Read Online Lovin' Blue by Zuri Day - Free Book Online

thing.”
    Later that night, when Eden entered the house to find a shirtless, barefoot Jansen reclined on the couch like an African god awaiting palm fronds and grapes, she recalled Ariel’s statement and Cheshire–like grin. Eden tossed out a hurried “hello” and escaped up the stairs, knowing that as long as that six-foot-four-inch candy bar was anywhere near her, and that damnable dare was still on the table, there’d be plenty of worrying to do.

11

    Jansen hadn’t intended to play the role of voyeur. He’d waited until eight-thirty, and when he still heard no sounds coming from Eden’s room, he’d knocked on the door. No answer. Again, a little louder. Still nothing. He’d almost pounded his fist against the wood, but something stopped him. A memory. And then more. With a wicked smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, Jansen had eased open the door and crept inside with the stealth of a panther, intent on scaring the living daylights out of Eden as he’d done countless times in their childhood. He’d almost laughed out loud as he’d eyed Eden’s fully covered body in a round heap near the center of the mattress. She still slept as he’d remembered, with the sheet pulled all the way over her head, even in summer, as it was now. It had felt like he was seven again, when he’d placed the plastic eyeball in the bottom of her oatmeal, or ten, when he’d played the prank that had almost made his grandmother pull a switch off the tree. With the observational development honed when one’s life depended on it, Jansen quickly scanned the room and took in the reason for Eden’s deep slumber—a near-empty wine bottle standing next to a partially eaten bowl of popcorn. An O magazine shared space on the nightstand, its cover partially hidden by an open DVD case. Boyz in the Hood. Jansen smiled. Oh, so you’re going down memory lane, too, huh? The menacing smile returned as he took one step toward his prey, and then another. Then something happened. Eden turned over.
    The delectable picture she painted stopped him in his tracks. Her thick black hair lay splayed across the stark, white pillows, a hint of something soft and pink peeking out from the top of the sheet while a long, darkly tanned leg peeked out from the bottom. Long eyelashes formed a shadow on her upper cheeks, and when she moved her head and licked her lips, years of abject discipline through his years of martial arts were the only reason Jansen didn’t grow hard. He knew he needed to break the spell she seemed to be weaving around him, knew he should shout her name or clear his throat or in some way make his presence known, but Jansen couldn’t seem to stop staring at her. Usually when they encountered each other, it was among a swirl of activity or argument. Now, with Eden quietly uninhibited, he was able to study a face that for years he’d all but ignored, surprised and awed that he could have missed something so exquisite growing up in his own backyard. Jansen knew it was time to wake Eden before he did something he wanted to do even though it was totally irrational—run his tongue up the length of her creamy, dark caramel leg to the treasure that lay hidden beneath five hundred threads of Egyptian cotton.
    â€œEden!” Jansen barked as if he were preparing to issue a military order.
    Eden frowned, moaned, and turned over.
    â€œC’mon, now. Off your butt and on your feet!”
    â€œGo away,” Eden growled while pulling the sheet over her head.
    â€œNot a chance,” Jansen replied as he headed to the window. Waves of sunshine poured into the room’s east-facing glass. “No one told you to play the wino role last night,” Jansen scolded as he yanked the sheet away from Eden’s face.
    â€œBoy, I’m not playing.” Once again, Eden disappeared under cotton. “You have no business in here. Get out of my