it on my terms. I pick the men. I supervise the dates. And if I don’t like the look of any of them, I have veto rights.”
Veto rights? That wasn’t part of the plan. She shook her head. “No. Absolutely not.”
“You came to me, Lucy. That means you trust my judgment.” He gave her an intense look that made her skin feel too tight. “Those are the terms.”
Terms. Damn, she’d forgotten the most important thing.
It doesn’t have to be the most important thing. He doesn’t know it was part of the plan, so it’s not too late to back out.
But if she backed out, the deep-rooted fear from her time with her ex would never be exorcised. She’d spend the rest of her life—and her prospective marriage—second-guessing herself and her husband. It would drive her crazy and ultimately poison everything.
She couldn’t let it happen, no matter how humiliating she found asking for Gideon’s help with this.
Lucy managed to drag her gaze away from his. She pulled at the hem of her skirt. “There’s one more thing.”
“I’m listening.”
She smoothed her suddenly sweating palms over her desk. “Are you seeing anyone?”
“What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
It had everything to do with things. She’d never known Gideon to hold down a relationship longer than a few weeks, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t somehow changed in the last two years. The entire second part of her plan leaned heavily on the assumption that he hadn’t changed.
The Gideon she’d known before had been her friend, yes, but he’d also been a playboy to the very definition of the word. He hadn’t dated seriously. He’d never mistreated women, but he hadn’t kept them around for long, either. Lucy had heard the whispers in college about his expertise in the bedroom—it was legendary enough that most women ignored the fact they had an expiration date from the moment he showed an interest in them.
To put it simply, he was perfect for her current situation.
She just had to find the strength to speak the damn words. She forced her hands still. “I’m going to need...lessons.”
“Lucy, look at me.”
Helpless, she obeyed. He frowned at her like he was trying to read her mind. “You’re going to have to explain what the hell you’re talking about.”
It was so much harder to get it out while looking at him. She pressed her lips together. She’d faced down some of the most vicious prosecutors New York had to offer. She could damn well face Gideon Novak down, too.
You know these words. You’ve practiced them often enough.
“I need lessons of the sexual nature.” He went so still, he might as well have turned to stone, so she charged on. “This might be an arranged marriage, so to speak, but it would be a true marriage. And, as I don’t cherish the idea of being cheated on by yet another fiancé, that means sex needs to be part of the bargain. It’s been a long time for me, and I have to brush up on my skill set.”
Not to mention the only man I ever slept with was Jeff, and he never missed an opportunity to tell me how uninspiring he found our sex life.
Or that he blamed his cheating on my being unable to meet his needs.
She didn’t let what Jeff thought dictate her life anymore, but Lucy would be lying if she pretended his words didn’t haunt her—that they hadn’t been instrumental in her two-year celibate streak. She’d enjoyed sex. She’d thought Jeff had enjoyed it, as well. If she could be so terribly wrong on such a fundamental level before, what was to stop her from failing at it again?
No, she couldn’t allow it. If she trusted Gideon enough to secure his help finding a husband, then she trusted him enough to create a safe space to teach her something she obviously needed to know to be an effective wife. His rumored sex prowess just sweetened the bargain, because he was more than experienced enough to walk her through a crash course in seduction.
He still hadn’t said anything.
She sighed. “I know it’s a lot to ask—”
“I’m going to stop you right there.” He stood and adjusted his jacket as he buttoned it. “I will charge you for the husband hunting—the same rates of a normal client. I’m not a sex worker, Lucy. You can’t wave a magic wand and acquire lessons in fucking.”
She did her best not to wilt.
You knew it was a long shot.
“I understand.”
“That said...” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth any more than she could. “Come by my place tonight. We’ll talk. After that, we’ll see.”
That...wasn’t a no. It wasn’t a yes. But it most definitely wasn’t a no.
“Okay.” She didn’t dare say anything more in fear that he’d change his mind. I can’t believe this is happening. He didn’t look happy to have offered the invitation. In fact, Gideon looked downright furious.
He pinned her with a look. “Seven. You remember the address.”
It wasn’t a question but she still nodded all the same. “I’ll be there.”
“Don’t be late.” He turned and stalked out of her office, leaving her staring after him.
What just happened?
A thrill coursed through her. What just happened was that Gideon Novak had agreed to help her. Professionally he had a reputation for always getting his man and, personally, he had everything required to get her pending marriage off to the right start.
He said yes.
With him in her corner, there was no way she’d fail.
The promotion was hers. She could feel it.
GIDEON SWAM LAPS until every muscle in his body shook with exhaustion. It didn’t help. All he could see was Lucy’s earnest expression as those sinful lips spoke words he would have killed to hear before. Teach me. His attraction for that woman had never brought him anything but trouble, and apparently he was doubling down because he hadn’t told her no like he damn well should have. Instead he’d told her to come to his place.
So they could talk.
About him giving her lessons in fucking.
He pulled himself out of the pool and climbed to his feet. He’d been prepared to tell her no—to both the husband hunt and the lessons. Instead he’d invited her over tonight. What the hell was that about?
You know what that’s about.
Gideon wanted Lucy.
He’d
