"You saved Chubby, didn't you?" she said. "Give him a kiss."
Gideon stared at the cat's grumpy face with an incredulous expression. The cat made an angry hiss and swiped at him again.
"You've got to be kidding me," Gideon said.
"Nope. You said you wanted to kiss the ones you rescued." She winked at him. "That includes both Chubby and Mr. Fleas."
"I'm not kissing them." He shook his head.
"Why not?" She batted her eyes. "I kiss them all the time."
To prove her point, she laid a kiss on Chubby's scrunched nose.
"Sorry. It's still not happening." The man's eyebrow twitched.
"Then I guess you won't get to kiss me either." She buried her face in Chubby's fur, trying to hide her smirk.
"I knew it was too good to be true." Gideon's shoulders slumped. "You're a cruel woman. I thought I was going to kiss you."
She reached into the backseat and grabbed Mr. Fleas. Since both her hands were full of squirming animals, Gideon shut the door for her.
"I think you and I both know that I'd never make it that easy." She shrugged as best she could while holding two animals. "Besides, you said you like it when I'm spunky."
Gideon walked toward the building and she followed him.
"Be careful what you wish for," he muttered. "I asked for the old you back and this is what I got."
"Watch it, mister," she said. "I could put Chubby in your bed while you're sleeping. He'd scratch you to bits."
When they reached the door to the building, Gideon opened it for her.
He began, "I'd rather have you in my bed while I'm slee—ouch!"
She stomped on his foot.
"None of that." She narrowed her eyes. "Just because I'm tired doesn't mean I'll stand for inappropriate comments."
"I'm going to limp for a week," he said dramatically.
Raising an eyebrow, she stared pointedly at his foot. He would limp for a week? The man wasn't even limping now.
"Some limp," she said.
The man started to hobble down the hall as if she'd shot his foot instead of stepped on it. He continued the charade all the way until he came to a stop in front of his apartment door.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again." He draped his hand over his eyes, feigning agony. "What am I going to do? My life is ruined."
"Yeah, right." She laughed for the first time since her apartment had caught on fire.
The man stopped faking injury and lowered his hand.
"Good," he said. "I finally made you laugh."
"That was your objective?" She was startled.
"Making you feel better is always my objective." He unlocked his apartment door.
"Oh."
As she contemplated his words, Gideon opened his apartment door and said, "Ta-da!"
After shoving her thoughts aside, Nora walked into the apartment and gasped. Gideon had an exquisite unit with a massive kitchen. The furniture was black leather. The paintings on the wall were modern abstracts. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, even on the ceiling. Yet despite how beautiful Gideon's home was, she couldn't help but feel that it looked cold and lonely. Her apartment was—well, had been—small and cluttered, but it was home. This place wasn't like that at all. Her stomach sunk.
"Hey, you okay?" Gideon touched her arm, noting the change in her mood.
She didn't want to cry again. Not now. She forced a smile on her face and nodded.
"You're very clean." She noted the spotless floor.
"It's easy to keep clean if you're by yourself all the time," he said.
"I assumed you had a constant stream of female visitors." She was too curious to stop herself from saying the words, even though they made her heart sting.
At first Gideon didn't speak. He seemed to be trying to figure out the reason behind her comment.
"I never brought any women here," he finally said. "I always went to their place instead. That way, I could remain anonymous and disappear in the morning."
She was torn between shrieking, "You dog!" and being pleased that she was the only one who'd been invited to his apartment.
"You can put them down, you know," Gideon said.
"Huh?" Put who down?
"Your pets." He nodded pointedly at Chubby who was starting to look cranky…well, crankier than normal. "You can put them down."
"Oh." She'd half-forgotten she was holding her animals, despite how much the cat weighed. "Is there a room where the furniture isn't so nice? These guys aren't destructive, but Chubby sheds all over the place."
There hadn't been an inch of her apartment not covered in cat hair.
"Don't worry about that." Gideon shrugged. "Consider this place your home too."
The message behind the words made her heart warm, but she still shot him an uncertain look as she placed her pets on the floor. The moment paws hit tile, Mr. Fleas growled at Gideon. Chubby, on the other hand, streaked toward the couch and tried to scramble beneath it. The cat got stuck halfway, his fat orange rump in plain view.
"Your cat isn't very stealthy," Gideon said.
"My cat is also in desperate need of a diet." She gave an exasperated sigh.
Both of them stood in silence for a moment. The conversation coming to a sudden halt was unusual for them. Normally they both had too much to say. Of course, her brain was fried and Gideon probably wasn't feeling great himself. The man had charged into her apartment in the middle of the night, after all. Neither of them had gotten much sleep.
"Maybe I should go see if Chubby is stuck," she said, searching for an excuse to do something.
Before she could take a step forward, Gideon shocked her by hugging her from behind. He buried his face in her hair, his hot breath warming her neck. The man was pressed so hard against her she could feel every last inch of him—his legs, his hips, his strong chest. As she took comfort in his arms, she found herself melting. She rested her head on his shoulder and stared straight ahead.
"I'm really okay, you know." She assumed he held her because he was worried about her wellbeing.
