"I know you won't believe this, but this thing between us is special."
"We only met last night,” she reminded him, even though she felt the same way.
The distance between them prevented her from discerning his expression. “It matters little. We're both adults, and we know the difference between a casual fling and something more."
She couldn't speak past the lump in her throat. Instead, she hurried out of the room and rushed up the stairs. If she'd stayed another second, she'd be blurting out her feelings. She wasn't about to mutilate her heart by having her love tossed back at her.
As she walked into his bedroom, the memories of what they'd shared there swept through her. Sitting through lunch and pretending a casualness she didn't feel was not going to be an easy feat.
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Chapter Ten
Lori was in a full-fledged panic. She'd come awake feeling sore and achy in spots she'd all but forgotten about. As she tried to adjust to the bright light streaming in through the large bedroom window, she realized two things. The first, she'd made mad passionate love to Gideon Adrian so many times she'd lost track. The second, the love filling her heart for the gorgeous man wasn't a passing fancy, and it wasn't about to go away anytime soon.
Like a coward, she slipped out of bed where Gideon lay deliciously sprawled, then tiptoed to the bathroom and stared at her own reflection. Is that really me? She barely recognized herself. The rosy cheeks and well-loved look was new. And she had Gideon to thank. He'd been wonderful.
She should have known she couldn't spend such a delightful time with the most perfect man she'd ever met and then walk away without a scratch. She knew herself better. She'd all but fallen in love with Gideon when she'd first set eyes on him at the party. Otherwise, she never would have given herself to him. Over and over again.
She never slept around. It wasn't her style. She'd done a good job convincing herself she was in dire need of some hot, sweaty, no-strings sex, but in the bright light of day there was no denying the obvious.
Her feelings toward him solidified when Gideon had told her about his childhood trauma. Knowing he'd never told any other woman made her heart melt. Pity hadn't moved her. The fact he'd told her about a part of himself he'd kept hidden from the rest of the world had sucked her in like a vacuum cleaner. Still, it wasn't until he'd all but taken her to heaven and back with his ardent loving on the purple stool that she'd allowed herself to fling open her soul and let him make himself at home there.
There was only one thing to do about it.
Slink away like the pathetic fool she was. Unfortunately she was butt-naked, and her clothes were still in the dressing room in Gideon's studio. Worse, she had no ride. She'd have to call her sister. Tabby would help her out of this mess. Lord knew she'd done the same thing for her more than once. After a little ribbing and giggling, her sister would gladly jump in her precious black Mustang and come to her rescue.
Getting out before Gideon woke was going to be the trick. No way could she face him. The last thing her heart needed right now was the awkward, don't call me, I'll call you spiel. Her stomach churned at the notion of never seeing him again. What she'd felt for Rick paled in comparison. Rick had been someone to fill the empty space, but Gideon was so much more.
Lori opened the door to the bathroom, careful not to wake Gideon, and tiptoed out of his bedroom and down the stairs. His house was big, but not so huge she couldn't find her way back to his studio. Within minutes, she'd located the remote control and opened the hidden door leading to the dressing room. Her clothes were right where she'd left them, only now they were wrinkled beyond hope. She left off the bra and slipped into her panties and dress. She grabbed up her purse and found her cell phone. Lori flipped it open and speed dialed Tabby. She answered on the first ring.
"Lori, is that you?"
She sounded sleepy and worried, and Lori knew the reason for both. “Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry I'm calling so early. I'm okay, but I need you to come pick me up.” She heard her sister's sigh of relief just before she exploded into a lecture.
"Mom is so going to kill you, but not before I get my hands on you,” Tabby barked. “Where on earth have you been? We've been worried sick! Margaret called here last night, wondering if I knew where you were. She said you two had gone to some party together Friday night. I wasn't worried until I realized you'd been out with that ditzy broad."
Good old responsible Lori. Never doing anything to make her family fret. It made her more than a little bit angry. Dang it, she wasn't a child anymore. There was no need to call home.
Margaret really was a ditz though; Tabby was right on that count. She hadn't even thought to wonder how Lori had gotten home until the next night?
"There wasn't anything to worry about, and I did try to call, but I couldn't get through on mom's phone, and you weren't home. I left a voicemail message, didn't you get it?"
"Snoopy must have yanked the cord out of the wall again. Mom needs to train that dog better. I did check my messages though, and you weren't on there."
"Well, I did leave a message. I'm sorry you were worried, but I'm a grown woman. I should be able to spend the weekend with a man without calling out the National Guard."
"What man?"
Tabby's voice changed from worried to curious. Lori groaned. The minutes were ticking away, and the longer she stayed on the phone the more chance of running into Gideon.
"I'm not about to kiss and tell."
She whistled. “He must be something else for you to toss caution to the wind."
"Look, I don't have a ride, and I need you to come pick me up. I'm at Gideon Adrian's. Do you know who I'm talking about?"
Tabby screeched. “Hell, yeah, I know who you mean. He's only the hottest millionaire bachelor on the face of the earth for crying out loud. I mean, he's always in the society pages. Man, when you decide to go buck-wild, you sure do it right."