Michael

The next morning, I was still restless, antsy.

It wasn’t a surprise.

Seeing my mother always left me this way. Again, I questioned why I did it. I didn’t know the answer, but I knew I would be back the next month like clockwork.

I’d probably be the only one.

Patrick, Declan, and Sean helped make sure she was in the best possible facility, but I was the only one who visited her regularly. The only one who hadn’t been able to let her go.

Probably because, like my father always said, I was a weakling. Needed my mommy. Whatever the reason, I tortured myself with seeing her, tried to take solace in the fact that at least her mind was free.

Even though that knowledge comforted me, it still took time for me to recover from seeing her. After I visited her, I usually stayed away from the hotel, but this month I found myself headed toward it.

I wasn’t sure why, or more accurately, I wasn’t willing to acknowledge why.

Because I was still thinking of my mother, but I was thinking about Eden even more.

Which both annoyed and confused me.

So why, then, was I spending almost every moment thinking of her, driving to the hotel only because the need to see her was so great?

I sure as shit didn’t know, but I had no doubt that I wouldn’t feel right again until I saw her.

So I parked in my reserved spot, nodded at the employees as I made my way inside.

I took the long way, not because I was seeking out Eden, but because it was good to show my face, let it be known that I was here. That doing so would mean I would pass Eden and Gerald’s office was simply a coincidence.

I kept my eyes directly ahead, didn’t look left or right as I walked past it.

Then I heard a laugh, one that I instantly recognized as Eden’s. Immediately, my mind conjured an image of her face, the way her eyes crinkled at the corner when she smiled, her full lips turning up, but ever so slightly, almost like she had a secret she didn’t want to share.

I scowled, wondering how I had such intimate familiarity with Eden’s smiles, especially considering that they were never directed at me.

I started to move a little faster, figuring that I had done what I intended to. She was here, and I should get to work.

“It was good to see you again, Eden.”

I paused at the sound of a deep, male voice, one that sure as fuck didn’t belong to Gerald. I cut left and opened the closed door, entering Eden’s office without knocking.

When I opened the door, I locked eyes with Eden, saw that she was surprised, and, at least to my eye, looking a little guilty.

I didn’t focus on her for long and instead looked at the man who sat next to her, his eyes locked on mine, his face set in a smile that was more like a smirk.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I said.

I glared at Kevin, the years that had passed having done nothing to detract from our shared animosity. He was the former head of security at M. Lounge and Hotel, a position he’d held for exactly fourteen minutes after Patrick had bought the hotel.

Kevin had made it quite clear what he thought of my family, and continuing to work at the hotel would have been bad for my sanity and his health.

So why was he here now?

He stood and faced me, never taking his eyes from mine. Eden did too, and though I could see her from the corner of my eye, I kept my focus on Kevin, irritated that he was here, pissed beyond belief that Eden seemed so happy about it.

“Mr. Murphy,” he said, managing to make my name sound like the vilest curse.

“Get the fuck out,” I said.

“Michael!” Eden said, not quite yelling but her shock and irritation clear. I didn’t give a shit about either. Eden had brought him here, probably to mess with me. It was working so she shouldn’t expect me to be polite.

Kevin made no move to leave, so I stepped closer.

“You need help finding your way out?” I asked.

Kevin stood a little taller, his face flat now, his eyes narrowing. He looked like he wanted to try me, and I was more than ready to show him what a mistake that would be.

Finally, though, he dropped his eyes, shook his head. “No. That won’t be necessary, Mr. Murphy.”

He turned then, looked at Eden. “Let me know if those new guys don’t work out. And if you need anything else, anything at all, you know where to find me,” he said.

The way he spoke told me he wasn’t referencing business. I looked at Eden then, partially to see her reaction to Kevin but mostly because I didn’t want to pummel this asshole.

Kevin was spoiling for a fight, one I would be happy to give him. But that wouldn’t help me get on Patrick’s good side, and I wouldn’t jeopardize that just for the satisfaction of shattering Kevin’s jaw.

