"That was not for you to decide then, any more than it is for you to decide now."

"I was only looking out-"

Eden cut her off with a hard glare. "Don't even say it," she said. "Don't tell me you were looking out for me. It's a lie and we both know it." Eden smiled without humor. "The only person you have ever cared about is the one you see in the mirror every morning. You didn't want me seeing him because he didn't measure up to your standards. Well, news flash, Mother. He didn't have to. He had to measure up to mine. mine."

Giselle merely smiled, then stood. "Then you need to raise your standards."

"And you need to mind your own business."

In the process of fishing her keys from her purse, her mother paused to look at her. "Ah," she said knowingly. "I see I'm too late. He's already set the hook again, has he?" She strolled to Eden's front door. "I'm disappointed in you, of course-I'd hoped you'd have better sense-but I'm not worried." She paused. "History is wont to repeat itself. He'll cut bait soon enough."

And with that parting shot, Giselle made her way out the front door.

That barb finding a mark, Eden moved to the window just in time to watch Cerberus chase her mother from the yard. "Good kitty," she said, smiling in spite of herself as she rested her head against the gla.s.s.

As always, her mother had managed to hit upon the one thing Eden was terrified of-that Bennett would "cut bait" again. Last night, when she'd driven away, she'd been so certain that things were going to be different this time. She'd felt a security with him last night, which, frankly, she'd never experienced before. She'd been hopeful in the past, but...this was different. This Bennett was more sure of himself, more confident, seemed to have a better grasp of who he was.

Devi would tell her to ignore Giselle, to follow her heart. Devi would tell her to trust her instincts, even if that meant she was wrong. Eden grinned. It wasn't as if her aunt hadn't been through this with her before. Still...doubt was a shadow she was having a hard time shaking. She wanted to believe in him, she really did. But she was just so terrified of being made a fool of again, of giving up her heart once more and of him vanishing out of her life the same way he had in the past. True, he was trying to turn over that tree, but did that apply to her, as well?

Eden's cell rang, cutting off her circling thoughts. A quick check of the display told her it was Kate.

"So...how's it going?" her friend wanted to know. "Kelly e-mailed the club and told them that she'd seen you and Bennett kissing outside Ice Water last night. Is that true?"

"It is," Eden admitted.

"So, whose house did you go back to? Yours?"

"What makes you think we went to anyone's house?" Eden asked, her cheeks warming guiltily.

Kate chuckled. "You forget who you're talking to, sweetie. I know know you. Bennett Wilder is your ultimate weakness. He's to you what coconut cream pie is to me. If I see a slice, I've got to have it." you. Bennett Wilder is your ultimate weakness. He's to you what coconut cream pie is to me. If I see a slice, I've got to have it."

Though she was late for work, Eden collapsed into a nearby chair. "If you knew that, why didn't you come to my rescue?" she demanded. "Why did you let me get badgered into breaking Bennett's heart?"

Kate let go a long-suffering sigh. "Are you going to do it?"

"Of course not."

"Precisely," Kate told her. "But getting with him again was inevitable. At least this way you look like you have an excuse."

Eden frowned, not altogether sure she liked Kate's uncharitable logic. "You're quite evil," she said. "Are you sure that you're you're not Artemis525?" not Artemis525?"

"That's another reason I called. She's been quiet on the board. Has anything else happened?"

Eden filled her in on the hamburger incident as well as the 525 suspicions. "I really feel like I might be in over my head here. I need to go to the chief, but I promised Bennett that I wouldn't."

"That's a promise you don't need to keep. This is getting worse and worse."

"I know," Eden said, rubbing her forehead tiredly. "It's a mess. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do."

"Well, you don't need to be there on the twenty-fifth, that's for sure. You've got to get him out of the house."

Actually, she'd already thought about that and had planned to take him up to Fire Lake to pa.s.s the time in a way they'd both enjoy. Kate was right. Staying in that house like a sitting duck wasn't a good strategy. Someone-namely an officer of the law-needed to be posted outside Bennett's house. Once again she relayed her concerns to Kate.

"Get him to agree to it," her friend told her. "Be persuasive. persuasive."

Eden chuckled softly.

"You okay?" Kate asked, concerned. "Seriously."

"I'm scared," Eden admitted. "But-" She shrugged helplessly even though Kate couldn't see her. "It's Ben, Ben, Kate. It's always been Ben." Kate. It's always been Ben."

Kate made a sympathetic sound in her ear. "I know, honey. Just be careful, okay?"

Eden nodded. "I will."

But it was too late for that, Eden thought as she disconnected. She'd already put too much of herself out there to be anything but honest now. Eden whimpered.

And she honestly wanted him. him.

16.

"SO THIS IS THE BIGGEST, MEANEST dog you could find at the animal shelter, eh?" Eden asked with a droll smile as his newly adopted pet ran in hyper circles around her leg, yapping playfully. dog you could find at the animal shelter, eh?" Eden asked with a droll smile as his newly adopted pet ran in hyper circles around her leg, yapping playfully.

Bennett sighed. "Nope." He waited until Vicious lumbered into the room, then pointed at the gigantic dog. "This is." is."

