Or was it this morning, after an all-nighter?" He filled the doorway behind me.

"You'll be begging again tonight, too.

I'll go make some coffee."

In the mirror, I watched him turn away and saw the darkening bruise on his side.

It was low on his back, where I hadn't had a chance to see it before.

I spun around.

"Gideon! You're hurt.

Let me see."

"I'm fine."

He was partway down the stairs before I could stop him.

"Don't take too long."

Guilt swamped me, and a terrible urge to cry.

My hand shook as I ran a wide-toothed comb through my damp hair.

The bathroom had been stocked with my usual toiletries, demonstrating once again how thoughtful and attentive Gideon was, which only emphasized my deficits.

I was making his life hell.

After all he'd already suffered, my issues were the last thing he needed to deal with.

I took the stairs down to the first floor and found myself unable to join Gideon in the kitchen.

I needed a minute to pull myself together and put on a happy face.

I didn't want to ruin the weekend for him, too.

I stepped out through the French doors that led to the deck.

The roar of the surf and the biting salt spray hit me at once.

The hem of my robe whipped gently in the ocean breeze, cooling me in a way I found invigorating.

Taking a deep breath, I gripped the railing and closed my eyes, trying to find the peace I needed to keep Gideon from worrying.

My problem was me, and I didn't want to concern him with something he couldn't change.

Only I could make myself a stronger person, and I needed to, if I wanted to make him happy and offer him the security he so desperately wanted from me.

The door opened behind me, and I took a deep breath before turning to face him with a smile.

Gideon came out with two steaming mugs gripped in one hand - one filled with black coffee and the other lightened with half-and- half.

I knew it would be made perfectly to my tastes and delicious, because Gideon knew exactly what I liked.

Not because I'd told him, but because he paid attention to everything about me.

"Stop beating yourself up," he ordered sternly, setting the mugs on the railing.

I sighed.

Of course I couldn't hide my mood from him with just a smile.

He saw right through me.

He caught my face in his hands and glared down at me.

"It's over and done with.

Forget it."

I reached out and ran my fingertips over the place where I'd seen the bruise.

"It needed to happen," he said curtly.

"No.

Shut up and listen to me.

I thought I understood your feelings about Corinne, and, frankly, I thought you just weren't dealing with it well.

But I had no clue.

I was a self-centered idiot."

"I'm not dealing with it well.

I hate her fucking guts.

I can't think about her without feeling violent."

"I get it now.

I didn't before."

His mouth twisted ruefully.

"Sometimes it takes something drastic to shake me up.

Luckily, you've always been very good at getting my attention."

"Don't try to tease this away, Gideon.

You could've been seriously hurt because of me."

He caught me by the waist when I would've turned away.

"I was seriously hurt because of you.

Seeing you in another guy's arms, kissing him ."

His eyes grew hot and dark.

"It shredded me, Eva.

Cut me open and left me bleeding.

I kicked his ass in self-defense."

"Oh, God," I breathed, devastated by his brutal honesty.

"Gideon."

"I'm disgusted with myself for not being more understanding about Corinne.

If a kiss could make me feel like that ."

He wrapped his arms tight around me, one arm banding my hips while the other crossed my back so he could grip the back of my head.

Capturing me.

"If you ever cheated on me," he said hoarsely, "it would kill me."

Turning my head, I pressed my lips to his throat.

"That stupid kiss meant nothing.

Less than nothing."

His hand gripped my hair and tilted my head back.

"You don't understand what your kisses mean to me, Eva.

For you to just give one away and call it stupid - " Gideon dipped his head and sealed his mouth over mine.

It started softly, sweet and teasing, his tongue stroking across my bottom lip.

I opened my mouth, my tongue flicking out to touch his.

He tilted his head and licked into my mouth.

Fast, shallow licks that stirred a simmering desire.

I reached up and slid my fingers into his damp hair, pushing up onto my tiptoes to deepen the kiss.

I moaned when he sucked on my tongue, leaning heavily against him.

His lips moved against mine, growing wetter and hotter.

