Bared to You

particularly masterful stroke.
“I need 
you
, Eva.” His gaze was fierce on my
face as he moved inside me. “I need you.”
Gideon didn’t leave my side, or allow me to leave
his, the rest of the evening. He kept his right hand
linked with my left all the way through dinner, once
again choosing to eat one-handed rather than
release his hold on me.
Corinne—who’d taken a seat on the other side
of him at our table—gave him a curious look. “I
seem to remember you being right-handed.”
“I still am,” he said, lifting our joined hands from
under the table and kissing my fingertips. I felt
foolish and insecure when he did that—and
conscious of Corinne’s scrutiny.
Unfortunately, the romantic gesture didn’t keep
him from talking to Corinne throughout the meal,
not me—which left me feeling fidgety and
unhappy. I saw more of the back of Gideon’s head
than his face.

---

“At least it’s not chicken.”
I turned my head toward the man sitting beside
me. I’d been so focused on trying to eavesdrop on
Gideon’s conversation that I hadn’t paid any mind
to our tablemates.
“I like chicken,” I said. And I had liked the tilapia
served for dinner—I’d cleaned my plate.
“Not rubberized, certainly.” He grinned and
suddenly looked much younger than his pure white
hair would suggest. “Ah, there’s a smile,” he
murmured. “And it’s a beautiful one.”
“Thank you.” I introduced myself.
“Dr. Terrence Lucas,” he said. “But I prefer
Terry.”
“Dr. Terry. It’s lovely to meet you.”
He smiled again. “Just Terry, Eva.”
Over the course of the few minutes we’d
spoken, I’d come to believe Dr. Lucas wasn’t a
whole lot older than me, just prematurely gray.
Aside from that, his face was handsome and
unlined, his green eyes intelligent and kind. I
revised my guesstimate of his age to be mid-to-
late thirties.
“You look as bored as I feel,” he said. “These
events raise a considerable amount of money for
the shelter, but they can be dull. Would you like to
accompany me to the bar? I’ll buy you a drink.”
Beneath the table, I tested Gideon’s grip by
flexing my hand. His tightened.
“What are you doing?” he murmured.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw him watching
me. Then I watched his gaze lift as Dr. Lucas
stood behind me. Gideon’s gaze noticeably
cooled.
“She’s going to alleviate the boredom of being
ignored, Cross,” Terry said, setting his hands on
the back of my chair, “by spending time with
someone who’s more than happy to pay attention

---

to such a beautiful woman.”
I was immediately uncomfortable, aware of the
crackling animosity between the two men. I
tugged on his hand, but Gideon wouldn’t release
me.
“Walk away, Terry,” Gideon warned.
“You’ve been so preoccupied with Mrs. Giroux,
you didn’t even notice when I sat at your table.”
Terry’s smile took on an edge. “Eva. Shall we?”
“Don’t move, Eva.”
I shivered at the ice in Gideon’s voice, but felt
stung enough to say, “It’s not his fault he has a
point.”
Gideon’s grip tightened painfully. “Not now.”
Terry’s gaze moved to my face. “You don’t have
to tolerate him talking to you that way. All the
money in the world doesn’t give anyone the right
to order you around.”
Infuriated and horribly embarrassed, I looked at
Gideon. “Crossfire.”
I wasn’t sure I could use the safeword outside of
the bedroom, but he released me as if I’d burned
him. I shoved my chair back and threw my napkin
onto my plate. “Excuse me. Both of you.”
With my clutch in hand, I walked away from the
table, my stride easy and smooth. I made a
beeline toward the restrooms, intending to freshen
my makeup and collect myself, but then I saw the
lighted exit sign and went with my urge to bail.
I pulled out my smartphone when I hit the
sidewalk and texted Gideon;