Seemingly confused, Eden looked up from the delightful puppy at her feet, then her gaze landed on Vic. Her eyes widened in apparent shock and she stumbled back a step in alarm. She looked from the puppy to Vicious, then to him. She raised her brows. "You adopted two two dogs?" dogs?"

"Yes, he did," Grady said. "Wasn't that nice?" he asked with mock happiness, when it was plainly obvious that he thought it was anything but nice. "He said they were a surprise for me." Grady's dark brown eyes regarded the puppy with beleaguered irritation, then he rattled his paper and disappeared behind it once more. "Just more things to take care of around here. As if I've got time to toddle around behind a couple of dogs," he grumbled.

"Oh, put a sock in it," Devi told Bennett's grandfather. "They'll be good company for you."

"I don't know what you're you're so happy about. You're the one who's going to be cleaning up after them." so happy about. You're the one who's going to be cleaning up after them."

"Vic is housebroken," Bennett told them. His gaze slid to Addie, and he frowned. "Addie's gonna need some work."

"Oh, she's a smart one," Devi said, patting the puppy on the head. "You won't have any trouble with her."

Bennett didn't think so, either. He'd actually gone to the shelter to adopt one animal but had ended up coming home with two. Puppies were generally adopted first because they were cute and cuddly and adorable. Naturally that's what Bennett had wanted, but one glance at the morose-looking Vic-probably one of the biggest, ugliest dogs he'd ever seen-was enough to stop Bennett in his tracks. The animal had been dumped, the clerk had told him, and his days were numbered.

A sucker for a sad case, Bennett had made sure the animals were going to get along, then packed them up and brought them home. Vic tolerated Addie's enthusiasm with the sort of stoic you-have-no-idea resolve that was pure entertainment in and of itself.

Eden's gaze darted between the two dogs. "Are you sure Vic isn't going to eat Addie?"

"They were cell neighbors," Bennett explained. "They've bonded. She was the runt of the litter, he was headed for the big fire hydrant in the sky." He pulled a shrug. "They both needed a home."

"Ah," Eden said, evidently touched. "You did a good thing."

Bennett smiled and absently rubbed his chest. "Sometimes I get a wild urge."

"Speaking of wild, I heard you had an interesting day today," Devi interjected, smiling knowingly.

Eden rolled her eyes. "It was an experience, if nothing else."

Intrigued, Bennett felt his brow fold. "What was an experience?"

"Eden had to fish Martha Warren out of the mud puddle again."

Fish Martha Warren out of the mud puddle again? Bennett thought, thoroughly confused. He pulled a frown. He vaguely remembered doing a job for Ryan at the Warrens' place. "Martha Warren. Isn't she in a wheelchair?"

Devi smothered a chuckle behind her hand and her eyes twinkled with undisguised mirth. "She is. Oh, Eden, I know I shouldn't laugh. It's terrible, it truly is, but-"

Grady cackled. "But it's d.a.m.ned funny, too," his grandfather finished for her.

Eden, too, looked as if she were having a hard time keeping a straight face. Her ripe lips trembled, seemingly trying to keep from laughing. "Be that as it may," she said, "it's still terrible. And it was time Johnny got a dose of his own medicine."

Still confused, Bennett shook his head. "What am I missing here?" he asked, wanting in on the joke.

Eden cleared her throat. "Martha is is in a wheelchair," she confirmed. "And almost every time it rains, when Johnny gets angry at his wife, he rolls her outside-against her will, I might add-" Eden stopped and pursed her lips again, forestalling another smile "-and d-dumps her into a big pothole in their driveway." in a wheelchair," she confirmed. "And almost every time it rains, when Johnny gets angry at his wife, he rolls her outside-against her will, I might add-" Eden stopped and pursed her lips again, forestalling another smile "-and d-dumps her into a big pothole in their driveway."

Bennett felt a disbelieving smile roll across his lips and a you're-kiddin'-me laugh break up in his throat. "No?"

"Yes," Eden confirmed with a single nod. "None of the other guys on the force will go out there and help Martha because I'm the only one who can do it with a straight face...and she has a tendency to rarely wear a bra."

Bennett seemed to remember that about her.

"My sources tell me that you might have fixed the problem permanently, though," Devi said, shooting Eden a sly look.

A slow smile curled Eden's lips. "I don't know about permanently, but I think he'll think twice before he does it again."

Grady's bushy brows formed an intrigued line. "What did you do?"

"I hit him with the stun gun, rolled him into the hole then sandbagged him."

Bennett felt his eyes round, and he almost choked. "You what?"

Eden pulled an unrepentant shrug and humor danced in those clear green eyes. "Turnabout is fair play. I didn't hurt him," she said. "I just needed to change his perspective."

Impressed, Bennett nodded thoughtfully and regarded her with open amazement. "You're devious," he said, grinning.

Eden smiled, evidently pleased with the a.s.sessment. "But I'm also fair. Martha needed someone to level the playing field for her." She lifted one slim shoulder in a negligent shrug. "So I did."

"Have I mentioned how grateful I am to have you in my corner?" Bennett asked.

