He went down on his haunches in front of her, threading their fingers together. “I’m sorry about Lazarus, he can be an uncaring Neanderthal at the best of times. We’re going to talk…take things slow. Can I get you something to drink?”
Maybe he wasn’t as attracted to her as he used to be. She’d lost a bit of weight. He’d always admired her curves. There was a time he couldn’t keep his hands off of her even if he tried.
Jenna shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.” She tried to smile.
He radiated raw energy and tension. “What about something to eat? I noticed that you didn’t have much this evening.”
She felt her mouth gape for a second or two before she managed to pull herself together. “You were there?”
He nodded. “Yes.” His eyes darkened. “I think you should eat something.” Gideon rose to his feet and she had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact.
So he did think she was underweight since he was trying so hard to feed her. “I said I wasn’t hungry,” she snapped. Jenna took a deep breath. “Are you trying to avoid me?” She blurted. He’d said no lies, she had agreed and intended to keep her word.
Gideon huffed out a breath of air. His jaw flexed. “No, I’m not. I wouldn’t be here otherwise. It’s just that, I don’t know how to act…how to be around you. You’ve suffered so much.” His eyes clouded. He looked down at his boots. “Should we be talking about all that happened or would it be better if we avoided the subject? Seems a bit fucked-up to talk about the weather or trivial shit.” He made an agonized noise and ran a hand through his hair. “I am very attracted to you, yet it wouldn’t be right to touch you.”
Jenna stood up and moved towards him, she slid her hands around his waist, feeling him tense up even more. “I don’t want to talk more about…it. Not right now anyway. I just want to be with you. I don’t care if we talk about the weather or trivial shit…” She chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds. “I would really like it if you touched me though. Our separation should never have happened. We need to make up for lost time.” She looked him deep in the eyes and his intense, dark expression turned even stormier.
He stepped back, breaking contact and began to pace the room. Gideon put a hand through his hair and a growl escaped from somewhere deep in his throat. “I’m just so fucking angry. I want to go and kill that son of a bitch that did that to you. Tear him limb from fucking limb. I’m angry at myself as well…I should never have left you.” He clenched his jaw for a few seconds. “I’m sorry to have to say this, but when I think about it, I start to get angry at you…” He turned back to look at her. “You should’ve told me that you were mated, Jenna. That day, out on the lake, you had plenty of opportunities and then again later on. You shouldn’t have waited.”
“We’ve talked about this. I told you that I was sorry.” She took a step towards him. “I didn’t know where things were headed after that first night. I was shocked that you wanted to date me. I was sure it was only to get into my pants…that it was a game to you. It was supposed to be a bit of harmless fun. You’re a vampire. Back then, relationships between our species were unheard of.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Then later on, when things started to get serious between us, I was so afraid of losing you. I knew if I told you, then it would be over. You seemed to be looking for an excuse to end it and I wasn’t about to give you one.”
He quit pacing and swung around to face her. “That’s not true. You were everything to me. It broke my fucking heart when you told me you were mated.”
“Admit that you were afraid, Gideon.”
“I fear nothing,” he growled.
“Bullshit. You told me more than once that if your king found out about us that, at best you would be imprisoned and at worst, put to death. You were so worried about your people finding out. You were hurt when I told you about being married but you were also a little relieved. I could see it. I only wish you would admit it.”
“No fucking way,” he growled. “I will admit that I was concerned about how my kings would react. Rightly so. My leaving you had nothing to do with Brant or anyone else. You lied to me. That is why I broke it off but I shouldn’t have. It is something that I will need to live with. I was wrong…very wrong and it ended up costing you in the end.” He moved towards her, so close that she could feel his body warmth. “I won’t be making the same mistake again.”