Day, Sylvia - Bared to You - A Crossfire Novel

I rubbed my bel y to ease the fear that had rooted there. “No, I’l be al right. I just…I want it to work out between us. I want to be with him, but lying about serious issues is a deal breaker for me.” God. I couldn’t let myself even consider that we might not get past this. I was already feeling antsy. The need to be with Gideon was a frantic beat in my blood.

“You’re a tough cookie, baby girl. I’m proud of you.” He came to me, linked our arms, and turned off the kitchen lights. “Let’s crash and start a new day when we wake up.”

“I thought things were going wel with you and Trey.” His grin was glorious. “Honey, I think I’m in love.”

“With who?” I leaned my cheek against his shoulder.

“Trey or the blonde?”

“Trey, sil y. The blonde just provided a workout.” I had a lot to say about that, but it wasn’t the time to get into Cary’s history of sabotaging his own happiness. And maybe focusing on how good things were with Trey was the best way to handle this instance of it. “So you’ve final y fal en for a good guy.

We should celebrate.”

“Hey, that’s my line.”

The next morning dawned with an odd surreality. I made it to work, and then through most of my prelunch day in a kind of chil y fog. I couldn’t get warm enough, despite wearing a cardigan over my blouse and a scarf that didn’t match either one. It took me a few minutes longer to process requests than it should have, and I couldn’t shake a feeling of dread.

Gideon made no contact with me whatsoever.

Nothing on my smartphone or e-mail after my text last night. Nothing in my e-mail inbox. No interoffice note.

The silence was excruciating. Especial y when the day’s Google alert hit my inbox and I saw the photos and phone videos of me and Gideon in Bryant Park.

Seeing how we looked together—the passion and need, the painful longing on our faces, and the gratefulness of reconciliation—was bittersweet.

Pain twisted in my chest. Gideon.

If we couldn’t work this out, would I ever stop thinking about him and wishing we had?

I struggled to pul myself together. Mark was meeting with Gideon today. Maybe that’s why Gideon hadn’t felt pressed to contact me. Or maybe he was just real y busy. I knew he had to be, considering his business calendar. And as far as I knew, we stil had plans to go to the gym after work. I exhaled in a rush and told myself that things would straighten out somehow. They just had to.

It was quarter to noon when my desk phone rang.

Seeing from the readout that the cal was coming from reception, I sighed with disappointment and answered.

“Hey, Eva,” Megumi said cheerily. “You have a Magdalene Perez here to see you.”

“Do I?” I stared at my monitor, confused and irritated. Had the Bryant Park photos lured Magdalene out from under whatever trol bridge she cal ed home?

Regardless of the reason, I had no interest in talking to her. “Keep her up there for me, wil you? I have to take care of something first.”

“Sure. I’l tel her to have a seat.”

I hung up, then pul ed out my smartphone and scrol ed through the contact list until I found the number to Gideon’s office. I dialed and was relieved when Scott answered.

“Hey, Scott. It’s Eva Tramel .”

“Hi, Eva. Would you like to speak to Mr. Cross?

He’s in a meeting at the moment, but I can buzz him.”

“No. No, don’t bother him.”

“It’s a standing order. He won’t mind.” It soothed me immensely to hear that. “I hate to throw this in your lap, but I have a request for you.”

“Anything you need. That’s also a standing order.” The amusement in his voice relaxed me further.

“Magdalene Perez is down here on the twentieth floor. Frankly, the only thing she and I have in common is Gideon, and that’s not a good thing. If she has something to say, it’s your boss she should be talking to. Could you please have someone escort her up?”

“Absolutely. I’l take care of it now.”

“Thanks, Scott. I appreciate you.”

“It’s my pleasure, Eva.”

I hung up the phone and sagged back in my seat, feeling better already and proud of myself for not letting jealousy get the better of me. While I stil real y hated the idea of her having any of Gideon’s time, I hadn’t lied when I’d said I trusted him. I believed he had strong, deep feelings for me. I just didn’t know if they were enough to override his survival instinct.

Megumi cal ed me again.

“Oh my God,” she said, laughing. “You should’ve seen her face when whoever that was came to get her.”

“Good.” I grinned. “I figured she was up to no good.

Is she gone, then?”

“Yep.”

“Thanks.” I crossed the narrow strip of hal way to Mark’s door and poked my head in to see if he wanted me to pick him up some lunch.

He frowned, thinking about it. “No, thanks. I’l be too nervous to eat until after the presentation with Cross.

By then whatever you pick up wil be hours old.”

“How about a protein smoothie, then? It’l give you some easy fuel until you can eat.”

“That’d be great.” His smile lit up his dark eyes.

“Something that goes good with vodka, just to get me in the mood.”

“Anything you don’t like? Any al ergies?”

“Nada.”

“Okay. See you in an hour.” I knew just the place to go. The deli I had in mind was a couple blocks up and offered smoothies, salads, and a variety of made-to-order paninis with quick service.

I headed downstairs and tried not to think about Gideon’s radio silence. I’d kind of expected to hear something after the Magdalene incident. Getting no reaction had me worrying al over again. I pushed out to the street through the revolving door and scarcely paid any attention to the man who climbed out of the back of a town car at the curb until he cal ed my name.

Turning, I found myself facing Christopher Vidal.

“Oh…Hi,” I greeted him. “How are you?”

“Better, now that I’ve seen you. You look fantastic.”

“Thanks. I can say the same to you.”

As different as he was from Gideon, he was gorgeous in his own way with his mahogany waves, grayish-green eyes, and charming smile. He was dressed in loose-fitting jeans and a cream V-neck sweater, a very sexy look for him.

“Are you here to see your brother?” I asked.

“Yes, and you.”

“Me?”

“Heading to lunch? I’l join you and explain.” I was briefly reminded of Gideon’s warning to stay away from Christopher, but by now I figured he trusted me. Especial y with his brother.

“I’m going to a deli up the street,” I said. “If you’re game.”

“Absolutely.”

We started walking.

“What did you want to see me about?” I asked, too curious to wait.

He reached into one of two large cargo pockets of his jeans and pul ed out a formal invitation in a vel um envelope. “I came to invite you to a garden party we’re having at my parents’ estate on Sunday. A mix of business and pleasure. Many of the artists signed to Vidal Records wil be there. I was thinking it’d be great networking for your roommate—he’s got the right look for music video.”

I brightened. “That would be wonderful!” Christopher grinned and passed the invite over.

“And you’l both have fun. No one throws a party like my mother.”

I glanced briefly at the envelope in my hand. Why hadn’t Gideon said anything about the event?

“If you’re wondering why Gideon didn’t tel you about it,” he said, seemingly reading my mind, “it’s because he won’t come. He never does. Even though he’s the majority shareholder in the company, I think he finds the music industry and musicians too unpredictable for his tastes. By now, you know how he is.” Dark and intense. Powerful y magnetic and hotly sexual. Yes, I knew how he was. And he preferred to know what he was getting into at al costs.