Page 60 of Riding High

Hide was a strong word.But, yeah… whenever he felt overwhelmed or upset, he slipped into this cool building and eased his tension by transforming raw wood into something usable and beautiful.

Her smile was as soft as a chambray cloth.‘Just so you know, I’m a huge fan of anything that helps a person get through the day, or situation, or conversation.’

It was deeply reassuring to know that, in Eden’s eyes, it was fine to admit that not everything was okay all the time.

And as that thought faded, desire rolled through him.He wanted her exactly in that position, sitting right there, but naked.She could lean back on her elbows, and he’d drop to his knees to tongue her.He didn’t think he’d take the time to undress properly; he’d just shove his pants down and slide into her, but her being naked was something he wouldn’t compromise on.Long after her departure, he wanted to remember taking this amazing woman while she sat on the table where he expressed himself through his creations.

It wasn’t sex; it was making a memory.

‘So what’s the beef between you and Henry?’she asked, running her finger through a layer of sawdust on the table.

Her question obliterated his thoughts as irritation strolled in and parked its arse down.He wanted to snap at her, to tell her that it wasn’t any of her business, but couldn’t.He wanted, for some reason, to confide in her, and that scared him shitless.

But could he trust her?Nobody but Troyden– and Henry, obviously– not even his siblings, knew he and Henry were half-brothers.

Henry pulled all his deepest insecurities to the surface, and he hated him for that.Why can you accept them and not me?He still didn’t know what was behind Henry’s push to acknowledge him as his brother.What was he getting out of it?What did he want from him?What price would Jed have to pay?

And how would his siblings feel when they heard that he’d been keeping his connection to the Duke and Henry a secret?Would they look at him differently when they found out his father couldn’t acknowledge him?Would they see him differently and question whether their love was misplaced?How much damage control would he need to do?Would they still want him?Would they trust him enough to continue to let him be Troyden’s, and their, protector and shield?And if they took that away, where would he go?What would he do?

‘Jed?’

He fought his way back to the present, his eyes slowly focusing on her lovely face.‘Mm?’

‘You’re miles away.Are you okay?’

Yes.No.Shit, he didn’t know.What he did know was that he was tired of being in his head, sick of running scenarios, and second-guessing himself.He needed to lose himself, to step out of his head and feel rather than think.And he knew of a perfect way to do just that.

Eden jumped off the bench and dusted the sawdust off her very nice arse.The arse he wanted to hold as he slid inside her…

‘Sorry, I was miles away.I was thinking about my family and then taking you here, in my workshop.’He winced as his words landed.‘Jesus, the two thoughts weren’t linked.I mean… fuck, that came out wrong.You’re Troyden’s niece.You’re not related to me or anything like that.’

He didn’t recognise the stuttering fool talking right now.Generally, he was a lot smoother than this.Her eyes lightened with amusement.‘Thank God, because some of the things you’ve done would be illegal in certain countries,’ she told him, her eyes made bluer by laughter.

Okay, he enjoyed a little bondage, nothing that would even rate on the Shades of Grey scale, and was a fan of different positions, but geez, they’d done nothing extreme.She’d either had a very tame, missionary-style sex life or was uncomfortable with him being dominant in bed.‘Am I too bossy?’he asked, wondering if he was now overthinking everything.

‘Yes,’ she promptly answered.

‘Inbed, Eden,’ he said, trying to hold on to his patience.‘Have I made you feel uncomfortable?’Please say no.Just a quick, solid no.

She punched him on the bicep, her small fist holding all the power of a toddler’s.‘I was joking, Jed!And if I didn’t like anything, I would sure as hell tell you.’

Of course she would, because she was an adult who didn’t play games.He released the air he’d been hanging on to in a long whoosh.‘Okay, good.’He glanced at the bench and shrugged.Since they were being honest… ‘So, as I was saying, I was thinking about you sitting on my bench, naked, legs spread wide while I went down on you.’

She stood on her tiptoes and brushed her sexy mouth across his.He went from a semi to hard-as-steel in a heartbeat.‘I know.I saw it all play out in your eyes, Number Three.’

He fed her a deep, intense kiss while tugging her shirt up and over her head.The next moment both her bra and shirt were draped over his bandsaw and his mouth was on her nipple.He sucked her deep, then pulled back to look down at her jeans, reaching for the button and the zip.His burnished gold eyes met hers and her mouth curved into a sexy grin as she ran her thumb along the length of his shaft.‘Let me play with some wood, Harris.’

It was a terrible joke, but he couldn’t help his quick laughter.He pressed his hand against hers, heat from her palm branding him.‘Go for it, sweetheart.I’m all yours.’

And for the first time in, well, forever, he didn’t follow up his statement with a silent ‘for now’.

* * *

In the kitchen, Eden, still reeling from one of the most intense orgasms in the history of the world– not hyperbole, her legs were still shaking, and her heart had yet to leave its temporary location between her legs– ran a hand over her messy hair and tried to make sense of where she was and what she was doing.

Right.Big house.Kitchen.Via group text, Diana had summoned for lunch everyone who was around, as she’d made her world-famous chicken pot pie.Obviously, Diana’s chicken pie was the stuff of legend because the Castle clan were all seated around the big, battered kitchen table, and Alistair had yet to look away from the eye-level oven where two huge pies were slowly turning a golden brown.Jed ruffled the kids’ hair and sniffed the garlic- and rosemary-scented air.‘Smells amazing, Di.Where’s Dad?’

Di tossed a dishcloth over her shoulder.‘He’s with the Bancrofts in the study.’