Breaking Mr. Cold (Giselle and Donovan) novel Chapter 217

"Come in for a bit," Gideon said. "Even just 15 or 20 minutes."

Giselle avoided his eyes. "I already promised my staff I'd be at a meeting. It's important, and I'm running late as it is."

"Then I'll go with you and drop you off at the shop," he pressed.

"No need. It's almost rush hour, and traffic will be bad. I'm more concerned about your injury. It's not good for you to be running around. And I just overheard your call earlier. You've got company matters to deal with. Don't let me hold you up."

Gideon's expression dimmed. "We're already talking about marriage, yet you're still this polite with me, like we're strangers."

He reached for her hand, fingers closing around her slender ones, his gaze intent. "Before I met you, I was never afraid of anything. Not when my mother died. Not when my foster parents abandoned me. But meeting you after more than 20 years… for the first time, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of losing you, even though, truth be told, I never really had you."

When a man who'd always been reckless suddenly turned serious, it could be disarming. Faced with that raw confession and his eyes on her, Giselle felt a flicker of guilt.

"Thank you." The words slipped out, uncertain. She let him hold her hand. "I understand how you feel. I just can't give myself fully to this yet. I need time."

"I can wait," he said, tightening his grip before looking out the windshield. His voice was quieter now. "The fact that you're letting me in at a moment like this is already enough."

Giselle said nothing.

"Drive my car back. Be careful." He released her hand and stepped out, unwilling to linger in a haze of uncertainty.

After saying goodbye, she pressed the gas and eased away from his villa, merging onto the wide suburban road.

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