"Taking on Brett took guts - he's a barroom brawler who loves a good fight."
"And Gideon is a trained mixed martial artist."
I began digging through the bag Gideon had brought.
"Why didn't you tell me Captive Soul had signed with a major label?" "Because you didn't need to fall into that hole again.
There are girls who can date rock stars; you're not one of them.
All that time on the road, all those groupies .
You'd drive yourself and him insane."
I shot him a look.
"I'm in total agreement with you.
But I'm insulted that you'd think I'd run back to him just because he made it big."
"That's not why.
I didn't want you to hear their first single if it could be helped."
"'Golden'?" "Yeah ."
He studied me as I headed toward the bathroom.
"What'd you think of it?" "It's better than a song titled 'Tapped That.'" "Ha!" He waited until I came out again with my face washed and hair brushed.
"So .
you kissed him."
"That's the beginning and end of that story," I said dryly.
"Have you talked to Trey since Friday?" "No.
They've got my phone somewhere.
My wallet, too, I'm guessing.
When I came to, I was here, wearing this" - he pinched at his hospital gown - "freakin' thing."
"I'll get your stuff for you."
I dumped my toiletries back in the bag, then went to sit in the chair beside him with my coffee in hand.
"Gideon's making arrangements to get you home with a private nurse."
"Ooh .
that's a fantasy of mine.
Can you make sure the nurse is hot? And single?" My brows rose.
Inside, though, I was so relieved to see him looking and sounding more like himself.
"You're obviously feeling better, if you're feeling frisky.
How did things go with Trey?" "Good."
He sighed.
"I'd worried that the party wouldn't be his scene.
I forgot that he knew a lot of the people already."
Cary and Trey had met at a photo shoot, with Cary modeling and Trey assisting the photographer behind the camera.
"I'm glad you had a good time."
"Yeah.
He was totally set on not getting laid."
"So you tried .
after you said you wouldn't."
"This is me we're talking about."
He rolled his eyes.
"Hell yeah, I tried.
He's hot and great in bed - " " - and in love with you."
He released his pent-up breath in a rush, wincing as his chest expanded.
"No one's perfect."
I had to bite back a laugh.
"Cary Taylor.
Loving you isn't a character defect."
"Well, it's not very smart.
I was such an ass**le to him," he muttered, looking disgruntled.
"He could do so much better."
"That isn't your decision to make for him."
"Someone needs to make it."
"And you're volunteering because you love him, too."
My mouth curved.
"Don't you think that sounds ass- backwards?" "I don't love him enough."
All traces of levity were wiped from his face, leaving behind the wounded and lonely man I knew all too well.
"I can't be faithful like he wants.
Just him and me.
I like women.
Love them, actually.
I'd be cutting off half of who I am.
Just thinking about it makes me resent him."
"You fought too hard to accept yourself," I said softly, remembering that time with more than a little twinge of sadness.
"I totally understand and don't disagree, but have you tried talking to Trey about it?" "Yes, I talked to him about it.
He listened."
He rubbed his fingers over his brow.
"I get it, I do.
If he told me he wanted to bang some other guy while seeing me, it'd bother the f**k out of me."
"But not if it were a woman?" "No.
I don't know.
Shit."
His bloodshot green eyes pleaded with me.
"Would it make a difference to you if Cross were banging another man? Or just another woman?" The door opened and Gideon walked in.
I held his gaze when I said, "If Gideon's dick touched anything but his hand or me, we'd be over."
His brows rose.
"Well, then."
I smiled sweetly and winked.
"Hi, ace."
"Angel."
He looked at Cary.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Cary's lips twisted wryly.
"Like I got hit by a bus .
or a bat."
"We're working on getting you set up at home.
It looks like we can make that happen by Wednesday."
"Big tits, please," Cary said.
"Or bulging muscles.
Either will do."
Gideon looked at me.
I grinned.
"The private nurse."
"Ah."
"If it's a woman," Cary went on, "can you get her to wear one of those white nurse dresses with the zipper down the front."
"I can only imagine the media frenzy over that sexual-harassment lawsuit," Gideon said dryly.
"How about a collection of naughty-nurse p**n instead?" "Dude."
Cary smiled wide and looked, for a moment, like his old self.
"You're the man."
Gideon looked at me.
"Eva."
I stood and bent over to kiss Cary on the cheek.
"I'll be right back."
We stepped out of the room and I saw my mother in conversation with the doctor, who looked dazzled by her.
