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I bit my lower lip, trying to reel in the butterflies swimming in my stomach as he walked toward me with a confident stride, touching a soft kiss to my cheek.
It was incredibly freeing to allow another man to kiss me in public. For years, I’d avoided it because of Liam.
No more.
“Ready?” Gideon asked, his warm hand brushing against my arm.
I nodded. “Thanks for taking me to the airport.”
“Anything to spend more time with you,” he replied with a disarming smile.
I said another round of goodbyes to everyone, promising to call Melanie when I landed. Then Gideon guided me out of the lobby, pulling my luggage behind him.
“I still can’t believe you drove all the way here,” I remarked as he navigated his gorgeous Jaguar convertible along the 17 Mile Drive. “I guess if I had a car like this, I’d probably drive, too.” I ran my hand along the dashboard, everything smooth and pristine.
“Need me to give you and the car a moment alone?”
“Very funny.” I tilted my head back, savoring in the feel of the sun on my face. “It’s the perfect driving weather. Not too hot. Not too cold. Especially along the coast.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
I darted my gaze toward him. “What?”
“We’re going to the same place. May as well go together.” He stole a glance at me, dragging a finger up my inner thigh. “I promise to make it much more…enjoyable than flying all day. And don’t you have a connection up in San Francisco, anyway?”
“Yes,” I groaned.
Iwassupposed to fly back with Liam on the corporate jet, but after last night, I thought it best if I found my own way to San Diego. Unfortunately, since I was booking at the last minute, the best flight I could get included a three-hour layover.
“Then come with me.” He extended his hand toward me in anticipation. “Let’s have an adventure.”
I whipped my eyes toward his, momentarily speechless.
That was what Samuel always said before we were about to do something together.It didn’t even have to be anything big or dangerous. With Samuel,everythingwas an adventure, even something as mundane as cooking dinner.
I raked my gaze over Gideon’s silhouette. Nothing about it remotely resembled Samuel. Gideon’s jaw was more square, his nose a tad crooked, his cheekbones higher and more pronounced. Hewasn’tSamuel.
Just because he said something that reminded me of him didn’t mean anything. I needed to stop sabotaging what could be a good thing by clinging to a ghost.
“Let’s have an adventure,” I repeated, placing my hand in his.
And that was where it stayed for most of the day as we embarked on our first adventure together.
Hopefully, it would be the first of many.
ChapterThirty-One
Gideon
“What’s the status?” I asked as I stepped into my office early Monday morning after spending the night at Imogene’s townhouse.
I hated having to leave her, would have loved to stay wrapped in her arms all day. What made it even worse was waking up to Ollie jumping on us, much like he did all those years ago.
But I needed to get home. Needed to prepare for what today would bring. I couldn’t afford to get distracted, not when I was this close. Which was why I told Imogene I’d be heading out of town on business for a few days.
It wasn’t a complete lie. At some point this week, Iwouldbe heading out of town.
But it wasn’t on business, at least not in the way she thought.
