Page 31 of Sweet Harmony

His ears wentdown, and he ducked his head before staring at her with soulfuldark eyes. She sighed. “You’re not a bad dog. You’re a goodboy.”

His big tailthumped against the ground, his grin returning.

“Why are youout here?” Gideon asked.

The irrationalhatred that always appeared when he used his ‘big brother’ tone onher, flooded through her instantly and she glared at him. “It’s apublic park, Gideon. It’s not your own private running trails.” Sheignored the way sweat made his t-shirt stick to his broad chest. “Ihave as much right to be here as you do.”

“I meant whyare you out here alone? You’re not allowed to go hiking byyourself,” he replied.

“Excuse me? Notallowed? I’m not a helpless little girl. I’m a grown woman and Ican do whatever the hell I want.”

His nostrilsflared and he took a few steps closer until he was standingdirectly in front of her. “We both know that with your sense ofdirection, hiking alone is dangerous and stupid.”

“Oh, so now I’mhelplessandstupid. That’s what you’re saying?”

A muscle tickedat his jaw and his eyebrows drew down. She stared at hisodd-coloured eyes, fascinated even after all these years by thedifference. She was getting under his skin. After Kira, she knewhim better than anyone, and a childish glee went through her. Hewas a constant prickle under her skin, it was nice to turn thetables just once.

“I’m trying tokeep you safe.” His voice was hard.

“I’m not achild anymore, Gideon. I don’t need you to look after me.” Her gleewas turning to - she hated to admit it - lust. She hadn’t been thisclose to him since his parents’ funeral and the heat of his bigbody as well as the good clean smell of him, was making her feel alittle dizzy with desire. Fuck, how could he smell so good? He wasout running in the middle of the damn forest.

“If that weretrue, you wouldn’t be lost in the middle of the park rightnow.”

“I’m not lost,”she lied.

“No?” His voicewas silky smooth. “Tell me what trail you’re on.”

She didn’treply. Her right palm was stinging like a bitch and she folded herarms under her ample breasts, pressing her palm against her side totry and relieve some of the pain. The motion pushed her breaststogether. It gave her a little extra cleavage along the scoopneckline of her shirt and practically invited Gideon to check outher tits. His gaze never wavered from her face and she swalloweddown her disappointment.

“What trail areyou on, Grace?”

A little shiverof pleasure went down her spine. Gideon rarely said her name. Whenhe did, it never failed to make her just the tiniest bit wet.

Her gazedropped to his mouth and he immediately took a step back. Sheflushed with embarrassment and looked away. “I have to go.Bye.”

Before shecould walk away, Gideon’s eyes widened and what almost looked likepanic flickered across his face. “You’re bleeding.”

“What?” Shenearly fell over with shock when Gideon grabbed her upper arm. Thefeel of his rough hand wrapped around her bicep was just aboutenough to make her swoon. God, she really needed to get laid.

“You’rebleeding,” he repeated.

She followedhis gaze to the splotch of blood that covered her shirt along herribs. Before she could stop him, he had grabbed the hem of hershirt and was yanking it up.

“Hey!” Shetried to twist out of his grasp, and he glared at her.

“Holdstill.”

“Let go of myshirt,” she snapped at him.

He ignored herand pushed her flailing hands away before bending and staring ather pale skin just below the band of her sports bra. “There’s nowound.”

“Because it’snot my side.” She shoved his hand away and tugged her shirt down,wincing when her palm scraped across the material.

He scowled andwrapped his fingers around her right wrist. He pulled her armtoward him and turned her hand upward. He studied the smears ofblood on her palm before muttering a curse under his breath.

His scowldeepened and he stared at Tank who was sniffing at a bush a fewfeet away from them. “Tank, bad dog.”

“It wasn’t hisfault.” She immediately jumped to the dog’s defense. “He didn’tmean it.”

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