Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel Read online

  “Mark, it means a lot to me that you care and that I’m valuable to you around here. But you don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big girl. Besides, nothing is going to get me to quit this job.”

  He blew out his breath, clearly relieved. “Al right.

  Let’s put it away and get to work.”

  So we did, but I set myself up for future torture by subscribing to a daily Google alert for Gideon’s name.

  And when five o’clock rol ed around, my awareness of my many inadequacies was stil spreading through my happiness like a stain.

  Gideon was as prompt as he’d threatened to be and he didn’t seem to notice my introspective mood as we rode down in a crowded elevator. More than one woman in the car cast furtive glances in his direction, but that sort of thing I didn’t mind. He was hot. I would’ve been surprised if they hadn’t looked.

  He caught my hand when we cleared the turnstiles, linking his fingers with mine. The simple, intimate gesture meant so much to me in that moment that my grip tightened on his. And I’d real y have to watch out for that. The moment I became grateful he was spending time with me would be the beginning of the end. Neither of us would respect me if that happened.

  The Bentley SUV sat at the curb and Gideon’s driver stood at the ready by the rear door. Gideon looked at me. “I had some workout clothes packed and brought over, in case you were set on visiting your gym. Equinox, right? Or we can go to mine.”

  “Where’s yours?”

  “I prefer to go to the CrossTrainer on Thirty-fifth.” My curiosity over how he knew which gym I frequented vanished when I heard the “Cross” in the name of his gym. “You wouldn’t happen to own the gym, would you?”

  His grin flashed. “The chain. Usual y, I practice mixed martial arts with a personal trainer, but I use the gym occasional y.”

  “The chain,” I repeated. “Of course.”

  “Your choice,” he said considerately. “I’l go wherever you want.”

  “By al means, let’s go to your gym.”

  He opened the back door, and I slid in and over. I set my purse and my gym bag on my lap, and looked out the window as the car pul ed away from the curb.

  The sedan driving next to us was so close I wouldn’t have to lean far to touch it. Rush hour in Manhattan was something I was stil getting used to. SoCal had bumper-to-bumper traffic, too, but it moved at a snail’s pace. Here in New York, speed mixed with the crush in a way that often made me close my eyes and pray to survive the trip.

  It was a whole new world. A new city, new It was a whole new world. A new city, new apartment, new job, and new man. It was a lot to take on at once. I supposed it was understandable that I felt off-balance.

  I glanced at Gideon and found him staring at me with an unreadable expression. Everything inside me twisted into a mess of wild lust and vibrating anxiety. I had no idea what I was doing with him, only that I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.

  We hit the cel ular store first. The associate who helped us seemed highly susceptible to Gideon’s magnetic pul . She practical y fel al over herself the minute he showed the slightest interest in anything, quickly launching into detailed explanations and leaning into his personal space to demonstrate.

  I tried separating from them and finding someone who’d actual y help me, but Gideon’s grip on my hand wouldn’t let me move more than touching distance away. Then we argued over who was going to pay, which he seemed to think should be him even though the phone and account were mine.

  “You got your way with picking the service provider,” I pointed out, pushing his credit card aside and shoving mine at the girl.

  “Because it’s practical. We’l be on the same network, so cal s to me are free.” He swapped the cards deftly.

  “I won’t be cal ing you at al , if you don’t put your damn credit card away!”

  That did the trick, although I could tel he was unhappy about it. He’d just have to get over it.

  Once we got back in the Bentley, his mood seemed restored.

  “You can head to the gym now, Angus,” he told his driver, settling back in the seat. Then he pul ed his smartphone out of his pocket. He saved my new number into his contact list; then he took my new phone out of my hand and programmed my list with his home, office, and cel numbers.

  He’d barely finished when we arrived at CrossTrainer. Not surprisingly, the three-story fitness center was a health enthusiast’s dream. I was impressed with every sleek, modern, top-of-the-line inch of it. Even the women’s locker room was like something out of a science fiction movie.

