Page 61 of Worth the Risk

‘No, Adam. It most definitely isn’t.’

He paused for a second. ‘I think you should take time to think about it before you say no, baby.’

I was reminded then how pig-headed Adam could be. I hadn’t missed that. ‘No time needed. It’s a no. It’ll always be a no, so don’t bother trying again. Goodbye.’

I hung up and blocked his number. And as I took my next breath, a knot unravelled inside me. It might have been a little unpleasant but my instincts told me this final call with Adam was just what I’d needed.

I’d come full circle, drawn a line under my past.

As the lights of St Tropez drew closer, I smiled.

Adam’s betrayal didn’t hurt any more. It hadn’t for a long time. Perhaps I’d needed a different perspective to see it.

Or a different person.

Gideon.

I exhaled. Maybe I’d take him up on that support group thing after all, make more trips to England...

As if conjured from my thoughts, I sensed him behind me. Turning away from the view, I found him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed.

His gaze went from my face to the phone and I knew he’d overheard some of my conversation. His eyes were the colour of a churning thunderstorm. ‘Who were you talking to?’ he asked, his voice silkily dangerous.

‘I think you know.’

‘Your ex? I thought he was out of your life.’ His voice was tight. Edgy.

‘He is. He was.’

‘So what did he want?’

‘To buy me dinner.’

He jerked away from the door, pushed into my space. ‘And are you going to let him?’

I lifted my chin. ‘I wasn’t planning on it, no.’

A little bit of the ice receded from his eyes, but the tension gripping his shoulders didn’t dissipate. His fingers meshed with mine and he nudged me into the bedroom. ‘That’s something, I guess, considering you took his call at all.’

‘Is it? Why?’ I asked boldly.

He froze halfway across the room. ‘You’re asking me why I don’t want some bastard sniffing around you while you’re mine?’

While...

‘I must have missed the memo where I agreed to be yours,’ I replied.

His hand cupped my jaw, tilting my face to his. ‘You really need a memo, Leonora? Don’t you know that every time you wrapped that addictive pussy around my cock you possessed me just as I possessed you? Until we walk away from each other, no other fucking guy gets to call you. Or buy you bloody dinner. Is that clear?’

I smiled even though the action felt tight. ‘No, Gideon. What’s clear is that you’re pissed off about something and are taking it out on me. Maybe you didn’t hear that I said no to Adam. Even if he was a decent guy and not my cheating ex, I’d still have said no because I’m here for now, with you. Can you say the same?’

He inhaled sharply. ‘Excuse me?’

I looked down at the tight hold he had on my hands. ‘Tell me you weren’t dragging me to bed just now so you could forget whatever it is that’s got you so wound up? Tell me you didn’t just get off the phone and come here so you don’t have to deal with what I’m guessing is a Damian-sized issue?’

His lips thinned. ‘Watch it, Leonora.’

I snatched my fingers from his. ‘No, Gideon. You watch it. If you want my panties to melt with that caveman display, then do it when you’ve dealt with the shadows of distrust lurking in your eyes. I might find you much sexier when you’re not trying to use me as another anti-emotional roadblock.’

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