“You’re bargaining like mad today.”
“Giroux was happy with his deal. You will be, too, I promise.”
“Giroux?” My heart thudded. “No relation to Corinne?”
“Her husband. Although they’re estranged and facing divorce, as you know.”
“No way. You do business with her husband?”
His mouth twisted ruefully. “First time. And likely the last, although I did tell him that I’m involved with a special woman—and she’s not his wife.”
“The problem is that she’s in love with you.”
“She doesn’t know me.” He cupped the back of my head and rubbed our noses together. “Hurry up and call Cary. I’ll clean up dinner. Then we’ll suck face.”
“Fiend.”
“Sexpot.”
I scrambled up to head to my purse for my phone. Gideon grabbed a garter and snapped it, sending a shock wave of sensation across my skin. Surprisingly aroused by the nip of pain, I slapped his hand away and hurried out of reach.
Cary answered on the second ring. “Hey, baby girl. You still doing okay?”
“Yes. And you’re still the best friend ever. Is Mom still hanging around?”
“She bailed a little over an hour ago. You stayin’ over at loverman’s?”
“Yeah, unless you need me.”
“Nah, I’m good. Trey’s on his way over now.”
That news made me feel a lot better about spending a second night away. “Say hi to him for me.”
“Sure. I’ll kiss him for you, too.”
“Well, if it’s from me, don’t make it too hot and wet.”
“Spoilsport. Hey, remember how you asked me to do some digging on the Good Doctor Lucas? So far, I’ve come up with a whole lotta nada. He doesn’t seem to do much else besides work. No kids. Wife is a doctor, too. A shrink.”
I glanced at Gideon, cautiously ensuring that he didn’t overhear. “Seriously?”
“Why? Is that important?”
“No, I guess not. I just … I guess I expect psychologists to be astute judges of character.”
“Do you know her?”
“No.”
“What’s going on, Eva? You’re all cloak-and-dagger lately, and it’s starting to piss me off.”
Climbing onto a bar stool, I explained as much as I could. “I met Dr. Lucas at a charity dinner one night, then again when you were in the hospital. Both times he said some nasty things about Gideon and I’m just trying to figure out what his deal is.”
“Come on, Eva. What else could it be besides Cross banged his wife?”
Unable to reveal a past that wasn’t mine to share, I didn’t answer. “I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got that girls’ night out. You sure you don’t want to come?”
“Go ahead, change the subject,” Cary bitched. “Yes, I’m sure I don’t want to come. I’m not ready to hit the scene. Just thinking about it gives me hives.”
Nathan had jumped Cary outside a club, and Cary was still recovering physically from that. Somehow, I’d forgotten that it was the mind that took longer to heal. He played it so cool, but I should’ve known better. “The weekend after next, you want to fly out to San Diego? See my dad, our friends … maybe even Dr. Travis, if we’re up for it?”
“Subtle, Eva,” he said dryly. “But yeah, sounds good. I may need you to front me some money, since I’m not working right now.”
“No problem. I’ll make the arrangements and we can square up later.”
“Oh, before you hang up. One of your friends called earlier—Deanna. I forgot to tell you when we talked before. She has news and she wants you to call her back.”
I shot a look at Gideon. He caught my eye and something on my face must have given me away, because his eyes took on that familiar hard gleam. He headed toward me with that long, agile stride, the remnants of dinner carted neatly in the original delivery bag.
“Did you tell her anything?” I asked Cary in a low voice.
“Tell her anything? Like what?”
“Like something you wouldn’t want to tell a reporter, because that’s what she is.”
Gideon’s face took on a stony cast. He passed me to drop the trash in the compactor, then came back to my side.
“You’re friends with a reporter?” Cary asked. “Are you nuts?”
“No, I’m not friends with her. I have no idea how she got my home number, unless she called up from the front desk.”
“What the hell does she want?”
“An exposé on Gideon. She’s starting to get on my bad side. She’s all over him like a rash.”
“I’ll blow her off if she calls back.”
“No, don’t.” I held Gideon’s gaze. “Just don’t give her any information about anything. Where did you tell her I was?”
“Out.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Cary. Call if you need me.”
“Have a banging good time.”
“Jesus, Cary.” Shaking my head, I killed the call.
“Deanna Johnson called you?” Gideon asked, his arms crossing his chest.
“Yep. And I’m about to call her back.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Shut up, caveman. I’m not into that ‘me Cross, you Cross little woman’ bullshit,” I snapped. “In case you’ve forgotten already, we made a trade. You got me, and I got you. I protect what’s mine.”
“Eva, don’t fight my battles for me. I can take care of myself.”
“I know that. You’ve been doing it your whole life. Now, you’ve got me. I can handle this one.”
Something shifted over his features, so swiftly I couldn’t identify whether he was getting pissed. “I don’t want you to have to deal with my past.”
“You dealt with mine.”
“That was different.”
“A threat is a threat, ace. We’re in this together. She’s reaching out to me, which makes me your best shot at figuring out what she’s up to.”
He threw up one hand in frustration, then raked it through his hair. I had to force myself not to get distracted by the way his entire torso flexed with his agitation—his abs clenching, his biceps hardening. “I don’t give a shit what she’s up to. You know the truth, and you’re the only one who matters.”
“If you think I’m going to sit around while she crucifies you in the press, you need to revisit and revise!”
“She can’t hurt me unless she hurts you, and it’s possible that’s what she’s really after.”
“We won’t know unless I talk to her.” I pulled Deanna’s card out of my purse and dialed, blocking my number from showing on her Caller ID.
“Eva, damn it!”
I put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter.
“Deanna Johnson,” she answered briskly.
“Deanna, it’s Eva Tramell.”
“Eva, hi.” The tone of her voice changed, assuming a friendliness we hadn’t yet established. “How are you?”