Bared to You - Sammohebbi

Praise for Sylvia Day“Sylvia Day is the undisputed mistressof tender erotic romance. Her books area luxury every woman deserves.”—Teresa Medeiros, New York Timesbestselling author“Sylvia Day’s writing is stunninglysensual.”—Jaci Burton, New York Times bestsellingauthor“Un-put-downable.”—Lauren Dane, New York Times bestsellingauthor“When it comes to brewing up scorchinglyhot sexual chemistry, Day has fewliterary rivals.”—Booklist

4/796—Angela Knight, New York Times bestsellingauthor“A Touch of Crimson explodes with passionand heat. A hot, sexy angel to die for and agutsy heroine make for one exciting read!”—Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestsellingauthor

Pleasures of the Night“So hot the pages should be on fire!”—Gena Showalter, New York Times bestsellingauthor“Dreams have never been this hot! Pleasuresof the Night sizzles as a romance, enthrallsas a paranormal, and captivates with a fantasticcast of characters. I didn’t want the‘night’ to end!”—Susan Grant, New York Times bestsellingauthor“Sylvia Day delivers readers to a fantasyworld as unique as it is erotic! Ms. Day is anup-and-coming talent in the world of eroticfiction.”—Toni Blake, award-winning author

Eve of Darkness“Great characters and terrific storytelling ina hot-blooded adrenaline ride. A keep-youup-all-nightread.”—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestsellingauthor“Exhilarating adventure in an edgy world ofangels and demons…Dynamic and vibrant,Eve is an impressive protagonist, and herfierce spirit and determination to make thebest of her circumstances will keep readersenthralled.”—Publishers Weekly“Eve of Darkness is a sizzling, heart-poundingurban fantasy that thrilled and fascinatedme from beginning to end. Eve is a smart,spirited heroine I won’t soon forget!”—Jeri Smith-Ready, award-winning author

7/796“Gripping, nonstop action and one hell of aheroine.”—Shiloh Walker, national bestselling author

In The Flesh“Lush, evocative, inventive…Fans of DaraJoy will love this!”—Shayla Black, New York Times bestsellingauthor

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters,locations, and incidents are products of the author’simagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblanceto actual persons living or dead, locales, orevents is entirely coincidental.BARED TO YOU: A CROSSFIRE NOVELCopyright © 2012 by Sylvia Day.All rights reserved.Edited by Hilary Sares.Copyedited by Martha Trachtenberg.Cover design by Croco Designs.Interior design by VMC Art & Design, LLC.Published by Sylvia Day23905 Clinton KeithSuite #114-359Wildomar, CA 92595

www.sylviaday.com11/796The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this bookin any form or by any means—including but not limitedto electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise—without the permission of the copyrightholder is illegal and punishable by law. Pleasepurchase only authorized editions of this work, anddo not participate in or encourage electronic piracy ofcopyrighted materials. Your support of the author’srights is appreciated.ISBN: 978-0-9828571-9-9ISBN: 978-0-9851146-0-2 (print)Library of Congress Control Number: 2012900464

1. Chapter 12. Chapter 23. Chapter 34. Chapter 45. Chapter 56. Chapter 67. Chapter 7

14/7968. Chapter 89. Chapter 910. Chapter 1011. Chapter 1112. Chapter 1213. Chapter 1314. Chapter 1415. Chapter 1516. Chapter 1617. Chapter 1718. Chapter 1819. Chapter 19

15/79620. Chapter 2021. Chapter 2122. Chapter 2223. Book Club/Readers' GroupGuide24. Acknowledgments25. About the Author

This one is for Dr. David AllenGoodwin.My love and gratitude are boundless.Thank you, Dave. You saved my life.

My deepest gratitude to my editor, HilarySares, who really dug into this storyand made me work for it. Basically, shekicked my ass. By not pulling herpunches or letting me shortchange thedetails, she made me work harder andbecause of that, this story is a much,much better book.BARED TO YOU wouldn’t be what it iswithout you, Hilary. Thank you somuch!

18/796To Martha Trachtenberg, copy editorextraordinaire. This book is an importantone for me and she treated it thatway. Thank you, Martha!To Victoria Colotta, for all her hardwork on the interior design and typesetting.She took my plain text and made itgorgeous. Thank you, Victoria!To Tera Kleinfelter, who read the firsthalf of Bared to You and told me sheloved it. Thank you, Tera!To all girls who were at Cross Creek atsome point in your adolescence: May allyour dreams come true. You deserve it.And to Alistair and Jessica, fromSeven Years to Sin, who inspired me towrite Gideon and Eva’s story. I’m soglad the inspiration struck twice!

“We should head to a bar andcelebrate.”I wasn’t surprised by my roommate’semphatic pronouncement. Cary Taylorfound excuses to celebrate, no matter

20/796how small and inconsequential. I’d alwaysconsidered it part of his charm.“I’m sure drinking the night beforestarting a new job is a bad idea.”“Come on, Eva.” Cary sat on our newliving room floor amid a half-dozenmoving boxes and flashed his winningsmile. We’d been unpacking for days,yet he still looked amazing. Leanly built,dark-haired, and green-eyed, Cary was aman who rarely looked anything lessthan absolutely gorgeous on any day ofhis life. I might have resented that if hehadn’t been the dearest person on earthto me.“I’m not talking about a bender,” heinsisted. “Just a glass of wine or two. Wecan hit a happy hour and be in by eight.”“I don’t know if I’ll make it back intime.” I gestured at my yoga pants andfitted workout tank. “After I time thewalk to work, I’m going to hit the gym.”

21/796“Walk fast, work out faster.” Cary’sperfectly executed arched brow mademe laugh. I fully expected his milliondollarface to appear on billboards andfashion magazines all over the world oneday. No matter his expression, he was aknockout.“How about tomorrow after work?” Ioffered as a substitute. “If I make itthrough the day, that’ll be worthcelebrating.”“Deal. I’m breaking in the new kitchenfor dinner.”“Uh…” Cooking was one of Cary’sjoys, but it wasn’t one of his talents.“Great.”Blowing a wayward strand of hair offhis face, he grinned at me. “We’ve got akitchen most restaurants would kill for.There’s no way to screw up a meal inthere.”

22/796Dubious, I headed out with a wave,choosing to avoid a conversation aboutcooking. Taking the elevator down to thefirst floor, I smiled at the doorman whenhe let me out to the street with aflourish.The moment I stepped outside, thesmells and sounds of Manhattan embracedme and invited me to explore. Iwas not merely across the country frommy former home in San Diego, butseemingly worlds away. Two major metropolises—oneendlessly temperate andsensually lazy, the other teeming withlife and frenetic energy. In my dreams,I’d imagining living in a walkup inBrooklyn, but being a dutiful daughter, Ifound myself on the Upper West Side instead.If not for Cary living with me, Iwould’ve been miserably lonely in thesprawling apartment that cost more permonth than most people made in a year.

23/796The doorman tipped his hat to me.“Good evening, Miss Tramell. Will youneed a cab this evening?”“No thanks, Paul.” I rocked onto therounded heels of my fitness shoes. “I’llbe walking.”He smiled. “It’s cooled down fromthis afternoon. Should be nice.”“I’ve been told I should enjoy theJune weather before it gets wicked hot.”“Very good advice, Miss Tramell.”Stepping out from under the modernglass entrance overhang that somehowmeshed with the age of the building andits neighbors, I enjoyed the relativequiet of my tree-lined street before Ireached the bustle and flow of traffic onBroadway. One day soon, I hoped toblend right in, but for now I still felt likea fraudulent New Yorker. I had the addressand the job, but I was still wary ofthe subway and had trouble hailing

24/796cabs. I tried not to walk around wideeyedand distracted, but it was hard.There was just so much to see andexperience.The sensory input was astonishing—thesmell of vehicle exhaust mixedwith food from vendor carts, the shoutsof hawkers blended with music fromstreet entertainers, the awe-inspiringrange of faces and styles and accents,the gorgeous architectural wonders…Andthe cars. Jesus Christ. Thefrenetic flow of tightly packed cars wasunlike anything I’d ever seen anywhere.There was always an ambulance,patrol car, or fire engine trying to partthe flood of yellow taxis with the electronicwail of ear-splitting sirens. I wasin awe of the lumbering garbage trucksthat navigated tiny one-way streets andthe package delivery drivers who braved

25/796the bumper-to-bumper traffic while facingrigid deadlines.Real New Yorkers cruised rightthrough it all, their love for the city ascomfortable and familiar as a favoritepair of shoes. They didn’t view the steambillowing from potholes and vents in thesidewalks with romantic delight andthey didn’t blink an eye when theground vibrated beneath their feet asthe subway roared by below, while Igrinned like an idiot and flexed my toes.New York was a brand new love affairfor me. I was starry-eyed and it showed.So I had to really work at playing itcool as I made my way over to the buildingwhere I would be working. As far asmy job went, at least, I’d gotten my way.I wanted to make a living based on myown merits and that meant an entrylevelposition. Starting the next morning,I would be the assistant to Mark

26/796Garrity at Waters Field & Leaman, oneof the preeminent advertising agenciesin the US. My stepfather, mega-financierRichard Stanton, had been annoyedwhen I took the job, pointing out that ifI’d been less prideful I could’ve workedfor a friend of his instead and reaped thebenefits of that connection.“You’re as stubborn as your father,”he’d said. “It’ll take him forever to payoff your student loans on a cop’s salary.”That had been a major fight, with mydad unwilling to back down. “Hell if anotherman’s gonna pay for my daughter’seducation,” Victor Reyes had saidwhen Stanton made the offer. I respectedthat. I suspected Stanton did, too, althoughhe would never admit it. I understoodboth men’s sides, because I’dfought to pay off the loans myself…andlost. It was a point of pride for my father.My mother had refused to marry

27/796him, but he’d never wavered from hisdetermination to be my dad in everyway possible.Knowing it was pointless to get riledup over old frustrations, I focused ongetting to work as quickly as possible.I’d deliberately chosen to clock the shorttrip during a busy time on a Monday, soI was pleased when I reached the CrossfireBuilding, which housed WatersField & Leaman, in less than thirtyminutes.I tipped my head back and followedthe line of the building all the way up tothe slender ribbon of sky. The Crossfirewas seriously impressive, a sleek spire ofgleaming sapphire that pierced theclouds. I knew from my previous interviewsthat the interior on the other sideof the ornate copper-framed revolvingdoors was just as awe-inspiring, withgolden-veined marble floors and walls,

28/796and brushed aluminum security deskand turnstiles.I pulled my new ID card out of the innerpocket of my pants and held it up forthe two guards in black business suits atthe desk. They stopped me anyway, nodoubt because I was majorly underdressed,but then they cleared methrough. After I completed an elevatorride up to the twentieth floor, I’d have ageneral time frame for the whole routefrom door to door. Score.I was walking toward the bank of elevatorswhen a svelte, beautifullygroomed brunette caught her purse on aturnstile and upended it, spilling a delugeof change. Coins rained onto themarble and rolled merrily away, and Iwatched people dodge the chaos andkeep going as if they didn’t see it. Iwinced in sympathy and crouched to

29/796help the woman collect her money, asdid one of the guards.“Thank you,” she said, shooting me aquick harried smile.I smiled back. “No problem. I’ve beenthere.”I’d just squatted to reach a nickel lyingnear the entrance when I ran into apair of luxurious black oxfords draped intailored black slacks. I waited a beat forthe man to move out of my way andwhen he didn’t, I arched my neck backto allow my line of sight to rise. Thecustom three-piece suit hit more than afew of my hot buttons, but it was thetall, powerfully lean body inside it thatmade it sensational. Still, as hot as allthat magnificent maleness was, it wasn’tuntil I reached the man’s face that Iwent down for the count.Wow. Just…wow.

30/796He sank into an elegant crouch directlyin front of me. Hit with all that exquisitemasculinity at eye-level, I couldonly stare. Stunned.Then something shifted in the airbetween us.As he stared back, he altered…as if ashield slid away from his eyes, revealinga scorching force of will that sucked theair from my lungs. The intense magnetismhe exuded grew in strength, becominga near tangible impression of vibrantand unrelenting power.Reacting purely on instinct, I shiftedbackward. And sprawled flat on my ass.My elbows throbbed from the violentcontact with the marble floor, but Iscarcely registered the pain. I was toopreoccupied with staring, riveted by theman in front of me. Inky black hairframed a breathtaking face. His bonestructure would make a sculptor weep

31/796with joy, while a firmly etched mouth, ablade of a nose, and intensely blue eyesmade him savagely gorgeous. Those eyesnarrowed slightly, his features otherwiseschooled into impassivity.His dress shirt and suit were bothblack, but his tie perfectly matchedthose brilliant irises. His eyes wereshrewd and assessing, and they boredinto me. My heartbeat quickened; mylips parted to accommodate fasterbreaths. He smelled sinfully good. Notcologne. Body wash, maybe. Or shampoo.Whatever it was, it was mouthwatering,as was he.He held out a hand to me, exposingonyx cuff links and a very expensivelookingwatch.With a shaky inhalation, I placed myhand in his. My pulse leaped when hisgrip tightened. His touch was electric,sending a shock up my arm that raised

32/796the hairs on my nape. He didn’t movefor a moment, a frown line marring thespace between arrogantly slashed brows.“Are you all right?”His voice was cultured and smooth,with a rasp that made my stomach flutter.It brought sex to mind. Extraordinarysex. I thought for a moment that hemight be able to make me orgasm justby talking long enough.My lips were dry, so I licked them beforeanswering. “I’m fine.”He stood with economical grace,pulling me up with him. We maintainedeye contact because I was unable to lookaway. He was younger than I’d assumedat first. Younger than thirty would be myguess, but his eyes were much worldlier.Hard and sharply intelligent.I felt drawn to him, as if a rope boundmy waist and he was slowly, inexorablypulling it.

33/796Blinking out of my semi-daze, I releasedhim. He wasn’t just beautiful; hewas…enthralling. He was the kind of guythat made a woman want to rip his shirtopen and watch the buttons scatteralong with her inhibitions. I looked athim in his civilized, urbane, outrageouslyexpensive suit and thought ofraw, primal, sheet-clawing fucking.He bent down and retrieved the IDcard I hadn’t realized I’d dropped, freeingme from that provocative gaze. Mybrain stuttered back into gear.I was irritated with myself for feelingso awkward while he was so completelyself-possessed. And why? Because I wasdazzled, damn it.He glanced up at me and thepose—him nearly kneeling beforeme—skewed my equilibrium again. Heheld my gaze as he rose. “Are you sure

34/796you’re all right? You should sit down fora minute.”My face heated. How lovely to appearawkward and clumsy in front of themost self-assured and graceful man I’dever met. “I just lost my balance. I’mokay.”Looking away, I caught sight of thewoman who’d dumped the contents ofher purse. She thanked the guard who’dhelped her; then turned to approach me,apologizing profusely. I faced her andheld out the handful of coins I’d collected,but her gaze snagged on the god inthe suit and she promptly forgot me altogether.After a beat, I just reachedover and dumped the change into thewoman’s bag. Then I risked a glance atthe man again, finding him watching meeven as the brunette gushed thank-yous.To him. Not to me, of course, the onewho’d actually helped.

35/796I talked over her. “May I have mybadge, please?”He offered it back to me. Although Imade an effort to retrieve it withouttouching him, his fingers brushed mine,sending that charge of awareness intome all over again.“Thank you,” I muttered before skirtinghim and pushing out to the streetthrough the revolving door. I paused onthe sidewalk, gulping in a breath of NewYork air redolent with a million differentthings, some good and some toxic.There was a sleek black Bentley SUVin front of the building and I saw my reflectionin the spotless limo tinted windows.I was flushed and my gray eyeswere overly bright. I’d seen that look onmy face before—in the bathroom mirrorjust before I went to bed with a man. Itwas my I’m-ready-to-fuck look and it

36/796had absolutely no business being on myface now.Christ. Get a grip.Five minutes with Mr. Dark and Dangerous,and I was filled with an edgy,restless energy. I could still feel the pullof him, the inexplicable urge to go backinside where he was. I could make theargument that I hadn’t finished what I’dcome to the Crossfire to do, but I knewI’d kick myself for it later. How manytimes was I going to make an ass of myselfin one day?“Enough,” I scolded myself under mybreath. “Moving on.”Horns blared as one cab darted infront of another with only inches tospare and then slammed on the brakesas daring pedestrians stepped into theintersection seconds before the lightchanged. Shouting ensued, a barrage ofexpletives and hand gestures that didn’t

37/796carry real anger behind them. Inseconds all the parties would forget theexchange, which was just one beat in thenatural tempo of the city.As I melded into the flow of foottraffic and set off toward the gym, asmile teased my mouth. Ah, New York, Ithought, feeling settled again. You rock.I’d planned on warming up on a treadmill,then capping off the hour with afew of the machines, but when I saw thata beginners’ kickboxing class was aboutto start, I followed the mass of waitingstudents into that instead. By the time itwas over, I felt more like myself. Mymuscles quivered with the perfectamount of fatigue and I knew I’d sleephard when I crashed later.“You did really well.”

38/796I wiped the sweat off my face with atowel and looked at the young man whospoke to me. Lanky and sleekly muscular,he had keen brown eyes and flawlesscafé au lait skin. His lashes were enviablythick and long, while his head wasshaved bald.“Thank you.” My mouth twisted ruefully.“Pretty obvious it was my firsttime, huh?”He grinned and held out his hand.“Parker Smith.”“Eva Tramell.”“You have a natural grace, Eva. Witha little training you could be a literalknockout. In a city like New York,knowing self-defense is imperative.” Hegestured over to a corkboard hung onthe wall. It was covered in thumbtackedbusiness cards and fliers. Tearing off aflag from the bottom of a fluorescent

39/796sheet of paper, he held it out to me.“Ever heard of Krav Maga?”“In a Jennifer Lopez movie.”“I teach it, and I’d love to teach you.That’s my website and the number tothe studio.”I admired his approach. It was direct,like his gaze, and his smile was genuine.I’d wondered if he was angling toward apickup, but he was cool enough about itthat I couldn’t be sure.Parker crossed his arms, whichshowed off cut biceps. He wore a blacksleeveless shirt and long shorts. HisConverse sneakers looked comfortablybeat up and tribal tattoos peeked upfrom his collar. “My website has thehours. You should come by and watch,see if it’s for you.”“I’ll definitely think about it.”

40/796“Do that.” He extended his handagain, and his grip was solid and confident.“I hope to see you.”The apartment smelled fabulous when Igot back home and Adele was crooningsoulfully through the surround soundspeakers about chasing pavements. Ilooked across the open floor plan intothe kitchen and saw Cary swaying to themusic while stirring something on therange. There was an open bottle of wineon the counter and two goblets, one ofwhich was half-filled with red wine.“Hey,” I called out as I got closer.“Whatcha cooking? And do I have timefor a shower first?”He poured wine into the other gobletand slid it across the breakfast bar tome, his movements practiced and elegant.No one would know from looking at

41/796him that he’d spent his childhood bouncingbetween his drug-addicted motherand foster homes, followed by adolescencein juvenile detention facilities andstate-run rehabs. “Pasta with meatsauce. And hold the shower, dinner’sready. Have fun?”“Once I got to the gym, yeah.” I pulledout one of the teakwood barstools andsat. I told him about the kickboxingclass and Parker Smith. “Wanna go withme?”“Krav Maga?” Cary shook his head.“That’s hardcore. I’d get all bruised upand that would cost me jobs. But I’ll gowith you to check it out, just in case thisguy’s a wack.”I watched him dump the pasta into awaiting colander. “A wack, huh?”My dad had taught me to read guyspretty well, which was how I’d knownthe god in the suit was trouble. Regular

42/796people offered token smiles when theyhelped someone, just to make a momentaryconnection that smoothed theway.Then again, I hadn’t smiled at himeither.“Baby girl,” Cary said, pulling bowlsout of the cupboard, “you’re a sexy,stunning woman. I question any manwho doesn’t have the balls to ask yououtright for a date.”I wrinkled my nose at him.He set a bowl in front of me. It containedtiny tubes of salad noodlescovered in a skimpy tomato sauce withlumps of ground beef and peas. “You’vegot something on your mind. What isit?”Hmm…I caught the handle of thespoon sticking out of the bowl and decidednot to comment on the food. “Ithink I ran into the hottest man on the

43/796planet today. Maybe the hottest man inthe history of the world.”“Oh? I thought that was me. Do tellme more.” Cary stayed on the other sideof the counter, preferring to stand andeat.I watched him take a couple bites ofhis own concoction before I felt braveenough to try it myself. “Not much totell, really. I ended up sprawled on myass in the lobby of the Crossfire and hegave me a hand up.”“Tall or short? Blond or dark? Built orlean? Eye color?”I washed down my second bite withsome wine. “Tall. Dark. Lean and built.Blue eyes. Filthy rich, judging by hisclothes and accessories. And he was insanelysexy. You know how it is—somehot guys don’t make your hormones gocrazy, while some unattractive guys havemassive sex appeal. This guy had it all.”

44/796My belly fluttered as it had whenDark and Dangerous touched me. In mymind, I remembered his breathtakingface with crystal clarity. It should be illegalfor a man to be that mind-blowing.I was still recovering from the frying ofmy brain cells.Cary set his elbow on the counter andleaned in, his long bangs covering onevibrant green eye. “So what happenedafter he helped you up?”I shrugged. “Nothing.”“Nothing?”“I left.”“What? You didn’t flirt with him?”I took another bite. Really, the mealwasn’t bad. Or else I was just starving.“He wasn’t the kind of guy you flirt with,Cary.”“There is no such thing as a guy youcan’t flirt with. Even the happily married

45/796ones enjoy a little harmless flirtationnow and then.”“There was nothing harmless aboutthis guy,” I said dryly.“Ah, one of those.” Cary noddedsagely. “Bad boys can be fun, if you don’tget too close.”Of course he would know; men andwomen of all ages fell at his feet. Still, hesomehow managed to pick the wrongpartner every time. He’d dated stalkers,and cheaters, and lovers who threatenedto kill themselves over him, and loverswith significant others they didn’t tellhim about…Name it, he’d been throughit.“I can’t see this guy ever being fun,” Isaid. “He was way too intense. Still, I bethe’d be awesome in the sack with all thatintensity.”

46/796“Now you’re talking. Forget the realguy. Just use his face in your fantasiesand make him perfect there.”Preferring to get the guy out of myhead altogether, I changed the subject.“You have any go-sees tomorrow?”“Of course.” Cary launched into thedetails of his schedule, mentioning ajeans advertisement, self-tanner, underwear,and cologne.I shoved everything else out of mymind and focused on him and his growingsuccess. The demand for Cary Taylorwas increasing by the day, and he wasbuilding a reputation with photographersand accounts for being both professionaland prompt. I was thrilled for himand so proud. He’d come a long way andbeen through so much.It wasn’t until after dinner that I noticedthe two large gift boxes proppedagainst the side of the sectional sofa.

47/796“What are those?”“Those,” Cary said, joining me in theliving room, “are the ultimate.”I knew immediately they were fromStanton and my mom. Money wassomething my mother needed to behappy and I was glad Stanton, husband#3, was not only able to fill that need forher but all her many others as well. I oftenwished that could be the end of it,but my mom had a difficult time acceptingthat I didn’t view money the sameway she did. “What now?”He threw his arm around myshoulders, easy enough for him to do becausehe was taller by five inches. “Don’tbe ungrateful. He loves your mom. Heloves spoiling your mom, and your momloves spoiling you. As much as you don’tlike it, he doesn’t do it for you. He doesit for her.”

48/796Sighing, I conceded his point. “Whatare they?”“Glam threads for the advocacy center’sfundraiser dinner on Saturday. Abombshell dress for you and a Brioni tuxfor me, because buying gifts for me iswhat he does for you. You’re more tolerantif you have me around to listen toyou bitch.”“Damn straight. Thank God he knowsthat.”“Of course he knows. Stantonwouldn’t be a bazillionaire if he didn’tknow everything.” Cary caught my handand tugged me over. “Come on. Take alook.”I pushed through the revolving door ofthe Crossfire into the lobby ten minutesbefore nine the next morning. Wantingto make the best impression on my first

49/796day, I’d gone with a simple sheath dresspaired with black pumps that I slid on inreplacement of my walking shoes on theelevator ride up. My blond hair wastwisted up in an artful chignon that resembleda figure eight, courtesy of Cary.I was hair-inept, but he could createstyles that were glamorous masterpieces.I wore the small pearl studs mydad had given me as a graduation giftand the Rolex from Stanton and mymother.I had begun to think I’d put too muchcare into my appearance, but as Istepped into the lobby I rememberedbeing sprawled across the floor in myworkout clothes and I was grateful Ididn’t look anything like that gracelessgirl. The two security guards didn’t seemto put two and two together when Iflashed them my ID card on the way tothe turnstiles.

50/796Twenty floors later, I was exiting intothe vestibule of Waters Field & Leaman.Before me was a wall of bulletproof glassthat framed the double-door entrance tothe reception area. The receptionist atthe crescent-shaped desk saw the badgeI held up to the glass. She hit the buttonthat unlocked the doors as I put my IDaway.“Hi, Megumi,” I greeted her when Istepped inside, admiring her cranberrycoloredblouse. She was mixed race, alittle bit Asian for sure, and very pretty.Her hair was dark and thick, and cut intoa sleek bob that was shorter in theback and razor sharp in the front. Hersloe eyes were brown and warm, and herlips were full and naturally pink.“Eva, hi. Mark’s not in yet, but youknow where you’re going, right?”“Absolutely.” With a wave, I took thehallway to the left of the reception desk

51/796all the way to the end, where I made anotherleft turn and ended up in aformerly open space now partitioned intocubicles. One was mine and I wentstraight to it.I dropped my purse and the bag holdingmy walking flats into the bottomdrawer of my utilitarian metal desk;then booted up my computer. I’dbrought a couple of things to personalizemy space and I pulled them out. Onewas a framed collage of three photos—meand Cary on Coronado beach,my mom and Stanton on his yacht in theFrench Riviera, and my dad on duty inhis City of Oceanside, California, policecruiser. The other item was a colorful arrangementof glass flowers that Caryhad given me just that morning as a“first day” gift. I tucked it beside thesmall grouping of photos, and sat backto take in the effect.

52/796“Good morning, Eva.”I pushed to my feet to face my boss.“Good morning, Mr. Garrity.”“Call me Mark, please. Come on overto my office.”I followed him across the strip of hallway,once again thinking that my newboss was very easy to look at with hisgleaming dark skin, trim goatee, andlaughing brown eyes. Mark had a squarejaw and a charmingly crooked smile. Hewas trim and fit, and he carried himselfwith a confident poise that inspired trustand respect.He gestured at one of the two seats infront of his glass and chrome desk, andwaited until I sat to settle into his Aeronchair. Against the backdrop of sky andskyscrapers, Mark looked accomplishedand powerful. He was, in fact, just a junioraccount manager and his office wasa closet compared to the ones occupied

53/796by the directors and executives, but noone could fault the view.He leaned back and smiled. “Did youget settled into your new apartment?”I was surprised he remembered, but Iappreciated it, too. I’d met him duringmy second interview and liked him rightaway.“For the most part,” I answered. “Stilla few stray boxes here and there.”“You moved from San Diego, right?Nice city, but very different from NewYork. Do you miss the palm trees?”“I miss the dry air. The humidity hereis taking some getting used to.”“Wait ’til summer hits.” He smiled.“So…it’s your first day and you’re myfirst assistant, so we’ll have to figure thisout as we go. I’m not used to delegating,but I’m sure I’ll pick it up quick.”I was instantly at ease. “I’m eager tobe delegated to.”

54/796“Having you around is a big step upfor me, Eva. I’d like you to be happyworking here. Do you drink coffee?”“Coffee is one of my major foodgroups.”“Ah, an assistant after my own heart.”His smile widened. “I’m not going to askyou to fetch coffee for me, but I wouldn’tmind if you helped me figure out how touse the new one-cup coffee brewers theyjust put in the break rooms.”I grinned. “No problem.”“How sad is it that I don’t have anythingelse for you?” He rubbed the backof his neck sheepishly. “Why don’t Ishow you the accounts I’m working onand we’ll go from there?”The rest of the day passed in a blur.Mark touched bases with two clients andhad a long meeting with the creative

55/796team working on concept ideas for atrade school. It was a fascinating processseeing firsthand how the various departmentspicked up the baton from eachother to carry a campaign from propositionto fruition. I might’ve stayed latejust to get a better feel of the layout ofthe offices, but my phone rang at tenminutes to five.“Mark Garrity’s office. Eva Tramellspeaking.”“Get your ass home so we can go outfor the drink you rain-checked onyesterday.”Cary’s mock sternness made mesmile. “All right, all right. I’m coming.”Shutting down my computer, Icleared out. When I reached the bank ofelevators, I pulled out my cell to text aquick “on my way” note to Cary. A dingalerted me to which car was stopping onmy floor and I moved over to stand in

56/796front of it, briefly returning my attentionto hitting the send button. When thedoors opened, I took a step forward. Iglanced up to watch where I was goingand blue eyes met mine. My breathcaught.The sex god was the lone occupant.

His tie was silver and his shirt brilliantlywhite, the stark absence of color emphasizingthose amazing blue irises.Standing there with his jacket open andhis hands shoved casually into his pants’

58/796pockets, the sight of him was like runningsmack into a wall I hadn’t knownwas there.I jerked to a halt, my gaze riveted tothe man who was even more strikingthan I’d remembered. I had never seenhair that purely black. It was glossy andslightly long, the ends drifting over hiscollar. That sexy length was the crowningtouch of bad boy hotness over thesuccessful businessman, like whippedcream topping on a hot fudge browniesundae. As my mother would say, onlyrogues and raiders had hair like that.My hands clenched against the urgeto touch it, to see if it felt like the richsilk it resembled.The doors began to close. He took aneasy step forward and pressed a buttonon the panel to hold them open. “There’splenty of room for both of us, Eva.”

59/796The sound of that smoky, implacablevoice broke me out of my momentarydaze. How did he know my name?Then I remembered that he’d pickedup my ID card when I’d dropped it inthe lobby. For a second, I debated tellinghim I was waiting for someone so Icould take another car down, but mybrain lurched back into action.What the hell was wrong with me?Clearly he worked in the Crossfire. Icouldn’t avoid him every time I saw himand why should I? If I wanted to get tothe point where I could look at him andtake his hotness for granted, I needed tosee him often enough that he becamelike furniture.Ha! If only.I stepped into the car. “Thank you.”He released the button and steppedback again. The doors closed and the elevatorbegan its descent.

60/796I immediately regretted my decisionto share the car with him.Awareness of him prickled across myskin. He was a potent force in such asmall enclosure, radiating a palpable energyand sexual magnetism that had meshifting restlessly on my feet. Mybreathing became as ragged as myheartbeat. I felt that inexplicable pull tohim again, as if he exuded a silent demandthat I was instinctively attuned toanswering.“Enjoy your first day?” he asked,startling me.His voice resonated, flowing over mein a seductive rhythm. How the hell didhe know it was my first day?“Yes, actually,” I answered evenly.“How was yours?”I felt his gaze slide over my profile,but I kept my attention trained on thebrushed aluminum elevator doors. My

61/796heart was racing in my chest, my stomachquivering madly. I felt jumbled andoff my game.“Well, it wasn’t my first,” he repliedwith a hint of amusement. “But it wassuccessful. And getting better as itprogresses.”I nodded and managed a smile, havingno idea what that was supposed tomean. The car slowed on the twelfthfloor and a friendly group of three goton, talking excitedly among themselves.I stepped back to make room for them,retreating into the opposite corner of theelevator from Dark and Dangerous. Excepthe sidestepped along with me. Wewere suddenly closer than we’d beenbefore.He adjusted his perfectly knotted tie,his arm brushing against mine as he didso. I sucked in a deep breath, trying toignore my acute awareness of him by

62/796concentrating on the conversation takingplace in front of us. It was impossible.He was just so there. Rightthere. All perfect and gorgeous andsmelling divine. My thoughts ran awayfrom me, fantasizing about how hard hisbody might be beneath the suit, how itmight feel against me, how well-endowed—ornot—he might be…When the car reached the lobby, I almostmoaned in relief. I waited impatientlyas the elevator emptied and thefirst chance I got, I took a step forward.His hand settled firmly at the small ofmy back and he walked out beside me,steering me. The sensation of his touchon such a vulnerable place rippledthrough me.We reached the turnstiles and hishand fell away, leaving me feeling oddlybereft. I glanced at him, trying to read

63/796him, but although he was looking at me,his face gave nothing away.“Eva!”The sight of Cary lounging casuallyagainst a marble column in the lobbyshifted everything. He was wearingjeans that showcased his mile-long legsand an oversized sweater in soft greenthat emphasized his eyes. He easily drewthe attention of everyone in the lobby. Islowed as I approached him and the sexgod passed us, moving through the revolvingdoor and sliding fluidly into theback of the chauffeured black BentleySUV I’d seen at the curb the eveningbefore.Cary whistled as the car pulled away.“Well, well. From the way you werelooking at him, that was the guy you toldme about, right?”“Oh, yeah. That was definitely him.”

64/796“You work together?” Linking armswith me, Cary tugged me out to thestreet through the stationary door.“No.” I stopped on the sidewalk tochange into my walking flats, leaning intohim as pedestrians flowed around us.“I don’t know who he is, but he askedme if I’d had a good first day, so I betterfigure it out.”“Well…” He grinned and supportedmy elbow as I hopped awkwardly fromone foot to the other. “No idea how anyonecould get any work done aroundhim. My brain sort of fried for aminute.”“I’m sure that’s a universal effect.” Istraightened. “Let’s go. I need a drink.”The next morning arrived with a slightthrobbing at the back of my skull thatmocked me for having one too many

65/796glasses of wine. Still, as I rode the elevatorup to the twentieth floor, I didn’tregret the hangover as much as I shouldhave. My choices were either too muchalcohol or a whirl with my vibrator, andI was damned if I’d have a batteryprovidedorgasm starring Dark andDangerous. Not that he’d know or evencare that he made me so horny Icouldn’t see straight, but I’d know and Ididn’t want to give the fantasy of himthe satisfaction.I dropped my stuff in the bottomdrawer of my desk and when I saw thatMark wasn’t in yet, I grabbed a cup ofcoffee and returned to my cubicle tocatch up on my new favorite ad-bizblogs.“Eva!”I jumped when he appeared besideme, his grin a flash of white against his

66/796smooth dark skin. “Good morning,Mark.”“Is it ever. You’re my lucky charm, Ithink. Come into my office. Bring yourtablet. Can you work late tonight?”I followed him over, catching on tohis excitement. “Sure.”“I’d hoped you’d say that.” He sankinto his chair.I took the one I’d sat in the day beforeand quickly opened a notepad program.“So,” he began, “we’ve received anRFP for Kingsman Vodka and they mentionedme by name. First time that’sever happened.”“Congratulations!”“I appreciate that, but let’s save themfor when we’ve actually landed the account.We’ll still have to bid, if we getpast the request for proposal stage, andthey want to meet with me tomorrowevening.”

67/796“Wow. Is that timeline usual?”“No. Usually they’d wait until we hadthe RFP finished before meeting withus, but Cross Industries recently acquiredKingsman and C.I. has dozens ofsubsidiaries. That’s good business if wecan get it. They know it and they’re makingus jump through hoops, the first ofwhich is meeting with me.”“Usually there would be a team,right?”“Yes, we’d present as a group. Butthey’re familiar with the drill—theyknow they’ll get the pitch from a seniorexecutive, then end up working with ajunior like me—so they picked me outand now they want to vet me. But to befair, the RFP provides a lot more informationthan it asks for in return. It’sas good as a brief, so I really can’t accusethem of being unreasonably demanding,

68/796just meticulous. Par for the course whendealing with Cross Industries.”He ran a hand over his tight curls, betrayingthe pressure he felt. “What doyou think of Kingsman vodka?”“Uh…well…Honestly, I’ve never heardof it.”Mark fell back in his chair andlaughed. “Thank God. I thought I wasthe only one. Well, the plus side isthere’s no bad press to get over. Nonews can be good news.”“What can I do to help? Besides researchvodka and stay late?”His lips pursed a moment as hethought about it. “Jot this down…”We worked straight through lunchand long after the office had emptied,going over some initial data from thestrategists. It was a little after sevenwhen Mark’s smartphone rang, startling

69/796me with its abrupt intrusion into thequiet.Mark activated the speaker and keptworking. “Hey, baby.”“Have you fed that poor girl yet?” demandeda warm masculine voice overthe line.Glancing at me through his glass officewall, Mark said, “Ah…I forgot.”I looked away quickly, biting mylower lip to hide my smile.A snort came clearly across the line.“Only two days on the job, and you’realready overworking her and starvingher to death. She’s going to quit.”“Shit. You’re right. Steve, honey—”“Don’t ‘Steve honey’ me. Does she likeChinese?”I gave Mark the thumbs-up.He grinned. “Yes, she does.”“All right. I’ll be there in twenty. Letsecurity know I’m coming.”

70/796Almost exactly twenty minutes later, Ibuzzed Steven Ellison through the waitingarea doors. He was a juggernaut of afellow, dressed in dark jeans, scuffedwork boots, and a neatly pressed buttondownshirt. Red-haired with laughingblue eyes, he was as good-looking as hispartner was, just in a very different way.The three of us sat around Mark’s deskand dumped kung pao chicken andbroccoli beef onto paper plates, addedhelpings of sticky white rice, and thendug in with chopsticks.I discovered that Steven was a contractor,and that he and Mark had beena couple since college. I watched theminteract and felt awe and a dash of envy.Their relationship was so beautifullyfunctional that it was a joy to spend timewith them.

71/796“Damn, girl,” Steven said with awhistle, as I went for a third helping.“You can put it away. Where does it go?”I shrugged. “To the gym with me.Maybe that helps…?”“Don’t mind him,” Mark said, grinning.“Steven’s just jealous. He has towatch his girlish figure.”“Hell.” Steven shot his partner a wrylook. “I might have to take her out tolunch with the crew. I could win moneybetting on how much she can eat.”I smiled. “That could be fun.”“Ha. I knew you had a bit of a wildstreak. It’s in your smile.”Looking down at my food, I refused tolet my mind wander into memories ofjust how wild I’d been in my rebellious,self-destructive phase.Mark saved me. “Don’t harass my assistant.And what do you know aboutwild women anyway?”

72/796“I know some of them like hangingout with gay men. They like our perspective.”His grin flashed. “I know afew other things, too. Hey…don’t look soshocked, you two. I wanted to see ifhetero sex lived up to the hype.”Clearly this was news to Mark, butfrom the twitching of his lips, he was secureenough in their relationship to findthe whole exchange amusing. “Oh?”“How’d that work out for you?” Iasked bravely.Steven shrugged. “I don’t want to sayit’s overrated, ’cause clearly I’m thewrong demographic and I had a verylimited sampling, but I can do without.”I thought it was very telling thatSteven could relate his story in termsMark worked with. They shared their careerswith each other and listened, eventhough their chosen fields were milesapart.

73/796“Considering your present living arrangement,”Mark said to him, catchingup a stem of broccoli with his chopsticks,“I’d say that’s a very good thing.”By the time we finished eating, it waseight and the cleaning crew had arrived.Mark insisted on calling me a cab.“Should I come in early tomorrow?” Iasked.Steven bumped shoulders with Mark.“You must’ve done something good in apast life to score this one.”“I think putting up with you in thislife qualifies,” Mark said dryly.“Hey,” Steven protested, “I’m housebroken.I put the toilet seat down.”Mark shot me an exasperated lookthat was warm with affection for hispartner. “And that’s helpful how?”

74/796Mark and I scrambled all day Thursdayto get ready for his four o’clock with theteam from Kingsman. We grabbed aninformation-packed lunch with the twocreatives who would be participating inthe pitch when it got to that point in theprocess; then we went over the notes onKingsman’s Web presence and existingsocial media outreach.I got a little nervous when three thirtyrolled around because I knew trafficwould be a bitch, but Mark kept workingafter I pointed out the time. It wasquarter to four before he bounded out ofhis office with a broad smile, still shrugginginto his jacket. “Join me, Eva.”I blinked up at him from my desk.“Really?”“Hey, you worked hard on helping meprep. Don’t want you want to see how itgoes?”

75/796“Yes, absolutely.” I pushed to my feet.Knowing my appearance would be a reflectionon my boss, I smoothed myblack pencil skirt and straightened thecuffs of my long-sleeved silk blouse. By arandom twist of fate, my crimson shirtperfectly matched Mark’s tie. “Thankyou.”We headed out to the elevators and Iwas briefly startled when the car wentup instead of down. When we reachedthe top floor, the waiting area westepped into was considerably largerand more ornate than the one on thetwentieth. Hanging baskets of ferns andlilies fragranced the air and a smokyglass security entrance was sandblastedwith Cross Industries in a bold, masculinefont.We were buzzed in, and then asked towait a moment. Both of us declined anoffer of water or coffee, and less than

76/796five minutes after we arrived, we weredirected to a closed conference room.Mark looked at me with twinklingeyes as the receptionist reached for thedoor handle. “Ready?”I smiled. “Ready.”The door opened and I was gesturedin first. I made sure to smile brightly as Istepped inside…a smile that froze on myface at the sight of the man rising to hisfeet at my entrance.My abrupt stop bottlenecked thethreshold and Mark ran into my back,sending me stumbling forward. Darkand Dangerous caught me by the waist,hauling me off my feet and directly intohis chest. The air left my lungs in a rush,followed immediately by every bit ofcommon sense I possessed. Eventhrough the layers of clothing betweenus, his biceps were like stone beneathmy palms, his stomach a hard slab of

77/796muscle against my own. When hesucked in a sharp breath, my nipplestightened, stimulated by the expansionof his chest.Oh no. I was cursed. A rapid-fireseries of images flashed through mymind, showcasing a thousand ways Icould stumble, fall, trip, skid, or crash infront of the sex god over the days,weeks, and months ahead.“Hello again,” he murmured, the vibrationof his voice making me ache allover. “Always a pleasure running intoyou, Eva.”I flushed with embarrassment and desire,unable to find the will to push awaydespite the two other people in the roomwith him. It didn’t help that his attentionwas solely on me, his hard body radiatingthat arresting impression ofpowerful demand.

78/796“Mr. Cross,” Mark said behind me.“Sorry about the entrance.”“Don’t be. It was a memorable one.”I wobbled on my stilettos when Crossset me down, my knees weakened fromthe full body contact. He was dressed inblack again, with both his shirt and tiein a soft gray. As always, he looked toogood.What would it be like to be that amazinglooking? There was no way he couldgo anywhere without causing adisturbance.Reaching out, Mark steadied me andeased me back gently.Cross’s gaze stayed focused on Mark’shand at my elbow until I was released.“Right. Okay then.” Mark pulled himselftogether. “This is my assistant, EvaTramell.”“We’ve met.” Cross pulled out thechair next to his. “Eva.”

79/796I looked to Mark for guidance, still recoveringfrom the moments I’d spentplastered against the sexual superconductorin Fioravante.Cross leaned closer and orderedquietly, “Sit, Eva.”Mark gave a brief nod, but I wasalready lowering into the chair at Cross’scommand, my body obeying instinctivelybefore my mind caught up andobjected.I tried not to fidget for the next houras Mark was grilled by Cross and thetwo Kingsman directors, both of whomwere attractive brunettes in elegantpantsuits. The one in raspberry was especiallyenthusiastic about garneringCross’s attention, while the one in creamfocused intently on my boss. All threeseemed impressed by Mark’s ability toarticulate how the agency’s work—andhis facilitation of it with the

80/796client—created provable value for theclient’s brand.I admired how cool Mark remainedunder pressure—pressure exerted byCross, who easily dominated themeeting.“Well done, Mr. Garrity,” Crosspraised lightly as they wrapped thingsup. “I look forward to going over theRFP when the time comes. What wouldentice you to try Kingsman, Eva?”Startled, I blinked. “Excuse me?”The intensity of his gaze was searing.It felt as if his entire focus was on me,which only reinforced my respect forMark, who’d had to work under theweight of that stare for an hour.Cross’s chair was set perpendicular tothe length of the table, facing me headon.His right arm rested on the smoothwooden surface, his long elegant fingersstroking rhythmically along the top. I

81/796caught a glimpse of his wrist at the endof his cuff and for some crazy reason thesight of that small expanse of goldenskin with its light dusting of dark hairmade my clit throb for attention. He wasjust so…male.“Which of Mark’s suggested conceptsdo you prefer?” he asked again.“I think they’re all brilliant.”His beautiful face was impassivewhen he said, “I’ll clear the room to getyour honest opinion, if that’s what ittakes.”My fingers curled around the ends ofmy chair’s armrests. “I just gave you myhonest opinion, Mr. Cross, but if youmust know, I think sexy luxury on abudget will appeal to the largest demographic.But I lack—”“I agree.” Cross stood and buttonedhis jacket. “You have a direction, Mr.Garrity. We’ll revisit next week.”

82/796I sat for a moment, stunned by thebreakneck pace of events. Then I lookedat Mark, who seemed to be waveringbetween astonished joy andbewilderment.Rising to my feet, I led the way to thedoor. I was hyperaware of Cross walkingbeside me. The way he moved, with animalgrace and arrogant economy, was amajor turn-on. I couldn’t imagine himnot fucking well and being aggressiveabout it, taking what he wanted in a waythat made a woman wild to give it tohim.Cross stayed with me all the way tothe bank of elevators. He said a fewthings to Mark about sports, I think, butI was too focused on the way I was reactingto him to care about the small talk.When the car arrived, I breathed a sighof relief and hastily stepped forwardwith Mark.

83/796“A moment, Eva,” Cross saidsmoothly, holding me back with a handat my elbow. “She’ll be right down,” hetold Mark, as the elevator doors closedon my boss’s astonished face.Cross said nothing until the car wason its way down; then he pushed the callbutton again and asked, “Are you sleepingwith anyone?”The question was asked so casually ittook a second to process what he’d said.I inhaled sharply. “Why is that anybusiness of yours?”He looked at me and I saw what I’dseen the first time we’d met—tremendouspower and steely control. Both ofwhich had me taking an involuntary stepback. Again. At least I didn’t fall thistime; I was making progress.“Because I want to fuck you, Eva. Ineed to know what’s standing in myway, if anything.”

84/796The sudden ache between my thighshad me reaching for the wall to maintainmy balance. He reached out to steadyme, but I held him at bay with an upliftedhand. “Maybe I’m just not interested,Mr. Cross.”A ghost of a smile touched his lipsand made him impossibly more handsome.Dear God…The ding that signaled the approachingelevator made me jump, I was strungso tight. I’d never been so aroused.Never been so scorchingly attracted toanother human being. Never been so offendedby a person I lusted after.I stepped into the elevator and facedhim.He smiled. “Until next time, Eva.”The doors closed and I sagged intothe brass handrail, trying to regain mybearings. I’d barely pulled myself togetherwhen the doors opened and

85/796revealed Mark pacing in the waiting areaon our floor.“Jesus, Eva,” Mark muttered, comingto an abrupt halt. “What the hell wasthat?”“I have no freakin’ clue.” I exhaled ina rush, wishing I could share the confusing,irritating exchange I’d had withCross, but well aware that my bosswasn’t the appropriate outlet. “Whocares? You know he’s going to give youthe account.”A grin chased away his frown. “I’mthinking he might.”“As my roommate always says, youshould celebrate. Should I make dinnerreservations for you and Steven?”“Why not? Pure Food and Wine atseven, if they can squeeze us in. If not,surprise us.”We’d barely returned to Mark’s officewhen he was pounced on by the

86/796executives—Michael Waters, the CEOand president, and Christine Field andWalter Leaman, the executive chairmanand vice chairman.I skirted the four of them as quietly aspossible and slid into my cubicle.I called Pure Food and Wine andbegged for a table for two. After someserious groveling and pleading, the hostessfinally caved.I left a message on Mark’s voice mail,“It’s definitely your lucky day. You’rebooked for dinner at seven. Have fun!”Then I clocked out, eager to get home.“He said what?” Cary sat on the oppositeend of our white sectional sofa andshook his head.“I know, right?” I enjoyed another sipof my wine. It was a crisp and nicelychilled sauvignon blanc I’d picked up on

87/796the walk home. “That was my reaction,too. I’m still not sure I didn’t hallucinatethe conversation while overdosing onhis pheromones.”“So?”I tucked my legs beneath me on thecouch and leaned into the corner. “Sowhat?”“You know what, Eva.” Grabbing hisnetbook off the coffee table, Carypropped it on his crossed legs. “Are yougoing to tap that or what?”“I don’t even know him. I don’t evenknow his first name and he threw thatcurveball at me.”“He knew yours.” He started typingon his keyboard. “And what about thething with the vodka? Asking for yourboss in particular?”The hand I was running through myloose hair stilled. “Mark is very talented.

88/796If Cross has any sort of business sense atall, he’d pick up on that and exploit it.”“I’d say he knows business.” Caryspun his netbook around and showedme the home page of Cross Industries,which boasted an awesome photo of theCrossfire. “That’s his building, Eva.Gideon Cross owns it.”Damn it. My eyes closed. GideonCross. I thought the name suited him. Itwas as sexy and elegantly masculine asthe man himself.“He has people to handle marketingfor his subsidiaries. Probably dozens ofpeople to handle it.”“Stop talking, Cary”“He’s hot, rich, and wants to jumpyour bones. What’s the problem?”I looked at him. “It’s going to be awkwardrunning into him all the time. I’mhoping to hang on to my job for a longwhile. I really like it. I really like Mark.

89/796He’s totally involved me in the processand I’ve learned so much from himalready.”“Remember what Dr. Travis saysabout calculated risks? When yourshrink tells you to take some, you shouldtake some. You can deal with it. You andCross are both adults.” He turned his attentionback to his Internet search.“Wow. Did you know he doesn’t turnthirty for another two years? Think ofthe stamina.”“Think of the rudeness. I’m offendedby how he just threw it out there. I hatefeeling like a vagina with legs.”Cary paused and looked up at me, hiseyes softening with sympathy. “I’msorry, baby girl. You’re so strong, somuch stronger than I am. I just don’t seeyou carrying around the baggage I do.”“I don’t think I am, most of the time.”I looked away because I didn’t want to

90/796talk about what we’d been through inour pasts. “It’s not like I wanted him toask me out on a date. But there has to bea better way to tell a woman you want totake her to bed.”“You’re right. He’s an arrogantdouche. Let him lust after you until hehas blue balls. Serves him right.”That made me smile. Cary could alwaysdo that. “I doubt that man has everhad blue balls in his life, but it’s a funfantasy.”He shut his netbook with a decisivesnap. “What should we do tonight?”“I was thinking I’d like to go checkout that Krav Maga studio in Brooklyn.”I’d done a little research after meetingParker Smith during my workout atEquinox and as the week passed, thethought of having that kind of raw,physical outlet for stress seemed moreand more ideal.

91/796I knew it wouldn’t be anything closeto banging the hell out of Gideon Cross,but I suspected it would be a lot lessdangerous to my health.

“There’s no way your mom and Stantonare going to let you come out here atnight multiple times a week,” Cary said,hugging his stylish denim jacket around

93/796him even though it wasn’t more thanslightly chilly.The converted warehouse ParkerSmith used as his studio was a brickfacedbuilding in a formerly industrialarea of Brooklyn presently struggling torevitalize. The space was vast, and themassive metal delivery-bay doorsoffered no exterior clue as to what wastaking place inside. Cary and I sat in aluminumbleachers, watching a half-dozencombatants on the mats below.“Ouch.” I winced in sympathy as aguy took a kick to the groin. Even withpadding, that had to sting. “How’s Stantongoing to find out, Cary?”“Because you’ll be in the hospital?”He glanced at me. “Seriously. Krav Magais brutal. They’re just sparring and it’sfull contact. And even if the bruisesdon’t give you away, your stepdad willfind out somehow. He always does.”

94/796“Because of my mom; she tells himeverything. But I’m not telling her aboutthis.”“Why not?”“She won’t understand. She’ll think Iwant to protect myself because of whathappened, and she’ll feel guilty and giveme grief about it. She won’t believe mymain interest is exercise and stressrelief.”I propped my chin on my palm andwatched Parker take the floor with a woman.He was a good instructor. Patientand thorough, and he explained thingsin an easy to understand way. His studiowas in a rough neighborhood, but Ithought it suited what he was teaching.It didn’t get more “reality based” than abig, empty warehouse.“That Parker guy is really hot,” Carymurmured.“He’s also wearing a wedding band.”

95/796“I noticed. The good ones always getsnatched up quick.”Parker joined us after the class wasover, his dark eyes bright and his smilebrighter. “What’d ya think, Eva?”“Where do I sign up?”His sexy smile made Cary reach overand squeeze the blood out of my hand.“Step this way.”Friday started out awesome. Markwalked me through the process of collectinginformation for an RFP, and hetold me a little more about Cross Industriesand Gideon Cross, pointing outthat he and Cross were the same age.“I have to remind myself of that,”Mark said. “It’s easy to forget he’s soyoung when he’s right in front of you.”“Yes,” I agreed, secretly disappointedthat I wouldn’t see Cross for the next

96/796two days. As much as I told myself itdidn’t matter, I was bummed. I hadn’trealized I’d been excited by the possibilitythat we might run into each other untilthat possibility was gone. It was justsuch a rush being near him. Plus he wasa hell of a lot of fun to look at. I hadnothing nearly as exciting planned forthe weekend.I was taking notes in Mark’s officewhen I heard my desk phone ringing.Excusing myself, I rushed over to catchit. “Mark Garrity’s office—”“Eva love. How are you?”I sank into my chair at the sound ofmy stepfather’s voice. Stanton alwayssounded like old money tome—cultured, entitled, and arrogant.“Richard. Is everything okay? Is Mom allright?”“Yes. Everything’s fine. Your motheris wonderful, as always.”

97/796His tone softened when he spoke ofhis wife and I was grateful for that. I wasgrateful to him for a lot of things actually,but it was sometimes hard to balancethat against my feelings of disloyalty.I knew my dad was self-consciousabout the massive differences in theirincome brackets.“Good,” I said, relieved. “I’m glad. Didyou and Mom receive my thank-younote for the dress and Cary’s tuxedo?”“Yes, and it was thoughtful of you, butyou know we don’t expect you to thankus for such things. Excuse me a moment.”He spoke to someone, mostlikely his secretary. “Eva love, I’d like usto get together for lunch today. I’ll sendClancy around to collect you.”“Today? But we’ll be seeing each othertomorrow night. Can’t it wait untilthen?”“No, it should be today.”

98/796“But I only get an hour for lunch.”A tap on my shoulder turned mearound to find Mark standing by my cubicle.“Take two,” he whispered. “Youearned it.”I sighed and mouthed a thank you.“Will twelve o’clock work, Richard?”“Perfectly. I look forward to seeingyou.”I had no reason to look forward toprivate meetings with Stanton, but I dutifullyleft just before noon and found atown car waiting for me, idling at thecurb. Clancy, Stanton’s driver and bodyguard, opened the door for me as Igreeted him. Then he slid behind thewheel and drove me downtown. Bytwenty after the hour, I was sitting at aconference table in Stanton’s offices,eyeing a beautifully catered lunch fortwo.

99/796Stanton came in shortly after my arrival,looking dapper and distinguished.His hair was pure white, his face linedbut still very handsome. His eyes werethe color of worn blue denim, and theywere sharp with intelligence. He wastrim and athletic, taking the time out ofhis busy days to stay fit even before he’dmarried his trophy wife—my mom.I stood as he approached, and he bentto kiss my cheek. “You look lovely, Eva.”“Thank you.” I looked like my mom,who was also a natural blonde. But mygray eyes came from my dad.Taking a chair at the head of thetable, Stanton was aware that the requisitebackdrop of the New York skylinewas behind him and he took advantageof its impressiveness.“Eat,” he said, with the command soeasily wielded by all men of power. Menlike Gideon Cross.

100/796Had Stanton been as driven at Cross’sage?I picked up my fork and started in ona chicken, cranberry, walnut, and fetasalad. It was delicious, and I washungry. I was glad Stanton didn’t starttalking right away so I could enjoy themeal, but the reprieve didn’t last long.“Eva love, I wanted to discuss your interestin Krav Maga.”I froze. “Excuse me?”Stanton took a sip of iced water andleaned back, his jaw taking on the rigiditythat warned me I wouldn’t like whathe was about to say. “Your mother wasquite distraught last night when youwent to that studio in Brooklyn. It tooksome time to calm her down and to assureher that I could make arrangementsfor you to pursue your interests ina safe manner. She doesn’t want—”

101/796“Wait.” I set my fork down carefully,my appetite gone. “How did she knowwhere I was?”“She tracked your cell phone.”“No way,” I breathed, deflating intomy seat. The casualness of his reply, as ifit was the most natural thing in theworld, made me feel ill. My stomachchurned, suddenly more interested inrejecting my lunch than digesting it.“That’s why she insisted I use one ofyour company phones. It had nothing todo with saving me money.”“Of course that was part of it. But italso gives her peace of mind.”“Peace of mind? To spy on her growndaughter? It’s not healthy, Richard.You’ve got to see that. Is she still seeingDr. Petersen?”He had the grace to look uncomfortable.“Yes, of course.”“Is she telling him what she’s doing?”

102/796“I don’t know,” he said stiffly. “That’sMonica’s private business. I don’tinterfere.”No, he didn’t. He coddled her. Indulgedher. Spoiled her. And allowedher obsession with my safety to runwild. “She has to let it go. I’ve let it go.”“You were an innocent, Eva. She feelsguilty for not protecting you. We need togive her a little latitude.”“Latitude? She’s a stalker!” My mindspun. How could my mom invade myprivacy like that? Why would she? Shewas driving herself crazy, and me alongwith her. “This has to stop.”“It’s an easy fix. I’ve already spokenwith Clancy. He’ll drive you when youneed to venture into Brooklyn.Everything’s been arranged. This will bemuch more convenient for you.”“Don’t try to twist this around to beingfor my benefit.” My eyes stung and

103/796my throat burned with unshed tears offrustration. I hated the way he talkedabout Brooklyn like it was a third-worldcountry. “I’m a grown woman. I makemy own decisions. It’s the goddamnlaw!”“Don’t take that tone with me, Eva.I’m simply looking after your mother.And you.”I pushed back from the table. “You’reenabling her. You’re keeping her sick,and you’re making me sick, too.”“Sit down. You need to eat. Monicaworries that you’re not eating healthyenough.”“She worries about everything,Richard. That’s the problem.” I droppedmy napkin on the table. “I have to getback to work.”I turned away, striding toward thedoor to get out as quickly as possible. Iretrieved my purse from Stanton’s

104/796secretary and left my cell phone on herdesk. Clancy, who had been waiting forme in the reception area, followed me,and I knew better than to try and blowhim off. He didn’t take orders from anyonebut Stanton.Clancy drove me back up to midtown,while I stewed in the backseat. I couldbitch all I wanted, but in the end Iwasn’t any better than Stanton because Iwas going to give in. I was going to caveand let my mom have her way, becauseit hurt my heart to think of her sufferingany more than she already did. She wasso emotional and fragile, and she lovedme to the point of being crazy about it.My mood was still dark when I gotback to the Crossfire. As Clancy pulledaway from the curb, I stood on thecrowded sidewalk and looked up anddown the busy street for either a drugstorewhere I could get some chocolate

105/796or a cellular store where I could pick upa new phone.I ended up walking around the blockand buying a half-dozen candy bars at aDuane Reade on the corner before headingback to the Crossfire. I’d been gonejust about an hour, but I wasn’t going touse the extra time Mark had given me. Ineeded work to distract me from mycrazy-assed family.As I caught an empty elevator car, Iripped open a bar and bit viciously intoit. I was making strides toward fillingmy self-imposed chocolate quota beforeI hit the twentieth floor when the carstopped on the fourth. I appreciated theadded time the stop gave me to enjoythe comfort of dark chocolate and caramelmelting over my tongue.The doors slid apart, and revealedGideon Cross talking with two othergentlemen.

106/796As usual, I lost my breath at the sightof him, which reignited my fading irritation.Why did he have that effect on me?When was I going to become immune tohis hotness?He glanced over and his lips curvedinto a slow, heart-stopping smile whenhe saw me.Great. Just my crappy luck. I’d becomesome kind of challenge.Cross’s smile faded into a frown.“We’ll finish this later,” he murmured tohis companions without looking awayfrom me.Stepping into the car, he lifted a handto discourage them from following him.They blinked in surprise, glancing at me,then Cross, and then back again.I stepped out, deciding it would besafer for my sanity to take a different carup.

