Craving Eden Read online

  “Oh, that’s going to be trouble. I’ve seen what you can do with that smile. Women just fall all over you. Wait until she’s a teenager, and you have to chase the boys away with a baseball bat.”

  “Baseball bat, my ass.” Jake grinned. “I’ve got a gun.”

  Sam grinned and then slapped him on the back. “Congratulations! This must be one hell of a shock to the man who thought he would never have children.”

  “It is.” Jake glanced toward the stairs when he heard Harper slam her bedroom door and run down the hall. “I never knew one little girl could make so much noise.”

  Harper trotted down the stairs, her green eyes bright. “Hey, a dog! Can I play with it?”

  “Wait just a minute, you.” Jake grasped her shoulders and pulled her against his side. “I know your mother taught you manners. I’ve seen them. Wait until you’ve been introduced before you start asking questions like that.”

  “I’m sorry, sir.” Harper didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she stared at one of the buttons on his shirt. She reminded him so much of her mother when she did that. He found he couldn’t stay cross with her for long.

  “That’s okay.” He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “This is Sam Markham, and his dog’s name is Charlie. He has another dog at home, but she can’t come with him right now because she just had a litter of puppies and must stay at home to care for them.”

  “Puppies?” Harper clasped her hands under her chin and turned to Sam, a dreamy expression on her face. “Do you really have puppies at home, Mister Markham?”

  “I do.” Sam knelt with a smile. “You can call me Sam, everyone does. I won’t answer to anything but Sam, so don’t go calling for Mr. Markham because my dad isn’t as nice as I am.” He smiled at her and winked. “But don’t tell him I said that. It makes him ornery.”

  “Hello, Sam.” Harper shifted her gaze between him and the dog. “Is Charlie nice? Can I play with him? What’s your other dog’s name? Is she nice? Can I see her and play with the puppies? Can I have one when they’re older?”

  “Whoa! Hold on there.” Laughing, Sam held up his hands. “That’s something you’re going to have to ask your parents. If everything is okay with them, I’m sure Charlie would love to play with you. He likes a good game of fetch, and like any German Shepherd Dog, he loves to play cat and mouse. It doesn’t matter if you’re chasing him, or if he’s chasing you.”

  “Can I, Daddy? Please.” She held up her clasped hands as though in prayer, met Jake’s gaze, and batted her eyes.

  Jake’s stomach flipped over about ten times. Just hearing her call him daddy was enough to make him agree to anything. Still, he didn’t want to take complete control from Eden. She’d raised Harper on her own for too long to not resent him for taking over as though he’d always been there for them.

  “Let’s ask your mom and see what she thinks before you go running off with Sam.” He winked at her. “Besides, it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other, and she might want to say hello.”

  “But what if—“

  “But I don’t see any reason why you can’t take Charlie out into the backyard until she makes up her mind about your going to see the puppies,” Jake couldn’t help but add. He couldn’t resist being her hero, if only for a little while.

  “Thanks, Daddy!” She glanced at Sam. “Is it okay, Sam?”

  “Sure, it’s okay. Just call him, and he’ll follow you.” Sam glanced down at the dog. “Charlie, go play.”

  “Come on, Charlie,” Harper called as she headed for the door.

  “Thanks for that,” Jake said as he led the way into the living room. “I’ll be her hero all day for that.”

  “I figured. Though that wasn’t why I brought Charlie over, I was going to suggest he be Eden’s guard for a while, but it might be better if he hung around with the kid.” Sam sighed. “I only wish Spirit wasn’t nursing pups. They could both have a dog then.”

  “Yeah. I was thinking about that. Are all of your pups spoken for?”

  “Even if they were, they wouldn’t be for you.”

  “I don’t want preferential treatment. I know you breed some of the best guard dogs around. If they’re all sold, I’ll wait a year for the next litter.”

  “I have two left, and no one has come over to choose the ones they want. How about I pick the two best for you and let the others choose from those that are left?”

