Eden's Pov

If you would have told me two months ago that I Eden Burlington, recluse of all things male and going out that I would have two men after me, I'd think you would be crazy, yet here I was seeing just that happening.

All I keep thinking is what the hell has happened to my life? For years my life was set and I was in control. I had come to accept that love just wasn't in the cards for me and now that simple life I carved out for myself was gone.

I innocently went and got coffee for me and Lester. As I was walking back to his office, I heard someone call out and turned around to see a guy standing in the doorway of another office. He began to smile and talk to me and stepping into my personal space, I didn't know what to do with his attentions so I would step back, but he would follow. It was true what I told Les, the guy never said anything out of the way, but it was very obvious what his intentions were. What really shocked me about the whole thing and I never saw this coming was Lester's reaction.

Lester rushed passed me, knocking the coffee's out of my hand, and pinned the guy to the wall. I think and know my mouth had to be on the floor when all that happened. Never in my life had I ever thought a man to be jealous over me, but here was the evidence hanging against the wall snarling and staring a hole through the guy.

When Lester spoke it sent a chill down my spine with how angry he was and then when the guy didn't understand what mats meant (I don't either) Les's whole body deflated. Something in what that guy said triggered something in Lester and he let him go to stalk back into the office. When I got back there he was leaning on his hands on the desk heaving and when I spoke he began to confess how he didn't know how he was going to be able to do all that needed to be done to get the company up and running. Everything was falling on his shoulders and it was overwhelming him.

I had never seen this side of him before and I knew it had to be hard for him to show that level of vulnerability and fear. I got the impression those two things aren't shown much with him and his friends back in New Jersey if at all. My heart went out to him and I was humbled. I dint want him to give up, so I went into business mode and told him things we were going to do. I wanted to lift him up and see him successd, I will not let him fail and will do my best to accomplish what needs to be done. After a few moments of silence Lester's anxiety seemed to have passed and his old self came back. He wanted to get out of there and I suggested the pier. He liked the idea and lead me out of the office. If taking him out and taking him to the pier will help, then I guess we are going to the pier.

We rode to his hotel in silence. Les parked and told me to wait for him that he would only be a few minutes. When he disappeared into the elevator, I pulled down the visor and looked at myself in the little make up mirror. After seeing how jealous Lester had gotten seeing the other guy talking to me, I knew now there were definite feelings there. Could I give my heart back over to him? I wanted too, but I was still so unsure. The back door opened scaring me out of my thoughts and I turned to see Les dump a duffel bag onto the back seat. He then joined me back behind the wheel and started the truck.

"Thanks again for letting me wash my clothes at your place" he said backing out of the parking space we were in.

"No problem" I told him flipping the visor back up into place

We arrived back at my place and I lead Lester over to the washer and dryer that sat behind some doors. I stood off to the side and watched as he looked over my machine. A glazed look came over his face and I held back a chuckle knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Need some help?" I asked him

"Yea, there is so many different buttons I didn't know which one to push"

I took the duffel bag and sat it on top of my dryer and began taking his clothes out of the bag and started putting them in the washer. I came across a pair of his underwear and I swear the things were hot in my hands. Thoughts of them and Lester raced through my mind and I heard a laugh beside me.

"Bet I can guess what you're thinking" he said his eyes hooded and that crooked grin on his mouth.

I quickly put the rest of the clothes into the washer. Added the soap, and started it. Lester took a few steps into me and looked down at me, he brought his hands up and began to unbutton my shirt. When my brain finally realized what he was doing, I jumped back and screamed.

"What are you doing?" I asked him

"Taking your shirt off" he said as if I were dense

"Les...I" I sputtered

"Relax you're covered in coffee, thought you could put your shirt in with my clothes" and when he said it the smell of it hit me and I looked down to see the stains on my shirt. I never even realized the coffee was even there.

"Excuse me" I said running to my bedroom to change. When I came back I had changed into some clean jeans, a new t-shirt, some comfy sandels, and had pulled my hair up into a pony tail. I checked the washer one more time to make sure it was doing as it should be and then Les and I headed out the door.

Lester's Pov

The pier was pretty awesome, it reminded me of the boardwalks that were back home. I never really had the time to go to the boardwalk with work and everything, but this was nice. We spent hours walking and going through all the little shops and eating greasy sugary foods. We played games and I saw something that I never thought i's see; Eden laughing. Letting her hair down, and having a good time. I really wished she would allow herself to do that more. It was great to see her so relaxed and having fun, thats all I want from her and I'd like it with me as well.