107/796“Not so fast, Eva.” Cross caught me bythe elbow and tugged me back. Thedoors shut and the elevator glidedsmoothly into motion.“What are you doing?” I snapped.After dealing with Stanton, the last thingI needed was another domineering maletrying to push me around.Cross caught me by the upper armsand searched my face with that vividblue gaze. “Something’s wrong. What isit?”The now-familiar electricity crackledto life between us, the pull made fiercerby my temper. “You.”“Me?” His thumbs stroked over myshoulders. Releasing me, he withdrew alone key from his pocket and plugged itinto the panel. All the lights cleared exceptfor the one for the top floor.He wore black again, with fine graypinstripes. Seeing him from the back

108/796was a revelation. His shoulders werenicely broad without being bulky, emphasizinghis lean waist and long legs.The silky strands of hair falling over hiscollar tempted me to clench them andpull. Hard. I wanted him as pissy as Iwas. I wanted a fight.“I’m not in the mood for you now, Mr.Cross.”He watched the antique-style needleabove the doors mark the passing floors.“I can get you in the mood.”“I’m not interested.”Cross glanced over his shoulder atme. His shirt and tie were both the sameawesome cerulean as his irises. The effectwas striking. “No lies, Eva. Ever.”“That’s not a lie. So what if I’m attractedto you? I expect most women are.”Wrapping up what was left of my candybar, I shoved it back into the shoppingbag I’d tucked into my purse. I didn’t

109/796need chocolate when I was sharing airwith Gideon Cross. “But I’m not interestedin doing anything about it.”He faced me then, turning in a leisurelypivot, that ghost of a smile softeninghis sinful mouth. His ease and unconcernaggravated me further. “Attractionis too tame a word for”—he gesturedat the space between us—“this.”“Call me crazy, but I have to actuallylike someone before I get naked andsweaty with them.”“Not crazy,” he said. “But I don’t havethe time or the inclination to date.”“That makes two of us. Glad we gotthat cleared up.”He stepped closer, his hand lifting tomy face. I forced myself not to moveaway or give him the satisfaction of seeingme intimidated. His thumb brushedover the corner of my mouth; then lifted

110/796to his own. He sucked on the pad andpurred, “Chocolate and you. Delicious.”A shiver moved through me, followedby a heated ache between my legs as Iimagined licking chocolate off his lethallysexy body.His gaze darkened and his voicelowered intimately. “Romance isn’t inmy repertoire, Eva. But a thousand waysto make you come are. Let me showyou.”The car slowed to a halt. He withdrewthe key from the panel and the doorsopened.I backed into the corner and shooedhim out with a flick of my wrist. “I’mreally not interested.”“We’ll discuss.” Cross caught me bythe elbow and gently, but insistently,urged me out.I went along because I liked thecharge I got from being around him and

111/796because I was curious to see what he hadto say when afforded more than fiveminutes of my time.He was buzzed through the securitydoor so quickly there was no need forhim to break stride. The pretty redheadat the reception desk pushed hastily toher feet, about to impart some informationuntil he shook his head impatiently.Her mouth snapped shut and she staredat me as we passed at a brisk pace, hereyes wide.The walk to Cross’s office was mercifullyshort. His secretary stood when hesaw his boss’s approach, but remainedsilent when he noted that Cross wasn’talone.“Hold my calls, Scott,” Cross said,steering me into his office through theopen glass double doors.Despite my irritation, I couldn’t helpbut be impressed with Gideon Cross’s

112/796spacious command center. Floor-to-ceilingwindows overlooked the city on twosides, while a wall of glass faced the restof the office space. The one opaque wallopposite the massive desk was coveredin flat screens streaming news channelsfrom around the world. There werethree distinct seating areas, each onelarger than Mark’s entire office, and abar that showcased jeweled crystal decanters,which provided the only spotsof color in a palette that was otherwiseblack, gray, and white.Cross hit a button on his desk thatclosed the doors; then another that instantlyfrosted the clear glass wall, effectivelyshielding us from the view ofhis employees. With the beautifulsapphire-hued reflective film on the exteriorwindows, privacy was assured. Heshrugged out of his jacket and hung it ona chrome coatrack. Then he returned to

113/796where I’d remained standing just insidethe doors. “Something to drink, Eva?”“No, thank you.” Damn it. He waseven yummier in just the vest. I couldbetter see how fit he was. How stronghis shoulders were. How beautifully hisbiceps and ass flexed as he moved.He gestured toward a black leathersofa. “Have a seat.”“I have to go back to work.”“And I have a meeting at two. Thesooner we work this out, the sooner wecan both get back to business. Now, sitdown.”“What do you think we’re going towork out?”Sighing, he scooped me up like abride and carried me over to the sofa.He dropped me on my butt; then satnext to me. “Your objections. It’s time todiscuss what it’s going to take to get youbeneath me.”

114/796“A miracle.” I pushed back from him,widening the space between us. I tuggedat the hem of my emerald green skirt,wishing I’d worn pants instead. “I findyour approach crude and offensive.”And a major turn-on, but I was nevergoing to admit it.He contemplated me with narrowedeyes. “It may be blunt, but it’s honest.You don’t strike me as the kind of womanwho wants bullshit and flattery insteadof the truth.”“What I want is to be seen as havingmore to offer than an inflatable sexdoll.”Cross’s brows shot up. “Well, then.”“Are we done?” I stood.Wrapping my wrist with his fingers,he pulled me back down. “Hardly. We’veestablished some talking points: Wehave an intense sexual attraction andneither of us wants to date. So what do

115/796you want—exactly? Seduction, Eva? Doyou want to be seduced?”I was equally fascinated and appalledby the conversation. And, yes, tempted.It was hard not to be while faced withsuch a gorgeous, virile male so determinedto get hot and sweaty with me. Still,the dismay won out. “Sex that’s plannedlike a business transaction is a turnofffor me.”“Establishing parameters in the beginningmakes it less likely that there’llbe exaggerated expectations and disappointmentat the conclusion.”“Are you kidding?” I scowled. “Listento yourself. Why even call it a fuck? Whynot be clear and call it a seminal emissionin a preapproved orifice?”He pissed me off by throwing hishead back and laughing. The full,throaty sound flowed over me like arush of warm water. My awareness of

116/796him heightened to a physically painfuldegree. His earthy amusement madehim less sex god and more human. Fleshand blood. Real.I pushed to my feet and backed out ofreach. “Casual sex doesn’t have to includewine and roses, but for God’s sake,whatever else it is, sex should be personal.Friendly even. With mutual respect atthe very least.”His humor fled as he stood, his eyesdarkening. “There are no mixed signalsin my private affairs. You want me toblur that line. I can’t think of a goodreason to.”“I don’t want you to do jack shit, besideslet me get back to work.” I strodeto the door and yanked on the handle,cursing softly when it didn’t budge. “Letme out, Cross.”I felt him come up behind me. Hispalms pressed flat to the glass on either

117/796side of my shoulders, caging me in. Icouldn’t think of my own self-preservationwhen he was so close.The strength and demand of his willexuded an almost tangible force field.When he stepped close enough, it surroundedme, closing me in with him.Everything outside of that bubble ceasedto exist, while inside it my entire bodystrained toward his. That he had such aprofound, visceral effect on me while beingso damn irritating had my mindspinning. How could I be so turned onby a man whose words should’ve turnedme completely off?“Turn around, Eva.”My eyes closed against the surge ofarousal I felt at his authoritative tone.God, he smelled good. His powerfulframe radiated heat and hunger, spurringmy own wild desire for him. Theuncontrollable response was intensified

118/796by my lingering frustration with Stantonand my more recent aggravation withCross himself.I wanted him. Bad. But he was nogood for me. Honestly, I could screw upmy life on my own. I didn’t need anyhelp.My flushed forehead touched the airconditionedglass. “Let it go, Cross.”“I am. You’re too much trouble.” Hislips brushed behind my ear. One of hishands pressed flat to my stomach, thefingers splaying to urge me back againsthim. He was as aroused as I was, hiscock hard and thick against my lowerback. “Turn around and say good-bye.”Disappointed and regretful, I turnedin his grip, sagging against the door tocool my heated back. He was curvedover me, his luxurious hair framing hisbeautiful face, his forearm proppedagainst the door to bring him closer. I

119/796had almost no room to breathe. Thehand he’d had at my waist was now restingon the curve of my hip, tighteningreflexively and driving me mad. Hestared, his gaze searingly intense.“Kiss me,” he said hoarsely. “Give methat much.”Panting softly, I licked my dry lips.He groaned, tilted his head, and sealedhis mouth over mine. I was shocked byhow soft his firm lips were and the gentlenessof the pressure he exerted. Isighed and his tongue dipped inside,tasting me in long leisurely licks. Hiskiss was confident, skilled, and just theright side of aggressive to turn me onwildly.I distantly registered my purse hittingthe floor; then my hands were in hishair. I pulled on the silky strands, usingthem to direct his mouth over mine. Hegrowled, deepening the kiss, stroking

120/796my tongue with lush slides of his own. Ifelt the raging beat of his heart againstmy chest, proof that he wasn’t just ahopeless ideal conjured by my feveredimagination.He pushed away from the door. Cuppingthe back of my head and the curveof my buttocks, he lifted me off my feet.“I want you, Eva. Trouble or not, I can’tstop.”I was pressed full-body against him,achingly aware of every hot, hard inch ofhim. I kissed him back as if I could eathim alive. My skin was damp and toosensitive, my breasts heavy and tender.My clit throbbed for attention, poundingalong with my raging heartbeat.I was vaguely aware of movement,and then the couch was against my back.Cross was levered over me with oneknee on the cushion and the other footon the floor. His left arm supported his

121/796torso while his right hand gripped theback of my knee, sliding upward alongmy thigh in a firmly possessive glide.His breath hissed out when hereached the point where my garterclipped to the top of my silk stocking.He tore his gaze away from mine andlooked down, pushing my skirt higher tobare me from the waist down.“Jesus, Eva.” A low rumble vibratedin his chest, the primitive sound sendinggoose bumps racing across my skin.“Your boss is damned lucky he’s gay.”In a daze, I watched Cross’s bodylower to mine, my legs sliding apart toaccommodate the width of his hips. Mymuscles strained with the urge to lift towardhim, to hasten the contact betweenus that I’d been craving since I first laideyes on him. Lowering his head, he tookmy mouth again, bruising my lips with afine edge of violence.

122/796Abruptly, he yanked himself away,stumbling to his feet.I lay there gasping and wet, so willingand ready. Then I realized why he’d reactedso fiercely.Someone was behind him.

Mortified by the sudden intrusion intoour privacy, I scrambled up and back intothe armrest, yanking down my skirt.“…two o’clock appointment is here.”

124/796It took an endless moment to realizeCross and I were still alone in the room,that the voice I’d heard had comethrough a speaker. Cross stood at the farend of the sofa, flushed and scowling,his chest heaving. His tie was loosenedand the fly of his slacks strained againsta very impressive erection.I had a nightmare vision in my headof what I must look like. And I was lategetting back to work.“Christ.” He shoved both handsthrough his hair. “It’s the middle of thefucking day. In my goddamn fuckingoffice!”I got to my feet and tried to straightenmy appearance.“Here.” He came to me, yanking myskirt up again.Furious at what I’d almost let happenwhen I should be at work, I smacked athis hands. “Stop it. Leave me alone.”

125/796“Shut up, Eva,” he said grimly, catchingthe hem of my black silk blouse andtugging it into place, adjusting it so thatthe buttons once again formed a straightrow between my breasts. Then he pulleddown my skirt, smoothing it with calm,expert hands. “Fix your ponytail.”Cross retrieved his coat, shrugging intoit before adjusting his tie. We reachedthe door at the same time and when Icrouched to fetch my purse, he loweredwith me.He caught my chin, forcing me to lookat him. “Hey,” he said softly. “Youokay?”My throat burned. I was aroused andmad and thoroughly embarrassed. I’dnever in my life lost my mind like that.And I hated that I’d done so with him, aman whose approach to sexual intimacywas so clinical it depressed me justthinking about it.

126/796I jerked my chin away. “Do I lookokay?”“You look beautiful and fuckable. Iwant you so badly it hurts. I’m dangerouslyclose to taking you back to thecouch and making you come ’til you begme to stop.”“Can’t accuse you of being silvertongued,”I muttered, aware that Iwasn’t offended. In fact, the rawness ofhis hunger for me was a serious aphrodisiac.Clutching the strap of my purse, Istood on shaky legs. I needed to getaway from him. And, when my workdaywas done, I needed to be alone with abig glass of wine.Cross stood with me. “I’ll be done byfive. I’ll come get you then.”“No, you won’t. This doesn’t changeanything.”“The hell it doesn’t.”

127/796“Don’t be arrogant, Cross. I lost myhead for a second, but I still don’t wantwhat you want.”His fingers curled around the doorhandle. “Yes, you do. You just don’twant it the way I want to give it to you.So, we’ll revisit and revise.”More business. Cut-and-dried. Myspine stiffened.I set my hand over his and yanked onthe handle, ducking under his arm tosqueeze out the door. His secretaryshoved quickly to his feet, gaping, as didthe woman and two men who were waitingfor Cross. I heard him speak behindme.“Scott will show you into my office.I’ll be just a moment.”He caught me by reception, his armcrossing my lower back to grip my hip.Not wanting to make a scene, I waited

128/796until we were by the elevators to pullaway.He stood calmly and hit the call button.“Five o’clock, Eva.”I stared at the lighted button. “I’mbusy.”“Tomorrow, then.”“I’m busy all weekend.”Stepping in front of me, he askedtightly, “With whom?”“That’s none of your—”His hand covered my mouth. “Don’t.Tell me when, then. And before you saynever, take a good look at me and tellme if you see a man who’s easilydeterred.”His face was hard, his gaze narrowedand determined. I shivered. I wasn’tsure I’d win a battle of wills with GideonCross.

129/796Swallowing, I waited until he loweredhis hand and said, “I think we both needto cool off. Take a couple days to think.”He persisted. “Monday after work.”The elevator arrived and I stepped intoit. Facing him, I countered, “Mondaylunch.”We’d have only an hour, a guaranteedescape.Just before the doors closed, he said,“We’re going to happen, Eva.”It sounded as much like a threat as apromise.“Don’t sweat it, Eva,” Mark said, when Iarrived at my desk nearly a quarter aftertwo. “You didn’t miss anything. I had alate lunch with Mr. Leaman. I justbarely got back myself.”“Thank you.” No matter what he said,I still felt terrible. My kick-ass Friday

130/796morning seemed to have happened daysago.We worked steadily until five, discussinga fast-food client and contemplatingsome possible tweaks to ad copyfor a chain of organic grocery stores.“Talk about strange bedfellows,”Mark had teased, not knowing how aptthat was in regard to my personal life.I’d just shut down my computer andwas pulling my purse out of the drawerwhen my phone rang. I glanced at theclock, saw it was exactly five, and consideredignoring the call because I wastechnically done for the day.But since I was still feeling shittyabout my overly-long lunch, I consideredit penance and answered. “MarkGarrity’s—”“Eva honey. Richard says you forgotyour cell phone at his office.”

131/796I exhaled in a rush and sagged backinto my chair. I could picture thehandkerchief wringing that usually accompaniedthat particular anxious toneof my mother’s. It drove me nuts and italso broke my heart. “Hi, Mom. How areyou?”“Oh, I’m lovely. Thank you.” My momhad a voice that was both girlish andbreathy, like Marilyn Monroe crossedwith Scarlett Johansson. “Clancydropped your phone off with the conciergeat your place. You really shouldn’tgo anywhere without it. You never knowwhen you might need to call forsomeone—”I’d been debating the logistics of justkeeping the phone and forwarding callsto a new number I didn’t share with mymom, but that wasn’t my biggest concern.“What does Dr. Petersen say aboutyou tracing my phone?”

132/796The silence on the other end of theline was telling. “Dr. Petersen knows Iworry about you.”Pinching the bridge of my nose, Isaid, “I think it’s time for us to have anotherjoint appointment, Mom.”“Oh…of course. He did mention thathe’d like to see you again.”Probably because he suspects you’renot being forthcoming. I changed thesubject. “I really like my new job.”“That’s wonderful, Eva! Is your bosstreating you well?”“Yes, he’s great. I couldn’t ask foranyone better.”“Is he handsome?”I smiled. “Yes, very. And he’s taken.”“Damn it. The good ones always are.”She laughed and my smile widened.I loved it when she was happy. Iwished she were happy more often. “I

133/796can’t wait to see you tomorrow at the advocacydinner.”Monica Tramell Barker Mitchell Stantonwas in her element at society functions,a gilded shining beauty who’dnever lacked male attention in her life.“Let’s make a day of it,” my mom saidbreathlessly. “You, me, and Cary. We’llgo to the spa, get pretty and polished.I’m sure you could use a massage afterworking so hard.”“I won’t turn one down, that’s forsure. And I know Cary will love it.”“Oh, I’m excited! I’ll send a car byyour place around eleven?”“We’ll be ready.”After I hung up, I leaned back in mychair and exhaled, needing a hot bathand an orgasm. If Gideon Cross somehowfound out I masturbated whilethinking about him, I didn’t care. Beingsexually frustrated was weakening my

134/796position, a weakness I knew he wouldn’tbe sharing. No doubt he’d have a preapprovedorifice lined up before day’send.As I swapped out my heels for mywalking shoes, my phone rang again. Mymother was rarely distracted for long.The five minutes since we’d ended ourcall was just about the right length oftime for her to realize the cell phone issuehadn’t been resolved. Once again, Idebated ignoring the phone, but I didn’twant to take any of the day’s crap homewith me.I answered with my usual greeting,but it lacked its usual punch.“I’m still thinking about you.”The velvet rasp of Cross’s voiceflooded me with such relief I realized I’dbeen hoping to hear it again. Today.

135/796God. The craving was so acute I knewhe’d become a drug to my body, theprime source of some very intense highs.“I can still feel you, Eva. Still tasteyou. I’ve been hard since you left,through two meetings and one teleconference.You’ve got the advantage, stateyour demands.”“Ah,” I murmured. “Lemme think.”I let him wait, smiling as I rememberedCary’s comment about blueballs. “Hmm…Nothing is coming tomind. But I do have some friendly advice.Go spend time with a woman whosalivates at your feet and makes you feellike a god. Fuck her until neither of youcan walk. When you see me on Mondayyou’ll be totally over it and your life willreturn to its usual obsessive-compulsiveorder.”The creak of leather sounded over thephone and I imagined him leaning back

136/796in his desk chair. “That was your onefree pass, Eva. The next time you insultmy intelligence, I’ll take you over myknee.”“I don’t like that sort of thing.” Andyet the warning, given in that voice,aroused me. Dark and Dangerous forsure.“We’ll discuss. In the interim, tell mewhat you do like.”I stood. “You definitely have the voicefor phone sex, but I’ve got to go. I have adate with my vibrator.”I should’ve hung up then, to gain thefull effect of the brush-off, but I couldn’tresist learning if he’d gloat like I hadimagined he would. Plus, I was havingfun with him.“Oh, Eva.” Cross spoke my name in adecadent purr. “You’re determined todrive me to my knees, aren’t you? What

137/796will it take to talk you into a threesomewith B.O.B.?”I ignored both questions as I slungmy bag and purse over my shoulder,grateful he couldn’t see how my handshook. I was not discussing BatteryOperated Boyfriends with Gideon Cross.I’d never discussed masturbation openlywith a man, let alone a man who was forall intents and purposes a stranger tome. “B.O.B. and I have a longtime understanding—whenwe’re done witheach other, we know exactly which oneof us has been used, and it isn’t me.Good night, Gideon.”I hung up and took the stairs, decidingthe twenty-floor descent would servedouble-duty as both an avoidance techniqueand a replacement for a visit tothe gym.

138/796I was so grateful to be home after theday I’d had that I practically dancedthrough my apartment’s front door. Myheartfelt “God, it’s good to be home!”and accompanying spin was vehementenough to startle the couple on thecouch.“Oh,” I said, wincing at my own silliness.Cary wasn’t in a compromising positionwith his guest when I barged in,but they’d been sitting close enough tosuggest intimacy.Grudgingly, I thought of GideonCross, who preferred to strip all intimacyout of the most intimate act I couldimagine. I’d had one-night stands andfriends with benefits, and no one knewbetter than I that sex and making lovewere two very different things, but Ididn’t think I’d ever be able to view sexlike a handshake. I thought it was sad

139/796that Cross did, even though he wasn’t aman who inspired pity or sympathy.“Hey, baby girl,” Cary called out,pushing to his feet. “I was hoping you’dmake it back before Trey had to leave.”“I have class in an hour,” Trey explained,rounding the coffee table as Idropped my bag on the floor and put mypurse on a barstool at the breakfast bar.“But I’m glad I got to meet you before Ileft.”“Me, too.” I shook the hand he extendedto me, taking him in with a quickglance. He was about my age, I guessed.Average height and nicely muscular. Hehad unruly blond hair, soft hazel eyes,and a nose that had clearly been brokenat some point.“Mind if I grab a glass of wine?” Iasked. “It’s been a long day.”“Go for it,” Trey replied.

140/796“I’ll take one, too.” Cary joined us bythe breakfast bar. He was wearing loosefittingblack jeans and an off-theshoulderblack sweater. The look wascasual and elegant, and did a phenomenaljob of offsetting his dark brown hairand emerald eyes.I went to the wine fridge and pulledout a random bottle.Trey shoved his hands in the pocketsof his jeans and rocked back on hisheels, talking quietly with Cary as I uncorkedand poured.The phone rang and I grabbed thehandset off the wall. “Hello?”“Hey, Eva? It’s Parker Smith.”“Parker, hi.” I leaned my hip into thecounter. “How are you?”“I hope you don’t mind my calling.Your stepdad gave me your number.”Gah. I’d had enough of Stanton forone day. “Not at all. What’s up?”

141/796“Honestly? Everything’s looking upright now. Your stepdad is like my fairygodfather. He’s funding a few safety improvementsto the studio and somemuch-needed upgrades. That’s why I’mcalling. The studio’s going to be out ofcommission for the rest of the week.Classes will resume next Monday.”I closed my eyes, struggling to tampdown a flare of exasperation. It wasn’tParker’s fault that Stanton and my momwere overprotective control freaks.Clearly they didn’t see the irony of defendingme while I was surrounded bypeople trained to do that very thing.“Sounds good. I can’t wait. I’m really excitedto be training with you.”“I’m excited, too. I’m going to workyou hard, Eva. Your parents are going toget their money’s worth.”I set a filled glass in front of Cary andtook a big gulp out of my own. It never

142/796ceased to amaze me how much cooperationmoney could buy. But again, thatwasn’t Parker’s fault. “No complaintshere.”“We’ll get started first thing nextweek. Your driver has the schedule.”“Great. See you then.” I hung up andcaught the glance Trey shot Cary whenhe thought neither of us was looking. Itwas soft and filled with a sweet yearning,and it reminded me that my problemscould wait. “I’m sorry I caught youon the way out, Trey. Do you have timefor pizza Wednesday night? I’d love todo more than say hi and bye.”“I have class.” He gave me a regretfulsmile and shot another side-glance atCary. “But I could come by on Tuesday.”“That’d be great.” I smiled. “We couldorder in and have a movie night.”“I’d like that.”

143/796I was rewarded with the kiss Caryblew me as he headed to the door toshow Trey out. When he returned to thekitchen he grabbed his wine and said,“All right. Spill it, Eva. You lookedstressed.”“I am,” I agreed, grabbing the bottleand moving into the living room.“It’s Gideon Cross, isn’t it?”“Oh, yeah. But I don’t want to talkabout him.” Although Gideon’s pursuitwas exhilarating, his goal sucked. “Let’stalk about you and Trey instead. Howdid you two meet?”“I ran across him on a job. He’s workingpart time as a photographer’s assistant.Sexy, isn’t he?” His eyes were brightand happy. “And a real gentleman. In anold-school way.”“Who knew there were any of thoseleft?” I muttered before polishing off myfirst glass.

144/796“What’s that supposed to mean?”“Nothing. I’m sorry, Cary. He seemedgreat, and he obviously digs you. Is hestudying photography?”“Veterinary medicine.”“Wow. That’s awesome.”“I think so, too. But forget about Treyfor a minute. Talk about what’s buggingyou. Get it out.”I sighed. “My mom. She found outabout my interest in Parker’s studio andnow she’s freaking out.”“What? How’d she find out? I swear Ihaven’t told anyone.”“I know you didn’t. Never evencrossed my mind.” Grabbing the bottleoff the table, I refilled my glass. “Getthis. She’s been tracking my cell phone.”Cary’s brows rose. “Seriously?That’s…creepy.”“I know, right? That’s what I toldStanton, but he doesn’t want to hear it.”

145/796“Well, hell.” He ran a hand throughhis long bangs. “So what do you do?”“Get a new phone. And meet with Dr.Petersen to see if he can’t talk somesense into her.”“Good move. Turn it over to hershrink. So…is everything okay with yourjob? Do you still love it?”“Totally.” My head fell back into thesofa cushions and my eyes closed. “Mywork and you are my lifesavers rightnow.”“What about the young hottie bazillionairewho wants to nail you? Comeon, Eva. You know I’m dying here. Whathappened?”I told him, of course. I wanted histake on it all. But when I finished, hewas quiet. I lifted my head to look athim, and found him bright-eyed and bitinghis lip.“Cary? What are you thinking?”

146/796“I’m feeling kind of hot from thatstory.” He laughed and the warm, richlymasculine sound swept a lot of my irritationaway. “He’s got to be so confusedright now. I would’ve paid money to seehis face when you hit him with that bithe wanted to spank you over.”“I can’t believe he said that.” Just rememberingCross’s voice when he madethat threat had my palms damp enoughto leave steam on my glass. “What thehell is he into?”“Spanking’s not deviant. Besides, hewas going for missionary on the couch,so he’s not averse to the basics.” He fellinto the couch, a brilliant smile lightingup his handsome face. “You’re a hugechallenge to a guy who obviously thriveson them. And he’s willing to make concessionsto have you, which I’d bet he’snot used to. Just tell him what youwant.”

147/796I split the last of the wine between us,feeling marginally better with a bit of alcoholin my veins. What did I want?Aside from the obvious? “We’re totallyincompatible.”“Is that what you call what happenedon his couch?”“Cary, come on. Boil it down. Hepicked me up off the lobby floor, andthen asked me to fuck. That’s really it.Even a guy I take home from a bar hasmore going for him than that. Hey,what’s your name? Come here often?Who’s your friend? What are you drinking?Like to dance? Do you work aroundhere?”“All right, all right. I get it.” He set hisglass down on the table. “Let’s go out.Hit a bar. Dance ’til we drop. Maybemeet some guys who’ll talk you upsome.”“Or at least buy me a drink.”

148/796“Hey, Cross offered you one of thosein his office.”I shook my head and stood.“Whatever. Let me take a shower andwe’ll go.”I threw myself into clubbing like it wasgoing out of style. Cary and I bouncedall over downtown clubs from Tribeca tothe East Village, wasting stupid moneyon cover charges and having a fabuloustime. I danced until my feet felt like theywere going to fall off, but I toughed itout until Cary complained about hisheeled boots first.We’d just stumbled out of a technopopclub with a plan to buy me flip-flopsat a nearby Walgreens when we ranacross a hawker promoting a lounge afew blocks away.

149/796“Great place to get off your feet for awhile,” he said, without the usual flashysmile or exaggerated hype most of thehawkers employed. His clothes—blackjeans and turtleneck—were more upscale,which intrigued me. And he didn’thave fliers or postcards. What hehanded me was a business card madefrom papyrus paper and printed with agilded font that caught the light of theelectric signage around us. I made amental note to hang on to it as a greatpiece of print advertising.A stream of quickly moving pedestriansflowed around us. Cary squinteddown at the lettering, having a few moredrinks in him than I had. “Looksswank.”“Show them that card,” the hawkerurged. “You’ll skip the cover.”“Sweet.” Cary linked arms with meand dragged me along. “Let’s go. You

150/796might find a quality guy in a swankyjoint.”My feet were seriously killing me bythe time we found the place, but I quitbitching when I saw the charming entrance.The line to get in was long, extendingdown the street and around thecorner. Amy Winehouse’s soulful voicedrifted out of the open door, as did welldressedcustomers who exited with bigsmiles.True to the hawker’s word, the businesscard was a magic key that grantedus immediate and free entrance. A gorgeoushostess led us upstairs to a quieterVIP bar that overlooked the stage anddance floor below. We were shown to asmall seating area by the balcony andsettled at a table hugged by two halfmoonvelvet sofas. She propped a beveragemenu in the center and said, “Your

151/796drinks are on the house. Enjoy yourevening.”“Wow.” Cary whistled. “We scored.”“I think that hawker recognized youfrom an ad.”“Wouldn’t that rock?” He grinned.“God, it’s a great night. Hanging outwith my best girl and crushing on a newhunk in my life.”“Oh?”“I think I’ve decided to see wherethings go with Trey.”That made me happy. It felt like I’dbeen waiting forever for him to findsomeone who’d treat him right. “Has heasked you out yet?”“No, but I don’t think it’s because hedoesn’t want to.” He shrugged andsmoothed his artfully ripped T-shirt.Paired with black leather pants andspiked wristlets, he looked sexy andwild. “I just think he’s trying to figure

152/796out the situation with you first. Hewigged when I told him I lived with awoman and that I’d moved across thecountry to be with you. He’s worried Imight be bi-curious and secretly hungup on you. That’s why I wanted you twoto meet today, so he could see how youand I are together.”“I’m sorry, Cary. I’ll try to put him atease about it.”“It’s not your fault. Don’t worry aboutit. It’ll work out if it’s supposed to.”His assurances didn’t make me feelbetter. I tried to think if there was a wayI could help.Two guys stopped by our table. “Okayif we join you?” the taller one asked.I glanced at Cary, and then back atthe guys. They looked like brothers andthey were very attractive. Both weresmiling and confident, their stancesloose and easy.

153/796I was about to say, Sure, when awarm hand settled on my bare shoulderand squeezed firmly. “This one’s taken.”Across from me, Cary gaped asGideon Cross rounded the sofa and extendedhis hand to him. “Taylor. GideonCross.”“Cary Taylor.” He shook Gideon’shand with a wide smile. “But you knewthat. Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lotabout you.”I could’ve killed him. I seriouslythought about it.“Good to know.” Gideon settled onthe seat beside me, his arm draped behindme so that his fingertips couldbrush casually and possessively up anddown my arm. “Maybe there’s hope forme yet.”Twisting at the waist, I faced him andwhispered fiercely, “What are youdoing?”

154/796He shot me a hard glance. “Whateverit takes.”“I’m going to dance.” Cary stood witha mischievous grin. “Be back in a bit.”Ignoring my pleading glance, my bestfriend blew me a kiss and the guys followedhim. I watched them all go, myheart racing. After another minute, ignoringGideon became ridiculous, aswell as impossible.My gaze slid over him. He wore dressslacks in graphite gray and a black V-neck sweater, the overall effect beingone of careless sophistication. I lovedthe look on him and was attracted to thesoftness it gave him, even though I knewit was only an illusion. He was a hardman in a lot of ways.I took a deep breath, feeling like Ineeded to make an effort to socializewith him. After all, wasn’t that my bigcomplaint? That he wanted to skip past

155/796the getting-to-know-you stage and jumpstraight into bed?“You look…” I paused. Fantastic.Wonderful. Amazing. So damn sexy…Inthe end, I went with the lame, “I like theway you look.”His brow arched. “Ah, something youlike about me. Is that a general like ofthe overall package? Or just the clothes?Only the sweater? Or maybe it’s thepants?”The edge to his tone rubbed me thewrong way. “And if I say it’s just thesweater?”“I’ll buy a dozen and wear them everydamn day.”“That would be a shame.”“You don’t like the sweater?” He waspissy, his words coming clipped andfast.

156/796My hands flexed restlessly in my lap.“I love the sweater, but I also like thesuits.”He stared at me a minute, and thennodded. “How was your date withB.O.B.?”Oh hell. I looked away. It was a loteasier talking about masturbation overthe phone. Doing it while squirming underthat piercing blue stare was mortifying.“I don’t kiss and tell.”He brushed the backs of his fingersover my cheek and murmured, “You’reblushing.”I heard the amusement in his voiceand swiftly changed topics. “Do youcome here often?”Shit. Where did that clichéd line comefrom?His hand dropped to my lap andcaught one of mine, his fingers curlinginto my palm. “When necessary.”

157/796A quick stab of jealousy made mestiffen. I glared at him, even though Iwas mad at myself for caring either way.“What does that mean? When you’re onthe prowl?”Gideon’s mouth curved into a genuinesmile that hit me hard. “When expensivedecisions need to be made. I own thisclub, Eva.”Of course he did. Jeez.A pretty waitress set two pinkishcolorediced drinks in square tumblerson the table. She looked at Gideon andgave him a flirtatious smile. “Here yougo, Mr. Cross. Two Stoli Elites and cranberry.Can I get you anything else?”“That’ll be all for now. Thanks.”I could totally see that she wanted toget on the preapproved list and Ibristled at that; then I was distracted bywhat we’d been served. It was my beverageof choice when clubbing and what

158/796I’d been drinking all night. My nervestingled. I watched him take a drink,swirl it around in his mouth like a finewine, and then swallow it. The workingof his throat made me hot, but that wasnothing compared to what the intensityof his stare did to me.“Not bad,” he murmured. “Tell me ifwe made it right.”He kissed me. He moved in fast, but Isaw it coming and didn’t turn away. Hismouth was cold and flavored withalcohol-laced cranberry. Delicious. Allthe chaotic emotion and energy that hadbeen writhing around inside me abruptlybecame too much to contain. Ishoved a hand in his glorious hair andclenched it tight, holding him still as Isucked on his tongue. His groan was themost erotic sound I’d ever heard, makingthe flesh between my legs tightenviciously.

159/796Shocked by the fury of my reaction, Iwrenched away, gasping.Gideon followed, nuzzling the side ofmy face, his lips brushing over my ear.He was breathing hard, too, and thesound of the ice in his tumbler clinkingagainst the glass skittered across my inflamedsenses.“I need to be inside you, Eva,” hewhispered roughly. “I’m aching for you.”My gaze fell to my drink on the table,my thoughts swirling around in myhead, a clusterfuck of impressions andrecollections and confusion. “How didyou know?”His tongue traced the shell of my earand I shivered. It felt like every cell inmy body was straining toward his. Resistinghim took an impossible amount ofenergy, draining me and making me feeltired.“Know what?” he asked.

160/796“What I like to drink? What Cary’sname is?”He inhaled deeply, and then pulledaway. Setting his drink down, he shiftedon the sofa and drew a knee up onto thecushion between us so that he faced medirectly. His arm once again draped overthe sofa back, his fingertips drawingcircles on the curve of my shoulder.“You visited another of my clubs earlier.Your credit card popped and your drinkswere recorded. And Cary Taylor is listedon the rental agreement for yourapartment.”The room spun. No way…My cellphone. My credit card. My fuckingapartment. I couldn’t breathe. Betweenmy mother and Gideon, I feltclaustrophobic.“Eva. Jesus. You’re white as a ghost.”He shoved a glass into my hand.“Drink.”

161/796It was the Stoli and cranberry. I poundedit, draining the tumbler. My stomachchurned for a moment, then settled.“You own the building I live in?” Igasped.“Oddly enough, yes.” He moved to siton the table, facing me, his legs oneither side of mine. He took my glassand set it aside; then warmed my chilledhands with his.“Are you crazy, Gideon?”His mouth thinned. “Is that a seriousquestion?”“Yes. Yes, it is. My mom stalks me,too, and she sees a shrink. Do you have ashrink?”“Not presently, but you’re driving mecrazy enough to make that a possibility.”“So this behavior isn’t normal foryou?” My heart was pounding. I couldhear the blood rushing past myeardrums. “Or is it?”

162/796He shoved a hand through his hair,restoring order to the strands I’dmussed when we’d kissed. “I accessedinformation you voluntarily made availableto me.”“Not to you! Not for what you used itfor! That has to violate some kind of privacylaw.” I stared at him, more confusedthan ever. “Why would you dothat?”He had the grace to look disgruntledat least. “So I can figure you out, damnit.”“Why don’t you just ask me, Gideon?Is that so fucking hard for people to donowadays?”“It is with you.” He grabbed his drinkoff the table and tossed back most of it.“I can’t get you alone for more than afew minutes at a time.”

163/796“Because the only thing you want totalk about is what you have to do to getlaid!”“Christ, Eva,” he hissed, squeezing myhand. “Keep your voice down!”I studied him, taking in every line andplane of his face. Unfortunately, catalogingthe details didn’t lessen my aweeven a tiny bit. I was beginning to suspectI’d never get over being dazzled byhis looks.And I wasn’t alone; I’d seen how otherwomen reacted around him. And hewas crazy rich, which made even old,bald, and paunchy guys attractive. It wasno wonder he was used to snapping hisfingers and scoring an orgasm.His gaze darted over my face. “Whyare you looking at me like that?”“I’m thinking.”“About what?” His jaw tightened.“And I’m warning you, if you say

164/796anything about orifices, preapprovals, orseminal emissions, I won’t be held accountablefor my actions.”That almost made me smile. “I wantto understand a few things, because Ithink it’s possible I’m not giving youenough credit.”“I’d like to understand a few thingsmyself,” he muttered.“I’m guessing the ‘I want to fuck you’approach has a high success rate foryou.”Gideon’s face smoothed into unreadableimpassivity. “I’m not touching thatone, Eva.”“Okay. You want to figure out whatit’s going to take to get me into bed. Isthat why you’re here in this club rightnow? Because of me? And don’t saywhat you think I want to hear.”His gaze was clear and steady. “I’mhere for you, yes. I arranged it.”

165/796Suddenly the threads the streethawker had been wearing made sense.We’d been hustled by someone on CrossIndustries’s payroll. “Did you figure thatgetting me here would get you laid?”His mouth twitched with suppressedamusement. “There’s always the hope,but I expected it would take more workthan a chance meeting over drinks.”“You’re right. So why do it? Why notwait until Monday lunch?”“Because you’re out trolling. I can’t doanything about B.O.B., but I can stopyou from picking up some asshole in abar. You want to score, Eva, I’m righthere.”“I’m not trolling. I’m burning off tensionafter a stressful day.”“You’re not the only one.” He fingeredone of my silver chandelier earrings. “Soyou drink and dance when you’re tense.

166/796I work on the problem that’s making metense in the first place.”His voice had softened, and it stirredan alarming yearning. “Is that what Iam? A problem?”“Absolutely.” But there was a hint of asmile around his lips.I knew that was a lot of the appeal forhim. Gideon Cross wouldn’t be where hewas, at such a young age, if he took “no”gracefully. “What’s your definition ofdating?”A frown marred the space between hisbrows. “Lengthy social time spent with awoman during which we’re not activelyfucking.”“Don’t you enjoy the company ofwomen?”The frown turned into a scowl. “Sure,as long as there aren’t any exaggeratedexpectations or excessive demands onmy time. I’ve found the best way to steer

167/796clear of those is to have mutually exclusivesexual relationships andfriendships.”There were those pesky “exaggeratedexpectations” again. Clearly, those werea sticking point with him. “So, you dohave female friends?”“Of course.” His legs tightenedaround mine, capturing me. “Where areyou going with this?”“You segregate sex from the rest ofyour life. You separate it from friendship,work…everything.”“I’ve got good reasons for doing that.”“I’m sure you do. Okay, here are mythoughts.” It was difficult concentratingwhen I was so close to Gideon. “I toldyou I don’t want to date and I don’t. Myjob is priority number one and my personallife—as a single woman—is a closesecond. I don’t want to sacrifice any ofthat time on a relationship and there’s

168/796really not enough left over to squeeze inanything steady.”“I’m right there with you.”“But I like sex.”“Good. Have it with me.” His smilewas an erotic invitation.I shoved his shoulder. “I need a personalconnection with the men I sleepwith. It doesn’t have to be intense ordeep, but sex needs to be more than anemotionless transaction for me.”“Why?”I could tell he wasn’t being flippant.As bizarre as this conversation must befor him, Gideon was taking it seriously.“Call it one of my quirks, and I’m notsaying that lightly. It pisses me off tofeel used for sex. I feel devalued.”“Can’t you look at it as you using mefor sex?”“Not with you.” He was too forceful,too demanding.

169/796A sizzling, predatory glimmer sparkedin his eyes as I bared my weakness forhim.“Besides,” I went on quickly, “that’ssemantics. I need an equal exchange inmy sexual relationships. Or to have theupper hand.”“Okay.”“Okay? You said that really quicklyconsidering I’m telling you I need tocombine two things you work so hard toavoid putting together.”“I’m not comfortable with it and Idon’t claim to understand, but I’m hearingyou—it’s an issue. Tell me how to getaround it.”My breath left me in a rush. I hadn’texpected that. He was a man whowanted no complications with his sexand I was a woman who found sex complicated,but he wasn’t giving up. Yet.

170/796“We need to be friendly, Gideon. Notbest buds or confidants, but two peoplewho know more about each other thantheir anatomy. To me, that means wehave to spend time together when we’renot actively fucking. And I’m afraid we’llhave to spend time not actively fuckingin places where we’re forced to restrainourselves.”“Isn’t that what we’re doing now?”“Yes. And see, that’s what I mean. Iwasn’t giving you credit for that. Youshould’ve done it in a less creepy manner”—Icovered his lips with my fingerswhen he tried to cut me off—“but I admityou did try to set up a time to talkand I wasn’t helpful.”He nipped my fingers with his teeth,making me yelp and yank my handaway.“Hey. What was that for?”

171/796He lifted my abused hand to hismouth and kissed the hurt, his tonguedarting out to soothe. And incite.In self-defense, I tugged my handback to my lap. I still wasn’t completelyconfident that we’d worked things out.“Just so you know there are no exaggeratedexpectations—when you and Ispend time together not actively fucking,I won’t think it’s a date. All right?”“That covers it.” Gideon smiled andmy decision to be with him solidified forme. His smile was like lightning in thedarkness, blinding and beautiful andmysterious, and I wanted him so badly itwas physically painful.His hands slid down to cup the backsof my thighs. Squeezing gently, hetugged me just a little bit closer. Thehem of my short black halter dressslipped almost indecently high and hisgaze was riveted to the flesh he’d

172/796exposed. His tongue wet his lips in anaction so carnal and suggestive I couldalmost feel the caress on my skin.Duffy began begging for mercy, hervoice drifting up from the dance floorbelow. An unwelcome ache developed inmy chest and I rubbed at it.I’d already had enough, but I heardmyself saying, “I need another drink.”

I had a vicious hangover on Saturdaymorning and figured it was no less thanI deserved. As much as I’d resentedGideon’s insistence on negotiating sexwith as much passion as he would a

174/796merger, in the end I’d negotiated inkind. Because I wanted him enough totake a calculated risk and break my ownrules.I took comfort in knowing he wasbreaking some of his own, too.After a long, hot shower, I made myway into the living room and found Caryon the couch with his netbook, lookingfresh and alert. Smelling coffee in thekitchen, I headed there and filled thebiggest mug I could find.“Morning, sunshine,” Cary called out.With my much-needed dose of caffeinewrapped between both palms, Ijoined him on the couch.He pointed at a box on the end table.“That came for you while you were inthe shower.”I set my mug on the coffee table andpicked up the box. It was wrapped withbrown paper and twine, and had my

175/796name handwritten diagonally across thetop with a decorative calligraphic flourish.Inside was an amber glass bottlewith Hangover Cure painted on it in awhite old-fashioned font and a note tiedwith raffia to the bottle’s neck that said,“Drink me.” Gideon’s business card wasnestled in the cushioning tissue paper.As I studied the gift, I found it veryapt. Since meeting Gideon I’d felt likeI’d fallen down the rabbit hole into a fascinatingand seductive world where fewof the known rules applied. I was in unchartedterritory that was both excitingand scary.I glanced at Cary, who eyed the bottledubiously.“Cheers.” I pried the cork out anddrank the contents without thinkingtwice about it. It tasted like sickly sweetcough syrup. My stomach quivered indistaste for a moment, and then heated.

176/796I wiped my mouth with the back of myhand and shoved the cork back into theempty bottle.“What was that?” Cary asked.“From the burn, it’s hair of the dog.”His nose wrinkled. “Effective butunpleasant.”And it was working. I already felt alittle steadier.Cary picked up the box and dug outGideon’s card. He flipped it over; thenheld it out to me. On the back Gideonhad written, “Call me” in bold slashingpenmanship and jotted down a number.I took the card, curling my handaround it. His gift was proof that he wasthinking about me. His tenacity and focuswas seductive. And flattering.There was no denying I was in troublewhere Gideon was concerned. I cravedthe way I felt when he touched me, and Iloved the way he responded when I

177/796touched him back. When I tried to thinkof what I wouldn’t agree to do to havehis hands on me again, I couldn’t comeup with much.When Cary tried to hand me thephone, I shook my head. “Not yet. I needa clear head when dealing with him andI’m still fuzzy.”“You two seemed cozy last night. He’sdefinitely into you.”“I’m definitely into him.” Curling intothe corner of the couch, I pressed mycheek into the cushion and hugged mylegs to my chest. “We’re going to hangout, get to know each other, have casualbut-physically-intensesex, and be otherwisecompletely independent. Nostrings, no expectations, noresponsibilities.”Cary hit a button on his netbook andthe printer on the other side of the roomstarted spitting out pages. Then he

178/796snapped the computer closed, set it onthe coffee table, and gave me all his attention.“Maybe it’ll turn into somethingserious.”“Maybe not,” I scoffed.“Cynic.”“I’m not looking for happily-everafter,Cary, especially not with a megamogullike Cross. I’ve seen what it’s likefor my mom being connected to powerfulmen. It’s a full-time job with a parttimecompanion. Money keeps Momhappy, but it wouldn’t be enough forme.”My dad had loved my mom. He’dasked her to marry him and share hislife. She’d turned him down because hedidn’t have the hefty portfolio and sizeablebank account she required in a husband.Love wasn’t a requisite for marriagein Monica Stanton’s opinion andsince her sultry-eyed, breathy-voiced

179/796beauty was irresistible to most men,she’d never had to settle for less thanwhatever she wanted. Unfortunately shehadn’t wanted my dad for the long haul.Glancing at the clock, I saw it was tenthirty. “I guess I should get ready.”“I love spa day with your mom.” Carysmiled and it chased the lingering shadowson my mood away. “I feel like a godwhen we’re done.”“Me, too. Of the goddess persuasion.”We were so eager to be off that wewent downstairs to meet the car ratherthan wait for the front desk to call up.The doorman smiled as we steppedoutside—me in heeled sandals and amaxi dress, and Cary in hip-huggingjeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt.“Good morning, Miss Tramell. Mr.Taylor. Will you need a cab today?”

180/796“No thanks, Paul. We’re expecting acar.” Cary grinned. “It’s spa day at Perrini’s!”“Ah, Perrini’s Day Spa.” Paul gave asage nod. “I bought my wife a gift certificatefor our anniversary. She enjoyed itso much I plan to make it a tradition.”“You did good, Paul,” I said. “Pamperinga woman never goes out of style.”A black town car pulled up withClancy at the wheel. Paul opened therear door for us and we climbed in,squealing when we found a box ofKnipschildt’s Chocopologie on the seat.Waving at Paul, we settled back and dugin, taking tiny nibbles of the truffles thatwere worth savoring slowly.Clancy drove us straight to Perrini’s,where the relaxation began from themoment one walked in the door. Crossingthe entrance threshold was like takinga vacation on the far side of the

181/796world. Every arched doorway wasframed by lushly vibrant striped silks,while jeweled pillows decorated elegantchaises and oversized armchairs.Birds chirped from suspended gildedcages and potted plants filled everycorner with lush fronds. Small decorativefountains added the sounds of runningwater, while stringed instrumentalmusic was piped into the room via cleverlyhidden speakers. The air was redolentwith a mix of exotic spices and fragrances,making me feel like I’d steppedinto Arabian Nights.It was this-close to being too much,but it didn’t cross the line. Instead, Perrini’swas exotic and luxurious, an indulgenttreat for those who could afford it.Like my mother, who’d just finished amilk-and-honey bath when we arrived.I studied the menu of treatmentsavailable, deciding to skip my usual

182/796“warrior woman” in favor of the “passionatepampering.” I’d been waxed theweek before, but the rest of the treatment—“designedto make you sexuallyirresistible”—sounded like exactly what Ineeded.I’d finally managed to get my mindback into the safe zone of work whenCary spoke up from the pedicure chairbeside mine.“Mrs. Stanton, have you met GideonCross?”I gaped at him. He knew damn wellmy mom went nuts over any news aboutmy romantic—and not-so-romantic, asthe case may be—relationships.My mother, who sat in the chair onthe other side of me, leaned forwardwith her usual girlish excitement over arich, handsome man. “Of course. He’sone of the wealthiest men in the world.Number twenty-five or so on Forbes’s

183/796list, if I’m remembering correctly. A verydriven young man, obviously, and a generousbenefactor to many of the children’scharities I champion. Extremelyeligible, of course, but I don’t believehe’s gay, Cary. He’s got a reputation as aladies’ man.”“My loss.” Cary grinned and ignoredmy violent headshaking. “But it’d be ahopeless crush anyway, since he’s diggingon Eva.”“Eva! I can’t believe you didn’t sayanything. How could you not tell mesomething like that?”I looked at my mom, whose scrubbedface appeared young, unlined, and verymuch like mine. I was very clearly mymother’s daughter, right down to mysurname. The one concession she’dmade to my father had been to name meafter his mother.

184/796“There’s nothing to tell,” I insisted.“We’re just…friends.”“We can do better than that,” Monicasaid, with a look of calculation thatstruck fear in my heart. “I don’t knowhow it escaped me that you work in thesame building he does. I’m certain hewas smitten the moment he saw you. Althoughhe’s known to prefer brunettes…Hmm…Anyway.He’s alsoknown for his excellent taste. Clearly thelatter won out with you.”“It’s not like that. Please don’t startmeddling. You’ll embarrass me.”“Nonsense. If anyone knows what todo with men, it’s me.”I cringed, my shoulders creeping upto my ears. By the time my massage appointmentcame around, I was in desperateneed of one. I stretched out onthe table and closed my eyes, preparing

185/796to take a catnap to get through the longnight ahead.I loved dressing up and looking prettyas much as the next girl, but charityfunctions were a lot of work. Makingsmall talk was exhausting, smiling nonstopwas a pain, and conversationsabout businesses and people I didn’tknow were boring. If it wasn’t for Carybenefitting from the exposure, I’d put upa bigger fight about going.I sighed. Who was I fooling? I’d endup going anyway. My mom and Stantonsupported abused children’s charitiesbecause they were significant to me. Goingto the occasional stuffy event was asmall price to pay for the return.Taking a deep breath, I consciouslyrelaxed. I made a mental note to call mydad when I got home and thought abouthow to send a thank-you note to Gideonfor the hangover cure. I supposed I

186/796could e-mail him using the contact infoon his business card, but that lackedclass. Besides, I didn’t know who readhis inbox.I’d just call him when I got home.Why not? He’d asked—no, told—me to;he’d written the demand on his businesscard. And I’d get to hear his lusciousvoice again.The door opened and the masseusecame in. “Hello, Eva. You ready?”Not quite. But I was getting there.After many lovely hours at the spa, mymom and Cary dropped me off at theapartment; then they headed out to huntfor new cuff links for Stanton. I used thetime alone to call Gideon. Even with themuch-needed privacy, I punched mostof his phone number into the keypad a

187/796half-dozen times before I finally put thecall through.He answered on the first ring. “Eva.”Startled that he’d known who wascalling, my mind scrambled for a moment.How did he have my name andnumber in his contact list? “Uh…hi,Gideon.”“I’m a block away. Let the front deskknow I’m coming.”“What?” I felt like I’d missed part ofthe conversation. “Coming where?”“To your place. I’m rounding thecorner now. Call the desk, Eva.”He hung up and I stared at the phone,trying to absorb the fact that Gideon wasmoments away from being with meagain. Somewhat dazed, I went to the intercomand talked to the front desk, lettingthem know I was expecting him andwhile I was talking, he walked into the

188/796lobby. A few moments after that, he wasat my door.It was then that I remembered I wasdressed in only a thigh-length silk robe,and my face and hair were styled for thedinner. What kind of impression wouldhe get from my appearance?I tightened the belt of my robe beforeI let him in. It wasn’t like I’d invited himover for a seduction or anything.Gideon stood in the hallway for a longmoment, his gaze raking me from myhead down to my French manicuredtoes. I was equally stunned by his appearance.The way he looked in wornjeans and a T-shirt made me want to undresshim with my teeth.“Worth the trip to find you like this,Eva.” He stepped inside and locked thedoor behind him. “How are youfeeling?”

189/796“Good. Thanks to you. Thank you.”My stomach quivered because he washere, with me, which made me feel almost…giddy.“That can’t be why youcame over.”“I’m here because it took you too longto call me.”“I didn’t realize I had a deadline.”“I have to ask you something timesensitive,but more than that, I wantedto know if you were feeling all right afterlast night.” His eyes were dark as theyswept over me, his breathtaking faceframed by that luxurious curtain of inkyhair. “God. You look beautiful, Eva. Ican’t remember ever wanting anythingthis much.”With just those few simple words Ibecame hot and needy. Way too vulnerable.“What’s so urgent?”“Go with me to the advocacy centerdinner tonight.”

190/796I pulled back, surprised and excitedby the request. “You’re going?”“So are you. I checked, knowing yourmother would be there. Let’s gotogether.”My hand went to my throat, my mindtorn between the weirdness of howmuch he knew about me and concernover what he was asking me to do.“That’s not what I meant when I said weshould spend time together.”“Why not?” The simple question waslaced with challenge. “What’s the problemwith going together to an event we’dalready planned on attendingseparately?”“It’s not very discreet. It’s a high-profileevent.”“So?” Gideon stepped closer andfingered a curl of my hair.There was a dangerous purr to hisvoice that sent a shiver through me. I

191/796could feel the warmth of his big, hardbody and smell the richly masculinescent of his skin. I was falling under hisspell, deeper with every minute thatpassed.“People will make assumptions, mymother in particular. She’s alreadyscenting your bachelor blood in thewater.”Lowering his head, Gideon pressedhis lips into the crook of my neck. “Idon’t care what people think. We knowwhat we’re doing. And I’ll deal with yourmother.”“If you think you can,” I said breathlessly,“you don’t know her very well.”“I’ll pick you up at seven.” His tonguetraced the wildly throbbing vein in mythroat and I melted into him, my bodygoing lax as he pulled me close.Still, I managed to say, “I haven’t saidyes.”

192/796“But you won’t say no.” He caught myearlobe between his teeth. “I won’t letyou.”I opened my mouth to protest and hesealed his lips over mine, shutting meup with a lush wet kiss. His tongue didthat slow, savoring licking that made melong to feel him doing the same betweenmy legs. My hands went to his hair, slidingthrough it, tugging. When hewrapped his arms around me, I arched,curving into his hands.Just as he had in his office, he had meon my back on the couch before I realizedhe was moving me, his mouth swallowingmy surprised gasp. The robe gaveway to his dexterous fingers; then hewas cupping my breasts, kneading themwith soft, rhythmic squeezes.“Gideon—”“Shh.” He sucked on my lower lip, hisfingers rolling and tugging my tender

193/796nipples. “It was driving me crazy knowingyou were naked beneath your robe.”“You came over without—Oh! Oh,God…”His mouth surrounded the tip of mybreast, the wash of heat bringing a mistof perspiration to my skin.My gaze darted frantically to the clockon the cable box. “Gideon, no.”His head lifted and he looked at mewith stormy blue eyes. “It’s insane, Iknow. I don’t—I can’t explain it, Eva, butI have to make you come. I’ve beenthinking about it constantly for daysnow.”One of his hands pushed between mylegs. They fell open shamelessly, mybody so aroused I was flushed and almostfeverish. His other hand continuedto plump my breasts, making themheavy and unbearably sensitive.

194/796“You’re wet for me,” he murmured,his gaze sliding down my body to wherehe was parting me with his fingers.“You’re beautiful here, too. Plush andpink. So soft. You didn’t wax today, didyou?”I shook my head.“Thank God. I don’t think I would’vemade it ten minutes without touchingyou, let alone ten hours.” He slid onefinger carefully into me.My eyes closed against the unbearablevulnerability of being spread outnaked and fingered by a man whose familiaritywith the rules of Brazilian waxingbetrayed an intimate knowledge ofwomen. A man who was still fullyclothed and kneeling on the floor besideme.“You’re so snug.” Gideon pulled outand thrust gently back into me. My backbowed as I clenched eagerly around

195/796him. “And so greedy. How long has itbeen since the last time you werefucked?”I swallowed hard. “I’ve been busy. Mythesis, job-hunting, moving…”“A while, then.” He pulled out andpushed back into me with two fingers. Icouldn’t hold back a moan of delight.The man had talented hands, confidentand skilled, and he took what he wantedwith them.“Are you on birth control, Eva?”“Yes.” My hands gripped the edges ofthe cushions. “Of course.”“I’ll prove I’m clean and you’ll do thesame, then you’re going to let me comein you.”“Jesus, Gideon.” I was panting forhim, my hips circling shamelessly ontohis thrusting fingers. I felt like I’d spontaneouslycombust if he didn’t get meoff.

196/796I’d never been so turned on in my life.I was near mindless with the need for anorgasm. If Cary walked in right then andfound me writhing in our living roomwhile Gideon finger-fucked me, I didn’tthink I’d care.Gideon was breathing hard, too. Hisface was flushed with lust. For me.When I’d done nothing more than respondhelplessly to him.His hand at my breast moved to mycheek and brushed over it. “You’reblushing. I’ve scandalized you.”“Yes.”His smile was both wicked and delighted,and it made my chest tight. “Iwant to feel my cum in you when I fuckyou with my fingers. I want you to feelmy cum in you, so you think about how Ilooked and the sounds I made when Ipumped it into you. And while you’re

197/796thinking about that, you’re going to lookforward to me doing it again and again.”My sex rippled around his strokingfingers, the rawness of his words pushingme to the brink of orgasm.“I’m going to tell you all the ways Iwant you to please me, Eva, and you’regoing to do it all…take it all, and we’regoing to have explosive, primal, noholds-barredsex. You know that, don’tyou? You can feel how it’ll be betweenus.”“Yes,” I breathed, clutching mybreasts to ease the deep ache of myhardened nipples. “Please, Gideon.”“Shh…I’ve got you.” The pad of histhumb rubbed my clitoris in gentlecircles. “Look into my eyes when youcome for me.”Everything tightened in my core, thetension building as he massaged my clit

198/796and pushed his fingers in and out in asteady, unhurried rhythm.“Give it up to me, Eva,” he ordered.“Now.”I climaxed with a thready cry, my gripwhite-knuckled on the sides of the cushionsas my hips pumped onto his hand,my mind far beyond shame or shyness.My gaze was locked to his, unable tolook away, riveted by the fierce masculinetriumph that flared in his eyes. Inthat moment he owned me. I’d do anythinghe wanted. And he knew it.Searing pleasure pulsed through me.Through the roaring of blood in my ears,I thought I heard him speak hoarsely,but I lost the words when he hooked oneof my legs over the back of the couchand covered my cleft with his mouth.“No—” I pushed at his head with myhands. “I can’t.”

199/796I was too swollen, too sensitive. Butwhen his tongue touched my clit, flutteringover it, the hunger built again. Moreintense than the first time. He rimmedmy trembling slit, teasing me, tauntingme with the promise of another orgasmwhen I knew I couldn’t have one againso quickly.Then his tongue speared into me andI bit my lip to bite back a scream. I camea second time, my body quaking violently,tender muscles tightening desperatelyaround his decadent licking. Hisgrowl vibrated through me. I didn’t havethe strength to push him away when hereturned to my clit and suckedsoftly…tirelessly…until I climaxed again,gasping his name.I was boneless as he straightened myleg and still breathless when he pressedkisses up my belly to my breasts. Helicked each of my nipples, and then

200/796hauled me up with his arms bandedaround my back. I hung lax and pliablein his grip while he took my mouth withsuppressed violence, bruising my lipsand betraying how close to the edge hewas.He closed my robe; then stood, staringdown at me.“Gideon…?”“Seven o’clock, Eva.” He reacheddown and touched my ankle, his fingertipscaressing the diamond anklet I’dput on in preparation for the evening.“And keep this on. I want to fuck youwhile you’re wearing nothing else.”

“Hey, Dad. I caught you.” I adjusted mygrip on the phone receiver and pulled upa stool at the breakfast bar. I missed myfather. For the last four years we’d livedclose enough to see each other at least

202/796once a week. Now his home in Oceansidewas the entire country away. “Howare you?”He lowered the volume on the television.“Better, now that you’ve called.How was your first week at work?”I went over my days from Mondaythrough Friday, skipping over all theGideon parts. “I really like my boss,Mark,” I finished. “And the vibe of theagency is very energetic and kind ofquirky. I’m happy going to work everyday, and I’m bummed when it’s time togo home.”“I hope it stays that way. But youneed to make sure you have some downtime,too. Go out, be young, have fun.But not too much fun.”“Yeah, I had a little too much lastnight. Cary and I went clubbing, and Iwoke up with a mean hangover.”

203/796“Shit, don’t tell me that.” He groaned.“Some nights I wake up in a cold sweatthinking about you in New York. I getthrough it by telling myself you’re toosmart to take chances, thanks to twoparents who’ve drilled safety rules intoyour DNA.”“Which is true,” I said, laughing.“That reminds me…I’m going to startKrav Maga training.”“Really?” There was a thoughtfulpause. “One of the guys on the force isbig on it. Maybe I’ll check it out and wecan compare notes when I come out tovisit you.”“You’re coming to New York?” Icouldn’t hide my excitement. “Oh, Dad,I’d love it if you would. As much as Imiss SoCal, Manhattan is really awesome.I think you’ll like it.”

204/796“I’d like anyplace in the world as longas you’re there.” He waited a beat, thenasked, “How’s your mom?”“Well…she’s Mom. Beautiful, charming,and obsessive-compulsive.”My chest hurt and I rubbed at it. Ithought my dad might still love mymom. He’d never married. That was oneof the reasons I never told him aboutwhat happened to me. As a cop, hewould’ve insisted on pressing chargesand the scandal would have destroyedmy mother. I also worried that he’d loserespect for her or even blame her, and ithadn’t been her fault. As soon as she’dfound out what her stepson was doing tome, she’d left a husband she was happywith and filed for divorce.I kept talking, waving at Cary as hecame rushing in with a little blue Tiffany& Co. bag. “We had a spa day today. Itwas a fun way to cap off the week.”

