Chapter 42
Waking up as Gideon’s little spoon is perfect in ways I couldn’t have imagined. This man is more than I thought. I feel at ease with him. It’s just right. He’s the entire package. Last night was indescribable in the best way.
I slide out of bed to use the bathroom and bring my phone. I shoot a text to Kelsey.
Dani Sommer
Can confirm. EPIC!!!!!
Kelsey Wagner
YES! I like that he made you wait. We know how you are … straight in the deep end every time.
“Ha. Ha,” I whisper aloud. She isn’t wrong, though.
Dani Sommer
We’re flying back after lunch today. We need to have a full debrief next week.
“I don’t want to leave this bed,” Gideon says, holding me close when I return under the sheets with him.
“Coffee,” I whine, and he pulls me on top of him, kissing me, persuading me with his lips to stay in bed as I feel him get hard between my legs.
“We need to eat.” I laugh, looking over at the clock. “I can’t remember the last time I was in bed after ten a.m.”
“Same.”
“G,” I say, still getting used to his nickname. “Food,” I whine and slowly dismount.
“Let’s negotiate,” he says, holding me. “Shower together.”
“Deal.”
Post-shower bliss, I don’t want to leave this bubble and go back to reality.
I want to stay in this cocoon of room service and amazing sex forever.
Work, Adam … the list of real things I need to deal with starts flooding my mind.
The Sunday scaries are taking hold of my thoughts. Stop it. Enjoy the day.
I select jeans and a sweater. Gideon also picks out jeans but stops there. It’s hard not to have this fucking smirk on my face with him parading around the room shirtless.
We both take a sink in the bathroom. As I lather moisturizer onto my face, I stare at his abs and arms. It’s still sinking in just how much I like this guy.
A guy who was introduced to me via my ex.
There’s reality knocking again. How am I going to tell Adam that I’m seeing someone?
And how am I going to tell him that it’s Gideon?
“My eyes are up here.” G smirks, catching my lust-filled stare.
“If you didn’t want me to stare, you would have put a shirt on.” We stare at each other through the mirror.
“You’re gorgeous,” he says as I brush my teeth. I flash him a frothy smile. Of all the moments for him to say I’m gorgeous, he waits until I’m brushing my teeth.
“Why is everything you do so cute?” he asks, standing behind me, brushing his lips against my neck for a kiss.
“Quit looking at me like a piece of meat.” I lean my shoulder into him. “We’re leaving this room,” I remind him and also myself. “We need sustenance.”
He pouts, and I shake my head. We’re two insatiable people. This is going to be a wild ride.
Gideon and I walk hand in hand to a coffee shop a block away. “Always the gentleman,” I tease after he holds the door open for me.
“I don’t know if half the things I did to you last night fall into that category.”
My cheeks flush, reliving our night.
Staring at the menu, I’m torn between a chai latte and a caramel macchiato.
“What are you getting?” G asks.
“Too many choices.”
“I think we’ve earned some whipped cream,” he says, pulling me to his side. “And chocolate croissants.”
“We burned so many calories.” I laugh.
“Let’s go big.”
“I’ll have a large vanilla latte with extra whip cream, and she …”
I order a small dirty chai. His eyes narrow, as if I reneged on some promise. “With whip cream,” I add, and he smiles, then orders two chocolate croissants.
“That’s fifteen twenty-eight,” the girl behind the counter says.
“You’re not the only one who can abuse corporate resources.” I smirk, having my business credit card ready and waiting for this moment.
“No. I got this,” he says.
“Too late.” I swiftly tap my card on the reader, then nudge him. “This is coffee with a prospective client,” I say, justifying the expense and wanting to pay for something this weekend. “Business development.” I slide the card back into my organizer.
His eyes are locked on another card, the black titanium one. “From him?” he asks, not laughing at my joke as we walk to the other end of the counter.
Shit. A token from Adam I forgot about. It’s been collecting dust in this slot since my business started taking off.
“I haven’t used it in months,” I say, looking down. “He gave it to me when we were together.” That’s the whole truth. Impulsively, I throw it in the trash.
He hums, surprised and satisfied.
“Why didn’t it work out?” he asks softly.
“His timeline …” I pause. “His temper.”
“Did he ever?—?”
“No.”
Standing behind me with his arms around my waist, Gideon presses a gentle kiss on my hair. “It’s not lost on me that you keep choosing me,” he murmurs.
My Adam saga is over.
“Dirty chai,” the barista announces. “Large vanilla latte with extra whip cream.”
“I feel very masculine right now.” G laughs after taking his first sip. “Are you open to walking for a bit?”
“Yeah, it’s so nice out.”
“One of my real estate mentors firmly believes that the best way to learn about a new market is to canvas the area on foot.”
“No days off?” I tease.
“Multitasking. We can explore this town and also get a read on the real estate market.”
We sip our drinks, explore side streets, pass small boutiques, and enjoy the quiet of this sunny Sunday. As we walk, all I’m thinking about is how much I like this guy.