Loving Eden Read online

  Taylor sighed. “I wish you had let me come with you. It could have been our last big trip together, you know?”

  “I know, but it was something I wanted to do on my own. Besides, you’ll be here in a month.”

  As soon as I told Taylor I was moving out of our apartment at the end of our July lease, she made a reservation to visit me in South Padre. While I was planning my big move to Texas, she enrolled in graduate school, and stayed in Chapel Hill. I moved home for a month to spend time with my parents and go through the process of what to pack and what to store.

  “Fall break can’t get here fast enough. I want to see South Padre and you’re new place with Grey.”

  “I can’t wait either.” I hoped I wasn’t homesick in a month, but having the Taylor plan made it seem a little less daunting.

  “So, are you moving straight into the motel? How is that going to work?”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. “I guess that’s the plan.”

  For the past few weeks, I had tried to imagine how Grey and I were going to combine our lives into one motel room. I was bringing bedroom furniture, a TV I received as a graduation gift, and enough housewares to stock an entire apartment. We didn’t even have a kitchen at the Palm Palace. Anything we couldn’t squeeze into room twenty-four would have to go in storage.

  “Does Grey know how much stuff you’re bringing?”

  “He told me to bring what I couldn’t live without and we’d figure it out together.” I guessed he probably meant survival items, like my hair dryer, but I wasn’t going to part with my books or my bed.

  “It’s going to be so much fun moving in together.” Taylor sighed. “I don’t think I’m headed in that direction with Jesse. He is more non-committal lately than anything.”

  “Why are you still dating him? He reminds me of Brett.” It wasn’t the first time I had told Taylor her boyfriend was less than stellar.

  A few students stayed around the summer after graduation. Sometimes it was to finish out leases and to job hunt. Sometimes it was the layover before grad school classes started, and sometimes it was for the last summer hoorah before real life began. Taylor met Jesse at a graduation party, and she still hadn’t figured out his reason for staying in Chapel Hill.

  “Because every time I think I’m going to break up with him, he does something really sweet. And have I mentioned the sex is amazing? Like, off-the-charts amazing?”

  I giggled. I couldn’t fault her for that. “Yes, you’ve told me. I just wish you knew what his plan was. Is he staying for the semester? Is he moving home? What is his deal?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just having fun with him, but I know I really want more than that. I want to match up our towels and cookware.”

  “Don’t let him hear you say that.” Jesse was the skittish type.

  “Oh, believe me, I won’t, unless I’m ready to make a break. Speaking of Jesse, he’s on his way over to watch a movie.”

  “A movie, huh?”

  “I doubt we’ll watch it, but yes, a movie.”

  “You two have fun.” I slowed the truck. Traffic was getting dense as I approached Houston.

  “Call or text when you make it to South Padre.”

  “Considering your date and what time it is now, I’ll probably go with the text.”

  “All right, send smoke signals if you have to, but I want to know you’re ok.”

  I laughed. “Ok, smoke signals. Talk to you later, bye.”

  I wedged my phone into the cup holder and exhaled. The tightness in my shoulder had spread to my neck, and the harder I gripped the steering wheel, the more I felt tingles of numbness shoot down my spine. This wasn’t the optimal way to drive, but I wasn’t about to stop now. I could do a few stretches when I made it to the island.

  With the three-hour delay in Louisiana, I was scheduled to arrive at the Palm Palace at one in the morning. The granola bar I had eaten earlier had started to fade, and I rummaged through the cooler for a sandwich. I would have to call tomorrow to thank Mom for all of her snacks.

  The edges of the bread were a little soggy from riding in a cooler for two days, but I savored every gooey bite. This meant I didn’t have to stop. This meant, as the miles rolled under the wheels, I was getting closer to Grey.

  The billboards in Texas were different from the ones back home. There were advertisements for boot warehouses, and it seemed like every town had a rodeo event. I wondered if Grey liked rodeos. He definitely looked hot in his boots when he chose to wear them. There would be a lot we would learn about each other living under the same roof.

