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.