I’d just hit the end button when the door opened and Gideon joined me. “Hi, ace.”
He caught me by the back of the neck and kissed me, his mouth sealing over mine. His tongue licked into my mouth, tasting me, making my thoughts grind to a halt. I was breathless when he let me go.
“Hi, angel,” he said roughly.
“Wow.”
His mouth curved. “How was lunch with your mom?”
I groaned.
“That good, huh?” He caught my hand. “Tell me about it.”
“I don’t know. It was weird.”
Angus got in the driver’s seat and pulled into traffic.
“Weird?” Gideon prompted. “Or uncomfortable?”
“Both.” I looked out the tinted window as we slowed due to traffic. The sidewalks were clogged with people, but they were moving briskly. It was the cars that were stuck. “She’s so focused on money. That’s nothing new, but I’m used to her acting like it’s just common sense to want financial security. Today, she seemed … sad. Resigned.”
His thumb stroked soothingly over my knuckles. “Maybe she’s feeling guilty for cheating.”
“She should! But I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s something else, but I don’t have a clue.”
“Do you want me to look into it?”
I turned my head to meet his gaze. I didn’t answer right away, thinking it over. “I do, yes. But I feel icky about it, too. I researched you, Dr. Lucas, Corinne … I keep digging for people’s secrets instead of just asking about them outright.”
“So ask her,” he said, in that matter-of-fact male way.
“I did. She said she’d talk about it when I wasn’t upset.”
“Women,” he scoffed, with warm amusement in his eyes.
“What did Giroux want? Did you know he was coming by?”
He shook his head. “He wants someone to blame for his marriage troubles. I’m convenient.”
“Why doesn’t he stop blaming and start fixing? They need to go into counseling.”
“Or get a divorce.”
I stiffened. “Is that what you want?”
“What I want is you,” he purred, releasing my hand to grab me instead and pull me onto his lap.
“Fiend.”
“You have no idea. I have diabolical plans for you this weekend.”
The heated look he raked me with had my thoughts shifting in a much naughtier direction. I was pulling his head down for a kiss when the Bentley turned, and it was suddenly dark. Looking around, I realized we’d pulled into a parking garage. We drove around two levels, pulled into a spot, then immediately pulled out again.
Along with four other black Bentley SUVs.
“What’s going on?” I asked, as we headed back toward the exit with two Bentleys in front of us and two behind us.
“Shell game,” he said, nuzzling my throat.