  But my awe was total y eclipsed by Gideon himself when I finished changing into my workout clothes and found him waiting for me out in the hal way. He’d changed into long shorts and a tank, which gave me my first look at his bare arms and legs.

  I came to an abrupt halt and someone coming out behind me bumped into me. I could barely manage an apology; I was too busy visual y devouring Gideon’s smokin’ hot body. His legs were toned and powerful, flawlessly proportional to his trim hips and waist. His arms made my mouth water. His biceps were precisely cut and his forearms were coursing with thick veins that were both brutal looking and sexy as hel .

  He’d tied his hair back, which showed off the definition of his neck and traps, and the sculpted angles of his face.

  Christ. I knew this man intimately. My brain couldn’t wrap itself around that fact, not while faced with the irrefutable evidence of how uniquely beautiful he was.

  And he was scowling at me.

  Straightening away from the wal where he’d been leaning, he came toward me, and then circled me. His fingertips ran along my bare midriff and back as he made the revolution, sending goose bumps racing over my skin. When he stopped in front of me, I threw my arms around his neck and pul ed his mouth down for a quick, playful y smacking kiss.

  “What the hel are you wearing?” he asked, looking marginal y appeased by my enthusiastic greeting.

  “Clothes.”

  “You look naked in that top.”

  “I thought you liked me naked.” I was secretly pleased with my choice, which I’d made that morning before I’d known he’d be with me. The top was a triangle with long straps at the shoulders and ribs that secured with Velcro and could be worn in a variety of ways to al ow the wearer to determine where her breasts needed the most support. It was special y designed for curvy women and was the first top I’d ever had that kept me from bouncing al over the place.

  What Gideon objected to was the nude color, which coordinated with the racing stripes on the matching black yoga pants.

  “I like you naked in private,” he muttered. “I’l need to be with you whenever you go to the gym.”

  “I won’t complain, since I’m very much enjoying the view at the moment.” Plus, I was perversely excited by his possessiveness after the hurt he’d inflicted with his withdrawal Saturday night. Two very different extremes

  —the first of many, I was sure.

  “Let’s get this over with.” He grabbed my hand and led me away from the locker rooms, snatching two logo’d towels off a stack as we passed them. “I need to fuck you.”

  “I need to be fucked.”

  “Jesus, Eva.” His grip on my hand tightened to the point that it hurt. “Where to? Free weights? Machines?

  Treadmil s?”

  “Treadmil s. I want to run a bit.”

  He led me in that direction. I watched the way women fol owed him with their gazes, then their feet.

  They wanted to be in whatever section of the gym he was, and I couldn’t blame them. I was dying to see him in action, too.

  When we reached the seemingly endless rows of treadmil s and bikes, we found that there weren’t two treadmil s free adjacent to each other.

  Gideon walked up to a man who had two open on either side of him. “I’d be in your debt if you’d move over one.”

  The guy looked at me and grinned. “Yeah, sure.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.�
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  Gideon took over the man’s treadmil and motioned me to the one beside it. Before he programmed his workout, I leaned over to him. “Don’t burn off too much energy,” I whispered. “I want you missionary-style the first time. I’ve been having this fantasy of you on top, banging the hel out of me.”

  His gaze burned into me. “Eva, you have no idea.” Nearly giddy with anticipation and a lovely surge of feminine power, I got on my treadmil and started at a brisk walk. While I warmed up, I set my iPod shuffle to random and when “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake came on I hit my stride and went ful -out. Running was both a mental and physical exercise for me.

  Sometimes I wished just running fast could get me away from whatever was troubling me.

  After twenty minutes I slowed, then stopped, final y risking a glance at Gideon who was running with the fluidity of a wel -oiled machine. He was watching CNN

  on the overhead screens, but he flashed a grin at me as I wiped the sweat off my face. I swigged from my water bottle as I moved to the machines, picking one that give me a clear view of him.

  He went a ful thirty on the treadmil ; then he moved to free weights, always keeping me in his line of sight.

