His jaw tightened and he waved me off, opening his door wider in a silent order for Tatiana to get her bare ass back in there.
I resumed my trek to the kitchen, my teeth grinding together. My mood worsened when I found Gideon in the kitchen, leaning back into the counter and leisurely drinking his coffee. He wore a black suit and pale gray tie and looked unbearably handsome.
“Enjoy the show?” I asked tightly. I hated that he’d seen another woman naked. And not just any woman, but a model with the lean, willowy body type he’d been known to prefer.
He lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Not especially.”
“You like ’em tall and skinny.” I reached for the cup of coffee waiting for me on the counter beside him.
Gideon set his left hand over mine. The rubies on his wedding band sparkled in the bright kitchen lights. “Last I checked, the wife I can’t resist was petite and voluptuous. Spectacularly so.”
I closed my eyes, trying to push past my jealousy. “Do you know why I chose your ring?”
“Red is our color,” he said quietly. “Red dresses in limos. Red fuck-me heels at garden parties. A red rose in your hair when you married me.”
That he understood soothed me. I turned into him, pressing my body to his.
“Umm,” he purred, hugging me close. “You’re a soft, delicious little handful, angel.”
I shook my head, my anger melting into exasperation.
He nuzzled his nose against my cheek. “I love you.”
“Gideon.” Tilting my head back, I offered my mouth and let him kiss my bad mood away.
The feel of his lips on mine never stopped making my toes curl. I was slightly dazed when he pulled back and murmured, “I have my appointment with Dr. Petersen tonight. I’ll call you when I’m finished and we’ll see what we want to do about dinner.”
“Okay.”
He smiled at my blissfully nonchalant reply. “I can set up an appointment for us to see him Thursday.”
“Make it for next Thursday, please,” I said, sobering. “I hate to miss any more therapy, but Mom wants me and Cary to go to a charity gala this Thursday. She bought me a dress and everything. I’m afraid if I don’t go, she’ll take it the wrong way.”
“We’ll go together.”
“Yeah?” Gideon in a tuxedo was an aphrodisiac to me. Of course, Gideon in anything or nothing turned me on, too. But in a tux … Dear God, he was sizzling.
“Yes. It’s as good a time as any to be seen out together again. And to announce our engagement.”
I licked my lips. “Can I take advantage of you in the limo?”
His eyes laughed at me. “By all means, angel mine.”
WHEN I got to work, Megumi wasn’t at her desk so I didn’t get to see how she was faring. It kind of gave me an excuse to call Martin, though, and see if things with him and Lacey had panned out after our wild night at Primal.
I pulled out my smartphone to program a reminder and saw that my mom had left a voice mail the night before. I listened to it on the way to my desk. She wanted to see if I wanted hair and makeup done before the dinner on Thursday, suggesting that she come over with a beauty crew and we could get dolled up together.
When I reached my desk, I texted her back, letting her know I loved the idea, but time would be tight, since I wouldn’t be getting off work until five.
I was settling in for the day when Will stopped by.
“Got plans for lunch?” he asked, looking cute in a plaid shirt only he could pull off so well and a solid navy tie.
“Not another carb feast, please. My butt can’t take it.”
“No.” He grinned. “Natalie’s past the brutal phase of her diet, so it’s getting better. I was thinking a soup and salad bar.”
I smiled. “I’m game for that. Want to see if Megumi wants to come?”
“She’s not here today.”
“Oh? Is she sick?”
“Don’t know. I only heard about it because I was the one who had to call the temp agency for someone to cover for her.”
I sat back with a frown. “I’ll give her a call on my break and see how she’s feeling.”
“Tell her I said hi.” He drummed a beat on the top of my cubicle wall and headed off.
THE rest of the day passed in a blur. I left a message for Megumi on my break, then tried to reach her again after work as Clancy drove me to Brooklyn for my Krav Maga class. “Have Lacey call me back if you’re feeling too sick,” I said in my voice mail message. “I just want to know you’re okay.”
I killed the call, then sat back and appreciated the grandeur of the Brooklyn Bridge. Going through the massive stone arches soaring over the East River always felt like traveling to a different world. Below, the waterway was dotted with commuter ferries and a lone sailboat heading out into the busy New York harbor.
We reached the long off-ramp in less than a minute and I turned my attention back to my phone.
I called Martin.
“Eva,” he answered cheerfully, clearly recognizing my number from his contact list. “I’m glad to hear from you.”
“How are you?”
“I’m good. You?”
“Hanging in there. We should get together sometime.” I smiled at a cop who was artfully directing traffic at the hugely complicated intersection on the Brooklyn side. She kept things moving with a whistle between her teeth and fluid hand gestures that had serious sass to them. “We could grab a drink after work or double-date for dinner.”
“I’d like that. Are you seeing someone in particular?”
“Gideon and I are working things out.”
“Gideon Cross? Well, if anyone can hook him, it’d be you.”
I laughed and wished I had my ring on. I didn’t wear it around during the day the way Gideon wore his. He didn’t care who knew he was taken or by whom, but I still had everyone in my life to tell. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. What about you? You seeing anyone?”
“Lacey and I are dabbling. I like her. She’s a lot of fun.”
“That’s great. I’m glad to hear it. Listen, if you talk to her today, can you ask her to let me know how Megumi’s doing? She’s out sick and I just want to make sure she’s all right and doesn’t need anything.”
“Sure thing.” The receiver filled with a sudden rush of noise, the unmistakable sound of him stepping outside. “Lacey’s out of town, but she’s supposed to give me a call tonight.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it. You’re on the move, so I’ll let you go. Let’s plan on getting together next week and we’ll work out the details in the next couple of days.”
“Sounds good. I’m glad you called.”
I smiled. “Me, too.”
We hung up and because I felt like reaching out, I sent a text to Shawna and another to Brett. Just quick hellos with smiley faces.
When I looked up, I caught Clancy looking at me in the rearview mirror.
“How’s Mom?” I asked.
“She’ll be fine,” he said, in his usual no-nonsense way.
I nodded and looked out the window, catching sight of a gleaming steel bus stop shelter displaying Cary’s billboard. “Family is so hard sometimes, you know.”