  “That sounds good. Two should be plenty.” Jake grinned. “You will help train them, won’t you?”

  “Of course! My only stipulation about borrowing Charlie is that he comes home every other day or so to visit his family.”

  “Deal.” Jake knew he couldn’t have a better guard or alarm for his daughter and mate than Charlie other than Spirit. Females were usually more territorial and better at guarding, in his opinion.

  “Jake?” Eden’s footsteps sounded on the stairs. “Where is everyone?”

  “Sam and I are in here, and Harper took Sam’s dog out into the backyard,” Jake called to her as she turned toward the kitchen.

  “Sam’s here?” Eden smiled as she entered the room, her gaze resting on Jake’s beta and best friend. “It’s been so long. I guess the dog must be yours. It’s not Baron, is it?”

  “No. Baron died three years ago. Charlie is one of his Grandsons.”

  “Oh.” Her expression turned somber. “I missed Baron so much. He was like a furry best friend.”

  “Aren’t they all?” Sam smiled. “Dogs are the heartbreak you choose.”

  “I guess you’re right about that.” She turned thoughtful.

  Jake couldn’t stand seeing such a somber expression on his mate’s face.

  “Sam’s bitch just had a litter of pups.” He glanced at his beta. “How many did you say there were?”

  “Fifteen.”

  “That many? Wow!” Eden’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize dogs could have so many in one litter.”

  “Yep.” Sam chuckled. “Spirit came from a litter of eighteen. There were so many they had to bottle feed some. I got her early because her littermates were bullying her, and I had another bitch who lost several pups and was close to weaning a litter of five. As a matter of fact, I got Spirit free because Lady fostered her and four of her siblings.”

  “That was a good deal, especially if she’s a good dog.”

  “She’s one of the best. Just like Charlie and Baron.”

  “I don’t think you’ve ever seen a dog you didn’t like.”

  “I don’t think I have, either.” Sam grinned. “Dogs aren’t like people. You never have to worry whether or not they really love you. If they don’t like you, you’ll know it in a second.”

  “Mom! You have to see this.” Harper ran into the house, the kitchen door slamming behind her, followed by the sound of four canine feet padding against the hardwood floors.

  “See what?”

  “Sam’s dog. His name is Charlie.”

  “Harper, what have I—“

  “He told me to call him Sam.” Harper’s chin shot up. “He said that Mister Markham is his dad, and I better not call his dad because he’s ornery.”

  “He did, did he?” An eyebrow shot up, and she glanced at Sam.

  “God’s honest truth, Eden. My father is the orneriest cuss in town.” Sam held up his hands and grinned. “And I did tell her I would only answer to Sam. Who wants to be called by their father’s name, anyway?”

  “Nothing stops you when it comes to my name.” Jake glared at his beta.

  “That’s different. You’re alpha. You have all the power and experience of those who came before you. In essence, you are an old man.”

  “Eff you and the horse you rode in on, mister.” Jake surreptitiously shot Sam the bird.”

  “What’s that mean?” Harper turned to Eden, and her middle finger shot up.

  Eden turned her gaze on Jake, her eyes narrowed. It was obvious she was trying not to laugh.

  “This is a good
time to start getting to know your father better. Maybe you should ask him what that means. After all, you’ve learned that new thing from him.”

  Chapter Eight

  They’d been staying with Jake for ten days when the constant sexual undertones between her and Jake finally got the best of Eden.

  Normally, she wasn’t a jumpy person at all, but if Jake brushed up against her or found a way to squeeze between her and something else one more time, she was sure she would explode.

  Luckily, he planned to go back to work that morning after spending the last ten days at home, getting to know his daughter, and waiting for the results of their daughter’s elementary school placement tests.

  A day alone would probably be good for her if she could get over the fact that she would be alone, and Harper would be eight miles away at school.

  “What's the matter, Mom?” Harper skipped into the kitchen and sat at the table, waiting for her breakfast.