"I know. I just couldn't stop myself from holding you," he whispered in her ear. "I wanted to touch you to make sure that you're still really here."
"I'm not going anywhere, Gideon." At least, not if she could help it.
"Good." His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer still. "It feels like I've been alive forever, but I've never cared for anyone as much as you. I don't think I could handle it if you died. That's why I promise I'll protect you and find a way to get rid of Amon."
The thought of Amon made a chill run down her spine. She shivered in horror, even after the adoring words he'd spoken.
"You never told me how you know Amon," she said. "Do you know why he's doing this to me? Back at my apartment, he said he gave you one last chance and you didn't take it. Are you involved in something bad?"
The words made her mouth taste sour.
"Nora, I…I…" Gideon sounded like he was in physical pain. "I'm not who you think I am. After I lost everything, Amon sought me out. He was the one who convinced me to seek solace in women. I was so confused and angry that I listened to him. I can't be sure, but I believe Amon thinks you have the ability to take me away from him. And the thing is, he's right."
"Oh, Gideon." She tried to turn around to see his face, but he held her too tight.
"I don't want anybody else but you now." He dug his fingers into her shirt. "The truth is I don't think I could even stomach touching another woman. We haven't been together long, but you've made me into a better man. The hatred I felt before has disappeared. All I can think about is how you forgave your mother and it makes me want to be like you. I don't want to be angry anymore. I want to live for love again. And I know this sounds ridiculous after the short amount of time we've spent together, but I also want to live for you."
She wasn't sure what to say to those words, but her heart skipped a beat. In that moment, even her fears about almost being burne
d to death slipped away. She was so immersed in the conversation that she barely noticed the black feathers that floated to the tile at her feet.
"I'm in love with you, Nora," Gideon continued. "I'm sorry that you got dragged into my mess, but I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you."
Gideon is in love with me…
She couldn't breathe. And I? How do I feel? It seemed impossible that she could fall in love in such a short amount of time, yet there were so many signs that she couldn't disregard. She remembered all of the times her heart had soared because of Gideon. Hearts didn't soar for no reason. On top of that, she trusted him in ways she'd never trusted anyone else. Also, last night when they'd almost made love, she'd wanted to be with him not because she wanted him physically. No, she wanted to be with him so they could become one and unite on a whole new level. She knew that even now she should have been upset about Gideon's connection with Amon, but she wasn't. Instead all she felt was sadness because of Gideon's self-torture. If that wasn't being in love with someone, she didn't know what was.
She couldn't believe it. She was in love with him too.
"Gideon, I don't care about what happened with Amon," she said. "I love you too."
"Really?" Gideon was so shocked he loosened his grip.
She took advantage of his surprise and faced him. Their eyes met and her heart soared all over again.
"I can barely believe it myself, but it's true." She nodded. "I'm in love with you."
"Then I think I need to say something else." He groaned as his face paled. "Nora, I'm a…I'm a…"
In all the time she'd known him, she'd never seen Gideon look this sick.
"You're a?" She searched his face, wondering what he had to tell her that made him look so awful.
"Give me a second." The man exhaled, his expression pained. "I have to think about what to say."
She didn't like seeing him look so tortured. After all, he'd just told her he loved her, for crying out loud. Wasn't there a better time for him to look as thought she'd kicked him in the shin?
"Can you tell me later?" she said, desperate to end his suffering. At least, for now. He could speak to her about this when he hadn't uttered a life changing love pronouncement.
"Huh?" He blinked.
I can't believe I'm doing this. It so isn't like me.
"Well, it is proper for the hero to kiss the person he rescued." Nora flushed. "And I suppose you deserve some kind of reward for rescuing me, after all."
"If you're teasing me right now, I'll kill you." Gideon frowned at her.
"And you call me unromantic. First you say you love me, then you threaten to kill me." She narrowed her eyes. "After everything you just said, why would I tease you? And besides, I've never told a man I loved him before. Can't you make this moment a teensy bit special?"
Some color returned to Gideon's face as his eyes took on a devilish glint. She breathed a sigh of relief that was tinged with nervousness and excitement.
"I can make this more than a teensy bit special." A wolfish grin crossed his face. "I'm going to make sure you remember this moment for the rest of your life."
As his words made fireworks explode in her heart, she gasped. Gideon chuckled in amusement, making her wonder what sort of expression she was making. Still that didn't matter. Gideon was in love with her. That was what was important. His love, nothing else.
Grinning, Gideon backed her against the wall. Even though she wasn't frightened, she let out a small squeak. He was always so feral during his onslaught. Fortunately, she loved that about him. After all, it showed that he was a man who knew what he wanted. Nothing was more stimulating than that. Still, despite how much she yearned for him, she gulped when Gideon placed one hand by the side of her head. He seized her arm using his other hand. As he gave a mischievous grin, he drew her wrist to his mouth. He kissed the sensitive flesh, making a chill run down her spine.
"Do you want to know when I first realized I was in love with you?" He nuzzled her palm, his breath warm against her sensitive skin.
"Uh-huh," she said, startled she was able to come up with something that coherent. Her mind had left the moment Gideon had touched her wrist.