  As he worked out, quickly and efficiently, I couldn’t help thinking how virile he was. It helped that I knew exactly what was in his shorts, but regardless, he was a man who worked behind a desk, yet kept his body in combat shape.

  When I grabbed a fitness bal to do some crunches, one of the trainers came up to me. As one would expect in a top-of-the-line gym, he was handsome and very nicely built.

  “Hi,” he greeted me, with a movie star smile that showcased perfect white teeth. He had dark brown hair and eyes of nearly the same color. “First-timer, right? I haven’t seen you in here before.”

  “Yes, first time.”

  “I’m Daniel.” He extended his hand, and I gave him my name. “Are you finding everything you need, Eva?”

  “So far so good, thanks.”

  “What flavor smoothie did you go for?”

  I frowned. “Excuse me?”

  “Your free orientation smoothie.” He crossed his arms and his thick biceps strained the narrow cuffs of his uniform polo shirt. “You didn’t get one from the bar downstairs when you signed up? You’re supposed to.”

  “Ah, wel .” I shrugged sheepishly, thinking it was a nice touch al the same. “I didn’t have the usual orientation.”

  “Did you get the tour? If not, let me take you around.” He touched my elbow lightly and gestured toward the stairs. “You also get a free hour of personal training.

  We could do that tonight or make an appointment for later in the week. And I’d be happy to take you down to the health bar and scratch that off the list, too.”

  “Oh, I can’t real y.” My nose wrinkled. “I’m not a member.”

  “Ah.” He winked. “You’re here on a temp pass?

  That’s fine. You can’t be expected to make up your mind if you don’t get the ful experience. I can assure you, though, that CrossTrainer is the best gym in Manhattan.”

  Gideon appeared at Daniel’s shoulder. “The ful experience is included,” he said, coming around and behind me to slide his arms around my waist, “when you’re the owner’s girlfriend.”

  The word “girlfriend” reverberated through me, sending a crazy rush of adrenaline through my system.

  It was stil sinking in that we had that level of commitment, but that didn’t stop me from thinking the designation had a nice ring to it.

  “Mr. Cross.” Daniel straightened and took a step back; then extended his hand. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

  “Daniel has me sold on the place,” I said to Gideon, as they shook hands.

  “I thought I’d done that.” His hair was wet with sweat and he smel ed divine. I’d never known a sweaty man could smel so damn good.

  His hands stroked down my arms and I felt his lips on the crown of my head. “Let’s go. See you later, Daniel.”

  I waved good-bye as we walked away. “Thanks, Daniel.”

  “Anytime.”

  “I bet,” Gideon muttered. “He couldn’t keep his eyes off your tits.”

  “They’re very nice tits.”

  He made a low growling noise. I hid my amusement.

  He smacked my butt hard enough to send me forward a step and leave behind a hot sting even through my pants. “That damned Band-Aid you cal a shirt doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Don’t take long in the shower. You’re just going to get sweaty again.”

  “Wait.” I caught his arm before he passed the women’s locker room on the way toward the men’s.

  “Would it gross you out if I told you I didn’t want you to shower? If I said I want to find someplace real y close by where I could jump you while you’re stil dripping sweat?”

  Gideon’s jaw tightened and his gaze darkened dangerously. “I’m beginning to fear for your safety, Eva.

  Grab your stuff. There’s a hotel around the corner.” Neither of us changed and we were outside in five minutes. Gideon walked briskly and I hurried to keep up. When he stopped abruptly, turned, and dipped me back in a lavish heated kiss on the crowded sidewalk, I was too stunned to do more than hold on. It was a soul-wrenching melding of our mouths, ful of passion and sweet spontaneity that made my heart ache. Applause broke out around us.

  When he straightened me again, I was breathless and dizzy. “What was that?” I gasped.

  “A prelude.” He resumed our dash to the nearest hotel, one I didn’t catch the name of as he pul ed me past the doorman and crossed straight to the elevator.

  It was clear to me that the property was one of Gideon’s even before a manager greeted him by name just before the elevator doors closed.