205/796I could hear the smile in his voicewhen he said, “I’m glad you two aremanaging to spend time together. Whatare your plans for the rest of theweekend?”I hedged on the subject of the charityevent, knowing the whole red carpetbusiness and astronomically-priced dinnerseats would just highlight the gapbetween my parents’ lives. “Cary and Iare going out to eat, and then I plan onstaying in tomorrow. Sleeping in late,hanging out in my pajamas all day,maybe some movies and food delivery ofsome sort. A little vegetating before anew work week kicks off.”“Sounds like heaven to me. I maycopy you when my next day off rollsaround.”Glancing at the clock, I saw it wascreeping past six. “I have to get ready

206/796now. Be careful at work, okay? I worryabout you, too.”“Will do. Bye, baby.”The familiar sign-off had me missinghim so much my throat hurt. “Oh, wait!I’m getting a new cell phone. I’ll text youthe number as soon as I have it.”“Again? You just got a new one whenyou moved.”“Long, boring story.”“Hmm…Don’t put it off. They’re goodfor safety as well as playing AngryBirds.”“I’m over that game!” I laughed andwarmth spread through me to hear himlaughing, too. “I’ll call you in a few days.Be good.”“That’s my line.”We hung up. I sat for a few momentsin the ensuing silence, feeling likeeverything was right in my world, whichnever lasted long. I brooded on that for

207/796minute; then Cary cranked up Hinderon his bedroom stereo and that kickedmy butt into gear.I hurried to my room to get ready fora night with Gideon.“Necklace or no necklace?” I asked Cary,when he came into my bedroom lookingseriously amazing. Dressed in his newBrioni tux, he was both debonair anddashing, and certain to attract attention.“Hmm.” His head tilted to the side ashe studied me. “Hold it up again.”I lifted the choker of gold coins to mythroat. The dress my mom had sent wasfire engine red and styled for a Greciangoddess. It hung on one shoulder, cutdiagonally across my cleavage, hadruching to the hip, and then split at myright upper thigh all the way down myleg. There was no back to speak of, aside

208/796from a slender strip of rhinestones thatconnected one side to the other to keepthe front from falling off. Otherwise, theback was bared to just above the crack ofmy buttocks in a racy V-cut.“Forget the necklace,” he said. “I wasleaning toward gold chandeliers, butnow I’m thinking diamond hoops. Thebiggest ones you’ve got.”“What? Really?” I frowned at our reflectionsin my cheval mirror, watchingas he moved to my jewelry box and dugthrough it.“These.” He brought them to me and Ieyed the two-inch hoops my mother hadgiven me for my eighteenth birthday.“Trust me, Eva. Try ’em on.”I did and found he was right. It was avery different look from the gold choker,less glam and more edgy sensuality. Andthe earrings went well with the diamondanklet on my right leg that I’d never

209/796think of the same way again afterGideon’s comment. With my hair sweptoff my face into a cascade of thick, deliberatelymessy curls, I had a just-screwedlook that was complemented by smokyeye shadow and glossy nude lips.“What would I do without you, CaryTaylor?”“Baby girl”—he set his hands on myshoulders and pressed his cheek tomine—“you’ll never find out.”“You look awesome, by the way.”“Don’t I?” He winked and steppedback, showing off.In his own way, Cary could giveGideon a run for his money…er, looks.Cary was more finely featured, almostpretty compared to Gideon’s savagebeauty, but both were striking men thatmade you look twice, and then stare ingreedy delight.

210/796Cary hadn’t been quite so perfectwhen I met him. He’d been strung outand gaunt, his emerald eyes cloudy andlost. But I’d been drawn to him, goingout of my way to sit next to him in grouptherapy. He’d finally propositioned mecrudely, having come to believe the onlyreason people associated with him wasbecause they wanted to fuck him. It waswhen I declined, firmly and irrevocably,that we finally connected and becamebest friends. He was the brother I’d neverhad.The intercom buzzed and I jumped,making me realize how nervous I was. Ilooked at Cary. “I forgot to tell the frontdesk he was coming back.”“I’ll get him.”“Are you going to be okay riding overwith Stanton and my mom?”

211/796“Are you kidding? They love me.” Hissmile dimmed. “Having second thoughtsabout going with Cross?”I took a deep breath, rememberingwhere I’d been earlier—on my back in amulti-orgasmic daze. “Not really, no. It’sjust that everything’s happening so fastand going better than I expected or realizedI wanted…”“You’re wondering what the catch is.”Reaching out, he tapped my nose withhis fingertip. “He’s the catch, Eva. Andyou landed him. Enjoy yourself.”“I’m trying.” I was grateful that Caryunderstood me and the way my mindworked. It was just so easy being withhim, knowing he could fill in the blankswhen I couldn’t explain something.“I researched the hell out of him thismorning and printed out the interestingrecent stuff. It’s on your desk, if you decideyou want to check it out.”

212/796I remembered him printingsomething before we got ready for thespa. Pushing onto my tiptoes, I kissedhis cheek. “You’re the best. I love you.”“Back atcha, baby girl.” He headedout. “I’ll head down to the front deskand bring him up. Take your time. He’sten minutes early.”Smiling, I watched him saunter intothe hallway. The door had closed behindhim when I moved into the small sittingroom attached to my bedroom. On thevery impractical escritoire my motherhad picked out, I found a folder filledwith articles and printed images. Isettled into the chair and got lost inGideon Cross’s history.It was like watching a train wreck toread that he was the son of GeoffreyCross, former chairman of an investmentsecurities firm later found to be afront for a massive Ponzi scheme.

213/796Gideon was just five years old when hisdad committed suicide with a gunshot tothe head rather than face prison time.Oh, Gideon. I tried to picture him thatyoung and imagined a handsome darkhairedboy with beautiful blue eyes filledwith terrible confusion and sadness. Theimage broke my heart. How devastatinghis father’s suicide—and the circumstancesaround it—must have been, forboth him and his mother. The stress andstrain at such a difficult time would’vebeen enormous, especially for a child ofthat age.His mother went on to marry ChristopherVidal, a music executive, and hadtwo more children, Christopher Vidal Jr.and Ireland Vidal, but it seemed a largerfamily and financial security had cometoo late to help Gideon stabilize aftersuch a huge shakeup. He was too closed

214/796off not to bear some painful emotionalscars.With a critical and curious eye, I studiedthe women who’d been photographedwith Gideon and thought abouthis approach to dating, socializing, andsex. I saw that my mom had beenright—they were all brunettes. The womanwho appeared with him most oftenbore the hallmarks of a Hispanic heritage.She was taller than me, willowyrather than curvy.“Magdalene Perez,” I murmured,grudgingly admitting that she was astunner. Her posture had the kind offlamboyant confidence that I admired.“Okay, it’s been long enough,” Caryinterrupted with a soft note of amusement.He filled the doorway to my sittingroom, leaning insolently into thedoorjamb.

215/796“Really?” I’d been so absorbed; Ihadn’t realized how much time hadpassed.“I would guess you’re about a minuteaway from him coming to find you. He’sbarely restraining himself.”I shut the folder and stood.“Interesting reading, isn’t it?”“Very.” How had Gideon’s father—ormore specifically, his father’s suicide—influencedhis life?I knew all the answers I wanted werewaiting for me in the next room.Leaving my bedroom, I took the hallwayto the living room. I paused on thethreshold, my gaze riveted to Gideon’sback as he stood in front of the windowsand looked out at the city. My heart ratekicked up. His reflection revealed a contemplativemood. His gaze was unfocusedand his mouth grim. Hiscrossed arms betrayed an inherent

216/796unease, as if he was out of his element.He looked remote and removed, a manwho was inherently alone.He sensed my presence or maybe hefelt my yearning. He pivoted; then wentvery still. I took the opportunity to drinkhim in, my gaze sliding all over him. Helooked every inch the powerful magnate.So sensually handsome my eyes burnedjust from looking at him. The rakish fallof black hair around his face made myfingers flex with the urge to touch it.And the way he looked at me…my pulseleaped.“Eva.” He came toward me, his stridegraceful and strong. He caught up myhand and lifted it to his mouth. His gazewas intense—intensely hot, intenselyfocused.The feel of his lips against my skinsent goose bumps racing up my arm andstirred memories of that sinful mouth

217/796on other parts of my body. I was instantlyaroused. “Hi.”Amusement warmed his eyes. “Hi,yourself. You look amazing. I can’t waitto show you off.”I breathed through the delight I felt atthe compliment. “Let’s hope I can doyou justice.”A slight frown knit the space betweenhis brows. “Do you have everything youneed?”Cary appeared beside me, carryingmy black velvet shawl and opera lengthgloves. “Here you go. I tucked your glossinto your clutch.”“You’re the best, Cary.”He winked at me—which told me he’dseen the condoms I had tucked into thesmall interior pocket. “I’ll head downwith you two.”Gideon took the shawl from Cary anddraped it over my shoulders. He pulled

218/796my hair out from underneath it and thefeel of his hands at my neck so distractedme, I barely paid attention whenCary pushed my gloves into my hands.The elevator ride to the lobby was anexercise in surviving acute sexual tension.Not that Cary seemed to notice. Hewas on my left with both hands in hispockets, whistling. Gideon, on the otherhand, was a tremendous force on theother side of me. Although he didn’tmove or make a sound, I could feel theedgy energy radiating from him. My skintingled from the magnetic pull betweenus, and my breath came short and fast. Iwas relieved when the doors opened andfreed us from the enclosed space.Two women stood waiting to get on.Their jaws dropped when they sawGideon and Cary, and that lightened mymood and made me smile.

219/796“Ladies,” Cary greeted them, with asmile that really wasn’t fair. I could almostsee their brain cells misfiring.In contrast, Gideon gave a curt nodand led me out with a hand at the smallof my back, skin to skin. The contact waselectric, sending heat pouring throughme.I squeezed Cary’s hand. “Save a dancefor me.”“Always. See you in a bit.”A limousine was waiting at the curb,and the driver opened the door whenGideon and I stepped outside. I slidacross the bench seat to the oppositeside and adjusted my gown. WhenGideon settled beside me and the doorshut, I became highly conscious of howgood he smelled. I breathed him in,telling myself to relax and enjoy hiscompany. He took my hand and ran hisfingertips over the palm, the simple

220/796touch sparking a fierce lust. I shruggedoff my shawl, feeling too hot to wear it.“Eva.” He hit a button and the privacyglass behind the driver began to slideup. The next moment I was tuggedacross his lap and his mouth was onmine, kissing me fiercely.I did what I’d wanted to do since Isaw him in my living room: I shoved myhands in his hair and kissed him back. Iloved the way he kissed me, as if he hadto, as if he’d go crazy if he didn’t andhad nearly waited too long. I sucked onhis tongue, having learned how much heliked it, having learned how much Iliked it, how much it made me want tosuck him elsewhere with the sameeagerness.His hands were sliding over my bareback and I moaned, feeling the prod ofhis erection against my hip. I shifted,moving to straddle him, shoving the

221/796skirt of my gown out of the way andmaking a mental note to thank my momfor the dress—which had such a convenientslit. With my knees on eitherside of his hips, I wrapped my armsaround his shoulders and deepened thekiss. I licked into his mouth, nibbled onhis lower lip, stroked my tongue alonghis…Gideon gripped my waist and pushedme away. He leaned into the seat back,his neck arched to look up at my face,his chest heaving. “What are you doingto me?”I ran my hands down his chestthrough his dress shirt, feeling the unforgivinghardness of his muscles. Myfingers traced the ridges of his abdomen,my mind forming a picture of how hemight look naked. “I’m touching you.Enjoying the hell out of you. I want you,Gideon.”

222/796He caught my wrists, stilling mymovements. “Later. We’re in the middleof Manhattan.”“No one can see us.”“That’s not the point. It’s not the timeor place to start something we can’t finishfor hours. I’m losing my mindalready from this afternoon.”“So let’s make sure we finish it now.”His grip tightened painfully. “Wecan’t do that here.”“Why not?” Then a surprising thoughtstruck me. “Haven’t you ever had sex ina limo?”“No.” His jaw hardened. “Have you?”Looking away without answering, Isaw the traffic and pedestrians surgingaround us. We were only inches awayfrom hundreds of people, but the darkglass concealed us and made me feelreckless. I wanted to please him. Iwanted to know I was capable of

223/796reaching into Gideon Cross, and therewas nothing to stop me but him.I rocked my hips against him, strokingmyself with the hard length of hiscock. His breath hissed out betweenclenched teeth.“I need you, Gideon,” I said breathlessly,inhaling his scent, which wasricher now that he was aroused. Ithought I might be slightly intoxicated,just from the enticing smell of his skin.“You drive me crazy.”He released my wrists and cupped myface, his lips pressing hard against mine.I reached for the fly of his slacks, freeingthe two buttons to access the concealedzipper. He tensed.“I need this,” I whispered against hislips. “Give me this.”He didn’t relax, but he made no furtherattempts to stop me either. Whenhe fell heavily into my palms, he

224/796groaned, the sound both pained anderotic. I squeezed him gently, my touchdeliberately tender as I sized him withmy hands. He was so hard, like stone,and hot. I slid both of my fists up hislength from root to tip, my breath catchingwhen he quivered beneath me.Gideon gripped my thighs, his handssliding upward beneath the edges of mydress until his thumbs found the redlace of my thong. “Your cunt is sosweet,” he murmured into my mouth. “Iwant to spread you out and lick you ’tilyou beg for my cock.”“I’ll beg now, if you want.” I strokedhim with one hand and reached for myclutch with the other, snapping it opento grab a condom.One of his thumbs slid beneath theedge of my panties, the pad slidingthrough the slickness of my desire. “I’vebarely touched you,” he whispered, his

225/796eyes glittering up at me in the shadowsof the backseat, “and you’re ready forme.”“I can’t help it.”“I don’t want you to help it.” Hepushed his thumb inside me, biting hislower lip when I clenched helplesslyaround him. “It wouldn’t be fair when Ican’t stop what you do to me.”I ripped the foil packet open with myteeth and held it out to him with the ringof the condom protruding from the tear.“I’m not good with these.”His hand curled around mine. “I’mbreaking all my rules with you.”The seriousness of his low tone sent aburst of warmth and confidence throughme. “Rules are made to be broken.”I saw his teeth flash white; then he hita button on the panel beside him andsaid, “Drive until I say otherwise.”

226/796My cheeks heated. Another car’sheadlights pierced the dark tinted glassand slid over my face, betraying myembarrassment.“Why, Eva,” he purred, rolling thecondom on deftly. “You’ve seduced meinto having sex in my limousine, butblush when I tell my driver I don’t wantto be interrupted while you do it to me?”His sudden playfulness made me desperateto have him. Setting my hands onhis shoulders for balance, I lifted ontomy knees, rising to gain the height Ineeded to hover over the crown ofGideon’s thick cock. His hands fisted atmy hips and I heard a snap as he toremy panties away. The abrupt sound andthe violent action behind it spurred mydesire to a fever pitch.“Go slow,” he ordered hoarsely, liftinghis hips to push his pants down farther.

227/796His erection brushed between my legsas he moved and I whimpered, so achingand empty, as if the orgasms he’d givenme earlier had only deepened my cravingrather than appeased it.He tensed when I wrapped my fingersaround him and positioned him, tuckingthe wide crest against the saturatedfolds of my cleft. The scent of our lustwas heavy and humid in the air, a seductivemix of need and pheromonesthat awakened every cell in my body. Myskin was flushed and tingling, mybreasts heavy and tender.This is what I’d wanted from the momentI first saw him—to possess him, toclimb up his magnificent body and takehim deep inside me.“God. Eva,” he gasped as I loweredonto him, his hands flexing restlessly onmy thighs.

228/796I closed my eyes, feeling too exposed.I’d wanted intimacy with him and yetthis seemed too intimate. We were eyeto-eye,only inches apart, cocooned in asmall space with the rest of the worldstreaming by around us. I could sensehis agitation, knew he was feeling as offcenteras I was.“You’re so tight.” His gasped wordswere threaded with a hint of deliciousagony.I took more of him, letting him slidedeeper. I sucked in a deep breath, feelingexquisitely stretched. “You’re sobig.”Pressing his palm flat to my lowerbelly, he touched my throbbing clit withthe pad of his thumb and began to massageit in slow, expertly soft circles.Everything in my core tightened andclenched, sucking him deeper. Openingmy eyes, I looked at him from under

229/796heavy eyelids. He was so beautifulsprawled beneath me in his eleganttuxedo, his powerful body straining withthe primal need to mate.His neck arched, his head pressinghard into the seatback as if he was strugglingagainst invisible bonds. “Ah,Christ,” he bit out, his teeth grinding.“I’m going to come so hard.”The dark promise excited me. Sweatmisted my skin. I became so wet and hotthat I slid smoothly down the length ofhis cock until I’d nearly sheathed him. Abreathless cry escaped me before I’dtaken him to the root. He was so deep Icould hardly stand it, forcing me to shiftfrom side to side, trying to ease the unexpectedbite of discomfort. But mybody didn’t seem to care that he was toobig. It was rippling around him, squeezing,trembling on the verge of orgasm.

230/796Gideon cursed and gripped my hipwith his free hand, urging me to leanbackward as his chest heaved withfrantic breaths. The position altered mydescent and I opened, accepting all ofhim. Immediately his body temperaturerose, his torso radiating sultry heatthrough his clothes. Sweat dotted hisupper lip.Leaning forward, I slid my tonguealong the sculpted curve, collecting thesaltiness with a low murmur of delight.His hips churned impatiently. I liftedcarefully, sliding up a few inches beforehe stopped me with that ferocious graspon my hip.“Slow,” he warned again, with an authoritativebite that sent lust pulsingthrough me.I lowered, taking him into me again,feeling an oddly luscious soreness as hepushed just past my limits. Our eyes

231/796locked on each other as the pleasurespread from the place where we connected.It struck me then that we were bothfully clothed except for the most privateand intimate parts of our bodies. I foundthat excruciatingly carnal, as were thesounds he made, as if the pleasure wasas extreme for him as it was for me.Wild for him, I pressed my mouth tohis, my fingers gripping the sweat-damproots of his hair. I kissed him as I rockedmy hips, riding the maddening circlingof his thumb, feeling the orgasm buildingwith every slide of his long, thickpenis into my melting core.I lost my mind somewhere along theway, primitive instinct taking over untilmy body was completely in charge. Icould focus on nothing but the drivingurge to fuck, the ferocious need to ridehis cock until the tension burst and setme free of this grinding hunger.

232/796“It’s so good,” I sobbed, lost to him.“You feel…Ah, God, it’s too good.”Using both hands, Gideon commandedmy rhythm, tilting me into anangle that had the big crown of his cockrubbing a tender, aching spot inside me.As I tightened and shook, I realized Iwas going to come from that, just fromthe expert thrust of him inside me.“Gideon.”He captured me by the nape as the orgasmexploded through me, startingwith the ecstatic spasms of my core andradiating outward until I was tremblingall over. He watched me fall apart, holdingmy gaze when I would’ve closed myeyes. Possessed by his stare, I moanedand came harder than I ever had, mybody jerking with every pulse ofpleasure.“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he growled,pounding his hips up at me, yanking my

233/796hips down to meet his punishing lunges.He hit the end of me with every deepthrust, battering into me. I could feelhim growing harder and thicker.I watched him avidly, needing to seeit when he went over the edge for me.His eyes were wild with his need, losingtheir focus as his control frayed, his gorgeousface ravaged by the brutal race toclimax.“Eva!” He came with an animal soundof feral ecstasy, a snarling release thatriveted me with its ferocity. He shook asthe orgasm tore into him, his featuressoftening for an instant with an unexpectedvulnerability.Cupping his face, I brushed my lipsacross his, comforting him as the forcefulbursts of his gasping breaths struckmy cheeks.

234/796“Eva.” He wrapped his arms aroundme and crushed me to him, pressing hisdamp face into the curve of my neck.I knew just how he felt. Stripped. Laidbare.We stayed like that for a long time,holding each other, absorbing the aftershocks.He turned his head and kissedme softly, the strokes of his tongue intomy mouth soothing my raggedemotions.“Wow,” I breathed, shaken.His mouth twitched. “Yeah.”I smiled, feeling dazed and high.Gideon brushed the damp tendrils ofhair off my temples, his fingertips glidingalmost reverently across my face.The way he studied me made my chesthurt. He looked stunned and…grateful,his eyes warm and tender. “I don’t wantto break this moment.”

235/796Because I could hear it hanging in theair, I filled it in. “But…?”“But I can’t blow off this dinner. Ihave a speech to give.”“Oh.” The moment was effectivelybroken.I lifted gingerly off of him, biting mylip at the feel of him slipping wetly outof me. The friction was enough to makeme want more. He’d barely softened.“Damn it,” he said roughly. “I wantyou again.”He caught me before I moved away,pulling a handkerchief out from somewhereand running it gently between mylegs. It was a deeply intimate act, on parwith the sex we’d just had.When I was dry, I settled on the seatbeside him and dug my lip gloss out ofmy clutch. I watched Gideon over theedge of my mirrored compact as he removedthe condom and tied it off. He

236/796wrapped it in a cocktail napkin; thentossed it in a cleverly hidden trash receptacle.After restoring his appearance,he told the driver to head to our destination.Then he settled into the seat andstared out the window.With every second that passed, I felthim withdrawing, the connectionbetween us slipping further and furtheraway. I found myself shrinking into thecorner of the seat, away from him, mimickingthe distance I felt buildingbetween us. All the warmth I’d felt recededinto a marked chill, cooling meenough that I pulled my shawl aroundme again. He didn’t move a muscle as Ishifted beside him and put my compactaway, as if he wasn’t even aware I wasthere.Abruptly, Gideon opened the bar andpulled out a bottle. Without looking atme, he asked, “Brandy?”

237/796“No, thank you.” My voice was small,but he didn’t seem to notice. Or maybehe didn’t care. He poured a drink andtossed it back.Confused and stung, I pulled on mygloves and tried to figure out what wentwrong.

I don’t remember much of whathappened after we arrived. Cameraflashes burst around us like fireworks aswe walked the length of the press gauntlet,but I scarcely paid them any mind,

239/796smiling by rote. I was drawn into myselfand desperate to get away from the tensionradiating in waves from Gideon.The moment we crossed over into thebuilding, someone called his name andhe turned. I slipped away, dartingaround the rest of the guests cloggingthe carpeted entrance.When I reached the reception hall, Isnatched two glasses of champagnefrom a passing server and searched forCary as I tossed one back. I spotted himon the far side of the room with mymom and Stanton, and I crossed tothem, discarding my empty glass on atable as I passed it.“Eva!” My mother’s face lit up whenshe saw me. “That dress is stunning onyou!”She air-kissed each of my cheeks. Shewas gorgeous in a shimmering, fittedcolumn of icy blue. Sapphires dripped

240/796from her ears, throat, and wrist, highlightingher eyes and her pale skin.“Thank you.” I took a gulp of champagnefrom my second glass, rememberingthat I’d planned on expressing gratitudefor the dress. While I still appreciatedthe gift, I was no longer so happyabout the convenient thigh slit.Cary stepped forward, catching my elbow.One look at my face and he knew Iwas upset. I shook my head, not wantingto get into it now.“More champagne, then?” he askedsoftly.“Please.”I felt Gideon approaching before Isaw my mother’s face light up like theNew Year’s ball in Times Square. Stanton,too, seemed to straighten and gatherhimself.“Eva.” Gideon set his hand on thebare skin of my lower back and a shock

241/796of awareness moved through me. Whenhis fingers flexed against me, Iwondered if he felt it, too. “You ran off.”I stiffened against the reproof I heardin his tone. I shot him a look that saideverything I couldn’t while we were inpublic. “Richard, have you met GideonCross?”“Yes, of course.” The two men shookhands.Gideon pulled me closer to his side.“We share the good fortune of escortingthe two most beautiful women in NewYork.”Stanton agreed, smiling indulgentlydown at my mother.I tossed back the rest of my champagneand gratefully exchanged theempty glass for the fresh one Caryhanded me. There was a slight warmthgrowing in my belly from the alcohol

242/796and it loosened the knot that hadformed there.Gideon leaned over and whisperedharshly, “Don’t forget you’re here withme.”He was mad? What the hell? My gazenarrowed. “You’re one to talk.”“Not here, Eva.” He nodded at everyoneand led me away. “Not now.”“Not ever,” I muttered, going alongwith him just to spare my mother ascene.Sipping my champagne, I slid into anautopilot mode of self-preservation Ihadn’t had to use in many years. Gideonintroduced me to people and I supposedI performed well enough—spoke at theappropriate moments and smiled whennecessary—but I wasn’t really paying attention.I was too conscious of the icywall between us and my own hurt anger.If I’d needed any proof that Gideon was

243/796rigid about not socializing with womenhe slept with, I had it.When dinner was announced, I wentwith him into the dining room andpoked at my food. I drank a few glassesof the red wine they served with themeal and heard Gideon talking to ourtablemates, although I didn’t pay attentionto the words, only to the cadenceand the seductively deep, even tone. Hemade no attempt to draw me into theconversation and I was glad. I didn’tthink I could say anything nice.I didn’t become engaged until hestood to a round of applause and tookthe stage. Then I turned in my seat andwatched him cross to the podium, unableto help admiring his animal graceand stunning good looks. Every step hetook commanded attention and respect,which was a feat, considering his easyand unhurried stride.

244/796He looked none the worse for wearafter our abandoned fucking in his limo.In fact, he seemed like a totally differentperson. He was once again the man I’dmet in the Crossfire lobby, supremelycontained and quietly powerful.“In North America,” he began, “childhoodsexual abuse is experienced by onein every four women and one in everysix men. Take a good look around you.Someone at your table is either a survivoror knows someone who is. That’s theunacceptable truth.”I was riveted. Gideon was a consummateorator, his vibrant baritone mesmerizing.But it was the topic, which hitso close to home, and his passionate andsometimes shocking way of discussingit, that moved me. I began to thaw, mybewildered fury and damaged self-confidencesubverted by wonder. My viewof him shifted, altering as I became

245/796simply another individual in a rapt audience.He wasn’t the man who’d so recentlyhurt my feelings; he was just askilled speaker discussing a subject thatwas deeply important to me.When he finished, I stood and applauded,catching both him and myselfby surprise. But others quickly joinedme in the standing ovation and I heardthe buzz of conversations around me,the quietly voiced compliments thatwere well deserved.“You’re a fortunate young lady.”I turned to look at the woman whospoke, a lovely redhead who appeared tobe in her early forties. “We’rejust…friends.”Her serene smile somehow managedto argue with me.People began stepping away fromtheir tables. I was about to grab myclutch so I could leave for home when a

246/796young man came up to me. His waywardauburn hair inspired instant envy andhis eyes of grayish-green were soft andfriendly. Handsome and sporting a boyishgrin, he lured the first genuine smileout of me since the ride over in thelimousine.“Hello there,” he said.He seemed to know who I was, whichput me in the awkward position of pretendingI wasn’t clueless as to who hewas. “Hello.”He laughed, and the sound was lightand charming. “I’m Christopher Vidal,Gideon’s brother.”“Oh, of course.” My face heated. Icouldn’t believe I’d been so lost in myown pity party that I hadn’t made theconnection at once.“You’re blushing.”“I’m sorry.” I offered a sheepishsmile. “Not sure how to say I read an

247/796article about you without soundingawkward.”He laughed. “I’m flattered you rememberedit. Just don’t tell me it was inPage Six.”The gossip column was notorious forgetting the goods on New York celebritiesand socialites. “No,” I said quickly.“Rolling Stone, maybe?”“I can live with that.” He extended hisarm to me. “Would you like to dance?”I glanced over to where Gideon wasstanding at the foot of the stairs that ledto the stage. He was surrounded bypeople eager to talk to him, many ofwhom were women.“You can see he’ll be awhile,” Christophersaid, with a note of amusement.“Yes.” I was about to look away whenI recognized the woman standing next toGideon—Magdalene Perez.

248/796I picked up my clutch and managed asmile for Christopher. “I’d love todance.”Arm-in-arm we headed into the ballroomand stepped onto the dance floor.The band began the first strains of awaltz and we moved easily, naturally intothe music. He was a skilled dancer,agile and confident in his lead.“So, how do you know Gideon?”“I don’t.” I nodded at Cary when heglided by with a statuesque blonde. “Iwork in the Crossfire and we’ve run intoeach other once or twice.”“You work for him?”“No. I’m an assistant at Waters Fieldand Leaman.”“Ah.” He grinned. “Ad agency.”“Yes.”“Gideon must really be into you to gofrom meeting you once or twice to draggingyou out on a date like this.”

249/796I cursed inwardly. I’d known assumptionswould be made, but I wanted morethan ever to avoid further humiliation.“Gideon’s acquainted with my motherand she’d already arranged for me tocome, so it’s just a matter of two peoplegoing to the same event in one carrather than two.”“So you’re available?”I took a deep breath, feeling uncomfortabledespite how fluidly we movedtogether. “Well, I’m not taken.”Christopher flashed his charismaticboyish grin. “My night just took a turnfor the better.”He filled the rest of the dance withamusing anecdotes about the music industrythat made me laugh and took mymind off Gideon.When the dance ended, Cary wasthere to take the next one. We dancedvery well as a couple because we’d taken

250/796lessons together. I relaxed into his hold,grateful to have him as moral support.“Are you enjoying yourself?” I askedhim.“I pinched myself during dinner whenI realized I was sitting next to the top coordinatorfor Fashion Week. And sheflirted with me!” He smiled, but his eyeswere haunted. “Whenever I find myselfin places like this…dressed like this…Ican’t believe it. You saved my life, Eva.Then you changed it completely.”“You save my sanity all the time.Trust me, we’re even.”His hand tightened on mine, his gazehardening. “You look miserable. How’dhe fuck up?”“I think I did that. We’ll talk about itlater.”“You’re afraid I’ll kick his ass here infront of everyone.”

251/796I sighed. “I’d rather you didn’t, for mymom’s sake.”Cary pressed his lips briefly to myforehead. “I warned him earlier. Heknows it’s coming.”“Oh, Cary.” Love for him tightenedmy throat even as reluctant amusementcurved my lips. I should’ve known Carywould give Gideon a big brother threatof some sort. That was just so like him.Gideon appeared beside us. “I’m cuttingin.”It wasn’t a request.Cary stopped and looked at me. Inodded. He backed away with a bow, hisgaze hot and fierce on Gideon’s face.Gideon pulled me close and took overthe dance the way he took overeverything—with dominant confidence.It was an entirely different experiencedancing with him than with my two previouspartners. Gideon had both the

252/796expertise of his brother and Cary’s familiaritywith the way my body moved,but Gideon had a bold, aggressive stylethat was inherently sexual.It didn’t help that being so close to aman I’d so recently been intimate withseduced my senses despite my unhappiness.He smelled scrumptious, with undertonesof sex, and the way he led methrough the bold sweeping steps mademe feel the soreness deep inside me, remindingme that he’d been there notlong ago.“You keep running off,” he muttered,scowling down at me.“Seemed like Magdalene picked upthe slack quick enough.”His brow arched and he drew mecloser. “Jealous?”“Seriously?” I looked away.He made a frustrated noise. “Stayaway from my brother, Eva.”

253/796“Why?”“Because I said so.”My temper ignited, which felt goodafter all the self-recrimination anddoubts I’d been drowning in since we’dscrewed like feral bunnies. I decided tosee if turnabout was fair play in GideonCross’s world. “Stay away from Magdalene,Gideon.”His jaw tightened. “She’s just afriend.”“Meaning you haven’t slept withher…? Yet.”“No, damn it. And I don’t want to.Listen—” The music wound down andhe slowed. “I have to go. I brought youhere, and I would prefer to be the onewho takes you home, but I don’t want topull you away if you’re enjoying yourself.Would you rather stick around andgo home with Stanton and yourmother?”

254/796Enjoying myself? Was he kidding orclueless? Or worse. Maybe he’d writtenme off so completely that he wasn’t payingattention to me at all.I pushed away from him, needing thedistance. His scent was messing with myhead. “I’ll be fine. Forget about me.”“Eva.” He reached for me and Istepped back quickly.An arm came around my back andCary spoke. “I’ve got her, Cross.”“Don’t get in my way, Taylor,” Gideonwarned.Cary snorted. “I get the impressionyou’re doing a smokin’ job of that all byyourself.”I swallowed past the lump in mythroat. “You gave a wonderful speech,Gideon. It was the highlight of myevening.”He sucked in a sharp breath at theimplied insult; then shoved a hand

255/796through his hair. Abruptly, he cursedand I realized why when he pulled hisvibrating phone out of his pocket andglanced at the screen.“I have to go.” His gaze caught mineand held it. His fingertips drifted overmy cheek. “I’ll call you.”And then he was gone.“Do you want to stay?” Cary askedquietly.“No.”“I’ll take you home, then.”“No, don’t.” I wanted to be alone for abit. Soak in a hot bath with a bottle ofcool wine and pull myself out of myfunk. “You should be here. It could begood for your career. We can talk whenyou get home. Or tomorrow. I’m goingthe couch potato route all day.”His gaze darted over my face, searching.“You sure?”I nodded.

256/796“All right.” But he lookedunconvinced.“If you could go out and ask a valet tohave Stanton’s limo brought around, I’llrun to the ladies’ room real quick.”“Okay.” Cary ran his hand down myarm. “I’ll get your shawl from the coatroomand see you out front.”It took longer to get to the restroomthan it should have. For one, a surprisingnumber of people stopped me forsmall talk, which had to be because Iwas Gideon Cross’s date. And two, Iavoided the nearest ladies’ room, whichhad a steady flow of women pouring inand out of it, and I found one locatedfarther away. I locked myself in a stalland took a few moments longer to finishmy business than absolutely required.There was no one else in the room besidesthe attendant, so there was no oneto rush me.

257/796I was so hurt by Gideon it was hard tobreathe and I was so confused by hismood swings. Why had he touched myface like that? Why had he gotten madwhen I didn’t stay by his side? And whythe hell had he threatened Cary? Gideongave new meaning to the old adageabout “running hot and cold.”Closing my eyes, I shored up my composure.Jesus. I didn’t need this.I’d bared my emotions in the limoand I still felt horribly vulnerable—astate I’d spent countless therapy hourslearning to avoid. I wanted nothingmore than to be home and hidden, freedfrom the pressure of acting like I wascompletely pulled together when I wasanything but.You set yourself up for this, I remindedmyself. Suck it up.Taking a deep breath, I stepped outand was resigned to finding Magdalene

258/796leaning against the vanity with her armscrossed. She was clearly there for me, lyingin wait at a time when my defenseswere already weak. My step faltered;then I recovered and made my way tothe sink to wash my hands.She turned to face the mirror, studyingmy reflection. I studied her, too. Shewas even more gorgeous in person thanshe’d been in her photos. Tall andslender, with big dark eyes and a cascadeof straight brown hair. Her lipswere lush and red, her cheekbones highand sculpted. Her dress was modestlysexy, a flowing sheath of creamy satinthat contrasted beautifully with her oliveskin. She looked like a fucking supermodeland exuded an exotic sex appeal.I accepted the hand towel the bathroomattendant handed me, and Magdalenespoke to the woman in Spanish,asking her to give us some privacy. I

259/796capped the request with, “Por favor,gracias.” That earned me an archedbrow from Magdalene and a closer examination,which I returned with equalcoolness.“Oh, dear,” she murmured, the momentthe attendant stepped out ofearshot. She made a tsking noise thatscraped over my nerves like nails on achalkboard. “You’ve fucked himalready.”“And you haven’t.”That seemed to surprise her. “You’reright, I haven’t. You know why?”I pulled a five-spot out of my clutchand dropped it in the silver tip tray. “Becausehe doesn’t want to.”“And I don’t want to either, becausehe can’t commit. He’s young, gorgeous,rich, and he’s enjoying it.”“Yes.” I nodded. “He certainly did.”

260/796Her gaze narrowed, her pleasant expressionslipping slightly. “He doesn’trespect the women he fucks. The minutehe shoved his dick in you, you weredone. Just like all the others. But I’mstill here, because I’m the one he wantsto keep around for the long haul.”I maintained my cool even though theblow had been a perfect hit right wherethe most damage could be done. “That’spathetic.”I walked out and didn’t stop until Ireached Stanton’s limousine. SqueezingCary’s hand as I got in, I managed towait until the car pulled away from thecurb to start crying.“Hey, baby girl,” Cary called out when Ishuffled into the living room the nextmorning. Dressed in nothing but a loosepair of old sweats, he was stretched out

on the couch with his feet crossed andpropped on the coffee table. He lookedbeautifully disheveled and comfortablein his own skin. “How’d you sleep?”I gave him the thumbs-up and headedinto the kitchen for coffee. I paused bythe breakfast bar, my brows lifting at themassive arrangement of red roses on thecounter. The fragrance was divine and Iinhaled it with a deep breath. “What’sthis?”“They came for you about an hourago. A Sunday delivery. Pretty and superpricey.”I plucked the card off the clear plasticstake and opened it.I’m still thinking about you.Gideon261/796“From Cross?” Cary asked.“Yes.” My thumb brushed over what Iassumed was his handwriting. It wasbold and masculine and sexy. A

262/796romantic gesture for a guy who didn’thave romance in his repertoire. Idropped the card on the counter as if it’dburned me and fetched a mug of coffee,praying caffeine would give me strengthand restore my common sense.“You don’t seem impressed.” Helowered the volume on the football gamehe was watching.“He’s bad news for me. He’s like onegiant trigger. I just need to stay awayfrom him.” Cary had been through therapywith me and he knew the drill. Hedidn’t look at me funny when I brokethings down into therapeutic jargon,and he didn’t have any trouble shootingit back to me the same way.“The phone’s been ringing all morning,too. I didn’t want it to disturb you,so I shut the volume off.”Aware of the lingering ache betweenmy legs, I curled up on the couch and

263/796fought the compulsion to listen to ourvoice mail to see if Gideon had called. Iwanted to hear his voice, and an explanationthat would make sense of whathappened last night. “Sounds good tome. Let’s leave it off all day.”“What happened?”I blew steam off the top of my mugand took a tentative sip. “I fucked hisbrains out in his limo and he turned arcticafterward.”Cary watched me with those worldlyemerald eyes, eyes that had seen morethan anyone should be subjected to.“Rocked his world, did you?”“Yeah, I did.” And I got riled up justthinking about it. We’d connected. Iknew it. I’d wanted him more than anythinglast night, and today I wantednothing to do with him ever again. “Itwas intense. The best sexual experienceof my life, and he was right there with

264/796me. I know he was. First time he’d evermade it in a car, and he was kind of resistantat first, but then I got him so hotfor it he couldn’t say no.”“Really? Never?” He ran a hand overhis morning stubble. “Most guys scratchcar banging off their fuck list in highschool. In fact, I can’t think of anyonewho didn’t, except for the nerds andfuglies, and he’s neither.”I shrugged. “I guess car bangingmakes me a slut.”Cary grew very still. “Is that what hesaid?”“No. He didn’t say shit. I got thatfrom his ‘friend,’ Magdalene. You knowthat chick in most of the photos youprinted off the Internet? She decided tosharpen her claws with a little catty girlchat in the bathroom.”“The bitch is jealous.”

265/796“Sexual frustration. She can’t fuckhim, because apparently girls who fuckhim go into the discard pile.”“Did he say that?” Again, fury lacedhis quiet question.“Not in so many words. He said hedoesn’t sleep with his female friends.He’s got issues with women wantingmore than a good time in the sack, so hekeeps the women he bangs and the womenhe hangs out with in two separatecamps.” I took another sip of my coffee.“I warned him that sort of setup wasn’tgoing to work for me and he said he’dmake some adjustments, but I guess he’sone of those guys who’ll say whatever’snecessary to get what he wants.”“Or else you have him runningscared.”I glared. “Don’t make excuses for him.Whose side are you on, anyway?”

266/796“Yours, baby girl.” He reached outand patted my knee. “Always yours.”I wrapped my hand around his muscularforearm and stroked my fingersgently along the underside in silent gratitude.I couldn’t feel the multitude offine white scars from cutting thatmarred his skin, but I never forgot theywere there. I was thankful every day thathe was alive, healthy, and a vital part ofmy life. “How’d your night go?”“I can’t complain.” His eyes took on amischievous glint. “I shagged that bustyblonde in a maintenance closet. Her titswere real.”“Well, then.” I smiled. “You made hernight, I’m sure.”“I try.” He picked up the phone receiverand winked at me. “What kind ofdelivery do you want? Subs? Chinese?Indian?”“I’m not hungry.”

267/796“You’re always hungry. If you don’tpick something, I’ll cook and you’ll haveto eat that.”I lifted my hand in surrender. “Okay,okay. You pick.”I got to work twenty minutes early onMonday, figuring I’d skip running intoGideon. When I reached my deskwithout incident, I felt such relief that Iknew I was in serious trouble where hewas concerned. My moods were shiftingall over the place.Mark arrived in high spirits, stillfloating from his major successes of theweek before, and we dug right into work.I’d done some vodka market comparisonson Sunday and he was kind enoughto go over those with me and listen tomy impressions. Mark was also assignedthe account for a new e-reader

268/796manufacturer, so we began the initialwork on that.With such a busy morning, time flewswiftly and I didn’t have time to thinkabout my personal life. I was reallygrateful for that. Then I answered thephone and heard Gideon on the line. Iwasn’t prepared.“How’s your Monday been so far?” heasked, his voice sending a shiver ofawareness through me.“Hectic.” I glanced at the clock andwas startled to see it was twenty minutesto noon.“Good.” There was a pause. “I triedcalling you yesterday. I left a couplemessages. I wanted to hear your voice.”My eyes closed on a deep breath. Ithad taken every bit of my willpower tomake it through the day without listeningto the voice mail. I’d even enlistedCary in the cause, telling him to restrain

269/796me forcibly if it looked like I might succumbto the urge. “I did the hermit thingand worked a little.”“Did you get the flowers I sent?”“Yes. They’re lovely. Thank you.”“They reminded me of your dress.”What the hell was he doing? I was beginningto think he had multiple personalitydisorder. “Some women might saythat’s romantic.”“I only care what you say.” His chaircreaked as if he’d pushed to his feet. “Ithought about stopping by…I wantedto.”I sighed, surrendering to my confusion.“I’m glad you didn’t.”There was another long pause. “I deservedthat.”“I didn’t say it to be a bitch. It’s justthe truth.”“I know. Listen…I arranged for lunchup here in my office so we don’t waste

270/796any of the hour leaving and gettingback.”After his parting, I’ll call you, I’dwondered if he would want to get togetheragain after he settled down fromwhatever trip he’d been on. It was a possibilityI’d been dreading since Saturdaynight, aware that I needed to cut himoff, but feeling strung out from the desireto be with him. I wanted to experienceagain that pure, perfect moment ofintimacy we’d shared.But I couldn’t justify that one momentagainst all the other momentswhen he made me feel like crap.“Gideon, we don’t have any reason tohave lunch together. We hashed thingsout Friday night, and we…took care ofbusiness Saturday. Let’s just leave it atthat.”“Eva.” His voice turned gruff. “I knowI fucked up. Let me explain.”

271/796“You don’t have to. It’s okay.”“It’s not. I need to see you.”“I don’t want—”“We can do this the easy way, Eva. Oryou can make it difficult.” His tone tookon a hard edge that made my pulsequicken. “Either way, you’ll hear meout.”I closed my eyes, understanding that Iwasn’t lucky enough to get away with aquick good-bye phone chat. “Fine. I’llcome up.”“Thank you.” He exhaled audibly. “Ican’t wait to see you.”I returned the receiver to its cradleand stared at the photos on my desk,trying to formulate what I needed to sayand steeling myself for the impact ofseeing Gideon again. The ferocity of myphysical response to him was impossibleto control. Somehow I’d have to get pastit and take care of business. Later, I’d

272/796think about having to see him in thebuilding over the days, weeks, andmonths ahead. For the moment, I justhad to focus on making it through lunch.Yielding to the inevitable, I got backto work comparing the visual impact ofsome blow-in card samples.“Eva.”I jumped and spun around in mychair, startled to find Gideon standingbeside my cubicle. The sight of him blewme away, as usual, and my heartstuttered in my chest. A quick glance atthe clock proved that a quarter hour hadpassed in no time at all.“Gid—Mr. Cross. You didn’t have tocome down here.”His face was calm and impassive, buthis eyes were stormy and hot. “Ready?”I opened my drawer and pulled outmy purse, taking the opportunity to suck

273/796in a deep, shaky breath. He smelled phenomenaland looked even better.“Mr. Cross.” Mark’s voice. “It’s greatto see you. Is there something—?”“I’m here for Eva. We have a lunchdate.”I straightened in time to see Mark’sbrows shoot up. He recovered quickly,his face smoothing into its usual goodnaturedhandsomeness.“I’ll be back at one,” I assured him.“See you then. Enjoy your lunch.”Gideon put his hand at the small ofmy back and steered me out to the elevators,garnering raised brows fromMegumi when we passed reception. Ishifted restlessly as he hit the call buttonfor the elevator, wishing I could’ve madeit through the day without seeing theman whose touch I craved like a drug.He faced me as we waited for the car,running his fingertips down the sleeve of

274/796my satin blouse. “Every time I close myeyes, I see you in that red dress. I hearthe sounds you make when you’returned on. I feel you sliding over mycock, squeezing me like a fist, makingme come so hard it hurts.”“Don’t.” I looked away, unable to bearthe intimate way he was looking at me.“I can’t help it.”The arrival of the elevator was a relief.He caught my hand and pulled me inside.After he put his key in the panel, hetugged me closer. “I’m going to kiss you,Eva.”“I don’t—”He pulled me into him and sealed hismouth over mine. I resisted as long as Icould; then I melted at the feel of histongue stroking slow and sweet overmine. I’d wanted his kiss since we’d hadsex. I wanted the reassurance that he

275/796valued what we’d shared, that it meantsomething to him as it had to me.I was left bereft once again when hepulled away.“Come on.” He pulled the key out asthe door opened.Gideon’s redheaded receptionist saidnothing this time, although she eyed mestrangely. In contrast, Gideon’s secretary,Scott, stood when we approachedand greeted me pleasantly by name.“Good afternoon, Miss Tramell.”“Hi, Scott.”Gideon gave him a curt nod. “Holdmy calls.”“Yes, of course.”I entered Gideon’s expansive office,my gaze drifting to the sofa where he’dfirst touched me intimately.Lunch was arranged on the bar—twoplates covered in metal salvers.“Can I take your purse?” he asked.

276/796I looked at him, saw he’d taken off hisjacket and slung it over his arm. Hestood there in his tailored slacks andvest, his shirt and tie both a pristinewhite, his hair dark and thick around hisbreathtaking face, his eyes a wild anddazzling blue. In a word, he amazed me.I couldn’t believe I’d made love to such agorgeous man.But then, it hadn’t meant the samething to him.“Eva?”“You’re beautiful, Gideon.” The wordsfell out of my mouth without consciousthought.His brows lifted; then a softness cameinto his eyes. “I’m glad you like what yousee.”I handed him my purse and movedaway, needing the space. He hung hiscoat and my purse on the coatrack, thenmoved to the bar.

277/796I crossed my arms. “Let’s just get thisover with. I don’t want to see youanymore.”

Gideon shoved a hand through his hairand exhaled harshly. “You don’t meanthat.”I was suddenly very tired, exhaustedfrom fighting with myself over him. “I

279/796really do. You and me…it was amistake.”His jaw tightened. “It wasn’t. The wayI handled it afterward was the mistake.”I stared at him, startled by the fiercenessof his denial. “I wasn’t talkingabout the sex, Gideon. I’m talking aboutmy agreeing to this crazy strangerswith-benefitsdeal between us. I knew itwas all wrong from the beginning. Ishould’ve listened to my instincts.”“Do you want to be with me, Eva?”“No. That’s what—”“Not like we discussed at the bar.More than that.”My heart started to pound. “What areyou talking about?”“Everything.” He left the bar andcame closer. “I want to be with you.”“You didn’t seem like you didSaturday.” My arms tightened aroundmy middle.

280/796“I was…reeling.”“So? I was, too.”His hands went to his hips. Then hisarms crossed like mine. “Christ, Eva.”I watched him squirm and felt a flareof hope. “If that’s all you’ve got, we’redone.”“The hell we are.”“We’ve already hit a dead end ifyou’re going to take a head trip everytime we have sex.”He visibly struggled with what to say.“I’m used to having control. I need it.And you blew it all to hell in the limousine.I didn’t handle that well.”“Ya think?”“Eva.” He approached. “I’ve never experiencedanything like that. I didn’tthink it was possible for me to. Now thatI have…I’ve got to have it. I’ve got tohave you.”

281/796“It’s just sex, Gideon. Super awesomesex, but that can seriously screw withyour head when the two people doing itaren’t good for each other.”“Bullshit. I’ve admitted I fucked up. Ican’t change what happened, but I cansure as shit get pissed that you want tocut me off because of it. You laid outyour rules and I adjusted to accommodatethem, but you won’t make even atiny adjustment for me. You have tomeet me halfway.” His face was hardwith frustration. “At least give me adamn inch.”I stared at him, trying to figure outwhat he was doing and where this wasgoing. “What do you want, Gideon?” Iasked softly.He caught me to him and cupped mycheek in one hand. “I want to keep feelingthe way I feel when I’m with you.Just tell me what I have to do. And give

282/796me some room to screw up. I’ve neverdone this before. There’s a learningcurve.”I placed my palm over his heart andfelt its pounding rhythm. He wasanxious and passionate, and that hadme on edge. How was I supposed to respond?Did I go with my gut or my commonsense? “Done what before?”“Whatever it takes to spend as muchtime with you as possible. In and out ofbed.”The rush of delight that sweptthrough me was ridiculously powerful.“Do you understand how much workand time a relationship between us isgoing to take, Gideon? I’m wiped outalready. Plus I’m still working on somepersonal stuff, and I have my newjob…my crazy mother…”My fingers covered his mouth beforehe could open it. “But you’re worth it,

283/796and I want you bad enough. So I guess Idon’t have a choice, do I?”“Eva. Damn you.” Gideon lifted me,hitching one arm beneath my rear tourge me to wrap my legs around hiswaist. He kissed me hard on the mouthand nuzzled his nose against mine.“We’ll figure it out.”“You say that as if it’ll be easy.” Iknew I was high-maintenance and hewas obviously going to be the same.“Easy’s boring.” He carried me over tothe bar and set me down on a barstool.He pulled the dome off my place settingand revealed a massive cheeseburgerand fries. The meal was still warm,thanks to a heated granite slab beneaththe plate.“Yum,” I murmured, becoming awareof how hungry I was. Now that we’dtalked, my appetite had returned fullforce.

284/796He snapped open my napkin and laidit over my lap with a squeeze to myknee; then he took the seat beside me.“So, how do we do this?”“Well, you pick it up with your handsand put it in your mouth.”He shot me a wry look that made mesmile. It felt good to smile. It felt good tobe with him. It usually did…for a littlewhile. I took a bite of my burger, moaningwhen I got a full hit of its flavor. Itwas a traditional cheeseburger, but thetaste was divine.“Good, right?” he asked.“Very good. In fact, a guy who knowsabout burgers this good might be worthkeeping to myself.” I wiped my mouthand hands. “How resistant are you toexclusivity?”As he set his burger down, there wasan eerie stillness to him. I couldn’t beginto guess what he was thinking. “I

285/796assumed that was implied in our arrangement.But to avoid any doubts, I’llbe clear and say there won’t be any othermen for you, Eva.”A shiver moved through me at theblunt finality in his tone and the icinessof his gaze. I knew he had a dark side;I’d learned long ago how to spot andavoid men who had dangerous shadowsin their eyes. But the familiar alarmbells didn’t ring around Gideon as theymaybe should have. “But women areokay?” I asked to lighten the mood.His brows rose. “I know your roommateis bisexual. Are you?”“Would that bother you?”“Sharing you would bother me. It’snot an option. Your body belongs to me,Eva.”“And yours belongs to me?Exclusively?”

286/796His gaze turned hot. “Yes, and I expectyou to take frequent and excessiveadvantage of it.”Well, then…“But you’ve seen me naked,”I teased, my voice husky. “Youknow what you’re getting. I don’t. I lovewhat I’ve seen of your body so far, butthat hasn’t been a whole lot.”“We can rectify that now.”The thought of him stripping for memade me squirm in my seat. He noticedand his mouth curved wickedly.“You’d better not,” I said regretfully.“I was late getting back on Friday.”“Tonight, then.”I swallowed hard. “Absolutely.”“I’ll be sure to clear my schedule byfive.” He resumed eating, completely atease with the fact that we’d both justpenciled “mind-blowing sex” into ourmental day calendars.

287/796“You don’t have to.” I opened themini ketchup bottle by my plate. “I needto hit the gym after work.”“We’ll go together.”“Really?” I turned the bottle upsidedown and thumped the bottom with mypalm.He took it from me and used his knifeto coax the ketchup onto my plate. “It’sprobably best for me to work off someenergy before I get you naked. I’m sureyou’d like to be able to walk tomorrow.”I stared at him, astonished by the casualnesswith which he’d made the statementand the rueful amusement on hisface that told me he wasn’t entirely kidding.My sex clenched in delicious anticipation.I could easily picture becomingseriously addicted to Gideon Cross.I ate some fries, thinking of someoneelse who was addicted to Gideon. “Magdalenecould be a problem for me.”

288/796He swallowed a bite of his burger andwashed it down with a swig from hisbottled water. “She told me she’d talkedto you, and that it didn’t go well.”I gave props to Magdalene’s schemingand the clever attempt to cut me off atthe pass. I’d have to be very careful withher, and Gideon was going to have to dosomething about her—like cut her off,period.“No, it didn’t go well,” I agreed. “Butthen I don’t appreciate being told thatyou don’t respect the women you fuckand that the moment you shoved yourdick into me you were done with me.”Gideon stilled. “She said that?”“Word for word. She also said you’rekeeping on her ice until you’re ready tosettle down.”“Did she now?” His low voice had achilling bite to it.

289/796My stomach knotted, knowing thingscould either go really right or reallywrong, depending on what Gideon saidnext. “Don’t you believe me?”“Of course I believe you.”“She could be a problem for me,” I repeated,not letting it go.“She won’t be a problem. I’ll talk toher.”I hated the thought of him talking toher, because it made me sick with jealousy.I figured that was an issue I shoulddisclose up front. “Gideon…”“Yes?” He’d finished his burger andwas working on the fries.“I’m a very jealous person. I can be irrationalwith it.” I poked at my burgerwith a fry. “You might want to thinkabout that, and whether or not you wantto deal with someone who has self-esteemissues like I do. It was one of mysticking points when you first

290/796propositioned me, knowing it was goingto drive me nuts having women salivatingall over you and not having the rightto say anything about it.”“You have the right now.”“You’re not taking me seriously.” Ishook my head and took another bite ofmy cheeseburger.“I’ve never been as serious about anythingin my life.” Reaching over, Gideonran a fingertip over the corner of mymouth, and then licked off the dab ofsauce he’d collected. “You’re not theonly one who can get possessive. I’mvery proprietary about what’s mine.”I didn’t doubt that for a minute.I took another bite and thought of thenight ahead. I was eager. Ridiculouslyso. I was dying to see Gideon naked. Dyingto run my hands and lips all overhim. Dying to have another go at drivinghim crazy. And I was damn near

291/796desperate to be under him, to feel himstraining over me, pounding into me,coming hard and deep inside me…“Keep thinking those thoughts,” hesaid roughly, “and you’ll be late again.”I looked at him with raised brows“How did you know what I’m thinking?”“You get this look on your face whenyou’re turned on. I intend to put thatlook on your face as often as possible.”Gideon covered his plate again andstood, withdrawing a business card fromhis pocket and setting it down besideme. I could see that he’d written hishome and cell phone numbers on theback. “I feel stupid asking this questionconsidering our present conversation,but I need your cell phone number.”“Oh.” I forcibly dragged my thoughtsout of the bedroom. “I have to get onefirst. It’s on my to-do list.”

292/796“What happened to the phone youwere texting with last week?”My nose wrinkled. “My mother wasusing it to track my movements aroundthe city. She’s a tad…overprotective.”“I see.” He brushed the backs of hisfingers down my cheek. “That’s whatyou were talking about when you saidyour mom is stalking you.”“Yes, unfortunately.”“Okay, then. We’ll take care of thephone after work before we head to thegym. It’s safer for you to have one. And Iwant to be able to call you whenever Ifeel like it.”I set down the quarter of my burgerthat I couldn’t eat, and wiped my handsand mouth. “That was delicious. Thankyou.”“It was my pleasure.” He leaned overme and pressed his lips briefly to mine.“Do you need to use the washroom?”

293/796“Yes. I need my toothbrush from mypurse, too.”A few minutes later, I found myselfstanding in a washroom hidden behinda door that blended seamlessly with themahogany paneling behind the flatscreens. We brushed our teeth side byside at the double sink vanity, our gazesmeeting in our mirrored reflections. Itwas such a domestic, normal thing to doand yet we both seemed to delight in it.“I’ll take you back down,” he said,crossing his office to the coatrack.I followed him, but veered off whenwe reached his desk. I went to it and putmy hand on the clear space in front ofhis chair. “Is this where you are most ofthe day?”“Yes.” He shrugged into his jacket andI wanted to bite him, he looked sodelectable.

294/796Instead, I hopped up to sit directly infront of his chair. According to mywatch I had five minutes. Barely enoughtime to get back to work, but still. Icouldn’t resist exercising my new rights.I pointed at his chair. “Sit.”His brows rose, but he came overwithout argument and settled gracefullyinto the seat.I spread my legs and crooked my finger.“Closer.”He rolled forward, filling the spacebetween my thighs. He wrapped hisarms around my hips and looked up atme. “One day soon, Eva, I’m going tofuck you right here.”“Just a kiss for now,” I murmured,bending forward to take his mouth.With my hands on his shoulders for balance,I licked across his parted lips; thenslipped inside and teased him withgentleness.

295/796Groaning, he deepened the kiss, eatingat my mouth in a way that made meachy and wet.“One day soon,” I repeated against hislips, “I’m going to kneel beneath thisdesk and suck you off. Maybe whileyou’re on the phone playing with yourmillions like Monopoly. You, Mr. Cross,will pass Go and collect your two hundreddollars.”His mouth curved against mine. “Ican see how this is going to go. You’regoing to make me lose my mind comingeverywhere I can in your tight, sexybody.”“Are you complaining?”“Angel, I’m salivating.”I was bemused by the endearment, althoughI liked its sweetness. “Angel?”He hummed a soft assent and kissedme.

296/796I couldn’t believe what a difference anhour made. I left Gideon’s office in acompletely different frame of mind thanwhen I’d entered it. The feel of his handat the small of my back made my bodyhum with anticipation rather than themisery I’d felt on the way in.I waved bye to Scott and smiledbrightly at the unsmiling receptionist.“I don’t think she likes me,” I toldGideon, as we waited for the elevator.“Who?”“Your receptionist.”He glanced over that way and the redheadbeamed at him.“Well,” I murmured. “She likes you.”“I guarantee her paychecks.”My mouth curved. “Yes, I’m surethat’s what it is. It couldn’t possibly haveanything to do with you being the sexiestman alive.”

297/796“Am I now?” He caged me to the walland burned me with a searing gaze.I set my hands against his abdomen,licking my lower lip when I felt the hardridges of muscle tighten under mytouch. “Just an observation.”“I like you.” With his palms pressedflat to the wall on either side of my head,he lowered his mouth to mine andkissed me softly.“I like you back. You do realize you’reat work, don’t you?”“What good is being the boss if youcan’t do what you want?”“Hmm.”When a car arrived, I ducked underGideon’s arm and slid into it. Heprowled in after me; then circled me likea predator, sliding up behind me to pullme back against him. His hands pushedinto my front pockets and splayedagainst my hipbones, keeping me tucked

298/796close. The warmth of his touch so closeto where I ached for him was a specialbrand of torture. In retaliation, Iwriggled my butt against him andsmiled when he hissed out a breath andhardened.“Behave,” he admonished gruffly. “Ihave a meeting in fifteen minutes.”“Will you think of me while you’re sittingat your desk?”“Undoubtedly. You’ll definitely thinkabout me while you’re sitting at yours.That’s an order, Miss Tramell.”My head fell back against his chest,loving the bite of command in his voice.“I don’t see how I couldn’t, Mr. Cross,considering how I think of you everywhereelse I go.”He stepped out with me when wereached the twentieth floor. “Thank youfor lunch.”

299/796“I think that’s my line.” I backedaway. “See you later, Dark andDangerous.”His brows rose at my nickname forhim. “Five o’clock. Don’t make me wait.”One of the cars in the left bank of elevatorsarrived. Megumi stepped outand Gideon stepped in, his gaze lockedwith mine until the doors closed.“Whew,” she said. “You scored. I’mpea green with envy.”I couldn’t think of anything to say tothat. It was all still too new and I wasafraid to jinx it. In the back of my mind,I knew these feelings of happinesscouldn’t last. Everything was going toowell.I rushed to my desk and got to work.“Eva.” I looked up to see Mark standingin the threshold of his office. “CouldI talk to you a minute?”

300/796“Of course.” I grabbed my tablet, eventhough his grim face and tone warnedme they might not be needed. WhenMark shut the door behind me, my apprehensionincreased. “Is everything allright?”“Yes.” He waited until I was seated;then took the chair beside me ratherthan the one behind his desk. “I don’tknow how to say this…”“Just say it. I’ll figure it out.”He looked at me with compassionateeyes and a cringe of embarrassment.“It’s not my place to interfere. I’m justyour boss and there’s a line that comeswith that, but I’m going to cross it becauseI like you, Eva, and I want you towork here for a long time.”My stomach tightened. “That’s great.I really love my job.”

301/796“Good. Good, I’m glad.” He shot me aquick smile. “Just…be careful withCross, okay?”I blinked, startled by the direction ofthe conversation. “Okay.”“He’s brilliant, rich, and sexy, so I understandthe appeal. As much as I loveSteven, I get a little flustered aroundCross myself. He’s just got that kind ofpull.” Mark talked fast and shifted withobvious embarrassment. “And I cantotally see why he’s interested in you.You’re beautiful, smart, honest, considerate…Icould go on, because you’regreat.”“Thanks,” I said quietly, hoping Ididn’t look as ill as I felt. This sort ofwarning from a friend, and knowing thatothers would think of me as just anotherbabe-of-the-week, was exactly the sortof thing that preyed on my insecurities.

302/796“I just don’t want to see you get hurt,”he muttered, looking as miserable as Ifelt. “Part of that’s selfish, I’ll admit. Idon’t want to lose a great assistant becauseshe doesn’t want to work in abuilding owned by an ex.”“Mark, it means a lot to me that youcare and that I’m valuable to you aroundhere. But you don’t have to worry aboutme. I’m a big girl. Besides, nothing is goingto get me to quit this job.”He blew out his breath, clearly relieved.“All right. Let’s put it away andget to work.”So we did, but I set myself up for futuretorture by subscribing to a dailyGoogle alert for Gideon’s name. Andwhen five o’clock rolled around, myawareness of my many inadequacies wasstill spreading through my happinesslike a stain.

