Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
“Because she’s female?” Javier had said that Gideon was very protective, and if she was going to be with him, she would have to accept that trait in him.
“Yes.” Gideon opened a container of soup. “She was very young. So was Jaimie. We all fell into the habit of looking after them, and I guess we never got out of it.”
Rory thought the prawns were excellent. The restaurant had surrounded the boxes of food with heat packs. She thought Gideon might have asked them to do that for him. She doubted it was a standard practice, but maybe he got takeout from them all the time.
“Javier said you were super protective. That it was part of your character. I have the feeling that you aren’t the only one. He seemed protective—at least of you.”
“He is of the women too.”
Rory nodded. She had her mouth full of ginger noodles and couldn’t reply. Javier was extremely protective of Gideon, to the point that she felt intimidated by him.
Gideon paused in the act of bringing a forkful of fish to his mouth. He studied her expression over it. “Did Javier say something to you that was upsetting?”
“Why would you think that? I just pointed out that he was protective. I feel protective of you as well. He doesn’t have a corner on that particular trait.”
He took the bite of fish, his piercing blue eyes never leaving her face as he chewed. Rory felt the butterflies taking wing again, but this time for entirely different reasons. He seemed to see right through her. He wasn’t buying her misdirection. Those blue eyes had gone arctic chill. The silver around the blue had widened until the ring bled into the blue, giving his eyes the appearance of bluish mercury.
The color of his eyes fascinated her. The human aspect was nearly gone. He didn’t blink and appeared nearly hawkish. Not the color so much but the difference in his appearance. It was eerie and a little scary.
“You didn’t really answer my question. What did Javier say or do to upset you, Rory?”
She realized he rarely called her Rory. His voice might be compelling and even commanding at times, but the tone was low and gentle. Now he used a different tone, one she hadn’t heard before. Raspy. Husky. His voice still had that sexy component that got to her, but his tone had a ruthless quality to it.
“Do you realize you can sound very intimidating, Gideon?”
He didn’t so much as blink. “So I’ve been told numerous times. You’re stalling. Tell me what he did or said, please.” He put his fork down and rested his palm on her thigh.
Her heart jumped. His touch was light, but it was impossible to ignore it. “Javier is just . . .” She broke off, searching for an adequate description. “Javier. He’s a very scary man. I think you already know that. One minute he’s protecting me, and the next he’s warning me that I’d better not do anything to hurt you. Then he’s being sweet and disclosing that he’s got major pickpocketing skills and how he got them.”
For the first time, Gideon looked surprised. “Javier told you he was skilled at picking pockets? How did that subject come up?”
“I needed my inhaler and wasn’t going to use it in front of him. He took it out of my pocket without my knowledge and handed it to me. I didn’t even feel him brush up against me. He told me about living on the streets when he was a child and how the rest of you would provide a distraction and he’d steal wallets and jewelry.”
“I don’t think he’s ever told anyone else anything about his childhood. Javier doesn’t talk to anyone he considers an outsider.”
A little part of her liked that Javier had accepted her into his circle, although she wasn’t naive enough to think he really accepted her. He watched her like a hawk. He was Gideon’s family, and the moment something went wrong, or Javier perceived it as wrong, he would turn on her in a second.
“I really love that you have family, Gideon. Maybe it started out rough for you, and even, at times, they are a pain in the ass, but they have your back, and that must feel good.”
He didn’t take his penetrating gaze from her face. “Yeah, Red. I’ll admit to you, as long as none of them are around to hear me say it, it does feel good. Although, when they’re around, they can drive me crazy. I’m used to spending a certain amount of my time alone, and they can be a lot when they’re all together. They like to give me a hard time.”
She couldn’t help giving him a teasing smile. “I can’t imagine why.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Any insight would be welcome.”