Page 69 of Perfect Harmony

Not a chance. What had happened betweenthem on Wednesday was a one-time thing. A mistake. A break in Gideon’s usual control.It would never happen again, and she knew it wasn’t her imagination that Gideonwas back to ignoring and avoiding her again.

He can’t avoid you forever.

That was true. They were meeting tomorrow nightto go around to a few of the businesses at the mall. She wasn’t looking forwardto it. She was certain the whole night would be one giant ball of excruciatingawkwardness.

* * *

“You good with stopping in at a couple morestores before we finish for the night?” Gideon studied Grace in the harsh florescentmall light. He didn’t think it was the unflattering light that gave Gracie thedark circles under her eyes.

She wasn’t sleeping again, and it was allhis fault.

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“I said yes, didn’t I?” She raised an eyebrowat him.

Gracie was a bit short tempered and impatienteven when she wasn’t royally pissed at him. He shouldn’t be surprised that shewas barely speaking to him tonight.

He deserved it. He’d temporarily lost hismind last Wednesday, and now he didn’t know how to walk it back.

You can’t, idiot. What’s done is done.You need to apologize.

Yeah, he really did. Instead ofapologizing, he said, “Is your insomnia back?”

They were standing near the food court andshe checked her watch. “We need to hurry. The mall closes in half an hour.”

She was carrying a clipboard in one handand she looked over the papers clipped to it as Gideon looked her over. Shewas wearing her scrubs from work and her curly hair was piled into a messy bunon top of her head. It was a far cry from the sexy tight top and curve huggingjeans she wore to the meeting at Wanda’s, but if she was trying to look lessattractive to him, it was a battle she’d never win. It didn’t matter what Graciewore, she always looked amazing. Always.

Although, he could admit the way the shirtshe wore last Wednesday clung to her breasts had given him one hell of awoody. He’d barely been able to concentrate on what Wanda was saying theentire meeting.

After the meeting, he’d had to sit in thedining room until everyone left and think about baseball until his erection wentaway. Too bad Cheri had returned and cornered him before he could leave.

He grimaced. The woman had straight upoffered to go back to his place and blow him when he declined her invitation togo for coffee. He admired a woman who went after what she wanted and he wasn’tupset by her blunt approach to what she wanted from him, but when she’d kissedhim, he’d immediately been pissed.

The fact that Gracie saw the whole damnthing just made it that much worse.

I don’t know. It meant you got to kissGracie, got to see how beautiful she was when she was coming all over yourfingers. Maybe you should send Cheri a thank you note. She helped youdiscover that Gracie is submissive.

That was a dangerous thought. Just becauseGrace liked being pinned down a little, liked the idea of doing what Gideonsaid in bed, in no way meant that she wanted to be handcuffed to his bed, orspanked, or any other wickedly delicious things he would do to a naked and handcuffedGracie.

She said she was thinking about beinghandcuffed to your bed.

Fuck, if he kept thinking about that onestupid offhand comment she’d made, everyone in the goddamn mall was gonna see theirsheriff with an erection.

“Gideon?” Grace said impatiently. “C’mon,let’s get this over with.”

He winced. “Grace, I’m sorry aboutWednesday night.”

“Yeah, sure, okay.” She brushed off hisapology like it was an annoying fly. “Can we finish this up now? I’m tired andI want to go home.”

She walked off without waiting for hisreply and, with another grimace, he followed her.

* * *

Gideon scooped his cell phone off thenightstand. “Sophie? What’s wrong?”

“Sorry to call so late, Sheriff,” Sophiesaid.

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