Chapter 17
Seven months later
Drew stood at the window in his office and looked out at his trucking terminal. He’d just added four new rigs to his fleet, and he’d needed them. Business was booming, and he hoped things stayed that way.
When Eden had left for Paris, that should have been the end of their relationship.
Instead, it had become galvanized. Mere weeks after he had walked her to that plane, she’d called to let him know she would be in New York at least once a month for a few days for film shoots.
She had filed an official restraining order against her father to keep his people away from her.
Eden would call to let Drew know each time she returned to the States, and he’d make sure he was in New York to welcome her back and spend a couple of days with her.
Additionally, they spoke on the phone every Sunday night, keeping each other updated on what was happening in their lives.
Last week, she told him that her father had threatened to disown her if she didn’t return home and give up her modeling career. She’d told him to go ahead.
Drew rubbed a frustrated hand down his face.
Although his business was doing great, his personal life was going downhill.
He hadn’t counted on a gorgeous wisp of a woman turning his life upside down, ruining him for other women.
He only wanted Eden and looked forward to her once-a-month return to New York.
How messed up was that? He was beginning to feel like those same women who’d made it impossible for him to come home.
He felt possessive of Eden…and it was quickly getting to the point of obsession.
He enjoyed being the man by her side at dinner, parties, and Broadway plays.
The one whose name was always added to her hotel registration, so whenever he arrived, he had access to her hotel room, whether she was there or not.
The man envied by others, and who wasn’t afraid to stare them down if they gave Eden too much attention. She was his.
And, he had to admit, he might be a bit obsessed with her.
He thought about her all the time. Even at work, when projects required his full concentration.
At night, when he closed his eyes, it was her face he saw, and she was the one he thought about upon waking every morning.
And every Sunday night, he’d anxiously await her call, as if he had nothing better to do with his time.
He couldn’t continue living this way. It was time he did something to save his sanity.
Although he was enjoying the time they spent together, it was time he cut ties with Eden before his obsession for her turned into something else.
He just wanted the old Drew back. The one who enjoyed all types of women and not just one.
So he decided to make a clean break. He no longer wanted to see her, make love to her, or get any calls from her.
Taking a frustrated breath, he recalled the message Eden had left on his phone’s answering machine last night.
“Drew, I’m back in New York and, as usual, staying at the Waldorf Astoria, suite 846.
I decided to lease an apartment since I plan to remain in New York for the remainder of the year. Looking forward to seeing you. Eden.”
He wanted to see her, too. Primarily, to tell her that it would be best if they stopped seeing each other.
What they shared over the holidays and for the past seven months had been great, but they both needed to move on.
He wanted the old Drew Steele back, the one who loved to sleep with women.
Where in the hell had that guy gone? He figured once Eden was out of his life for good, his thoughts, purpose, and actions would return to normal.
Picking up the phone on his desk, he buzzed his secretary. “Yes, Mr. Steele?”
“Amanda, book me a flight to New York. I want to leave in the morning, and I’ll only be gone for a day. And reserve me a hotel room in Manhattan.”
“Yes, sir.”
A short while later, he was sitting at his desk, going over a few documents when the buzzer on his desk sounded. “Yes, Amanda?”
“There’s a Mrs. Valerie Nixon Axlewood on the line for you.”
He lifted a brow before saying, “Please put her through.”
When he heard the connection, he said, “Valerie, this is a surprise.”
“Hello, Drew. I heard something today that I think you should know about.”
“Really? What?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.
“There’s a man named Elijah Tyson who is trying to destroy your company.”
Drew sat up straight in his chair. “What the hell!”
“You know him, Drew?”
“I’ve never met him, but I know his daughter.
She was a stowaway on my rig over the holidays, and I helped her elude being kidnapped by him.
She’s twenty-one, and old enough to do what she wants.
Hell, on my first day back to work after New Year’s, Tyson called the sheriff, claimed I had kidnapped his daughter, and tried to have me arrested for helping her get to Paris.
Of course, that didn’t work well for him when they realized Eden was a consenting adult and not a teenager. ”
“Did you say Eden?”
“Yes, Eden Tyson.”
“The model who is taking the fashion industry by storm?” Valerie asked, sounding somewhat amazed.
“Yes, that’s her. Last time we talked, she said Tyson was disowning her.”
“Wow, I can’t believe a father would do such a thing.
Anyway, Ivory heard, through various channels, that Elijah Tyson is attempting to undermine your company by persuading corporations to cease doing business with you.
And he’s trying to convince those currently doing business with you to terminate their relationship.
He’s also working on freezing up any financing you might need with banks. ”
Drew stood and slammed a fist on his desk in anger. So much for thinking his business was going great. “I won’t let him get away with it.”
“Neither will I and Ivory.”
Drew went still. “What do you mean?”
“Ivory and I talked, and we have the financial means to stop Elijah Tyson.”
Drew sat back down. “Why would your husband agree to help me? He doesn’t know me.”
“Yes, he does, Drew.”
That was a shocker. “You told him about us?”
