Page 19 of Perfect Harmony

He raked his hand through his hair, the lamplightcasting shadows across his face. “I do. And you know it would upset her too.You just don’t want to admit it.”

“We could talk to her about it. Be honestabout the attraction between us and -”

“Now is not the time,” he said. “Besides,what just happened, it doesn’t… I mean, this isn’t… I’m not attracted to you,Gracie. I’m just upset and confused.”

“Don’t,” she said. “Don’t lie to me. Notabout this.”

His jaw clenched, and she watched themuscle flicker in it as he looked over her shoulder. “I’m not lying. We’re practicallysiblings, Grace.”

“I have never thought of you as a brother,”she said.

“We grew up together,” he said. “You’vespent more time at my house than at your own.”

“That doesn’t make us siblings,” she said.“You don’t think of me as a sister, don’t pretend you do.”

He blew out his breath in a frustrated huffbefore folding his arms across his torso. “I’m not attracted to you, Grace.This was a mistake. You should go.”

Hurt washed over her, stealing her breathand sending jabs of pain across her flesh in hot needle points. “Gideon, youdon’t mean that. You’re just upset and not thinking clearly.”

“No, I wasn’t thinking clearly when I kissedyou. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you and led you on. I’m not attractedto you.”

She stepped away from him, every moleculein her body filled with rage and sorrow. She stalked across the living room,stopping in the doorway to glare at him. “You’re a damn liar, Gideon Walker.A liar and a coward.”

She watched her dream self stomp down thehallway, watched her get in her car and drive away. She was going home to sobbitterly, and, with effort, Grace pulled herself out of the dream. She didn’twant to see that again, didn’t want tofeelthat again.

She blinked rapidly, turning from her backonto her side again as she slowly woke. Like always, she woke from thisrecurring dream feeling melancholy and blue. It was worth it though. To feeland experience that moment of touching Gideon again was worth waking up feelinglike shit. Worth waking up to… holy crap.

She sat straight up in the bed, staring atthe unfamiliar wall. She woke up… she’d been sleeping. She’d actually beensleeping and while she could remember this dream in clear detail, there’d beenno other dreams to break her sleep.

She collapsed on the bed, staring at theceiling as relief weakened her limbs. She’d slept. She’d finally slept. Forthe first time in weeks, the fog had lifted, and her brain was firing on allsynapsis.

A huge grin crossed her face. One night ofsleep in Gideon’s bed wouldn’t solve the insomnia, she knew that, but right nowshe didn’t give a flying fuck. She was delirious with happiness. A few hoursof solid sleep did that to a girl.

She reached over and grabbed her cell phonefrom the nightstand. The blinds were closed in the bedroom, but diffused lightwas filtering through the room, so she knew it was daytime. She’d sleptthrough the entire night. She hadn’t slept all night in…

“Holy shit,” she whispered as she glancedat the time on her phone. It was almost two thirty in the afternoon and hereyes widened. She’d slept over eighteen hours.

Hell, yes, we did!

Her inner voice wanted a high five. Herbladder wanted relief.

She scrambled out of bed and beelined forthe master bathroom.

When she was finished, she washed herhands, brushed her teeth with her finger and Gideon’s toothpaste, and used anelastic from her purse to scoop her hair into a messy bun on top of her head.She dressed and, after a moment’s hesitation, shoved Gideon’s shirt into her pursealong with her phone. She would wash it and return it to him.

She slipped out of the bedroom and walkeddown the stairs. God, she felt so much better. She was practically giddy.Gideon stepped out of his office as she reached the bottom of the stairs and shegrinned up at him. “I feel so much better.”

“Good.” Some of the tension eased from hisface and an actual smile turned his lips up. “I checked on you a couple oftimes and you seemed to be sleeping pretty soundly.”

“I was.” She wanted to clap her hands withglee. “I barely dreamt at all and I just… oh God, I feel good.”

“I’m glad, Gracie.”

His casual use of her nickname, one she hadn’theard from his lips in years, and the way he was relaxed around her for thefirst time since the night of his parents’ funeral, sent more happinesscareening its way through her body.

Without thinking about it, she threw herarms around him and hugged him. “It’s all thanks to you. I can’t thank you enoughfor letting me sleep in your bed.”

“You’re welcome.”

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