Reflected in You(47)

That's all I can stand."


"All right."


I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder, so grateful that he was in my arms again and that we were together.


"I can deal.


For now."


His throat worked on a hard swallow.


"When I came home and found you here - " His arms tightened around me.


"God, Eva.


I thought Cary was lying about you not being home, that you just didn't want to see me.


Then I thought you might be out .


moving on."


"You're not that easy to get over, Gideon."


I didn't think I'd ever get over him.


He was in my blood.


I straightened so he could see my face.


He placed his hand over his heart, the hand with the key.


"Thank you for this."


"Don't let that go," I warned again.


"Don't regret giving it to me."


He pressed his forehead to mine.


I felt the warmth of his breath on my skin and thought he might have whispered something, but I didn't catch it if he did.It didn't matter.


We were together.


After the long awful day, nothing else was important.



Chapter 8


The sound of my bedroom door opening ended my forgettable dream, but it was the mouthwatering aroma of coffee that really woke me up.


I stretched but kept my eyes closed, allowing the anticipation to build.


Gideon took a seat on the edge of the mattress, and a moment later his fingers drifted across my cheek.


"How did you sleep?" "I missed you.


Is that coffee I smell for me?" "If you're good."


My eyes popped open.


"But you like me bad."


His smile did crazy things to me.


He'd dressed already in one of his amazingly sexy suits and looked much better this morning than he had the night before.


"I like you bad with me.


Tell me about this concert on Friday."


"It's a band called Six-Ninths.


That's all I know.


Wanna go?" "It's not a question of whether I want to go.


If you're going, so am I."


My brows rose.


"Is that right? And what if I hadn't asked you?" He reached for my hand and gently twirled my promise ring around my finger.


"Then you wouldn't be going, either."


"Excuse me?" I shoved my hair back.


Noting the set look on his gorgeous face, I sat up.


"Gimme that coffee.


I want to be caffeinated when I kick your ass."


Gideon grinned and handed the mug over.


"Don't look at me like that," I warned.


"I'm seriously not happy with you telling me I can't go somewhere."


"We're talking specifically about a rock concert and I didn't say you couldn't go, just that you can't go without me.


I'm sorry you don't like it, but it is what it is."


"Who says it's rock? Maybe it's classical.


Or Celtic.


Or pop."


"Six-Ninths signed with Vidal Records."


"Oh."


Vidal Records was run by Gideon's stepfather, Christopher Vidal Sr., but Gideon had controlling interest.


I wondered how a boy grew up to take over his stepfather's family business.


I figured whatever the reason was, it was also why Gideon's half brother, Christopher Jr., hated him to the extreme.


"I've seen videos of their indie shows," he said dryly.


"I'm not risking you to a crowd like that."


I sucked down a big gulp of coffee.


"I get it, but you can't order me around."


"Can't I? Shh."


He placed his fingers over my lips.


"Don't argue.


I'm not a tyrant.


I may occasionally have concerns, and you'll be sensible about acknowledging them."


I shoved his hand away.


"'Sensible' being whatever you've decided is best?" "Of course."


"That's bullshit."


He stood.


"We're not going to fight over a hypothetical situation.


You asked me to go to the concert with you on Friday and I said yes.


There's nothing to argue about."


Setting my coffee on the nightstand, I kicked off the covers and slid out of bed.


"I have to be able to live my life, Gideon.


I still have to be me or this won't work."


"And I have to be me.


I'm not the only one who needs to compromise."


That hit me hard.