Reflected in You: A Crossfire Novel

look at me like that,” I warned. “I’m seriously not happy with you telling me I can’t go somewhere.”
    “We’re talking specifically about a rock concert and I didn’t say you couldn’t go, just that you can’t go without me. I’m sorry you don’t like it, but it is what it is.”
    “Who says it’s rock? Maybe it’s classical. Or Celtic. Or pop.”
    “Six-Ninths signed with Vidal Records.”
    “Oh.” Vidal Records was run by Gideon’s stepfather, Christopher Vidal Sr., but Gideon had controlling interest. I wondered how a boy grew up to take over his stepfather’s family business. I figured whatever the reason was, it was also why Gideon’s half brother, Christopher Jr., hated him to the extreme.
    “I’ve seen videos of their indie shows,” he said dryly. “I’m not risking you to a crowd like that.”
    I sucked down a big gulp of coffee. “I get it, but you can’t order me around.”
    “Can’t I? Shh.” He placed his fingers over my lips. “Don’t argue. I’m not a tyrant. I may occasionally have concerns, and you’ll be sensible about acknowledging them.”
    I shoved his hand away. “‘Sensible’ being whatever you’ve decided is best?”
    “Of course.”
    “That’s bullshit.”
    He stood. “We’re not going to fight over a hypothetical situation. You asked me to go to the concert with you on Friday and I said yes. There’s nothing to argue about.”
    Setting my coffee on the nightstand, I kicked off the covers and slid out of bed. “I have to be able to live my life, Gideon. I still have to be me or this won’t work.”
    “And I have to be me. I’m not the only one who needs to compromise.”
    That hit me hard. He wasn’t wrong—I had a right to expect him to give me my space, but he had a right to be understood as the man he was. I had to make accommodations for the fact that he had triggers, too. “What if I want a girls’ night out clubbing with my friends?”
    He caught my jaw in both hands and kissed my forehead. “You can take the limo and stick to clubs I own.”
    “So you can have your security people spy on me?”
    “Keep an eye on you,” he corrected, his lips sliding over my brow. “Is that so terrible, angel? Is it so unforgivable that I hate taking my eyes off you?”
    “Don’t twist this around.”
    He tilted my head back and looked down at me with hard, determined eyes. “You need to understand that even if you take the limo and stick to my clubs, I’m still going to go crazy until you get home. If that means you’re driven a little crazy with my safety precautions, isn’t that part of the give-and-take?”
    I growled. “How do you make something unreasonable sound reasonable?”
    “It’s a gift.”
    Grabbing his very fine, very taut ass in my hands, I squeezed. “I need more coffee to deal with your gift, ace.”
    * * *
     
    It had become somewhat of a Wednesday tradition for Mark, his partner Steven, and me to go out to lunch. When Mark and I arrived at the little Italian restaurant he’d chosen and found Shawna waiting with Steven, I was really touched. Mark and I had a very professional relationship, but somehow we’d managed to make that personal and it meant a lot to me.
    “I’m so jealous of your tan,” Shawna said, looking casual and cute in jeans, embellished tank top, and filmy scarf. “The sun just makes me red and gives me more freckles.”
    “But you’ve got that beautiful hair to show for it,” I pointed out, admiring the deep red hue.
    Steven ran a hand through his hair, which was the exact same color as his sister’s, and grinned. “The things one sacrifices to be hot.”
    “How would you know?” Shawna shoved at his shoulder with a laugh, an effort that didn’t budge her brother even an inch. Where she was slender as a reed, Steven was big and strapping. I knew from talking to Mark that his partner was very hands-on with his construction business, which explained both his size and the rugged condition of his hands.
    We entered the restaurant and were seated right away, thanks to the reservation I’d made when Mark had invited me to lunch. It was a small establishment, but it had great charm. Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and the aroma of the food was so tantalizing it made my mouth water.
    “I am so excited about Friday.” Shawna’s soft blue eyes were lit with anticipation.
    “Yeah, she’ll take you ,” Steven told me dryly, “and not her big brother.”
    “Sooo