“Dammit, Shannon, what have I done to make you think I would do something like that? What kind of asshole would take a child from his mother?”
Relief flooded through her, but she had hurt him yet again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just he is all I have in this world.”
“Not anymore—now you have me.” Getting up, he walked across the room and grabbed a box of Kleenex off her bookshelf. When he returned, he held one up to her nose and ordered, “Blow.” Stuffing a few more into her hand, he outlined his plan. “First, you are coming home with me. I can’t bear to think of you and my son in this roach-infested, shithole of an apartment.”
That sounded wonderful to Shannon, but she couldn’t let him do that. “No, Gid. I couldn’t impose like that.”
“Having my son close to me is not an imposition. I need to get to know him and want him with me.”
“But I… We aren’t—”
“We aren’t what? In love? I don’t know about you, but since the day you walked out on me, my life has been on pause. Unlike you, I didn’t have any misperceptions about that night. All I knew is that you were pissed about something—what it was, I didn’t know. But I never stopped thinking of you, wanting you back, loving you.”
“Oh, Gid… I never stopped loving you either. I was just so hurt and angry. I was hoping we could salvage something when I found out I was pregnant. I tried to contact you.”
“Ray didn’t give me your messages.”
“It was him. He said you knew about the baby and didn’t want it. I was devastated, worse than when I thought you cheated. And then when he gave me that check…” Another sob escaped as she relived that day in Ray’s office.
“It was all Ray, Shannon.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his jeans pocket and gave it to her, waiting as she read, watching her face turn pink with anger.
“That rat bastard! I’d like to go over to his office and kick him where it hurts. He treated me awful, Gid. Like one of your groupies who intentionally got pregnant. He is a pig.”
“He’s a fired pig.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and I think I may have broken his nose. It was a parting shot. It was all I could do to keep from beating the hell out of him while he wrote out that confession.”
Shannon giggled. She wished she could have been there to see it. “How did you stand him all those years? He’s worse than a pig.”
“Yeah, calling him one insults the pig.” He smiled then, the first one she had seen in almost ten years. “As for the rest of my plan, after you and Eli move in and we get settled, you and I are getting married.”
“What? But how can you want to after what I did.”
He pinched her chin softly and angled her face up to his. “I’ll admit that I’m hurt you didn’t trust me, Shannon. But anger and placing blame won’t change what happened or make up for the time we’ve lost. I never stopped loving you and have wanted you back in my life every day.”
His lips, which had been hovering inches above hers as he spoke, lowered and captured hers in a sweet kiss. It ended too soon as he continued speaking of his grand plan. He had their future mapped out; it filled Shannon with a mix of emotions, ranging from joy to trepidation. There was doubt that he could still love her. He’d thought she’d abandoned him heartlessly for a decade. What if he were doing this out of a need to have Eli in his life? But he’d said he still loved her. Trust him, Shannon, she warned herself. Not doing so was what had put them in this situation to start with.
“We’ve wasted enough time, don’t you think? We also have Eli to consider. He deserves to know his dad and to have a family, Shannon. I’m sorry if you don’t feel ready for this quite yet. All I can say is if you don’t love me anymore, that’s tough. You’ll have to suck it up and learn to all over again. I’m not spending another day away from my family.”
“I don’t need to suck it up or learn over again, Gid. I love you too—never stopped.”
He exhaled, relief evident in his expression. Although he’d spoken with conviction, Shannon realized he hadn’t been as certain of the outcome as he’d seemed. He gathered her into his arms and she melted willingly into his embrace. She had missed those arms so badly.
“You can’t imagine how happy I am to hear that.” He kissed her deeply then, robbing her of breath and the ability to think of all the changes that were about to happen in her and Eli’s lives.
As perceptive as ever, Gideon seemed to read her thoughts. As he pulled his mouth away to look meaningfully in her eyes, he murmured, “We’ll iron out the details once I get you two home. There’s just one more important thing to discuss.”
“Anything.”
“Be careful what you agree to, babe. This one may come as a bit of a surprise.”
“What is it?”
“You remember how we used to play with bondage and spankings?”
She nodded, a flush heating her cheeks, not entirely sure where he was going with this.
“Well… I want that for real this time around.”
“I don’t understand. You want to spank me for real?” The thought of being over Gid’s lap—bottom bared, thighs quivering with anticipation—awakened her long since dormant libido. She felt her panties dampen as her sex was inundated with arousal.
“Yes, but that’s not exactly what I meant. All of our play was about D/s, me in control and you submitting. I want that for real this time, Shannon. I need to be in control of this relationship so I can make damn well sure nothing like this misunderstanding ever happens again.”
“You want to dominate me outside of sex, you mean? Like a slave?”
“No, I don’t want a slave or a wife that doesn’t think or do for herself. I don’t want to dictate your every move, but I do want to be in charge of us, of our life together, both in and out of the bedroom.”
“You mean like Justin and Roxie?”
“You know about them?”
Shannon’s lips quirked, giving a hint of a smile at his startled expression. She wasn’t as inexperienced back then as he’d thought. “Yes, she told me about it, and I walked in one time when she was getting a spanking. She didn’t seem to be objecting to it at all.”