Patrick would be proud. I was definitely making progress.

Eden moved toward the door, her expression that courteous, professional one that she only broke long enough to give me a hard glare.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Thank you for your help, Kevin,” she said. “Let me walk you out.”

“He knows the way,” I interjected, looking at her and ignoring him.

She scowled but I held her gaze.

“It’s okay. I’ll call you later,” Kevin said.

I still didn’t look at him, but I knew he’d added that last just to piss me off. It did, but I didn’t want to admit why.

Eden had a life outside of the hotel, or at least I thought she did. I’d never really investigated, but the thought of her taking calls from him or anyone else didn’t sit well with me. She was still looking at me, and I could see the war raging in her eyes. She looked down, but didn’t look at Kevin. “It’s no trouble. I’ll walk you out,” she mumbled, the guilt in her voice the only thing that kept me sane.

“No she won’t. Now get the fuck out of my hotel,” I said.

Eden lifted her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but before she did, I grabbed her hand and began walking toward my office.

After a second, she followed. I didn’t have to be a genius to know she was pissed. Good, at least we had that in common.

I led her into my office and slammed the door behind her. I didn’t let go of her hand, not immediately. Instead I stood there, staring down at her as she looked up at me, her eyes flashing fire.

I studied her face, her brows drawn together tight, her jaw clenched in anger. I imagined seeing her face intense like that, but not out of anger but instead passion as I made her come with my fingers, my tongue, my cock. Only stopped thinking of that long enough to puzzle over why this woman threw me so off balance.

“Michael, what the hell—”

She didn’t have a chance to continue before I cut her words off with a kiss.

* * *

Eden

One second, I was prepared to give Michael the tongue lashing of his life, and the next he was kissing me.

Before my mind could comprehend it, my body was overtaken with a flood of sensation.

Michael’s lips against mine, hard, demanding, and at the same time gentle, coaxing.

His breath mingling with mine as we both exhaled sharply. His hand holding my face, keeping me still, though there was no chance I would move, would do anything at all to break this spell.

There was no other word to describe it. In an instant, Michael had me entranced, his scent enveloping me, the heat from his strong fingers burning my skin, stirring my blood.

I parted my lips, my body asking for what it needed before my mind could form a thought.

Michael heard that question, answered it instantly.

He stroked his tongue across my bottom lip, didn’t give me time to recover before he moved to my mouth, stroking his tongue against mine.

The pleasing shock of tasting him energized me, and I reached for him, curling my fingers against his chest, feeling the thud of his heartbeat, the granite-like muscles that covered his body.

Part of me couldn’t believe this was happening, but the rest of me didn’t care if this was real, a dream, didn’t care why it was happening. I was going to enjoy it, deal with the consequences later…

“Eden.”

For a moment, I didn’t know what was happening, but when I heard my name again, recognized the tinny sound of the walkie-talkie, I opened my eyes, jumped back quickly.

On instinct, I reached into my pocket for the walkie-talkie, my mind racing almost as fast as my heart.

“Eden.”

It was Gerald’s voice, and after hearing my name a third time I was finally able to respond.

I turned my back on Michael, unable to look at him, not knowing what I would do—what I would ask him to do—if I did.

“Gerald,” I said into the walkie-talkie.

“Can you come to the lobby? I need your assistance,” he said.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” I replied.

I hoped my voice didn’t sound as winded, as scattered as I felt.

I put the walkie-talkie back in my pocket, my heart still booming. Even though I wasn’t facing him, I was aware of Michael, my entire body was tuned to him, wanting to continue that kiss, take it further.

Wanting to understand why.

But despite what I wanted, my brain, which was miraculously still working, told me to keep moving.

I couldn’t quite make myself move, though, waiting for him to say something, afraid that he would.

More afraid that he wouldn’t.

He didn’t.

I waited one second, another, and then, finally, I left.