I’d just barely finished repacking my bag for the trip home when I heard the unmistakable sound of Gideon’s voice in the living room. A rush of adrenaline pumped through my veins. Gideon had yet to say a word to me about what I’d done, even though we’d talked the night before after Cary and I had gotten back from clubbing and again this morning when I’d woken up.
Feigning ignorance was slightly nerve-racking. I’d wondered if Clancy had even managed to do what I had asked of him, but when I double-checked with my stepdad’s bodyguard, he assured me that all was going as I’d planned.
On bare feet, I padded over to the open door of my bedroom just in time to see Cary walk out the door of our suite. Gideon stood alone in the small foyer, his inscrutable gaze on me as if he’d expected me to appear at any moment. He wore loose-fitting jeans and a black T-shirt, and I’d missed the sight of him so much my eyes stung.
“Hi, angel.”
The fingers of my right hand toyed restlessly with the material of my black yoga pants. “Hi, ace.”
His beautifully etched lips thinned for a moment. “Is there a particular meaning behind that endearment?”
“Well . . . you ace everything you do. And it’s the nickname of a fictional character I have a crush on. You remind me of him sometimes.”
“I’m not sure I like you having a crush on anyone but me, fictional or not.”
“You’ll get over it.”
Shaking his head, he started toward me. “Like I’ll get over the sumo wrestler you have shadowing me?”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. I hadn’t been specific about appearance when I’d asked Clancy to arrange for someone he knew in the Phoenix area to guard Gideon the way Sheila was guarding me. I’d just asked for a man and provided a relatively small list of things to intercede with. “Where’s Cary going?”
“Downstairs to play with the credit I arranged for him.”
“We’re not leaving right away?”
He slowly closed the distance between us. There was no mistaking the danger inherent in the way he stalked me. It was visible in the set of his shoulders and the gleam in his eyes. I might’ve been more worried if the sinuousness of his stride hadn’t been so blatantly sexual. “You on your period?”
I nodded.
“Then I’ll just have to come in your mouth.”
My brows rose. “Is that right?”
“Oh, yeah.” His mouth curved. “Don’t worry, angel. I’ll take care of you first.”
He lunged and caught me up, surging into the bedroom and toppling us onto the bed. I gasped and his mouth was on mine, the kiss deep and ravenous. I was swept away by his passion and the beloved feel of his weight pressing me into the mattress. He smelled so good. His skin was so warm.
“I missed you,” I moaned, wrapping my arms and legs around him. “Even though you’re seriously irritating sometimes.”
Gideon growled. “You’re the most exasperating, infuriating woman I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, well, you pissed me off. I’m not a possession. You can’t—”
“Yes, you are.” He nipped my earlobe with his teeth, causing a sharp sting that made me cry out. “And yes, I can.”
“Then you are, too. And I can, too.”
“So you demonstrated. Have any idea how difficult it is to do business with someone when they can’t get within three feet of you?”
I froze, because I’d made the three-feet rule applicable only to women. “Why would someone need to be that close to you?”
“To point out areas of interest on design schematics spread out in front of me and to fit alongside me within camera range for a teleconference—two things you made very difficult.” Lifting his head, he looked down at me. “I was working. You were playing.”
“I don’t care. If it’s good for me, it’s good for you.” But I was secretly pleased that Gideon had put up with the inconvenience, just as I had.
Reaching down, he caught me by the back of the thigh and yanked my legs wider apart. “You’re not going to get a hundred percent equality in this relationship.”
“The hell I’m not.”