303/796Gideon was as prompt as he’dthreatened to be and he didn’t seem tonotice my introspective mood as werode down in a crowded elevator. Morethan one woman in the car cast furtiveglances in his direction, but that sort ofthing I didn’t mind. He was hot. Iwould’ve been surprised if they hadn’tlooked.He caught my hand when we clearedthe turnstiles, linking his fingers withmine. The simple, intimate gesturemeant so much to me in that momentthat my grip tightened on his. And I’dreally have to watch out for that. Themoment I became grateful he wasspending time with me would be the beginningof the end. Neither of us wouldrespect me if that happened.The Bentley SUV sat at the curb andGideon’s driver stood at the ready by therear door. Gideon looked at me. “I had

304/796some workout clothes packed andbrought over, in case you were set onvisiting your gym. Equinox, right? Or wecan go to mine.”“Where’s yours?”“I prefer to go to the CrossTrainer onThirty-fifth.”My curiosity over how he knew whichgym I frequented vanished when I heardthe “Cross” in the name of his gym. “Youwouldn’t happen to own the gym, wouldyou?”His grin flashed. “The chain. Usually,I practice mixed martial arts with a personaltrainer, but I use the gymoccasionally.”“The chain,” I repeated. “Of course.”“Your choice,” he said considerately.“I’ll go wherever you want.”“By all means, let’s go to your gym.”He opened the back door, and I slid inand over. I set my purse and my gym

305/796bag on my lap, and looked out the windowas the car pulled away from thecurb. The sedan driving next to us wasso close I wouldn’t have to lean far totouch it. Rush hour in Manhattan wassomething I was still getting used to.SoCal had bumper-to-bumper traffic,too, but it moved at a snail’s pace. Herein New York, speed mixed with thecrush in a way that often made me closemy eyes and pray to survive the trip.It was a whole new world. A new city,new apartment, new job, and new man.It was a lot to take on at once. I supposedit was understandable that I feltoff-balance.I glanced at Gideon and found himstaring at me with an unreadable expression.Everything inside me twistedinto a mess of wild lust and vibratinganxiety. I had no idea what I was doing

306/796with him, only that I couldn’t stop evenif I wanted to.

We hit the cellular store first. The associatewho helped us seemed highly susceptibleto Gideon’s magnetic pull. Shepractically fell all over herself theminute he showed the slightest interest

308/796in anything, quickly launching into detailedexplanations and leaning into hispersonal space to demonstrate.I tried separating from them andfinding someone who’d actually helpme, but Gideon’s grip on my handwouldn’t let me move more than touchingdistance away. Then we argued overwho was going to pay, which he seemedto think should be him even though thephone and account were mine.“You got your way with picking theservice provider,” I pointed out, pushinghis credit card aside and shoving mineat the girl.“Because it’s practical. We’ll be on thesame network, so calls to me are free.”He swapped the cards deftly.“I won’t be calling you at all, if youdon’t put your damn credit card away!”

309/796That did the trick, although I couldtell he was unhappy about it. He’d justhave to get over it.Once we got back in the Bentley, hismood seemed restored.“You can head to the gym now, Angus,”he told his driver, settling back inthe seat. Then he pulled his smartphoneout of his pocket. He saved my newnumber into his contact list; then hetook my new phone out of my hand andprogrammed my list with his home, office,and cell numbers.He’d barely finished when we arrivedat CrossTrainer. Not surprisingly, thethree-story fitness center was a healthenthusiast’s dream. I was impressedwith every sleek, modern, top-of-thelineinch of it. Even the women’s lockerroom was like something out of a sciencefiction movie.

310/796But my awe was totally eclipsed byGideon himself when I finished changinginto my workout clothes and foundhim waiting for me out in the hallway.He’d changed into long shorts and atank, which gave me my first look at hisbare arms and legs.I came to an abrupt halt and someonecoming out behind me bumped into me.I could barely manage an apology; I wastoo busy visually devouring Gideon’ssmokin’ hot body. His legs were tonedand powerful, flawlessly proportional tohis trim hips and waist. His arms mademy mouth water. His biceps were preciselycut and his forearms were coursingwith thick veins that were both brutallooking and sexy as hell. He’d tied hishair back, which showed off the definitionof his neck and traps, and the sculptedangles of his face.

311/796Christ. I knew this man intimately.My brain couldn’t wrap itself aroundthat fact, not while faced with the irrefutableevidence of how uniquely beautifulhe was.And he was scowling at me.Straightening away from the wallwhere he’d been leaning, he came towardme, and then circled me. His fingertipsran along my bare midriff andback as he made the revolution, sendinggoose bumps racing over my skin. Whenhe stopped in front of me, I threw myarms around his neck and pulled hismouth down for a quick, playfullysmacking kiss.“What the hell are you wearing?” heasked, looking marginally appeased bymy enthusiastic greeting.“Clothes.”“You look naked in that top.”

312/796“I thought you liked me naked.” I wassecretly pleased with my choice, whichI’d made that morning before I’d knownhe’d be with me. The top was a trianglewith long straps at the shoulders andribs that secured with Velcro and couldbe worn in a variety of ways to allow thewearer to determine where her breastsneeded the most support. It was speciallydesigned for curvy women andwas the first top I’d ever had that keptme from bouncing all over the place.What Gideon objected to was the nudecolor, which coordinated with the racingstripes on the matching black yogapants.“I like you naked in private,” hemuttered. “I’ll need to be with youwhenever you go to the gym.”“I won’t complain, since I’m verymuch enjoying the view at the moment.”Plus, I was perversely excited by his

313/796possessiveness after the hurt he’d inflictedwith his withdrawal Saturday night.Two very different extremes—the first ofmany, I was sure.“Let’s get this over with.” He grabbedmy hand and led me away from the lockerrooms, snatching two logo’d towelsoff a stack as we passed them. “I need tofuck you.”“I need to be fucked.”“Jesus, Eva.” His grip on my handtightened to the point that it hurt.“Where to? Free weights? Machines?Treadmills?”“Treadmills. I want to run a bit.”He led me in that direction. I watchedthe way women followed him with theirgazes, then their feet. They wanted to bein whatever section of the gym he was,and I couldn’t blame them. I was dyingto see him in action, too.

314/796When we reached the seemingly endlessrows of treadmills and bikes, wefound that there weren’t two treadmillsfree adjacent to each other.Gideon walked up to a man who hadtwo open on either side of him. “I’d be inyour debt if you’d move over one.”The guy looked at me and grinned.“Yeah, sure.”“Thanks. I appreciate it.”Gideon took over the man’s treadmilland motioned me to the one beside it.Before he programmed his workout, Ileaned over to him. “Don’t burn off toomuch energy,” I whispered. “I want youmissionary-style the first time. I’ve beenhaving this fantasy of you on top,banging the hell out of me.”His gaze burned into me. “Eva, youhave no idea.”Nearly giddy with anticipation and alovely surge of feminine power, I got on

315/796my treadmill and started at a brisk walk.While I warmed up, I set my iPodshuffle to random and when “Sexy Back”by Justin Timberlake came on I hit mystride and went full-out. Running wasboth a mental and physical exercise forme. Sometimes I wished just runningfast could get me away from whateverwas troubling me.After twenty minutes I slowed, thenstopped, finally risking a glance atGideon who was running with the fluidityof a well-oiled machine. He waswatching CNN on the overhead screens,but he flashed a grin at me as I wipedthe sweat off my face. I swigged from mywater bottle as I moved to the machines,picking one that give me a clear view ofhim.He went a full thirty on the treadmill;then he moved to free weights, alwayskeeping me in his line of sight. As he

316/796worked out, quickly and efficiently, Icouldn’t help thinking how virile he was.It helped that I knew exactly what was inhis shorts, but regardless, he was a manwho worked behind a desk, yet kept hisbody in combat shape.When I grabbed a fitness ball to dosome crunches, one of the trainers cameup to me. As one would expect in a topof-the-linegym, he was handsome andvery nicely built.“Hi,” he greeted me, with a movie starsmile that showcased perfect whiteteeth. He had dark brown hair and eyesof nearly the same color. “First-timer,right? I haven’t seen you in here before.”“Yes, first time.”“I’m Daniel.” He extended his hand,and I gave him my name. “Are you findingeverything you need, Eva?”“So far so good, thanks.”

317/796“What flavor smoothie did you gofor?”I frowned. “Excuse me?”“Your free orientation smoothie.” Hecrossed his arms and his thick bicepsstrained the narrow cuffs of his uniformpolo shirt. “You didn’t get one from thebar downstairs when you signed up?You’re supposed to.”“Ah, well.” I shrugged sheepishly,thinking it was a nice touch all the same.“I didn’t have the usual orientation.”“Did you get the tour? If not, let metake you around.” He touched my elbowlightly and gestured toward the stairs.“You also get a free hour of personaltraining. We could do that tonight ormake an appointment for later in theweek. And I’d be happy to take youdown to the health bar and scratch thatoff the list, too.”

318/796“Oh, I can’t really.” My nose wrinkled.“I’m not a member.”“Ah.” He winked. “You’re here on atemp pass? That’s fine. You can’t be expectedto make up your mind if youdon’t get the full experience. I can assureyou, though, that CrossTrainer isthe best gym in Manhattan.”Gideon appeared at Daniel’sshoulder. “The full experience is included,”he said, coming around and behindme to slide his arms around mywaist, “when you’re the owner’sgirlfriend.”The word “girlfriend” reverberatedthrough me, sending a crazy rush of adrenalinethrough my system. It was stillsinking in that we had that level of commitment,but that didn’t stop me fromthinking the designation had a nice ringto it.

319/796“Mr. Cross.” Daniel straightened andtook a step back; then extended hishand. “It’s an honor to meet you.”“Daniel has me sold on the place,” Isaid to Gideon, as they shook hands.“I thought I’d done that.” His hair waswet with sweat and he smelled divine.I’d never known a sweaty man couldsmell so damn good.His hands stroked down my arms andI felt his lips on the crown of my head.“Let’s go. See you later, Daniel.”I waved good-bye as we walked away.“Thanks, Daniel.”“Anytime.”“I bet,” Gideon muttered. “Hecouldn’t keep his eyes off your tits.”“They’re very nice tits.”He made a low growling noise. I hidmy amusement.He smacked my butt hard enough tosend me forward a step and leave

320/796behind a hot sting even through mypants. “That damned Band-Aid you calla shirt doesn’t leave much to the imagination.Don’t take long in the shower.You’re just going to get sweaty again.”“Wait.” I caught his arm before hepassed the women’s locker room on theway toward the men’s. “Would it grossyou out if I told you I didn’t want you toshower? If I said I want to find someplacereally close by where I could jumpyou while you’re still dripping sweat?”Gideon’s jaw tightened and his gazedarkened dangerously. “I’m beginningto fear for your safety, Eva. Grab yourstuff. There’s a hotel around the corner.”Neither of us changed and we wereoutside in five minutes. Gideon walkedbriskly and I hurried to keep up. Whenhe stopped abruptly, turned, and dippedme back in a lavish heated kiss on thecrowded sidewalk, I was too stunned to

321/796do more than hold on. It was a soulwrenchingmelding of our mouths, fullof passion and sweet spontaneity thatmade my heart ache. Applause brokeout around us.When he straightened me again, I wasbreathless and dizzy. “What was that?” Igasped.“A prelude.” He resumed our dash tothe nearest hotel, one I didn’t catch thename of as he pulled me past the doormanand crossed straight to the elevator.It was clear to me that the property wasone of Gideon’s even before a managergreeted him by name just before the elevatordoors closed.Gideon dropped his duffel on the carfloor and busied himself with figuringout how to extricate me from my sportstop. I was slapping his hands away whenthe doors opened and he scooped up hisbag. There was no one waiting on our

322/796floor and no one in the hallway. Hepulled a master key out of somewhereand a moment later we were in a room.I pounced, pushing my hands up beneathhis shirt to feel his damp skin andthe hardness of the muscles beneath it.“Get naked. Like now.”He laughed as he toed off his sneakersand yanked his tank over his head.Oh my God…seeing him in theflesh—all of him, as his shorts hit thefloor—was synapse frying. There wasn’tan ounce of excess flesh on him anywhere,just hard slabs of honed muscle.He had washboard abs and that supersexy V of muscle on his pelvis that Carycalled the Loin of Apollo. Gideon didn’twax his chest like Cary did, but hegroomed with the same care he showedto the rest of his body. He was pureprimal male, the embodiment of

323/796everything I coveted, fantasized about,and wished for.“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” I said,staring unabashedly.“You’re still dressed.” He attacked myclothes, whipping my loosened top offbefore I took a full breath. My pantswere wrestled down and I kicked myshoes off in such a hurry that I lost mybalance and fell on the bed. I barelycaught my breath before he was on me.We rolled across the mattress in atangle. Everywhere he touched me lefttrails of fire behind. The clean, hardworkingscent of his skin was an aphrodisiacand intoxicant at once, spurringmy desire for him until I felt like I wasabout to lose my mind.“You’re so beautiful, Eva.” Heplumped one breast in his hand beforetaking my nipple into his mouth.

324/796I cried out at the scorching heat andthe lash of his tongue, my core tighteningwith every soft suck. My hands weregreedy as they slid over his sweat-dampskin, stroking and kneading, searchingfor the spots that made him growl andmoan. I scissored my legs with his andtried to roll him, but he was too heavyand too strong.He lifted his head and smiled down atme. “It’s my turn this time.”What I felt for him in that moment,seeing that smile and the heat in hiseyes, was so intense it was painful. Toofast, I thought. I was falling too fast.“Gideon—”He kissed me deeply, licking into mymouth in that way of his. I thought hecould really make me come with just akiss, if we stayed at it long enough.Everything about him turned me on,from the way he looked and felt beneath

325/796my hands to the way he watched me andtouched me. His greed and the silent demandshe made on my body, the forcefulnesswith which he pleasured me andtook his pleasure in return, drove mewild.I ran my hands through the wet silk ofhis hair. The crisp hairs on his chestteased my tightened nipples and the feelof his rock-hard body against mine wasenough to make me wet and needy.“I love your body,” he whispered, hislips moving across my cheek to mythroat. His hand caressed the length ofmy torso from breasts to hip. “I can’t getenough of it.”“You haven’t had very much of it yet,”I teased.“I don’t think I’ll ever have enough.”Nibbling and licking across myshoulder, he slid down and caught myother nipple between his teeth. He

326/796tugged and the tiny dart of pain had myback arching on a soft cry. He soothedthe sting with a soft suck; then kissedhis way downward. “I’ve never wantedanything this badly.”“Then do me!”“Not yet,” he murmured, movinglower, rimming my navel with the tip ofhis tongue. “You’re not ready yet.”“What? Ah, God…I can’t get any readier.”I tugged on his hair, trying to pullhim up.Gideon caught my wrists and pinnedthem to the mattress. “You have a tightlittle cunt, Eva. I’ll bruise you if I don’tget you soft and relaxed.”A violent shiver of arousal movedthrough me. It turned me on when hetalked so bluntly about sex. Then he slidlower and I tensed. “No, Gideon. I needto shower for that.”

327/796He buried his face in my cleft and Istruggled against his hold, flushed withsudden shame. He nipped at my innerthigh with his teeth. “Stop it.”“Don’t. Please. You don’t have to dothat.”His glare stilled my frantic movements.“Do you think I feel differentlyabout your body than you do mine?” heasked harshly. “I want you, Eva.”I licked my dry lips, so crazily turnedon by his animal need that I couldn’tform a single word. He growled softlyand dove for the slick flesh between mylegs. His tongue pushed into me, lickingand parting the sensitive tissues. Myhips churned restlessly, my body silentlybegging for more. It felt so good Icould’ve wept.“God, Eva. I’ve wanted my mouth onyour cunt every day since I met you.”

328/796As the velvet softness of his tongueflickered over my swollen clit, my headpressed hard into the pillow. “Yes. Likethat. Make me come.”He did, with the gentlest of suctionand a hard lick. I writhed as the orgasmjolted through me, my core tensing violently,my limbs shaking. His tonguethrust into my sex as it convulsed, ripplingalong the shallow penetration, tryingto pull him deeper. His groans vibratedagainst my swollen flesh, goadingthe climax to roll on and on. Tears stungmy eyes and coursed down my temples,the physical pleasure destroying the wallthat kept my emotions at bay.And Gideon didn’t stop. He circledthe trembling entrance to my body withthe tip of his tongue and lapped at mythrobbing clit until I quickened again.Two fingers pushed inside me, curvingand stroking. I was so sensitive I

329/796thrashed against the onslaught. Whenhe drew on my clit with steady, rhythmicsuction, I came again, crying outhoarsely. Then he had three fingers inme, twisting and opening me.“No.” My head tossed from side toside, every inch of my skin tingling andburning. “No more.”“Once more,” he coaxed hoarsely.“Once more, then I’ll fuck you.”“I can’t…”“You will.” He blew a slow stream ofair over my wet flesh, the coolness overfevered skin reawakening raw nerveendings. “I love watching you come,Eva. Love hearing the sounds you make,the way your body quivers…”He massaged a tender spot inside meand an orgasm pulsed through me in aslow, heated roll of delight, no less devastatingfor being gentler than the twobefore it.

330/796His weight and heat left me. In a distantcorner of my dazed mind, I heard adrawer opening, followed swiftly by thesound of foil tearing. The mattressdipped as he returned, his hands roughnow as he yanked me down to the centerof the bed. He stretched himself on topof me, pinning me, tucking his forearmson the outside of my biceps and pressingthem to my sides, capturing me.My gaze was riveted to his austerelybeautiful face. His features were harshwith lust, his skin stretched tight overhis cheekbones and jaw. His eyes wereso dark and dilated they were black, andI knew I was staring into the face of aman who’d passed the limits of his control.It was important to me that he’dmade it that far for my benefit and thathe’d done so to pleasure and prepare mefor what I knew would be a hard ride.

331/796My hands fisted in the bedspread, anticipationbuilding. He’d made sure I gotmine, over and over again. This wouldbe for him.“Fuck me,” I ordered, daring him withmy eyes.“Eva.” He snapped out my name as herammed into me, sinking balls-deep inone fierce drive.I gasped. He was big, hard as stone,and so damn deep. The connection wasstartlingly intense. Emotionally. Mentally.I’d never felt so completely…taken.Possessed.I wouldn’t have thought I could bearto be restrained during sex, not with mypast being what it was, but Gideon’stotal domination of my body ratchetedmy desire to an outrageous level. I’dnever been so hot for it in my life, whichseemed insane after what I’d experiencedwith him so far.

332/796I clenched around him, relishing thefeel of him inside me, filling me.His hips ground against mine, proddingas if to say, Feel me? I’m in you. Iown you.His entire body hardened, themuscles of his chest and arms strainingas he pulled out to the tip. The rigidtightening of his abs was the only warningI got before he slammed forward.Hard.I cried out and his chest rumbled witha low, primitive sound. “Christ…You feelso good.”Tightening his hold, he starting fuckingme, nailing my hips to the mattresswith wildly fierce drives. Pleasurerippled through me again, pushingthrough me with every hot shove of hisbody into mine. Like this, I thought. Iwant you just like this.

333/796He buried his face in my neck andheld me tightly in place, plunging hardand fast, gasping raw, heated sex wordsthat made me crazed with desire. “I’venever been so hard and thick. I’m sodeep in you…I can feel it against mystomach…feel my dick pounding intoyou.”I’d thought of this round as his, andyet he was still with me, still focused onme, swiveling his hips to stroke pleasurethrough my melting core. I made asmall, helpless sound of need and hismouth slanted over mine. I was desperatefor him, my nails digging into hispumping hips, struggling with the grindingurge to rock into the ferociousthrusts of his big cock.We were dripping in sweat, our skinhot and slicked together, our chestsheaving for air. As an orgasm brewedlike a storm inside me, everything

334/796tightened and clenched, squeezing. Hecursed and shoved one hand beneath myhip, cupping my rear and lifting me intohis thrusts so that his cock head strokedover and over the spot that ached forhim.“Come, Eva,” he ordered harshly.“Come now.”I climaxed in a rush that had me sobbinghis name, the sensation enhancedand magnified by the way he’d confinedmy body. He threw his head back,shuddering.“Ah, Eva!” He clasped me so tightly Icouldn’t breathe, his hips pumping as hecame long and hard.I’ve no idea how long we lay like that,leveled, mouths sliding over shouldersand throats to soothe and calm. My entirebody tingled and pulsed.“Wow,” I managed finally.

335/796“You’ll kill me,” he muttered with hislips at my jaw. “We’re going to end upfucking each other to death.”“Me? I didn’t do anything.” He’d controlledme completely and how freakin’sexy was that?“You’re breathing. That’s enough.”I laughed, hugging him.Lifting his head, he nuzzled my nose.“We’re going to eat, and then we’ll dothat again.”My brows lifted. “You can do thatagain?”“All night.” He rolled his hips and Icould feel that he was still semi-hard.“You’re a machine,” I told him. “Or agod.”“It’s you.” With a soft sweet kiss, heleft me. He removed the condom,wrapped it in a tissue from the nightstand,and tossed the whole in thewastebasket by the bed. “We’ll shower,

336/796then order from the restaurant downstairs.Unless you want to go down?”“I don’t think I can walk.”The flash of his grin stopped my heartfor a minute. “Glad I’m not the onlyone.”“You look fine.”“I feel phenomenal.” He sat back onthe side of the bed and brushed my hairback from my forehead. His face wassoft, his smile warmly affectionate.I thought I saw something else in hiseyes and the possibility closed mythroat. It scared me.“Shower with me,” he said, runninghis hand down my arm.“Gimme me a minute to find mybrain, then I’ll join you.”“Okay.” He went into the bathroom,giving me a prime view of his sculptedback and perfect ass. I sighed with pure

337/796female appreciation of a prime malespecimen.The water came on in the shower. Imanaged to sit up and slide my legs overthe side of the bed, feeling exquisitelyshaky. My gaze caught on the slightlyopen bedside drawer and I saw condomsthrough the gap.My stomach twisted. The hotel wastoo upscale to be the kind that providedcondoms along with the requisite Bible.With a slightly trembling hand, Ipulled the drawer out further and founda sizable quantity of prophylactics, includinga bottle of feminine lubricationand spermicidal gel. My heart startedpounding all over again. In my mind, Ibacktracked through our lust-fueled tripto the hotel. Gideon hadn’t asked whichrooms were available. Whether he had amaster key or not, he’d need to knowwhich rooms were occupied before he

338/796took one…unless he’d known beforehandthat this particular room would beempty.Clearly it was his room—a fuck padoutfitted with everything he’d need tohave a good time with the women whoserved that purpose in his life.As I pushed to my feet and walkedover to the closet, I heard the glassshower door open in the bathroom, thenclose. I caught the two knobs of thelouvered walnut closet doors andpushed them apart. There was a smallselection of men’s clothes hanging onthe metal rod, some business shirts andslacks, as well as khakis and jeans. Mytemperature dropped and a sick miseryspread through my orgasmic high.The right side dresser drawers heldneatly folded T-shirts, boxer briefs, andsocks. The top one on the left side heldsex toys still in their packages. I didn’t

339/796look at the drawers below that one. I’dseen enough.I pulled on my pants and stole one ofGideon’s shirts. As I dressed, my mindwent through the steps I’d learned intherapy: Talk it out. Explain whattriggered the negative feelings to yourpartner. Face the trigger and workthrough it.Maybe if I’d been less shaken by thedepth of my feelings for Gideon, I couldhave done all that. Maybe if we hadn’tjust had mind-blowing sex, I would havefelt less raw and vulnerable. I’d neverknow. What I felt was slightly dirty, alittle bit used, and a whole lot hurt. Thisparticular revelation had hit me with excruciatingforce, and like a child, Iwanted to hurt him back.I scooped up the condoms, lube, andtoys, and tossed them on the bed. Then,just as he called out my name in an

340/796amused and teasing voice, I picked upmy bag and left him.

I kept my head down as I made the walkof shame past the registration desk andexited the hotel through a side door. Iwas red-faced with embarrassment rememberingthe manager who’d greeted

342/796Gideon as we got on the elevator. I couldonly imagine what he’d thought of me.He had to know what Gideon reservedthat room for. I couldn’t stand thethought of being the next in a line ofmany and yet that’s exactly what I’dbeen from the moment we entered thehotel.How hard would it have been to stopby the front desk and secure a room thatwas ours alone?I started walking with no direction ordestination in mind. It was dark outnow, the city taking on a whole new lifeand energy from what it had during thebusiness day. Steaming food carts dottedthe sidewalks, along with a vendorselling framed artwork, another hawkingnovelty T-shirts, and yet anotherwho had two folding tables covered inmovie and television episode scripts.

343/796With every step I took, the adrenalinefrom my flight burned away. The maliciouslygleeful thoughts of Gideon comingout of the bathroom to find an emptyroom and paraphernalia-strewn bed rantheir course. I began to calm down…andseriously think about what had justhappened.Was it a coincidence that Gideon invitedme to a gym that just so happenedto be conveniently close to his fuck pad?I remembered the conversation we’dhad in his office over lunch and the wayhe’d struggled to express himself to keepme. He was as confused and torn aboutwhat was happening between us as Iwas, and I knew how easy it was to fallinto established patterns. After all,hadn’t I just fallen into one of my ownby bailing? I’d spent enough years intherapy to know better than to woundand run when I was hurting.

344/796Heartsick, I stepped into an Italianbistro and took a table. I ordered a glassof shiraz and a pizza margherita, hopingwine and food would calm the vibratinganxiety inside me so that I could thinkproperly.When the waiter returned with mywine, I gulped down half the glasswithout really tasting it. I missed Gideonalready, missed the playful happy moodhe’d been in when I left. His scent wasall over me—the smell of his skin andhot, grinding sex. My eyes stung and Ilet a few tears slide down my face, despitebeing in a very public, very busyrestaurant. My food came and I pickedat it. It tasted like cardboard, although Idoubted that had anything to do withthe chef or the venue.Pulling over the chair where I’d setmy bag, I dug out my new smartphonewith the intention of leaving a message

345/796with Dr. Travis’s answering service.He’d suggested we have video chat appointmentsuntil I found a new therapistin New York and I decided to take himup on that offer. That’s when I noticedthe twenty-one missed calls fromGideon and a text; I fucked upagain. Don’t break up withme. Talk to me. Pls.The tears welled again. I held thephone to my heart, at a loss for what todo. I couldn’t get the images of Gideonand other women out of my mind. Icouldn’t stop picturing him fucking thehell out of another woman on that samebed, using toys on her, driving her crazy,taking his pleasure from her body…It was irrational and pointless tothink of such things, and it made me feelpetty and small and physically sick.I startled when the phone vibratedagainst me, nearly dropping it. Nursing

346/796my misery, I debating letting it go tovoice mail because I could see on thescreen that it was Gideon—plus he wasthe only one who had the number—but Icouldn’t ignore it, because he was clearlyfrantic. As much as I’d wanted to woundhim earlier, I couldn’t stand to do itnow.“Hello.” My voice didn’t sound likemine, clogged as it was with tears andemotion.“Eva! Thank God.” Gideon soundedso anxious. “Where are you?”Looking around, I didn’t see anythingthat would tell me the name of the restaurant.“I don’t know. I…I’m sorry,Gideon.”“No, Eva. Don’t. It’s my fault. I needto find you. Can you describe whereyou’re at? Did you walk?”“Yes. I walked.”

347/796“I know which exit you took. Whichway did you head?” He was breathingquickly and I could hear the sounds oftraffic and car horns in the background.“To the left.”“Did you turn any corners after that?”“I don’t think so. I don’t know.” Ilooked around for a server I could ask.“I’m in a restaurant. Italian. There’sseating on the sidewalk…and a wroughtiron fence. French doors…Jesus,Gideon, I—”He appeared, silhouetted in the entrancewith the phone held to his ear. Iknew him immediately, watched as hefroze when he saw me seated against thewall toward the back. Shoving the phoneinto the pocket of jeans he’d had storedat the hotel, he strode past the hostesswho’d starting speaking to him andheaded straight for me. I barely managedto get to my feet before he hauled

348/796me against him and embraced metightly.“God.” He shook slightly and buriedhis face in my neck. “Eva.”I hugged him back. He was fresh froma shower, making me achingly aware ofmy need for one.“I can’t be here,” he said hoarsely,pulling back to cup my face in his hands.“I can’t be in public right now. Will youcome home with me?”Something on my face must have betrayedmy lingering wariness, becausehe pressed his lips to my forehead andmurmured, “It won’t be like the hotel, Ipromise. My mother’s the only womanwho’s ever been to my place, aside fromthe housekeeper and staff.”“This is stupid,” I muttered. “I’m beingstupid.”“No.” He brushed the hair back frommy face and bent closer to whisper in

349/796my ear. “If you’d taken me to a place youreserved for fucking other men, Iwould’ve lost it.”The waiter returned and we pulledapart. “Should I get you a menu, sir?”“That won’t be necessary.” Gideondug his wallet out of his back pocket andhanded over his credit card. “We’releaving.”We took a cab to Gideon’s place and heheld on to my hand the entire time. Ishouldn’t have been so nervous riding aprivate elevator up to a penthouse apartmenton Fifth Avenue. The sight of highceilings and prewar architecture wasn’tnew to me, and really, it was all to be expectedwhen dating a man who seemedto own damn near everything. And thecoveted view of Central Park…well, ofcourse he’d have one.

350/796But Gideon’s tension was palpable,and it made me realize that this was abig deal to him. When the elevatoropened directly into his apartment’smarbled entry foyer, his grip on myhand tightened before he released me.He unlocked the double-door entranceto usher me inside, and I could feel hisanxiety as he watched for my reaction.Gideon’s home was as beautiful as theman himself. It was so very differentfrom his office, which was sleek, modern,and cool. His private space waswarm and sumptuous, filled with antiquesand art anchored by gorgeousAubusson rugs laid over gleaming hardwoodfloors.“It’s…amazing,” I said softly, feelingprivileged to see it. It was a glimpse intothe private Gideon I was desperate toknow and it was stunning.

351/796“Come in.” He tugged me deeper intothe apartment. “I want you to sleep heretonight.”“I don’t have clothes and stuff…”“All you need is the toothbrush inyour purse. We can run by your place inthe morning for the rest. I promise toget you to work on time.” He pulled meinto him and set his chin on the crownof my head. “I’d really like you to stay,Eva. I don’t blame you for running, butit scared the hell out of me. I need tohang on to you for a while.”“I need to be held.” I pushed myhands under the back of his T-shirt tocaress the silken hardness of his bareback. “I could also use a shower.”With his nose in my hair, he inhaleddeeply. “I like you smelling like me.”But he led me through the living roomand down a hall to his bedroom.

352/796“Wow,” I breathed when he flicked onthe light. A massive sleigh bed dominatedthe space, the wood dark—which heseemed to prefer—and the linens a softcream. The rest of the furnishingsmatched the bed and the accents werebrushed gold. It was a warm, masculinespace with no art on the walls to detractfrom the serene night view of CentralPark and the magnificent residentialbuildings on the other side. My side ofManhattan.“The bathroom’s in here.”As I took in the vanity, which appearedto have been made out of anantique claw-footed walnut cabinet, hepulled towels out of a companion armoireand set them out for me, movingwith that confident sensual grace I admiredso much. Seeing him in his home,dressed so casually, touched me. KnowingI was the only woman to have this

353/796experience with him affected me evenmore. I felt like I was seeing him morenaked now than I ever had. “Thankyou.”He glanced at me and seemed to understandthat I was talking about morethan the towels. His stare burnedthrough me. “It feels good to have youhere.”“I have no idea how I ended up likethis, with you.” But I really, really likedit.“Does it matter?” Gideon came to me,tilting my chin up to press a kiss to thetip of my nose. “I’ll lay out a T-shirt foryou on the bed. Caviar and vodka soundgood to you?”“Well…that’s quite a step up frompizza.”He smiled. “Petrossian’s Ossetra.”“I stand corrected.” I smiled back.“Several hundred steps up.”

354/796I showered and dressed in the oversizedCross Industries shirt he laid outfor me; then I called Cary to tell him I’dbe out all night and give him a brief rundownabout the hotel incident.He whistled. “I’m not even sure whatto say about that.”A speechless Cary Taylor spokevolumes.I joined Gideon in the living room,and we sat on the floor at the coffeetable to eat the prized caviar with minitoast and crème fraiche. We watched arerun of a New York-set police proceduralthat just happened to include ascene filmed on the street in front of theCrossfire.“I think it’d be cool to see a building Iowned on TV like that,” I said.“It’s not bad, if they don’t close off thestreet for hours to film.”

355/796I bumped shoulders with him.“Pessimist.”We crawled into Gideon’s bed at tenthirty and watched the last half of ashow while curled up together. Sexualtension crackled in the air between us,but he didn’t make any overtures so Ididn’t either. I suspected he was still tryingto make amends for the hotel, tryingto prove that he wanted to spend timewith me not “actively fucking.”It worked. As much as I desired hisoutrageously sexy body, it felt good justhanging out together.He slept in the nude, which was fabulousfor me to cuddle up against. Itossed one leg over his, wrapped an armaround his waist, and rested my cheekover his heart. I don’t remember theending of the show, so I suppose I fellasleep before it was over.

356/796When I woke it was still dark in theroom and I’d rolled to the far side of myhalf of the bed. I sat up to see the digitalclock face on Gideon’s nightstand andfound it was barely three in the morning.I usually slept straight through thenight and thought maybe the strangesurroundings were keeping me fromsleeping deeply; then Gideon moanedand shifted restlessly and I realized whathad disturbed me. The sound he madewas pained, his subsequent hiss ofbreath tormented.“Don’t touch me,” he whisperedharshly. “Get your fucking hands off ofme!”I froze, my heart racing. His wordssliced through the dark, filled with fury.“You sick bastard.” He writhed, hislegs kicking at the covers. His backarched on a groan that sounded

357/796perversely erotic. “Don’t. Ah, Christ…Ithurts.”He strained, his body twisting. Icouldn’t bear it.“Gideon.” Because Cary had nightmaressometimes, I knew better than totouch a man in the throes of one. Instead,I knelt on my side of the bed andcalled his name. “Gideon, wake up.”Stilling abruptly, he fell to his back,tense and expectant. His chest heavedwith panting breaths. His cock was hardand lay heavily along his belly.I spoke firmly, although my heart wasbreaking. “Gideon. You’re dreaming.Come back to me.”He deflated into the mattress.“Eva…?”“I’m here.” Shifting, I moved out ofthe way of the moonlight, but saw no luminousglitter that would tell me hiseyes were open. “Are you awake?”

358/796His breathing began to slow, but hedidn’t speak. His hands were fisted inthe bottom sheet. I pulled the shirt I waswearing over my head and dropped it onthe bed. I sidled closer, reaching outwith a tentative hand to touch his arm.When he didn’t move, I caressed him,my fingertips sliding gently over thehard muscle of his biceps.“Gideon?”He jerked awake. “What? What is it?”I sat back on my heels with my handson my thighs. I saw him blink at me, andthen shove both hands through his hair.I could feel the nightmare clinging tohim, could sense it in the rigidness of hisbody.“What’s wrong?” he asked gruffly,pushing up onto one elbow. “You okay?”“I want you.” I stretched out againsthim, aligning my bare body to his.Pressing my face into his damp throat, I

359/796sucked gently on his salty skin. I knewfrom my own nightmares that beingheld and loved could push the spectersback into the closet for a little while.His arms came around me, his handsrunning up and down the curve of myspine. I felt him let go of the dream witha long, deep sigh.Pushing him to his back, I climbedover him and sealed my mouth over his.His erection was notched between thelips of my sex and I rocked against him.The feel of his hands in my hair, holdingme to take control of the kiss, quicklymade me wet and ready. Fire licked justbeneath my skin. I stroked my clit upand down his thick length, using him tomasturbate until he made a rough soundof desire and rolled to put me beneathhim.“I don’t have any condoms in thehouse,” he murmured before wrapping

360/796his lips around my nipple and suckinggently.I loved that he wasn’t prepared. Thiswasn’t his fuck pad; this was his homeand I was the only lover he’d brought intoit. “I know you mentioned swappingbills of health when we talked aboutbirth control and that’s the responsibleway to go, but—”“I trust you.” He lifted his head, lookingat me in the faint light of the moon.Kneeing my legs open, he pushed thefirst bare inch inside me. He was scorchinghot and silky soft.“Eva,” he breathed, clutching metightly to him. “I’ve never…Christ, youfeel so good. I’m so glad you’re here.”I tugged his lips down to mine andkissed him. “Me, too.”

361/796I woke the way I’d fallen asleep, withGideon on top of me and inside me. Hisgaze was heavy-lidded with desire as Irose from unconsciousness into heatedpleasure. His hair hung around hisshoulders and face, looking even sexierfor being sleep-tousled. But best of all,there were no shadows in his gorgeouseyes, nothing lingering from the painthat haunted his dreams.“I hope you don’t mind,” he murmuredwith a wicked grin, sliding in andout. “You’re warm and soft. I can’t helpbut want you.”I stretched my arms over my headand arched my back, pressing mybreasts into his chest. Through theslender arch-topped windows, I saw thesoft light of dawn fill the sky. “Umm…Icould get used to waking up like this.”“That was my thought at three thismorning.” He rolled his hips and sank

362/796deep into me. “I thought I’d return thefavor.”My body revved to life, my pulsequickening. “Yes, please.”Cary was gone when we got to my apartment,leaving a note behind to tell me hewas on a job, but would be back inplenty of time for pizza with Trey. SinceI’d been too upset to enjoy my pie thenight before, I was ready to try againwhen I was having a good time.“I have a business dinner tonight,”Gideon said, leaning over my shoulderto read. “I was hoping you’d come withme and make it bearable.”“I can’t bail out on Cary,” I said apologetically,turning to face him. “Chicksbefore dicks and all that.”His mouth twitched and he caged meto the breakfast bar. He was dressed for

363/796work in a suit I’d picked out, a graphitegray Prada with a soft sheen. His tie wasthe blue one that matched his eyes, andas I’d lain on his bed and watched himdress, I’d had to fight the urge to take itall off him. “Cary isn’t a chick. But I getthe point. I want to see you tonight. CanI come over after the dinner and stay thenight?”Heated anticipation rushed throughme. I smoothed my hands over his vest,feeling like I had a special secret becauseI knew exactly what he looked likewithout his clothes on. “I’d love it if youdid.”“Good.” He gave a satisfied nod. “I’llmake us coffee, while you get dressed.”“The beans are in the freezer. Thegrinder’s next to the coffee pot.” I pointed.“And I like lots of milk and a littlesweetener.”

364/796When I came out twenty minuteslater, Gideon grabbed two travel mugsof coffee off the breakfast bar and weheaded down to the lobby. Paul hustledus out the front door and into the backseatof Gideon’s waiting Bentley SUV.As Gideon’s driver pulled into traffic,Gideon checked me out and said,“You’re definitely trying to kill me. Areyou wearing the garters again?”Pulling the hem of my skirt up, Ishowed him where the top of my blacksilk stockings hooked to my black lacegarter belt.His muttered curse made me smile.I’d chosen a black short-sleeved silk turtlenecksweater paired with a decentlyshort pleated skirt in lipstick red andheeled Mary Janes. Because Cary hadn’tbeen around to manage something fancywith my hair, I’d pulled it back in aponytail. “You like?”

365/796“I’m hard.” His voice was husky, andhe adjusted himself in his trousers.“How the hell am I going to get throughthe day thinking about you dressed likethat?”“There’s always lunch,” I suggested,fantasizing about a nooner on Gideon’soffice couch.“I have a business lunch today. I’dreschedule, if I hadn’t moved it alreadyyesterday.”“You rescheduled an appointment forme? I’m flattered.”He reached over and brushed his fingertipsover my cheek, a now-habitualgesture of affection that was tender andfiercely intimate. I was coming to dependon receiving those touches.I leaned my cheek into his palm. “Canyou carve fifteen minutes out of yourday for me?”“I’ll manage it.”

366/796“Call me when you know the time.”Taking a deep breath, I dug into mybag and wrapped my hand around a giftI wasn’t sure he’d want, but I couldn’tget the memory of his nightmare out ofmy head. I hoped that what I had forhim would remind him of me and threeA.M. sex, and help him cope. “I havesomething. I thought…”It suddenly seemed conceited to givehim what I’d brought.He frowned. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing. It’s just…” I exhaled in arush. “Listen, I have something for you,but I just realized it’s one of thosegifts—well, it’s not really a gift. I’malready thinking it’s not appropriateand—”He thrust out his hand. “Give it tome.”“You can totally decide not to takeit—”

367/796“Shut up, Eva.” He crooked his fingers.“Give it to me.”I pulled it out of my bag and handedit over.Gideon stared down at the framedphotograph in complete silence. It was anovelty frame depicting die-cut imagesof things relating to graduation, includinga digital clock face that read 3:00A.M. The picture was of me posing onCoronado Beach in a coral bikini with abig floppy straw hat—I was tanned,happy, and blowing a kiss to Cary, who’dplayacted the role of a high-fashion photographerby calling out ridiculous encouragements.Beautiful, dahling. Showme sassy. Show me sexy. Brilliant.Show me catty…rawr…Embarrassed, I squirmed a little onthe seat. “Like I said, you don’t have tokeep—”

368/796“I—” He cleared his throat. “Thankyou, Eva.”“Ah, well…” I was grateful to see theCrossfire outside my window. I jumpedout quickly when the driver pulled overand ran my hands over my skirt, feelingself-conscious. “If you want, I can hangon to it until later.”Gideon shut the door of the Bentleyand shook his head. “It’s mine. You’renot taking it back.”He linked our fingers together andgestured toward the revolving door withthe hand holding the frame. I warmedwhen I realized he intended to take mypicture into work with him.One of the fun things about the ad businesswas that no day was ever the sameas the one before it. I was hopping allmorning and was just beginning to

369/796contemplate what to do about lunchwhen my phone rang. “Mark Garrity’soffice, Eva Tramell speaking.”“I’ve got news,” Cary said by way ofgreeting.“What?” I could tell by his voice thatit was good news, whatever it was.“I landed a Grey Isles campaign.”“Oh my God! Cary, that’s awesome! Ilove their jeans.”“What are you doing for lunch?”I grinned. “Celebrating with you. Canyou be here at noon?”“I’m already on my way.”I hung up and rocked back in mychair, so thrilled for Cary I felt like dancing.Needing something to do to kill thefifteen minutes remaining before mylunch break, I checked my inbox againand found a Google alert digest forGideon’s name. Over thirty mentions, injust one day.

370/796I opened the e-mail and freaked out alittle at the numerous “mystery woman”headlines. I clicked on the first link andfound myself landing on a gossip blog.There, in living color, was a photo ofGideon kissing me senseless on the sidewalkoutside of his gym. The accompanyingarticle was short and to the point:“Gideon Cross, New York’s most eligiblebachelor since John F. KennedyJr., was spotted yesterday in a passionatepublic embrace. A source at CrossIndustries identified the lucky mysterywoman as socialite Eva Tramell,daughter of multimillionaire RichardStanton and his wife, Monica. Whenqueried about the nature of the relationshipbetween Cross and Tramell,the source confirmed that Miss Tramellis ‘the significant woman’ in the mogul’slife at present. We imagine hearts are

371/796breaking across the country thismorning.”“Oh, crap,” I breathed.

I quickly clicked through other links inthe digest to find the same picture withsimilar captions and articles. Alarmed, Isat back and thought about what thismeant. If one kiss was headline news,

373/796what chance would Gideon and I have tomake a relationship work?My hands weren’t quite steady as Iclosed the browser tabs. I hadn’t consideredthe press coverage, but I shouldhave. “Damn it.”Anonymity was my friend. It protectedme from my past. It protected myfamily from embarrassment, andGideon, too. I didn’t even have any socialnetworking accounts so people whoweren’t actively in my life couldn’t findme.A thin, invisible wall between me andexposure was gone.“Hell,” I breathed, finding myself in apainful situation I could have avoided ifI’d dedicated any of my brain cells tosomething other than Gideon.There was also his reaction to thismess to consider…I cringed inwardlyjust thinking about it. And my mother.

374/796It wouldn’t be long before she was callingand blowing everything out of—“Shit.” Remembering that she didn’thave my new cell number, I picked upmy desk phone and called my othervoice mail to see if she’d already tried toreach me. I winced when I heard thatmy mailbox was full.I hung up and grabbed my purse;then headed off to lunch, knowing Carywould help me put it all in perspective. Iwas so flustered when I reached thelobby level that I rushed out of the elevatorwith my only thought being to findmy roommate. When I spotted him, Ididn’t take note of anyone else untilGideon sidestepped smoothly in front ofme and blocked my path.“Eva.” He frowned down at me. Cuppingmy elbow, he turned me slightlyaround. That’s when I saw the two

375/796women and a man who’d hidden himfrom my view.I managed to find a smile for them.“Hello.”Gideon introduced me to his lunchdates. Then he excused us and tuggedme off to the side. “What’s wrong?You’re upset.”“It’s all over the place,” I whispered.“A picture of us together.”He nodded. “I’ve seen it.”I blinked up at him, confused at hisnonchalance. “You’re okay with it?”“Why wouldn’t I be? For once, they’rereporting the truth.”A sneaking suspicion niggled at me.“You planned it. You planted the story.”“Not entirely true,” he said smoothly.“The photographer happened to bethere. I just gave him a picture worthprinting, and told PR to make it clearwho you are and what you are to me.”

376/796“Why? Why would you do that?”“You have your way of dealing withjealousy and I have mine. We’re both offthe market and now everyone knows it.Why is that a problem for you?”“I was worried about your reaction,but there’s more…There are things youdon’t know and I—” I took a deep, shakybreath. “It can’t be that way between us,Gideon. We can’t be public. I don’twant—Damn it. I’ll embarrass you.”“You couldn’t. It’s not possible.” Hebrushed a loose lock of hair off my face.“Can we talk about this later? If youneed me—”“No, it’s okay. Go.”Cary came over. Dressed in baggyblack cargo pants and a V-neck whiteundershirt, he still managed to look expensive.“Everything all right?”

377/796“Hi, Cary. Everything’s fine.” Gideonsqueezed my hand. “Enjoy your lunchand don’t worry.”He could say that because he didn’tknow better.And I didn’t know whether or nothe’d still want me once he did.Cary faced me as Gideon walkedaway. “Worry about what? What’swrong?”“Everything.” I sighed. “Let’s get outof here, and I’ll tell you over lunch.”“Well,” Cary murmured, looking at thelink I’d forwarded from my smartphoneto his. “That’s some kiss. The dip was agreat touch. He couldn’t look more intoif he tried.”“That’s the thing.” I took another biggulp of water. “He did try.”

378/796He shoved his phone into his pocket.“Last week you kept shooting him downfor only wanting your vagina. This weekhe’s publicizing that he’s in a committed,passionate relationship with you,and you’re still unhappy. I’m starting tofeel bad for the guy. He can’t win fortrying.”That stung. “Reporters are going todig, Cary, and they’re going to find dirt.And since it’s juicy dirt they’re going tosplash it all over hell and back, and it’sgoing to embarrass Gideon.”“Baby girl.” He set his hand overmine. “Stanton buried all that.”Stanton. I straightened. I hadn’tthought of my stepfather. He’d see thedisaster coming and keep a lid on it becausehe knew what the revelationwould do to my mother. Still…“I’ll haveto talk to Gideon about it. He has a rightto be warned.”

379/796Just the thought of that conversationmade me miserable.Cary knew how my brain worked. “Ifyou think he’s going to cut and run, Ithink you’re wrong. He looks at you likeyou’re the only person in the room.”I poked at my tuna Caesar salad.“He’s got a few demons of his own.Nightmares. He’s closed himself off, Ithink, because of whatever’s eating athim.”“But he’s let you in.”And he’d already shown hints of howpossessive he could be about that connection.I accepted that because it was aflaw I shared, but still…“You’re analyzing this to death, Eva,”Cary said. “You’re thinking the way hefeels about you has to be a fluke or amistake. Someone like him couldn’treally be into you for your big heart andsharp mind, right?”

380/796“My self-esteem isn’t that bad,” Iprotested.He took a sip of his champagne. “Isn’tit? So tell me something you think helikes about you that doesn’t have to dowith sex or codependency.”I thought about it and came upempty, which made me scowl.“Right,” he went on with a nod. “Andif Cross is anywhere near as messed upas we are, he’s thinking the same thingin reverse, wondering what a hot babelike you sees in a guy like him. You’vegot money, so what has he got going forhim besides being a stud who keepsscrewing up?”Sitting back in my chair, I absorbedeverything he’d said. “Cary, I love youmadly.”He grinned. “Back atcha, sweets. Myadvice, for what it’s worth? Couplestherapy. It’s always been my plan to get

381/796into it when I find the one I want tosettle down with. And try to have funwith him. You’ve got to have as manygood times as bad or it all becomes toopainful and too much work.”I reached over and squeezed his hand.“Thank you.”“For what?” He shrugged off my gratitudewith an elegant wave of his hand.“It’s easy to pick apart someone else’slife. You know I couldn’t get through myrough spots without you.”“Which you don’t have any of now,” Ipointed out, shifting the focus to him.“You’re about to be splashed across aTimes Square billboard. You won’t bemy secret any longer. Should we upgradedinner from pizza to somethingmore worthy of the occasion? Howabout we haul out that case of CristalStanton gave us?”“Now you’re talking.”

382/796“Movies? Anything in particular youwant to watch?”“Whatever you want. I wouldn’t wantto screw with your big-dumb-blow-’emupmovie genius.”I grinned, feeling better as I’d knownI would after an hour with Cary. “You’lllet me know if I’m too dense to figureout when you and Trey want to bealone.”“Ha! Don’t worry about that. Yourtempestuous love life is making me feeldull and boring. I could use a hot,sweaty bang with my own stud.”“You just had a maintenance closetromp a couple days ago!”He sighed. “I’d nearly forgotten. Howsad is that?”“It isn’t when your eyes are laughing.”

383/796I’d just gotten back to my desk when Ichecked my smartphone and found atext from Gideon letting me know hehad fifteen minutes to spare at quarterto three. I nursed a secret rush of anticipationfor the next hour and a half,having decided to take Cary’s advice andhave a little fun. Gideon and I wouldhave to wade through the ugliness of mypast soon enough, but for now, I couldgive us both something to smile about.I texted him just before I left, lettinghim know I was on my way. Consideringthe time constraints, we couldn’t waste aminute. Gideon must have felt the sameway, because I found Scott waiting forme at reception when I reached theCross Industries waiting area. Hewalked me back after the receptionistbuzzed me in.“How’s your day been?” I asked him.He smiled. “Great so far. Yours?”

384/796I smiled back. “I’ve had worse.”Gideon was on the phone when Ientered his office. His tone was clippedand impatient as he told the person onthe other end of the line that they shouldbe able to manage the job without himhaving to oversee it personally.He held up one finger to me to tell mehe’d be another minute. I responded byblowing a big bubble with the gum I waschewing and popping it loudly.His brows shot up, and he hit the buttonsto close the doors and frost theglass wall.Grinning, I sauntered over to his deskand hopped onto it, curling my fingersaround the lip and swinging my legs. Hepopped the next bubble I blew with aquick jab of his finger. I pouted prettily.“Deal with it,” he said with quiet authorityto whoever was on the phone.“It’ll be next week before I can get out

385/796there and waiting will set us back further.Stop talking. I have somethingtime-sensitive on my desk and you’rekeeping me away from it. I guaranteethat’s not improving my disposition. Fixwhat needs fixing and report back to metomorrow.”He returned the phone to its cradlewith suppressed violence. “Eva—”I held up one hand to cut him off andwrapped my gum in a Post-it I took froma dispenser on his desk. “Before you reprimandme, Mr. Cross, I want to say thatwhen we reached an impasse in ourmerger discussions at the hotel yesterdayI shouldn’t have walked out. Itdidn’t help to resolve the situation. AndI know I didn’t react very well to the PRissue with the photo. But still…Eventhough I’ve been a naughty secretary, Ithink I should be given another chanceto excel.”

386/796His gaze narrowed as he studied me,assessing and reevaluating the situationon the fly. “Did I ask for your opinion onthe appropriate action to take, MissTramell?”I shook my head and looked up athim from beneath my lashes. I could seethe lingering frustration from his phonecall falling away from him, replaced byhis growing interest and arousal.Hopping down from the desk, I sidledcloser and smoothed his immaculate tiewith both hands. “Can’t we worksomething out? I do possess a wide varietyof useful skills.”He caught me by the hips. “Which isone of the many reasons you’re the onlywoman I’ve ever considered for theposition.”Warmth flowed through me at hiswords. Boldly cupping his cock in myhand, I fondled him through his slacks.

387/796“Maybe I should reapply myself to myduties? I could demonstrate some of theways I’m uniquely qualified to assistyou.”Gideon hardened with delectableswiftness. “Such initiative, Miss Tramell.But my next meeting is less than tenminutes away. Also, I’m not accustomedto exploring job enrichment opportunitiesin my office.”I freed the button of his fly andlowered his zipper. With my lips to hisjaw, I whispered, “If you think there’sanywhere I won’t make you come, you’llhave to revisit and revise.”“Eva,” he breathed, his eyes hot andtender. He cupped my throat, histhumbs brushing over my jaw. “You’reunraveling me. Do you know that? Areyou doing it on purpose?”I reached inside his boxer briefs andwrapped my hands around him, offering

388/796up my lips for a kiss. He obliged me, takingmy mouth with a fierceness that leftme breathless.“I want you,” he growled.I sank to my knees on the carpetedfloor, pulling his pants down enough togive me the access I needed.He exhaled harshly. “Eva, what areyou—”My lips flowed over the wide crown.He reached back for the edge of hisdesk, his hands curling around the lipwith white-knuckled force. I held himwith both hands and mouthed the plushhead, sucking gently. The softness of hisskin and his uniquely appealing scentmade me moan. I felt the vibrationripple through his entire body and hearda rough sound rumble in his chest.Gideon touched my cheek. “Lick it.”Aroused by the command, I flutteredmy tongue across the underside and

389/796shivered with delight when he rewardedme with a hot burst of pre-cum. Fistingthe root of him with one hand, I hollowedmy cheeks and drew rhythmically,hoping for more.I wished I had the time to make itlast. Drive him crazy…He made a sound filled with thesweetest agony. “God, Eva…your mouth.Keep sucking. Like that…hard anddeep.”I was so turned on by his pleasure Isquirmed. His hands pushed into mybound hair, pulling and tugging at theroots. I loved how he started out withtenderness, then grew rougher as thelust he felt for me overwhelmed hiscontrol.The soft bite of pain made me hungrier,greedier. My head bobbed as I pleasuredhim, jacking him with one handwhile I sucked and stroked the crest

390/796with my mouth. Heavy veins coursed thelength of his cock, and I slid the flat ofmy tongue along them, tilting my headto find and caress each one.He swelled, growing thicker andlonger. My knees were uncomfortable,but I didn’t care; my gaze was riveted toGideon as his head fell back and hefought for breath.“Eva, you suck me so good.” He heldmy head still and took over. Thrustinghis hips. Fucking my mouth. Stripped toa level of base need where only the raceto orgasm mattered.The thought made me crazed, the imagein my mind of how we must look:Gideon in all his urbane sophistication,standing at the desk where he ruled anempire, stroking his big cock in and outof my greedy mouth.I gripped his straining thighs in bothhands, frantically working my lips and

391/796tongue, desperate for his climax. Hisballs were heavy and big, an audaciousdisplay of his powerful virility. I cuppedthem, rolling them gently, feeling themtighten and draw up.“Ah, Eva.” His voice was a gutturalrasp. His grip tightened in my hair.“You’re making me come.”The first spurt of semen was so thick,I struggled to swallow. Mindless in hispleasure, Gideon was thrusting againstthe back of my throat, his cock throbbingwith every wrenching pulse into mymouth. My eyes watered and my lungsburned, but still I pumped my fists,milking him. His entire body shudderedas I took everything he had. The soundshe made and the muttered, breathlesspraise were the most gratifying I’d everheard.I licked him clean, marveling at howhe didn’t fully soften even after an

392/796explosive orgasm. He was still capable offucking me senseless and more thanwilling to, I knew. But there was no timeand I was happy about that. I wanted todo this for him. For us. For me, really,because I needed to know I could indulgein a selfless sexual act withoutfeeling taken advantage of.“I have to go,” I murmured, standingand pressing my lips to his. “I hope therest of your day is awesome, and yourbusiness dinner tonight, too.”I started to move away, but he caughtmy wrist, his gaze on the clock readouton his desk phone. I noticed my picturethen, sitting in a place of prominencewhere he’d see it all day.“Eva…Damn it. Wait.”I frowned at his tone, which soundedanxious. Frustrated.He quickly restored his appearance,tucking himself back into his boxer

393/796briefs and straightening the tail of hisshirt so he could fasten his pants. Therewas something sweet in watching himpull himself back together, restoring thefaçade he wore for the world while Iknew at least a little of the man beneathit.Tugging me close, Gideon pressed hislips to my brow. His hands movedthrough my hair to unclip my tortoisebarrette. “I didn’t get you off.”“No need.” I loved the feel of hishands on my scalp. “That rocked just theway it was.”He was overly focused on fixing myhair, his cheeks flushed from his orgasm.“I know you need an even exchange,”he argued gruffly. “I can’t letyou leave feeling like I used you.”A bittersweet tenderness pierced me.He’d listened. He cared.

394/796I cupped his face in my hands. “Youdid use me, with my permission, and itwas seriously hot. I wanted to give youthis, Gideon. Remember? I warned you.I wanted you to have this memory ofme.”His eyes widened with alarm. “Whythe fuck do I need memories when Ihave you? Eva, if this is about thephoto—”“Shut up and enjoy the high.” Wedidn’t have the time to get into thephoto issue now and I didn’t want to. Itwas going to ruin everything. “If we’dhad an hour, I still wouldn’t let you getme off. I’m not keeping score with you,ace. And honestly, you’re the first guy Ican say that to. Now, I have to go. Youhave to go.”I started away again, but he caughtme back.

395/796Scott’s voice came through the speaker.“Excuse me, Mr. Cross. But yourthree o’clock is here.”“It’s okay, Gideon,” I assured him.“You’re coming over tonight, right?”“Nothing could keep me away.”I shoved up onto my tiptoes andkissed his cheek. “We’ll talk then.”After work, I took the stairs down to theground floor to feel less guilty aboutskipping the gym and seriously regrettedit by the time I reached the lobby. Lackof sleep from the night before had leftme wiped out. I was contemplating takingthe subway rather than walkingwhen I saw Gideon’s Bentley at the curb.When the driver got out and greeted meby name, I halted abruptly, surprised.“Mr. Cross asked that I take youhome,” he said, looking smart in his

396/796black suit and chauffeur hat. He was anolder gentleman with graying red hair,pale blue eyes, and the softest of culturedaccents.As much as my legs ached, I wasgrateful for the offer. “Thank you…? I’msorry—what was your name?”“Angus, Miss Tramell.”How had I not remembered that? Thename was so cool, it made me smile.“Thank you, Angus.”He tipped his hat. “My pleasure.”I slid through the back door heopened for me and as I settled into theseat, I caught a glimpse of the handgunhe wore in a shoulder holster beneathhis jacket. It appeared that Angus, likeClancy, was both bodyguard and driver.We pulled away from the curb and Iasked, “How long have you been workingfor Mr. Cross, Angus?”“Eight years now.”

397/796“Quite a while.”“I’ve known him longer than that,” hevolunteered, catching my gaze in therearview mirror. “I drove him to schoolwhen he was a boy. He hired me awayfrom Mr. Vidal when the time came.”Once again, I tried to picture Gideonas a child. No doubt he’d been beautifuland charismatic even then.Had he enjoyed “normal” sexual relationshipswhen he was a teenager? Icouldn’t imagine that women weren’tthrowing themselves at him even then.And as innately sexual as he was, I imaginedhe’d been a horny teen.Digging in my purse, I pulled out mykeys and leaned forward to set them onthe front passenger seat. “Can you seethat Gideon gets those? He’s supposedto come over after whatever it is he’s doingtonight and depending on how latethat is, I might not hear him knock.”

398/796“Of course.”Paul opened the door for me when wearrived at my apartment and he greetedAngus by name, reminding me thatGideon owned the building. I waved toboth men, told the front desk Gideonwould be coming over later, and thentook myself upstairs. Cary’s raisedbrows when he opened the door to memade me laugh.“Gideon’s coming over later,” I explained,“but I’m feeling so hammeredright now I may not stay up long. So Igave him my keys to let himself in. Didyou order already?”“I did. And I tossed a few bottles ofCristal in the wine fridge.”“You’re the best.” I shoved my bag athim.I showered and called my mom fromthe phone in my room, wincing at her

399/796strident, “I have been trying to reachyou for days!”“Mom, if it’s about Gideon Cross—”“Well, of course, it’s partly about him!For goodness’ sake, Eva. You’re beingcalled the significant woman in his life.How could I not want to talk aboutthat?”“Mom—”“But there’s also the appointment youasked me to make with Dr. Petersen.”The note of smug amusement in hervoice made me smile. “We’re scheduledto meet with him Thursday at six o’clockin the evening. I hope that works foryou. He doesn’t do many eveningappointments.”I plopped backward onto my bed witha sigh. I’d been so distracted by workand Gideon that the appointment hadslipped my mind. “Thursday at six willbe fine. Thank you.”

400/796“Now, then. Tell me about Cross…”When I emerged from my bedroomdressed in jersey pants and a San DiegoState University sweatshirt, I found Treyseated with Cary in the living room.Both men stood when I came in andTrey gifted me with an open, friendlysmile.“I’m sorry I look so ragged,” I saidsheepishly, running my fingers throughmy damp ponytail. “Taking the stairs atwork almost killed me today.”“Elevator take the day off?” he asked.“Nope. My brain did. What the hellwas I thinking?” Spending the nightwith Gideon was enough of a workout.The doorbell rang and Cary went toget it while I headed into the kitchen forthe Cristal. I joined him at the breakfastbar as he signed the credit card receiptand the look in his eyes when he glancedat Trey had me hiding a smile.

