Reflected in You (Crossfire 02)
Sylvia Day
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’m so grateful to Cindy Hwang and Leslie Gelbman for their support and encouragement, and most important, their love for Gideon and Eva’s story. It takes passion to write a book and passion to sell it. I’m very thankful they have it.
I could write an entire book about everything I need to thank my agent Kimberly Whalen for. The Crossfire series is a massive multinational, multiformat endeavor and she never misses a trick. Because she’s always on the ball, I’m freed to focus on my part of our collaboration—the writing!—and I love her for it.
Behind Cindy, Leslie, Kim, Claire Pelly, and Tom Weldon are dynamic teams at Penguin and Trident Media Group. I wish I could mention everyone by name, but really, it takes a village. There are literally dozens of people to thank for their hard work and enthusiasm. The Crossfire series is being cared for and looked after by Trident and Penguin on a worldwide scale and I’m so grateful for the time you’ve all spent on my books.
My deepest gratitude to editor Hilary Sares, who is so instrumental in making the Crossfire series what it is. She keeps me straight.
Big thanks to my publicist, Gregg Sullivan, who makes my life easier in many ways.
I must also thank all of my international publishers (over three dozen of you at the time I’m writing this) for welcoming Gideon and Eva into your countries and sharing them with your readers. You’ve all been so wonderful and I appreciate you.
And to all the readers around the world who’ve embraced Gideon and Eva’s story—thank you! When I wrote Bared to You I was so sure I’d be the only person who loved it. I’m so thrilled that you do, too, and that we’re following along on Eva and Gideon’s journey together. Hot, bumpy roads are best traveled with friends!
Chapter 1
I loved New York with the kind of mad passion I reserved for only one other thing in my life. The city was a microcosm of new world opportunities and old world traditions. Conservatives rubbed shoulders with bohemians. Oddities coexisted with priceless rarities. The pulsing energy of the city fueled international business bloodlines and drew people from all over the world.
And the embodiment of all that vibrancy, driving ambition, and world-renowned power had just screwed me to two toe-curlingly awesome orgasms.
As I padded over to his massive walk-in closet, I glanced at Gideon Cross’s sex-rumpled bed and shivered with remembered pleasure. My hair was still damp from a shower, and the towel wrapped around me was my only article of clothing. I had an hour and a half before I had to be at work, which was cutting it a little too close for comfort. Obviously, I was going to have to allot time in my morning routine for sex, otherwise I’d always be scrambling. Gideon woke up ready to conquer the world, and he liked to start that domination with me.
How lucky was I?
Because it was sliding into July in New York and the temperature was heating up, I chose a slim pair of pressed natural-linen slacks and a sleeveless poplin shell in a soft gray that matched my eyes. Since I had no hairstyling talent, I pulled my long blond hair back in a simple ponytail, then made up my face. When I was presentable, I left the bedroom.
I heard Gideon’s voice the moment I stepped into the hallway. A tiny shiver moved through me when I realized he was angry, his voice low and clipped. He didn’t rile easily . . . unless he was ticked off with me. I could get him to raise his voice and curse, even shove his hands through his glorious shoulder-length mane of inky black hair.