“Other sink,” I said, smiling at his presumption that he would get drawers at my place, too, and his scowl when he couldn’t find them. “They’re al yours.” Gideon moved over to the second sink and began unpacking his bag into the drawers. “Just what?” he repeated, taking shampoo and body wash over to my shower.
Leaning my hip into the sink and crossing my arms, I watched him stake his claim al over my bathroom.
There was no doubt that’s what he was doing, just as there was no doubt that anyone walking into the room would know right away there was a man in my life.
It struck me then that I had a similar claim on his private space. His household staff had to know their boss was in a committed relationship now. The thought gave me a little thril .
“I was thinking about you in col ege earlier,” I went on, “when we were eating dinner, imagining what it would be like to see you around on campus. I would’ve been obsessed with you. I would have gone out of my way to see you around just to enjoy the view. I would’ve tried to get in the same classes as you, so I could daydream during lectures about getting into your pants.”
“Sex maniac.” He kissed the tip of my nose as he passed me and went to brush his teeth. “We both know what would’ve happened once I saw you.” I brushed my hair and teeth; then washed my face.
“So…did you have a sex pad for the rare occasions some lucky bitch got you in bed?”
His gaze caught my soapy reflection in the mirror.
“I’ve always used the hotel.”
“That’s the only place you’ve had sex? Before me?”
“The only place I’ve had consensual sex,” he said quietly, “before you.”
“Oh.” My heart broke.
I walked over to him, hugging him from behind. I rubbed my cheek against his back.
We went to bed and wrapped ourselves around each other. I buried my face in his neck and breathed
him in, snuggling. His body was hard, yet it was wonderful y comfortable against mine. He was so warm and strong, so powerful y male. I only had to think of him to want him.
I slid my leg over his hips and rose above him, my hands splayed atop the ridges of his abdomen. It was dark, I couldn’t see him, but I didn’t need to. As much as I loved that face of his—the one he resented at times—it was the way he touched me and murmured to me that real y got to me. As if there was no one else in the world for him, nothing he wanted more.
“Gideon.” I didn’t need to say anything else.
Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply. Then he rol ed me beneath him and made love to me with a tender possessiveness that rocked me to the soul.
I woke with a jolt of surprise. A heavy weight crushed me and a harsh voice spit ugly, nasty words into my ear. Panic gripped me, cutting off my air.
My stepbrother’s hand covered my mouth and he yanked my legs apart. I felt the hard thing between his legs poking blindly, trying to push into my body. My scream was muffled by his palm smashed over my lips and I cringed away, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst. Nathan was so heavy. So heavy and strong. I couldn’t buck him off. I couldn’t shove him away.
Where was Mama?
I screamed, but Nathan’s hand covered my mouth. It pressed down on me, squashing my head into the pil ow. The more I fought, the more excited he became.
Panting like a dog, he rammed against me over and over…trying to shove himself inside me…
“You’re going to know what it feels like.” I froze. I knew that voice. I knew it wasn’t Nathan’s.
Not a dream. Stil a nightmare.
But I knew the smel of his skin. Knew his touch, even when it was cruel. Knew the feel of his body on mine, even as it tried to invade me.
Gideon’s erection battered into the crease of my thigh. Panicked, I heaved upward with al my strength.
His hand on my face dislodged.
Sucking air into my lungs, I screamed.
His chest heaved as he growled, “Not so neat and tidy when you’re the one getting fucked.”
“Crossfire,” I gasped.
A flash of light from the hal way blinded me, fol owed by the blessed removal of Gideon’s smothering weight. Rol ing to my side, I sobbed, my eyes streaming tears that blurred my view of Cary shoving Gideon across the room and into the wal , denting the
drywal .
