted in her gaze and it softened perceptibly. Then she smiled and rocked her hips back, positioning him at her center. "Don't worry about it. I'm on the pill."

A weight of relief rushed through him, seemingly plunging him inside of her.

Hot, tight, wet...home.

Bennett lodged himself so deeply inside of her, he felt her lungs deflate as he buried himself to the hilt. She clamped around him, squeezing him tightly, making climax kindle threateningly in his burning loins.

"Eden," he breathed, bending down to brush a kiss over her lips. "G.o.d, I've missed you."

Home, Bennett thought again as he thrust again, then he wrapped an arm around her waist, hauled her hips closer to his and pounded into her. Bennett thought again as he thrust again, then he wrapped an arm around her waist, hauled her hips closer to his and pounded into her.

Home, home, home and and mine, mine, mine. mine, mine, mine. Prayer or plea, the Almighty could take his pick. He just needed her. Prayer or plea, the Almighty could take his pick. He just needed her.

14.

EDEN CLUNG TO B BENNETT, absorbed the force of his thrusts with greedy antic.i.p.ation. She wrapped her legs around his waist, savoring each and every hardened inch of him deep inside of her.

It was so perfect she could almost cry.

This was what she'd been missing, Eden thought as profound relief mingled with desire, making her go alternately boneless and rigid. Emotion clogged her throat and crowded into her heart, and the backs of her lids burned even while a goofy, giddy smile turned her lips. was what she'd been missing, Eden thought as profound relief mingled with desire, making her go alternately boneless and rigid. Emotion clogged her throat and crowded into her heart, and the backs of her lids burned even while a goofy, giddy smile turned her lips.

There was nothing quite so perfect as the feel of Ben Wilder buried to the hilt between her legs. It was hot and thrilling and wild and wicked-just like him-and if she'd ever felt anything more perfect in her life, she couldn't recall it. But it was always like this with Bennett. He made every cell in her body sing, every particle in her being hum like a tuning fork.

The minute he'd pushed into her it was as though the rest of her world had fallen back into place. Everything settled...then flew apart again when he started to move.

In a move of brazen wickedness, Bennett had ma.s.saged her to climax in the car on the way over to her house-while she'd been driving, of course. That had to be against the law, Eden had thought dimly at the time, but she hadn't had the wherewithal to tell him to stop. She'd barely been able to get out of the car-and probably wouldn't have been able to without his help. Getting the key in the lock had been a challenge, as well, because he'd picked her up and had been nibbling on her neck.

Heaven help her, but he smelled good, Eden thought now, inhaling the clean woodsy scent of him. He'd undoubtedly showered before meeting her in town, but Eden could still catch a whiff of oak. She bent forward and kissed him, the exact spot where shoulder met neck, tasting the salty essence of his skin against her tongue.

Predictably, Bennett hardened even more inside of her.

"Eden," he said warningly.

Smiling, she nipped at his shoulder, then licked the spot she'd bitten. "I'm busy," she told him, sliding her hands over his chest, raking his hardened nipples with the smooth edge of her fingernails.

"I know," he said, a broken laugh bubbling out of his throat. "You're killing me."

"Then rigor mortis has only settled in one part of your body," Eden quipped, chuckling at the inane joke.

Bennett grinned down at her, deliberately thrust harder and seated himself as firmly between her legs as he could. "Nice form, but your comedic timing is a little off."

Eden rocked against him, purposely catching his rhythm, and felt the quickening of climax tingle in her s.e.x. "Then I guess I'll just have to work on that, won't I?" Eden said, her voice suddenly hoa.r.s.e with need.

Bennett upped the tempo, pounded into her-harder, faster, then harder still. She felt his b.a.l.l.s slap her aching flesh, watched his lips peel away from his teeth and knew he was about to come.

And there was nothing more beautiful than watching Ben Wilder when he came.

Though desire dragged her lids down and tension tightened every muscle in her body, Eden locked her legs tighter around Bennett and gazed determinedly up into his woefully familiar, handsome face. She would not look away, didn't want to miss a single expression.

Almost as if he'd read her mind, he looked down at her, and the desire-the sheer unadulterated need-he allowed her to see in those remarkably dark eyes sent Eden over the edge.

The climax hit her with only the slightest of warnings. Her feminine muscles clamped around him, holding him inside of her with each pulsing quake. Her back bowed off the mattress, her neck arched away from the bed, her mouth opened in a soundless scream and her vision blackened around the edges. Every cell in her body sang with release, throbbed in her weeping s.e.x, and every push of him deep inside her felt exaggerated-bigger and better than before.

Her o.r.g.a.s.m seemingly triggering his, Bennett thrust wildly into her. Pounded harder and harder. A fine sheen of sweat slickened his shoulders, every perfectly proportioned muscle rigid with tension. Masculine art in motion.

Then it happened.

She felt him stiffen, dig his toes into the mattress and nudge deep, then felt his warm seed bathe the back of her womb, igniting another little sparkler of pleasure deep inside of her. Unable to help herself, Eden smiled contentedly.

Sweet peace, she thought, silently praying it would last a little longer this time.

Breathing heavily, Bennett narrowly avoided collapsing on top of her. He wilted and rolled to the side, taking her with him. His lips curled into an endearingly s.e.xy smile and he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Well, I don't know about you, but I feel better."