  It was her first day of school. Literally.

  Having been on the run for most of Harper's life, Eden had homeschooled her until they moved to Haven.

  Her nerves were in tatters just thinking of her daughter going to a public school where Edward or any number of his thugs could find her, and take her.

  What would she do with all of the spare time she’d have? Eden usually spent several hours a day going over Harper’s lessons with her.

  Eden realized that going back to work would mean school or a sitter for Harper. She just hadn’t come to terms with it yet.

  The sexual frustration between herself and Jake aside, what would she do with so much alone time?

  She certainly had no intention of taking up knitting in her spare time. Maybe it was time she went out and searched for a job.

  It had been so long, too long since she had any time to herself. She wasn't sure what she would do on her own for seven hours every day. And Eden dare not think of being by herself with Jake for any length of time. That had bad idea written all over it.

  Scraping Harper's scrambled eggs onto a plate, she picked up three slices of bacon from the dish next to the stove, then set the food on the table in front of her daughter. She sat down, resting her chin in her hands, and smiled.

  “Nothing's wrong, sweety. I just keep thinking of how much I'm going to miss you while you're in school.”

  “Mom,” Harper drew the word out for a good four seconds and rolled her eyes. “It's not like I'm going anywhere. I'm only going to school.”

  “And you can't wait, can you?” Eden's heart almost broke when her daughter beamed her a smile and nodded.

  Gone were the days when they would spend hours over her lessons, discussing history or the proper way to structure a sentence.

  “I’ll miss you, too, Mom. “ Harper sighed. “But I've always wanted to go to a real school.” She frowned down into her eggs. “Do you think the other kids will like me?”

  Sighing, Eden pulled her brave little daughter into her arms and squeezed. “Yes, sweetheart. They are going to like you very much. What's not to like?”

  Jake walked through the door, his wolf’s nose leading him straight to the stove. “Something smells great.” Grabbing a slice of bacon, he popped it into his mouth and closed his eyes. “God, I love bacon. I don't get it much anymore. It’s like the manna of the gods.”

  “Doesn't Carlotta cook it for you?” It was difficult to keep her voice even. Eden knew she had no claim on Jake. She had no right to be jealous or to make assumptions, but the hot little housekeeper he had cooking his dinners made her see red. The woman was constantly batting her eyes at him and wiggling her perfect little ass his way.

  Jake, as oblivious as he was, couldn't see that the housekeeper had the hots for him. He shook his head and snatched a few more slices of bacon and shoved them between two slices of bread before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

  “No. Carlotta has never fixed my breakfast. She only fixes my dinner. Breakfast is usually a bowl of cold cereal or a doughnut and a cup of coffee.”

  “And I'm just supposed to believe she's never spent the night here with you? What kind of fool do you take me for, Jake?”

  Shaking her head, she stood and moved over to the stove to fix him some eggs. It was his food, after all. The least she could do was make sure he had a decent breakfast. She cracked three eggs into the pan and put some bread in the toaster.

  “How are you doing today, squirt,” he asked Harper, who usually remained quiet around him unless there was a dog around.

  Eden hoped she would soon overcome her shyness toward her father. “Well?” She waved the wooden spoon she used to mix the eggs and prompted their daughter to talk. She hadn't said much to Jake since that first day.

  For some reason, Eden had to urge her to speak to him. She spent more time outside with Charlie than she spent getting to know her father.

  Shrugging, Harper stared down into her meal and pushed her eggs around with her fork. “I'm okay, I guess.”

  “Nervous about school?” Jake looked genuinely interested. He knew Harper both wanted to go to school and worried that the other children wouldn't like her.

  “A little.”

  Jake looked to her to make things better, as he always did. His expression was a mixture of what did I do and help me, please.

  “I think she's just afraid the other kids won't like her.” Eden set his toast in front of him and went back to the stove to finish scrambling his eggs. “She's been worried about that all week.”