401/796There were a lot of those looks goingback and forth between the two men asthe evening progressed. And I had toagree with Cary that Trey was a hottie.Dressed in distressed jeans, matchingvest, and a long-sleeved shirt, the aspiringveterinarian looked casual but wellput together. He was very differentpersonality-wise from the type of guyCary usually dated. Trey seemed moregrounded; not quite somber, but definitelynot flighty. I thought he’d be a goodinfluence on Cary, if they stayed togetherlong enough.The three of us made it through twobottles of Cristal and two pizzas betweenus, plus all of Demolition Man before Icalled it a night. I urged Trey to stay forDriven to round out the Stallone minimarathon;then I went to my room andchanged into a sexy black baby doll I’d

402/796been given as part of a bridesmaid giftbag—sans the matching panties.Leaving a candle burning for Gideon,I crashed.I woke to darkness and the scent ofGideon’s skin, the lights and sounds ofthe city shut out by soundproofed windowsand blackout drapes.Gideon slid over me, a moving shadow,his bare skin cool to the touch. Hismouth slanted over mine, kissing meslow and deeply, tasting of mint and hisown unique flavor. My hands slid downhis sleekly muscular back, my legs partingso he could settle comfortablybetween them. The weight of himagainst me made my heart sigh and myblood warm with desire.“Well, hello to you, too,” I saidbreathlessly when he let me up for air.

403/796“You’ll come with me next time,” hemurmured in that sexy and decadentvoice, nibbling at my throat.“Will I?” I teased.He reached down and cupped my buttin his hand, squeezing and lifting me intoa deft roll of his hips. “Yes. I missedyou, Eva.”I ran my fingers through his hair,wishing I could see him. “You haven’tknown me long enough to miss me.”“Shows how much you know,” Gideonscoffed, sliding downward and nuzzlingbetween my breasts.I gasped as his mouth covered mynipple and sucked through the satin,deep pulls that echoed in the clenchingof my core. He moved to my otherbreast, his hand pushing up the hem ofmy baby doll. I arched into him, lost tothe magic of his mouth as it moved over

404/796my body, his tongue dipping into my navel,then sliding lower.“And you missed me, too,” he purredwith masculine satisfaction, the tip ofhis middle finger rimming my cleft.“You’re swollen and wet for me.”He pulled my legs over his shouldersand licked between my folds, soft andprovocative laps of hot velvet against mysensitive flesh. My hands fisted in thesheet, my chest heaving as he circled myclit with the tip of his tongue, thennudged the hypersensitive knot ofnerves. I keened, my hips moving restlesslyinto the devious torment, mymuscles tightening with the clawingneed to come.The light, teasing flutters were drivingme insane, giving me just enough tomake me writhe but not enough to getme off. “Gideon, please.”“Not yet.”

405/796He tortured me, coaxing my body tothe brink of orgasm, and then letting meslide back down. Over and over. Untilsweat misted my skin and my heart feltlike it would burst. His tongue was tirelessand diabolical, cleverly focusing onmy clit until a single stroke would set meoff, then moving lower to thrust into me.The soft, shallow plunges were maddening,the flickering against the nerveladentissues making me desperateenough to beg shamelessly.“Please, Gideon…let me come…I needto come, please.”“Shh, angel…I’ll take care of you.”He finished me with a tenderness thatmade the orgasm roll through me like acrashing wave, building and swellingand spreading through me in a warmrush of pleasure.He threaded his fingers with minewhen he came over me again,

406/796restraining my arms. The head of hiscock aligned with the slick entrance ofmy body and he pushed inexorably intome. I moaned, shifting to accommodatethe heavy surge of his penis.Gideon’s breath gusted hard and humidagainst my throat, his big frametrembling as he slid carefully inside me.“You’re so soft and warm. Mine, Eva.You’re mine.”I wrapped my legs around his hips,welcoming him deeper, feeling his buttocksflex and release against my calvesas he demonstrated to my body that itwould indeed take his thick length allthe way to the root.With our hands linked, he took mymouth and began to move, gliding inand out with languid skill, the tempoprecise and relentless yet smooth andeasy. I felt every rock-hard inch of him,felt the unmistakable reiteration that

407/796every inch of me was his to possess. Hedrove the message home repeatedly untilI was gasping against his mouth,thrashing restlessly beneath him, myhands bloodless from the strength of mygrip on his.He spoke heated praise and encouragement,telling me how beautiful Iwas…how perfect I felt to him…how he’dnever stop…couldn’t stop. I came with asharp cry of relief, vibrating with the ecstasyof it, and he was right there withme. His pace quickened for severalslamming thrusts; then he climaxedwith a hiss of my name, spilling into me.I sank lax into the mattress, sweatyand boneless and replete.“I’m not done,” he whispered darkly,adjusting his knees to increase the forceof his thrusts. The pace remained expertlymeasured, each plunge staking aclaim—your body exists to serve me.

408/796Biting my lip, I fought back thesounds of helpless pleasure thatmight’ve broken the tranquility of thenight…and betrayed the frighteningdepths of emotion I was beginning tofeel for Gideon Cross.

Gideon found me in the shower the nextmorning. He strode into the master bathgloriously nude, moving with that sleekconfident grace I’d admired from the beginning.His hair framed his face and

410/796shoulders in a sexy disheveled mane, alook that screamed a woman hadclenched the rough black silk in greedyhands. Watching the flexing of hismuscles as he moved, I didn’t even pretendnot to stare at the magnificentpackage between his legs.Despite the heat of the water, mynipples beaded tight and goose bumpsraced across my skin.His knowing smile as he joined metold me he knew exactly what kind of effecthe had on me. I retaliated by runningsoapy hands all over his godlikebody; then sitting on the bench andsucking him off with such enthusiasmhe had to support himself with bothpalms pressed flat against the tile.His raw, raspy instructions echoed inmy mind the entire time I dressed forwork, which I did quickly—before hehad a chance to finish his shower and

411/796fuck the hell out of me as he’dthreatened to just before spurtingfiercely down my throat.He’d had no nightmares during thenight. Sex as a sedative seemed to beworking, and I was extremely gratefulfor that.“I hope you don’t think you’ve gottenaway,” he said when he prowled afterme into the kitchen. Immaculatelydressed in a black pinstriped suit, he acceptedthe cup of coffee I handed himand gave me a look that promised allsorts of wicked things. I saw him in hissupremely civilized attire and thought ofthe insatiable male who’d slipped intomy bed during the night. My bloodquickened. I was sore, my musclesthrumming with remembered pleasure,and I was still thinking about more.“Keep looking at me like that,” hewarned, leaning casually into the

412/796counter and sipping his coffee. “Seewhat happens.”“I’m going to lose my job over you.”“I’d give you another one.”I snorted. “As what? Your sex slave?”“What a provocative suggestion. Let’sdiscuss.”“Fiend,” I muttered, rinsing out mymug in the sink and putting it in thedishwasher. “Ready? For work?”He finished his coffee and I held outmy hand for his mug, but he bypassedme and rinsed it out himself. Anothermortal task that made him seem accessible,less of a fantasy I’d never have achance of holding on to.He faced me. “I want to take you outto dinner tonight, and then take youhome to my bed.”“I don’t want you to burn out on me,Gideon.” He was a man used to beingalone, a man who hadn’t had a

413/796meaningful physical relationship in along time, if ever. How long before hisflight instincts kicked in? Besides, wereally needed to stay out of the publiceye as a couple…“Don’t make excuses.” His featureshardened. “You don’t get to decide Ican’t do this.”I kicked myself for offending him. Hewas trying and I needed to make sure hegot credit for that, not discouragement.“That’s not what I meant. I just don’twant to crowd you. Plus we still needto—”“Eva.” He sighed, the hard tensionleaving him with that frustrated exhalation.“You have to trust me. I’m trustingyou. I’ve had to or we wouldn’t be herenow.”Okay. I nodded, swallowing hard.“Dinner and your place it is, then. I honestlycan’t wait.”

414/796Gideon’s words about trust lingered inmy mind all morning, which was a goodthing when the Google alert digest hitmy inbox.There was more than one photo thistime around. Each article and blog posthad several shots of me and Caryhugging good-bye outside the restaurantwhere we’d had lunch the day before.The captions speculated on the nature ofour relationship and some noted that welived together. Others suggested I wasreeling in “billionaire playboy Cross”while keeping my up-and-coming modelboyfriend on the side.The reason for the publicity becameapparent when I saw the picture ofGideon mingled with the ones of me andCary. It had been taken last night, whileI was watching movies with Cary and

415/796Trey—and while Gideon was supposedlyat a business dinner. In the photo,Gideon and Magdalene Perez smiled intimatelyat each other, her hand on hisforearm as they stood outside a restaurant.The captions ranged between kudosfor Gideon’s “bevy of beautiful socialites”to speculation that he was hiding abroken heart over my infidelity by datingother women.You have to trust me.I closed my inbox, my breathing tooquick and my heartbeat too fast. Jealousconfusion twisted my gut. I knew hecouldn’t possibly have been physicallyintimate with another woman and Iknew he cared for me. But I hated Magdalenewith a passion—certainly she’dgiven me good reason to during ourbathroom chat—and I couldn’t standseeing her with Gideon. Couldn’t standseeing him smiling so fondly at her,

416/796especially after the way she’d treatedme.But I put it away. I shoved it into abox in my mind and I focused on myjob. Mark was meeting with Gideon tomorrowto go over the RFP for theKingsman campaign and I was organizingthe information flowing betweenMark and the contributing departments.“Hey, Eva.” Mark poked his head outof his office. “Steve and I are meeting atBryant Park Grill for lunch. He asked ifyou’d come. He’d like to see you again.”“I’d love to.” My whole afternoonbrightened at the thought of enjoyinglunch at one of my favorite restaurantswith two really charming guys. They’ddistract me from thinking about theconversation I was hours away fromhaving with Gideon about my past.My privacy was clearly gone. I wouldhave to grow a set of balls and talk to

Gideon before we went out to dinner.Before he was seen in public with meany further. He needed to know the riskhe was taking by being associated withme.When I received an interoffice envelopea short while later, I assumed it wasa small mock-up of one of the Kingsmanads, but found a note card from Gideoninstead.Noon. My office.417/796“Really?” I muttered, irritated by thelack of salutation and closing. Not tomention the lack of a request. And whocould forget the fact that Gideon hadn’teven mentioned running into Magdaleneat dinner?Had he invited her as his date in mystead? That’s what she was there for,after all. To be one of the women he socializedwith outside of his hotel room.

I flipped Gideon’s card over andwrote the same number of words withno signature:Sorry. Have plans.418/796A bratty reply, but he deserved it.When a quarter to noon rolled around,Mark and I headed down to the groundfloor. When I was stopped by securityand the guard called up to Gideon to tellhim I was in the lobby, my irritationkicked into a temper.“Let’s go,” I said to Mark, striding towardthe revolving door and ignoringthe pleas of the security guard to wait amoment. I felt bad putting him in themiddle.I saw Angus and the Bentley at thecurb at the same moment I heardGideon snap out my name like a whipcrackbehind me. I faced him as hejoined us on the sidewalk with his faceimpassive and his gaze icy.

419/796“I’m going to lunch with my boss,” Itold him, my chin lifting.“Where are you headed, Garrity?”Gideon asked without taking his eyes offme.“Bryant Park Grill.”“I’ll see that she gets there.” Withthat, he took my arm and steered mefirmly toward the Bentley and the reardoor that Angus held open for me.Gideon crowded in behind me, forcingme to scramble across the seat. The doorshut and we were off.I yanked the skirt of my sheath dressback into place. “What are you doing?Besides embarrassing me in front of myboss!”He draped one arm over the back ofthe seat and leaned toward me. “Is Caryin love with you?”“What? No!”“Have you fucked him?”

420/796“Have you lost your mind?” Mortified,I shot a glance at Angus and found himacting like he was deaf. “Screw you, billionaireplayboy with your bevy of beautifulsocialites.”“So you did see the photos.”I was so mad I was panting. Thenerve. I turned my head away, dismissinghim and his idiotic accusations.“Cary’s like a brother to me. You knowthat.”“Ah, but what are you to him? Thephotos were amazingly clear, Eva. Iknow love when I see it.”Angus slowed for a herd of pedestrianscrossing the street. I shoved thedoor open and looked at Gideon over myshoulder, letting him take a good look atmy face. “Obviously, you don’t.”I slammed the door shut and set offbriskly, righteous in my anger. I’dfought back my own questions and

421/796jealousy with herculean effort, and whatdid I get for it? An irrationally pissed-offGideon.“Eva. Stop right there.”I flipped him the bird over myshoulder and raced up the short stepsinto Bryant Park, a lushly green andtranquil oasis in the midst of the city.Just crossing up and over from the sidewalkwas like being transported to acompletely different realm. Dwarfed bythe towering skyscrapers surrounding it,Bryant Park was a garden land behind abeautiful old library. A place where timeslowed, children laughed over the innocentjoy of a carousel ride, and bookswere treasured companions.Unfortunately for me, the gorgeousogre from one world chased me into theother. Gideon caught me by the waist.“Don’t run,” he hissed in my ear.“You’re acting like a nut job.”

422/796“Maybe because you drive me fuckingcrazy.” His arms tightened into steelbands. “You’re mine. Tell me Caryknows that.”“Right. Like Magdalene knows you’remine.” I wished he had something nearmy mouth that I could bite. “You’recausing a scene.”“We could’ve done this in my office, ifyou weren’t so damned stubborn.”“I had plans, asshat. And you’re fuckingthem up for me.” My voice broke,tears welling as I felt the number of eyeson us. I was going to get fired for beingan embarrassing spectacle. “You’re fuckingup everything.”Gideon instantly released me, turningme to face him. His grip on myshoulders ensured I still couldn’t getaway.

423/796“Christ.” He crushed me against him,his lips in my hair. “Don’t cry. I’msorry.”I beat my fist against his chest, whichwas as effectual as hitting a rock wall.“What’s wrong with you? You can goout with a catty bitch who calls me awhore and thinks she’s going to marryyou, but I can’t have lunch with a dearfriend who’s been pulling for you fromthe beginning?”“Eva.” He cupped the back of my headwith one hand and pressed his cheek tomy temple. “Maggie just happened to beat the same restaurant where I had dinnerwith my business associates.”“I don’t care. You want to talk about alook on someone’s face. The look onyours…How could you look at her likethat after what she said to me?”“Angel…” His lips moved ardentlyover my face. “That look was for you.

424/796Maggie caught me outside and I told herI was heading home to you. I can’t helphow I look when I’m thinking about usbeing alone together.”“And you expect me to believe shesmiled about that?”“She told me to tell you hello, but Ifigured that wouldn’t go over well, andthere was no way I was ruining our nightover her.”My arms slid around his waist beneathhis jacket. “We need to talk. Tonight,Gideon. There are things I have totell you. If a reporter looks in the rightplace and gets lucky…We have to keepour relationship private or end it. Eitherwould be better for you.”Gideon cupped my face and pressedhis forehead to mine. “Neither is an option.Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”I pushed up onto my toes and pressedmy mouth to his. Our tongues stroked

425/796and dipped, the kiss wildly passionate. Iwas vaguely aware of the multitude ofpeople milling around us, the buzz ofnumerous conversations, and the steadyrumble of the ceaseless midtown traffic,but none of it mattered while I wassheltered by Gideon. Cherished by him.He was both tormentor and pleasurer, aman whose mood swings and volatilepassions rivaled my own.“There,” he whispered, running hisfingertips down my cheek. “Let that goviral.”“You’re not listening to me, you crazystubborn man. I have to go.”“We’ll ride home together after work.”He backed away, holding my hand untildistance pulled our fingers apart.When I turned toward the ivy-drapedrestaurant, I saw Mark and Steven waitingfor me by the entrance. They made

426/796such a pair with Mark in his suit and tie,and Steven in his worn jeans and boots.Steven stood with his hands in hispockets and big grin on his attractiveface. “I feel like I should applaud. Thatwas better than watching a chick flick.”My face heated and I shifted on myfeet.Mark opened the door and waved meinside. “I think you can ignore my previouswords of wisdom about Cross’swomanizing.”“Thanks for not firing me,” I repliedwryly as we waited for the hostess tocheck our reservation and table. “Or atleast feeding me first.”Steven patted my shoulder. “Markcan’t afford to lose you.”Pulling out a chair for me, Marksmiled. “How else will I give Steven regularupdates on your love life? He’s a

427/796soap opera addict, you know. He lovesromantic dramas.”I snorted. “You’re kidding.”Steven ran a hand over his chin andsmiled. “I’ll never admit it one way orthe other. A man’s got to have hissecrets.”My mouth curved, but I was painfullyaware of my own hidden truths. Andhow quickly time was passing before I’dhave to reveal them.Five o’clock found me steeling myself todivulge my secrets. I was tense andsomber when Gideon and I slid into theBentley, and my disquiet only worsenedwhen I felt him studying the side of myaverted face. When he took my handand lifted it to his lips, I felt like crying. Iwas still trying to adjust after our

428/796argument in the park, and that was theleast of what we had to deal with.We didn’t speak until we arrived athis apartment.When we entered his home, he led mestraight through his beautiful, expansiveliving room and down the hall to hisbedroom. There, laid out on the bed,was a fabulous cocktail dress the color ofGideon’s eyes and a floor-length blacksilk robe.“I had a little time to shop before dinneryesterday,” he explained.My apprehension lifted slightly,softened by pleasure at his thoughtfulness.“Thank you.”He set my bag on a chair by the dresser.“I’d like you to get comfortable. Youcan wear the robe or something of mine.I’ll open a bottle of wine and we’ll justsettle in. When you’re ready, we’ll talk.”

429/796“I’d like to take a quick shower.” Iwished we could separate whathappened in the park from what I had totell him so that each issue was dealt withon its own merits, but I didn’t have achoice. Every day was another opportunityfor someone else to tell Gideonwhat he needed to hear from me.“Whatever you want, angel. Makeyourself at home.”As I kicked off my heels and movedinto the bathroom, I felt the weight ofhis concern, but my revelations wouldhave to hold until I could compose myselfbetter. In an effort to gain that control,I took my time in the shower. Unfortunately,it made me remember theone we’d taken together just that morning.Had that been both our first andlast as a couple?When I was ready, I found Gideonstanding by the couch in the living

430/796room. He’d changed into black silk pajamabottoms that hung low around hiships. Nothing else. A small blazeflickered in the fireplace and a bottle ofwine sat in an ice-filled bucket on thecoffee table. A grouping of ivory candleshad been clustered as a centerpiece,their golden glow the only illuminationbesides the fire.“Excuse me,” I said from thethreshold of the room. “I’m looking forGideon Cross, the man who doesn’t haveromance in his repertoire.”He grinned sheepishly, a boyish smileso at odds with the mature sexuality ofhis bared body. “I don’t think about itthat way. I just try to guess what mightplease you, and then I give it a shot andhope for the best.”“You please me.” I crossed to him, theblack robe swaying around my legs. I

431/796loved that he’d put on something thatmatched what he had given me.“I want to,” he said soberly. “I’mworking on it.”Stopping in front of him, I drank inthe beauty of his face and the sexy waythe ends of his hair caressed the top ofhis shoulders. I ran my palms down hisbiceps, squeezing the hard muscle gentlybefore stepping into him and pressingmy face into his chest.“Hey,” he murmured, wrapping hisarms around me. “Is this about me beingan ass at lunch? Or whatever it is youneed to say to me? Talk to me, Eva, so Ican tell you it’ll be okay.”I nuzzled my nose between his pecs,feeling the tickle of crisp chest hairagainst my cheek and breathing in thereassuring, familiar scent of his skin.“You should sit down. I have to tell youthings about me. Ugly things.”

432/796Gideon reluctantly let me go when Ipulled away from him. I curled up on hiscouch with my legs tucked underneathme and he poured us both glasses ofgolden wine before taking a seat. Leaningtoward me, he draped one arm overthe back of the sofa and held his glasswith the other hand, giving me every bitof his attention.“Okay. Here goes.” I took a deepbreath before starting, feeling dizzyfrom the elevated rate of my pulse. Icouldn’t remember the last time I’d beenso nervous or sick to my stomach.“My mother and father never married.I really don’t know too much abouthow they met, because neither of themtalks about it. I know my mom camefrom money. Not as much as she marriedinto, but more than most peoplehave. She was a debutante. Had thewhole white dress and presentation

433/796thing. Getting pregnant with me was amistake that got her disowned, but shekept me.”I looked down into my glass. “I reallyadmire her for that. There was a lot ofpressure for her to make thebaby—make me—go away, but she wentthrough with the pregnancy anyway.Obviously.”His fingers sifted through my showerdamphair. “Lucky me.”I caught his fingers and kissed hisknuckles, then held his hand in my lap.“Even with a kid in tow, she was able toland herself a millionaire. He was a widowerwith a son just two years olderthan me, so I think they both thoughtthey’d found the perfect arrangement.He traveled a lot and was rarely home,and my mom spent his money and tookover raising his son.”

434/796“I understand the need for money,Eva,” he murmured. “I have to have it,too. I need the power of it. The security.”Our eyes met. Something passedbetween us with that small admission. Itmade it easier for me to say what camenext.“I was ten the first time my stepbrotherraped me—”The stem of his glass snapped in hishand. He moved so swiftly he was a blur,catching the bowl of his goblet againsthis thigh before it spilled its contents.I scrambled to my feet when he roseto his. “Did you cut yourself? Are youokay?”“I’m fine,” he bit out. He went intothe kitchen and threw the broken glassaway, shattering it further. I set my ownglass down carefully, my hands shaking.I heard cupboards opening and closing.A few minutes later Gideon returned

435/796with a tumbler of something darker inhis hand.“Sit down, Eva.”I stared at him. His frame was rigid,his eyes icy cold. He scrubbed a handover his face and said more gently, “Sitdown…please.”My weakened knees gave out and I saton the edge of the sofa, pulling the robetighter around me.Gideon remained standing, taking alarge swallow of whatever was in hishand. “You said the first time. Howmany times were there?”I took conscious breaths, trying tocalm myself. “I don’t know. I lost count.”“Did you tell anyone? Did you tellyour mother?”“No. My God, if she’d known, shewould’ve gotten me out of there. ButNathan made sure I was too afraid to tellher.” I tried to swallow past a tight, dry

436/796throat and winced at the painful sandpaperyburn. When my voice came again, itwas barely a whisper. “There was a timewhen it got so bad I almost told her anyway,but he knew. Nathan could tell Iwas close. So he broke my cat’s neck andleft her on my bed.”“Jesus Christ.” His chest was heaving.“He wasn’t just fucked up, he was insane.And he was touching you…Eva.”“The servants had to know,” I went onnumbly, staring at my twisted hands. Ijust wanted to get it over with, to get itall out so I could put it back into the boxin my mind where I forgot about it in myday-to-day life. “The fact that they didn’tsay anything either told me they werescared, too. They were grownups andthey didn’t say a word. I was a child.What could I do if they wouldn’t doanything?”

437/796“How did you get out?” he askedhoarsely. “When did it end?”“When I was fourteen. I thought I washaving my period, but there was toomuch blood. My mother panicked andtook me to the emergency room. I’d hada miscarriage. In the course of the examthey found evidence of…other trauma.Vaginal and anal scarring—”Gideon set his glass down on the endtable with a harsh thud.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling like Imight be sick. “I’d spare you the details,but you need to know what someonemight dig up. The hospital reported theabuse to child services. It’s all a matterof public record, which has been sealed,but there are people who know thestory. When my mom married Stanton,he went back and tightened those seals,paid out in return for nondisclosureagreements…stuff like that. But you

438/796have a right to know that this couldcome out and embarrass you.”“Embarrass me?” he snapped, vibratingwith rage. “Embarrassment isn’t onthe list of what I’d feel.”“Gideon—”“I would destroy the career of any reporterwho wrote about this, and thenI’d dismantle the publication that ranthe piece.” He was so cold with fury, hewas icy. “I’m going to find the monsterwho hurt you, Eva, wherever he is, andI’m going to make him wish he wasdead.”A shiver moved through me, becauseI believed him. It was in his face. Hisvoice. In the energy he exuded and hissharply honed focus. He wasn’t just darkand dangerous in his looks. Gideon wasa man who got what he wanted,whatever it took.

439/796I pushed to my feet. “He’s not worththe effort. Not worth your time.”“You are. You’re worth it. Damn it.Goddamn it to hell.”I moved closer to the fireplace, needingthe warmth. “There’s also a moneytrail. Cops and reporters always followthe money. Someone may wonder whymy mother left her first marriage withtwo million dollars, but her daughterfrom a previous relationship left withfive.”Without looking, I felt his suddenstillness. “Of course,” I went on, “thatblood money’s probably grown to considerablymore than that now. I won’ttouch it, but Stanton manages thebrokerage account I dumped it in andeveryone knows he has the Midas touch.If you ever had any concern that Iwanted your money—”“Stop talking.”

440/796I turned to face him. I saw his face,his eyes. Saw the pity and horror. But itwas what I didn’t see that hurt the most.It was my greatest nightmare realized.I’d feared that my past might negativelyimpact his attraction to me. I’dtold Cary that Gideon might stay withme for all the wrong reasons. That hemight stay by my side, but that I’dstill—for all intents and purposes—losehim anyway.And it seemed I had.

I tightened the belt on my robe. “I’m goingto get dressed and go.”“What?” Gideon glared. “Go where?”“Home,” I said, weary to the bone. “Ithink you need to digest all this.”

442/796His arms crossed. “We can do thattogether.”“I don’t think we can.” My chin lifted,grief overwhelming my shame andheartrending disappointment. “Notwhile you’re looking at me like you feelsorry for me.”“I’m not made of fucking stone, Eva. Iwouldn’t be human if I didn’t care.”The emotions I’d run through sincelunch coalesced into a searing pain inmy chest and a cleansing burst of anger.“I don’t want your goddamn pity.”He shoved both hands through hishair. “What the hell do you want, then?”“You! I want you.”“You have me. How many times do Ihave to tell you that?”“Your words don’t mean shit whenyou can’t back them up. From the momentwe met, you’ve been hot for me.You haven’t been able to look at me

443/796without making it damn clear you wantto fuck my brains out. And that’s gone,Gideon.” My eyes burned. “Thatlook…it’s gone.”“You can’t be serious.” He stared atme as if I’d grown two heads.“I don’t think you know how your desiremakes me feel.” My arms wrappedaround me, covering my breasts. I suddenlyfelt naked in the worst way. “Itmakes me feel beautiful. It makes mefeel strong and alive. I—I can’t bear tobe with you if you don’t feel that wayabout me anymore.”“Eva, I…” His voice faded into silence.He was hard-faced and distant, his fistsclenched at his sides.I loosened the sash of my robe andshrugged the whole garment off me.“Look at me, Gideon. Look at my body.It’s the same one you couldn’t getenough of last night. The same one you

444/796were so desperate to get into that youtook me to that damn hotel room. If youdon’t want this anymore…if you don’tget hard looking at it—”“Is this hard enough for you?” Hebroke the drawstring of his pants pushingthem down to expose the heavy,thickly-veined length of his erection.We both lunged at the same time, colliding.Our mouths slid over each otheras he lifted me to wrap my legs aroundhis hips. He stumbled to the couch andfell, catching our combined weight withone outstretched hand.I sprawled beneath him, breathlessand sobbing, while he slid to his kneeson the floor and tongued my cleft. Hewas rough and impatient, lacking thefinesse I’d become used to, and I lovedthat he was. Loved it more when helevered over me and shoved his cock intome. I wasn’t yet fully wet and the

445/796burn made me gasp, then his thumb wason my clit, rubbing in circles that hadmy hips churning.“Yes,” I moaned, raking my nailsdown his back. He wasn’t icy anymore.He was on fire. “Fuck me, Gideon. Fuckme hard.”“Eva.” His mouth covered mine. Hefisted my hair, holding me still as helunged again and again, pounding hardand deep. He kicked off the armrest withone foot, powering into me, driving towardhis orgasm with single-minded ferocity.“Mine…mine…mine…”The rhythmic slap of his heavy ballsagainst the curve of my buttocks and theharshness of his possessive litany droveme insane with lust. I felt myself quickeningwith every twinge of pain, felt mysex tightening with my growing arousal.

446/796With a long, guttural groan he startedcoming, his flexing body quaking as heemptied himself inside me.I held him as he climaxed, strokinghis back, pressing kisses along hisshoulder.“Hold on,” he said roughly, pushinghis hands beneath me and flattening mybreasts against him.Gideon pulled me up, and then satdown with me straddling his hips. I wasslick from his orgasm, making it easy forhim to push back inside me.His hands brushed the hair awayfrom my face; then wiped my tears of relief.“I’m always hard for you, always hotfor you. I’m always half-crazy with wantingyou. If anything could change that, Iwould’ve done it before we got this far.Understand?”My hands wrapped around his wrists.“Yes.”

447/796“Now, show me that you still want meafter that.” His face was flushed anddamp, his eyes dark and turbulent. “Ineed to know that losing control doesn’tmean I’ve lost you.”I pulled his palms from my face andurged them down to my breasts. Whenhe cupped them, I splayed my hands onhis shoulders and rocked my hips. Hewas semi-hard, yet quickly thickened asI began to undulate. His fingers on mynipples, rolling and tugging, sent wavesof pleasure through me, the gentle stimulationarrowing to my core. When heurged me closer and took a hardened tipin his mouth I cried out, my body ignitingwith need for more.Clenching my thighs, I lifted. I closedmy eyes to focus on the way he felt as heslid out; then bit my lip at the way hestretched me sliding back in.

448/796“That’s it,” he murmured, lickingacross my chest to my other nipple, flutteringhis tongue over the tight, achingtip. “Come for me. I need you to comeriding my cock.”Rolling my hips, I relished the exquisitefeel of him filling me so perfectly. Ihad no shame, no regrets as I workedmyself into a frenzy on his stiff penis,adjusting the angle so that the thickcrown rubbed right where I needed it.“Gideon,” I breathed. “Oh, yes…ohplease…”“You’re so beautiful.” He gripped theback of my neck in one hand and mywaist in the other, arching his hips topush a little deeper. “So sexy. I’m goingto come for you again. That’s what youdo to me, Eva. It’s never enough.”I whimpered as everything tightened,as the sweet tension built from the deeprhythmic strokes. I was panting and

449/796frantic, pumping my hips. Reachingbetween my legs, I rubbed my clit withthe pads of my fingers, hastening myclimax.He gasped, his head thrown back intothe sofa cushion, his neck corded withstrain. “I feel you getting ready to come.Your cunt gets so hot and tight, sogreedy.”His words and his voice pushed meover. I cried out when the first hardtremor hit me; then again as the orgasmrippled through my body, my sex spasmingaround Gideon’s steely erection.Teeth grinding audibly, he held onuntil the clenches began to fade; then heclutched my hips aloft and pumped upwardinto me. Once, twice. On the thirddeep thrust, he growled my name andspurted hotly, laying the last of my fearsand doubts to rest.

450/796I don’t know how long we sprawled onthe couch like that, connected and close,my head on his shoulder and his handscaressing the curve of my spine.Gideon pressed his lips to my templeand murmured, “Stay.”“Yes.”He hugged me. “You’re so brave, Eva.So strong and honest. You’re a miracle.My miracle.”“A miracle of modern therapy,maybe,” I scoffed, my fingers playing inhis luxuriant hair. “And even with that, Iwas really fucked up for a while andthere are still some triggers I don’t thinkI’ll ever get past.”“God. The way I came on to you in thebeginning…I could’ve ruined us beforewe even got started. And the advocacydinner—” He shuddered and buried his

451/796face in my neck. “Eva, don’t let me blowthis. Don’t let me chase you away.”Lifting my head, I searched his face.He was impossibly gorgeous. I hadtrouble taking it in at times. “You can’tsecond-guess everything you do or sayto me because of Nathan and what hedid. It’ll break us apart. It’ll end us.”“Don’t say that. Don’t even thinkabout it.”I smoothed his knit brow with strokesof my thumb. “I wish I could’ve nevertold you. I wish you didn’t have toknow.”He caught my hand and pressed myfingertips to his lips. “I have to knoweverything, every part of you, inside andout, every detail.”“A woman has to have some secrets,”I teased.“You won’t have any with me.” Hecaptured me by my hair and an arm

452/796banded around my hips, urging meagainst him, reminding me—as if I couldforget—that he was still inside me. “I’mgoing to possess you, Eva. It’s only fairsince you’ve possessed me.”“And what about your secrets,Gideon?”His face smoothed into an emotionlessmask, an act so easily accomplishedI knew it had become second nature tohim. “I started from scratch when I metyou. Everything I thought I was,everything I thought I needed…” Heshook his head. “We’re figuring out whoI am together. You’re the only one whoknows me.”But I didn’t. Not really. I was figuringhim out, learning him bit by bit, but hewas still a mystery to me in so manyways.“Eva…If you just tell me what youwant—” His throat worked on a swallow.

453/796“I can get better at this, if you give methe chance. Just don’t…don’t give up onme.”Jesus. He could shred me so easily. Afew words, a desperate look, and I wascut wide open.I touched his face, his hair, hisshoulders. He was as broken as I was, ina way I didn’t yet know about. “I needsomething from you, Gideon.”“Anything. Just tell me what it is.”“Every day, I need you to tell mesomething I don’t know about you. Somethinginsightful, no matter howsmall. I need you to promise me thatyou will.”Gideon eyed me warily. “Whatever Iwant?”I nodded, unsure of myself and what Ihoped to get out of him.He exhaled harshly. “Okay.”

454/796I kissed him softly, a silent show ofthanks.Nuzzling his nose against mine, heasked, “Let’s go out to dinner. Or do youwant to order in?”“Are you sure we should go out?”“I want to go on a date with you.”There was no way I could say no tothat, not when I knew what a big step itwas for him. A big step for both of us,really, since the last time we’d gone on adate it’d ended in disaster. “Sounds romantic.And irresistible.”His joyful smile was my reward, aswas the shower we took to clean up. Iloved the intimacy of washing his bodyas much as I loved the feel of his palmsgliding over me. When I took his handand put it between my legs, urging twoof his fingers inside me, I saw the familiarand very welcome heat in his eyes ashe felt the slick essence he’d left behind.

455/796He kissed me and murmured, “Mine.”Which prompted me to slide bothhands over his cock and whisper thesame claim back to him.In the bedroom, I lifted my new bluedress off the bed and hugged it to me.“You picked this out, Gideon?”“I did, yes. Do you like it?”“It’s beautiful.” I smiled. “My mothersaid you had excellent taste…except foryour preference for brunettes.”He glanced at me just before his veryfine, very firm naked ass disappeared intohis massive walk-in closet. “Whatbrunettes?”“Ooh, nicely done.”“Look in the top drawer on the right,”he called out.Was he trying to distract me fromthinking about all the brunettes he’dbeen photographed with—includingMagdalene?

456/796I left the dress on the bed and openedthe drawer. Inside were a dozen CarineGilson lingerie sets, all in my size, in awide range of colors. There were alsogarters and silk stockings still in theirpackages.I looked up at Gideon as he reappearedwith his clothes in hand. “Ihave a drawer?”“You have three in the dresser andtwo in the bathroom.”“Gideon.” I smiled. “Working up to adrawer usually takes a few months.”“How would you know?” He laid hisclothes on the bed. “You’ve lived with aman other than Cary?”I shot him a look. “Having a drawerisn’t living with someone.”“That’s not an answer.” He walkedover and brushed me gently aside tograb a pair of boxer briefs.

457/796Sensing his withdrawal and darkeningmood, I replied before he movedaway. “I haven’t lived with any othermen, no.”Leaning over, Gideon pressed abrusque kiss to my forehead before returningto the bed. He paused at thefootboard with his back to me. “I wantthis relationship to mean more to youthan any others you’ve had.”“It does. By far.” I tightened the knotof the towel between my breasts. “I’mstruggling with that a little. It’s becomeimportant so quickly. Maybe tooquickly. I keep thinking it’s too good tobe true.”Turning, he faced me. “Maybe it is. Ifso, we deserve it.”I went to him and let him pull me intohis arms. It was where I wanted to bemore than anywhere else.

458/796He pressed a kiss to the crown of myhead. “I can’t stand the thought thatyou’re waiting for this to end. That’swhat you’re doing, isn’t it? That’s whatyou sound like.”“I’m sorry.”“We just have to make you feel secure.”He ran his fingers through myhair. “How do we do that?”I hesitated a moment, then went forit. “Would you go to couples therapywith me?”The stroking of his fingers paused. Hestood silently for a moment, breathingdeeply.“Just think about it,” I suggested.“Maybe look into it, see what it’s about.”“Am I doing this wrong? You and me?Am I fucking it up that much?”I pulled back to look at him. “No,Gideon. You’re perfect. Perfect for me,

459/796anyway. I’m crazy about you. I thinkyou’re—”He kissed me. “I’ll do it. I’ll go.”I loved him in that moment. Wildly.And the moment after that. And allthrough the ride to what turned out tobe a dazzling, intimate dinner at Masa.We were one of only three parties in therestaurant and Gideon was greeted byname on sight. The food we were servedwas otherworldly good and the wine tooexpensive to think about or I wouldn’thave been able to swallow it. Gideon wasdarkly charismatic; his charm was relaxedand seductive.I felt beautiful in the dress he’dchosen and my mood was light. He knewthe worst of what there was to knowabout me, but he was still with me.His fingertips caressed myshoulder…drew circles on my nape…sliddown my back. He kissed my temple

460/796and nuzzled beneath my ear, his tonguelightly touching the sensitive skin.Beneath the table, his hand squeezed mythigh and cupped the back of my knee.My entire body vibrated with awarenessof him. I wanted him so badly I ached.“How did you meet Cary?” he asked,eyeing me over the lip of his wineglass.“Group therapy.” I set my hand overhis to still its upward slide on my leg,smiling at the mischievous glimmer inhis eyes. “My dad’s a cop and he’d heardof this therapist who supposedly hadmad skills with wild kids, which I was.Cary was seeing Dr. Travis, too.”“Mad skills, huh?” Gideon smiled.“Dr. Travis isn’t like any other therapistI’ve ever met. His office is an oldgymnasium he converted. He had anopen door policy with ‘his kids’ andhanging out there was more real to methan lying on a couch. Plus he had a no-

461/796bullshit rule. It was straight up honestyboth ways or he’d get pissed. I’ve alwaysliked that about him, that he caredenough to get emotional.”“Did you choose SDSU because yourdad’s in Southern California?”My mouth twisted wryly as he revealedanother bit of knowledge aboutme that I hadn’t given him. “How muchhave you dug up on me?”“Whatever I could find.”“Do I want to know how extensivethat is?”He lifted my hand to his lips andkissed the back. “Probably not.”I shook my head, exasperated. “Yes,that’s why I attended SDSU. I didn’t getto spend a lot of time with my dad whileI was growing up. Plus my mother wassmothering me to death.”“And you never told your dad aboutwhat happened to you?”

462/796“No.” I rolled the stem of my wineglassbetween my fingers. “He knows Iwas an angry troublemaker with self-esteemissues, but he doesn’t know aboutNathan.”“Why not?”“Because he can’t change whathappened. Nathan was lawfully punished.His father paid a large sum fordamages. Justice was served.”Gideon spoke coolly. “I disagree.”“What more can you expect?”He drank deeply before replying. “It’snot fit to describe over dinner.”“Oh.” Because that sounded ominous,especially when paired with the ice ofhis gaze, I returned my attention to thefood in front of me. There was no menuat Masa, only omakase, so every bitewas a surprise delight, and the dearth ofpatrons made it seem almost as if wehad the whole place to ourselves.

463/796After a moment, he said, “I lovewatching you eat.”I shot him a look. “What’s that supposedto mean?”“You eat with gusto. And your littlemoans of pleasure make me hard.”I bumped my shoulder into his. “Byyour own admission, you’re alwayshard.”“Your fault,” he said, grinning, whichmade me grin, too.Gideon ate with more deliberationthan I did and didn’t bat an eye at theastronomical check.Before we stepped outside, he slid hisjacket over my shoulders and said, “Let’sgo to your gym tomorrow.”I glanced at him. “Yours is nicer.”“Of course it is. But I’ll go whereveryou like.”“Someplace without helpful trainersnamed Daniel?” I asked sweetly.

464/796He looked at me with an arched browand a wry curving of his lips. “Watchyourself, angel. Before I think of a suitableconsequence for mocking my possessivenesswhere you’re concerned.”I noted he didn’t threaten me with aspanking again. Did he understand thatadministered pain with sex was a majortrigger for me? It took me back to amental place I never wanted to returnto.On the ride back to Gideon’s place, Icurled into him in the back of the Bentley,my legs slung over one of his thighsand my head on his shoulder. I thoughtabout the ways Nathan’s abuse still affectedmy life—my sex life in particular.How many of those ghosts couldGideon and I exorcise together? Afterthat brief glimpse of toys I’d seen in thehotel room drawer, it was clear he wasmore experienced and sexually

465/796adventurous than I was. And the pleasureI’d derived from the ferocity of hislovemaking on the couch earlier provedto me that he could do things to me noone else could.“I trust you,” I whispered.His arms tightened around me. Withhis lips in my hair, he murmured,“We’re going to be good for each other,Eva.”When I fell asleep in his arms laterthat night, it was with those words in myhead.“Don’t…No. No, don’t…. Please.”Gideon’s cries had me jackknifing upin the bed, my heart thudding violently.I fought for breath, glancing wild-eyedat the man thrashing next to me.He snarled like a feral beast, hishands fisted and his legs kicking

466/796restlessly. I moved back, afraid he’dstrike out at me unknowingly in hisdreams.“Get off of me,” he panted.“Gideon! Wake up.”“Get…off…” His hips arched upwardwith a hiss of pain. He hovered there,teeth gritted, his back bowed as if thebed was on fire beneath him. Then hecollapsed, the mattress jolting as hebounced off of it.“Gideon.” I reached for the bedsidelamp, my throat burning. I couldn’treach it, had to throw the tangledblankets off to get closer. Gideon waswrithing in agony, thrashing so violentlyhe shook the bed.The room lit up in a sudden flare of illumination.I turned toward him…And found him masturbating withshocking viciousness.

467/796His right hand gripped his cock withwhite knuckled force, pumping brutallyfast. His left hand clenched the fittedsheet. Torment and pain twisted hisbeautiful face.Fearing for his safety, I shoved hisshoulder with both hands. “Gideon, goddamnit. Wake up!”My scream broke through the nightmare.His eyes flew open and he jerkedupright, his eyes darting frantically.“What?” he gasped, his chest heaving.His face was flushed, his lips and cheeksred with arousal. “What is it?”“Jesus.” I shoved my hands throughmy hair and slid out of bed, snatchingup the black robe I’d hung over thefootboard.What was in his mind? What couldmake someone have such violentlysexual dreams?

468/796My voice shook. “You were having anightmare. You scared the hell out ofme.”“Eva.” He looked down at his erectionand his color darkened with shame.I stared at him from my safe place bythe window, tying the sash of my robewith a yank. “What were you dreamingabout?”He shook his head, his gaze loweredwith humiliation, a vulnerable posture Ididn’t know or recognize in him. It wasas if someone else had taken overGideon’s body. “I don’t know.”“Bullshit. Something’s in you,something’s eating at you. What is it?”He rallied visibly as his brainstruggled free of sleep. “It was just adream, Eva. People have them.”I stared at him, hurt blooming that hewould take that tone with me, as if I wasbeing irrational. “Screw you.”

469/796His shoulders squared, and he tuggedthe sheet over his lap. “Why are youmad?”“Because you’re lying.”His chest expanded on a deep breath;then he released it in a rush. “I’m sorry Iwoke you.”I pinched the bridge of my nose, feelinga headache gathering strength. Myeyes stung with the need to cry for him,to cry for whatever torment he’d oncelived through. And to cry for us, becauseif he didn’t let me in, our relationshiphad nowhere to go.“One more time, Gideon: what wereyou dreaming about?”“I don’t remember.” He ran a handthrough his hair and slid his legs off theedge of the bed. “I have some businesson my mind and it’s probably keepingme up. I’m going to work in my home

470/796office for a while. Come back to bed, andtry to get some sleep.”“There were a few right answers tothat question, Gideon. ‘Let’s talk about ittomorrow’ would’ve been one. ‘Let’s talkabout it over the weekend’ would’vebeen another. And even ‘I’m not readyto talk about it’ would be okay. But youhave some nerve acting like you don’tknow what I’m talking about whilespeaking to me like I’m unreasonable.”“Angel—”“Don’t.” My arms wrapped around mywaist. “Do you think it was easy tellingyou about my past? Do you think it waspainless cutting myself open and lettingthe ugliness spill out? It would’ve beensimpler to cut you off and date someoneless prominent. I took the risk because Iwant to be with you. Maybe somedayyou’ll feel the same way about me.”I left the room.

471/796“Eva! Eva, damn it, come back here.What’s wrong with you?”I walked faster. I knew how he felt:the sickness in the gut that spread likecancer, the helpless anger, and the needto curl up in private and find thestrength to shove the memories back intothe deep dark hole they still lived in.It wasn’t an excuse for lying or deflectingthe blame onto me.I snatched my purse off the chairwhere I’d dropped it on the way in fromdinner and I rushed out the front doorinto the foyer to the elevator. The cardoors were closing with me inside whenI saw him step into the living roomthrough the open front door. His nakednessensured he couldn’t come after me,while the look in his eyes ensured Iwouldn’t stay. He’d donned his maskagain, that striking implacable face thatkept the world a safe distance away.

472/796Shaking, I leaned heavily against thebrass handrail for support. I was tornbetween my concern for him, whichurged me to stay, and my hard-wonknowledge, which assured me that hiscoping strategy wasn’t one I could livewith. The road to recovery for me waspaved with hard truths, not denials andlies.Swiping at my wet cheeks when Ipassed the third floor, I took deepbreaths and collected myself before thedoors opened on the lobby level.The doorman whistled down apassing cab for me and was such a consummateprofessional that he acted likeI was dressed for work rather thansporting bare feet and a black dressinggown. I thanked him sincerely.And I was so grateful to the cabbie forgetting me home quickly that I tippedhim well and didn’t care about the

473/796furtive looks I got from my own doormanand the front desk staffer. I didn’teven care about the look I got from thestunning, statuesque blonde whostepped out of the elevator I was waitingfor, until I smelled Cary’s cologne on herand realized the T-shirt she was wearingwas one of his.She took in my half-dressed state withan amused glance. “Nice robe.”“Nice shirt.”The blonde took off with a smirk.When I reached my floor, I foundCary lounging in the open doorway in arobe of his own.He straightened and opened his armsto me. “Come here, baby girl.”I walked straight into him and huggedhim tight, smelling a woman’s perfumeand hard sex all over him. “Who’s thechick that just left?”

474/796“Another model. Don’t worry abouther.” He drew me into the apartment,and shut and locked the door. “Crosscalled. He said you were heading backand he has your keys. He wanted to besure I was here and awake to let you in.For what it’s worth, he sounded torn upand anxious. You wanna talk about it?”Setting my purse down on the breakfastbar, I went into the kitchen. “He hadanother nightmare. A really bad one.When I asked him about it he denied, helied, then he acted like I was nuts.”“Ah, the classics.”The phone started ringing. I flickedthe switch on the base that turned theringer off and Cary did the same to thehandset he’d left on the counter. Then Ipulled out my smartphone, closed thealert that said I’d missed numerous callsfrom Gideon, and sent him a text

475/796message; Home safe. Hope yousleep well the rest of thenight.I powered the phone off and tossed itback in my purse; then I grabbed abottle of water from the fridge. “Thekicker is that I told him all my junkearlier tonight.”Cary’s brows shot up. “So you did it.How’d he take it?”“Better than I had any right to expect.Nathan ought to hope they never run intoeach other.” I finished the bottle.“And Gideon agreed to the couplescounseling you suggested. I thoughtwe’d turned a corner. Maybe we did, butwe hit a brick wall anyway.”“You seem okay, though.” He leanedinto the breakfast bar. “No tears. Reallycalm. Should I be worried?”I rubbed my belly to ease the fear thathad rooted there. “No, I’ll be all right. I

476/796just…I want it to work out between us. Iwant to be with him, but lying about seriousissues is a deal breaker for me.”God. I couldn’t let myself even considerthat we might not get past this. Iwas already feeling antsy. The need tobe with Gideon was a frantic beat in myblood.“You’re a tough cookie, baby girl. I’mproud of you.” He came to me, linkedour arms, and turned off the kitchenlights. “Let’s crash and start a new daywhen we wake up.”“I thought things were going well withyou and Trey.”His grin was glorious. “Honey, I thinkI’m in love.”“With who?” I leaned my cheekagainst his shoulder. “Trey or theblonde?”“Trey, silly. The blonde just provideda workout.”

477/796I had a lot to say about that, but itwasn’t the time to get into Cary’s historyof sabotaging his own happiness. Andmaybe focusing on how good thingswere with Trey was the best way tohandle this instance of it. “So you’ve finallyfallen for a good guy. We shouldcelebrate.”“Hey, that’s my line.”

The next morning dawned with an oddsurreality. I made it to work, and thenthrough most of my prelunch day in akind of chilly fog. I couldn’t get warmenough, despite wearing a cardigan over

479/796my blouse and a scarf that didn’t matcheither one. It took me a few minuteslonger to process requests than it shouldhave, and I couldn’t shake a feeling ofdread.Gideon made no contact with mewhatsoever.Nothing on my smartphone or e-mailafter my text last night. Nothing in my e-mail inbox. No interoffice note.The silence was excruciating. Especiallywhen the day’s Google alert hit myinbox and I saw the photos and phonevideos of me and Gideon in Bryant Park.Seeing how we looked together—thepassion and need, the painful longing onour faces, and the gratefulness of reconciliation—wasbittersweet.Pain twisted in my chest. Gideon.If we couldn’t work this out, would Iever stop thinking about him and wishingwe had?

480/796I struggled to pull myself together.Mark was meeting with Gideon today.Maybe that’s why Gideon hadn’t feltpressed to contact me. Or maybe he wasjust really busy. I knew he had to be,considering his business calendar. Andas far as I knew, we still had plans to goto the gym after work. I exhaled in arush and told myself that things wouldstraighten out somehow. They just hadto.It was quarter to noon when my deskphone rang. Seeing from the readoutthat the call was coming from reception,I sighed with disappointment andanswered.“Hey, Eva,” Megumi said cheerily.“You have a Magdalene Perez here to seeyou.”“Do I?” I stared at my monitor, confusedand irritated. Had the Bryant Park

481/796photos lured Magdalene out from underwhatever troll bridge she called home?Regardless of the reason, I had no interestin talking to her. “Keep her upthere for me, will you? I have to takecare of something first.”“Sure. I’ll tell her to have a seat.”I hung up, then pulled out my smartphoneand scrolled through the contactlist until I found the number to Gideon’soffice. I dialed and was relieved whenScott answered.“Hey, Scott. It’s Eva Tramell.”“Hi, Eva. Would you like to speak toMr. Cross? He’s in a meeting at the moment,but I can buzz him.”“No. No, don’t bother him.”“It’s a standing order. He won’tmind.”It soothed me immensely to hear that.“I hate to throw this in your lap, but Ihave a request for you.”

482/796“Anything you need. That’s also astanding order.” The amusement in hisvoice relaxed me further.“Magdalene Perez is down here on thetwentieth floor. Frankly, the only thingshe and I have in common is Gideon,and that’s not a good thing. If she hassomething to say, it’s your boss sheshould be talking to. Could you pleasehave someone escort her up?”“Absolutely. I’ll take care of it now.”“Thanks, Scott. I appreciate you.”“It’s my pleasure, Eva.”I hung up the phone and sagged backin my seat, feeling better already andproud of myself for not letting jealousyget the better of me. While I still reallyhated the idea of her having any ofGideon’s time, I hadn’t lied when I’dsaid I trusted him. I believed he hadstrong, deep feelings for me. I just didn’t

483/796know if they were enough to override hissurvival instinct.Megumi called me again.“Oh my God,” she said, laughing.“You should’ve seen her face when whoeverthat was came to get her.”“Good.” I grinned. “I figured she wasup to no good. Is she gone, then?”“Yep.”“Thanks.” I crossed the narrow stripof hallway to Mark’s door and poked myhead in to see if he wanted me to pickhim up some lunch.He frowned, thinking about it. “No,thanks. I’ll be too nervous to eat untilafter the presentation with Cross. Bythen whatever you pick up will be hoursold.”“How about a protein smoothie, then?It’ll give you some easy fuel until youcan eat.”

484/796“That’d be great.” His smile lit up hisdark eyes. “Something that goes goodwith vodka, just to get me in the mood.”“Anything you don’t like? Anyallergies?”“Nada.”“Okay. See you in an hour.” I knewjust the place to go. The deli I had inmind was a couple blocks up and offeredsmoothies, salads, and a variety ofmade-to-order paninis with quickservice.I headed downstairs and tried not tothink about Gideon’s radio silence. I’dkind of expected to hear something afterthe Magdalene incident. Getting no reactionhad me worrying all over again. Ipushed out to the street through the revolvingdoor and scarcely paid any attentionto the man who climbed out ofthe back of a town car at the curb untilhe called my name.

485/796Turning, I found myself facing ChristopherVidal.“Oh…Hi,” I greeted him. “How areyou?”“Better, now that I’ve seen you. Youlook fantastic.”“Thanks. I can say the same to you.”As different as he was from Gideon,he was gorgeous in his own way with hismahogany waves, grayish-green eyes,and charming smile. He was dressed inloose-fitting jeans and a cream V-necksweater, a very sexy look for him.“Are you here to see your brother?” Iasked.“Yes, and you.”“Me?”“Heading to lunch? I’ll join you andexplain.”I was briefly reminded of Gideon’swarning to stay away from Christopher,

486/796but by now I figured he trusted me.Especially with his brother.“I’m going to a deli up the street,” Isaid. “If you’re game.”“Absolutely.”We started walking.“What did you want to see me about?”I asked, too curious to wait.He reached into one of two largecargo pockets of his jeans and pulled outa formal invitation in a vellum envelope.“I came to invite you to a garden partywe’re having at my parents’ estate onSunday. A mix of business and pleasure.Many of the artists signed to Vidal Recordswill be there. I was thinking it’d begreat networking for your roommate—he’sgot the right look for musicvideo.”I brightened. “That would bewonderful!”

487/796Christopher grinned and passed theinvite over. “And you’ll both have fun.No one throws a party like my mother.”I glanced briefly at the envelope in myhand. Why hadn’t Gideon said anythingabout the event?“If you’re wondering why Gideondidn’t tell you about it,” he said, seeminglyreading my mind, “it’s because hewon’t come. He never does. Even thoughhe’s the majority shareholder in thecompany, I think he finds the music industryand musicians too unpredictablefor his tastes. By now, you know how heis.”Dark and intense. Powerfully magneticand hotly sexual. Yes, I knew how hewas. And he preferred to know what hewas getting into at all costs.I gestured at the deli when wereached it, and we stepped inside andgot in line.

488/796“This place smells awesome,” Christophersaid, his gaze on his phone as hetyped out a quick text.“The aroma delivers on its promise,trust me.”He smiled a delightful boyish smilethat I was sure knocked most women ontheir asses. “My parents are really lookingforward to meeting you, Eva.”“Oh?”“Seeing the photos of you and Gideonover the last week has been a real surprise.A good surprise,” he qualifiedquickly when I winced. “It’s the firsttime we’ve seen him really into someonehe’s dating.”I sighed, thinking he wasn’t so intome right now. Had I made a terriblemistake by leaving him alone last night?When we reached the counter, Iordered a grilled vegetable and cheesepanini with two pomegranate

489/796smoothies, asking them to hold the onewith a protein shot for thirty minutes soI could eat in. Christopher ordered thesame, and we managed to find a table inthe crowded deli.We talked about work, laughing overboth a recent baby food commercialfaux-blooper that had gone viral andsome backstage anecdotes about actsChristopher had worked with. The timepassed swiftly, and when we partedways at the entrance of the Crossfire, Isaid good-bye with genuine affection.I headed up to the twentieth floor,and found Mark still at his desk. Heoffered me a quick smile despite his airof concentration.“If you don’t really need me,” I said,“I think it’d be good for me to sit thispresentation out.”Although he tried to hide it, I saw thelightning quick flash of relief. It didn’t

490/796offend me. Stress was stress, and myvolatile relationship with Gideon wassomething Mark didn’t need to thinkabout while he was working on an importantaccount.“You’re golden, Eva. You know that?”I smiled and set the drink carrierdown in front of him. “Drink yoursmoothie. It’s really good, and the proteinwill keep you from feeling toohungry for a little bit longer. I’ll be at mydesk if you need me.”Before I put my purse in the drawer, Itexted Cary to ask if he had plans onSunday or if he’d like to go to a Vidal Recordsparty. Then I got back to work. I’dstarted organizing Mark’s files on theserver, tagging them and placing themin directories to make it easier for us toassemble portfolios on the fly.When Mark left for the meeting withGideon, my heartbeat quickened and a

491/796clutch of anticipation tightened mystomach. I couldn’t believe my excitementjust from knowing what Gideonwas doing at that particular moment,and that he’d have to think of me whenhe saw Mark. I hoped I’d hear from himafter that. My mood picked up at thethought.For the next hour, I was restless waitingto hear how things had gone. WhenMark reappeared with a big grin and aspring in his step, I stood up in my cubicleand applauded him.He took a gallant, exaggerated bow.“Thank you, Miss Tramell.”“I’m so stoked for you!”“Cross asked me to give you this.” Hehanded me a sealed manila envelope.“Come to my office and I’ll give you allthe deets.”The envelope had weight and rattled.I knew from touch what I’d find inside

efore I opened it, but still the sight ofmy keys sliding out and into my palmhit me hard. Gasping with a pain moreintense than any I could remember, Iread the accompanying note card.Thank you, Eva. For everything.Yours, G492/796A Dear Jane brush-off. It had to be.Otherwise, he would’ve given me thekeys after work on the way to the gym.There was a dull roaring in my ears. Ifelt dizzy. Disoriented. I was frightenedand agonized. Furious.I was also at work.Closing my eyes and clenching myfists, I pulled myself together and foughtoff the driving urge to go upstairs andcall Gideon a coward. He probably sawme as a threat, someone who’d come in,unwanted and uninvited, and shook uphis orderly world. Someone who’d

493/796demanded more from him than just hishot body and hefty bank account.I shut my emotions behind a glasswall where I was aware of them waitingin the background, but I was able to getthrough the rest of my workday. By thetime I clocked out and headed downstairs,I still hadn’t heard from Gideon. Iwas such an emotional disaster at thatpoint I felt only a single, sharp twinge ofdespair as I exited the Crossfire.I made it to the gym. I shut my brainoff and ran full-bore on the treadmill,fleeing the anguish that would hit mesoon enough. I ran until sweat coursedin rivulets down my face and body, andrubber legs forced me to stop.Feeling battered and exhausted, I hitthe showers. Then I called my motherand asked her to send Clancy to the gymto pick me up for our appointment withDr. Petersen. As I put my work clothes

494/796back on, I mustered the energy to getthrough that last task before I could gohome and collapse on my bed.I waited for the town car at the curb,feeling separate and apart from the cityteeming around me. When Clancypulled up and hopped out to open theback door for me, I was startled to seemy mom already inside. It was early yet.I’d expected to be driven solo to theapartment she shared with Stanton andwait on her twenty minutes or so. Thatwas our usual routine.“Hey, Mom,” I said wearily, settlingon the seat beside her.“How could you, Eva?” She was cryinginto a monogrammed handkerchief,her face beautiful even while reddenedand wet with tears. “Why?”Jolted out of my torment by hermisery, I frowned and asked, “What didI do now?”

495/796The new cell phone, if she’d somehowfound about it, wouldn’t trigger thismuch drama. And it was too soon afterthe fact for her to know about my breakupwith Gideon.“You told Gideon Cross about…whathappened to you.” Her lower liptrembled with distress.My head jerked back in shock. Howcould she know that? My God…Had shebugged my new place? My purse…?“What?”“Don’t act clueless!”“How do you know I told him?” Myvoice was a pained whisper. “We justtalked last night.”“He went to see Richard about ittoday.”I tried to picture Stanton’s face duringthat conversation. I couldn’t imagine mystepfather taking it well. “Why would hedo that?”

496/796“He wanted to know what’s been doneto prevent information leaks. And hewanted to know where Nathan is—” Shesobbed. “He wanted to knoweverything.”My breath hissed out between myteeth. I wasn’t sure what Gideon’s motivationwas, but the possibility that he’ddumped me over Nathan and was nowmaking sure that he was safe from scandalhurt worse than anything. I twistedin pain, my spine arching away from theseatback. I’d thought it was his past thatdrove a wedge between us, but it mademore sense that it was mine.For once I was grateful for my mother’sself-absorption, which kept her fromseeing how devastated I was.“He had a right to know,” I managedin a voice so raw it sounded nothing likemy own. “And he has a right to try andprotect himself from any blowback.”

497/796“You’ve never told any of your otherboyfriends.”“I’ve never dated anyone who makesnational headlines by sneezing, either.” Istared out the car window at the trafficthat boxed us in. “Gideon Cross andCross Industries are global news, Mother.He’s light-years away from the guys Idated in college.”She spoke more, but I didn’t hear her.I shut down for self-protection, cuttingoff the reality that was suddenly toopainful to be endured.Dr. Petersen’s office was exactly as I remembered.Decorated in soothing neutrals,it was both professional and comfortable.Dr. Petersen was the same—ahandsome man with gray hair andgentle, intelligent blue eyes.