"I realized I loved you the day at the park when you threw cake at me." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her thumb. "When I was dripping with icing, I looked at you and thought, What kind of crazy woman would do something like this?'"
The words drew her from her kiss induced stupor.
"Wait a second…" She frowned at him.
"Then I realized something." He smiled, unperturbed by her frown. "I love the way you always do things I don't expect."
Gideon kissed the tip of her index finger.
"O-oh," she stammered, unable to keep herself from blushing.
"I love the way a V appears between your eyebrows when you're lying." He kissed the tip of her middle finger. "I love the way you're secretly shy, even though you talk big."
"Hey," she said, wondering whether or not she should be offended. Unfortunately, she was unable to formulate a counterargument when his mouth brushed her fingertips.
"I love the way you lick your lips when you're about to eat cake." He kissed the finger that was right before her pinky. "I love the way you value your morals."
Her eyes widened as he kissed the tip of her pinky slowly. The man was in no hurry. He took his time, seducing her in a way that was irresistible.
"After I thought of all of those things, I realized that I didn't just love those traits—I loved you. Every last part of you." His lips skinned the inside of her arm. "Funny how things work out, right?"
All she managed was a nod. Gideon, like usual, was handling the entire situation with able hands. Whenever he kissed or touched her, her brain was a complete mess. Of course, maybe giving him control was her way of loving him. She trusted him enough to let him steer, even though she liked being the one who held the reins. The thought made her eyes widen. Unfortunately, she couldn't think anymore after Gideon sucked on the sensitive skin of her inner arm, causing her to let out a faint whimper that she hadn't meant to make.
With a grin, Gideon straightened up and curled his fingers in her hair. His hands steadied her, comforted her, and enchanted her. As he searched her face, she wondered how on earth she hadn't noticed that he was in love with her before. After all, his love for her showed in his eyes, making her feel safe and warm while still excited. That loving gleam was something no person on this planet could fake. She sighed, unable to tear her eyes away from his handsome face, as he leaned in so close their foreheads pressed together.
"I love you," he said, his deep voice echoing in her ears.
It didn't matter how many times she heard him say he loved her. She still enjoyed hearing it.
"I love you too," she said, knowing he needed to hear those words just as much as she did.
Gideon groaned and she could feel how much he wanted her. Still he wasn't rough. He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids. He seemed to be fond of gently brushing his lips against her face, but she didn't mind. It felt like he loved every inch of her, making his adoration seep into her skin until it reached her soul. As she breathed out a sigh, Gideon finally journeyed down to her lips and captured them.
No matter how many times Gideon kissed her, she was never disappointed by the rush of emotion that swept through her body. She loved embracing him. In fact, she loved it so much that she could scarcely believe that she'd live a whole twenty-eight years without experiencing his kiss. As she opened her mouth and accepted him, he rocked his body against hers, pressing his sculpted torso against her feminine curves. As his lips moved against her own, a soft moan escaped his mouth. The sound he made spoke of longing, of desire so fierce it rippled through his very core. She felt the same need within herself. Still even now, she couldn't escape the feeling that kissing him was forbidden. Despite that, she knew that no one could ever stop her from seeking out his embrace. That was how good being
with him felt.
And that was how much she needed him.
As she wrapped her arms around his back, he pushed his body against hers again, causing hot friction. He kissed her jaw so urgently that her skin ached from his touch. His breathing was ragged, but it was only then that she realized her own breathing was ragged as well. As he devoured her skin with his hungry lips, his breath became her breath and his heart became her heart. The thought of the two of them becoming one was something that stirred the deepest parts of her soul.
"Nora, Nora, Nora," he said, half singing her name as he ran his hand under her shirt.
As she buried her head in his shoulder, desperate to continue but unsure that they should, Gideon let out a pained sigh.
"Touching you is torture and not touching you is torture." He stepped away, his eyes dark.
"I'm sorry." Her heart ached for him.
"Don't be sorry," he said. "I love you, so I'll wait."
She wasn't sure why, but those words brought tears to her eyes.
"Thank you, Gideon," she said.
He managed a small nod.
"I'm going to take a cold shower," he said. "I don't think I'll be out for a while. While I do that, why don't you sleep in my bed? You must be exhausted."
"You want me to sleep in your bed?" she asked. "That isn't right. I can go on the couch."
"I'll sleep on the couch." He held up his hand to stop her from saying anything more. "If I look at your face one more second, I'm going to lose my self-control. No more arguing."
Before she could say anything else, Gideon disappeared down the hall. She heard Mr. Fleas whimper at her feet. When she looked down, the dog gave her an accusatory glare.
"What?" she said. "I love him. Is that so wrong?"
The dog barked and rolled onto his back, displaying his pink belly. Maybe it hadn't been an accusatory glare after all.
Chapter Fifteen
If a nuclear war was occurring outside of her window, Nora wouldn't have had a harder time sleeping. She lay in bed, staring at the wall, overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. She'd almost been burned alive and then Gideon had told her that he loved her. Naturally she couldn't sleep, even though her head throbbed because of how exhausted she was. The fact that she was in Gideon's room didn't help either. And that wasn't because she was enthralled by being in his private space.
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