Page 118 of Faking It

He points up the stairs. “Tori let me in. Well, after she lathered me with about two dozen ‘I’m sorry’sand another dozen ‘please forgive me’s’.”

I glance upward just in time to see a flash of brown hair disappear into her bedroom.Little eavesdropper. I chuckle.

Gideon rises from the squat. I shift over as he joins me on the couch. Flutters of nervousness fill my stomach. His presence might not be a good thing. Maybe he’s here to return my gift.

That sparkle in his eyes tells me differently, though. With fingers crossed, I wait for him to speak.

“I told her it’s hard to hold a grudge when I’m in a forgiving mood.”

That’s good news. The best news.

He draws on a deep sigh. “I got the call from the studio.” He turns an awestruck gaze on me. “You literally bowled me over, Ana, and that’s not easy to do. Thank you.”

I can’t stop the huge smile. “It was the least I could do, after…”

“How did you pull it off?”

“Micah. He knew the landlord personally, and he wanted to make things up to me.” I flash him a guilty look, remembering our argument when he tried to convince me of Micah’s involvement. “So, he gave me the number, and I called and arranged a meeting. The rest, as they say, is history, I guess.”

He doesn’t need to know that it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Despite knowing Micah, the landlord was a hard nut to crack, holding hard and fast for a hot minute, only giving in after hearing my sob story. Apparently, he’s a sucker for love, which worked in my favor. I almost did a somersault when he said, “Yes.”

Gideon takes my hands. “I appreciated the gesture, more than you’ll ever know.”

“I wanted to show you how sorry I am, how much I care about you. Saying the words weren’t enough. I hope this convinces you that I’m for real.”

I stare right into his eyes, hoping he sees the sincerity in mine.

“I’m in love with you, Gideon, and I only need one chance to prove to you that I’m worth loving back.”

His eyes fly shut on a rugged sigh, his vast chest bouncing. When he opens them again, I see an emotion there that matches how I feel. Yet, it takes my breath away to hear his next words.

“There’s no need for you to prove you’re worth loving, Ana. I already love you back. I’ve loved you since the night you told me that secret. I’ve been waiting for you to feel the same.”

Bumping my head against his chest, I release a relieved sob. Gideon curls his arms around me. We sit like this for God knows how long, as I breathe in his spicy scent and snuggle in his warm, protective hold while thanking the universe for coming through once again.

This time, I won’t fuck it up.

Chapter 45

Gideon

Six Months Later

“Kids, we’re going to be late,” Mom calls from downstairs.

Ana’s eyes widen at me. She pushes at my head. I grip her thighs, giving her a rebuked stare. With a sigh, she throws her hands up against the wall. A soft moan erupts from her lips as I draw my tongue across the seam.

“Gideon?”

Ana’s eyes fly open, the alarm within them even stronger than before. Her mouth moves as she whispers, “She’s going to come up.”

“No, she won’t,” I whisper back. “Relax.”

A surrendering sigh escapes. I throw her leg over my shoulder and lift her gown higher. Her pussy glistens at me, the fullness of her clit letting me know how aroused she is.

I lick it.

She moans.

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