The Gideon Affair

Mystified by his reaction, she watched him dash around the room, gesturing broadly and talking a string of nonsense until it dawned on her what was going on. This time, there was no holding back the giggling.

His shocked expression as she dissolved in laughter only made the giggles worse.

“This is fu

Choking off the laughter, she fixed him with a mocking frown. “Yes, Edward. It is. Even if that’s how it worked, and one late pill upset the universal balance, I don’t think that pillows and vitamins are necessary for the first twenty-four hours.”

“Oh.”

This guy! Holy Batman and Robin stuck on a Ferris wheel—this guy was a keeper. Oh, and note to self … don’t joke around about stuff like babies. He might not know it yet, but everything about his reaction told her he was going to make a great daddy and an even greater husband.

“Okay, so … ready? On the count of three, we’ll switch on our phones and let the wild and fucked-up rumpus begin.”

There was this time in Iraq when intelligence had info about some really bad guys looking to make it to the jihadi top-twenty list. They’d intended to fuck shit up with an attack on his base and to target the convoys and motor vehicles coming and going at the sprawling compound. For days on end, everyone had been on edge. The waiting mixed with fearful anticipation made things … tense. That was how he felt. Knowing there was a shitstorm coming didn’t mean they had any clue in what form or fashion it would be.

He glanced around the kitchen of his fabulous beach house stopping to stare when she moved into view. All of a sudden, he had a clarity that was something of a game changer. The only thing that mattered was Paige. All the other stuff? Nah.

All of those things—the stardom and fame, the sweet house, cool car, and hefty bank account were nice, and all but none of it was fucking real. This woman, though, the one with the expressive eyes, whose smirk was like a ray of sunshine, who had shaken up not just his professional life but his i

“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” He stood and ran a hand through his hair, dropping the phone on the island. Snatching hers away, he laid it next to his and pulled her off a stool. She came into his arms with an ease that belied the short nature of their relationship. This part of who they were—the physical co

He didn’t want to burst their happy bubble and let in the outside world just yet. Not until he’d kissed her some more. This incessant kissing surprised him. It was never enough. He always wanted more. She did, too. No hardship there.

With a calm smile, she looked up while wriggling against him and wrapping her arms around his waist. He took her lovely face in his hands and marveled at the chain of unrelated events that got them to this moment. Thank god, they’d lowered the barriers keeping them at a friendly distance before the Gideon show threatened to get messy.

He didn’t say anything. It wasn’t necessary. She knew what was going on. Softly kissing the corners of her mouth, he breathed her in; he briefly shut his eyes to allow their feelings to soothe his worry.

At his waist, her hands made little circles that brought a comfort his heart needed. She was good for him. That was part of why they were a forceful team. Paige kept him sane, but what about her? What did he bring to her life?

Raining more kisses on her nose, cheeks, and eyelids, Edward had a real longing to steal her away, turn his back on whatever was waiting for them, and keep this meaningful moment going. He still had so much he wanted to say. And do.

Paige hugged him tight. “Are you going to kiss me or not, Mr. Ba

Pfff. “I’ll deal with that jerkoff from now on, babe. You’re all mine. Got the ring to prove it. He can get the fuck in line as far as I’m concerned.”

She went up on her toes and straight to his mouth. Guess she got tired of waiting.

They excelled at kissing. Well, that and a couple of other things, for sure. But the kissing was off the radar and out of this world. They stood there wrapped around each other, slowly devouring until a new round of pulsing desire threatened to derail even more of their day.

Shit and fuck. They’d stalled long enough.

When they separated, she looked at him strangely, moving back to his side with her hand on his back. “What’s wrong?” Humph. Of course, she knew.

He picked up the hand that wore his grandmother’s ring and kissed it. She’d said yes to his proposal. As far as promises went, that one was a biggie. But hidden inside his big bad Alpha body was a sliver of worry about the bigger picture. He needed her assurance on one more thing.

“Promise me you won’t let Gideon Shaw and his raft of Hollyweird fuckery shit on what we have going, sweetheart. We’re beyond that, right?”

“Oh, sweetie,” she quickly replied. “I know what’s real and what’s not.” She bent her knees and maneuvered around his downcast eyes until their gazes locked. “Nothing’s really changed, you know. I’m Gideon’s trusted assistant. Together, we run a business—a brand. Many people do the same. But beyond that, you and I are … more.”

She’d paused and searched for that word. He liked it. Liked it a lot. They were more. Fuck yeah, they were.

“Come on, big guy. Let’s just do this and get it over with.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. He was listening.

“Tell ya what … later, like much later after the day is finished kicking our asses, we’ll go to Tony’s. Scarf down a heartburn special and knock back a pitcher of beer. I’ll call ahead and make sure he gives us the corner booth. Then,” she jested, “if you’re a good boy and don’t misbehave in public, I’ll let you …” She giggled and whispered a string of naughty suggestions in his ear.

Wow. She was good. “I’m going to hold you to some of that, babe.”

Paige gri

He laughed and shook his head at her. “You’re a bad girl, m’lady.”

“Thank god, huh?”

“All right, stalling over. Resuming countdown?”

She grabbed their phones, gave him his, and made a face. “Yikes.”

Worry for her grabbed his balls and yanked. “I love you, Paige.”

“Mmmhmm. Better start doing the math for that bonus check you’re going to owe me.”

This right here was why she was so awesome. He made a quirky half-grin and raised his eyebrows expectantly.

“Oh, okay, you big baby. I love you, too. Better?”

“Indeed.” He chuckled. “Here we go, then. Three, two, one, and …”

The phones immediately fired up and just as he’d suspected, there was a lifetime of activity logged for the past eighteen or so hours. Ignoring the extensive texts, he jumped to his emails and surveyed the various accounts. His eyes widened when he saw two emails in his private personal account, both from his father, each sent about an hour apart. The subject line for both read, ‘Son, you have some ’splaining to do.’

Oh, shit. There was one from Marsh as well that was labeled simply, ‘Dude.’ The rest was a lot of nothing.

Now, in his work accounts—where Gideon lived his life—the fucking mailboxes were overflowing. Nice.

Priorities, his mom had always said. Work the priorities and leave everything else. His eyes sca