Page 73

Gods damn it.

WINNOW

Ifucking hate secrets.Guilt is a weight on my chest as Gideon takes up the space behind me, settling his head on my shoulder as his hands bracket the counter on either side of me where I stand chopping vegetables. His nose traces across the curve of my neck, the action so perfect and sweet that I’m about to jump out of my fucking skin with the need to get this off my chest.

The words blurt out of me in a rush.

“I have a confession to make.”

Gideon’s nose along my neck halts mid-graze before he pulls back. A moment passes, and I’m swallowing my guilt at not having told him sooner. My heart pounds furiously in my chest.

Will he hate me now?

Have I irreparably broken his trust?

Akash almighty, this on top of all the other secrets I’m harboring from him… I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m back at Sheriff Harlan’s office within the hour, watching Gideon’s truck disappear into the horizon.

At my silence, Gideon’s hands wrap around my arms and turn me to face him.

My eyes are already watering as he stares down at me wearing a hard expression.

“What happened, angel?”

Tears are already streaming down my cheeks as the words rush out of me.

“I saw your ex. Here in the woods–

Gideon rears back, cutting me off.

“What the fuck?”

“I chased her down.”

His head tips back toward the ceiling in dismay.

“Jesus, fuck.”

“...But she outran me and drove off.”

“When was this?”

“Yesterday.”

Gideon curses and begins to pace, scrubbing a hand over his beard.

“How do you know it was her?”

“I mean she was certainly staring at you hard enough, creeping through your forest like some kind of fucking wraith.”

“What’d she look like?”

My lip trembles. “Beautiful and sexy.”

Gideon stares at me blankly for a moment before his brow knits together and he bursts into laughter. The moment I smack him in the chest, he takes it as an opportunity to grab the offending extremity and pull my body against his.

“Well, that doesn’t sound like her. I’m seriously beginning to doubt this theory of yours.”

Sniffling, I scowl up at him as he cradles my face in his hands. “Oh? How many other women do you have stalking you? A whole harem?”