Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

***THEO***

T heo threw one more piece of driftwood onto the pile in his arms, then turned and headed back to the firepit, trying to pretend that he wasn't looking for Eden as he scanned the beach. There must have already been forty people milling around, but there was no sign of the petite blonde or her friend, and he had to fight back a wave of disappointment. Telling himself that it was for the best, he could enjoy himself without worrying about getting too close to the tempting beauty, he headed for the woodpile.

He'd only gone a few more steps when he noticed the back of a head that looked familiar, but he instantly dismissed the possibility that it was Eden. The woman was dressed in a skimpy pair of shorts and a tank top that revealed an enticing glimpse of flesh. A wave of desire washed over him as he watched her, and he was a bit relieved to find himself attracted to another woman. His problem might be easier to fix than he thought.

The feeling was short-lived when the woman turned around, and he was looking into Eden's blue eyes. The wood went tumbling out of his arms, landed with a crash on the top of the pile, and he backed up a step, unable to stop himself from staring at her, all the desire he'd felt the night he'd kissed her welling up inside him again. Sucking in a deep breath, his eyes taking in the low cut of her shirt that revealed a tantalizing view of her pale breasts, the swell of her hips under the tight fabric of her shorts, and her long shapely legs, the irrational urge to run settled over him.

He'd never felt such a powerful need for a woman, had no idea how to temper the feelings thundering through him except to give into them, and he didn't think it was wise to march across the beach and kiss her. Instead of running, he tore his eyes away from her, bent down, and started restacking the firewood, hoping that when he stood up again, she would be out of sight.

"Well, it looks like I might have been wrong," Max said, bending over to help him. "I was as shocked as you were when I saw her. That must have been one hell of a shopping trip. I think we both owe Barbie a thank you."

He stood up and gave Max a dirty look. "Don't be getting any ideas," he said. "Eden is off limits to both of us."

"Oh, I would never sleep with one of my guests, although, believe me, it's very tempting sometimes," Max said, waving him away. "But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a beautiful woman when I see one."

"Well, just make sure you're doing it from a long way away," he said, then let out a long sigh. "I think I've lost my mind. I don't know whose idea of a cruel joke this is, but I wish it was over."

"That bad, huh?" Max asked, an amused look on his face. "I'm almost starting to feel sorry for you, but it's a noble thing that you're doing."

"Oh, stuff it," he said, then stalked off to cool down. "I need to take a walk. "

"Don't be gone long. We're going to start digging for clams soon," Max called after him. "You won't want to miss that."

When he came back fifteen minutes later, Pierce was handing out buckets and shovels. "This is the best time of day to dig. The heat of the day is gone; the tide is starting to come in, so the clams open up," he said. "All you have to do is look for holes in the sand. They'll be a few inches down, just be careful not to damage them while you're digging. We need to cook the little buggers alive."

There were a few groans, but buckets and shovels appeared in people's hands, and they all followed Pierce down the beach. Theo was careful to keep his distance from Eden, determined not to let his body's irrational response to her ruin his fun, and when he found a good place, he stopped and began to dig. It didn't take long to find a little catch of clams, and he gently pulled them out, put them in his bucket, then moved further down the beach, his eyes scanning the ground for the telltale hole in the sand.

He'd just added a half dozen more clams to his bucket when a familiar scent came to him on the breeze. He froze for a second, then, inhaling another deep breath, sat back on his heels. Not surprised to see that Eden was only a few hundred yards away from him, he started to get to his feet but instead found himself watching her, wondering what it was about her that drove him so crazy.

The answer didn't come to him, just as he knew it wouldn't. Instead, desire began to flood his system as he watched Eden laughing and giggling with Barbie as they threw clams into their buckets. He didn't know how long he'd been watching her when she looked up and saw him sitting there, and the smile on her face got even bigger .

"Isn't this fun?" she called. "I've never done anything like this before."

He had to take a deep breath before he could reply. "Wait until you taste them," he said. "There's nothing better than fresh seafood, and you can't get any fresher than this."

"I can't wait," Eden called back, then got to her feet. "Barbie and I are having a contest to see who can find the biggest one, I think I won, but she hasn't given up yet. Maybe you could be the judge."

Trying not to panic as she walked over to him, her hips swaying, her breasts peeking out at him, he took several deep breaths. "Sure, I'd be happy to," he said, hoping his voice didn't betray him, then got to his feet. "Let me see what you've got."

Eden stepped up next to him, close enough that her scent filled his lungs, then held her bucket up to him, brushing her breast across his arm, and his body went wild. He looked down into the bucket, his heart pounding, his palms sweaty, and tried to get control of himself, ignoring the little voice in the back of his head telling him to kiss her. But it was sheer torture not touching her, and he knew he only had a few minutes before he lost control and gave in to the driving need almost overwhelming him.

***Eden***

Eden realized as soon as she stepped up next to Theo that he was tense, every muscle in his body was vibrating with effort. She looked up at him. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem like you're upset about something."