She seemed to thrive on it, Shannon thought. She had kept up with Roxie and Justin in the tabloids and they were still going strong after all this time, which was rare with celebrities. Maybe it had something to do with their lifestyle.
“Then you know how domestic discipline works.”
It was Shannon’s turn to be surprised. The kind of relationship he wanted had a name? It was a real thing? Wow! Who knew? Maybe she was naïve, after all. Half listening, she heard him continue, “Justin doesn’t rule with an iron fist, just a firm, guiding hand. That’s what I want for us.”
“So you’d spank me for real? What would earn me a spanking, Gid?”
“We’ll establish some ground rules that we both agree on. The primary rule will be honesty always, Shannon. We’ll rebuild trust as we go along, but we can’t allow anything like what happened before to split us apart again. If you walk in on me with twelve naked bimbos in my bed, I want you to trust that I love you and am faithful to you first, then ask questions.” His hand came up and curled around the nape of her neck. “You can’t react by running away and hiding like you did last time, Shannon. You can’t risk what we have together on a misunderstanding.”
“I know that, Gid, and I’m really sorry.” She bowed her head, guilt-ridden over a stupid case of mistaken identity.
“I’m not saying the whole thing is your fault, babe, but I am holding you accountable for not trusting me and not even giving me a chance to explain.”
“Where were you that night anyway?”
“I was waiting at the hotel, like we planned.”
“Didn’t you get my message?”
“No. I don’t remember getting a message.”
“I was running late and called Ray while you were still on stage. He seemed p
leased, said he wanted you to stay for the wrap party anyway since there would be media there.” Silently they stared at each other as another piece of the puzzle fell into place. “Oh, Gid, he told me to come by the Palladium instead, that he’d give you the message.”
“I’m not surprised.” His eyes were near black as he seethed with rage. She could tell he was trying to get his anger under control when he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. If she were a nice person, she’d warn Ray Reynolds to get out of town—maybe out of the country. Except she couldn’t muster the energy to feel nice at the moment, let alone be charitable toward the slimy agent.
Finally, he opened his eyes and she could tell his anger was in check, his eyes once again their usual appealing green. “Never mind Reynolds. I’ve taken him out of the picture.” His lips claimed hers in a kiss full of love, warmth, and seduction. He broke it off much too soon, for Shannon’s liking, and she moaned in disappointment.
“Sorry, babe, I don’t want our reconciliation to be rushed. Making up and getting married are hurried enough. I want you settled at home before we move on to—” He paused for a moment before continuing, giving her a flash of his sexy trademark smile that melted panties round the world. By now, hers were surely smoldering. “I was gonna say before we move on to make-up sex, but that kind of trivializes it, I think.”
“I don’t mind make-up sex. I’ve never had it before, but I hear it’s fantastic.” She rubbed against him, pressing her face into his.
“Shannon, don’t tease me. I’m not starting something on your couch that will be hurried or interrupted midway. Our reconciliation is going to be celebrated with romance, a little wine, soft lights, and music, and it’s happening in my bed. Got it?”
Nodding, she cuddled up against him; she couldn’t bear to let him go. His groan when she hitched a leg over his lap was music to her ears.
“Don’t make me start our new beginning with a spanking, Shannon. I said we’d have to wait.” He set her away and then adjusted himself. Shannon giggled as she watched him try to do it subtly, then grinned when he finally stuck his hand down his pants and did it right.
“Quit teasing me, babe. I’m on a tight wire as it is. Keep it up and my control might just snap.” Clearing his throat, he stood, putting even more distance between them. “When will Eli be home from school?”
Glancing at the clock which read 1:30 p.m., she said, “I only have about an hour until I meet his bus.”
“Great, that gives us time to pack.”
“Now?”
“Of course, did you think I’d let you stay in this dump another night?”
“It’s not that bad.”
He shot her an incredulous look, a finely arched brow communicating his utter disbelief of her words.
“Fine, it’s that bad. But it’s all I could afford, Gid.”
Pulling her up off the couch, he was unable to resist touching her and wrapped her up in his arms once again. “I want you in my life, Shannon, and in my house and happily back in my bed. I promise you won’t ever be forced to ‘get by’ again. No more scrimping and cutting corners just to make ends meet. I want to take care of you and Eli, honey, in style.”
She could feel his erection, full and hard, pressing against her lower belly. Her body responded with a shiver. She wanted him to take care of her too, but she didn’t mean financially at that moment. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. Let’s get packing.”
With another quick press of his lips, she knew she’d made the right decision. She did love him, and she was tired of going it alone. Letting him have the reigns after a decade of doing it all by herself sounded heavenly.
“That’s my girl.” With a final squeeze, he went out in the hall and came back with a huge suitcase and a smaller overnight bag.
“You were pretty sure of yourself, weren’t you, Mr. McCord?”
He had the decency to look a little uncomfortable over his high-handedness, but only for a second. Then he winked and gave her another devastatingly sexy smile. “No, but if I learned one thing in scouts as a boy, it was to always be prepared.”
