Page 79 of Lethal Salvation

Gideon spied her and gestured to her to come inside.

“Not the first time I’ve heard that and you’re definitely not the most attractive. Now get out.”

Tom glared at her as he slammed past her, yanking the door closed so hard it shook the hinges. He opened his arms and she walked right into them, tipping her head up for his kiss. He obliged, a growl moving up his throat when she wound her fingers into his hair, her nails scoring his scalp.

“I missed you.”

She patted his chest. “You saw me this morning.”

“See, too long ago, that’s almost eight hours.”

“I see your PA walked out.”

“She did?” He gave her an adorable look of confusion before shrugging.

“She did.”

“Oh. You want to come back and help me wrangle this lot into place?”

She sat down in the chair facing his desk and he leaned his ass against the desk beside her. “That’s why I’m here.”

“Oh?”

“It’s time for me to go home.”

“To your place in London?”

Duchess rolled her lips between her teeth. “No, back to Hereford.”

Gideon folded his arms across his chest, and it took everything in her not to drool. The man was stacked and beautiful and she loved him, but she couldn’t stay.

“What about us?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you love me?”

“Gideon, come on. You know I do, but my job is there and they need me.”

“I see. So, you won’t stay if I ask?”

“You could move to Hereford? You’ve always said this wasn’t your dream.”

“I can’t just walk away, Nadia. I have thousands of people who rely on me.”

“So do I.”

“Then I guess we’re at a stalemate.”

She stood and her heart felt like it was cracking and bleeding all over his floor. “I guess so.”

“You can’t ask me to give this up, Nadia.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she shouldn’t have to. If he really loved her, he’d walk away without a backward glance. She knew she was being a hypocrite but for once she wanted to come first. “I would never ask that.” Raising on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek, closing her eyes as his scent bled into her psyche and the feel of him against her lips marked her soul for all eternity. “Goodbye, Gideon.”

She battled the tears as she walked to the door, silently begging him to stop her. Yet the silence continued, and no hand reached for her, no sound of her name being called filled her ears. Her last sight as the lift doors closed was of Gideon closing his office door on her.

Chapter 22