498/796He welcomed us into his office with awide smile, commenting on how lovelymy mother looked and how like her Iwas. He said he was happy to see meagain and that I looked well, but I couldtell he spoke for my mother’s benefit. Hewas too trained an observer to miss theraging emotions I suppressed.“So,” he began, settling into his chairacross from the sofa my mother and Isat on. “What brings you both in today?”I told him about the way my mom hadbeen tracking my movements via my cellphone signal and how violated I felt.Mom told him about my interest in KravMaga and how she took it as a sign that Iwasn’t feeling safe. I told him about howthey’d pretty much taken over Parker’sstudio, which made me feel suffocatedand claustrophobic. She told him I’d betrayedher trust by divulging deeply

499/796personal matters to strangers, whichmade her feel naked and painfullyexposed.Through it all, Dr. Petersen listenedattentively, took notes and spoke rarely,until we’d purged everything.Once we’d quieted, he asked,“Monica, why didn’t you tell me abouttracking Eva’s cell phone?”The angle of her chin altered, a familiardefensive posture. “I didn’t see anythingwrong with it. Many parents tracktheir children through their cellphones.”“Underage children,” I shot back. “I’man adult. My personal time is exactlythat.”“If you were to envision yourself inher place, Monica,” Dr. Petersen interjected,“would it be possible that youmight feel as she does? What if you discoveredsomeone was monitoring your

500/796movements without your knowledge orpermission?”“Not if the someone was my motherand I knew it gave her peace of mind,”she argued.“And have you considered how youractions affect Eva’s peace of mind?” hequeried gently. “Your need to protecther is understandable, but you shoulddiscuss the steps you wish to take openlywith her. It’s important to gain her input—andexpect cooperation only whenshe chooses to give it. You have to honorher prerogative to set limits that maynot be as broad as you’d like them tobe.”My mother sputtered indignantly.“Eva needs her boundaries, Monica,”he continued, “and a sense of controlover her own life. Those things weretaken from her for a long time and wehave to respect her right to establish

501/796them now in the manner that best suitsher.”“Oh.” My mother twisted herhandkerchief around her fingers. “Ihadn’t thought of it that way.”I reached out for my mother’s handwhen her lower lip trembled violently.“Nothing could’ve stopped me fromtalking to Gideon about my past. But Icould have forewarned you. I’m sorry Ididn’t think of it.”“You’re much stronger than I everwas,” my mother said, “but I can’t helpworrying.”“My suggestion,” Dr. Petersen said,“would be for you to take some time,Monica, and really think about whatsorts of events and situations cause youanxiety. Then write them down.”My mother nodded.“When you have what will surely notbe an exhaustive list but a strong start,”

502/796he went on, “you can sit down with Evaand discuss strategies for addressingthose concerns—strategies you can bothlive with comfortably. For example, ifnot hearing from Eva for a few daystroubles you, perhaps a text message oran e-mail will alleviate that.”“Okay.”“If you like, we can go over the listtogether.”The back-and-forth between the twomade me want to scream. It was insultto injury. I hadn’t expected Dr. Petersento smack some sense into my mom, butI’d hoped he would at least take a harderline—God knew someone needed to,someone whose authority she respected.When the hour ended and we were onour way out, I asked my mom to wait amoment so I could ask Dr. Petersen onelast personal and private question.

503/796“Yes, Eva?” He stood in front of me,looking infinitely patient and wise.“I just wondered…” I paused, needingto swallow past a lump in my throat. “Isit possible for two abuse survivors tohave a functional romanticrelationship?”“Absolutely.” His immediate, unequivocalanswer forced the trapped air frommy lungs.I shook his hand. “Thank you.”When I got home, I unlocked my doorwith the keys Gideon had returned tome and I went straight to my room, offeringa lame wave to Cary, who waspracticing yoga in the living room to aDVD.I stripped off my clothes as I crossedthe distance from my closed bedroomdoor to the bed, finally crawling between

504/796the cool sheets in just my underwear. Ihugged a pillow and closed my eyes, sotired and drained I had nothing left.The door opened at my back and amoment later Cary sat beside me.He brushed my hair back from mytear-streaked face. “What’s the matter,baby girl?”“I got kicked to the curb today. Courtesyof a fucking note card.”He sighed. “You know the drill, Eva.He’s going to keep pushing you away,because he’s expecting you to fail himlike everyone else has.”“And I keep proving him right.” I recognizedmyself in the description Caryhad just given. I ran when the going gottough, because I was so sure it was allgoing to end badly. The only control Ihad was to be the one who left, insteadof the one who was left behind.

505/796“Because you’re fighting to protectyour own recovery.” He lay down andspooned against my back, wrapping oneleanly muscular arm around me andtucking me tight against him.I snuggled into the physical affectionI hadn’t realized I needed. “He might’vedumped me because of my past, nothis.”“If that’s true, it’s good it’s over. But Ithink you two will find each other eventually.At least I’m hoping you will.” Hissigh was soft on my neck. “I want thereto be happily-ever-afters for the fuckedupcrowd. Show me the way, Eva honey.Make me believe.”

Friday found Trey sharing breakfastwith Cary and me after an overnighter.As I drank the day’s first cup of coffee, Iwatched him interact with Cary and Iwas genuinely thrilled to see the

507/796intimate smiles and covert touches theygave one another.I’d had easy relationships like thatand hadn’t appreciated them at thetime. They had been comfortable anduncomplicated, but they’d been superficialin a fundamental way, too.How deep could a love affair get if youdidn’t know the darkest recesses of yourlover’s soul? That was the dilemma I’dfaced with Gideon.Day 2 After Gideon had begun. Ifound myself wanting to go to him andapologize for leaving him yet again. Iwanted to tell him I was there for him,ready to listen or simply offer silentcomfort. But I was too emotionally invested.I got wounded too easily. I wastoo afraid of rejection. And knowing hewouldn’t let me get too close only intensifiedthat fear. Even if we did figurethings out, I’d only tear myself apart

508/796trying to live with just the bits andpieces he decided to share with me.At least my job was going well. Thecelebratory lunch the executives gave inhonor of the agency landing the Kingsmanaccount made me genuinely happy.I felt blessed to work in such a positiveenvironment. But when I heard thatGideon had been invited—although noone expected him to show up—I returnedquietly to my desk and focusedon work the rest of the afternoon.I hit the gym on the way home; thenpicked up some items to make fettuccinialfredo for dinner with crème brulée fordessert—comfort food guaranteed to putme in a carbohydrate coma. I expectedsleep to offer me a break from theendless what-ifs my brain was recycling,hopefully long into Saturday morning.Cary and I ate in the living room withchopsticks, his idea to cheer me up. He

509/796said dinner was great, but I couldn’t tell.I snapped out of it when he fell silent,too, and I realized I was being a lessthan stellar friend.“When are the Grey Isles’ campaignads going up?” I asked.“I’m not sure, but get this…” Hegrinned. “You know how it is with malemodels—we’re tossed around like condomsat an orgy. It’s tough to stand outfrom the crowd, unless you’re datingsomeone famous. Which I’m suddenlyreported to be doing since those photosof you and me were plastered everywhere.I’m the side piece of action inyour relationship with Gideon Cross.You’ve done wonders for making me ahot commodity.”I laughed. “You didn’t need my helpfor that.”“Well, it certainly didn’t hurt. Anyway,they called me back for a couple

510/796more shoots. I think they might just useme for more than five minutes.”“We’ll have to celebrate,” I teased.“Absolutely. When you’re up for it.”We ended up hanging out and watchingthe original Tron. His smartphonerang twenty minutes into the movie andI heard him speaking to his agency.“Sure. I’ll be there in fifteen, tops. I’llcall you when I get there.”“Got a job?” I asked after he’d hungup.“Yeah. A model showed up for a nightshoot so trashed he’s worthless.” Hestudied me. “You wanna come?”I stretched my legs out on the couch.“Nope. I’m good right here.”“You sure you’re okay?”“All I need is mindless entertainment.Just the thought of getting dressed againexhausts me.” I’d be happy wearing myflannel pajama bottoms and holey old

511/796tank top all weekend. As much as I hurtinside, total comfort outside seemed likea necessity. “Don’t worry about me. Iknow I’ve been a mess lately, but I’ll getit together. Go on and enjoy yourself.”After Cary rushed out, I paused themovie and went to the kitchen for somewine. I stopped by the breakfast bar, myfingertips gliding over the roses Gideonhad sent me the previous weekend.Petals fell to the countertop like tears. Ithought about cutting the stems and usingthe flower food packet that camewith the bouquet, but it was pointlesshanging on to them. I’d throw the arrangementaway tomorrow, the last reminderof my equally doomedrelationship.I’d gotten farther with Gideon in oneweek than I had with other relationshipsthat lasted two years. I would always

512/796love him for that. Maybe I’d always lovehim, period.And one day, that might not hurt sobadly.“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” Cary singsongedas he yanked the comforter off ofme.“Ugh. Go away.”“You’ve got five minutes to get yourass up and in the shower, or theshower’s coming to you.”Opening one eye, I peeked at him. Hewas shirtless and wearing baggy pantsthat barely clung to his hips. As far aswake-up calls went, he was prime. “Whydo I have to get up?”“Because when you’re flat on yourback you’re not on your feet.”“Wow. That was deep, Cary Taylor.”

513/796He crossed his arms and shot me anarch look. “We need to go shopping.”I buried my face in the pillow. “No.”“Yes. I seem to remember you sayingthis was a ‘Sunday garden party’ and‘rock star gathering’ in the same sentence.What the hell do I wear tosomething like that?”“Ah, well. Good point.”“What are you wearing?”“I…I don’t know. I was leaning towardthe ‘English tea with hat’ look, but nowI’m not so sure.”He gave a brisk nod. “Right. Let’s hitthe shops and find something sexy,classy, and cool.”Growling a token protest, I rolled outof bed and padded over to the bathroom.It was impossible to showerwithout thinking of Gideon, without picturinghis perfect body and rememberingthe desperate sounds he made when

514/796he came in my mouth. Everywhere Ilooked, Gideon was there. I’d even startedhallucinating black Bentley SUVs allaround town. I thought I spotted onedamn near everywhere I went.Cary and I had lunch; then webounced all over the city, hitting the bestof the Upper East Side thrift stores andMadison Avenue boutiques before takinga taxi downtown to SoHo. Along theway, Cary had two teenage girls ask forhis autograph, which tickled me morethan him, I think.“Told you,” he crowed.“Told me what?”“They recognized me from an entertainmentnews blog. One of the postsabout you and Cross.”I snorted. “Glad my love life is workingout for someone.”He was due at another job aroundthree and I went with him, spending a

515/796few hours in the studio of a loud andbrash photographer. Remembering itwas Saturday, I slipped into a far cornerand made my weekly call to my dad.“You still happy in New York?” heasked me above the background noise ofdispatch talking over the radio in hiscruiser.“So far so good.” A lie, but the truthhelped no one.His partner said something I didn’tcatch. My dad snorted and said, “Hey,Chris insists he saw you on televisionthe other day. Some cable channel,celebrity gossip thing. The guys won’tleave me alone about it.”I sighed. “Tell them watching thoseshows is bad for their brain cells.”“So you’re not dating one of therichest men in America?”

516/796“No. What about your love life?” Iasked, quickly diverting. “Are you seeinganyone?”“Nothing serious. Hang on.” He respondedto a call on the radio, then said,“Sorry, sweetheart. I have to run. I loveyou. Miss you like crazy.”“I miss you, too, Daddy. Be careful.”“Always. Bye.”I killed the call and went back to myformer spot to wait for Cary to wrapthings up. In the lull, my mind tormentedme. Where was Gideon now? Whatwas he doing?Would Monday bring me an inbox fullof photos of him with another woman?Sunday afternoon I borrowed Clancyand one of Stanton’s town cars for thedrive out to the Vidal estate in DutchessCounty. Leaning back in the seat, I

517/796looked out the window, absently admiringthe serene vista of rolling meadowsand green woodlands that stretched tothe distant horizon. I realized I wasworking on Day 4 After Gideon. Thepain I’d felt the first few days had turnedinto a dull throbbing that felt almost likethe flu. Every part of my body ached, asif I was going through some sort ofphysical withdrawal and my throatburned with unshed tears.“Are you nervous?” Cary asked me.I glanced at him. “Not really. Gideonwon’t be there.”“You’re sure about that?”“I wouldn’t be going if I thought otherwise.I do have some pride you know.”I watched him drum his fingers on thearmrest between our two seats. For allthe shopping we’d done yesterday, he’dmade only one purchase: a black leathertie. I’d teased him mercilessly about it,

518/796he of the perfect fashion sense goingwith something like that.He caught me looking at it. “What?You still don’t like my tie? I think itworks well with the emo jeans and mylounge lizard jacket.”“Cary”—my lips quirked—“you canwear anything.”It was true. Cary could pull any lookoff, a benefit of having a sculpted rangybody and a face that could make angelsweep.I set my hand over his restless fingers.“Are you nervous?”“Trey didn’t call last night,” hemuttered. “He said he would.”I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.“It’s just one missed call, Cary. I’m sureit doesn’t mean anything serious.”“He could’ve called this morning,” heargued. “Trey’s not flakey like the othersI’ve dated. He wouldn’t have forgotten

519/796to call, which means he just doesn’twant to.”“The rat bastard. I’ll be sure to takelots of pictures of you having a greattime looking sexy, classy, and cool totorment him with on Monday.”His mouth twitched. “Ah, the deviousnessof the female mind. It’s a shameCross won’t see you today. I think I got asemi when you came out of your room inthat dress.”“Eww!” I smacked his shoulder andmock-glared when he laughed.The dress had seemed perfect to bothof us when we’d found it. It was cut in aclassic garden party style—fitted bodicewith a knee-length skirt that flared outfrom the waist. It was even white withflowers. But that’s where the tea-andcrumpetsstyle ended.The edginess came from the straplessform, the alternating layers of black and

520/796crimson satin underskirts that gave itvolume, and the black leather flowersthat looked like wicked pinwheels. Caryhad picked the red Jimmy Choo peeptoepumps out of my closet and the rubydrop earrings to give it all the finishingtouch. We’d decided to leave my hairloose around my shoulders, in case wearrived and learned that hats were required.All in all, I felt pretty andconfident.Clancy drove us through an imposingset of monogrammed gates and turnedinto a circular driveway, following thedirection of a valet. Cary and I got out bythe entrance, and he took my arm as myheels sank into blue-gray gravel on thewalk to the house.Upon entering the Vidal’s sprawlingTudor-style mansion, we were warmlygreeted by Gideon’s family in a receiving

521/796line—his mother, stepfather, Christopher,and their sister.I took in the sight, thinking the Vidalfamily could only look more perfect ifGideon was lined up with them. Hismother and sister had his coloring, bothwomen boasting the same glossy obsidianhair and thickly-lashed blue eyes.They were both beautiful in a finelywrought way.“Eva!” Gideon’s mother drew me towardher, then air-kissed both of mycheeks. “I’m so pleased to finally meetyou. What a gorgeous girl you are! Andyour dress. I love it.”“Thank you.”Her hands brushed over my hair,cupped my face, and then slid down myarms. It was hard for me to bear it, becausetouching was sometimes an anxietytrigger for me when the person was a

522/796stranger. “Your hair, is it naturallyblond?”“Yes,” I replied, startled and confusedby the question. Who asked a questionlike that of a stranger?“How fascinating. Well, welcome. Ihope you have a wonderful time. We’reso glad you could make it.”Feeling strangely unsettled, I wasgrateful when her attention moved toCary and zeroed in.“And you must be Cary,” she crooned.“Here I’d been certain my two boys werethe most attractive in the world. I see Iwas wrong about that. You are simplydivine, young man.”Cary flashed his megawatt smile. “Ah,I think I’m in love, Mrs. Vidal.”She laughed with throaty delight.“Please. Call me Elizabeth. Or Lizzie, ifyou’re brave enough.”

523/796Looking away, I found my handclasped by Christopher Vidal Senior. Inmany ways, he reminded me of his son,with his slate green eyes and boyishsmile. In others, he was a pleasant surprise.Dressed in khakis, loafers, and acashmere cardigan, he looked more likea college professor than a music companyexecutive.“Eva. May I call you Eva?”“Please do.”“Call me Chris. It makes it a littleeasier to distinguish between me andChristopher.” His head tilted to the sideas he contemplated me through quirkybrass spectacles. “I can see why Gideonis so taken with you. Your eyes are astormy gray, yet they’re so clear and direct.Quite the most beautiful eyes I thinkI’ve ever seen, aside from my wife’s.”I flushed. “Thank you.”“Is Gideon coming?”

524/796“Not that I’m aware of.” Why didn’this parents know the answer to thatquestion?“We always hope.” He gestured at awaiting servant. “Please head back to thegardens and make yourself at home.”Christopher greeted me with a hugand a kiss on the cheek, while Gideon’ssister Ireland sized me up in a sulky waythat only a teenager could pull off.“You’re a blonde,” she said.Jeez. Was Gideon’s preference fordark-haired women a damn law orsomething? “And you’re a very lovelybrunette.”Cary offered me his arm and I acceptedit gratefully.As we walked away, he asked mequietly, “Were they what you expected?”“His mom, maybe. His stepdad, no.” Ilooked back over my shoulder, taking inthe elegant floor-length cream sheath

525/796dress that clung to Elizabeth Vidal’ssvelte figure. I thought of what little Iknew about Gideon’s family. “How doesa boy grow up to be a businessman whotakes over his stepfather’s familybusiness?”“Cross owns shares in VidalRecords?”“Controlling interest.”“Hmm. Maybe it was a bailout?” heoffered. “A helping hand during a tryingtime for the music industry?”“Why not just give him the money?” Iwondered.“Because he’s a shrewdbusinessman?”With a sharp exhalation, I waved thequestion away and cleared my mind. Iwas attending the party for Cary, notGideon, and I was going to keep thatfirst and foremost in my thoughts.

526/796Once we’d moved outside, we found alarge, elaborately decorated marqueeerected in the rear garden. Although theday was beautiful enough to stay out inthe sun, I found a seat at a circular tablecovered in white damask instead.Cary patted my shoulder. “You relax.I’ll network.”“Go get ’em.”He moved away, intent on his agenda.I sipped champagne and chatted witheveryone who stopped by to strike up aconversation. There were a lot of recordingartists at the party whose work Ilistened to, and I watched them covertly,a bit starstruck. For all the elegance ofthe surroundings and the endless numberof servants, the overall vibe was casualand relaxed.I was starting to enjoy myself whensomeone I’d hoped never to see againstepped out of the house onto the

527/796terrace: Magdalene Perez, looking phenomenalin a rose-hued chiffon gownthat floated around her knees.A hand settled on my shoulder andsqueezed, setting my heart racing becauseit reminded me of the night Caryand I had gone to Gideon’s club. But thefigure that rounded me this time wasChristopher.“Hey, Eva.” He took the chair next tomine and set his elbows on his knees,leaning toward me. “Are you havingfun? You’re not mingling much.”“I’m having a great time.” At least Ihad been. “Thank you for inviting me.”“Thank you for coming. My parentsare stoked you’re here. Me, too, ofcourse.” His grin made me smile, as didhis tie, which had cartoon vinyl recordsall over it. “Are you hungry? The crabcakes are great. Grab one when the traycomes by.”

528/796“I’ll do that.”“Let me know if you need anything.And save a dance for me.” He winked,and then hopped up and away.Ireland took his seat, arranging herselfwith the practiced grace of a finishingschool graduate. Her hair fell in asingle length to her waist and her beautifuleyes were direct in a way I could appreciate.She looked worldlier than herseventeen years. “Hi.”“Hello.”“Where’s Gideon?”I shrugged at the blunt question. “I’mnot sure.”She nodded sagely. “He’s good at beinga loner.”“Has he always been that way?”“I guess. He moved out when I waslittle. Do you love him?”

529/796My breath caught for a second. I releasedit in a rush and said simply,“Yes.”“I thought so when I saw that video ofyou two in Bryant Park.” She bit her lushlower lip. “Is he fun? You know…to hangaround with?”“Oh. Well…” God. Did anyone knowGideon? “I wouldn’t say he’s fun, buthe’s never boring.”The live band began playing “I’ve GotYou Under My Skin” and Cary appearedbeside me as if by magic. “Time to makeme look good, Ginger.”“I’ll try my best, Fred.” I smiled atIreland. “Excuse me a minute.”“Three minutes, forty seconds,” shecorrected, displaying some of her family’sexpertise in music.Cary led me onto the empty dancefloor and pulled me into a swift foxtrot.It took me a minute to get into it,

530/796because I’d been stiff and tight withmisery for days. Then the synergy oflongtime partners kicked in and weglided across the floor with sweepingsteps.When the singer’s voice faded withthe music, we stopped, breathless. Wewere pleasantly surprised by applause.Cary gave an elegant bow and I held onto his hand for stability as I dipped intoa curtsy.When I lifted my head andstraightened, I found Gideon standing infront of me. Startled, I stumbled back astep. He was seriously underdressed injeans and an untucked white dress shirtthat was open at the collar and rolled upat the sleeves, but he was so damn finehe still put every other man in attendanceto shame.The tremendous yearning I felt at thesight of him overwhelmed me. Distantly

531/796I was aware of the band’s singer pullingCary away, but I couldn’t tear my gazeaway from Gideon, whose wildly blueeyes burned into mine.“What are you doing here?” hesnapped, scowling.I recoiled from his harshness. “Excuseme?”“You shouldn’t be here.” He grabbedme by the elbow and started hauling metoward the house. “I don’t want youhere.”If he’d spit in my face, it couldn’t havedevastated me more. I yanked my armfree of him and walked briskly towardthe house with my head held high, prayingI could make it to the privacy of thetown car and Clancy’s protective watchbefore the tears started falling.Behind me, I heard a come-hither femalevoice call out Gideon’s name and Isent up a prayer that the woman would

532/796stall him long enough for me to get outwithout further confrontation.I thought I just might make it when Ipassed into the cool interior of thehouse.“Eva, wait.”My shoulders hunched at the soundof Gideon’s voice and I refused to look athim. “Get lost. I can show myself out.”“I’m not done—”“I am!” I pivoted to face him. “Youdon’t get to talk to me that way. Who doyou think you are? You think I camehere for you? That I was hoping I’d seeyou and you’d throw me a goddamnscrap or bone…some pathetic acknowledgmentof my existence? Maybe I’d beable to harass you into a quick, dirtyfuck in a corner somewhere in a pitifuleffort to win you back?”

533/796“Shut up, Eva.” His gaze was scorchinghot, his jaw tight and hard. “Listento me—”“I’m only here because I was told youwouldn’t be. I’m here for Cary and hiscareer. So you can go back to the partyand forget about me all over again. I assureyou, when I walk out the door, I’llbe doing the same to you.”“Shut your damned mouth.” Hecaught me by the elbows and shook meso hard my teeth snapped together.“Just shut up and let me talk.”I slapped him hard enough to turn hishead. “Don’t touch me.”With a growl, Gideon hauled me intohim and kissed me hard, bruising mylips. His hand was in my hair, fisting itroughly, holding me in place so Icouldn’t turn away. I bit the tongue hethrust aggressively into my mouth, thenhis lower lip, tasting blood, but he didn’t

534/796stop. I shoved at his shoulders witheverything I had, but I couldn’t budgehim.Goddamn Stanton! If not for him andmy crazy-assed mother, I’d have had afew Krav Maga classes under my belt bynow…Gideon kissed me as if he was starvedfor the taste of me and my resistancebegan to melt. He smelled so good, sofamiliar. His body felt so perfectly rightagainst mine. My nipples betrayed me,hardening into tight points, and a slow,hot trickle of arousal gathered in mycore. My heart thundered in my chest.God, I wanted him. The cravinghadn’t gone away, not even for a minute.He picked me up. Imprisoned by histight grip, it was hard to breathe and myhead began to spin. When he carried methrough a door and kicked it shut

535/796behind him, I couldn’t do more thanmake a feeble sound of protest.I found myself pressed against aheavy glass door on the other side of alibrary, Gideon’s hard and powerfulbody subduing my own. His arm at mywaist slid lower, his hand delving beneathmy skirts and finding the curvesof my butt exposed by my lacy boyshorts underwear. He wrenched my hipshard to his, making me feel how hard hewas, how aroused. My sex trembled withwant, achingly empty.All the fight left me. My arms fell tomy sides, my palms pressing flat to theglass. I felt the brittle tension drain fromhis body as I softened in surrender, thepressure of his mouth easing and hiskiss turning into a passionate coaxing.“Eva,” he breathed gruffly. “Don’tfight me. I can’t take it.”My eyes closed. “Let me go, Gideon.”

536/796He nuzzled his cheek against mine,his breath gusting hard and fast over myear. “I can’t. I know you’re disgusted bywhat you saw the other night…what Iwas doing to myself—”“Gideon, no!” God. Did he think I lefthim because of that? “That’s not why—”“I’m losing my mind without you.”His lips were gliding down my neck, histongue stroking over my racing pulse.He sucked on my skin and pleasure radiatedthrough me. “I can’t think. I can’twork or sleep. My body aches for you. Ican make you want me again. Let metry.”Tears slipped free and ran down myface. They splashed on the upper swellof my breasts and he licked at them, lappingthem away.How would I ever recover if he madelove to me again? How would I survive ifhe didn’t?

537/796“I never stopped wanting you,” Iwhispered. “I can’t stop. But you hurtme, Gideon. You have the power to hurtme like no one else can.”His gaze was stark and confused onmy face. “I hurt you? How?”“You lied to me. You shut me out.” Icupped his face, needing him to understandthis one thing without question.“Your past doesn’t have the power topush me away. Only you can do that,and you did.”“I didn’t know what to do,” he rasped.“I never wanted you to see me likethat…”“That’s the problem, Gideon. I wantto know who you are, the good and thebad, and you want to keep parts of yourselfhidden from me. If you don’t openup, we’re going to lose each other downthe road and I won’t be able to take it.I’m barely surviving it now. I’ve crawled

538/796through the last four days of my life.Another week, a month…It’ll break meto give you up.”“I can let you in, Eva. I’m trying. Butyour first response when I screw up is torun away. You do it every time and Ican’t stand feeling like any moment I’mgoing to do or say something wrong andyou’re going to bolt.”His mouth was tender again as hebrushed his lips back and forth overmine. I didn’t argue with him. Howcould I, when he was right?“I hoped you’d come back on yourown,” he murmured, “but I can’t stayaway anymore. I’ll carry you out of hereif I have to. Whatever it takes to get youback in the same room with me, talkingthis out.”My heart stuttered. “You were hopingI’d come back? I thought…You gave meback my keys. I thought we were over.”

539/796He pulled back, his face set in fiercelines. “We’ll never be over, Eva.”I looked at him, my heart aching likean open wound at how beautiful he was,how broken and in pain he was—pain I’dcaused to some degree.On tiptoes, I kissed the reddenedhandprint I’d left on his cheek, clutchinghis thick silky hair in my hands.Gideon bent his knees to align ourbodies, his breathing harsh and erratic.“I’ll do whatever you want, whatever youneed. Anything. Just take me back.”Maybe I should have been scared bythe depth of his need, but I felt the samepassionate insanity for him.Running my hands down his chest inan effort to soothe his trembling, I gavehim the hard truth. “We can’t seem tostop making each other miserable. Ican’t keep doing this to you and I can’tkeep going through these crazy highs

540/796and lows. We need help, Gideon. We’reseriously dysfunctional.”“I saw Dr. Petersen on Friday. He’sgoing to take me on as a patient, and—ifyou agree—he’ll take us both on as acouple. I figured if you can trust him, Ican try.”“Dr. Petersen?” I remembered thebrief jolt I’d felt at seeing a black BentleySUV when Clancy pulled away from thedoctor’s office. At the time, I’d told myselfit was wishful thinking. After all,there were countless black SUVs in NewYork. “You had me followed.”His chest expanded on a deep breath.He didn’t deny it.I bit back my anger. I could only imaginehow terrible it must be for him tobe so dependent onsomething—someone—he couldn’t control.What mattered most at that momentwere his willingness to try and the

541/796fact that it wasn’t just talk. He’d actuallytaken steps. “It’s going to be a lot ofwork, Gideon,” I warned him.“I’m not afraid of work.” He wastouching me restlessly, his hands slidingover my thighs and buttocks as if caressingmy bare skin was as necessary tohim as breathing. “I’m only afraid of losingyou.”I pressed my cheek to his. We completedeach other. Even now, as hishands roamed possessively over me, Ifelt a thawing in my soul, the desperaterelief of being held—finally—by the manwho understood and satisfied my deepest,most intimate desires.“I need you.” His mouth was slidingover my cheek and down my throat. “Ineed to be inside you…”“No. My God. Not here.” But myprotest sounded weak even to my own

542/796ears. I wanted him anywhere, anytime,any way…“It has to be here,” he muttered, droppingto his knees. “It has to be now.”He chafed my skin ripping the lace ofmy panties away; then he shoved myskirts to my waist and licked my cleft,his tongue parting my folds to strokeover my throbbing clit.I gasped and tried to recoil, but therewas nowhere to go. Not with the door atmy back and a grimly determinedGideon in front, one hand keeping mepinned while the other lifted my left legover his shoulder, opening me to his ardentmouth.My head thudded against the glass,heat pulsing through my blood from thepoint where his tongue was driving memad. My leg flexed against his back, urginghim closer, my hands cupping hishead to hold him still as I rocked into

543/796him. Feeling the rough satin strands ofhis hair against my sensitive innerthighs was its own provocation, heighteningmy awareness of everythingaround me…We were in Gideon’s parents’ house,in the midst of a party attended bydozens of famous people, and he was onhis knees, growling his hunger as helicked and sucked my slick, aching cleft.He knew just how to get to me, knewwhat I liked and needed. He had an understandingof my nature that wentabove and beyond his incredible oralskills. The combination was devastatingand addicting.My body shook, my eyelids heavyfrom the illicit pleasure. “Gideon…Youmake me come so hard.”His tongue rubbed over and over theclenching entrance to my body, teasingme, making me grind shamelessly into

544/796his working mouth. His hands cuppedmy bare butt, kneading, urging me ontohis tongue as he thrust it inside me.There was reverence in the greedy wayhe enjoyed me, the unmistakable sensethat he worshipped my body, that pleasuringit and taking pleasure from it wasas vital to him as the blood in his veins.“Yes,” I hissed, feeling the orgasmbuilding. I was buzzed by champagneand the heated scent of Gideon’s skinmixed with my own arousal. My breastsstrained within the increasingly tootightconfines of my strapless bra, mybody trembling on the edge of a desperatelyneeded orgasm. “I’m so close.”A movement on the far side of theroom caught my eye and I froze, my gazelocking with Magdalene’s. She stood justinside the door, halted midstride,staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed atthe back of Gideon’s moving head.

545/796But he was either oblivious or too impassionedto care. His lips circled my clitand his cheeks hallowed. Sucking rhythmically,he massaged the hypersensitiveknot with the tip of his tongue.Everything tightened viciously, thenreleased in a fiery burst of pleasure.The orgasm poured through me in ascorching wave. I cried out, pumping myhips mindlessly into his mouth, lost tothe primal connection between us.Gideon held me up as my kneesweakened, tonguing my quivering fleshuntil the last tremor faded.When I opened my eyes again, ouraudience of one had fled.Standing in a rush, Gideon picked meup and carried me to the couch. Hedropped me lengthwise on the cushion;then hauled my hips up to rest on thearmrest, arching my spine.

546/796I eyed him up the length of my torso.Why not just fold me over and fuck mefrom behind?Then he ripped open his button-flyand pulled his big, beautiful penis out,and I didn’t care how he took me just solong as he did. I whimpered as heshoved into me, my body struggling toaccommodate the wonderful fullness Icraved. Yanking my hips to meet hispowerful thrusts, Gideon battered mytender sex with that brutally thickcolumn of rigid flesh, his gaze dark andpossessive, his breath leaving him inprimitive grunts every time he hit theend of me.A trembling moan left me, the frictionof his drives stirring my never-satedneed to be fucked senseless by him. Onlyhim.A handful of strokes and his head fellback as he gasped my name, his hips

547/796rolling to stir me into a frenzy. “Squeezeme, Eva. Squeeze my dick.”When I complied, the ragged soundhe made was so erotic my sex trembledin appreciation. “Yeah, angel…just likethat.”I tightened around him and hecursed. His gaze found mine, the stunningblue hazed with sexual euphoria. Aconvulsive shudder wracked his powerfulframe, followed by an agonizedsound of ecstasy. His cock jerked insideme, once, twice, and then he was cominglong and hard, spurting hotly into theclutching depths of my body.I didn’t have time to climax again, butit didn’t matter. I watched him with aweand pure female triumph. I could do thisto him.In the moments of orgasm, I ownedhim as completely as he owned me.

Gideon folded over me, his hair fallingforward to tickle my chest, his lungsheaving. “God. I can’t go days withoutthis. Even the hours at work are toolong.”

549/796I ran my fingers through the sweatdamproots of his hair. “I missed you,too.”He nuzzled my breasts. “When you’renot with me, I feel—Don’t run anymore,Eva. I can’t take it.”He pulled me up to stand in front ofhim, keeping his cock in me until thesoles of my heels touched the hardwoodfloor. “Come home with me now.”“I can’t leave Cary.”“Then we’ll drag him out of here withus. Shh…Before you complain, whateverhe hopes to get out of this party, I canmake happen. Being here accomplishesnothing.”“Maybe he’s having fun.”“I don’t want you here.” He suddenlyseemed distant, his tone far toocontrolled.“Do you know how badly it hurts mewhen you say that?” I cried softly, my

550/796chest tight with the pain of it. “What’swrong with me that you don’t want mearound your family?”“Angel, no.” He hugged me, his handsroaming my back in soothing caresses.“There’s nothing wrong with you. It’sthis place. I don’t—I can’t be here. Youwant to know what’s in my dreams? It’sthis house.”“Oh.” My stomach knotted with worryand confusion. “I’m sorry. I didn’tknow.”Something in my voice lured him topress a kiss between my eyebrows. “I’vebeen rough with you today. I’m sorry.I’m edgy and agitated being here, butthat’s no excuse.”I cupped his face and stared into hiseyes, seeing the tumultuous emotions hewas so used to hiding. “Don’t ever apologizefor being yourself with me. It’s what

551/796I want. I want to be your safe place,Gideon.”“You are. You don’t know how much,but I’ll find a way to tell you.” He restedhis forehead against mine. “Let’s gohome. I bought some things for you.”“Oh? I love gifts.” Especially whenthey came from my self-professed unromanticboyfriend.Cautiously, he began to pull out ofme. I was shocked to feel how wet I was,how copiously he’d come. The final fewinches of his cock slid out in a rush andsemen slicked my inner thighs. A momentlater, two audacious droplets fellto the hardwood floor between myspread legs.“Oh, shit.” He groaned. “That’s sodamn hot. I’m getting hard again.”I stared at the brazen display of hisvirility and felt warm. “You can’t goagain after that.”

552/796“Hell if I can’t.” Cupping my sex in hishand, he rubbed the slickness all overme, coating the outer lips and massagingit into the folds. Euphoria spreadthrough me like the warmth of fine liquor,a sense of contentment that camesolely from the knowledge that Gideonfound gratification in me and my body.“I’m an animal with you,” he murmured.“I want to mark you. I want topossess you so completely there’s noseparation between us.”My hips began to move in tiny circlesas his words and touch reignited the desirehe’d goaded with the thrusts of hiscock. I wanted to come again, knew I’dbe miserable if I had to wait until wereached his bed. I was a sexual creaturewith him, too, so physically attuned tohim and so positive that he would neverphysically hurt me, that I was…free.

553/796I encircled his wrist with my fingersand gently directed his hand around myhip to reach for me from behind. Nippinghis jaw with my teeth, I gatheredthe courage he inspired in me andwhispered, “Touch me here with yourfingers. Mark me there.”He froze, his chest lifting and fallingrapidly. “I don’t”—his voicestrengthened—“I don’t do anal play,Eva.”Looking into his eyes, I sawsomething dark and volatile. Somethingvery painful.Of all the things for us to have incommon…The raw passion of our lust gentledinto the warm familiarity of love. Withmy heart breaking, I confessed, “I don’teither. At least not voluntarily.”“Then…why?” The confusion in hisvoice moved me deeply.

554/796I hugged him, pressing my cheek tohis shoulder and listening to the slightlypanicked beat of his heart. “Because Ibelieve your touch can erase Nathan’s.”“Oh, Eva.” His cheek pressed to thecrown of my head.I snuggled closer. “You make me feelsafe.”We held each other for long moments.I listened to his heartbeat slowand his breathing smooth out. I inhaleddeeply, relishing the mix of his personalscent mixed with the scent of hard lustand harder sex.When the tip of his middle finger slidgossamer-soft over the pucker of myanus, I stilled and pulled back to look athim. “Gideon?”“Why me?” he asked softly, his beautifuleyes dark and stormy. “You knowI’m fucked up, Eva. You saw whatI…that night you woke me…You saw,

555/796damn it. How can you trust me withyour body this way?”“I trust my heart and what it tellsme.” I smoothed the frown line betweenhis brows. “You can give my body backto me, Gideon. I believe you’re the onlyone who can.”His eyes closed and his damp foreheadtouched mine. “Do you have a safeword,Eva?”Startled, I pulled back again to studyhis face. A few members of my therapygroup had talked about Dom/sub relationships.Some required total control tofeel safe during sex. Others fell on theopposite side of the line, finding thatbondage and humiliation satisfied theirdeep-seated need to feel pain to experiencepleasure. For those who practicedthat lifestyle, a safeword was an unambiguousway to say “stop.” But I couldn’t

556/796see how that had any relevance to meand Gideon. “Do you?”“I don’t need one.” Between my legs,the gentle stroke of his finger becameless tentative. He repeated his question,“Do you have a safeword?”“No. I’ve never needed one. Missionary,doggy style, B.O.B…. that’s aboutthe extent of my mad skills in the sack.”That brought a touch of amusementto his otherwise severe face. “ThankGod. I wouldn’t survive you otherwise.”And still that fingertip massaged me,spurring a dark yearning. Gideon coulddo that to me, make me forgeteverything that happened before. I hadno negative sexual triggers with him, nohesitation or fears. He’d given that tome. In return, I wanted to give him thebody he’d freed from my past.The long case clock near the doorbegan to chime the hour.

557/796“Gideon, we’ve been gone a long time.Someone will come looking for us.”He put the slightest pressure againstmy sensitive rosette, barely pressing.“Do you really care if they do?”My hips arched into the touch. Anticipationwas making me hot all overagain. “I don’t care about anything butyou when you’re touching me.”His free hand lifted to my hair andheld it at the roots, keeping my headstill. “Did you ever enjoy anal play? Accidentallyor by deliberation?”“No.”“And yet you trust me enough to askme for this.” He kissed my forehead ashe drew the slickness of his semen backto my rear.I gripped his waistband. “You don’thave to—”“Yes, I do.” His voice had thatwickedly assertive bite to it. “If you

558/796crave something, I’ll be the one to give itto you. All of your needs, Eva, are mineto fulfill. Whatever it costs me.”“Thank you, Gideon.” My hips shiftedrestlessly as he continued to lubricateme gently. “I want to be what you need,too.”“I’ve told you what I need, Eva—control.”He brushed his parted lips backand forth over mine. “You’re asking meto lead you back into painful places andI will, if that’s what you need. But wehave to be extremely careful.”“I know.”“Trust is hard for both of us. If webreak it, we could lose everything. Thinkof a word you associate with power.Your safeword, angel. Choose it.”The pressure of that single fingertipbecame more insistent. I moaned,“Crossfire.”

559/796“Umm…I like it. Very fitting.” Histongue dipped into my mouth, barelytouching mine before retreating. His fingerrimmed my anus over and over,pushing his semen into the puckeredhole, a soft growl escaping him as itflexed in a silent plea for more.The next time he pressed against thering, I pushed out and he slipped his fingertipinside me. The feeling of penetrationwas shockingly intense.Just as before, surrender weightedmy body, leaving me languid.“Are you okay?” Gideon asked harshlyas I sagged against him. “Should I stop?”“No…Don’t stop.”He pushed fractionally deeper and Iclenched around him, a helpless reactionto the feel of something glidingacross tender tissues. “You’re snug andscorching hot,” he murmured. “And sosoft. Does it hurt?”

560/796“No. Please. More.”Gideon withdrew to his fingertip;then slid in to the knuckle, slow andeasy. I quivered in delight, astonished byhow good it felt, that teasing bit of fullnessin my rear.“How’s that?” he asked hoarsely.“Good. Everything you do to me feelsgood.”He withdrew again, glided deepagain. Leaning forward, I thrust my hipsback to give him easier access andpressed my breasts against his chest.His fist in my hair tightened, pulling myhead back so he could take my mouth ina lush, wet kiss. Our open mouths slidacross each other, growing more franticas my arousal built. The feel of Gideon’sfinger in that darkly sexual place, thrustingin that gentle rhythm, had me rockingbackward to meet his inward drives.

561/796“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured,his voice infinitely gentle. “I love makingyou feel good. Love watching an orgasmmove through your body.”“Gideon.” I was lost, drowning in thepowerful joy of being held by him, lovedby him. Four days alone had taught mehow miserable I’d be if we couldn’t workthings out, how dull and colorless myworld would be without him in it. “Ineed you.”“I know.” He licked across my lips,making my head spin. “I’m here. Yourcunt’s trembling and tightening. You’regoing to come for me again.”With shaking hands, I reachedbetween us for his cock, finding it hard.I lifted the layers of my underskirts so Icould insert him into my drenched sex.He slid in a few inches, our standing positionspreventing deeper penetration,but the connection alone was enough. I

562/796wrapped my arms around his shoulders,burying my face in his neck as my kneesweakened. His hand left my hair, hisarm clasping my back and holding meclose.“Eva.” The tempo of his finger thrustsquickened. “Do you know what you doto me?”His hips nudged against mine, thewide crest of his penis massaging asweetly tender spot. “You’re milking thehead of my dick with those hungry littlesqueezes. You’re going to make me comefor you. When you go off, I’m going withyou.”I was distantly aware of the helplessnoises spilling from my throat. Mysenses were overloaded by Gideon’sscent and the heat of his hard body, thefeel of his cock rubbing inside me andhis finger pumping into my rear. I wassurrounded by him, filled with him,

563/796blissfully possessed in every way. A climaxwas building in force, poundingthrough me, pooling in my core. Not justfrom the physical pleasure but from theknowledge that he’d been willing to takea risk. Once again. For me.His finger stilled and I made a soundof protest.“Hush,” he whispered. “Someone’scoming.”“Oh God! Magdalene came in earlierand saw us. What if she told—”“Don’t move.” Gideon didn’t let mego. He stood just as he was, filling mefront and back, his hand caressing thelength of my spine and smoothing mydress down. “Your skirts hideeverything.”With my back to the room’s entrance,I pressed my flaming face into his shirt.The door opened. There was a pausethen, “Is everything all right?”

564/796Christopher. I felt awkward being unableto turn around.“Of course,” Gideon said smoothly,coolly in control. “What do you want?”To my horror, he resumed the pushand withdrawal of his finger. Not withthe deep strokes of before, but slowshallow thrusts that didn’t disturb myskirts. Already aroused to a fever pitchand hovering on the verge of orgasm,my nails dug into his neck. The tensionin my body from having Christopher inthe room only ramped up the eroticsensations.“Eva?” Christopher asked.I swallowed hard. “Yes?”“Are you okay?”Gideon adjusted his stance, whichmoved his cock inside me and bumpedhis pelvis against my pulsing clit.“Y-yes. We’re just…talking. About.Dinner.” My eyes closed as Gideon’s

565/796fingertip grazed the thin wall separatinghis penis from his touch. If he nudgedmy clit again, I’d come. I was too woundup to stop it.Gideon’s chest vibrated against mycheek as he spoke. “We’d be done soonerif you’d go, so tell me what you need.”“Mom’s looking for you.”“Why?” Gideon shifted again, rockinginto my clit at the same moment he gavea quick, deep thrust of his finger into myrear.I climaxed. Afraid of the wail of pleasurethat wanted out of me, I sank myteeth into Gideon’s hard pectoral. Hegrunted softly and started coming, hiscock jerking as it pumped thick spurts ofscorching semen into me.The rest of the conversation was lostbeneath the roar of my blood. Christophersaid something, Gideon replied,and then the door shut again. I was

566/796lifted to sit on the armrest and Gideonstarted thrusting between my spreadthighs, using my body to rub out the restof his orgasm, growling in my mouth aswe finished off the rawest, most exhibitionisticsexual encounter of my life.Afterward, Gideon led me by the hand toa bathroom, where he lightly soaped awashcloth and cleansed between my legsbefore he paid the same attention to hiscock. The way he took care of me wassweetly intimate, demonstrating yetagain that as primal as his desire for mewas, I was precious to him.“I don’t want us to fight anymore,” Isaid quietly from my perch on thecounter.He tossed the washcloth down a concealedlaundry chute and refastened hisfly. Then he came to me, brushing his

567/796cool fingertips down my cheek. “Wedon’t fight, angel. We just have to learnnot to scare the hell out of each other.”“You make it sound so easy,” Igrumbled. To call either of us virginswould be ridiculous, yet emotionallythat’s just what we were. Fumbling inthe dark and too eager, completely outof our depths and self-conscious, tryingto impress and missing all the subtlenuances.“Easy or hard, doesn’t matter. We’llget through this because we have to.” Hepushed his fingers through my hair,restoring order to the disheveledstrands. “We’ll discuss when we gethome. I think I’ve discovered the crux ofour problem.”His conviction and determinationsoothed the restlessness I’d been feelingthe last few days. Closing my eyes, I relaxedand enjoyed the tactile delight of

568/796having my hair played with. “Yourmother seemed startled that I’m ablonde.”“Did she?”“My mother was, too. Not about mebeing a blonde,” I qualified. “That you’dbe interested in one.”“Was she?”“Gideon!”“Hmm?” He kissed the end of mynose and ran his hands down my arms.“I’m not the type you usually go for,am I?”His brow arched. “I have one type:Eva Lauren Tramell. That’s it.”I rolled my eyes. “Okay. Whatever.”“What does it matter? You’re the womanI’m with.”“It doesn’t matter. I’m just curious.People don’t usually stray from theirpreferred type.”

569/796Stepping between my legs, he put hisarms around my hips. “Lucky for methat I fit your type.”“Gideon, you don’t fit any type,” Idrawled. “You’re in a class by yourself.”His eyes sparkled. “Like what you see,do you?”“You know I do, which is why wereally should get out of here before westart screwing like minks again.”Pressing his cheek to mine, he murmured,“Only you could blow my mindin a place that’s always made my skincrawl. Thank you for being exactly whatI want and need.”“Oh, Gideon.” I wrapped my armsand legs around him, holding him asclose to me as possible. “You came herefor me, didn’t you? To take me awayfrom this place you hate.”“I’d walk into hell for you, Eva, andthis is pretty damn close.” He exhaled

570/796harshly. “I was about to go to yourapartment and drag you away with mewhen I learned you’d come here. Youhave to stay away from Christopher.”“Why do you keep saying that? Heseems very nice.”Gideon pulled back, sifting my hairthrough his fingers. His eyes stayedfiercely locked to mine. “He takes siblingrivalry to the extreme, and he’s unstableenough to make him dangerous. He’sreaching out to you because he knows hecan hurt me through you. You have totrust me on this.”Why was Gideon so suspicious of hishalf-brother’s motives? He had to have agood reason. It was yet another thing hedidn’t fully share with me. “I do trustyou. Of course I do. I’ll keep mydistance.”“Thank you.” Catching me by thewaist, he lifted me off the counter and

571/796set me on my feet. “Let’s grab Cary andget the hell out of here.”We made our way back outside withmy hand in his. I was uncomfortablyaware that we’d been gone a very longtime. The sun was going down. And Iwas panty-less. My ruined boy shortswere presently stuffed into the frontpocket of Gideon’s jeans.He glanced at me as we entered themarquee. “I should’ve told you before.You look gorgeous, Eva. That dress isamazing on you and so are those fuckmered heels.”“Well, clearly they work.” I bumpedmy shoulder into him. “Thank you.”“For the compliment? Or thefucking?”“Hush,” I admonished, flushing.His dark velvet laugh turned every femalehead in hearing distance and someof the men’s, too. Placing our linked

572/796hands at the small of my back, he pulledme close and smacked a kiss on mymouth.“Gideon!” His mother glided towardus with sparkling eyes and a wide smileon her lovely face. “I’m so happy you’rehere.”She looked like she might hug him,but his posture altered subtly, chargingthe air around him with an invisiblefield of power that encompassed me aswell.Elizabeth drew to an abrupt halt.“Mother,” he greeted her with all thewarmth of an arctic storm. “You canthank Eva for my being here. I’ve cometo take her away.”“But she’s having a good time, aren’tyou, Eva? You should stay for her sake.”Elizabeth looked at me with a plea in hereyes.

573/796My fingers flexed around Gideon’shand. He came first, that was never inquestion, but I couldn’t help but wish Iknew the story behind his coldness towarda mother who seemed to love him.Her adoring gaze slid over the face thathad shades of her own, drinking in everyfeature hungrily. How long had it beensince the last time she’d seen him inperson?Then I wondered if maybe she’d lovedhim too much…Revulsion made my spine stiffen.“Don’t put Eva on the spot,” Gideonsaid, rubbing his knuckles against mytense back. “You’ve gotten what youwanted—you’ve met her.”“Perhaps you’ll both come to dinnerlater this week?”His only answer was an arched brow.Then his gaze lifted, luring my attentionto follow it. I found Cary emerging from

574/796what appeared to be a hedgerow mazewith a very recognizable pop princess onhis arm. Gideon gestured him over.“Oh, not Cary, too!” Elizabeth protested.“He’s the life of the party.”“I thought you might like him.”Gideon bared his teeth in somethingthat was too sharp to be a smile. “Justremember that he’s Eva’s friend, Mother.That makes him mine as well.”I was hugely relieved when Caryjoined us, breaking the tension in hiseasygoing way.“I was looking for you,” he said to me.“I was hoping you’d be ready to go. I gotthat call I was expecting.”Looking into his sparkling eyes, Iknew Trey had reached him. “Yes, we’reready.”Cary and I walked around to say ourgood-byes and offer our thanks. Gideonremained at my side like a possessive

575/796shadow, his demeanor calm butmarkedly aloof.We were all walking toward the housewhen I spotted Ireland off to the sidestaring at Gideon. I stopped and lookedup at him. “Go get your sister so we cansay good-bye.”“What?”“She’s standing to your left.” I lookedto our right to hide my prodding fromthe young girl whom I suspected mighthero-worship her eldest brother.He gestured Ireland over with abrusque wave of his hand. She took hertime ambling over, her pretty faceschooled into an expression of militantboredom. I looked at Cary with a shakeof my head, remembering those days alltoo well.“Listen.” I squeezed Gideon’s wrist.“Tell her you’re sorry you two didn’t get

576/796to catch up while you were here and sheshould call you sometime, if she wants.”Gideon shot me an arch look. “Catchup on what?”Rubbing his biceps, I said, “She’ll doall the talking if given a chance.”He scowled. “She’s a teenage girl.Why would I give her a chance to talkmy ear off?”I pushed onto my tiptoes andwhispered in his ear, “Because I’ll oweyou one.”“You’re up to something.” He eyed mewarily for a moment; then pressed ahard kiss to my lips with a growl. “Sowe’ll leave it open and say you owe memore than one. Quantity to bedetermined.”I nodded. Cary rocked back on hisheels and twirled one index fingeraround another in a sign meaningwrapped around your finger.

577/796Only fair, I thought, since he waswrapped around my heart.I was surprised when Gideon acceptedthe keys to the Bentley SUV from one ofthe valets. “You drove? Where’s Angus?”“Day off.” He nuzzled against mytemple. “I missed you, Eva.”I settled into the front passenger seat,and he shut the door behind me. As I securedmy seat belt, I saw him pause bythe hood, making eye contact with twomen dressed in black who waited besidea sleek black Mercedes sedan at the endof the drive. They nodded and got in theBenz. When Gideon pulled out of theVidal driveway, they followed directlybehind us.“Security detail?” I asked.

578/796“Yes. I took off fast when I was toldyou were here, and they lost the tail for awhile.”Cary went home with Clancy, soGideon and I headed straight to thepenthouse. I found myself gettingturned on from watching Gideon drive.He handled the luxury vehicle the wayhe handled everything—confidently, aggressively,and with skillful control. Hedrove fast but not recklessly, weavingeasily over the curves and straightawaysof the scenic route back to the city.There was almost no traffic until we hitthe gridlock of Manhattan.When we arrived at his apartment, weboth went straight into the master bathroomand undressed for a shower. As ifhe couldn’t stop touching me, Gideonwashed me from head to toe; then hedried me with a towel and wrapped mein a new robe of embroidered teal silk

579/796with kimono sleeves. He finished bypulling a pair of similarly hueddrawstring silk pants out of a drawer forhimself.“Don’t I get panties?” I asked, thinkingabout my drawer of sexy underwear.“No. There’s a phone hanging on thewall in the kitchen. Hit speed dial oneand tell the man who answers that Iwant him to pick up double my usualdinner order from Peter Luger.”“All right.” I headed out to the livingroom and made the call; then I had tosearch for Gideon. I found him in hishome office, a room I hadn’t been inbefore.I didn’t get a good look at the space atfirst because the only lighting came froman angled picture light on the wall and abarrister’s lamp on his polished wooddesk. Plus my eyes were more interestedin focusing on him. He looked utterly

580/796sensual and compelling sprawled in hisbig black leather chair. He held a tulipglass of some liquor that he warmedbetween his hands and the beauty of hisflexing biceps sent tingles racingthrough me, as did the tight lacing ofmuscles on his abdomen.His gaze was on the wall illuminatedby the picture light, which snagged myattention, too. I was startled when I sawthe art—a huge collage of blown-up photosof him and me: the picture of ourkiss on the street outside the gym…ashot of us from the press gauntlet at theadvocacy dinner…a candid of the tenderaftermath of our fight in Bryant Park…The focal point was the image in thecenter that had been taken while I sleptin my own bed, lit only by the candle I’dleft burning for him. It was an intimatevoyeuristic shot, one that said more

581/796about the photographer than it did thesubject.I was deeply touched by the proof thathe’d been falling along with me.Gideon gestured at the drink he’dpoured for me in advance and set on theedge of his desk. “Have a seat.”I complied, curious. There was anedge to him that was new, a sense ofpurpose and calm determination pairedwith laser-precise focus.What brought on his mood? And whatdid it mean for the rest of our evening?Then I saw the small photo collageframe lying on the desktop next to mydrink and my worry faded. The framewas very similar to the one already onmy desk, but this one held three photosof Gideon and me together.“I want you to take that to work,” hesaid quietly

582/796“Thank you.” For the first time indays, I was happy. I hugged the frame tomy chest with one hand, and picked upmy glass with the other.His eyes glittered as he watched metake a seat. “You blow kisses at me allday from your picture on my desk. Ithink it’s only fair that you be equally remindedof me. Of us.”I exhaled in a rush, my heartbeat notquite steady. “I never forget about youor us.”“I wouldn’t let you if you tried.”Gideon took a deep drink, his throatworking on a swallow. “I think I’vefigured out where we made our firstmisstep, the one that’s led to all thestumbles we’ve had since.”“Oh?”“Take a drink of your Armagnac, angel.I think you’ll need it.”

583/796I took a cautious sip of the liquor,feeling the instantaneous burn, followedby recognition that I liked the flavor. Itook a bigger drink.Rolling his glass between his palms,Gideon took another drink and eyed methoughtfully. “Tell me which was hotter,Eva: sex in the limo when you were incharge or sex in the hotel when I was?”I shifted restlessly, unsure of wherethe conversation was leading. “I thoughtyou enjoyed what happened in the limo.While it was happening, I mean. Obviouslynot later.”“I loved it,” he said with quiet conviction.“The image of you in that red dress,moaning and telling me how good mycock feels inside you, will haunt me aslong as I live. If you’d like to top meagain in the future, I’m definitely game.”My stomach tensed. The muscles inmy shoulders began to knot. “Gideon,

584/796I’m starting to freak out a little. All thistalk of safewords and topping…it feelslike this conversation is leading somewhereI can’t go.”“You’re thinking of bondage and pain.I’m talking about a consensual powerexchange.” Gideon studied me intently.“Would you like more brandy? You’revery pale.”“You think?” I set the drained glassdown. “It sounds like you’re telling meyou’re a Dominant.”“Angel, you knew that already.” Hismouth curved in a soft, sexy smile.“What I’m telling you is that you’resubmissive.”

I pushed to my feet in a rush.“Don’t,” he warned in a dark purr.“You’re not running yet. We’re notdone.”

586/796“You don’t know what you’re talkingabout.” Being under someone else’sthumb—losing my right to say no!—wasnever going to happen again. “You knowwhat I went through. I need control asmuch as you do.”“Sit down, Eva.”I stayed on my feet, just to prove mypoint.His smile widened and my insidesmelted. “Do you have any idea howcrazy I am about you?” he murmured.“You’re crazy all right, if you think I’mgoing to put up with being orderedaround, especially sexually.”“Come on, Eva. You know I don’twant to beat you, punish you, hurt you,demean you, or order you around like apet. Those aren’t needs either of us has.”Straightening, Gideon leaned forwardand placed his elbows on the desktop.“You’re the most important thing in my

587/796life. I treasure you. I want to protect youand make you feel safe. That’s why we’retalking about this.”God. How could he be so wonderfuland so insane at the same time? “I don’tneed to be dominated!”“What you need is someone totrust—No. Close your mouth, Eva. You’llwait until I’m finished.”My protest spluttered into silence.“You’ve asked me to reacquaint yourbody with acts previously used to hurtand terrorize you. I can’t tell you whatyour trust means to me or what it woulddo to me if I broke that trust. I can’t riskit, Eva. We have to do this right.”I crossed my arms. “I guess I’mdumber than bricks. I thought our sexlife was rockin’.”Setting his glass down, Gideon keptgoing as if I hadn’t spoken. “You asked

588/796me to meet a need of yours today and Iagreed. Now we need to—”“If I’m not what you want, just spit itout!” I set the picture frame and myglass down before I did something withthem I’d regret. “Don’t try and pretty itup with—”He was around the desk and on mebefore I could stumble back more than acouple steps. His mouth sealed overmine, his arms caged me. As he’d doneearlier, he carried me to a wall and restrainedme against it, his hands bandingmy wrists and lifting them highabove my head.Trapped, I could nothing as he benthis knees and stroked my cleft with therigid length of his erection. Once, twice.Silk rasped against my swollen clit. Thebite of his teeth on my covered nipplesent a shiver through me, while theclean scent of his warm skin intoxicated

589/796me. With a gasp, I sagged into hisembrace.“See how easily you submit when Itake over?” His lips followed the arch ofmy brow. “And it feels good doesn’t it? Itfeels right.”“That’s not fair.” I stared up at him.How could he expect me to respond anydifferently? As disturbed and confoundedas I was, I was helplessly drawn tohim.“Of course it is. It’s also true.”My gaze roamed over that gloriousmane of inky hair and the chiseled linesof his incomparable face. The longing Ifelt was so acute it was painful. The hiddendamage inside him only made melove him more. There were times when Ifelt like I’d found the other half of myselfin him.“I can’t help it that you turn me on,” Imuttered, “My body is physiologically

590/796supposed to soften and relax, so you canshove that big cock inside me.”“Eva. Let’s be honest. You want me tohave total control. It’s important to youthat you can trust me to take care of you.There’s nothing wrong with that. The reverseis true for me—I need you to trustme enough to give up that control.”I couldn’t think when he was pressedup against me, my body achingly awareof every hard inch of him. “I am notsubmissive.”“You are with me. If you look back,you’ll see you’ve been yielding to me allalong.”“You’re good in bed! And have moreexperience. Of course I let you do whatyou want to me.” I bit my lower lip tostop it from quivering. “I’m sorry Ihaven’t been as exciting for you.”“Bullshit, Eva. You know how much Ienjoy making love to you. If I could get

591/796away with it, I’d do nothing else. We’renot talking about games that get me off.”“Then we’re talking about what getsme off? Is that what this is?”“Yes. I thought so.” He frowned.“You’re upset. I didn’t mean—Damn it. Ithought discussing this would help us.”“Gideon.” My eyes stung, thenflooded with tears. He looked aswounded and confused as I felt. “You’rebreaking my heart.”Releasing my wrists, he stepped backand swept me up in his arms, carryingme out of his office and down the hallwayto a closed door. “Turn the knob,”he said quietly.We entered a candlelit room that stillsmelled faintly of new paint. For a fewseconds I was disoriented, unable tocomprehend how we’d stepped out ofGideon’s apartment and into mybedroom.

592/796“I don’t understand.” A serious understatement,but my brain was still tryingto get past the feeling of being teleportedfrom one residence to another.“You…moved me in with you?”“Not quite.” He set me down, but keptan arm around me. “I recreated yourroom based on the photo I took of yousleeping.”“Why?”What the hell? Who did somethinglike that? Was this all to keep me fromwitnessing his nightmares?The thought shattered my heart further.I felt like Gideon and I were driftingfurther away from each other by themoment.His hands sifted through my damphair, which only increased my agitation.I felt like batting his touch away andputting at least the length of the roombetween us. Maybe two rooms.

593/796“If you feel the need to run,” he saidsoftly, “you can come in here and shutthe door. I promise not to bother youuntil you’re ready. This way, you haveyour safe place and I know that youhaven’t left me.”A million questions and speculationsroared through my mind, but the onething that stuck out was, “Are we stillgoing to share a bed when we’resleeping?”“Every night.” Gideon’s lips touchedmy forehead. “How could you think otherwise?Talk to me, Eva. What’s goingthrough that beautiful head of yours?”“What’s going through my head?” Isnapped. “What the fuck is going on inyours? What happened to you in thefour days we were broken up?”His jaw tightened. “We never brokeup, Eva.”

