Not Just A Pretty Face

34. Leonel

The limo ride home was relatively quiet. Gideon said something to the driver, who looked startled but scrambled out of the car to open the door for us both.

Then we were sliding into the seat next to each other in the back, and I was so glad Gideon chose the seat next to me. I leaned into him while he wrapped an arm tightly around my shoulders.

He had looked so furious, and not in the cold, harsh way of being screwed over on a contract. It was something a lot hotter that had made him slap Hayden so hard the crack had echoed through the room.

That simple gesture had given me breathing room, made me feel less like I was my ex’s bitch and more like I was… my own person. Free, like when I’d first signed with Prestige.

“You okay?” I murmured.

Gideon laughed breathily, and his hand rose to idly stroke the hair at the back of my head. “I should be asking you that. I’m fine.”

“Seeing Alex again…” It occurred to me that I didn’t really know how Gideon felt about him. The public split had been nasty, but nobody had been gossiping about whether his heart was really Alex’s or not.

“Seeing Hayden,” he countered, but his tone was gentle. He leaned forward to rummage in one of the limo’s compartments.

An unconscious shudder worked its way through my body, and Gideon’s arm around my shoulders tightened for a moment. Being in his arms let me smell that wonderful, soapy spice that made all my tensions unwind every time.

“It wasn’t easy,” I agreed quietly. “Alex told me… I’d never have to be around Hayden. Until tonight, he never had us meet. But I guess he decided, fuck it, torture me a little… brought him along tonight.”

“Sadistic little asshole,” Gideon murmured, his voice hard. He was pressing something into my hand. “I shouldn’t have let you go with him.”

“I wanted to. It was a mistake, but you let me make it myself.” I realized my nails were biting into my palms. I accepted whatever Gideon gave me, which turned out to be a chocolate square. Once I rubbed the marks out of my palms, I popped the square into my mouth and rested one hand on his knee.

“Are you done making me watch you make mistakes?” he asked, his voice gentle.

I winced. Yeah, it couldn’t have been easy letting me walk away -- to his ex, no less -- but Gideon had done it. He’d respected me that much. And everything before that… all the drinking and partying, very nearly drugs…

“I’m done,” I agreed quietly, rolling the chocolate under my tongue. Then, I winced again. “I’m sorry for fucking up.” As far as I knew, Prestige hadn’t suffered, but Gideon…

If he really cared about me like he seemed to, he had.

“I’m sorry I threw you in the deep end,” he answered, that deep rumble of his voice soothing me in its tremors through my chest as our sides pressed together.

This was getting a little heavy. “Okay, our mutual apologyfest is done,” I said, grinning. I licked the chocolate off my teeth and swallowed a few times.

He let me deflect with that humor. “Fine,” he teased. “You smell nice.”

“Oh, compliments. I like those better.” I grinned again. The chuckle was slow, but it came nonetheless. God, even when I was reeling from shame and shock, Gideon could still make me laugh.

He rubbed my arm and murmured, “Bet you taste nice, too.”

I closed my eyes, but I couldn’t help laughing, clutching my bag of clothes to my lap. I hadn’t even bothered pulling on my jeans before making my exit. That line was damn smooth. “Why don’t you find out?”