  I sighed. I was going to be seeing Grey in his boots whenever he wore them. No more wondering what he was doing at night while I was eating pizza and drinking wine with Taylor. No more five-hour phone conversations when both of us were reluctant to hang up. No more lonely nights in an empty bed, wishing his hands were on me.

  I exited on Highway 77, toward Victoria. I looked at the fuel gauge and realized I needed to stop soon. My plan to keep driving without a single stop was unrealistic. I scanned the exit signs, looking for a truck-friendly gas station. I needed one that had diesel fuel and large lanes for me to navigate the load I was hauling. I wasn’t about to attempt a mom-and-pop station with two pumps.

  I turned into a Pilot station and pulled to the back with the rest of the truckers. It would feel good to stretch my legs. The gloves I had bought at my first stop were under the seat. I hopped from the cab and fished them out from under the bench, then slipped them on my hands.

  On my first gas stop near Atlanta, I learned that I had to use something called a satellite pump to get the flow of gas started. I looked like an idiot the first time I tried to fill the tank and nothing happened. I had to go inside the station and get a lesson on trucker fueling 101 before I knew what in the hell I was doing.

  Tonight, I felt seasoned as I trudged to the satellite pump, ignoring the stares I received from the other patrons. I wasn’t dressed to impress anyone, but rather for comfort. My stretchy yoga pants, sports bra, and tank top garnered more attention than I wanted. I waited for the tank to fill, then threw the gloves under the seat, tucked my phone in the running pocket, and locked the truck. I needed a pit stop and a cup of coffee.

  The Pilot stations were my favorite. They were always well-lit, had clean bathrooms, and the largest selection of snacks and drinks. It was like a mini-city in one of these places. There was a movie playing in one of the side rooms. I surveyed the coffee choices. I wasn’t in the mood for a hot drink; it was still too humid outside. I ordered a frozen mocha and waited for the woman behind the counter to pour in the right mixture of ice and chocolate in the cup.

  “Here you go.” She handed the cup to me over the counter. “That will be six dollars.”

  I passed her my card and watched as she swiped it. “The lids are over there.” She pointed to a row of napkins, straws, and condiments. “Have a good night.”

  I smiled at the frothy icy drink. If only I had taken my eyes off the whipped cream and watched where I was going. Before I knew what was happening, the drink smashed into my chest, sending frozen mocha down my chest and pants.

  “Sorry, miss.” A burly man with a beard and a flannel shirt apologized, and then continued to the men’s room.

  I looked at the mess on the floor in disbelief. I wasn’t sure which looked worse, the floor or me. I bent to pick up the cup.

  “Want me to make you another one?” the woman behind the counter called.

  I shook my head. “No, thanks. Do you have a mop?” I threw the cup in the trash can.

  “I’ll take care of it, hon. Why don’t you go clean up?” She motioned to my shirt.

  The brown stain had soaked through, and I felt the cold drink suctioned to my stomach. This was not how I wanted Grey to see me for the first time.

  “Thank you.” I smiled weakly. I didn’t intend for this stop to last this long, but I needed to change before I could get back on the road.

  I walked to
the truck and opened the passenger door. My overnight bag was on the floor. I had mainly packed comfortable clothes for the drive. I retrieved a pair of running shorts and a clean bra and tank top. I ducked into the women’s room. I never planned on using a truck stop shower, but after the day I’d had, a hot shower was in order. It was the only way to get the coffee smell off my skin and wash off the sticky sensation.

  I paid seven dollars for the shower. It included a towel, soap, and a mini container of shampoo and conditioner. I felt a little bit like I was at summer camp again, as I slipped into my flip-flops and turned on the water.

  The water felt good as it trickled off my skin. I hoped that the heat would loosen some of my shoulder muscles, enough to make the rest of the drive bearable. I stepped from the shower and towel dried my hair. The air conditioner in the truck would have to do the rest.

  My bangs had grown quite a bit since their pre-spring break cut. I shook them out through my fingers. They were long enough I could swoop them to the side without them completely shielding my vision.

