Beyond Eden Read Online Free PDF

longing caused from hearing Paul’s voice and feeling his large, strong hands on her waist. She backed up to get away from the scent of his cologne that was earthy and enticing. “New York sucked.” She looked down at her hands when her eyes stung. She thought about the disaster of her last relationship and the fact she was living with her parents once more. Then her inner musings turned to Danny’s mother, gone for the past five years without her knowing it. “Why’d you let me go, Paul Guy? You weren’t supposed to do that.”
    Paul sighed, looking away from her, his broad shoulders slumping. “Going to New York was your dream. What kind of friend would I have been to hold you back?”
    “Thanks tons,” she mumbled, blinking furiously to fight the tears. “I’ve ruined my life.”
    “I doubt that.”
    “That’s why I came back.” Eve looked back at Paul with hazy eyes. He was so very handsome but in a different way than Danny, whose striking, dark good looks made him seem almost unapproachable. Paul reminded her of a big, strong teddy bear. She looked at those muscular arms, those large shoulders underneath the lines of his well-tailored suit and thought it would be easy to hide from her life with her face buried against the hard muscles of his chest. “Now I’m home and trying to put my life back together,” she explained and then reminded herself he was more than a friend, he was also an ex-boyfriend. She couldn’t cry on his shoulder over another man. She winced, searching for some stable ground. “My dog died. He was such a sweet dog. You would have loved him.”
    “Okay,” Paul said slowly, raising his eyebrows as he looked down at her. “Do you want me to drive you home?”
    “God, no,” she insisted, knowing she was in a tough situation. Stumbling back home drunk would create a headache with her mother she didn’t need. “I shouldn’t have drank so much. I’ll just sleep in my car.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said as he cast a long, dark look at Danny. “You can sleep here.”
    “Is that an invitation?” she couldn’t help asking, hating the sound of hope in her voice.
    “I’ve, um—” Paul started, his cheeks flushing. He looked away, his shoulders slumping in what appeared to be genuine disappointment. “I got a girlfriend.”
    “Good on you,” she said, hiding the disappointment easily. Paul was successful, good looking and incredibly sweet and considerate. She wasn’t surprised he had found someone. “Do you love her?”
    “I suppose,” he said distractedly. “I’m going to have to insist you stay here tonight.
    Do you want me to call your mother?”
    “Sure.” She shrugged. “Always the boy scout. You never change.” He frowned at her. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
    “You’re fine,” she said tiredly. “You want to fish with us?”
    “Not particularly. I’ve been at work all day. I wanna eat and pass out.”
    “I got some picadillo left over,” Danny said, his voice showing concern. “You want me to heat it up for you?”
    “Yes, fine,” Paul said, his eyes still on Eve. “You look real good, Evie Girl. I’ve missed you.”
    She raised her eyebrows thoughtfully and hummed over the long drink she took of her beer. “I’ve missed you too, Paul Guy. Probably more than I should.”

Chapter Two

    Danny leaned against the doorway, taking a long drag off his cigarette and watching Paul tuck Eve into bed as if she were a little girl instead of a gorgeous, twenty-eight-year-old woman. Paul’s voice was soft and supportive as he reassured Eve he set everything right with her mother when he called, having used the excuse of a broken-down car rather than drunkenness as the reason she couldn’t get home. His large hands were gentle as they brushed stray strands of hair off her forehead and the sides of her neck. To Danny, who knew Paul better than anyone, his emotions were plain to see. He looked down at Eve as a man starved for the