594/796The phone rang in the other room. Icursed under my breath. I wanted us totalk and I wanted him to go away, bothat the same time.He squeezed my shoulders, and thenlet me go. “That’s our dinner.”I didn’t follow him when he left, feelingtoo unsettled to eat. Instead, Icrawled onto the bed that was exactlylike my own and curled around a pillow,closing my eyes. I didn’t hear Gideoncome back, but I felt him as he drew to astop at the edge of the bed.“Please don’t make me eat alone,” hesaid to my rigid back.“Why don’t you just order me to eatwith you?”He sighed, and then slid onto the bedto spoon behind me. His warmth waswelcome, chasing away the chill that hadbrought goose bumps to my skin. Hedidn’t say anything for a long while, just

595/796gave me the comfort of having himclose. Or maybe he was taking comfortin me.“Eva.” His fingers caressed the lengthof my silk-clad arm. “I can’t stand youbeing unhappy. Talk to me.”“I don’t know what to say. I thoughtwe were finally coming to a point wherethings would smooth out between us.” Ihugged the pillow tighter.“Don’t tense up, Eva. It hurts whenyou pull away from me.”I felt like he was pushing me away.Rolling, I shoved him to his back;then I mounted him, my robe parting asI straddled his hips. I ran the palms ofmy hands over his powerful chest andraked the tanned flesh with my nails. Myhips undulated over him, stroking mybare cleft over his cock. Through thethin silk of his pants, I could feel everyridge and thick vein. From the way his

596/796eyes darkened and his sculpted mouthparted on quickened breaths, I knew hecould feel the outline and damp heat ofme as well.“Is this so awful for you?” I asked,rocking my hips. “Are you lying therethinking you’re not giving me what Iwant because I’m in charge?”Gideon set his hands on my thighs.Even that innocuous touch seemeddominating.The edginess and sharpened focus I’ddetected not long ago abruptly madesense to me—he wasn’t restraining hisforce of will anymore.The tremendous power coiled insidehim was now directed at me like a blastof heat.“I’ve told you before,” he said huskily.“I’ll take you however I can get you.”“Whatever. Don’t think I don’t knowyou’re topping from the bottom.”

597/796His mouth curved with unapologeticamusement.Sliding down, I teased the flat disk ofhis nipple with the tip of my tongue. Iblanketed him as he’d done to me in thepast, stretching my body over his hipsand legs, my hands shoving beneath hisgorgeous ass to squeeze the firm fleshand hold him tight against me. His cockwas a thick column against my belly, renewingmy fierce appetite for him.“Are you going to punish me withpleasure?” he asked quietly. “Becauseyou can. You can bring me to my knees,Eva.”My forehead dropped to his chest andthe air left my lungs in an audible rush.“I wish.”“Please don’t be so worried. We’ll getthrough this along with everything else.”

598/796“You’re so positive you’re right.” Mygaze narrowed. “You’re trying to prove apoint.”“And you might prove yours.” Gideonlicked his lower lip and my sex clenchedin silent demand.There was a brilliant depth of emotionin his eyes. Whatever else was goingon in our relationship, there was nodoubt we were seriously twisted up overeach other.And I was about to demonstrate thatin the flesh.Gideon’s neck arched as my mouthmoved over his torso. “Oh, Eva.”“Your world’s about to be rocked, Mr.Cross.”It was. I made sure of it.Feeling goofy with feminine triumph, Isat at Gideon’s dining table and

599/796remembered him as he’d been just ashort time ago—damp with sweat andpanting, cursing as I took my time savoringhis luscious body.He swallowed a bite of his steak,which had been kept hot courtesy of awarming drawer, and said calmly,“You’re insatiable.”“Well, duh. You’re gorgeous, sexy,and very well-hung.”“I’m glad you approve. I’m also extremelywealthy.”I waved one hand carelessly, encompassingthe whole of what had to be afifty-million-dollar apartment. “Whocares about that?”“Well, I do, actually.” His mouthcurved.I stabbed my fork into a German friedpotato, thinking that Peter Luger foodwas almost as good as sex. Almost. “I’minterested in your money only if it

600/796means you can afford to stop working infavor of lounging around naked as mysex slave.”“I could afford to financially, yes. Butyou’d get bored and dump me, thenwhere would I be?” His look was warmlyamused. “Think you proved your point,do you?”I chewed, and then said, “Should Iprove it again?”“The fact that you’re still hornyenough to want to proves my point.”“Hmm.” I drank my wine. “Are youprojecting?”He shot me a look and casuallychewed another bite of the tendereststeak I’d ever had.Restless and worried, I took a deepbreath and asked, “Would you tell me ifour sex life didn’t satisfy you?”“Don’t be ridiculous, Eva.”

601/796What else could have prompted himto bring this up after our four-daybreakup? “I’m sure it doesn’t help thatI’m not the type you usually go for. Andwe haven’t used any of those toys youhad in the hotel—”“Stop talking.”“Excuse me?”Gideon set his utensils down. “I’m notgoing to listen to you shred your selfesteem.”“What? You’re the only one who getsto do all the talking?”“You can pick a fight with me, Eva,but it’s still not going to get you fucked.”“Who said—” I shut up when heglared. He was right. I still wanted him.I wanted him on top of me, explosivelylustful, completely in control of both mypleasure and his.Pushing away from the table, he saidcurtly, “Wait here.”

602/796When he returned a moment later, heset a black leather ring box beside myplate and resumed his seat. The sight ofit hit me like a physical blow. Fearstruck me first, icy cold. Followedswiftly by a longing that was white-hot.My hands shook in my lap. I claspedmy fingers together and realized mywhole body was shaking. Lost, I liftedmy gaze to Gideon’s face.The feel of his fingertips brushingdown my cheek soothed much of the vibratinganxiety inside me, leaving behindthe terrible yearning.“It’s not that ring,” he murmuredgently. “Not yet. You’re not ready.”Something inside me wilted. Then reliefflooded me. It was too soon. Neitherof us was ready. But if I’d ever wonderedhow deeply I had fallen in love withGideon, now I knew.I nodded.

603/796“Open it,” he said.With cautious fingers, I pulled thebox closer and thumbed open the lid.“Oh.”Nestled inside the black leather andvelvet was a ring like no other. Goldrope-like bands were intertwined anddecorated with Xs covered in diamonds.“Bonds,” I murmured, “secured bycrosses.” Gideon Cross.“Not quite. I see the ropes as representativeof the many threads of you, notbondage. But yes, the Xs are me holdingon to you. By my fingernails, it feelslike.” He finished his glass of wine andrefilled both our glasses.I sat unmoving, stunned, trying totake it all in. Everything he’d done in thetime we’d been apart—the photos, thering, Dr. Petersen, the replicated bedroom,and whoever had been following

604/796me around—told me I’d never been farfrom his mind, if I’d even left it at all.“You gave me my keys back,” Iwhispered, still remembering the pain.His hand reached out and coveredmine. “There are a lot of reasons why Idid that. You left me wearing nothingbut a robe, Eva, and without your keys. Ican’t stand thinking about what could’vehappened if Cary hadn’t been home tolet you in right away.”Lifting his hand to my mouth, I kissedthe back; then released him and closedthe lid of the ring box. “It’s beautiful,Gideon. Thank you. It means a lot tome.”“But you won’t wear it.” It wasn’t aquestion.“After the conversation we’ve had tonight,it feels like a collar.”After a moment, he nodded. “You’renot altogether wrong.”

605/796My brain hurt and my heart ached.Four nights of restless sleeping didn’thelp. I couldn’t understand why he felt Iwas so necessary, even though I felt thatway about him. There were thousands ofwomen in New York alone who could replaceme in his life, but there was onlyone Gideon Cross.“I feel like I’m disappointing you,Gideon. After everything we’ve talkedabout tonight…I feel like this is the beginningof the end.”Pushing his chair back, he angled towardme and touched my cheek. “It’snot.”“When do we see Dr. Petersen?”“I’ll go alone on Tuesdays. After youtalk to him and agree to couples counseling,we can go together onThursdays.”“Two hours of your week, every week.Not including the travel back and forth.

606/796That’s a big commitment.” I reached upand brushed the hair back from hischeek. “Thank you.”Gideon caught my hand and kissedthe palm. “It’s no sacrifice, Eva.”He went into his office to work a bitbefore bed and I carried the ring box intothe master bathroom with me. I studiedit further while I brushed my teethand hair.There was a soft hum of need beneathmy skin, a persistent level of arousalthat shouldn’t have been possible consideringthe number of orgasms I’dalready had over the course of the day. Itwas an emotionally driven need to connectto Gideon, to reassure myself thatwe were okay.Clutching the ring box in my hand, Iwent to my side of Gideon’s bed and setit on the nightstand. I wanted it where

607/796I’d see it first thing in the morning, aftera good night’s sleep.With a sigh, I draped my beautifulnew robe over the footboard andcrawled into bed. After tossing and turningfor a long while, I finally crashed.I woke sometime in the middle of thenight to a racing pulse and quick, shallowbreathing. Disoriented, I lay still fora moment, gathering my bearings andremembering where I was. I tensedwhen it sank in, my ears straining tohear if Gideon was having anothernightmare. When I discovered him lyingquietly beside me, his breathing deepand even, I relaxed with a sigh.What time had he finally come tobed? After the days we’d spent apart, itworried me that he might have felt aneed to be alone.

608/796Then it hit me. I was aroused. Painfullyso.My breasts were full and heavy, mynipples furled and tight. My core wasaching and my cleft wet. As I lay there inthe moonlit darkness, I realized that myown body had woken me with its demands.Had I dreamed something erotic?Or was it enough that Gideon was lyingbeside me?Pushing up onto my elbows, I lookedat him. The sheet and comforter clung tohis waist, leaving his sculpted chest andbiceps bared. His right arm was tossedover his head, framing the fall of darkhair around his lavishly handsome face.His left arm lay between us on theblankets, the hand fisted and bringing torelief the network of thick veins thatcoursed up his forearms. Even in reposehe looked fierce and powerful.

609/796I became more aware of the tensioninside me, the sense that I was drawn tohim by the silent exertion of his formidablewill. It wasn’t possible that he coulddemand my surrender while he wassleeping, yet it felt that way, felt like thatinvisible rope between us was pullingme to him.The throbbing between my legs grewunbearable and I pressed one handagainst the violent pulsing, hoping todull the ache. The pressure worsened itinstead.I couldn’t stay still. Throwing the coversoff, I slid my legs off the side of themattress and thought about trying aglass of warm milk with the brandyGideon had given me earlier. Abruptly, Ipaused, riveted by the moonlight gleamingoff the leather of the ring box on thenightstand. I thought of the jewelry insideit and my desire surged. At that

610/796moment, the thought of being collaredby Gideon filled me with heatedyearning.You’re just horny, I scolded myself.One of the girls in group had talkedabout how her “master” could use herbody any time and in any way hewanted, for his pleasure alone. Therewas nothing about that I’d foundsexy…until I put Gideon in the picture. Iloved getting him off. I loved makinghim come. Just because.My fingers brushed over the lid of thetiny box. Exhaling a shaky breath, Ipicked it up and opened it. A momentlater I was sliding the cool band onto thering finger of my right hand.“Do you like it, Eva?”A shiver moved through me at thesound of Gideon’s voice, deeper androugher than I’d ever heard it. He’dbeen awake, watching me.

611/796How long had he been conscious?Was he as attuned to me while sleepingas I seemed to be to him?“I love it.” I love you.Setting the box aside, I turned myhead to find him sitting up. His eyesglittered in a way that made me impossiblymore aroused, but also sent abite of fear through me. It was an unguardedlook, like the one that had literallyknocked me on my ass when wemet—scorching and possessive, filledwith dark threats of ecstasy. His gorgeousface was harsh in the shadows, hisjaw taut as he lifted my right hand to hismouth and kissed the ring he’d givenme.I moved to kneel on the bed anddraped my arms around his neck. “Takeme. Carte blanche.”He cupped my butt and squeezed.“How does it feel to say that?”

612/796“Almost as good as the orgasmsyou’re going to give me.”“Ah, a challenge.” The tip of histongue teased the seam of my lips,tempting me with the promise of a kisshe deliberately withheld.“Gideon!”“Lay back, angel, and grip your pillowwith both hands.” His mouth curved in awicked smile. “Don’t let go for any reason.Understand?”Swallowing hard, I did as I was told,so turned on I thought I might comefrom just the relentless spasming of myneedy sex.He kicked the covers down to thefootboard. “Spread your legs and pull upyour knees.”My breath caught audibly as mynipples hardened further, causing adeep ache in my breasts. God, Gideonwas hot as hell like this. I was panting

613/796with excitement, my mind spinning withthe possibilities. The flesh between mylegs trembled with want.“Oh, Eva,” he crooned, running hisindex finger through my slick cleft.“Look how greedy you are for me. It’s afull-time job keeping this sweet littlecunt satisfied.”That single rigid finger pushed intome, parting the swollen tissues. Itightened around him, so close to comingI could taste it. He withdrew and liftedhis hand to his mouth, licking myflavor from his skin. My hips archedwithout volition, my body straining towardhis.“Your fault I’m so hot for you,” Igasped. “You slacked on the job fordays.”“Then I better make up for lost time.”Sliding down into a prone position, hesettled his shoulders beneath my thighs

614/796and rimmed the quivering entrance tomy body with the tip of his tongue.Around and around. Ignoring my clitand refraining from fucking me evenwhen I begged.“Gideon, please.”“Shh. I have to get you ready first.”“I’m ready. I was ready before youwoke up.”“Then you should’ve woken me earlier.I’ll always take care of you, Eva. I livefor it.”Whimpering in distress, I rocked myhips into that teasing tongue. Only whenI was soaked with my own arousal,creaming desperately for the feel of anypart of him I could get inside me, did hecrawl over me and settle between myspread thighs, placing his forearms flaton the bed.He held my gaze. His cock, feverishlyhot and hard as stone, lay against the

615/796lips of my sex. I wanted it inside memore than I wanted to breathe. “Now,” Igasped. “Now.”With a practiced shift of his hips, herammed deep into me, shoving me upthe bed.“Ah, God,” I gasped, convulsing ecstaticallyaround the thick column offlesh that possessed me. This was whatI’d needed since we’d talked in his homeoffice, what I’d craved as I rode up anddown his steely erection before dinner,what I’d needed even as I climaxedaround his thick length.“Don’t come,” he murmured in myear, cupping my breasts in his handsand rolling my nipples between histhumb and forefingers.“What?” I was pretty sure if he’d justtake a deep breath I’d go off.“And don’t let go of the pillow.”

616/796Gideon began to move in a slow, lazyrhythm. “You’re going to want to,” hemurmured, nuzzling the sensitive spotbeneath my ear. “You love to grab myhair and rake your nails down my back.And when you’re close to coming, youlike to squeeze my ass and yank medeeper. Makes me so damn hard whenyou go wild like that, when you show mehow much you love how I feel insideyou.”“No fair,” I moaned, knowing he wasdeliberately provoking me. The cadenceof his raspy voice was perfectly timedwith the relentless surging of his hips.“You’re torturing me.”“Good things come to those whowait.” His tongue traced the shell of myear, and then dipped inside at the samemoment he tugged on my nipples.I bucked into his next thrust andnearly came. Gideon knew my body so

617/796well, knew all its secrets and erogenouszones. He was expertly stroking his cockinside me, rubbing over and over thetender bundle of nerves that quivered indelight.Rolling his hips, he screwed into me,exploiting other spots. I made a plaintivesound, on fire for him, desperatelyinfatuated. My fingers cramped with thegrip I had on my pillow, my headthrashing against the driving need to orgasm.He could get me there just by rubbinginside me, the only man who’d everbeen skilled enough to give me an intensevaginal orgasm.“Don’t come,” he repeated, his voicehoarse. “Make it last.”“I c-can’t. It feels too good. God,Gideon…” Tears leaked out of thecorners of my eyes. “I…I’m lost in you.”

618/796I cried softly, afraid to say the otherL-word too soon and risk upsetting thedelicate balance between us.“Oh, Eva.” He rubbed his cheekagainst my damp face. “I must’ve wishedfor you so hard and so often you had nochoice but to come true.”“Please,” I begged softly. “Slowdown.”Gideon lifted his head to look at me,choosing that moment to pinch mynipples with just enough force to inflicta hint of pain. The tender muscles insideme clenched down so hard that his nextthrust caused him to groan.“Please,” I pled again, trembling withthe effort to stave off my building climax.“I’m going to come if you don’tslow down.”His gaze was hot on my face, his hipsstill lunging in a measured tempo thatwas slowly stealing my sanity. “Don’t

619/796you want to come, Eva?” he purred inthat voice that could lure me into hellwith a dreamy smile. “Isn’t that whatyou’ve been working toward all night?”My neck arched as his lips driftedacross my throat. “Only when you say Ican,” I gasped. “Only…when you say.”“Angel.” One hand moved to my face,brushing back the strands of hair thatclung to the perspiration on my skin. Hekissed me deeply, reverently, lickingdeep into my mouth.Yes…“Come for me,” he coaxed, quickeninghis pace. “Come, Eva.”On command, the orgasm struck melike a blow, shocking my system with anoverload of sensation. Wave after waveof pulsing heat rolled through me, contractingmy sex and tightening my core.I cried out, first with an inarticulatesound of agonized pleasure, then with

620/796his name. Chanting it over and over ashe drove his beautiful cock into me, prolongingmy climax, before pushing meinto another one.“Touch me,” he rasped, as I fell apartbeneath him. “Hold me.”Freed from his command to hold thepillow, I bound him to my sweat-slickbody with arms and legs. He poundeddeep and hard, driving strenuously towardhis climax.He came with a growl, his headthrown back as he spurted into me forlong minutes. I held him until our bodiescooled and our breathing evened.When Gideon finally rolled off me, hedidn’t go far. He wrapped himselfaround my back and whispered, “Sleepnow.”I don’t remember if I stayed awakelong enough to reply.

Monday mornings could be awesome,when they began with Gideon Cross. Werode to work with my back proppedagainst his side and his arm slung over

622/796my shoulder so that his fingers couldlink with mine.As he toyed with the ring he’d givenme, I kicked out my legs and eyed theclassic nude heels he’d bought me alongwith some outfits to wear on the occasionsI slept over. To start out the newweek, I’d decided on a black pinstripedsheath dress with a thin blue belt thatreminded me of his eyes. He had excellenttaste; I had to give him that.Unless he was sending one of his brunette“acquaintances” out on buyingsprees…?I pushed the unpleasant thoughtaside.When I’d checked out the drawers hehad set aside for me in his bathroom, Ifound all of my usual cosmetics and toiletriesin all my usual shades. I didn’tbother to ask how he knew, whichmight’ve led to me freaking out. Instead,

623/796I chose to look at it as more proof of hisattentiveness. He thought of everything.The highlight of my morning hadbeen helping Gideon dress in one of hisseriously sexy suits. I’d buttoned hisshirt; he’d tucked it into his pants. I’dfastened his fly; he had knotted his tie.He’d shrugged into his vest; I’dsmoothed the finely tailored materialover his equally fine shirt, amazed tofind that it could be just as sexy puttingclothes on him as it was to take them off.It was like wrapping my own gift.The world would see the beauty of thepackaging, but only I knew the man insideit and how precious he was. His intimatesmiles and his deep husky laugh,the gentleness of his touch and the ferocityof his passion were all reserved forme.The Bentley bounced lightly over apothole in the road and Gideon

624/796tightened his hold. “What’s the planafter work?”“I get to start my Krav Maga classestoday.” I couldn’t keep the excitementout of my voice.“Ah, that’s right.” His lips brushedover my temple. “You know I’m going tohave to watch you go through drills. Justthinking about it makes me hard.”“Didn’t we already establish thateverything makes you hard?” I teased,nudging him with my elbow.“Everything about you. Which islucky for us, since you’re insatiable. Textme when you’re done and I’ll meet youat your place.”Digging in my purse, I pulled out mysmartphone to see if it still had a chargeand saw a message from Cary. I openedit and found a video plus a text; Does Xknow his bro is a douche?

625/796Stay away from CV, baby girl*smooches*I started the playback but it took me aminute to figure out what I was seeing.When comprehension set in, I froze.“What is it?” Gideon asked with hislips in my hair. Then he stiffened behindme, which told me he was looking overmy shoulder.Cary had filmed the video at the Vidal’sgarden party. From the eight-foothighhedges in the background, he wasin the maze, and from the leaves framingthe screen, he was in hiding. Thestar of the show was a couple locked in apassionate embrace. The woman wasbeautifully teary, while the man kissedover her frantic words and soothed herwith gentle strokes of his hands.They were talking about me andGideon, talking about how I was using

626/796my body to get my hands on hismillions.“Don’t worry,” Christopher croonedto a distraught Magdalene. “You knowGideon gets bored fast.”“He’s different with her. I—I think heloves her.”He kissed her forehead. “She’s not histype.”The fingers I had linked with Gideon’stightened.As we watched, Magdalene’s demeanorslowly changed. She began to nuzzleinto Christopher’s touch, her voicesoftening, her mouth seeking. To an observer,it was clear he knew her bodywell—where to pet and where to rub.When she responded to his skilled seduction,he lifted her dress and fuckedher. That he was taking advantage of herwas obvious. It was there in the

627/796contemptuously triumphant look on hisface as he screwed her until she waslimp.I didn’t recognize the Christopher onthe screen. His face, his posture, hisvoice…it was like he was a differentman.I was grateful when my smartphonebattery died and the screen abruptlywinked off. Gideon wrapped his armsaround me.“Yuck,” I whispered, snuggling carefullyinto him so I didn’t get makeup onhis lapel. “Majorly creepy. I feel bad forher.”He exhaled harshly. “That’sChristopher.”“Asshole. That smug look on hisface—Ugh.” I shuddered.Pressing his lips to my hair, he murmured,“I thought Maggie would be safefrom him. Our mothers have known

628/796each other for years. I forget how muchhe hates me.”“Why?”I wondered briefly if the nightmaresGideon had were related to Christopher,then I put the thought aside. No way.Gideon was older by several years andtougher all the way around. He’d kickChristopher’s ass.“He thinks I got all the attentionwhen we were younger,” Gideon saidwearily, “because everyone was worriedabout how I was handling my father’ssuicide. So he wants what’s mine.Everything he can get his hands on.”I turned into him, pushing my armsunderneath his jacket to get closer.There was something in his voice thatmade me hurt for him. His family homewas a place he said haunted his nightmaresand he was terribly distant fromhis family.

629/796He’d never been loved. It was assimple—and as complicated—as that.“Gideon?”“Hmm?”I pulled back to look at him. Reachingup, I traced the bold arch of his brow. “Ilove you.”A violent shudder moved throughhim, one hard enough to shake me, too.“I don’t mean to freak you out,” I reassuredhim quickly, averting my face togive him some privacy. “You don’t haveto do anything about it. I just didn’twant another minute to go by withoutyou knowing how I feel. You can tuck itaway now.”One of his hands gripped my nape,the other dug almost painfully into mywaist. Gideon held me there, immobile,locked against him as if I might blowaway. His breathing was ragged, hisheartbeat pounding. He didn’t say

630/796another word the rest of the ride towork, but he didn’t let me go either.I planned on telling him again oneday in the future, but as far as first timeswent, I thought we’d both done okay.At ten o’clock sharp, I had two dozenlong-stemmed red roses delivered toGideon’s office with the note: In celebrationof red dresses and limo rides.Ten minutes later, I received an interofficeenvelope with a note card thatread:Let’s do that again. Soon.At eleven o’clock, I had a black-andwhitecalla lily arrangement delivered tohis office with the note: In honor ofblack & white garden party dresses andbeing dragged into libraries…Ten minutes later, I received hisreply:

631/796I’ll be dragging you to the floor in aminute…At noon, I went shopping. Ring shopping.I hit six different shops before Ifound a piece that struck me as beingabsolutely perfect. Made of platinum engravedand studded with black diamonds,it was an industrial-looking ringthat made me think of power and bondage.It was a dominant ring, very boldand masculine. I had to open a newcharge account with the store to coverthe hefty cost, but I considered themonths of payments ahead of me worthit.I called Gideon’s office and talkedwith Scott, who helped me arrange afifteen-minute window in Gideon’spacked day for me to stop by.“Thank you so much for your help,Scott.”

“You’re very welcome. I’ve enjoyedwatching him receive your flowerstoday. I don’t think I’ve ever seen himsmile like that.”A warm rush of love flowed throughme. I wanted to make Gideon happy. Ashe’d said, I lived for it.I went back to work with a smile ofmy own. At two o’clock, I had a tiger lilyarrangement delivered to Gideon’s officefollowed by a private note sent via interofficeenvelope:In gratitude for all the jungle sex.His reply:632/796Skip the Krav Maga. I’ll give you aworkout.When three forty rolled around—fiveminutes before my appointment withGideon—I got nervous. I stood up frommy chair on shaky legs and paced in theelevator on the way up to his floor. Now

633/796that the time had come to give him mygift, I worried that maybe he didn’t likerings…after all, he didn’t wear any.Was it too presumptuous and possessiveof me to want him to wear onejust because I did?The redheaded receptionist didn’tgive me any trouble getting in and whenScott spotted me emerging from thehallway, he stood from his desk andgreeted me with a wide grin. When Istepped into Gideon’s office, Scottclosed the door behind me.I was immediately struck by the lovelyfragrance of the flowers and the waythey warmed the starkly modern office.Gideon looked up from his monitor,his brows lifting when he saw me. Hepushed fluidly to his feet. “Eva. Issomething wrong?”

634/796I watched him shift gears from professionalto personal, his gaze softeningas he looked at me.“No. It’s just…” I took a deep breathand went to him. “I have something foryou.”“More? Did I forget a specialoccasion?”I set the ring box down in the centerof his desk. Then I turned away, feelingqueasy. I seriously doubted the wisdomof my impetuous gift. It seemed like astupid idea now.What could I say to absolve him ofguilt for not wanting it? As if it wasn’tbad enough I’d dropped the “L” bombon him today; then I had to follow it upwith a damned ring. He was probablyfeeling the ball and chain already, draggingafter him as he ran. And the noosetightening—

635/796I heard the ring box snap open andGideon’s sharply drawn breath. “Eva.”His voice was dark and dangerous. Iturned carefully, wincing at the austerityof his features and the starkness of hisgaze. His hands were white-knuckled onthe box.“Too much?” I asked hoarsely.“Yes.” He set the box down and roundedthe desk. “Too damn much. I can’tsit still, I can’t concentrate. I can’t getyou out of my head. I’m fucking restless,and I never am when I’m at work. I’mtoo busy. But you have me under siege.”I knew damn well how demanding hiswork had to be, yet I hadn’t taken thatinto consideration when the mood tosurprise him—again and again—hit me.“I’m sorry, Gideon. I wasn’t thinking.”He approached with the sexy stridethat hinted at how great he was in the

636/796sack. “Don’t be sorry. Today has beenthe best day of my life.”“Really?” I watched him slide the ringonto his right ring finger. “I wanted toplease you. Does it fit? I had to guess…”“It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” Gideoncaught up my hands and kissed my ring;then watched as I repeated the gesturewith his. “What you make me feel,Eva…it hurts.”My pulse leaped. “Is that bad?”“It’s wonderful.” He cupped my face,his ring cool against my cheek. Hekissed me passionately, his lips demandingagainst mine, his tongue thrustingwith wicked skill into my mouth.I wanted more, but restrained myself,thinking that I’d already gone overboardenough for one day. Plus, he’d been toodistracted by my unexpected appearanceto frost the glass wall to give us privacy.

637/796“Tell me again what you said in thecar,” he whispered.“Hmm…I don’t know.” I brushed myfree hand over his vest. I was afraid totell him again that I loved him. He’dtaken it hard the first time, and I wasn’tsure he’d fully taken in what it meant forus. For him. “You’re ridiculously handsome,you know. It’s a sucker punchevery time I see you. Anyway…I don’twant to risk scaring you away.”Leaning toward me, he touched hisforehead to mine. “You regret what yousaid, don’t you? All the flowers, thering—”“Do you really like it?” I askedanxiously, pulling back to study his faceand see if he was hedging on the truth.“I don’t want you to wear it for me if youhate it.”

638/796His fingers traced the shell of my ear.“It’s perfect. It’s how you see me. I’mproud to wear it.”I loved that he got it. Of course, that’sbecause he got me.“If you’re trying to soften the blow oftaking back what you said—” he began,his gaze betraying a surprising anxiety.I couldn’t resist the soft plea in hiseyes. “I meant every word, Gideon.”“I’ll make you say it again,” hethreatened in a seductive purr. “You’llscream it by the time I’m done withyou.”I grinned and backed away. “Get backto work, fiend.”“I’ll give you a lift home at five.” Hewatched me move to the door. “I wantyour cunt naked and wet when you comedown to the car. If you touch yourself toget there, don’t make yourself come orthere will be consequences.”

639/796Consequences. A little shiver movedthrough me, but it carried a level of fearI could deal with. I trusted Gideon toknow just how far to push me. “Will yoube hard and ready?”A wry smile twisted his lips. “Whenam I not, with you? Thank you for today,Eva. Every minute of it.”I blew him a kiss and watched hiseyes darken. The look on his face stayedwith me the rest of the day.It was six o’clock before I made it backto my apartment in a state of wellfuckeddishevelment. I’d known what Iwas in for when I found Gideon’s limousineat the curb after work instead ofthe Bentley. He’d damn near tackled meas I climbed into the back; then proceededto demonstrate his phenomenal

640/796oral skills before nailing me into the seatwith vigorous enthusiasm.I was grateful that I kept in shape.Otherwise, Gideon’s insatiable sexualappetite combined with his seeminglyendless stamina might’ve exhausted meby now. Not that I was complaining.Just an observation.Clancy was already waiting for me inthe lobby of my apartment buildingwhen I came rushing in. If he noted myhideously wrinkled dress, flushedcheeks, and messy hair, he didn’t pointit out. I changed swiftly upstairs and wetook off for Parker’s studio. I hoped theorientation would start out easy becausemy legs were still a bit jellied from twotoe-curling orgasms.By the time we arrived at the convertedwarehouse in Brooklyn, I was excitedand ready to learn. About a dozenstudents were engaged in various

641/796exercises with Parker overseeing and offeringencouragement from the edge ofthe mats. When he saw me, he cameover and directed me to a far corner ofthe sparring area where we could workone-on-one.“So…how’s it going?” I asked, to breakmy own tension.He smiled, showing off a very interestingand arresting face. “Nervous?”“A little.”“We’re going to work on your physicalstrength and stamina, as well as yourawareness. I’m also going to start trainingyou not to freeze or hesitate in unexpectedconfrontations.”Before we began, I thought I hadpretty good physical strength and stamina,but I learned both could be better.We started out with a brief introductionto the equipment and layout of thespace, and then moved on to an

642/796explanation of both fighting and neutral/passivestances. We warmed up withbasic bodyweight calisthenics; then progressedto “tagging,” where we tried totag each other’s shoulders and kneeswhile standing face-to-face and blockingcountermoves.Parker was amazing at tagging, ofcourse, but I started to get the hang of it.The majority of the time, however, wasspent covering groundwork and I reallysunk my teeth into that. I knew very wellwhat it was like to be down and at adisadvantage.If Parker noted my underlying vehemence,he didn’t comment on it.When Gideon showed up at my apartmentlater that evening, he found mesoaking my aching body in my bathtub.Although I could tell he was fresh from a

643/796shower after his own workout with hispersonal trainer, he stripped and slid intothe bath behind me, cradling me withhis arms and legs. I whimpered as herocked me.“That good, huh?” he teased, catchingmy earlobe in his teeth.“Who knew rolling around for anhour with a hot guy could be so exhausting?”Cary had been right about KravMaga causing bruises; I could see a fewshadows blooming beneath my skinalready and we hadn’t even gotten to thehard stuff yet.“I might be jealous,” Gideon murmured,squeezing my breasts, “if I didn’tknow Smith was married with children.”I snorted at yet another tidbit ofknowledge he shouldn’t know. “Do youalso know his shoe and hat sizes?”

644/796“Not yet.” He laughed at my exasperatedgrowl and I couldn’t hold back asmile at hearing the rare sound.One day soon we were going to haveto talk about his obsession with informationgathering, but today wasn’t theday to get into it. We’d been at odds toomuch lately and Cary’s warning aboutmaking sure we had as much fun as notwas ever-present in my mind.Playing with the ring on Gideon’s finger,I told him about the conversationI’d had with my dad on Saturday andhow his fellow cops had been ribbinghim over the gossip about me dating theGideon Cross.He sighed. “I’m sorry.”Turning, I faced him. “It’s not yourfault you’re news. You can’t help beinginsanely attractive.”

645/796“One of these days,” he said dryly, “I’llfigure out whether my face is a curse ornot.”“Well, if my opinion counts for anything,I’m rather fond of it.”Gideon’s lips twitched and he touchedmy cheek. “Your opinion is the only onethat means anything. And your dad’s. Iwant him to like me, Eva, not think I’mexposing his daughter to invasions ofher privacy.”“You’ll win him over. He just wantsme to be safe and happy.”He visibly relaxed and pulled mecloser. “Do I make you happy?”“Yes.” I rested my cheek over hisheart. “I love being with you. Whenwe’re not together, I wish we were.”“You said you didn’t want to fightanymore,” he murmured in my hair.“It’s been bugging me. Are you gettingtired of me fucking up all the time?”

646/796“You do not fuck up all the time. AndI’ve screwed up, too. Relationships arehard, Gideon. Most of them don’t havekick-ass sex like we do. I put us in thelucky column.”He cupped water in his hand andpoured in down my back, over and over,soothing me with its sinuous warmth. “Idon’t really remember my dad.”“Oh?” I tried to not tense up and revealmy surprise. Or my agitated excitementand desperate hunger to learnmore about him. He’d never talkedabout his family before. It killed me notto prod with questions, but I didn’t wantto push if he wasn’t ready….His chest lifted and fell on a deep exhale.There was something in the soundof his sigh that brought my head up andruined my intention to be cautious.

647/796I ran my hand over his hard pectorals.“Want to talk about what you doremember?”“Just…impressions. He wasn’t aroundmuch. He worked a lot. I guess I get mydrive from him.”“Maybe workaholism—is that aword?—is something you have in common,but that’s it.”“How would you know?” he shotback, defiant.Reaching up, I brushed the hair backfrom his face. “I’m sorry, Gideon, butyour father was a fraud who took theeasy, selfish way out. You don’t have itin you to be that way.”“Not that way, no.” He paused. “But Idon’t think he ever learned how to connectto people, how to care about anythingbut his own immediate needs.”I studied him. “Do you think that describesyou?”

648/796“I don’t know,” he answered quietly.“Well, I know, and it doesn’t.” Ipressed a kiss to the tip of his nose.“You’re a keeper.”“I better be.” His arms tightenedaround me. “I can’t think about you withsomeone else, Eva. Just the idea of anotherman seeing you the way I do, seeingyou like this…putting his hands onyou…It takes me to a dark place.”“It’s not going to happen, Gideon.” Iknew how he felt. I wouldn’t be able tobear it if he was intimate with anotherwoman.“You’ve changed everything for me. Icouldn’t stand losing you.”I hugged him. “The feeling’s mutual.”Tilting my head back, Gideon took mymouth in a fierce kiss.In moments it became clear we weresoon going to be sloshing water all over

649/796the floor. I pulled away. “I need to eat ifyou want to go at it again, fiend.”“Says the girlfriend rubbing her wetnaked body all over me.” He sat backwith a sinful smile.“Let’s order cheap Chinese and eat itout of the box with chopsticks.”“Let’s order good Chinese and dothat.”

Cary joined us in the living room for excellentChinese, a sweet plum wine, andMonday night television. As we flippedchannels and laughed over the hilariousnames of some reality television shows,

651/796I watched as two of the most importantmen in my life enjoyed some relaxationtime and each other. They got alongwell, ribbing and playfully insulting eachother in that way men had. I’d neverseen that side of Gideon before and Iloved it.While I hogged one whole side of oursectional sofa, the two guys sat crossleggedon the floor and used the coffeetable as a dining table. Both were wearingloose sweatpants and fitted T-shirts,and I appreciated the view. Was I alucky girl or what?Cracking his knuckles, Cary dramaticallyprepared to open his fortune cookie.“Let’s see. Will I be rich? Famous?About to meet Mr. or Ms. Tall, Dark,and Tasty? Traveling to distant lands?What’d you guys get?”

652/796“Mine’s lame,” I said. “In the end allthings will be known. Duh. I didn’t needa fortune to figure that out.”Gideon opened his and read,“Prosperity will knock on your doorsoon.”I snorted.Cary shot me a look. “I know, right?You snatched someone else’s cookie,Cross.”“He better not be anywhere nearsomeone else’s cookie,” I said dryly.Reaching over, Gideon plucked half ofmine out of my fingers. “Don’t worry,angel. Your cookie is the only one Iwant.” He popped it in his mouth with awink.“Gag,” Cary muttered. “Get a room.”He cracked his fortune with a flourish,and then scowled. “What the fuck?”I leaned forward. “What’s it say?”

653/796“Confucius say,” Gideon ad-libbed,“man with hand in pocket feel cocky allday.”Cary threw half his cookie at Gideon,who caught it deftly and grinned.“Give me that.” I snatched the fortuneout from between Cary’s fingers andread it. Then laughed.“Fuck you, Eva.”“Well?” Gideon prodded.“Pick another cookie.”Gideon smiled. “Pwned by a fortune.”Cary threw the other half of hiscookie.I was reminded of similar eveningsspent with Cary when I was attendingSDSU, which made me try and picturewhat Gideon had been like in college.From the articles I’d read, I knew he’dattended Columbia for his undergraduatestudies, then left to focus on his expandingbusiness interests.

654/796Had he associated with the other students?Did he go to frat parties, screwaround and/or drink too much? He wassuch a controlled man, I had a hard timepicturing him that carefree, and yet herehe was being exactly that with me andCary.He glanced at me then, still smiling,and my heart turned over in my chest.He looked his age for once, young andseriously fine and so very normal. Atthat moment, we were just a twentysomethingcouple relaxing at home witha roommate and a remote control. Hewas just my boyfriend, hanging out. Itwas all so sweet and uncomplicated, andI found the illusion a poignant one.The intercom buzzed and Cary leapedto his feet to answer it. He glanced at mewith a smile. “Maybe it’s Trey.”I held up a hand with my fingerscrossed.

655/796But when Cary answered the door afew minutes later, it was the leggyblonde from the other night who camein.“Hey,” she said, taking in the remnantsof dinner on the table. She eyedGideon appraisingly as he politely unfoldedand stood in that powerfully gracefulway of his. She shot me a smirk; thenunleashed a dazzling supermodel smileon Gideon and held out her hand. “TatianaCherlin.”He shook her hand. “Eva’s boyfriend.”My brows lifted at his introduction.Was he protecting his identity? Or hispersonal space? Either way, I liked hisresponse.Cary came back into the room with abottle of wine and two glasses. “Comeon,” he said, gestured down the hallwayto his bedroom.

656/796Tatiana gave a little wave and precededCary out. I mouthed behind herback to Cary, What are you doing?He winked and whispered, “Pickinganother cookie.”Gideon and I called it a night shortlyafter and headed to my room. As we gotready for bed, I asked him something I’dwondered about earlier. “Did you have afuck pad in college, too?”His T-shirt cleared his head. “Excuseme?”“You know, like the hotel room.You’re a randy guy. I just wondered ifyou’d had some kind of setup eventhen.”He was shaking his head as I ogled hisdivinely perfect torso and lean hips.“I’ve had as much sex since I met you asI’ve had in the last two years combined.”“No way.”

657/796“I work hard and I work out harder,both of which keep me pleasantly exhaustedmost of the time. Occasionally, Imight’ve gotten an offer I didn’t refuse,but otherwise I could take or leave sexuntil I met you.”“Bullshit.” I found that impossible tobelieve.He shot me a look before he headedtoward the bathroom with a black leathertoiletry bag. “Keep doubting me, Eva.See what happens.”“What?” I followed him, enjoying thesight of his delectable ass. “You’re goingto prove that you can take or leave sexby doing me again?”“It takes two.” He opened his bag andpulled out a new toothbrush that he extricatedfrom its packaging and droppedinto my toothbrush holder. “You’ve initiatedsex between us as much as I have.

658/796You need the connection as much as Ido.”“You’re right. It’s just…”“Just what?” He pulled open a drawer,frowned at finding it full, and movedon to pull open another.“Other sink,” I said, smiling at hispresumption that he would get drawersat my place, too, and his scowl when hecouldn’t find them. “They’re all yours.”Gideon moved over to the second sinkand began unpacking his bag into thedrawers. “Just what?” he repeated, takingshampoo and body wash over to myshower.Leaning my hip into the sink andcrossing my arms, I watched him stakehis claim all over my bathroom. Therewas no doubt that’s what he was doing,just as there was no doubt that anyonewalking into the room would know rightaway there was a man in my life.

659/796It struck me then that I had a similarclaim on his private space. His householdstaff had to know their boss was ina committed relationship now. Thethought gave me a little thrill.“I was thinking about you in collegeearlier,” I went on, “when we were eatingdinner, imagining what it would belike to see you around on campus. Iwould’ve been obsessed with you. Iwould have gone out of my way to seeyou around just to enjoy the view. Iwould’ve tried to get in the same classesas you, so I could daydream during lecturesabout getting into your pants.”“Sex maniac.” He kissed the tip of mynose as he passed me and went to brushhis teeth. “We both know what would’vehappened once I saw you.”I brushed my hair and teeth; thenwashed my face. “So…did you have a sex

660/796pad for the rare occasions some luckybitch got you in bed?”His gaze caught my soapy reflectionin the mirror. “I’ve always used thehotel.”“That’s the only place you’ve had sex?Before me?”“The only place I’ve had consensualsex,” he said quietly, “before you.”“Oh.” My heart broke.I walked over to him, hugging himfrom behind. I rubbed my cheek againsthis back.We went to bed and wrappedourselves around each other. I buriedmy face in his neck and breathed him in,snuggling. His body was hard, yet it waswonderfully comfortable against mine.He was so warm and strong, so powerfullymale. I only had to think of him towant him.

661/796I slid my leg over his hips and roseabove him, my hands splayed atop theridges of his abdomen. It was dark, Icouldn’t see him, but I didn’t need to. Asmuch as I loved that face of his—the onehe resented at times—it was the way hetouched me and murmured to me thatreally got to me. As if there was no oneelse in the world for him, nothing hewanted more.“Gideon.” I didn’t need to say anythingelse.Sitting up, he wrapped his armsaround me and kissed me deeply. Thenhe rolled me beneath him and made loveto me with a tender possessiveness thatrocked me to the soul.I woke with a jolt of surprise. A heavyweight crushed me and a harsh voice

662/796spit ugly, nasty words into my ear. Panicgripped me, cutting off my air.Not again. No…Please, no…My stepbrother’s hand covered mymouth and he yanked my legs apart. Ifelt the hard thing between his legs pokingblindly, trying to push into my body.My scream was muffled by his palmsmashed over my lips and I cringedaway, my heart pounding so hard Ithought it would burst. Nathan was soheavy. So heavy and strong. I couldn’tbuck him off. I couldn’t shove him away.Stop it! Get off me. Don’t touch me.Oh, God…please don’t do that tome…not again…Where was Mama? Ma-ma!I screamed, but Nathan’s handcovered my mouth. It pressed down onme, squashing my head into the pillow.The more I fought, the more excited hebecame. Panting like a dog, he rammed

663/796against me over and over…trying toshove himself inside me…“You’re going to know what it feelslike.”I froze. I knew that voice. I knew itwasn’t Nathan’s.Not a dream. Still a nightmare.God, no. Blinking madly in the darkness,I struggled to see. The blood wasroaring through my ears. I couldn’t hear.But I knew the smell of his skin. Knewhis touch, even when it was cruel. Knewthe feel of his body on mine, even as ittried to invade me.Gideon’s erection battered into thecrease of my thigh. Panicked, I heavedupward with all my strength. His handon my face dislodged.Sucking air into my lungs, Iscreamed.

664/796His chest heaved as he growled, “Notso neat and tidy when you’re the onegetting fucked.”“Crossfire,” I gasped.A flash of light from the hallwayblinded me, followed by the blessed removalof Gideon’s smothering weight.Rolling to my side, I sobbed, my eyesstreaming tears that blurred my view ofCary shoving Gideon across the roomand into the wall, denting the drywall.“Eva! Are you okay?” Cary turned onthe bedside light, cursing when he sawme curled in a fetal position, rockingviolently.When Gideon straightened, Caryrounded on him. “Move one fuckingmuscle before the cops get here and I’llbeat you to a bloody pulp!”Swallowing past my burning throat, Ipushed up to a seated position. My gazelocked with Gideon’s and I watched the

665/796haze of sleep leave his eyes, replaced bya dawning horror.“Dream,” I choked out, catchingCary’s arm as he reached for the phone.“He’s d-dreaming.”Cary glanced at where Gideoncrouched naked on the floor like a wildanimal. Cary’s arm dropped back to hisside. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed. “And Ithought I was fucked up.”Sliding off the bed, I stood on shakylegs, sick with lingering fear. My kneesgave out and Cary caught me, loweringto the floor with me and holding me as Icried.“I’m gonna crash on the couch.” Caryran a hand through his sleep-mussedhair and leaned into the hallway wall.The door to my bedroom was open behindme and Gideon was inside, looking

666/796pale and haunted. “I’ll set out someblankets and pillows for him, too. I don’tthink he should go home alone. He’sshredded.”“Thanks, Cary.” The arms I hadwrapped around my middle tightened.“Is Tatiana still here?”“Hell, no. It’s not like that. We justfuck.”“What about Trey?” I asked quietly,my mind already drifting back toGideon.“I love Trey. I think he’s the best personI’ve ever met aside from you.” Hebent forward and kissed my forehead.“And what he doesn’t know won’t hurthim. Stop worrying about me and takecare of you.”I looked up at him, my eyes swimmingin tears. “I don’t know what to do.”Cary sighed, his green eyes dark andserious. “I think you need to decide if

667/796you’re in over your head, baby girl.Some people can’t be fixed. Look at me.I’ve got a great guy and I’m giving it to agirl I can’t stand.”“Cary…” Reaching out, I touched hisshoulder.He caught my hand and squeezed it.“I’m here if you need me.”Gideon was zipping up his duffel bagwhen I returned to my room. He lookedat me and fear slithered in my gut. Notfor me, but for him. I’d never seen anyonelook so desolate, so utterly broken.The bleakness in his beautiful eyesfrightened me. There was no life in him.He was gray as death with deep shadowsin all the angles and planes of hisbreathtaking face.“What are you doing?” I whispered.He backed up, as if he wanted to be asfar away from me as he could get. “Ican’t stay.”

668/796It worried me that I felt a surge of reliefat the thought of being alone. “Weagreed—no running.”“That was before I attacked you!” hesnapped, showing the first sign of spiritin over an hour.“You were unconscious.”“You’re not going to be a victim everagain, Eva. My God…what I almost didto you…” He turned his back to me, hisshoulders hunched in a way that scaredme as much as the attack had.“If you leave, we lose and our pastswin.” I saw my words hit him like ablow. Every light in my room was on, asif electricity alone could banish all theshadows on our souls. “If you give upnow, I’m afraid it’ll be easier for you tostay away and for me to let you. We’ll beover, Gideon.”“How can I stay? Why would youwant me to?” Turning around, he looked

669/796at me with such longing it brought freshtears to my eyes. “I’d kill myself before Ihurt you.”Which was one of my fears. I had adifficult time picturing the Gideon Iknew—the dominant, willful force ofnature—taking his own life, but theGideon standing before me was an entirelydifferent person. And he was thechild of a suicidal parent.My fingers plucked at the hem of myT-shirt. “You’d never hurt me.”“You’re afraid of me,” he saidhoarsely. “I can see it on your face. I’mafraid of me. Afraid of sleeping with youand doing something that will destroy usboth.”He was right. I was afraid. Dreadchilled my stomach.Now I knew the explosive violence inhim. The festering fury. And we were soimpassioned with each other. I’d

670/796slapped his face at the garden party,lashing out physically when I never didthat.It was the nature of our relationshipto be lusty and emotional, earthy andraw. The trust that held us together alsoopened us up to each other in ways thatmade us both vulnerable and dangerous.And it would get worse before it gotbetter.He shoved a hand through his hair.“Eva, I—”“I love you, Gideon.”“God.” He looked at me withsomething that resembled disgust.Whether it was directed at me or himself,I didn’t know. “How can you saythat?”“Because it’s the truth.”“You just see this”—he gestured athimself with a wave of his hand. “You’re

671/796not seeing the fucked-up, broken messinside.”I inhaled sharply. “You can say that tome? When you know I’m fucked up andbroken, too?”“Maybe you’re wired to go forsomeone who’s terrible for you,” he saidbitterly.“Stop it. I know you’re hurting, butlashing out at me is only going to makeyou hurt worse.” I glanced at the clockand saw it was four in the morning. Iwalked toward him, needing to get pastmy fear of touching him and beingtouched by him.He held up a hand as if to hold me off.“I’m going home, Eva.”“Sleep on the couch here. Don’t fightme about this, Gideon. Please. I’ll worrymyself sick if you go.”“You’ll be more worried if I stay.” Hestared at me, looking lost and angry and

672/796filled with terrible yearning. His eyespleaded with me for forgiveness, but hewouldn’t accept it when I tried to give itto him.I went to him and took his hand,fighting back the surge of apprehensionthat hit me when we touched. My nerveswere still raw, my throat and mouth stillsore, the memory of his attempts at penetration—solike Nathan’s—were still toofresh. “We’ll g-get through this,” I promisedhim, hating that my voice quavered.“You’ll talk to Dr. Petersen and we’ll gofrom there.”His hand lifted as if to touch my face.“If Cary hadn’t been here—”“He was, and I’ll be fine. I love you.We’ll get past this.” I walked into him,hugging him, pushing my hands beneathhis shirt to touch his bare skin.“We’re not going to let the past get inthe way of what we have.”

673/796I wasn’t sure which of us I was tryingto convince.“Eva.” His returning hug squeezed allof the air out of me. “I’m sorry. It’skilling me. Please. Forgive me…I can’tlose you.”“You won’t.” My eyes closed, focusingon the feel of him. The smell of him. Rememberingthat I once feared nothingwhen I was with him.“I’m so sorry.” His shaking handsstroked the curve of my spine. “I’ll doanything…”“Shh. I love you. We’ll be okay.”Turning his head, he kissed me softly.“Forgive me, Eva. I need you. I’m afraidof what I’ll become if I lose you…”“I’m not going anywhere.” My skintingled beneath the restless glide of hishands on my back. “I’m right here. Nomore running.”

674/796He paused, his breath gusting harshlyagainst my lips. Then he tilted his headand sealed his mouth over mine. Mybody responded to the gentle coaxing ofhis kiss. I arched into him without volition,pulling him closer.He cupped my breasts in his hands,kneading them, circling the pads of histhumbs over my nipples until theypeaked and ached. I moaned with a mixtureof fear and hunger, and he quiveredat the sound.“Eva…?”“I—I can’t.” The memory of how I’dwoken up was too fresh in my mind. Ithurt me to deny him, knowing heneeded the same thing from me as I’dneeded from him when I told him aboutNathan—proof that the desire was stillthere, that as ugly as the scars of ourpasts were, they didn’t affect what wewere to each other now.

675/796But I couldn’t give him that. Not yet. Ifelt too raw and vulnerable. “Just holdme, Gideon. Please.”He nodded, wrapping his armsaround me.I urged him to sink to the floor withme, hoping I could get him to fall asleep.I curled into his side, my leg thrownover his, my arm draped over his hardstomach. He squeezed me gently, pressinghis lips to my forehead, whisperingover and over again how sorry he was.“Don’t leave me,” I whispered. “Stay.”Gideon didn’t answer, didn’t makeany promises, but he didn’t let me goeither.I woke sometime later, hearing Gideon’sheart beating steadily beneath my ear.All the lights were still on, and the carpetedfloor was hard and uncomfortable.

676/796Gideon lay on his back, his beautifulface youthful in sleep, his shirt lifted justenough to expose his navel and theripped muscles of his abdomen.This was the man I loved. This wasthe man whose body gave me suchpleasure, whose thoughtfulness movedme over and over again. He was stillhere. And from the frown that marredthe space between his brows, he was stillhurting.I slid my hand into his sweatpants.For the first time since we’d been together,he wasn’t hot steel in my palms,but he quickly swelled and thickened asI tentatively stroked him from root totip. Fear lingered just beneath my arousal,but I was more afraid of losing himthan of living with the demons insidehim.He stirred, his arm tightening aroundmy back. “Eva…?”

677/796This time I answered him the way Icouldn’t before. “Let’s forget,” Ibreathed into his mouth. “Make usforget.”“Eva.”He rolled into me, peeling my shirt offwith cautious movements. I was similarlytentative in undressing him. We approachedeach other as if each of us wasbreakable. The bond between us wasfragile just then, both of us apprehensiveabout the future and the wounds wecould inflict with all of our jagged edges.His lips wrapped around my nipple,his cheeks hollowing slowly, his seductionsubdued. The tender suckling felt sogood I gasped and arched into his hand.He caressed my side from breast to hipand back again, over and over, gentlingme as my heart raced wildly.He kissed across my chest to the otherbreast, murmuring words of apology

678/796and need in a voice broken by regret andmisery. His tongue lapped at thehardened point, worrying it, before surroundingit with wet heat and suction.“Gideon.” The delicate pulls expertlycoaxed desire through my skittish mind.My body was already lost in him, greedilyseeking the pleasure and beauty ofhis.“Don’t be afraid of me,” he whispered.“Don’t pull away.”He kissed my navel, and then movedlower, his hair caressing my stomach ashe settled between my legs. He held meopen with shaking hands and nuzzledmy clit. His light, teasing licks throughmy cleft and the fluttering dips into mytrembling sex took me to the edge ofinsanity.My back bowed. Hoarse pleas left mylips. Tension spread through my body,tightening everything until I felt like I

679/796might snap under the pressure. Andthen he pushed me into orgasm with thesoftest nudge of the tip of his tongue.I cried out, heated relief pulsingthrough my writhing body.“I can’t let you go, Eva.” Gideonlevered over me as I vibrated with pleasure.“I can’t.”Brushing away the tear tracks fromhis face, I stared into his reddened eyes.His torment was painful for me to witness,hurting my heart. “I wouldn’t letyou if you tried.”He took himself in hand and fed hiscock slowly, carefully into me. My headpressed hard into the floor as he sankdeeper, possessing my body one thickinch at a time.When I’d taken all of him, he began tomove in measured, deliberate thrusts. Iclosed my eyes and focused on the connectionbetween us. Then he settled

680/796onto me, his stomach pressed to mine,and my pulse leaped with panic.Abruptly frightened, I hesitated.“Look at me, Eva.” His voice was sohoarse it was unrecognizable.I did, and saw his anguish.“Make love to me,” he begged in abreathless whisper. “Make love with me.Touch me, angel. Put your hands onme.”“Yes.” My palms pressed flat to hisback; then stroked over the quiveringmuscles to his ass. Squeezing the hardflexing flesh, I urged him to move faster,plunge deeper.The rhythmic strokes of his heavycock through the clenching depths of mysex pushed ecstasy through me inheated waves. He felt so good. My legswrapped around his plunging hips, mybreath quickening as the cold knot insideme began to melt. Our gazes held.

681/796Tears coursed down my temples. “Ilove you, Gideon.”“Please…” His eyes squeezed shut.“I love you.”He lured me to orgasm with theskilled rolling of his hips, stirring hiscock inside me. My sex clenched tightly,trying to hold him, trying to keep himdeep in me.“Come, Eva,” he gasped against mythroat.I struggled for it, struggled to get pastthe lingering apprehension that camefrom having him on top of me. The anxietymingled with the desire, keeping meon edge.He made a hoarse sound filled withpain and regret. “Need you to come,Eva…need to feel you…Please…”Cupping my buttocks, he angled myhips and stroked over and over thatsensitive spot inside me. He was tireless,

682/796relentless, fucking me long and hard untilmy mind lost control of my body andI came violently. I bit his shoulder tostem my cries as I shook beneath him,the tiny muscles inside me tremblingwith ecstatic ripples. He groaned deep inhis chest, a serrated sound of tormentedpleasure.“More,” he ordered, deepening hisdrives to give me that delectable bite ofsoreness. That he once again trusted usboth enough to introduce that littletouch of pain chased away the last of myreservations. As much as we trustedeach other, we were learning to trust ourinstincts, too.I came again, ferociously, my toescurling until they cramped. I felt the familiartension grip Gideon andtightened my grasp on his hips, spurringhim on, desperate to feel him spurtinginside me.

683/796“No!” He wrenched away, falling tohis back and throwing an arm over hiseyes. Punishing himself by denying hisbody the comfort and pleasure of mine.His chest heaved and glistened withsweat. His cock lay heavily on his belly,brutal-looking with its broad purpledhead and thick roping of veins.I dove for it with hands and mouth,ignoring his vicious curse. Pinning historso with my forearm, I pumped himhard with my other fist and sucked voraciouslyon the sensitive crown. Histhighs quivered, his legs kickingrestlessly.“Damn it, Eva. Fuck.” He stiffenedand gasped, his hands shoving into myhair, his hips bucking. “Oh, fuck. Suck ithard…Ah, Christ…”He exploded in a powerful rush thatalmost choked me, coming hard, floodingmy mouth. I took it all, my fist

684/796milking pulse after pulse up the throbbinglength of his cock, swallowing repeatedlyuntil he shuddered with thesurfeit of sensation and begged me tostop.I straightened and Gideon sat up andwrapped himself around me. He tookme back down to the floor where he buriedhis face in my throat and cried untildawn.I wore a black long-sleeved silk blouseand slacks to work on Tuesday, feelingthe need to have a barrier between myselfand the world. In the kitchen,Gideon cupped my face in his hands andbrushed his mouth across mine withheartrending tenderness. His gaze remainedhaunted.

685/796“Lunch?” I asked, feeling like weneeded to cling to the connectionbetween us.“I have a business lunch.” He ran hisfingers through my loose hair. “Wouldyou come? I’ll make sure Angus gets youback to work on time.”“I’d love to come along.” I thought ofthe schedule of evening events, meetings,and appointments he’d sent to mysmartphone. “And tomorrow night wehave a benefit dinner at theWaldorf=Astoria?”His gaze softened. Dressed for work,he looked somber yet collected. I knewhe was anything but.“You really won’t give up on me, willyou?” he asked quietly.I held up my right hand and showedhim my ring. “You’re stuck with me,Cross. Get used to it.”

686/796On the drive to work, he cuddled mein his lap, and again on the ride to lunchat Jean Georges. I didn’t speak morethan a dozen words during the meal,which Gideon ordered for me and I enjoyedimmensely.I sat quietly at his side, my left handresting on his hard thigh beneath thetablecloth, a wordless affirmation of mycommitment to him. To us. One of hishands rested over mine, warm andstrong, as he discussed a new propertyin development on St. Croix. We keptthat connection throughout the entiremeal, each of us choosing to eat onehandedrather than separate.With each hour that passed, I felt thehorror of the night before drain awayfrom both of us. It would be anotherscar to add to his collection, another bittermemory he’d always have, a memoryI would share and fear along with him,

687/796but it wouldn’t rule us. We wouldn’t letit.Angus was waiting to take me homewhen my day ended. Gideon was workinglate, and then going directly fromthe Crossfire to Dr. Petersen’s office. Iused the length of the drive to steel myselffor the next round of training withParker. I debated skipping it, but endedup deciding it was important to keep toa routine. So much in my life was uncontrollableat the moment. Following aschedule was one of the few thingstotally within my power.After an hour and a half of taggingand groundwork with Parker at the studio,I was relieved when Clancy droppedme off at home and proud of myself forworking out when it was the last thingI’d wanted to do.

688/796When I stepped into the lobby, Ifound Trey talking to the front desk.“Hey,” I greeted him. “Going up?”He turned to face me, his brown eyeswarm and his smile open. Trey had agentleness to him, a kind of straightforwardnaïveté that was different from theother relationships Cary’d had before.Or maybe I should just say Trey was“normal,” which so few of the people inmy and Cary’s lives were.“Cary’s not in,” he said. “They justtried calling.”“You’re welcome to come up with meand wait. I won’t be going out again.”“If you really don’t mind.” He fell intostep beside me as I waved at the gal atthe front desk and moved toward the elevators.“I brought something for him.”“I don’t mind at all,” I assured him,returning his sweet smile.

689/796He eyed my yoga pants and tank top.“You just get back from the gym?”“Yeah. Despite it being one of thosedays when I’d rather have done anythingelse.”He laughed as we stepped into the elevator.“I know that feeling.”As we rode up, silence descended. Itwas weighted.“Everything all right?” I asked him.“Well…” Trey adjusted the sling of hisbackpack. “Cary’s just seemed a little offthe last few days.”“Oh?” I bit my lower lip. “In whatway?”“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. Ijust feel like maybe something’s up withhim and I’m missing what it is.”I thought of the blonde and wincedinwardly. “Maybe he’s stressed aboutthe Grey Isles job and he doesn’t want tobother you with it. He knows you’ve got

690/796your hands full with your job andschool.”The tension in his shoulders softened.“Maybe that’s it. It makes sense. Okay.Thank you.”I let us in to the apartment and toldhim to make himself at home. Treyheaded to Cary’s room to drop his stuff,while I went to the phone to check thevoice mail.A shout from down the hallway hadme reaching for the phone for a differentreason, my heart thudding withthoughts of intruders and imminentdanger. More yelling followed, with onevoice clearly belonging to Cary.I exhaled in a rush, relieved. With thephone in my hand, I ventured to seewhat the hell was going on. I was nearlyrun over by Tatiana rounding the hallwaycorner still buttoning her blouse.

691/796“Oops,” she said, with an unapologeticgrin. “See ya.”I couldn’t hear the door shut behindher over Trey’s shouting.“Fuck you, Cary. We talked aboutthis! You promised!”“You’re blowing this out of proportion,”Cary barked. “It’s not what youthink.”Trey came storming out of Cary’s bedroomin such a rush that I plastered myselfto the hallway wall to get out of hisway. Cary followed, with a sheet slungaround his waist. As he passed me, Ishot him a narrow-eyed glance thatearned me a fuck-off middle finger.I left the two men alone and escapedinto my shower, angry at Cary for onceagain ruining something good in his life.It was a pattern I kept hoping he’dbreak, but he couldn’t seem to kick it.

692/796When I came out to the kitchen a halfhour later, the stillness in the apartmentwas absolute. I focused on cooking dinner,deciding to go with a pork roast andnew potatoes with asparagus, one ofCary’s favorite dinners, in case he washome for dinner and needed somecheering up.The sight of Trey stepping into thehallway while I was putting the roast inthe oven surprised me, and then it mademe sad. I hated to see him leave lookingflushed, disheveled, and crying. My pityturned to fierce disappointment whenCary joined me in the kitchen with thescent of male sweat and sex clinging tohim. He shot me a scowl as he passedme on his way to the wine fridge.I faced him with my arms crossed.“Screwing a heartbroken lover on thesame sheets he’s just caught you cheatingon isn’t going to make things better.”