  I shimmied into my pants, tugged on the sports bra and tank top. The girl staring back at me in the mirror looked wet and tired, but at least she wasn’t coffee-stained. I picked up my belongings and headed to the truck.

  With the truck stop in Victoria behind me, I pointed the truck toward South Padre. By 2 a.m. I should be wrapped in Grey’s arms.

  I blinked a few times harder than usual. It didn’t seem possible that after twenty-three hours of driving, the bridge that would carry me to South Padre was under the wheels of this huge-ass truck I was driving. I was almost delirious from the trip. My eyes blurry, my neck and shoulders on fire, my foot falling asleep off and on. But, I was here. I had made it.

  I pulled out my phone to call Grey. I gripped the steering wheel with my left hand as I tapped his number on the screen and hit the speaker button. It rang four times before going to voicemail.

  I stared at the phone. Sure, it was after two, but I thought he would be up. I dialed again. Voicemail.

  I exhaled. At the end of the bridge, I turned left and dialed his number for the third time. He probably just needed a wakeup call. The island felt different. The cars that filled the parking lots during spring break were gone. The ‘no’ was dark on all of the ‘vacancy’ signs. I passed bars and tiki clubs that normally would be emptying at this time of night, but there wasn’t a soul in sight. I reached Grey’s voicemail again.

  How could he be asleep? I had just spent two days of my life driving to him. Wrestling with an enormous truck, breaking down on the side of the road, navigating the ways of the trucker, and he was asleep? The tingles of numbness washed over to prickly stabs of anger. Or was it hurt?

  I slowed as the lights of the Palm Palace glowed in front of me. The vacancy sign flashed neon red. I debated on how to drive into the parking lot. There was no way I was backing this monstrosity in there. I pulled alongside the odd-numbered rows of rooms. I noticed there were a few cars on the left. For a second, I was happy for Grey. He had customers.

  I cut the engine and opened the door. The ocean air hit my nose and whipped over my skin. I could hear the waves pounding on the shore.

  I couldn’t do much about this outfit, but I flattened the creases in my tank top and smoothed the top of my shorts. Room twenty-three, where I spent most of my spring break, looked dark. Across the parking lot was twenty-four, Grey’s room. The last place I stayed when I was here.

  On the final morning of spring break, I left fighting tears and pain from the idea that I’d never see him again. He hadn’t come home the night before. I got on a plane to North Carolina with a heart broken into a million pieces. That had all seemed like such a long time ago until I stood in front of Grey’s room. Everything that led me to this moment was staring me in the face.

  I had packed all I owned in a truck and driven halfway across the country to be with this man. This was about as real as it got.

  I knocked on the door. “Grey. Grey, you there?” Silence.

  I knocked again. I tried the knob and it turned. I expected to see him sleeping on the king-size bed, but the room was empty. The closet looked cleared out. The tools he usually kept beside the wall were gone. Instead of Grey, there was a note folded in half, propped on the pillow with a yellow rose.

  I crossed the room and opened it.

  Eden,

  Welcome to Texas, baby. I have a surprise for you. Meet me at the blue cottage next door.

  Love,

  Grey

  I glanced around the room again. There was nothing in it. It looked like the rest of the guest rooms. I clutched the note and rose, and pulled the door behind me.

  On one side of the Palm Palace was a condominium complex. I had never paid attention to the cottages that dotted the end of the island before the park began, but he had to be talking about those on the other side of the motel.

  I trekked over the dunes, the reeds whipping at my legs. I climbed the stairs to the cottage closest to the Palm, hoping this was the place Grey mentioned in his note. The stairs creaked as I took each step. I noticed the white paint peeling from the railings.

  The deck wrapped around to the street side, but I peeked through the sliding glass door that faced the ocean.

  My breath caught in my chest.

  I was looking into the living room, but it wasn’t like any living room I had seen before. There were candles flickering all around the room. Yellow roses like the one in my hand were scattered on the floor. It might sound stupid, but I was afraid to knock. It was so beautiful that I didn’t want to spoil it, as if I would interrupt the special moment that had been planned.