  Of course, she had. The poor kid worried about what the others would think about Jake suddenly acquiring a daughter.

  Jake had no idea that Harper wasn't worried about herself. She was concerned about what others would think of her dad. She worshipped the very ground her father walked upon, and she didn't want others saying bad things about him.

  Eden had only just learned of that herself. Harper had voiced her fears the night before.

  Eden had no idea what got into her little girl's mind to make her think their history would make a difference.

  “There’s no doubt that the other kids will like her.” He picked up his coffee and took a sip. “I am Alpha and—”

  “Jake!” Eden couldn't let him finish what he was about to say.

  To tell their daughter that the kids would like her because he was the alpha and they were obligated to be nice was worse than thinking they wouldn't like her at all.

  “I think I just saw a wolf in the backyard. Do you have, uh visitors often?” Eden knew that would get him to follow her outside, and she desperately needed to talk to him alone before he said something that would scar their daughter.

  Chapter Nine

  Jake could tell by the tone of Eden’s voice that he’d done something wrong. Even if he hadn’t picked up on the inflection in her voice, the expression on Eden's face was enough to tell him that much.

  Since he figured admitting his mistakes was a step in the right direction, he stepped through the back door with the pretense of searching for the wolf Eden said she saw lurking in the backyard and then waited for her to join him.

  When he felt her presence and smelled the sweet scent of her arousal behind him, he turned, keeping his hands behind his back.

  “What did I say?”

  “It's not what you said, but what you were about to say. Do you want to give your daughter a complex or something? For God's sake, you do not tell a child that the other kids have to like them.”

  “I figured it would set her mind at ease.” Women! Would he never understand them?

  “Are you kidding?” She snorted while pacing in front of him. “Telling her that would be the worst thing you could do. It won't set her mind at ease. She would always wonder if they liked her for her or because you're her dad. She's already worried about what everyone will say about your suddenly acquiring a nine-year-old daughter.” She bowed her head and twisted her hands together. “I know that's my fault, but…” Her bottom lip trembled. “She's just a kid.”

>   Jake pulled Eden into his arms. It surprised him when she didn’t resist. Holding her felt so right, he didn’t want to let her go, but Harper needed a ride to school, at least until they arranged to have the bus stop and pick her up.

  Leaning down, he took a deep breath and inhaled her scent. Now that she felt safe, Eden had gone to a hairstylist and had them change her hair back to its natural color. He held her close, her red-blonde hair tangling in the stubble on his jaw, effectively tying them together.

  Jake had wanted to hold her like this and more for days. He couldn't wait until he took their daughter to school, stopped by the worksite, and then came back home.

  After ten days of getting to know each other again, he wanted Eden more than ever, and he could tell she wanted him, too. He could smell her arousal every minute of every day.

  The scent of fear was gone, replaced by the unique smell of her desire for him.

  Eden’s sweet scent awakened his wolf and made it more difficult to control every day they spent together.

  Jake needed some alone time with his mate. He craved Eden every moment she was near. After so many years apart, craving Eden was second nature to him. He couldn’t remember a day that he hadn’t hungered for her scent or her presence in his life since the day they met.

  Jake’s mouth watered with the need to taste her. He wanted to kiss every inch of her body, slowly stroking her with his tongue, until he brought Eden to a shuddering climax again and again.

  Cupping her face, he sank his fingers into the thick, shining silk of her hair and stared deep into her eyes.

  “It's not your fault.” Sighing, he rested his forehead against hers. “I should have found a better, less frightening way to tell you what I am. It's my fault you were so scared. It was my fault you ran from me. The blame rests solely on my shoulders. It always has.”

  Eden began to tremble. She tried to pull away, to look down.

  He wouldn't allow it. Straightening to his full height, he grasped her chin and gently tilted her head back until her gaze met his.

  “I should have trusted you.” Tears glazed her violet eyes and trembled on her long, golden lashes. “I should have trusted you more.”