A cloud of unrecognizable emotion flashed momentarily in her gaze, causing Bennett an instant of disquiet, but she blinked it away before he could get a firm read on it. "You're welcome," Eden told him. Her lips slid into a smile, but there was a forced quality to it he didn't altogether understand. "So..." she said, looking curiously anxious. "Are you ready to go? The chief should be here soon."

Bennett considered her for a moment, then gave himself a mental shake and tried to focus. Contrary to his wishes, Eden had finally badgered him into allowing Mitch Curtis, the chief of police, to come out and watch the house. Tonight was the night, after all, the dreaded 5/25. She'd sweetened the deal with a trip to Fire Lake-their place, Bennett recalled, his d.i.c.k hardening at the mere thought-and since Mitch had always seemed like a stand-up guy, Bennett had ultimately let himself be persuaded. Mitch had promised to be discreet, and in exchange Bennett had offered to make his wife a rocking chair. Bennett recalled, his d.i.c.k hardening at the mere thought-and since Mitch had always seemed like a stand-up guy, Bennett had ultimately let himself be persuaded. Mitch had promised to be discreet, and in exchange Bennett had offered to make his wife a rocking chair.

True to form, Grady had proved to be a pain in the a.s.s and had absolutely refused to leave the house. And when Bennett had tried to point out the safety concerns, his grandfather had blistered his ear with expletives that would have made a sailor blush. This was his house, Grady had maintained, and he wasn't leaving.

They were taking Eden's SUV and leaving Bennett's car here at the house to perpetuate the illusion that he was home. Since there was no way to know exactly when she'd make her move, Devi had offered to spend the night-under the guise of not missing out on the action, of course; otherwise his grandfather would blow a gasket. Mitch had a.s.sured their safety, so Bennett had finally acquiesced.

Fire Lake, Bennett thought. Bennett thought. With Eden. With Eden.

Talk about a little piece of heaven here in h.e.l.l. His gaze drifted over her face-the smooth curve of her softly rounded cheek, the fine line of her nose, the sleek, curiously vulnerable slope of her brow. Clear green eyes, bright with humor one minute, then mossy with desire the next. His chest inexplicably tightened with emotion, crowded his heart up into his throat, forcing him to swallow.

Was he ready to go? Bennett thought, releasing a slow, uneven breath.

h.e.l.l, yes.

Because he was already a goner.

17.

HAVE I I MENTIONED HOW MENTIONED HOW grateful I am to have you in my corner? grateful I am to have you in my corner?

Eden inwardly squirmed.

She really needed to tell him what the Ex-Girlfriends' Club had asked her to do-to admit her duplicitous part in it-but somehow hadn't been able to drum up the nerve. Things had been too wonderful between them over the past couple of days, and she'd been too much of a coward to rock the boat or put a chill on their bliss. Was it so wrong to want to hold on to a little happiness?

Furthermore, it wasn't as though he'd always been particularly forthcoming with her. She just wanted a little more time, a better footing, so to speak, on where they stood. She thought they'd found solid ground this time, but...

Kelly, Marcy and Sheila had cornered her yesterday in town and had wanted to know when they were going to get to do their big "reveal." Evidently they had some sort of "punked" fantasy scenario for Bennett wherein they all all let him know how she'd deceived him. Eden had swiftly disabused them of that notion-good Lord, what were they thinking? Had she actually gone through with this, how could they expect her to be so cruel? Honestly, it was incomprehensible. She'd started this, she'd told them, and she'd finish it. let him know how she'd deceived him. Eden had swiftly disabused them of that notion-good Lord, what were they thinking? Had she actually gone through with this, how could they expect her to be so cruel? Honestly, it was incomprehensible. She'd started this, she'd told them, and she'd finish it.

In her own way. In her own time.

Meanwhile, at some point she was going to have to come clean with them, as well. Too many confessions, Eden thought, feeling her head begin to ache.

"Is something wrong, Eden?" Bennett asked. The afternoon sun painted him in an almost sepia glow as it descended below the horizon, making her breath catch in her throat. He had rolled his window down, and the breeze it created tousled his hair, giving him a curiously boyish charm. Almost there, Eden thought, turning onto the rutted dirt drive which would take them up to their spot above the lake.

She smiled rea.s.suringly. "No. I'm just worried about all this Artemis525 stuff," Eden said, not quite lying. She was was worried about it, though admittedly it hadn't been the focus of her recent preoccupation. worried about it, though admittedly it hadn't been the focus of her recent preoccupation.

"She's been quiet the last couple of days," Bennett pointed out, smiling weakly. "Maybe she's found someone else to stalk."

"I don't know," Eden said, frowning thoughtfully. "Something about this has felt weird to me from the beginning, but I can't put my finger on it." She shook her head. "I'm probably over thinking it."

Bennett leaned over and nuzzled her neck, his warm breath making a delicious shudder work its way through her. "Maybe you just need something to take your mind off it," he murmured silkily, instantly conjuring images of all the ways he intended to do that. And if it was anything like the way he'd done it the past couple of nights-though they'd been short ones due to Grady's care-Eden knew what was in store for her.