"I talked to Garrity this morning," Gideon said, referring to Mark, my boss.
"So don't worry about that."
I hadn't been, because he said he'd handle it.
"Thank you.
I'll need to go in tomorrow.
I'm going to see if I can get hold of Trey, Cary's boyfriend.
Maybe he can stop in while I'm at work."
"Let me know if you need any help with that."
Gideon glanced at his watch.
"You'll want to stay here again tonight?" "Yes, if that's possible.
Until Cary comes home."
He took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine.
"All right.
I have a lot of work to catch up on.
Charge your cell so I can reach you."
I heard a faint buzzing.
Gideon backed away and reached into an inner jacket pocket to withdraw his phone.
He read the screen, then said, "I have to get this.
I'll talk to you later."
Then he was gone, striding down the hallway as quickly as he'd arrived.
"He's going to marry you," my mother said, coming up to stand beside me.
"You know that, don't you?" I didn't, no.
I still felt a little flare of gratitude every morning when I woke up and realized that we were still together.
"What makes you say that?" My mother looked at me with her baby blue eyes.
It was one of the rare physical traits we didn't share.
"He's completely taken you over and assumed control of everything."
"That's just his nature."
"That's the nature of all powerful men," she said, reaching up to fuss with my no-nonsense ponytail.
"And he'll indulge you, because he's making an investment in you.
You're an asset to him.
You're beautiful, well bred and well connected, and independently wealthy.
You're also in love with him and he can't take his eyes off you.
I bet he can't keep his hands off you, either."
"Mother, please."
I was so not in the mood for one of her lectures on the fine points of catching and marrying a rich man.
"Eva Lauren," she scolded, facing me directly.
"I don't care if you listen to me because I'm your mother and you have to - or because you love him and don't want to lose him, but you will listen."
"Like I have a choice," I muttered.
"You're an asset now," she repeated.
"See that your life choices don't make you a liability."
"Are you talking about Cary?" Anger sharpened my voice.
"I'm talking about the bruise on Gideon's jaw! Tell me that has nothing to do with you."
I flushed.
She tsked.
"I knew it.
Yes, he's your lover and you see an intimate side to him that few see, but don't ever forget that he's also Gideon Cross.
You've got everything you need to be the perfect wife for a man of his stature, but you're still replaceable, Eva.
What he's built is not.
You jeopardize his empire and he'll leave you."
My jaw tightened.
"Are you done?" She ran her fingertips over my brows, her gaze shrewd and assessing.
I knew she was giving me a mini- makeover in her mind, thinking of ways to improve what she'd given me from birth.
"You think I'm a coldhearted gold digger, but my concern is maternal, believe it or not.
I want very desperately for you to be with a man who has the money and wherewithal to guard you with everything he has, so I'll know you're safe.
And I want you to be with a man you love."
"I've found him."
"And I can't tell you how thrilled I am.
I'm thrilled he's young and still open to taking risks, so he's more forgiving and understanding of your .
quirks.
And he knows," she whispered, her gaze softening and growing liquid.
"Just be careful.
That's all I'm trying to say.
Don't give him any reason to turn away from you."
"If he did, that wouldn't be love."
Her lips curved wryly and she pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"Come now.
You're my daughter.
You can't be that na?ve."
"Eva!" I turned at the sound of my name and felt a rush of relief to see Trey hurrying toward me.
He was of average height and nicely muscular, with unruly blond hair, hazel eyes, and a slight angle to his nose that told me it'd been broken at some point.
He was dressed in faded, frayed jeans and a T- shirt, and I was struck by the fact that he wasn't Cary's usual flashy type.
For once, it seemed, the attraction had been more than skin deep.
"I just found out," he said when he reached me.
"Detectives came by my work this morning and questioned me.
I can't believe this happened Friday night and I'm only just finding out about it."
I couldn't hold his slightly accusatory tone against him.
"I just found out early this morning myself.
I was out of town."
After a quick introduction between my mother and Trey, she excused herself to go sit with Cary, leaving me to elaborate on the information Trey had gleaned from the detectives.
Trey shoved his hands through his hair, making it look even messier.
"This wouldn't have happened if I'd taken him with me when I left."
"You can't blame yourself for this."
"Who else do I blame for the fact that he's screwing around with another guy's girl?" He gripped the back of his neck.
"I'm the one who's not enough for him.
He's got the drive of a hormonal teenager and I'm working or in school all the damn time."
Ugh.
Total TMI.
It was a struggle not to wince.