Entwined With You

hope we swim naked.”
    “Umm …” He yawned. “I need to go to bed.”
    “I want a bucket of iced beer, too,” I said, hoping to detain him long enough that he’d fall asleep in my arms. “With lemons. I’d squeeze the juice over your eight-pack and lick it off.”
    “God, I love your mouth.”
    “You should dream about that, then. And all the naughty things it can do to you.”
    “Give me some examples.”
    I gave him plenty, talking in a low soothing voice, my hands stroking over his skin. He slipped away from me with a deep exhalation.
    I held him close until long after the sun rose.
    G IDEON slept until eleven. I’d been strategizing for hours by then and he found me in his office, his desk littered with my notes and drawings.
    “Hey,” I greeted him, lifting my lips for his kiss as he rounded the desk. He looked sleep-mussed and sexy in his boxer briefs. “Good morning.”
    He looked over my work. “What are you doing?”
    “I want you caffeinated before I explain.” I rubbed my hands together, excited. “Want to grab a quick shower while I make you a cup of coffee? Then we’ll dig in.”
    His gaze slid over my face and he gave me a bemused smile. “All right. However, I suggest I grab
you
in the shower. Then we’ll have coffee and dig in.”
    “Save that thought—and your libido—for tonight.”
    “Oh?”
    “I’m going out, remember?” I prodded. “And I’m going to drink too much, which makes me horny. Don’t forget to take your vitamins, ace.”
    His lips twitched. “Well, then.”
    “Oh, yeah. You’ll be lucky if you can crawl out of bed tomorrow,” I warned.
    “I’ll make sure to stay hydrated, then.”
    “Good idea.” I returned my attention to his tablet, but had to look when he walked his very fine ass out of the room.
    When I saw him again, he was damp-haired and wearing black sweats that hung low enough on his hips that I knew he was commando underneath. Forcing myself to focus on my plans, I gave him the desk chair and stood next to him.
    “Okay,” I began, “following the adage that the best defense is a good offense, I’ve been taking a look at your public image.”
    He took a sip of his coffee.
    “Don’t look at me like that,” I admonished. “I didn’t pay any attention to your personal life, since
I’m
your personal life.”
    “Good girl.” He gave me an approving pat on my behind.
    I stuck my tongue out at him. “I’m mostly thinking of how to combat a smear campaign focused on your temper.”
    “It helps that I haven’t previously been known as having one,” he said dryly.
    Until you met me …
“I’m a terrible influence on you.”
    “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
    That earned him a quick, smacking kiss to the temple. “It took me a ridiculous amount of time to find out about the Crossroads Foundation.”
    “You didn’t know where to look.”
    “Your search optimization really blows,” I countered, pulling up the website. “And there’s only this splash page, which is pretty, but ridiculously bare. Where are the links and info about the charities that have benefited? Where’s the About page on the foundation and what you hope to accomplish?”
    “A packet detailing all of that information is sent out to charities, hospitals, and universities twice a year.”
    “Great. Now, let me introduce you to the Internet. Why isn’t the foundation tied to you?”
    “Crossroads isn’t about me, Eva.”
    “The hell it isn’t.” I met his raised brows with my own and shoved a to-do list in front of him. “We’re defusing the Deanna bomb before it blows. This website needs to be overhauled by Monday morning, with the addition of these pages and the information I’ve outlined.”
    Gideon took a cursory glance at the paper, then picked up his mug and leaned back in his chair. I studiously focused on the mug and not his amazing torso.
    “The Cross Industries site should cross-link with the foundation from your Bio page,” I continued. “Which also needs an overhaul and updating.”
    I slid another paper in front of him.
    He picked it up and began reading the biography I’d drafted. “This was clearly written by someone in love with me.”
    “You can’t be shy, Gideon. Sometimes you just have to be blunt and say, ‘I rock.’ There’s so much more to you than a gorgeous face, hot body, and insane sex drive. But let’s focus on the stuff I don’t mind sharing with the world.”
    Flashing a grin,