Still trying to catch her own breath, Eden slung her arm over her eyes and chuckled softly. "I all but screamed your name and you have to wonder if I feel better? If you're fishing for a compliment, then-" Oh, what the h.e.l.l, Oh, what the h.e.l.l, Eden thought, laughing "-d.a.m.n, that was good." Eden thought, laughing "-d.a.m.n, that was good."

He doodled on her upper arm. "Yes, well," he said, masculine pride dripping with every syllable. "I can't take all of the credit," he said magnanimously. "You did some of the work."

Eden chewed the inside of her cheek and turned to look at him. His dark hair was tousled in careless waves around his face and his eyes sparkled with latent humor and sated need. He looked sleepy and content and...happy, Eden thought with a surprised start. Not just satisfied but genuinely happy. happy.

"I'll try to do better about pulling my weight next time," Eden said, regretting the words the instant they'd left her mouth. It implied that there was to be a next time, and while she certainly hoped there would, who knew with Bennett? She hadn't dubbed him the Magician for nothing. Just because he was back in town permanently didn't mean that he couldn't just as easily dump her and vanish from her life as he had before.

As if reading her mind, Bennett leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on her lips. "Next time I won't be so impatient that I leave your panties on." His gaze drifted up her wall, toward the ceiling, and narrowed. "Your cat is a pervert," he said darkly.

"What?" Eden followed his gaze and discovered Cerberus on the wall above them. She smiled, feigning insult. "My cat is not a pervert. She's merely curious."

"She can't jump down from there, can she?" Bennett asked suspiciously.

Worried, was he? Eden thought, smiling. "No. That's part of the reason I left the walls at eight feet, though. She likes to climb. She can get on top of most every ledge, but can only get down in a couple of places. She's not brave enough to jump."

Cerberus hunkered low and growled at Bennett, seemingly prepared to refute that claim.

"Maybe she's just never been properly motivated," he told her, eying the cat with suspicious disdain.

"Lay off my kitty," Eden admonished. "She's a sweetheart."

"She's a demon from h.e.l.l. Maybe I should bring my dog over so that they can play."

Eden brightened. "You have a dog?"

"No, but I'm going to get one." He glared at Cerberus. "The biggest, meanest one the local animal shelter has to offer."

"Bennett," Eden said, whacking him playfully on the chest, causing a laugh to rumble against her cheek. Even though her cat clearly didn't like Bennett, she knew he was just teasing.

"I am am going to get a dog," he said matter-of-factly, shooting her a look. Not asking her permission, of course, but...gauging her reaction, maybe? What, did he think she thought he wouldn't make a good pet parent? She knew Bennett had worried about being a good parent in the past-bad blood, he'd told her many years ago-but surely he didn't still believe that, Eden thought. It was ridiculous. He could be good at whatever he set his mind to and no doubt would be a wonderful father, to both the two-legged and four-legged varieties. going to get a dog," he said matter-of-factly, shooting her a look. Not asking her permission, of course, but...gauging her reaction, maybe? What, did he think she thought he wouldn't make a good pet parent? She knew Bennett had worried about being a good parent in the past-bad blood, he'd told her many years ago-but surely he didn't still believe that, Eden thought. It was ridiculous. He could be good at whatever he set his mind to and no doubt would be a wonderful father, to both the two-legged and four-legged varieties.

"Really?" Eden asked, encouraging him with the simple question.

"Yeah." He sighed. "I couldn't have one at my place in Savannah, and I like having the company when I'm working."

Eden could easily see that. Cerberus was quiet company and a source of comfort for her. She'd actually wanted a dog, as well, but she spent so much time away from home she wasn't altogether sure it would be fair to the animal. Cerberus, for all her faults, was quite independent.

"What does Grady think about you getting a dog?"

Bennett slid her a smile. "He'll warm to it."

Eden paused, felt a grin move over her lips. "You haven't told him, have you?"

"No, and I'm not going to. It's going to be a surprise."

Considering that Grady was a retired mail carrier who'd been chased and bitten multiple times, Eden didn't think Bennett's grandfather was going to appreciate his surprise. But who was she to meddle? "I'm sure that'll make a difference," she remarked drolly.

Bennett hesitated. "Can I ask you something, Eden?"

Intrigued at his cautious tone, she nodded. "Sure, but I reserve the right not to answer."

"Duly noted." He cleared his throat, shifted a bit. "Look, no one is happier than me that you're on the pill, but...why?"

Eden sucked the insides of her cheeks and resisted the natural impulse to say, Hi, Pot. Meet Kettle. Hi, Pot. Meet Kettle. However, the fact that he'd wondered and was sufficiently jealous enough to inquire made her inwardly preen. "Generally, it's taken for birth control," Eden told him. "But I'm on it to regulate my cycle." However, the fact that he'd wondered and was sufficiently jealous enough to inquire made her inwardly preen. "Generally, it's taken for birth control," Eden told him. "But I'm on it to regulate my cycle."

He expelled a little breath of what she could only conclude was relief. "I was just curious," he said as though her answer hadn't mattered. But it had.

"Sure."

Bennett glanced at her bedside clock and winced. "I guess I should be heading back. Devi will have left hours ago, and I don't like to leave him for too long."