We had done a lot of things on the pier and Eden suggested that it was starting to get late and we should go home. I agreed, but there was one more thing that I just had to do before we left.

"NO" Eden stated as we looked up at the huge ferris wheel all lit up in different colors

"Come on, you aren't scared are you" I asked her " I thought you were only scared of storms"

"And heights"

"I bet the view is amazing up there"

"I'm sure it is" she said taking steps back from me

"Come on you're supposed to be showing me a good time and I want to ride this with you" I told her pulling her back to the ride

We were lead into one of the seats on the ride and Eden was white knuckling the bar in front of her. I felt bad for making her do this, but I also thought once she sees the view she may really like it. When we began to move Eden let out a yelp and fear washed over her face. Of course the wheel stopped on the very top and I could hear Eden's ragged breathing next to me.

"Eden look, you can see everything from up here"

"No way" she huffed out

"Eden this is amazing" I told her looking out over the city and then turned to her. As I did the car rocked and Eden grabbed a hold of my arm in a death grip.

"God get me down from here, I want to go home" she cried squeezing my arm and burling her head into my side.

"Eden" I calmly said "Look at me"

Eden slowly lifted her eyes and looked at me. I smiled and touched her cheek "Look" I said looking out over the view. Finally Eden took in a breath and slowly looked out over this part of California. I saw her eyes widen in surprise.

"It is beautiful" she whispered still clutching my arm with her hands.

"Yea" I said turning her head and capturing her lips with mine/ A moan filled my ears and fueled me on to get her to make another one. When I pulled back, it was me who now wanted to hurry back home.

We did finally get back to Eden's and I was dying to kiss her again, it had been too long since the last time I had. I felt she was really responsive to the one on the ferris wheel, so she would be to more. I watched as she threw her keys onto the coffee table and kick off her shoes. She told me she was going to check on the clothes and toss them into the dryer. While she did this I came up behind her, circled my arms around her waist, and began to kiss up and down her neck. When she finally turned the dryer on I spun her around and kissed her with all the pent up passion I had. We pulled apart breathing heavily.

"Bedroom?" I asked. I didn't want to pressure her into anything so I was giving her the choice. If she said no I would stop, Eden nodded her head and I pulled her down the hall to her room.

Eden's Pov

I found myself on my back on my bed with a very large, hungry man hovering over me. His mouth and hands were everywhere and I that this was all just right. Lester yanked his shirt over his head and then reached for mine.

"Wait" I told him my heart hammering in my chest. I disentangled myself from him and lept from the bed.

"Be right back" I told him so he wouldn't worry. I grabbed something I never thought I would ever wear from one of my drawers and hurried off into the bathroom.

In my bathroom I quickly shed my clothes and began to fiddle with the clasps of the baby doll nighty I had bought on the shopping trip Stephanie had taken me on. I never thought I would have any reason to wear it, but here it was and I wanted to look nice for Lester. I stood there in my Bra and panties still fooling with the clasps and I caught a look at myself in the mirror as I looked up. I gasped at what I saw, my flabby arms, my protruding stomach, and the lumpy fat on my thighs. I was a fool thinking Lester would want to see me. When he gets a load of this he will surely be turned off. A sob escaped and i quickly covered my mouth hoping Lester hadn't heard me.

"Eden are you ok?" I heard through the door

I grabbed my robe that was hanging from the hooks on the back of the bathroom door and pulled it on just as Lester came in. When I saw him, I just let go, crumpling to the floor in a heap of tears. I felt two strong arms come around me and carry me back to the bed.

"Oh Baby whats wrong?" he asked. I pulled the robe tightly around me a movement he didn't miss.

"Oh" he said lifting my chin to meet his face

"I love you and what you look like doesn't change how I am feeling right now. I want to do this, I want to prove to you and show you how I feel about you, but Eden if you're not ready or cant right now we'll stop" he said kissing me tenderly and I felt like a melted puddle of goo.

One of Lester's hands slid inside my robe and I felt it on my side, I was shaking but he was so gentle and slow. He lowered me back on the bed and kissed me with a dozen sweet kisses to the tops of my chest "Do you want me to stop?" he asked

My mind and body warred, but I did not want him to stop, he was making me feel amazing and I didn't want the fear to stop this anymore, so I shook my head. In the moments that followed I knew I would never be the same just thank God that it was night and the lights were off.