  Just then, Grey appeared from a nearby hallway. He rushed to the door and pushed it open.

  “Eden, where in the hell have you been?”

  He picked me up, his lips smothering mine. Instinctively, I wrapped my heels around his waist as he carried me over the beach house threshold. His hands tangled in my hair and I groaned as his tongue lashed against mine. I wanted to tell him all about my delays: the flat tire, the coffee spill, and I wanted to ask why he didn’t answer his damn phone, and why we were kissing in a random beach cottage, but all of that could wait. I needed this moment with him.

  His hands coasted down my sides until they gripped the edge of my tank top. He tugged it upward and tossed it on the yellow roses. We hadn’t seen each other in months. Our bodies were starving for one another. The kind of I’m-going-to-rip-every-stitch-of-clothing-off-you starving. It was primal. It was magic.

  It was unbelievable being in his arms again. Kissing him, touching him, seeing him in front of me. It was almost too much. I gasped as his hungry eyes sharpened when he peeled off the last bit of clothing I wore. I reached for the button on his jeans, and they fell to the floor just as he kicked them to the side. The air was charged around us, like it was our first night at the beach party. Being anywhere near Grey made my body respond with unexplainable heat and electricity.

  I didn’t know if there was a bed in this place. There sure wasn’t a couch. When did that ever stop us? I threw my arms around his neck, loving the feel of his rigid body sliding against mine.

  I felt our bodies lower to the floor. I was completely exhausted, from my legs to my shoulders, but the charge growing between us gave me energy.

  My head rolled to the side as he kissed along my throat, pressing deeper with his lips. His mouth was hot and firm. I relaxed under him until I felt his thumbs dig into the sensitive flesh on my hips. My eyes darted to his as he commanded my hips to rock forward. I couldn’t look away. I had fallen so head over heels in love with this man that I had started an entirely new life fifteen hundred miles away from home. His fingers moved in and out of me, sending my hips thrusting higher and higher, just like he wanted.

  I felt the tight coiling in my core as my body responded to his every move. His mouth covered mine, wrapping our breaths around each other.

  “Darlin’, I missed you.” He propped himself o
n his arms before nudging my legs to the side.

  “I missed you too.” My voice was raspy and hoarse. I looked into his eyes. “I love you, Grey.” I smiled as I felt him maneuver over me.

  His body was hot like molten lava as he pushed inside me. I never felt such fullness as when he rocked into me.

  “I love you too.” He drove deeper, sending my hips upward. All I felt was spiraling swirls of color flash in front of me as the heat circled my veins and melted into my body.

  I would probably have massive rug burn when I woke up tomorrow. It would match my bug bite perfectly. I didn’t care as I gave myself over to Grey one wave of pleasure at a time. I held on as we climbed to the peak of bliss before our bodies released us through quivering shivers that had us grasping and clawing at the other until our moans turned to whispers and our thrusts turned to caresses.

  Grey’s head rested on my chest. He drew circles on my stomach.

  “Hi.”

  I laughed. “Hi, to you.” I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling complete contentment. My body was relaxed and light under him.

  “So what took you so long?”

  I wasn’t sure what time it was now, but I guessed maybe after three. “Traffic, trailer problems, you know. Normal road trip delays.”

  He leaned up on his elbow, his eyebrows arched.

  “I was going to send out the highway patrol.”

  God, I hadn’t seen enough of this body. My fingertips traced over the lines on his chest. “I was fine. I had a phone on me.” I cleared my throat. “Unlike some people.”

  “Yeah, I lost my phone tonight.” He looked down at my neck.

  “What’s this?” He had just noticed the welt protruding from the side of my neck.

  “Horsefly.” I tried not to worry about how big it had gotten. “What do you mean you lost your phone?”

  He scratched his head. “Somewhere between here and the Palm I misplaced it. It’s not in twenty-four, the office, or here. I called Marin from the land line at the office and told her to let me know if you ran into any trouble.”