"I'm okay," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm just trying to work through something, but I'd love to see this big clam you found. "

She smiled at him, noticing the look in his eyes for the first time, and her heart began to pound. "Umm…Will you hold my bucket for a second?" she asked, suddenly very aware of how good he smelled. "I think it's at the bottom."

After shifting the clams around in the bucket, she came up with the biggest one and held it up. "Look at this one. It's huge," she said, hoping he couldn't see that her hands were shaking. "I bet it's a hundred years old, I wonder if it……"

Her words were cut off when a big spay of water came shooting out of the clam and hit her right in the face. She let out a little squeal, dropped it back into the bucket then covered her face with her hands, feeling the gritty fluid dripping down her face.

"It spit on me," she said. "No one told me they could do that."

She heard Theo set her bucket down, then felt him tugging on her hands. "It's okay, Eden; it was just sea water and sand," he said. "It won't hurt you. That's how they make those breathing holes we've been looking for. If you'll move your hands, I'll wipe it off your face so it doesn't get in your eyes."

She dropped her hands but didn't open her eyes, even when she heard the rustle of clothing. "Okay, hold still," Theo said, cupping her chin with one hand. "This will just take a second."

A soft cloth brushed against her forehead and cheeks, Theo's scent filled her senses, and she realized that he was using his shirt to wipe her face. Her legs started to get wobbly, and she sucked in a deep breath of air, hoping it would stop the desire beginning to build inside her, then remembered she wanted this. When she opened her eyes, still a bit dizzy from the power of what she was feeling, Theo was grinning down at her, his bare chest only inches from her face.

"Oh, thank you," she stammered, tearing her eyes away from his chest. Then, she gasped when she saw the look in his eyes. "Are you going to kiss me again?"

"I was giving it some serious thought, but I know I shouldn't," he said, shaking his head. "You're too young for me, Eden. As much as I want you, it would be wrong. I would feel like I was taking advantage of you."

"You want me?" she asked, a bit stunned. "No one has ever wanted me before."

He groaned, "I find that hard to believe," he said. "You're a very beautiful woman."

Her cheeks turned a very attractive shade of pink. "Would it make any difference if I tell you that I want you to kiss me?" she asked, shocked at her own daring. "We're both adults. You're a little older than me, but I don't see what difference that makes."

"A little older," he said. "I'm thirty, Eden. You can't be more than twenty-two. That's eight years."

"I don't care," she said, taking a step toward him, her heart beginning to pound at the thought of what she was about to do. "If you don't kiss me, then I'll kiss you."

"Eden, don't……" but his words were muffled by her lips and all that came out after that was a groan.

Unsure what to do, she remembered Barbie's advice, and she followed her instincts, wrapping her arms around his neck and rubbing her body up against his. A sound that could have been a groan or a growl rumbled from deep in Theo's chest. His arms closed around her, and his tongue slipped into her mouth, deepening the kiss. All she could do was hold on as she was assaulted by one wave of pleasure after another, her body tingling and tightening deep inside .

When Theo finally gently pushed her away, he stared at her for a second. "You can't do that again," he said, shaking his head. "You're playing with fire, Eden; I don't want you to get burned."

"Why don't you let me worry about myself," she said, grinning at him. "If that was anything like what the real thing is like, I'm willing to risk getting burned a little. What about you?"

"Woman, you have no idea what you're talking about," he said, then pulled her back into his arms and slammed his mouth down on hers.

His tongue invaded her mouth as his fingers found their way into her hair, pinning her up against his hard body, and the kiss suddenly turned demanding. She sensed that Theo wasn't holding anything back, felt the power of the attraction between them, and thrills began to rush through her. When her nipples hardened against his chest, she let out a little gasp as a new and more intense kind of pleasure washed over her, leaving her legs wobbly, and a new longing slowly building deep inside her.

Brushing her hard nipples across his chest made them both moan, and Theo finally tore his lips away from hers with a groan, then stood looking down at her. "That was supposed to scare you," he said, giving her a dirty look. "But I guess it didn't work, and I want you even more."

She looked up at him. "I trust you, Theo. You would never hurt me," she said. "So, what comes next? I know there's more to all of this than kissing."

"Oh, no, you don't," he said, taking a few steps away from her. "We're going to dinner, and we're going to sit a long way away from each other. This isn't going to work, missy, so you can just forget it."

After studying him for a second, an idea popped into her head. "Okay, that's fine with me; I mean, if you don't want to show me, I'm sure there's someone else around here who would," she said. "I'm sure there are lots of other single men on the island."

She knew instantly that she'd hit her target. "You wouldn't dare," he said. "Not all guys are like me. They won't all worry about…well…you know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what you mean, and that's the problem," she said. "I'm twenty-two years old, and I know nothing about sex, but I'm determined to figure it all out by the end of the summer. You can either help me or stand aside and let me find someone who will. It's your choice."

Her hands shook, and her legs were wobbly when she took the bucket from him then turned and walked away, shocked by what she'd just done, but not the least bit sorry. She'd never follow through with her threat, there was only one man on the island that she wanted, but Theo didn't need to know that. She'd followed her instincts, and if she was lucky, they were right.