“Yes. Ivory and I promised never to have secrets, and I wanted him to know about our relationship.”
Drew released a deep breath. “And?”
“And Ivory and I love each other very much, Drew. It’s his belief that what happened before we married is water under the bridge.
In fact, he thinks being involved with you after Thomas died kept me from being preyed on by vultures, opportunists, and all kinds of unsavory men.
But back to the matter at hand. Like I said, Ivory and I have the means to stop Tyson, and we will.
Ivory is flying to Boston tomorrow to meet with him.
Ivory will claim to be a close friend of the Steele family and threaten to take over Tyson’s company if he doesn’t end this vendetta and undo whatever damage he’s done to the Steele Trucking Company. ”
Drew released a deep breath. “Thanks. I owe you and Ivory one, Valerie.”
“No, you don’t. Take care and best wishes with your lady.”
He frowned. “What lady?”
“Eden Tyson.”
“It’s not that way with me and Eden, Valerie.”
“Hey, I saw her on my Vogue magazine cover. If it’s not that way with you and her, then maybe it should be. She’s a very beautiful young woman. And from the articles I’ve read, she’s smart, intelligent, down-to-earth, and kind. There’s no pretentiousness about her. Goodbye, Drew.”
“Goodbye, Valerie.”
**
Eden quickly moved toward the door when she heard the knock. She knew it was Drew. Although excited about seeing him, she still paused to ask. “Who is it?”
“Drew.”
The throaty and sexy sound of his voice almost made her shiver in anticipation. After taking a deep breath, she opened the hotel room door to find him standing there, looking as handsome as ever. “Drew.”
“Eden.”
She took a step back, he entered and she closed the door behind him. He smelled good, too. Typically, once the door was closed, he would pull her into his arms. Instead, he walked to the center of the room, turned, and looked at her, causing all kinds of sensations to rush over her.
She wondered if anything was wrong but dismissed the thought when he slowly walked back toward her, with a look of deep desire in his eyes. He stopped in front of her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.
It was the kind of kiss she always got from him.
One she wanted and needed. She had missed this.
She had missed him. Terribly. Their monthly trysts and weekly conversations weren’t enough.
She needed more. That was the main reason she had returned to the States to stay for the rest of the year.
Hopefully, that meant they would spend more time together, especially during the holidays.
Even if it meant she’d have to take a few weeks off and fly out to Phoenix to be with him.
She had no problem doing that, and it was one of the things she wanted to discuss with him.
She stopped thinking when he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
**
Drew stood at the window in Eden’s suite and looked out.
Because of her, he had come to New York every month this year and always found it crowded and noisy.
However, tonight it looked vacant, and it was quiet.
Probably because it was close to three in the morning, and most people were in bed sleeping. Like Eden was doing now.
He turned from the window to look at her, remembering that she had been sleeping the first time he had seen her, as well.
She was naked underneath the covers after he had made love to her, not once, or twice, but three times.
And to make matters worse, during that last orgasm, while gripped in intense passion, she had whispered that she loved him.
He figured it was something she hadn’t meant to let slip, and probably hadn’t realized that she had.
He didn’t want her love or anyone else’s.
He had come to New York to tell Eden it would be best if there were no further contact between them.
As long as there was, he couldn’t move on with his life.
He turned to gaze out of the window again, feeling disgusted with himself.
Instead of ending things, he had taken her to bed and, as he usually did, found the ultimate in sensual pleasure in her arms.
“Drew?”
He turned. She had awakened and leaned up to look at him, wiping sleep from her eyes. “Yes, Eden?”
“Why are you dressed?”
That was an easy question. “Because I’m leaving.”
“Leaving?”
“Yes. It was not my intent to stay. I came only to tell you that we need to let go.”
She tilted her head to look at him. Confused. “Let go?”
“Yes. You know the type of man I am, Eden. But since meeting you, I haven’t been able to return to my old ways. I want to go back to them. I need to go back to them.”
“Why do you think that, Drew?”
He moved from the window to stand by the bed.
He stared down at her, his hands shoved in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach for her and draw her into his arms. “Because I am a man who loves women and will never settle down with just one. Yet, for the past seven months, that’s what I’ve been doing, and I can’t keep it up.
The last thing I want is for you to assume I will change, or that you will be enough for me.
I only came here to tell you that you won’t be. ”
She glared at him. “I’m naked in this bed, Drew, so undoubtedly that’s not the only reason you came here.”
“You were a temptation I couldn’t resist, Eden. I haven’t slept with another woman since I’ve been with you. I haven’t had a desire to do so.”
She lifted her chin. “Maybe that ought to tell you something.”
Taking his hands from his pockets, he placed them palms down on the bed and leaned over toward her.
“It tells me the madness needs to stop. You deserve more than to be used by me the way you were tonight. I will never be able to give you what you want. Therefore, I won’t be coming back or calling you, and I prefer you not call me.
We had a great time together, but it’s over. I need to move on, and so do you.”
He straightened. “Goodbye, Eden. I wish you the best.”
Then he turned and walked out the door, without looking back.