I search his face. “What if they do?”
“Will I let someone else pay for my crime?” His jaw tightened. “Is that what you’re asking?”
“No.” I smoothed his brow with my fingertips. “I know you won’t let that happen. I’m just wondering how you’ll prevent it.”
His scowl deepened. “You’re asking me to predict the future, Eva. I can’t do that. You just have to trust me.”
“I do,” I promised fervently. “But I’m still scared. I can’t help being freaked out.”
“I know. I’m worried, too.” His thumb brushed over my bottom lip. “Detective Graves is a very intelligent woman.”
His observation clicked with me. “You’re right. That makes me feel better.”
I didn’t know Shelley Graves, not really. But in the few interactions I’d had with her, she’d struck me as being intelligent and street-smart. I hadn’t factored her into the equation, and I should have. It was odd to be in a position where I both feared who she was and appreciated it.
“You set up for your dad?”
The reminder brought some of the jitters back. “Everything’s ready. Except me.”
His eyes softened. “Any idea how you’re going to handle him?”
“Cary went back to work today, so we’ll celebrate with champagne and then head out to dinner.”
“You think he’s going to be up for that?”
“I don’t know if I’m up for it,” I admitted. “It’s screwy to be making plans to drink Cristal and kick up my heels in the middle of everything going on. But what else can I do? If my dad doesn’t see I’m okay, he’s not going to get over finding out about Nathan. I have to show him all of that ugliness is in the past.”
“And you need to let me handle the rest,” he admonished. “I will take care of you, of us. Focus on your family for a while.”
Stepping back, I grabbed his hand and led him toward the couch. It was weird being home so early after going in to work. Seeing the brightness of the afternoon sun beating down on the city outside the windows had me feeling out of step, reinforcing the notion that we’d stolen time to be together.
I sat, curled my legs, and faced him, watching as he settled beside me. We were so alike in many ways, including our pasts. Did Gideon need to get everything out in the open with his family, too? Is that what he’d need to fully heal?
“I know you have to get back to work,” I said, “but I’m glad you came home for me. You’re right—I needed to see you.”
He lifted my hand to his lips. “Do you know when your father’s heading back to California?”
“No.”
“My appointment with Dr. Petersen would’ve made tomorrow a late night for us anyway.” Gideon looked at me with a slight smile. “We’ll find a way to be together.”
Having him near … touching him … seeing him smile … hearing those words. I could get through anything as long as I had him next to me after a long day.
“Can I have five minutes?” I asked.
“You can have whatever you want, angel,” he said softly.
“Just this.” I slid closer and curved into his side.
Gideon’s arm came around my shoulders. Our hands linked together in our laps. We formed a perfect circle. Not as glittering as the rings we wore on our fingers, but priceless all the same.
After a moment, I felt him lean into me. He sighed. “I needed this, too.”
I hugged him tighter. “It’s okay to need me, ace.”
“I wish I needed you a little less. Just enough to make it bearable.”
“What would be the fun in that?”
His soft laugh made me fall even harder for him.
GIDEON had been right about the DB9. As I watched the parking attendant pull the sleek metallic gray Aston Martin to a stop in front of me, I thought it was pretty much Gideon on wheels. It was sex with a gas pedal; so much brute elegance it damn near made my toes curl.
I was scared as hell to get behind the wheel.
Driving in New York was nothing like driving in Southern California. I hesitated before accepting the keys from the bow-tied attendant, debating the wisdom of just calling for a town car.
The burner phone started ringing and I fumbled for it quickly. “Hello?”
“Just do it,” Gideon purred. “Stop worrying and drive it.”
I spun around, my gaze searching for security cameras. Awareness shivered down my spine. I could feel Gideon’s gaze on me. “What are you doing?”
“Wishing I were with you. I’d love to spread you across the hood and fuck you real slow. Push my cock deep inside you. Give those shocks a workout. Umm. God, I’m hard.”
And he was making me wet. I could listen to him endlessly; I loved his voice so much. “I’m scared I’m going to screw up your pretty car.”
“I don’t give a shit about the car, only about your safety. So scratch it up all you want, just don’t get hurt.”
“If that was supposed to calm me down, it didn’t work.”
“We could have phone sex until you come, that should do it.”
I narrowed my gaze at the parking attendants, who were pretending not to watch me. “Should I be worried about what got you so horny in the short time since I was with you?”
“Thinking about you driving the DB9 turns me on.”
“Does it now?” I fought to hold back a smile. “Remind me, which one of us has the transportation fetish?”
“Slide behind the wheel,” he coaxed. “Imagine I’m in the passenger seat. My hand between your legs. My fingers fucking your soft, slick cunt.”
Stepping closer to the car on shaky legs, I muttered, “You must have a death wish.”
“I’d take my cock out and stroke it with my fist while I fingered you, get us both good and hot.”
“Your lack of respect for this vehicle’s upholstery is appalling.” I settled into the driver’s seat and spent a minute figuring out how to move it forward.
His voice rasped through the car’s sound system. “How does it feel?”
It totally figured that he’d synced my burner phone to the car’s Bluetooth. Gideon always thought of everything.
“Expensive,” I answered. “You’re crazy for letting me drive this.”
“I’m crazy about you,” he replied, sending delight skipping through me. “LaGuardia is programmed in the GPS.”
It made me feel good to know that coming home to see me had lightened his mood so much. I knew just how he felt. It meant a lot to know he felt the same way.
I pulled up the GPS, then hit the button to put the transmission into drive. “You know what, ace? I want to blow you while you’re driving this thing. Throw a pillow across this center console here and suck your cock for miles.”
“I’m going to take you up on that. Tell me how she feels.”
“Smooth. Powerful.” I waved at the attendants as I eased out of the subterranean parking garage. “Very responsive.”
“Just like you,” he murmured. “Of course, you’re my favorite ride.”