Book 1 - Page 39 (1/2)

”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 smelled divine. I'd never known a sweaty man could smell so d.a.m.n 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 t.i.ts.”

”They're very nice t.i.ts.”

He made a low growling noise. I hid my amus.e.m.e.nt.

He smacked my b.u.t.t hard enough to send me forward a step and leave behind a hot sting even through my pants. ”That d.a.m.ned Band-Aid you call a s.h.i.+rt 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 pa.s.sed 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 really close by where I could jump you while you're still 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, full of pa.s.sion 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 pulled 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 hallway. He pulled a master key out of somewhere and a moment later we were in a room.

I pounced, pus.h.i.+ng my hands up beneath his s.h.i.+rt 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.