Chapter Seven
Gideon turned his Mercedes into his gated driveway, stopping to enter a code on the keypad before continuing up a long, shaded, winding drive. As they approached the house, Shannon’s jaw dropped. He glanced at her as the house came into view. He’d bought the 7,500 square foot Spanish style house with six bedrooms and eight baths about three years ago. At the height of the housing bubble, it was a steal. He didn’t need so much room, but the pool out back and the views of the Pacific were awesome. He had to go to the pier for beach access but he didn’t mind with it only a mile or so away.
Reaching over, he closed her mouth with one long finger. “Breathe, baby.”
“But Gideon, it’s a freakin’ mansion.” She whispered this softly, but her sentiment was echoed by Eli, who was bouncing up and down in the back seat.
“Holy cow! You live in a mansion. Are you rich, Gideon?” Eli’s eyes were as big as saucers as he pressed his nose against the rear driver’s side window.
“Eli! That’s not polite to ask.”
“That’s okay, babe. I did very well with my band and solo career, Eli, but producing is where it’s at.”
“You don’t plan to perform anymore? What about touring? Will we be all alone in this gigantic house while you’re gone?”
“Easy, Shannon.” He reached for her hand and squeezed. Glancing into the rearview mirror, he saw that Eli also had a worried expression on his face. “I still write a little and perform locally with the band, but our touring days are over. I’m happy in my studio, producing and promoting new artists. I’ll let them go on a grueling 60-city European tour. It’s a rough life, being on the road, living out of a suitcase, screaming fans, security problems…”
“Awesome! Sounds like fun to me.” Eli had resumed bouncing up and down again with excitement. He was a small bundle of energy and reminded Gideon of himself at that age.
“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, son.” He blanched at his slip and his eyes flew to meet Shannon’s startled gaze. They hadn’t decided how or when to tell him yet. She squeezed the hand he still held in return and suddenly giggled. That shocked him. He thought she’d be pissed over his little lapse, but she smiled and shook her head as if saying, “Don’t worry about it.”
“I think it’s fresh. I want to be in a band. Can you teach me to play the guitar? Or the drums, can you play the drums? That would be so cool to play the drums!”
The adults laughed at his youthful enthusiasm as Gideon pulled up to the front door.
“Do you have a pool, what about a pool table? Do I get my own room?”
“Eli, slow down. I’m sure we’ll get the grand tour very soon.”
“The answer to all of your questions is yes. I thought I could show you around first. Afterwards, we could scrounge up something to eat and then take a swim in the pool. Sound good?”
“That’s sick!” he said and bounded out of the car.
Shannon frowned after him. “That was rude. I’m so sorry.”
Gideon patted her thigh affectionately. “Sick is a good thing nowadays, Shannon.”
Looking at him in surprise, she asked, “It is?”
“Yeah, it means awesome.”
Shaking her head she sighed. “It used to mean gross. He’s only nine. What am I going to do when he gets to be a teenager? I’ll need a translator.”
“No probs, noob. We’re tope. I got yo back.” Because he was producing a 16-year-old’s new record, he was up on more of the youth slang than Shannon, who looked at him with a glazed over expression. He couldn’t help but laugh when she said, “Crap! Not you too! I have no idea what you just said.”
Gideon laughed as he came around to help her out. Leaving the bags for the time being, he let them in the front door. He told them there was a garage around back where he usually parked, pointing to the far side of the yard where the driveway curved around bac
k.
“I’ve got a Lexus SUV that you can drive. The POS you were driving the other night looks like it’s ready for salvage.”
“My Chevy is not a piece of sh—” She stopped herself just as Eli ran up.
“I know what POS means, Mom, and he’s right. Your car didn’t even start twice last week.” Looking at Gideon, he continued to throw his mom under the bus. “We had to walk home after dark and take the transit for three days until Jody could fix it. He said there wasn’t enough duct tape and bondo in the world to put the ‘old girl’ back together. He called it a POS, too.”
Gideon didn’t like the sound of Shannon and Eli walking home after dark in that neighborhood, or anytime for that matter. He was glad he’d put an end to that today. Never again would they be in dangerous situations like that.
“The Lexus is your mom’s now, Eli. You won’t be walking home alone or riding in a bondomobile again.”
He opened the door and showed them inside, quickly resetting the alarm system by entering the code into the keypad. “I’ll show you this later. You’ll have to practice a bit to get it down quickly enough.”
He knew Shannon was only half listening because her gaze was fixated on the far side of the room. It happened with every guest the first time they came to his home. It had happened to him and was the reason he bought the overly large home in the first place.
Guiding her with a hand on her lower back, he saw what she saw—a sight that he had yet to tire of or take for granted. The foyer opened into a great room which was done in neutral tones; beige tile floors, off white walls and trim, and taupe furnishings all arranged to enhance and not detract from the singular feature of the room. On the far wall, where at least eight sets of French doors opened onto a stone patio, was an incredible, vast expanse of blue that was the Pacific Ocean. Once again, her jaw was gaped open.
“This is just the first room, babe. Don’t pass out yet.”
“Mom! You gotta see the pool! You can swim in it while you look at the ocean. It’s tope!” Eli’s delighted shouts snapped her out of her trance.
Gideon's Redemption Page 5
