Trusting Stone Read Online Free PDF Page B

bathroom and trying to regain her breathing. She could feel the panic attack mounting in her chest. The tears were making her eyesight blurry and she started to stumble, the four-inch heels suddenly catching on the patterned runner that ran the length of the dark hallway. Before she could understand what was happening, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and one hand grabbed her wrist, catching her from falling and simultaneously pulling her into a doorway. Eden started to protest and pull away. Who the hell was touching her?
    She looked up to find a pair of pale blue eyes.
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
    “I can’t…I…” she stuttered, unable to catch her breath.
    “Breathe, Eden, just breathe,” the man said, still holding her waist and wrist. “That’s right, in and out. You’re alright now, love.”
    Eden held his gaze and focused on his voice, a smooth English accent with a strange hint of something else underneath it. His voice captured her attention and she found her breathing slowing down. The fear and panic she had felt moments ago began to dissipate as he continued to soothe her.
    Eden took in the rest of his face—his dark hair, swept back to leave exposed features so perfect she could hardly believe they were real. She was most aware of his mouth now that he had stopped talking her down from the panic attack—firm lips that she, for some reason, wanted to touch. She realized he was still holding on to her. And she didn’t want him to let her go. Ever.
    Finally, she broke the silence. “How do you know my name?” she whispered, still slowly regaining her breath.
    “Eden? You don’t remember me? I’m Sebastian Stone.” He smiled at her, his cold blue eyes suddenly filling with warmth. She hadn’t heard that name in a long time, over a decade.
    The Stones had lived on the same street as her family for years. Four years younger than Sebastian, she’d had little to do with him, but their parents attended the same country club and she inevitably saw him at functions during the holidays. He had moved away after his parents got divorced and she’d never heard about the Stones again until now. The last time she had seen him was when he was 11 years old. She could hardly believe this was the same young boy.
    Eden could feel her heartbeat pounding through her chest and she wasn’t sure if it was from the avoided panic attack or the fact that he had pulled her so tightly to him that she could feel the buttons from his suit jacket pressing into her through her silk dress. The feeling in her stomach had returned and she tried to smile back. She felt completely overwhelmed by his presence. Usually, Eden avoided feeling overwhelmed by any emotion, good or bad, but she didn’t care now. She didn’t push away. She didn’t freeze up in fear. Instead, she let herself get lost in his touch, in his gaze, in his voice.
    She breathed in, trying to slow her heart, and she shivered as she took in his scent—musky cologne and something else.
    “Something scared you, didn’t it? But it’s gone now. You’ll be fine,” he said as a statement rather than a question.
    “I just...I don’t know…I just had to get out of there.” Eden felt embarrassed about her dramatic escape from the party. But she felt herself seize up as she suddenly saw Trey stumble through the double doors, obviously looking for her. Sebastian obviously felt her body tense and followed her line of sight. Still holding her wrist in his grasp, he moved her behind him so that she was trapped between his body and the door.
    “Don’t move,” he whispered, finally releasing his grasp and turning his back to her. His shoulders filled the door and she had to shift to the side to look past him and see Trey, who was now standing in front of them.
    Trey, who initially had come across as one of the better-looking men at the party, fell short in comparison to Sebastian. His blond hair looked ruffled and slightly greasy. His polo shirt, matched with