kissing him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He kissed her back, somehow unable to refuse her lips despite the turmoil. What did this mean?
Did she-
Eden pulled back. “I love you too, dude.”
Undiluted joy burst over him and he laughed, yanking her back against him. He kissed her hard and deep, his hand clasping the back of her head, tangled in the thick mass of her silky hair. He’d fantasised about her hair spread across his pillow for far longer than he cared to admit. When she moaned against his lips, his muscles tensed, his blood flow changing direction and heading for one area. He tried to take it slow. He did. But she smelled amazing, like chocolate orange, and she felt amazing, so soft and warm…
Oh man.
He pressed her down under him, his lips reluctantly leaving her mouth to trail butterfly kisses down her neck. His hand slid down her waist, her hip, to the back of her thigh, and he clasped it, tilting her tighter against him.
“Noah,” she gasped, and the sound of his name on her lips, like that, snapped all of his control. He started murmuring nonsense love words, stuff he’d never imagined saying to anyone, about how he’d dreamed about this for so long, needed her. He’d always been the silent type, but not with her. After everything she’d gone through, he wanted her to know that there was someone who loved her more than life itself.
He rocked against her and they gasped against each other’s lips. “Eden,” he groaned, reaching for the hem of her shirt, his eyes asking if it was alright.
In answer she began sliding the shirt up, revealing a gorgeous toned stomach that he couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to.
The sound of the door blasting open behind them jerked them away from each other and at the sight of Val’s harried appearance Noah quickly slid a pillow over himself.
Eden huffed in frustration. “We need to get a room with a lock.” Chapter Twenty Two
Ripped from a Happy Place
If she hadn’t been so hot and bothered and frustrated, Eden might have laughed at Val’s inopportune interruption. And then she finally saw the look on Val’s face and any humour she might have found in the situation dissipated.
Something was wrong.
Really wrong.
She scrambled upright, her eyes wide as she asked, “What’s going on?” Val’s jaw clenched in anger. “October and Cameron.”
Those two words sent Eden’s heart into spluttering palpitations, a sick fear churning in her stomach. “What about them? Where are they?”
“They were out together,” Val growled. “We’ve just received a letter. A letter from Teagan.” Eden tumbled back, feeling as if the bed had been whipped out from under her. Her eyes teared as she gazed numbly around the room. She didn’t need it spelled out for her. She knew exactly what was happening and she wanted to throw the news up all over Tobe’s carpet.
“Get yourselves together and come downstairs,” Val ordered. “McLeish and Cameron’s mother are here.”
Not saying a word to Noah, guilt eating at her, Eden followed Val out of the room, ignoring Noah as he called out to her as he hurried to play catch up.
The tension downstairs was unbearable, the press of so many worried adults in one room like a stone slab on Eden’s chest. Her whole body was thrumming with a quiet rage as she listened to Cyrus explain what was happening. Teagan had sent a note and photographic evidence that he had Tobe and Cameron captured in an old, disused nightclub near somewhere called Tollcross. It was only a fifteen minute walk from the house. Arrogant, cocksure. Teagan wanted to trade them for Eden and Eden was to come alone. She was more than ready to face her cousin.
She felt her stomach clench. She’d kill him if he’d put his perverted disgusting hands anywhere near them!
She should have known. She should have known he would come back for her. She had known.
Deep down. And now she’d put the people she cared about in danger.
I’m going to kill him.
It was decided that Eden was strong enough to take on Teagan and that she should be allowed to do this. They would surround the nightclub and once Tobe and Cameron were safe they’d go in to help Eden take out Teagan.
*
Noah was furious. Cyrus was refusing to let him come with them, ordering him to stay and babysit Mhairi, Alison and the McLeish boys!
“Your feelings for Eden are too new and I believe they could put