  Gideon dropped his duffel on the car floor and busied himself with figuring out how to extricate me from my sports top. I was slapping his hands away when the doors opened and he scooped up his bag.

  There was no one waiting on our floor and no one in the hal way. He pul ed a master key out of somewhere and a moment later we were in a room.

  I pounced, pushing my hands up beneath his shirt to feel his damp skin and the hardness of the muscles beneath it. “Get naked. Like now.” He laughed as he toed off his sneakers and yanked his tank over his head.

  Oh my God…seeing him in the flesh—al of him, as his shorts hit the floor—was synapse frying. There wasn’t an ounce of excess flesh on him anywhere, just hard slabs of honed muscle. He had washboard abs and that super sexy V of muscle on his pelvis that Cary cal ed the Loin of Apol o. Gideon didn’t wax his chest like Cary did, but he groomed with the same care he showed to the rest of his body. He was pure primal male, the embodiment of everything I coveted, fantasized about, and wished for.

  “I’ve died and gone to heaven,” I said, staring unabashedly.

  “You’re stil dressed.” He attacked my clothes, whipping my loosened top off before I took a ful breath. My pants were wrestled down and I kicked my shoes off in such a hurry that I lost my balance and fel on the bed. I barely caught my breath before he was on me.

  We rol ed across the mattress in a tangle.

  Everywhere he touched me left trails of fire behind. The clean, hardworking scent of his skin was an aphrodisiac and intoxicant at once, spurring my desire for him until I felt like I was about to lose my mind.

  “You’re so beautiful, Eva.” He plumped one breast in his hand before taking my nipple into his mouth.

  I cried out at the scorching heat and the lash of his tongue, my core tightening with every soft suck. My hands were greedy as they slid over his sweat-damp skin, stroking and kneading, searching for the spots that made him growl and moan. I scissored my legs with his and tried to rol him, but he was too heavy and too strong.

  He lifted his head and smiled down at me. “It’s my turn this time.”

  What I felt for him in that moment, seeing that smile and the heat in his eyes, was so intense it was painful.

  Too
fast, I thought. I was fal ing too fast. “Gideon—” He kissed me deeply, licking into my mouth in that way of his. I thought he could real y make me come with just a kiss, if we stayed at it long enough.

  Everything about him turned me on, from the way he looked and felt beneath my hands to the way he watched me and touched me. His greed and the silent demands he made on my body, the forcefulness with which he pleasured me and took his pleasure in return, drove me wild.

  I ran my hands through the wet silk of his hair. The crisp hairs on his chest teased my tightened nipples and the feel of his rock-hard body against mine was enough to make me wet and needy.

  “I love your body,” he whispered, his lips moving across my cheek to my throat. His hand caressed the length of my torso from breasts to hip. “I can’t get enough of it.”

  “You haven’t had very much of it yet,” I teased.

  “I don’t think I’l ever have enough.” Nibbling and licking across my shoulder, he slid down and caught my other nipple between his teeth. He tugged and the tiny dart of pain had my back arching on a soft cry. He soothed the sting with a soft suck; then kissed his way downward. “I’ve never wanted anything this badly.”

  “Then do me!”

  “Not yet,” he murmured, moving lower, rimming my navel with the tip of his tongue. “You’re not ready yet.”

  “What? Ah, God…I can’t get any readier.” I tugged on his hair, trying to pul him up.

  Gideon caught my wrists and pinned them to the mattress. “You have a tight little cunt, Eva. I’l bruise you if I don’t get you soft and relaxed.”

  A violent shiver of arousal moved through me. It turned me on when he talked so bluntly about sex.

  Then he slid lower and I tensed. “No, Gideon. I need to shower for that.”

  He buried his face in my cleft and I struggled against his hold, flushed with sudden shame. He nipped at my inner thigh with his teeth. “Stop it.”

  “Don’t. Please. You don’t have to do that.” His glare stil ed my frantic movements. “Do you think I feel differently about your body than you do mine?” he asked harshly. “I want you, Eva.”