We ate at each other, growing wilder by the second until we were fucking each other's mouths, passionately mating with lips and tongues and tiny bites.

I was panting with my hunger for him, my lips slanting over his, needy sounds spilling from my throat.

His kisses were gifts.

He kissed with everything he had, with power and passion and hunger and love.

He held nothing back, giving everything, exposing everything.

Tension gripped his powerful frame, his rough satin skin growing feverishly hot.

His tongue was plunging into my mouth, tangling with mine, his quickened breaths mingling with my own and filling my lungs.

My senses were drenched in him, in his flavor and scent, my mind spinning as I angled my head, seeking a deeper taste.

Wanting to lick deeper, suck harder.

Devour.

I wanted him so much.

His hands ran up and down my spine, trembling and restless.

He groaned and my sex tightened in answer.

Tugging at the belt of my robe, he loosened it, spreading open the halves to grip my bare hips in his hands.

He tugged on my lower lip, sinking his teeth into it, his tongue caressing it.

I whimpered, wanting more, my mouth feeling swollen and sensitive.

No matter how close we were, it was never close enough.

Gideon gripped both cheeks of my ass and pulled me up hard against him, his erection like hot steel burning my belly through the thin silk of his pants.

He released my lip and took my mouth again, filling me with the taste of his desire and need, his tongue a velvet lash of tormenting pleasure.

A hard shudder shook him and he growled, his hips circling.

His fingers bit into my rear and his groan vibrated against my lips.

I felt his cock jerk between us, then scorching warmth spread over my skin.

He came with a tormented groan, soaking the silk between us.

I cried out, melting and aching, so insanely aroused by the knowledge that I could make him lose control with just a kiss.

His grip loosened, his lungs heaving.

"Your kisses are mine."

"Yes.

Gideon ."

I was shaken, left emotionally raw and open by the most erotic moment of my life.

He sank to his knees and tongued me to a shattering climax.

* * *

We showered and napped the morning away.

It felt so good to sleep beside him again, with my head pillowed on his chest, my arm draped over his rock- hard stomach, and my legs tangled with his.When we woke shortly after one in the afternoon, I was starving.

We headed down to the kitchen together and I found that I liked the ultra-stark modern look in that space.

The watered-glass cabinet doors and granite paired beautifully with the dark hardwood.

Better yet, the pantry was fully stocked.

There was no need to leave the house for anything.

We went the easy route and made sandwiches, which we took into the living room and ate cross-legged on the couch facing each other.

I was halfway through when I caught Gideon watching me with a grin."What?" I asked, around a bite.

"Arnoldo's right.

It's fun watching you eat."

"Shut up."

His grin widened.

He looked so carefree and happy it made my heart hurt."How did you find this place?" I asked him.

"Or how did Scott find it?" "I found it."

He shoved a potato chip in his mouth and licked the salt from his lips, which I found sexy as hell.

"I wanted to take you away to an island, where no one could bother us.

This is pretty close to that, without the travel time.

I planned for us to fly down originally."

I ate thoughtfully, remembering the long drive.

As insanity-inducing as the trip had been, there was something exciting about the idea of him rearranging our schedule just to fuck me senseless over hours, using my need for him to face a truth I'd blocked.

Imagining all the frustration and fury that must have driven his plans .

his thoughts focused on unleashing all of that seething passion on my helpless, willing body .

"You're getting that fuck-me look on your face," he observed.

"And you call me a sex fiend."

"Sorry."

"Not complaining."

I rewound my thoughts to earlier in the evening.

"Arnoldo doesn't like me anymore."

One dark brow arched.

"You're getting the fuck-me look and thinking about Arnoldo? Do I have to kick his ass now, too?" "No.

Jeez.

I threw that out there to distract us from sex and because it needs to be addressed."

He shrugged.

"I'll talk to him."

"I think I should do it, for what it's worth."

Gideon studied me with those amazing blue eyes.

"What would you say?" "That he's right.

I don't deserve you and I fucked up bad.

But I'm crazy in love with you and I'd like a chance to prove to you both that I can be what you need."

"Angel, if I needed you more, I couldn't function."