The Gideon Affair

He laughed loudly. Then, in one smooth move, he took one of her forearms and gave a short but meaningful tug that propelled her half across his legs. Her legs flailed about in a most unladylike way, and she ended up laying across his lap.

“If ass kissing is on the menu, I propose this position,” he snorted with amusement as his big hands framed her bottom.

“Edward!” she shrieked, frantically trying to back off his lap. “Don’t you dare.”

Wow. They’d always been physically playful with one another. Paige was never one to shy away from a challenge, especially one thrown down by a boy.

But this? This was new. And awfully exciting. The idea of some naked bed wrestling sounded moooost appealing.

One problem. He wasn’t just anybody. Getting intimate with Edward would change everything. For the only time in her life, she understood the fine line of emotion separating sex from making love.

“I won’t sleep with you,” she blurted clumsily before thinking it through. Damn. Really? She sounded like an outraged nun.

“S’cool with me.”

He. Was. Laughing.

At her.

“Babe. Relax. If all this was about was getting laid, you’d be butt-fucking naked, on your back, with those damn sexy legs wrapped around my neck.”

Heat shot into her neck and onto her face at his evocative words. As far as descriptions went, that was a good one. When she finally found the nerve to look him in the eye, he was openly smirking. “The part where I’d be hammer-fucking you into next month was implied, right?”

Instinct. That was what it was. Reflex. Her hand shot out, closed fisted, and walloped him on the bicep. Hard.

“Fuck you, Shaw.”

She bit her lip to stop from smiling, but the effort was useless. His booming laughter was infectious. Good time for a pivot.

“Don’t you have a beard contract or something like that for me, ‘cause there’s only so much of this nonsense I’m go

Hot fucking damn but she was good. He suddenly understood why she was so effective in a negotiation. The lightning bolt admission of her feelings was a smart play. He respected that Paige wasn’t going to let this turn into a game and good for her. Showed him she was the woman he’d always assumed her to be.

But that admission also put him in the position of having to re-evaluate how this evening was going to go. They were in this for real. Sure, putting on a show for the media was business. But pinching her nipples and giving her a throat exam with his tongue … well, that had been personal.

Because timing was everything, Edward started to rethink what he was doing. His hand slipped into his pocket as he rose to stand before her. The soft, velvet pouch was easy to find with his fingers. Feeling the little square, he located the impression that the ring inside left.

His gran’s ring. Marsh and he had several pieces of her jewelry, but Edward ended up with the unique 1920’s Art Deco style diamond ring. It was distinctive and beautiful, just like Paige. But now wasn’t the time.

The military had taught him many things including how to think on his feet when conditions changed and plans were shot to hell. The gods must have been paying attention because with a flash of rock-solid certainty, he knew what to say next … something guaranteed to bring a smile to her face.

Putting a little bit of distance between them, he went to stand by the arched door. Standing at her knees had been too much for him. Looking down and seeing her at eye level with his crotch was a no. This seemed much safer.

“There’ll be no contracts between us, babe,” he snickered with a mocking roll of his eyes. “But I do have a surprise,” he teased. “One I hope you like.”

Her head snapped up, and he chuckled when he saw the interest twinkling in her eyes. A surprise? Paige was a sucker for surprises.

“Oh god, what surprise?” She shot to her feet. “I’m kind of on max overload from this Chinese water torture surprise-a-thon.”

He snorted. “Good one.” Shrugging off the comment, he drawled, “This is a Ba

Her arms crossed as one foot snuck behind the other and started to wag. He was on thin ice.

“We’ve got a nice long break coming up before heading to Montana. Didn’t you say Caro was going on a cruise during her downtime?”

She nodded. “Booze cruise with a bunch of her pals. Long, lazy Mexican Riviera package with every imaginable extra. That girl’s the queen of upgrades.”

“So, with her off the leash and everything here in limbo …” Having to clear his throat reminded Edward that he wasn’t acting and had no idea where this scene was going. “Anyway, I thought it would be fun to take a road trip. You and me.”

She was looking at him as if he’d grown a second head. “What kind of road trip? Jack Kerouac? Clark Griswold? Dorothy and Toto?”

“Nah,” he quipped with a sly wink. “We’re writing our own story.” He enjoyed watching her process what he was saying. “And I have something epic in mind.”

“I’m listening.”

Thank god for geography class, he thought as a map of the States appeared in his mind. “Well, I thought we’d fly into Denver. I remember you talking about that new hotel … the one with all the art, right?” He had her now. Page’s eyes were dancing with delight. Bet she thought he didn’t pay attention when she was rambling.

“We could take a couple of touristy scenic excursions. Colorado River rafting sounds like fun. Whatever you want.”

“Fun,” she murmured, the skepticism obvious in her voice.

“Yeah. And then we’ll rent a small RV and take off from there. Colorado to Wyoming before ending in Montana.”

“What?” She came at him so fast that he didn’t remember seeing her move. “Did you say Wyoming?” When she grabbed his forearms and dug in, he knew she was on board. Bingo. Bull’s-eye. Touchdown. Score.

“That I did. Think how awesome it’d be to pull up to the cabin, hang with the ‘rents. Soak up the ambiance.”

“Oh, my god. Stephen and Miriam? For real?” She dashed to her bag and fished out her Breathsavers. Paige was on a roll; he recognized the signs.

Popping a mint into her mouth, she flew around the room as if he’d lit a firecracker at her feet. “Fantastic! Oooh, I have to get your mom some of that yarn she wanted. And Stephen needs another of those Snoopy coffee mugs we found down on the boulevard. I better make a list …”

Edward watched, bemused, as she went into practical Paige mode. Suddenly, there were lists to make and things to do. All from an off-the-cuff suggestion. There was a masterful high-five dance of success playing in his mind.

Now for the reality check. She’d had her throw down, and now it was his turn. “So can I assume you’re on board with this?” His tone stopped her dead.

“Ooookay, what’s the catch, Ba

“We go as a couple.”

“But your parents,” she stuttered.

“Deserve the truth,” he finished. “They’re go

She was gearing up for a response when he cut her off. “No, babe. Nuh-uh.” He shook his head. “No bullshit. You’re kind of in love with me, and I’m more than kind of in love with you.”

Her mouth made a sound when it snapped shut. Maybe he shouldn’t have pressed his advantage, but he did. It was the shoes. Definitely the shoes. They were making him nucking futz.

Pulling her close, he claimed her mouth and went deep without any buildup. His hands roamed as he mapped her back and waist through the slinky fabric of the dress and then used both hands to grasp her bottom and lift her into the perfect position. Swirling tongues created a rhythm that he mirrored in the touch of his hands, massaging and squeezing.