693/796“Shut up, Eva.”“He’s probably hating himself rightnow for giving in.”“I said shut the fuck up.”“Fine.” I turned away from him andfocused on seasoning the potatoes to putin the oven with the roast.Cary grabbed wineglasses out of thecupboard. “I can feel you judging me.Stop it. He wouldn’t be half as pissed ifit’d been a man he caught me fucking.”“It’s all his fault, huh?”“Newsflash: Your love life isn’t perfecteither.”“Low blow, Cary. I’m not going to beyour punching bag over this. Youmessed up, and then you made it worse.It’s all on you.”“Don’t get on your damn high horse.You’re sleeping with a man who’s goingto rape you any day now.”“It’s not like that!”

694/796He snorted and leaned his hip againstthe counter, his green eyes filled withpain and anger. “If you’re going to makeexcuses for him because he’s sleepingwhen he attacks you, you’ll have to makethose same excuses for drunks anddruggies. They don’t know what they’redoing either.”The truth of his words struck mehard, as did the fact that he was deliberatelytrying to wound me. “You can putdown a bottle. You can’t quit sleeping.”Straightening, Cary opened the bottlehe’d selected and poured two glasses,sliding one across the counter towardme. “If anyone knows what it’s like to beinvolved with people who hurt you, it’sme. You love him. You want to save him.But who’s going to save you, Eva? I’mnot always going to be around whenyou’re with him and he’s a ticking timebomb.”

695/796“You wanna talk about being in relationshipsthat hurt, Cary?” I shot back,deflecting him away from my painfultruths. “Did you screw Trey over to protectyourself? Did you figure you’d pushhim away before he had the chance todisappoint you?”Cary’s mouth curved bitterly. Hetapped his glass to mine, which still saton the counter. “Cheers to us, the seriouslyfucked up. At least we have eachother.”He stalked out of the room and I deflated.I’d known this was coming—theunraveling of circumstances too good tobe true. Contentment and happinessdidn’t exist in my life for more than afew moments at a time, and they werereally only illusionary.There was always something hidden.Lying in wait to spring up and ruineverything.

Gideon arrived just as dinner was comingout of the oven. He had a garmentbag in one hand and a laptop case in theother. I’d worried that he would try to gohome alone after his session with Dr.

697/796Petersen and was relieved when he’dcalled to say he was on his way. Still,when I first opened the door and sawhim on the threshold, a shiver of uneaseslid through me.“Hey,” he said quietly, following meback into the kitchen. “Smells deliciousin here.”“I hope you’re hungry. There’s a lot offood and I’ll be surprised if Cary joins usto help eat it all.”Gideon dropped his stuff on thebreakfast bar and approached me cautiously,his gaze searching my face as heneared. “I brought some things with meto stay the night, but I’ll go if you want.At any time. Just tell me.”I blew out my breath in a harsh rush,determined not to let fear dictate my actions.“I want you here.”“I want to be here.” He paused besideme. “Can I hold you?”

698/796I turned into him and squeezed himhard. “Please.”He pressed his cheek against mineand hugged me close. The embracewasn’t as natural and easy as we’dgrown used to. There was a new warinessbetween us that was different fromanything we’d felt before.“How are you doing?” he murmured.“Better now that you’re here.”“But still nervous.” He pressed hislips to my forehead. “Me, too. I don’tknow how we’re ever going to fall asleepnext to each other again.”Pulling back slightly, I looked at him.That was my fear as well, and my earlierconversation with Cary didn’t help matters.He’s a ticking time bomb…“We’ll figure it out,” I said.He was quiet for a long moment. “HasNathan ever contacted you?”

699/796“No.” Although I had a deep-rootedfear that I might see him again one day,whether accidentally or deliberately. Hewas out there somewhere, breathing thesame air…“Why?”“It was on my mind today.”I pulled back to search his face, a knotforming in my throat at how tormentedhe looked. “Why?”“Because we’ve got a lot of baggagebetween us.”“Are you thinking it’s too much?”Gideon shook his head. “I can’t thinkthat way.”I didn’t know what to do or say. Whatassurances could I give him, when Iwasn’t sure my love and his need wouldbe enough to make our relationshipwork?“What’s going through your mind?”he asked.

700/796“Thoughts of food. I’m starving. Whydon’t you go see if Cary wants to eat?Then we can get started on dinner.”Gideon found Cary sleeping, so he and Iate a candlelit dinner for two at the diningtable, a somewhat formal meal whilelounging in the worn T-shirts and pajamabottoms we’d put on after our respectiveshowers. I was worried aboutCary, but spending quiet downtimealone with Gideon felt like just what weneeded.“I had lunch with Magdalene in myoffice yesterday,” he said after we’d enjoyeda few initial bites.“Oh?” While I’d been ring shopping,Magdalene had been enjoying privatetime with my man?“Don’t take that tone,” he admonished.“She ate a meal in an office

701/796covered in your flowers, with you blowingkisses from my desk. You were asmuch there as she was.”“Sorry. Knee-jerk reaction.”He lifted my hand to his mouth andpressed a quick, hard kiss to the back.“I’m relieved you can still get jealousover me.”I sighed. My emotions had been allover the map all day; I couldn’t decidehow I felt about anything. “Did you sayanything to her about Christopher?”“That was the point of the lunch. Ishowed her the video.”“What?” I frowned, remembering myphone had died in his car. “How’d youdo that?”“I took your phone up to my officeand pulled the video off via USB. Didn’tyou notice I brought it back last night,fully charged?”

702/796“No.” I set my silverware down. Dominantor not, Gideon and I were going tohave to work on which lines crossedover into my freak-out zone. “You can’tjust hack into my phone, Gideon.”“I didn’t hack into it. You haven’t set apassword yet.”“That’s not the point! It’s a serious invasionof my fucking privacy. Jesus…”Why in hell did no one in my life understandthat I had boundaries? “Wouldyou like me rummaging through yourstuff?”“I’ve got nothing to hide.” He pulledhis smartphone out of an inner pocket ofhis sweats and held it out to me. “Andyou won’t either.”I didn’t want to get into a fight now,things were too shaky as it was, but I’dlet this go long enough. “It doesn’t matterwhether or not I have something Idon’t want you to see. I have a right to

703/796space and privacy, and you need to askbefore you help yourself to my informationand my belongings. You have tostop taking whatever you want withoutmy permission.”“What was private about it?’ he askedwith a frown. “You showed it to meyourself.”“Don’t be like my mother, Gideon!” Ishouted. “There’s only so much crazy Ican handle.”He jerked back at my vehemence,clearly surprised by how upset I was.“Okay. I’m sorry.”I gulped down my wine, trying to reinin my temper and unease. “Sorry I’mmad? Or sorry you did it?”After the length of several heartbeats,Gideon said, “I’m sorry you’re mad.”He really didn’t get it. “Why don’t yousee how weird this is?”

704/796“Eva.” He sighed and shoved a handthrough his hair. “I spend a quarter ofevery day inside you. When you set limitsoutside of that I can’t help but seethem as arbitrary.”“Well, they’re not. They’re importantto me. If there’s something you want toknow, you need to ask me.”“All right.”“Don’t do it anymore,” I warned. “I’mnot kidding, Gideon.”His jaw tightened. “Okay. I get it.”Then, because I really didn’t want tofight, I moved on. “What did she saywhen she saw it?”He visibly relaxed. “It was difficult, ofcourse. Even more difficult to know I’dseen it.”“She saw us in the library.”“We didn’t talk about that directly,but then, what was there to say? I won’tapologize for making love to my

705/796girlfriend in a closed room.” He leanedback in his chair and exhaled harshly.“Seeing Christopher’s face on thevideo—seeing what he really thought ofher—that hurt her. It’s hard to see yourselfbeing used that way. Especially bysomeone you think you know, someonewho’s supposed to care about you.”To hide my reaction, I busied myselfwith refilling both my glass and his. Hespoke as if from experience. What exactlyhad been done to him?After a quick gulp of wine, I asked,“How are you doing with it?”“What can I do? Over the years, I’vemade every attempt to talk to Christopher.I’ve tried throwing money at him.I’ve tried threatening him. He’s nevershown any inclination to change. I realizedlong ago that I can only do damagecontrol. And keep you as far away fromhim as possible.”

706/796“I’ll be helping you with that, nowthat I know.”“Good.” He took a drink, eyeing meover the lip of his glass. “You’re not askingme about my appointment with Dr.Petersen.”“It’s none of my business. Unless youwant to share.” I met his gaze, willinghim to do just that. “I’m here to listenwhenever you need an ear, but I’m notgoing to pry. When you’re ready to letme in, you will. That said, I’d love toknow if you like him.”“So far.” He smiled. “He talks mearound in circles. Not many people cando that.”“Yes. Talks you back around andmakes you come at it from a differentangle that has you thinking, ‘Now whydidn’t I see it like that?’”Gideon’s fingers stroked up and downthe stem of his glass. “He prescribed

707/796something for me to take at night beforebed. I filled it before I came over.”“How do you feel about takingdrugs?”He looked at me with dark, hauntedeyes. “I feel it’s necessary. I have to bewith you and I have to make that safe foryou, whatever it takes. Dr. Petersen saysthe drug combined with therapy hasbeen successful for other ‘atypical sexualparasomniacs.’ I have to believe that.”I reached over to squeeze his hand.Taking medication was a big step, especiallyfor someone who’d avoided facinghis problems for a long time. “Thankyou.”Gideon’s grip tightened. “Apparentlythere are enough people with this problemthat there have been sleep studieson it. He told me about a documentedcase where a man sexually assaulted his

708/796wife in his sleep for twelve years beforethey sought help.”“Twelve years? Jesus.”“Apparently part of the reason theywaited so long was because the man wasa better lay when he was asleep,” he saiddryly. “And if that’s not a killer blow tothe ego, I don’t know what is.”I stared at him. “Well, shit.”“I know, right?” His wry smile faded.“But I don’t want you to feel pressuredto share a bed with me, Eva. There is nomagic pill. I can sleep on the couch or Ican go home, although of the twochoices I’d prefer the couch. My wholeday is better after getting ready for workwith you.”“For me, too.”Reaching over, Gideon caught myhand and lifted it to his lips. “I neverimagined I could have this…Someone inmy life who knows what you do about

709/796me. Someone who could talk about myfuck-ups over dinner because they acceptme anyway…I’m grateful for you,Eva.”My heart twisted with a sweet pain inmy chest. He could say such beautifulthings, the perfect things.“I feel the same way about you, ace.”Deeper, maybe, because I loved him. ButI didn’t say that aloud. He’d get theresomeday. I wasn’t going to give up untilhe was absolutely, irrevocably mine.With his bare feet propped on the coffeetable and his computer on his lap,Gideon looked so at home and relaxedthat he kept distracting me from mytelevision shows.How did we get here? I asked myself.This extravagantly sexy man and me?

710/796“You’re staring,” he murmured, hisgaze on his laptop screen.I stuck my tongue out at him.“Is that a sexual suggestion, MissTramell?”“How do you see me while staring atwhatever you’re working on?”He looked up then and caught mygaze. His blue eyes blazed with powerand heat. “I’ve always seen you, angel.From the moment you found me, I’veseen nothing but you.”Wednesday started with Gideon’s cockpushing into me from behind, my newfavorite way to wake up.“Well, then,” I said hoarsely, rubbingthe sleep from my eyes as his armhitched around my waist and hauled mecloser to his warm, hard chest. “You’refrisky this morning.”

711/796“You’re gorgeous and sexy everymorning,” he murmured, nibbling onmy shoulder. “I love waking up to you.”We celebrated a night of uninterruptedsleep with a handful of orgasmsbetween us.Much later in the day, I had lunch withMark and his partner Steven at a lovelyMexican restaurant tucked beneath thestreet. We descended a short set of cementstairs into a surprisingly spaciousrestaurant with black-vested waitstaffand plenty of light.“You’ll need to bring your man backhere,” Steven said, “and have him buyyou one of the pomegranatemargaritas.”“Good stuff?” I asked.“Oh, yeah.”

712/796When the waitress came to take ourorders, she flirted outrageously withMark, fluttering enviously long lashes.Mark flirted back. As the meal progressed,the exuberant redhead—whosename tag introduced her asShawna—became bolder, touchingMark’s shoulders and the back of hisneck every time she came by. In return,Mark’s banter became more suggestive,until I eyed Steven nervously, watchinghis face redden and his scowl deepen bythe moment. Shifting uncomfortably, Iwas counting down the minutes untilthe tension-fraught meal was over.“Let’s get together tonight,” Shawnasaid to Mark when she brought thecheck. “One night with me and I’ll cureyou.”I gaped. Seriously?“Seven o’clock work for you?” Markpurred. “I’ll ruin you, Shawna. You

713/796know what happens once you goblack…”I inhaled my water down the wrongpipe and choked.Steven leaped to his feet and roundedthe table, pounding me on the back.“Hell, Eva,” he said, laughing. “We’rejust playing with you. Don’t die on us.”“What?” I gasped, my eyes watering.Grinning, he came around myshoulder and tossed his arm around thewaitress. “Eva, meet my sister, Shawna.Shawna, Eva here is the one who makesMark’s life easier.”“That’s good,” Shawna said, “sincehe’s got you to make things harder.”Steven winked at me. “That’s why hekeeps me around.”Seeing the brother and sister pair soclose together, I finally caught the resemblanceI’d missed before. I saggedinto my seat and narrowed my eyes at

714/796Mark. “That was rotten. I thoughtSteven was going to blow a gasket.”Mark held up his hands in a show ofsurrender. “It was all his idea. He’s thedrama queen, remember?”Rocking back on his heels, Stevengrinned and said, “Now, Eva. You knowMark’s the idea man in thisrelationship.”Shawna dug a business card out ofher pocket and handed it to me. “Mynumber’s on the flipside. Gimme a call.I’ve got the inside dirt on these two. Youcan pay ’em back really good.”“Traitor!” Steven accused.“Hey.” Shawna shrugged. “Us girlshave to stick together.”After work, Gideon and I went to hisgym. Angus dropped us off at the curband we headed inside. The place was

715/796hopping and the locker room crowded. Ichanged and stowed my stuff; then metGideon in the hallway.I waved at Daniel, the trainer who’dtalked to me on my first visit toCrossTrainer, and got a smack on theass for it.“Hey,” I protested, swatting atGideon’s chastising hand. “Cut it out.”He tugged my ponytail and gentlyurged my head back, tilting my mouthup so he could mark his territory with adeep, lush kiss.The way he pulled my hair sent electricitysweeping across my skin. “If thisis your idea of a deterrent,” I whisperedagainst his lips, “I have to say it’s muchmore of an incentive.”“I’m quite willing to take it up anotch.” He nipped my lower lip with histeeth. “But I wouldn’t suggest testing mylimits that way, Eva.”

716/796“Don’t worry. I have other ways to doit.”Gideon hit the treadmill first, affordingme the pleasure of seeing his bodyglistening with sweat…in public. As oftenas I saw him that way in private, itnever ceased to be a major turn-on.And God, I loved the way he lookedwith his hair tied back. And the flex ofhis muscles beneath lightly tanned skin.And the graceful power of his movements.Seeing such an elegantly urbaneman shed the suits and show off his animalside hit all my hot buttons.I couldn’t stop staring and was happyI didn’t have to. He was mine, after all; afact that sent warm pleasure slidingthrough me. Besides, every other womanin the gym was checking him out,too. As he moved from station to station,dozens of admiring eyes followed.

717/796When he caught me ogling, I shot hima suggestive glance and ran my tonguealong my lower lip. His arched brow andrueful half-smile made me tingly. Icouldn’t remember the last time I’d beenso motivated while working out. Anhour and a half just flew by.By the time we got back in the Bentleyand headed to the penthouse, I wassquirming in my seat. My gaze slid repeatedlyto Gideon in silent invitation.He linked his fingers with mine.“You’ll wait for it.”That pronouncement startled me.“What?”“You heard me.” He kissed my fingersand had the nerve to give me a wickedsmile. “Delayed gratification, angel.”“Why would we do that?”“Think of how crazed we’ll be for eachother after dinner.”

718/796I leaned closer so Angus didn’t overhearme, although I knew he was professionalenough to ignore us. “That’s a given,waiting or not. I say we go with not.”But he wouldn’t budge. Instead, hetortured us both. Having us undress oneanother for a steamy shower, our handspetting and caressing the curves andhollows of each other’s bodies; thendressing for dinner. He went all out inblack tie, but skipped the tie. His crispwhite shirt was unbuttoned at the collar,revealing a flash of skin. The cocktaildress he selected for me was a champagnesilk Vera Wang with a straplessbustier bodice, an open back, and atiered skirt that ended a few inchesabove my knees.I smiled when I saw it, knowing it wasgoing to drive him nuts seeing me inthat dress all night. It was gorgeous andI loved it, but it was a style meant for

719/796tall, slender models, not short curvygirls. In a pitiful bid for modesty, I leftmy hair down to hang over my breasts,but it didn’t help much if Gideon’s expressionwas any indication.“My God, Eva.” He adjusted himselfin his slacks. “I’ve changed my mindabout that dress. You shouldn’t wear itin public.”“We don’t have time for you to changeyour mind.”“I thought there was more materialthan that.”I shrugged with a grin. “What can Isay? You bought it.”“I’m having second thoughts. Howlong could it possibly take to remove it?”Sliding my tongue along my lower lip,I said, “I don’t know. Why don’t you findout?”His eyes turned dark. “We’d never getout of here.”

720/796“I wouldn’t complain.” He looked sodamn hot and I wanted him—as always—reallydamned bad.“Isn’t there a jacket or something youcan put over that? A parka, maybe? Or atrench coat?”Laughing, I grabbed my clutch off thedresser and wrapped my arm aroundhis. “Don’t worry. Everyone will be toobusy checking you out to even bothernoticing me.”He scowled as I tugged him out of thebedroom. “Seriously. Have your tits gottenbigger? They’re spilling out over thetop of that thing.”“I’m twenty-four years old, Gideon,” Isaid dryly. “I stopped developing yearsago. What you see is what you get.”“Yes, but I’m the only one who’s supposedto be seeing, since I’m the onlyone who’s allowed to be getting.”

721/796We moved into the living room. In theshort time it took us to pass through tothe foyer, I relished the quiet beauty ofGideon’s home. I loved how warm andinviting it was. The old world charm ofthe décor was so elegant, yet it was alsoremarkably comfortable. The stunningview out of the arched windows complementedthe interior, but didn’t distractfrom it.The mixture of dark woods, distressedstone, warm colors, and vivid jeweledaccents was clearly expensive, as was theart hung on the walls, but it was a tastefuldisplay of wealth. I couldn’t imagineanyone feeling awkward about what totouch or where to sit. It just wasn’t thatkind of space.We caught the private elevator andGideon faced me as the doors closed. Heimmediately tried tugging my bodice up.

722/796“If you’re not careful,” I warned,“you’ll expose my crotch instead.”“Damn it.”“We could have fun with this. I couldplay the role of a bubbleheaded blondbimbo who’s after your cock and yourmillions, and you can be yourself—thebillionaire playboy with his latest toy.Just look bored and indulgent while Irub up against you and coo about howbrilliant you are.”“That’s not funny.” Then hebrightened. “What about a scarf?”Once we checked in for the gala dinnerbenefitting a new crisis shelter for womenand children, we were directed to apress gauntlet, triggering my fear of exposure.I focused on Gideon becausenothing distracted me as thoroughly ashe did. And because I was paying such

723/796close attention, I was able to watch thechange from private man to public personaas it happened.The mask slipped smoothly intoplace. His irises chilled to an icy blueand his sensual mouth lost any hint ofcurve. I could almost feel the force of hiswill enclosing us. There was a shieldbetween us and the rest of the worldsimply because he wished it to be there.Standing beside him, I knew no onewould approach or speak to me until hegave them some sign that they could.Still, the don’t-touch vibe didn’t extendto looking. Gideon turned heads aswe walked to the ballroom and eyes followedhim. I got a nervous twitch fromall the attention he garnered, but heseemed oblivious and completelyunruffled.If I’d had my heart set on cooing andrubbing all over Gideon, I would’ve had

724/796to wait in line. He was pretty muchmobbed the moment we stopped walking.I stepped away to make room forthose vying to catch his attention andwandered off to find some champagne.Waters Field & Leaman had done thepro bono advertising for the gala, and Ispotted a few people I knew.I’d managed to snag a glass off apassing waiter’s tray when I heardsomeone call out my name. Turning, Isaw Stanton’s nephew approaching witha broad smile. Dark-haired and greeneyed,he was around my age. I knew himfrom the times I’d visited my mother onholiday breaks and was glad to see him.“Martin!” I greeted him with openarms and we hugged briefly. “How areyou? You look fabulous.”“I was about to say the same.” Heeyed my dress appreciatively. “I’d heardyou’d moved to New York and meant to

725/796look you up. How long have you been intown?”“Not long. A few weeks.”“Drink your champagne,” he said.“And let’s dance.”The wine was still bubbling nicelythrough my system when we movedonto the dance floor to the sound of BillieHolliday singing “Summertime.”“So,” he began, “are you working?”As we danced, I told him about myjob and I asked what he was up to. Iwasn’t surprised to hear he was workingfor Stanton’s investment firm and doingwell.“I’d love to come uptown and takeyou out to lunch sometime,” he said.“That would be great.” I stepped backas the music ended and bumped intosomeone behind me. Hands went to mywaist to steady me and I looked over myshoulder to find Gideon at my back.

726/796“Hello,” he purred, his icy gaze onMartin. “Introduce us.”“Gideon, this is Martin Stanton.We’ve known each other for a few yearsnow. He’s my stepfather’s nephew.” Itook a deep breath and went for it.“Martin, this is the significant man inmy life, Gideon Cross.”“Cross.” Martin grinned and held outhis hand. “I know who you are, ofcourse. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Ifthings work out, maybe I’ll be seeing youat some of the family gatherings.”Gideon’s arm slid around myshoulders. “Count on it.”Martin was hailed by someone heknew and he leaned forward to kiss mycheek. “I’ll call you about lunch. Nextweek maybe?”“Great.” I was highly conscious ofGideon vibrating with energy beside me,

727/796although when I glanced at him, his facewith calm and impassive.He pulled me into a dance, with LouisArmstrong singing “What a WonderfulWorld.” “Not sure I like him,” hemuttered.“Martin’s a very nice guy.”“Just so long as he knows you’remine.” He pressed his cheek to mytemple and placed his hand within thecutout back of my dress, skin to skin.There was no way to doubt that I belongedto him when he was holding melike that.I relished the opportunity to be soclose to his scrumptious body in public.Breathing him in, I relaxed into his experthold. “I like this.”Nuzzling against me, he murmured,“That’s the idea.”Bliss. It lasted as long as the dancedid.

728/796We were exiting the dance floor whenI caught sight of Magdalene off to theside. It took me a moment to recognizeher because she’d cut her hair into asleek bob. She looked slender and classyin a simple black cocktail dress, but waseclipsed by the striking brunette she wasspeaking to.Gideon’s stride faltered, slowing fractionallybefore resuming his usual pace.I was looking down, thinking he’davoided something on the floor, when hesaid quietly, “I need to introduce you tosomeone.”My attention shifted to see where wewere going. The woman with Magdalenehad spotted Gideon and turned to facehim. I felt his forearm tense beneath myfingers the moment their gazes met.I could see why.The woman, whoever she was, wasdeeply in love with Gideon. It was there

729/796on her face and in her pale, otherworldlyblue eyes. Her beauty was stunning, soexquisite as to be surreal. Her hair wasblack as ink and hung thick and straightalmost to her waist. Her dress was thesame icy hue as her eyes, her skingolden from the sun, her body long andperfectly curved.“Corinne,” he greeted her, the naturalrasp in his voice even more pronounced.He released me and caught her hands.“You didn’t tell me you were back. Iwould’ve picked you up.”“I left a few messages on your voicemail at home,” she said, in a voice thatwas cultured and smooth.“Ah, I haven’t been there muchlately.” As if that reminded him I wasnext to him, he released her and drewme up to his side. “Corinne, this is EvaTramell. Eva, Corinne Giroux. An oldfriend.”

730/796I extended my hand to her and sheshook it.“Any friend of Gideon’s is a friend ofmine,” she said with a warm smile.“I hope that applies to girlfriends aswell.”When her gaze met mine, it wasknowing. “Especially girlfriends. If youcould spare him a moment, I’ve beenhoping to introduce him to an associateof mine.”“Of course.” My voice was calm; I wasanything but.Gideon gave me a perfunctory kiss onthe temple before he stepped closer toCorinne and offered his arm to her, leavingMagdalene standing awkwardly nextto me.I actually felt sorry for her, she lookedso dejected. “Your new hairstyle is veryflattering, Magdalene.”

731/796She glanced at me, her mouth tight,and then it softened with a sigh thatsounded filled with resignation. “Thankyou. It was time for a change. Time formany changes, I think. Also, there wasno reason to imitate the one who gotaway now that she’s back.”I frowned in confusion. “You lost me.”“I’m talking about Corinne.” Shestudied my face. “You don’t know. Sheand Gideon were engaged, for over ayear. She broke it off, married a wealthyFrenchman, and moved to Europe. Butthe marriage fell apart. They’re now gettingdivorced and she’s moved back toNew York.”Engaged. I felt the blood drain frommy face, my gaze shifting to where theman I loved stood with the woman hemust’ve once loved, his hand moving tothe small of her back to steady her asshe leaned into him with a laugh.

732/796As my stomach twisted with jealousyand sick fear, it struck me that I’d assumedhe had never had a serious romanticrelationship before me. Stupid.As hot as he was, I should’ve knownbetter.Magdalene touched my shoulder.“You should sit down, Eva. You’re verypale.”I knew I was breathing too fast andmy speeding pulse rate was dangerouslyhigh. “You’re right.”Moving to the nearest available chair,I got off my feet. Magdalene sat besideme.“You love him,” she said. “I didn’t seeit. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry for what Isaid to you the first time we met.”“You love him, too,” I repliedwoodenly, my gaze unfocused. “And atthat time, I didn’t. Not yet.”“Doesn’t excuse me, does it?”

733/796I gratefully accepted another glass ofchampagne when it was offered to meand took a second for Magdalene beforethe waiter straightened to move on. Weclinked glasses in a pitiful display ofscorned female solidarity. I wanted toleave. I wanted to get up and walk out. Iwanted Gideon to realize I’d left, to beforced to leave after me. I wanted him tofeel some of the pain I felt. Stupid, immature,hurtful imaginings that mademe feel small.I took comfort from Magdalene sittingsilently beside me in commiseration.She knew how it felt to love Gideonand want him too much. That I sensedshe was as miserable as I was confirmedwhat a threat Corinne might be.Had he been pining for her this wholetime? Was she the reason he’d closedhimself off from other women?“There you are.”

734/796I looked up as Gideon found me. Ofcourse Corinne was still on his arm andI got the full effect of the two of them asa couple. There were, quite simply, impossiblygorgeous together.Corinne took a seat beside me andGideon brushed his fingertips over mycheek. “I have to speak with someone,”he said. “Would you like me to bring youback anything?”“Stoli and cranberry. Make it adouble.” I needed a buzz. Bad.“All right.” But he frowned at my requestbefore he walked away.“I’m so glad to meet you, Eva,”Corinne said. “Gideon has told me somuch about you.”“It can’t have been too much. You twoweren’t gone that long.”“We talk nearly every day.” Shesmiled, and there was nothing fake or

735/796malicious in her expression. “We’vebeen friends a long time.”“More than friends,” Magdalene saidpointedly.Corinne frowned at Magdalene and Irealized I wasn’t supposed to know. Wasit she or Gideon or both of them thathad decided it was best not to tell me?Why cover up something if there wasnothing to hide?“Yes, that’s true,” she admitted withobvious reluctance. “Although that wassome years ago now.”I twisted in my seat to face her. “Youstill love him.”“You can’t blame me for that. Any womanwho spends time with him falls inlove with him. He’s beautiful and untouchable.That’s an irresistible combination.”Her smile softened. “He tells meyou’ve inspired him to start opening up.I’m grateful to you for that.”

736/796I was about to say, I didn’t do it foryou. Then an insidious doubt driftedthrough my mind, making a vulnerablespot inside me fold in on itself.Was I doing it for her without knowingit?I twisted the base of my empty champagneflute around and around on thetable. “He was going to marry you.”“And it was the biggest mistake of mylife walking away.” Her hand went to herthroat, her slender fingers restlesslystroking, as if toying with a necklaceshe’d normally find there. “I was youngand in some ways he frightened me. Hewas so possessive. It wasn’t until after Imarried that I realized possessiveness ismuch better than indifference. At leastfor me.”I looked away, fighting the nauseathat rose in my throat.“You’re awfully quiet,” she said.

737/796“What is there to say?” Magdalenetossed out.We all loved him. We were all availableto him. In the end, he would make achoice between us.“You should know, Eva,” Corinnebegan, looking at me with those clearaquamarine eyes, “he’s told me how specialyou are to him. It took me sometime to gather the courage to come backhere and face you two together. I evencanceled a flight I had booked a coupleweekends ago. I interrupted him atsome charity event he was giving aspeech at, poor guy, to tell him I was onmy way and to ask for his help gettingsettled.”I froze, feeling as brittle as crackedglass. She had to be talking about theadvocacy center dinner, the nightGideon and I had sex for the first time.The night we’d christened his limo and

738/796he’d immediately withdrawn; then leftme abruptly.“When he called me back,” she continued,“he told me he’d met someone.That he wanted you and me to meetwhen I got into town. I ended up chickeningout. He’s never asked me to meeta woman in his life before.”Oh my God. I glanced at Magdalene.Gideon had left me in a rush that nightfor her. For Corinne.

“Excuse me.” I pushed back from thetable and searched for Gideon. I sawhim at the bar and went to him.He was just turning away from thebartender with two glasses in his hands

740/796when I intercepted him. I took my drinkand gulped it down, my teeth aching asthe cubes of ice knocked against them.“Eva—” There was a soft note of chastisementin his voice.“I’m leaving,” I said flatly, steppingaround him to set my empty glass on thebar top. “I don’t consider that running,because I’m telling you in advance andgiving you the option of coming withme.”He exhaled harshly and I could seethat he understood my mood. He knew Iknew. “I can’t leave.”I turned away.He caught my arm. “You know I can’tstay if you go. You’re upset over nothing,Eva.”“Nothing?” I stared at where his handgripped me. “I warned you I get upsetand jealous. This time, you’ve given megood reason.”

741/796“Warning me is supposed to excuseyou when you get ridiculous about it?”His face was relaxed, his voice low andcalm. No one looking from a distancewould pick up on the tension betweenus, but it was there in his eyes. Burninglust and icy fury. He was so good at puttingthose two together.“Who’s ridiculous? What aboutDaniel, the personal trainer? Or Martin,a member of my stepfamily?” I leanedcloser and whispered, “I’ve never fuckedeither of them, let alone agreed to amarriage! I sure as hell don’t talk tothem every damn day!”Abruptly, he caught me by the waistand hauled me up tight against him.“You need to be fucked now,” he hissedin my ear, nipping the lobe with histeeth. “I shouldn’t have made us wait.”“Maybe you were planning ahead,” Ishot back. “Saving it up in case an old

742/796flame popped back into your life, oneyou’d prefer to screw instead.”Gideon tossed back his drink; then hesecured me to his side with a steely armaround my waist and led me through thecrowd to the door. He pulled his smartphoneout of his pocket and ordered thelimo brought around. By the time wereached the street, the long, sleek carwas there. Gideon pushed me throughthe door Angus held open and told him,“Drive around the block until I sayotherwise.”Then he slid in directly behind me, soclosely I could feel his breath against mybare back. I scrambled toward the oppositeseat, determined to get away fromhim….“Stop,” he snapped.I sank to my knees on the carpetedfloor, breathing hard. I could run to theends of the earth and I still wouldn’t be

743/796able to escape the fact that CorinneGiroux had to be better for Gideon thanI was. She was calm and cool, a soothingpresence even to me—the person freakingout over the unwelcome fact of herexistence. My worst nightmare.His hand twisted into my loose hair,restraining me. His spread legs surroundedmine, his grip tightening so that myhead was pulled back gently to touch hisshoulder. “I’m going to give you what weboth need, Eva. We’re going to fuck aslong as it takes to dull the edge enoughto get through dinner. And you’re notgoing to worry about Corinne, becausewhile she’s inside the ballroom, I’ll bedeep inside you.”“Yes,” I whispered, licking dry lips.“You forget who submits, Eva,” hesaid gruffly. “I’ve given up control foryou. I’ve bent and adjusted for you. I’lldo anything to keep you and make you

744/796happy. But I can’t be tamed or topped.Don’t mistake indulgence for weakness.”I swallowed hard, my blood on fire forhim. “Gideon…”“Reach up with both hands and holdon to the grab handle above the window.Don’t let go until I tell you,understand?”I did as he ordered, pushing myhands through the leather loop. As mygrip secured, my body sparked to life,making me aware of how right he wasabout what I needed. He knew me sowell, this lover of mine.Shoving his hands into my bodice,Gideon squeezed my full, aching breasts.When he rolled and tugged my nipples,my head lolled against him, the tensionleaving my body in a rush.“God.” He nuzzled his mouth againstmy temple. “It’s so perfect when you

745/796give yourself over to me like that…all atonce, as if it’s a huge relief.”“Fuck me,” I begged, needing the connection.“Please.”Releasing my hair, he reached undermy dress and pulled my panties downmy thighs. His jacket flew past me toland on the seat; then his hand pushedbetween my legs from the front. Hegrowled at finding me wet and swollen.“You were made for me, Eva. You can’tgo long without me inside you.”Still he primed me, running hisskilled fingers through my cleft, spreadingthe moisture over my clit and thelips of my sex. He pushed two fingers intome, scissoring them, preparing me forthe thrust of his long, thick cock.“Do you want me, Gideon?” I askedhoarsely, needing to ride his thrustingfingers, but hampered by how far I hadto reach to grab the strap.

746/796“More than my next breath.” His lipsmoved over my throat and the top of myshoulder, the warm velvet of his tonguesliding seductively across my skin. “Ican’t go long without you either, Eva.You’re an addiction…my obsession…”His teeth bit gently into my flesh,conveying his animal need with a roughsound of desire. All the while he fuckedme with his fingers, his other hand massagingmy clit, making me come againand again from the simultaneousstimulation.“Gideon!” I gasped, when my dampfingers began to slip from the leather.His hands left me and I heard theerotic rasp of his zipper lowering. “Letgo and lie on your back with your legsspread.”I moved to the seat and stretchedalong it, offering my body to him inquivering anticipation. His gaze met

747/796mine, his face briefly lit by a passingswathe of headlights.“Don’t be afraid.” He came over me,setting his weight onto me with excruciatingcare.“I’m too horny to be scared.” I caughthim and pulled my body up to pressagainst the hardness of his. “I wantyou.”His cock head nudged against the lipsof my sex. With a flex of his hips, hepushed into me, his breath hissing justas mine did at the searing connection. Iwent lax against the seat, my fingersbarely clinging to his lean waist.“I love you,” I whispered, watchinghis face as he began to move. Every inchof my skin burned as if from the sun,and my chest was so tight with longingand emotion that it was hard to breathe.“And I need you, Gideon.”

748/796“You have me,” he whispered, hiscock sliding in and out. “I couldn’t bemore yours.”I quivered and tensed, my hips meetinghis relentlessly measured drives. Iclimaxed with a breathless cry, shudderingas the ecstasy rippled through mysex, milking him until he grunted andstarted powering into me.“Eva.”I rocked into his ferocious lunges, urginghim on. He clutched at me, ridingme hard and fast. My head thrashed andI moaned shamelessly, loving the feel ofhim, that decadent sensation of beingpossessed and ruthlessly pleasured.We were wild for each other, fuckinglike feral beasts, and I was so turned onby our primal lust I thought I’d die fromthe orgasm building inside me.“You’re so good at this, Gideon. Sogood…”

749/796He gripped my buttock and yankedme up to meet his next thrust, hittingthe end of me, forcing a gasp of pleasure/painfrom my throat. I came again,clenching down hard on him.“Ah, God. Eva.” With a serratedgroan, he erupted violently, flooding mewith his heat. Pinning my hips, heground against me, emptying himself asdeep in me as he could get.When he finished, he sucked in aharsh breath and gathered my hair inhis hands, kissing the side of my dampthroat. “I wish you knew what you do tome. I wish I could tell you.”I held him tightly. “I can’t help it thatI’m stupid over you. It’s just too much,Gideon. It’s—”“—uncontrollable.” He started overagain, thrusting rhythmically. Leisurely.As if we had all the time in the world.

750/796Thickening and lengthening with eachpush and pull.“And you need control.” I lost mybreath on a particularly masterfulstroke.“I need you, Eva.” His gaze was fierceon my face as he moved inside me. “Ineed you.”Gideon didn’t leave my side, or allow meto leave his, the rest of the evening. Hekept his right hand linked with my leftall the way through dinner, once againchoosing to eat one-handed rather thanrelease his hold on me.Corinne—who’d taken a seat on theother side of him at our table—gave hima curious look. “I seem to remember youbeing right-handed.”“I still am,” he said, lifting our joinedhands from under the table and kissing

751/796my fingertips. I felt foolish and insecurewhen he did that—and conscious ofCorinne’s scrutiny.Unfortunately, the romantic gesturedidn’t keep him from talking to Corinnethroughout the meal, not me—which leftme feeling fidgety and unhappy. I sawmore of the back of Gideon’s head thanhis face.“At least it’s not chicken.”I turned my head toward the man sittingbeside me. I’d been so focused ontrying to eavesdrop on Gideon’s conversationthat I hadn’t paid any mind to ourtablemates.“I like chicken,” I said. And I hadliked the tilapia served for dinner—I’dcleaned my plate.“Not rubberized, certainly.” Hegrinned and suddenly looked muchyounger than his pure white hair would

752/796suggest. “Ah, there’s a smile,” he murmured.“And it’s a beautiful one.”“Thank you.” I introduced myself.“Dr. Terrence Lucas,” he said. “But Iprefer Terry.”“Dr. Terry. It’s lovely to meet you.”He smiled again. “Just Terry, Eva.”Over the course of the few minuteswe’d spoken, I’d come to believe Dr. Lucaswasn’t a whole lot older than me,just prematurely gray. Aside from that,his face was handsome and unlined, hisgreen eyes intelligent and kind. I revisedmy guesstimate of his age to be mid-tolatethirties.“You look as bored as I feel,” he said.“These events raise a considerableamount of money for the shelter, butthey can be dull. Would you like to accompanyme to the bar? I’ll buy you adrink.”

753/796Beneath the table, I tested Gideon’sgrip by flexing my hand. His tightened.“What are you doing?” he murmured.Looking over my shoulder, I saw himwatching me. Then I watched his gazelift as Dr. Lucas stood behind me.Gideon’s gaze noticeably cooled.“She’s going to alleviate the boredomof being ignored, Cross,” Terry said, settinghis hands on the back of my chair,“by spending time with someone who’smore than happy to pay attention tosuch a beautiful woman.”I was immediately uncomfortable,aware of the crackling animositybetween the two men. I tugged on hishand, but Gideon wouldn’t release me.“Walk away, Terry,” Gideon warned.“You’ve been so preoccupied withMrs. Giroux, you didn’t even noticewhen I sat at your table.” Terry’s smiletook on an edge. “Eva. Shall we?”

754/796“Don’t move, Eva.”I shivered at the ice in Gideon’s voice,but felt stung enough to say, “It’s not hisfault he has a point.”Gideon’s grip tightened painfully.“Not now.”Terry’s gaze moved to my face. “Youdon’t have to tolerate him talking to youthat way. All the money in the worlddoesn’t give anyone the right to orderyou around.”Infuriated and horribly embarrassed,I looked at Gideon. “Crossfire.”I wasn’t sure I could use the safewordoutside of the bedroom, but he releasedme as if I’d burned him. I shoved mychair back and threw my napkin ontomy plate. “Excuse me. Both of you.”With my clutch in hand, I walkedaway from the table, my stride easy andsmooth. I made a beeline toward the restrooms,intending to freshen my

755/796makeup and collect myself, but then Isaw the lighted exit sign and went withmy urge to bail.I pulled out my smartphone when Ihit the sidewalk and texted Gideon; Notrunning. Just leaving.I managed to hail a passing cab, andheaded home to nurse my anger.I was jonesing for a hot bath and a bottleof wine when I reached my apartment.Shoving my key into the lock, I turnedthe knob and stepped into a porn video.In the few shocked seconds it took formy brain to register what I was seeing, Istood riveted on the threshold, floodingthe hallway behind me with blaringtechnopop. There were so many bodyparts involved, I had time to hastily slamthe door behind me before I pieced themall together. One woman was spread-

756/796eagled on the floor. Another woman’sface was in her crotch. Cary was bangingthe hell out of her while another manwas drilling him in the ass.I threw my head back and screamedbloody murder, completely fed up witheveryone in my life. And because I wascompeting with the sound system, Iripped off one of my heels and threw itin that direction. The CD skipped, whichjolted the ménage a quatre in progresson my living room floor into awarenessof my presence. I limped over and shutoff the volume; then faced the lot ofthem.“Get the fuck out of my house,” Isnapped. “Right now.”“Who the hell is that?” the redhead atthe bottom of the pile asked. “Yourwife?”There was a brief flash of embarrassmentand guilt on Cary’s face, and then

757/796he shot me a cocky smile. “My roommate.There’s room for more, baby girl.”“Cary Taylor. Don’t push me,” Iwarned. “It’s really, really not a goodnight.”The dark-haired male on top disengagedfrom Cary and stood, saunteringtoward me. As he got closer, I saw hishazel eyes were unnaturally dilated andthe pulse in his neck was throbbing viciously.“I can make it better,” he offeredwith a leer.“Back the fuck up.” I adjusted mystance, preparing to ward him off physicallyif necessary.“Leave her alone, Ian,” Cary snapped,pushing to his feet.“Come on, baby girl,” Ian coaxed,making me sick by using Cary’s petname for me. “You need a good time. Letme show you one.”

758/796One minute he was inches in front ofme, the next he was sailing into thecouch with a scream. Gideon moved intoplace between me and the others, vibratingwith fury. “Take it to your room,Cary,” he bit out. “Or take it somewhereelse.”Ian was squealing on my sofa, hisnose spraying blood despite the twohands he tried to staunch it with.Cary snatched his jeans off the floor.“You’re not my fucking mother, Eva.”I sidestepped around Gideon. “Wasn’tscrewing up with Trey enough of a fuckinglesson for you, you idiot?”“This isn’t about Trey!”“Who’s Trey?” The bottle blondeasked as she got to her feet. When shecaught a good look at Gideon, she visiblypreened, showing off an admittedlypretty body.

759/796Her efforts earned her a glance so disdainfullydismissive and unimpressedthat she finally had the grace to blushand cover herself with a slinky gold lamédress she picked up off the floor. Andbecause I was in a mood, I said, “Don’ttake it personally. He prefers brunettes.”The look Gideon shot me was lethal.I’d never seen him look so livid. He wasliterally vibrating with suppressedviolence.Frightened by that glare, I took an involuntarystep back. He cursed viciouslyand shoved both of his hands throughhis hair.Suddenly bone weary and desperatelydisappointed with the men in my life, Iturned away. “Get this mess out of myhouse, Cary.”I headed down the hallway, kickingoff my other heel en route. I was out ofmy dress before I reached my bathroom

760/796and in the shower less than a minutebeyond that. I stayed out of the range ofthe spray until the water warmed, andthen I stood directly beneath it. Tootired to stand for long, I sank to the floorand just sat beneath the stream with myeyes closed and my arms wrappedaround my knees.“Eva.”I cringed when I heard Gideon’svoice, and tucked into an even tighterball.“Goddamn it,” he snapped. “You pissme off worse than anyone else I know.”I looked at him through the veil of mywet hair. He was pacing the length of mybathroom, his jacket shed somewhereand his shirt untucked. “Go home,Gideon.”He halted and shot me an incredulouslook. “I’m not fucking leaving you here.Cary’s lost his damned mind! That

761/796amped-up asshole was seconds awayfrom putting his hands on you when Igot here.”“Cary wouldn’t have let that happen.But either way, I can’t deal with him andyou at the same time.” I didn’t want todeal with either of them, actually. I justwanted to be alone.“Then you’ll just deal with me.”I scooped my hair back from my facewith an impatient swipe of my hand.“Oh? I’m supposed to make you thepriority?”He recoiled as if I’d hit him. “I wasunder the impression we were both eachother’s priorities.”“Yeah, I thought that, too. Untiltonight.”“Jesus. Will you drop it with Corinnealready?” He spread his arms wide. “I’mhere with you, aren’t I? I barely said

762/796good-bye to her because I was chasingafter you. Again.”“Fuck you. Don’t do me any favors.”Gideon lunged into the shower fullydressed. He yanked me to my feet andkissed me. Hard. His mouth devouredmine, his hands gripping my upper armsto hold me in place.But I didn’t soften this time. I didn’tgive in. Even when he tried coaxing mewith lush, suggestive licks.“Why?” he muttered, his lips slidingdown to my throat. “Why are you drivingme insane?”“I don’t know what your problem iswith Dr. Lucas, and I honestly don’t givea shit. But he was right. Corinne got waytoo much of your attention tonight. Youpretty much ignored me during dinner.”“It’s impossible for me to ignore you,Eva.” His face was hard and tight. “If

763/796you’re in the same room with me, I don’tsee anyone else.”“Funny. Every time I looked at you,you were looking at her.”“This is stupid.” He released me andshoved the wet hair out of his face. “Youknow how I feel about you.”“Do I? You want me. You need me.But do you love Corinne?”“Oh, for fuck’s sake. No.” He shut thewater off, caging me to the glass withboth arms. “You want me to tell you Ilove you, Eva? Is that what this isabout?”My stomach cramped as if he’d struckme with the full force of his fist. I’d neverfelt that kind of pain before, hadn’tknown it existed. My eyes burned and Iducked under his arm before I embarrassedmyself by crying. “Go home,Gideon. Please.”

764/796“I am home.” He caught me from behindand buried his face in my soakedhair. “I’m with you.”I struggled to get free, but I was toowiped out. Physically. Emotionally. Thetears came in a torrent and I couldn’tstop them. And I hated crying in front ofanyone. “Go away. Please.”“I love you, Eva. Of course I do.”“Oh my God.” I kicked at him, flailing.Anything to get away from the personwho’d become a massive source of painand misery. “I don’t want your fuckingpity. I just want you to go away.”“I can’t. You know I can’t. Eva, stopfighting. Listen to me.”“Everything you’re saying hurts,Gideon.”“It’s not the right word, Eva,” hepressed on stubbornly, his lips at myear. “That’s why I haven’t said it. It’s not

765/796the right word for you and what I feel foryou.”“Shut up. If you care about me at all,you’ll just shut up and go away.”“I’ve been loved before—by Corinne,by other women…But what the hell dothey know about me? What the hell arethey in love with when they don’t knowhow fucked up I am? If that’s love, it’snothing compared to what I feel foryou.”I stilled, trembling, my gaze on themirror’s reflection of my mascarasmearedface and bedraggled wet hairnext to Gideon’s ravaged beauty. Hisfeatures were overcome by volatile emotionas he wrapped himself tightlyaround me. We looked all wrong foreach other.And yet I understood the alienation ofbeing around others who couldn’t reallysee you or chose not to. I’d felt the self-

766/796loathing that came with being a fraud,portraying an image of what you wishedyou could be but weren’t. I’d lived withthe fear that the people you loved mightturn away from you if they ever got toknow the true person hidden inside.“Gideon—”His lips touched my temple. “I think Iloved you the moment I saw you. Thenwe made love that first time in the limoand it became something else. Somethingmore.”“Whatever. You cut me off that nightand left me behind to take care ofCorinne. How could you, Gideon?”He released me only long enough toscoop me up and carry me over to wheremy bathrobe hung from a hook on theback of the door. He bundled me up;then had me sit on the edge of the tubwhile he went to the sink and pulled mymakeup removal wipes out of the

767/796drawer. Crouching in front of me, hestroked the cloth over my cheek.“When Corinne called during the advocacydinner, it was the perfect time tomake me do something stupid.” His gazewas soft and warm on my tear-streakedface. “You and I had just made love, andI wasn’t thinking clearly. I told her I wasbusy and that I was with someone, andwhen I heard the pain in her voice, Iknew I had to deal with her so I couldmove forward with you.”“I don’t understand. You left me behindfor her. How does that move usforward?”“I screwed up with Corinne, Eva.” Hetilted my chin back to rub at my raccooneyes. “I met her my first year atColumbia. I noticed her, of course. She’sbeautiful and sweet, and never had anunkind word to say about anyone. Whenshe pursued me, I let myself be caught

768/796and she became my first consensualsexual experience.”“I hate her.”That made his mouth curve slightly.“I’m not kidding, Gideon. I’m sickwith jealousy right now.”“It was just sex with her, angel. Asraw as you and I fuck, it’s still makinglove. Every time, from the very firsttime. You’re the only one who’s ever gottento me that way.”I heaved out a breath. “Okay. I’mmarginally better.”He kissed me. “I guess you could saywe dated. We were exclusive sexuallyand we often ended up going to thesame places as a couple. Still, when shetold me she loved me, I was surprised.And flattered. I cared about her. I enjoyedspending time with her.”“Still do, apparently,” I muttered.

769/796“Keep listening.” He chastised mewith a tap of his finger to the end of mynose. “I thought maybe I might love her,too, in my own way…the only way Iknew how. I didn’t want her to be withanyone else. So I said yes when sheproposed.”I jerked back to look at him. “Sheproposed?”“Don’t look so shocked,” he saidwryly. “You’re bruising my ego.”Relief flooded me in a rush that mademe dizzy. I threw myself at him, hugginghim as tight as I could.“Hey.” His returning embrace wasjust as fierce. “You okay?”“Yes. Yes, I’m getting there.” I pulledback and cupped his jaw in my hand.“Keep going.”“I said yes for all the wrong reasons.After two years of hanging out, we’dnever spent a full night together. Never

770/796talked about any of the things I talk toyou about. She didn’t know me, notreally, and yet I convinced myself thatbeing loved at all was something to hangon to. Who else was going to do it right,if not her?”He moved his attention to my othereye, cleaning away the black streaks. “Ithink she was hoping that being engagedwould take us to a different level. MaybeI’d open up more. Maybe we’d stay thenight at the hotel—which she thoughtwas romantic, by the way—instead ofcalling it an early night because ofclasses in the morning. I don’t know.”I thought it sounded terribly lonely.My poor Gideon. He’d been alone for solong. Maybe his whole life.“And maybe when she broke it offafter a year,” he went on, “she was hopingthat would kick-start things, too.That I’d make a bigger effort to keep

771/796her. Instead, I was relieved because I’dstarted to realize it was going to be impossibleto share a home with her. Whatexcuse was I going to come up with tosleep in separate rooms and have myown space?”“You never considered telling her?”“No.” He shrugged. “Until you, Ididn’t consider my past an issue. Yes, itaffected certain ways I did things, buteverything had its place and I wasn’t unhappy.In fact, I thought I had a comfortableand uncomplicated life.”“Oh, boy.” My nose wrinkled. “Hello,Mr. Comfortable. I’m MissComplicated.”His grin flashed. “Never a dullmoment.”

Gideon tossed the makeup removerwipe in the trash. Then he grabbed atowel to throw over the puddle he’d lefton the floor and toed off his shoes. To

773/796my utter delight, he began stripping outof his wet clothes.Watching him raptly, I said, “You feelguilty because she still loves you.”“I do, yes. I knew her husband. Hewas a good guy and he was crazy abouther, until he figured out she didn’t feelthe same way and things fell apart.”He looked at me as he peeled his shirtoff. “I couldn’t figure out why he let itget to him. He was married to the girl hewanted, they lived in a different countryaway from me, so what was his problem?Now, I understand. If you lovedsomeone else, Eva, it’d shred me topieces, every single day. It’d kill me evenif you were with me and not him. Butunlike Giroux, I wouldn’t let you go.Maybe I wouldn’t have all of you, butyou’d still be mine and I’d take what Icould get.”

774/796My fingers laced in my lap. “That’swhat scares me, Gideon. You don’t knowwhat you’re worth.”“Actually, I do. Twelve bill—”“Shut up.” My head spun and Ipressed my fingertips to my eyes. “Itshouldn’t be such a mystery that womenfall in love with you and stay in love. Didyou know that Magdalene kept her hairlong hoping it’d remind you ofCorinne?”He dropped his slacks and frowned atme. “Why?”I sighed at his cluelessness. “Becauseshe believes Corinne is who you want.”“Then she’s not paying attention.”“Isn’t she? Corinne told me she talksto you almost every day.”“Not quite. I’m often not available.You know how busy I am.” His gaze tookon the heated look I was so familiar

775/796with. I knew he was thinking about thetimes he got busy with me.“That’s nuts, Gideon. Her callingevery day. That’s stalking.” Which remindedme of her assertion that he’dbeen as possessive over her as he wasabout me. That niggled at me in a terribleway.“Where are you going with this?” heasked, in a voice laced with warmamusement.“Don’t you get it? You drive womenoff the deep end because you’re the ultimate.You’re the grand prize. If a womancan’t have you, they know they’resettling for less than the best. So theycan’t think about not having you. Theyjust think of crazy ways to try and getyou.”“Except for the one I want,” he retorteddryly, “who spends a lot of time runningin the opposite direction.”

776/796I stared unabashedly, drinking him inas he stood naked in front of me. “Answerone question for me, Gideon. Whydo you want me, when you can haveyour pick of perfection instead? And I’mnot fishing for compliments or reassurances.I’m asking an honest question.”He caught me up and moved us intothe bedroom. “Eva, if you don’t stopthinking of us as temporary, I’m goingto take you over my knee and makedamn sure you like it.”Setting me down in a chair, he wentto rifle through my drawers.I watched him pulling out underwear,yoga pants, and a top. “Have you forgottenI sleep in the nude with you?”“We’re not staying here.” He facedme. “I don’t trust Cary not to bring moreintoxicated jerks home and once we turnin for the night I’ll be drugged on themedication Dr. Petersen prescribed and

777/796possibly unable to protect you. So we’regoing to my place.”I looked down at my twisted hands,thinking about how I might need protectionfrom Gideon, too. “I’ve been downthis road with Cary before, Gideon. Ican’t just hole up at your place and hopehe comes out of it on his own. He needsme to be around more than I havebeen.”“Eva.” Gideon brought me my clothesand crouched in front of me. “I knowyou need to support Cary. We’ll figureout how tomorrow.”I cupped his face. “Thank you.”“I need you, too, though,” he saidquietly.“We need each other.”He pushed to his feet. Moving back tothe dresser, he pulled open his drawersand grabbed clothes for himself.Standing, I began to dress. “Listen…”

778/796He pulled a pair of low-slung jeanson. “Yes?”“I feel tons better now that I know thescore, but Corinne is still going to be aproblem for me.” I paused with my shirtin my hands. “You wanna nip her hopesin the bud real quick. Stow the guilt,Gideon, and start weaning her off.”He sat on the edge of the bed to pullon his socks. “She’s a friend, Eva, andshe’s in a rough spot. It’s a cruel time tocut her off.”“Think carefully, Gideon. I have exesin my past, too. You’re setting the precedentnow for how I’ll handle them. I’mtaking my cues from you.”He stood with a scowl. “You’re threateningme.”“I prefer to see it as coercion. Relationshipswork both ways. You’re nother only friend. She can find someone

779/796more appropriate to lean on in her timeof crisis.”We grabbed what we needed andwalked back into the living room. I sawthe mess left behind—an aqua-hued brabeneath an end table and blood spray onmy cream sectional —and I wished Carywas still around to smack some senseinto.“I’m digging into it with him tomorrow,”I bit out, my jaw tight with angerand worry. “Goddamn it, I should’vedecked him when I had the chance. Ishould’ve knocked him out cold, andthen locked him up in his room until hegets his brain working again.”Gideon’s hand at the small of my backrubbed soothingly. “It’ll be better to dothat tomorrow, when he’s alone andhungover. More effective that way.”

780/796Angus was waiting for us when we gotdownstairs. I was about to climb into theback of the limo when Gideon cursedunder his breath, stopping me.“What?” I asked him.“I forgot something.”“Let me get my keys.” I reached forthe overnight bag Gideon was holding,which had my purse inside.“No need. I have a set.” He shot mean unapologetic grin when my browsrose. “I had copies made before I gavethem back to you.”“Seriously?”“If you’d paid attention”—he kissedthe top of my head—“you might’ve noticedthat you’ve had the key to my placeon your key ring since I returned it.”I gaped after him as he darted pastthe doorman and back into the building.I remembered the torment of those fourdays when I’d thought we’d broken up

781/796and the excruciating pain I’d felt whenthose keys slid out of the envelope andinto my palm.I’d had the key to being with him allalong.Shaking my head, I looked around atmy adopted city, loving everything aboutit and feeling grateful for the crazy wellof happiness I’d found here.Gideon and I still had so much workahead of us. As much as we loved eachother, it was no guarantee that we’d surviveour personal wounds. But we communicated,we were honest with eachother, and God knew we were both toostubborn to quit without a fight.Gideon reappeared just as two large,beautifully groomed poodles walked bywith their equally coiffed owner.I climbed into the limo. As we pulledaway from the curb, Gideon tugged meonto his lap and cuddled me close. “We

782/796had a rough night, but we got throughit.”“Yeah, we did.” Tipping my headback, I offered my mouth for a kiss. Heobliged me with one that was slow andsweet—a simple reaffirmation of ourprecious, complicated, maddening, necessaryconnection.Cupping his nape, I ran my fingersthrough his silky hair. “I can’t wait to getyou back in bed.”He gave a sexy little growl and attackedmy neck with tickling nips andkisses, banishing our ghosts and theirshadows.At least for a little while…

Gideon and Eva’s story continues in thepowerfully sensual sequel inthe Crossfire series,

1. Eva’s move from Californiato New York brings hercloser to her mother. Whilethe move was a good one forboth her and Cary’s careers,it could have been avoided.Why do you think she madethe choice to start her newlife in New York?2. Cary is dependent on Evamaterially and emotionally,even though she turns tohim as a sounding board

785/796more often than he turns toher. What needs does Evameet for Cary?3. Initially, it’s the physical attractionthat draws Gideonto Eva, but by the time helures her to his nightclubthere’s something deeper involved.What is it about Evathat causes Gideon to pursueher so relentlessly?4. Gideon has a difficult timeaccepting any privacy barriersbetween him and Eva.Do you think Eva is too softor too tough on the issue?How would you respond?5. Eva values transparency inher relationships, but she allowsGideon to keep hissecrets. Why do you think

786/796that is? Do you agree ordisagree?6. Gideon’s life revolves aroundhis work and his philanthropiccommitments; Eva’ssocial life is more personal.How do these differences affectthem as a couple?7. Gideon and Eva have a verysexual relationship. Consideringtheir pasts, why do youthink sex is such an importantway for them tocommunicate?

Sylvia Day is the national bestselling authorof over a dozen novels. Her résuméincludes a variety of odd jobs rangingfrom amusement park employee to Russianlinguist/interrogator for U.S. ArmyMilitary Intelligence. She’s presently afull-time writer. Sylvia’s work has beencalled an “exhilarating adventure” byPublishers Weekly and “wickedly entertaining”by Booklist. Her stories havebeen translated into Russian, Japanese,Portuguese, German, Czech, Italian, andThai. She’s been honored with the

788/796Romantic Times Reviewers’ ChoiceAward, the EPPIE award, the NationalReaders’ Choice Award, the Readers’Crown, and multiple finalist nominationsfor Romance Writers of America’sprestigious RITA® Award of Excellence.She’s now hard at work on DEEPER INYOU, the sequel to BARED TO YOU, butwould love for you to visit with her onher website.Connect with Sylviawww.SylviaDay.comwww.Facebook.com/AuthorSylviaDaywww.Twitter.com/SylDay

Books by Sylvia DayParanormal RomanceRenegade AngelsA Taste of SeductionA Hunger So WildA Touch of CrimsonDream GuardiansHeat of the NightPleasures of the NightHistorical RomanceSeven Years to SinPride and PleasureThe Stranger I MarriedBad Boys Ahoy!Georgian

Don’t Tempt MeA Passion for HimPassion for the GameAsk For It790/796Writing as S. J. DayMarkedEve of ChaosEve of DestructionEve of DarknessWriting as Livia DareSapphire’s WorldIn the FleshAnthologiesHot in HandcuffsGuns and RosesWicked ReadsBest Erotic Romance

791/796Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic RomanceMen Out of UniformThe Promise of LoveMammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2Alluring Tales: Hot Holiday NightsPerfect KissesGot a Minute?Alluring Tales: Awaken the FantasyDeclassified: Dark KissesWhite Hot Holidays: Vol. 2Dreams of the Oasis: Vol. 2Sex on HolidayNonFictionLustfully Ever AfterPerfectly PlumThe Write IngredientsDigital TitlesA Caress of WingsA Dark Kiss of RaptureAll Revved UpKiss of the Night

MisledSnaring the HuntressCatching Caroline792/796Writing as S. J. DayEve of WarfareEve of Sin City

Table of Contents1. Praise for Sylvia Day2. Books by Sylvia Day3. Copyright4. Bared to You5. Dedication6. Acknowledgments7. Chapter 18. Chapter 29. Chapter 310. Chapter 4

11. Chapter 5794/79612. Chapter 613. Chapter 714. Chapter 815. Chapter 916. Chapter 1017. Chapter 1118. Chapter 1219. Chapter 1320. Chapter 1421. Chapter 1522. Chapter 16

23. Chapter 17795/79624. Chapter 1825. Chapter 1926. Chapter 2027. Chapter 2128. Chapter 2229. Deeper in You30. Book Club/Readers' Group Guide31. About the Author

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