"Doctor."
Gideon set one ankle on the opposite knee and settled back, creating a picture of unyielding decisiveness.
"The only way I'm keeping my hands off her is if I'm dead.
Find another way to fix us."
* * *
"I'm new to this therapy thing," Gideon said later, after we'd gotten back into the Bentley and were heading home.
"So I'm not sure.
Was that the train wreck it felt like it was?" "It could've gone better," I said wearily, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.
I was bone tired.
Too tired to even think about catching the eight o'clock Krav Maga class.
"I'd kill for a quick shower and my bed."
"I have some things to take care of before I can call it a day."
"That's fine."
I yawned.
"Why don't we take the night off and see each other tomorrow?" Thick silence greeted my suggestion.
After a moment, it became so fraught with tension that I was motivated to lift both my head and my heavy eyelids to look at him.
His gaze was on my face, his lips thinned into a frustrated line.
"You're cutting me off."
"No, I'm - " "The hell you're not! You've tried and convicted me, and now you're shutting me out."
"I'm exhausted, Gideon! There's only so much bullshit I can take before I'm buried in it.
I need sleep and - " "I need you," he snapped.
"What is it going to take to make you believe me?" "I don't think you cheated.
Okay? As suspicious as it all looks, I can't convince myself you'd do that.
It's the secrets that are getting to be too much.
I'm giving all I've got to this and you're - " "You think I'm not?" He twisted in the seat, sliding one bent leg in between us so that he faced me directly.
"I've never worked so hard for anything in my life as I have for you."
"You can't make the effort for me.
You have to do it for you."
"Don't give me that crap! I wouldn't need to work on my relationship skills for anyone else."
With a low moan, I rested my cheek against the seat and closed my eyes again.