Page 17 of Forbidden Games

“Your pitch is overwhelming.” She laughed softly. “But then, this is what I asked for, isn’t it?”

He didn’t like seeing that look on her face, as if she was resigning herself to a life half lived. “Lucy, if you want to change directions on this thing, we can do that. Even if you go on dates with these guys, nothing is set in stone.”

“I know you mean well, but I would very much appreciate it if you’d stop trying to talk me out of this.”

He tried to rein in his temper, but he’d held himself too tightly under control the last two days. Too careful. It wasn’t Gideon’s natural default, and it had started to wear on him. He glared. “I’m not trying to talk you out of shit. I’m giving you options. You want this to have a chance in hell of working, you need to stop being so goddamn defensive. I’m helping you with this bat-shit-crazy plan, so I need you to throw me a bone once in a while.”

She set down her fork. “I think you should leave.”

Fuck.He started to apologize but stopped. Lucy might be fragile in some ways, but she wasn’t broken. He had to remember that and stop treating her with kid gloves. And yet letting her make what might be the biggest mistake of her life because he felt guilty over her last relationship was a shitty thing to do.

He wasn’t sure what his other options were, but he’d have to figure it out. Fast.

In the meantime he needed to get the hell out of there before he said something they’d both regret. Gideon stood and buttoned the last few buttons on his shirt. “I’ll email you the details tomorrow.”

“Okay.” She still wouldn’t look at him.

He hesitated, but there was nothing left to say. Sex had changed things. Having concrete proof of how deep the connection ran between them was enough to set him back on his heels. She felt it, too. There was no way she didn’t.

Now he just needed her to actually admit it.

7

“I’m sorry—did you just say that you have a date?”

Lucy swirled her white wine, not looking at her little sister. “You don’t have to sound so shocked by it.” She hadn’t wanted to confess her plan, but it twisted her up inside not to be able to talk about it with at least one person. Gideon hardly counted, especially since his reactions were hardly consistent with what she’d expected—andherreactions weren’t cooperating, either.

“Iamshocked. You’ve been all work, work, work. When did you have time to set up a date?” Becka leaned over and snagged a chip from the plate in the middle of the table. “That’s not a dig, by the way. That’s just facts. I’m on three freaking dating websites andIhave trouble finding dates who aren’t candidates for ‘but he seemed so nice.’”

Lucy sighed. “They can’t all be serial killers, Becka.”

“It only takes one.” Becka frowned. “Besides, we aren’t talking about me. We’re talking about you.”

Now that push came to shove, she didn’t know where to start. Or if she even should confess any of it. In truth, if she hadn’t had these drinks set up with Becka already, she’d be at home, moping. It had been two days since she’d seen Gideon and, aside from a few emails confirming her first date, they hadn’t talked, either. She knew she’d been an ass, but it wasn’t like Gideon to avoid a conflict.

Not that there had to be a conflict. There didn’t. She just didn’t want him to think that their having sex meant he could push her into not going through with her plan. She’d made the decision. He had to respect that. If that meant he didn’t want to continue with their lessons... Well, that was something she’d just have to deal with.

Unless he doesn’t want to continue for a different reason...

“You okay?”

She blinked and tried to focus on her sister’s face. Becka changed her hair color with the seasons and today it was a bright blue that was the exact shade of her eyes. Her lip piercing glinted in the light of the little hipster bar where they always met up. She had the cute-alternative look down to a science.Shenever had problems with men, despite her lamenting about dating.

Lucy tried to smile. “Just a crisis of faith. You know, the usual.”

“Don’t do that. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s cool, but don’t pat me on the head. You don’t have to protect me anymore, Lucy. You know that, right?”

“It’s not about protecting you.” And it wasn’t. They’d had a fine upbringing. Decent—if distant—parents. A solid middle-class lifestyle. Nothing traumatic happening to make waves in their lives.

But Becka was still her little sister. When they were growing up, Becka had been the shy one, the bookworm who was a little too odd to fit in with the rest of the kids in her grade. It led to bullying and, when their parents had failed to notice, Lucy had taken care of it.

She’d been taking care of her little sister ever since.

Though these days, Becka fought her own battles.

But her sister had a point. Holding on to the turmoil inside her wasn’t doing Lucy any favors. She’d talked about it to Gideon, but he wasn’t exactly a neutral party. Neither was Becka, for that matter. “I just... I know it’s been two years, but I still have Jeff’s comments rattling around in my brain. It’s pathetic and I should be over it by now, and Iamoverhim. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing’s wrong with you.” Becka grabbed the wine bottle on the table and refilled her glass. “It’s not like you had a monthlong relationship and turned around and let it mess you up for the rest of your life. You and Jeff were together for...what, like four years? You were going to marry him.” She narrowed her blue eyes. “Though he better hope we never cross paths, because I’m going to kick his ass one of these days.”

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