One Chapter A Day - Re-Read Of Bared and Entwined

[jennpenn926]

great pic very sexy

[Sheens263]

great pic very sexy

wishing my hubby was this strong and sexy LOL

[Andie]

Hello, ladies

 

Chapter 18

 

My Favorites

 

1. line: I put us in the lucky column (p. 274)

 

2. paragraph: His voice was dark and dangerous. I turned carefully, wincing at the austerity of his features and the starkness of his gaze. His hands were white-knuckled on the box (p. 269)

 

3. scene: Gideon talking about his father

 

XOXO

[LN Cronan]

Chapter A Day Re-Read Project - Today is Chapter Nineteen of Bared

 

This chapter runs Monday evening (day 15) through Tuesday evening (day 16).

 

Key plot developments:

• For the third time, Eva witnesses one of Gideon's sexually violent nightmares. This time it's in her bed, not his, and it's the worst yet. Still deeply asleep, he attempts to rape her. Her Krav Maga defense skills coupled with Cary coming to her rescue, stops things.
• A shattered Gideon wants to leave afterward, but she convinces him to stay.
• Even though Cary is in a formal relationship with Trey, Cary starts a friends-with-benefits relationship with a female model, having her sleep over Monday night, to Eva's chagrin.
• On Tuesday night, Trey catches Cary and the model in bed together.

 

Once each of us has read Chapter Nineteen, our homework assignment from Sylvia herself is for each of us to pick our favorite quote or paragraph.

 

The chapter re-reads also have been the springboard here for lots of discussion. We're continuing to touch upon the chapter of the day, but even more, discussion has been jumping backward into the earlier chapters and forward in the story (even into Reflected and into what we've got for Entwined - Chapter One of it, part of Chapter Two, the snippets and the snapshot clues.) The re-read of one chapter daily is leading us to analyze how different parts of the Crossfire saga have been connecting.

[julie54]

This chapter was heartbreaking. I will admit to shedding a tear. I could feel his pain and sorrow, his anger at hurting Eva.

This strong, dominant , wilful force of nature as Eva referred to him, reduced to a desolate wreck, for doing something which is out of his control, being unconscious.

They are so passionate about each other, that they commit acts that are normally alien to them. When Eva slapped his face, now she had witnessed his anger.

." This time I answered him the way I couldn't before. Let's forget," I breathed into his mouth" make us forget"

He took me back down to the floor, where he buried his face in my throat and cried till dawn.

So sad.

[LN Cronan]

Chapter Eighteen of Bared to You - The Readers Guide

 

This chapter covers Monday (day 15) - two weeks to the day since they first met in the lobby of the Crossfire.

 

Key plot developments:

• For the first time, Eva says "I love you" to Gideon.
• Eva gives Gideon a promise ring
• Eva makes a regular Monday one of the happiest he's ever had at work.
• Eva learns how creepy his half-brother is, as she and Gideon see secretly shot video of Christopher sexually using Magdalene.

 

New characters

None in this chapter

 

The L-Word

In the back of Gideon's car, on their way to work, Eva told  him, for the first time, "I love you." (page 266)

Struck speechless, he didn't say anything. But shaking violently, he held her tight for the remainder of the ride.

Following up her words, Eva had flowers delivered to Gideon's office three times starting in the morning and going through early afternoon. She included flirtatious cards, reminding him of the limo ride when they made love for the first time, also reminding his about making love in his parents' library, and thanking him for all the amazing sex. He responded to each delivery by sending sexually suggestive notes to her office.

Over lunchtime, she bought him a promise ring in exchange for the ring he'd given her Sunday night. Late afternoon, during a 15-minute break in his day she got to see him in his office, she gave it to him.

Sensing he was overwhelmed, she feared maybe she's gone too far too fast, so she tried to ease off a little. In turn, that made him afraid she was trying to back off on having told him she loves him.

"I meant every word, Gideon," she swore him, and reassured, he replied, "I'll make you say it again. You'll scream it by the time I'm done with you." (page 270)

 

Christopher Jr. The Creep

On Sunday afternoon during the music industry party that the Vidal estate, Gideon made love to Eva in the library. Twice, they got caught by others. First was Magdalene, who inadvertently walked in them - and immediately fled. Only Eva spotted her at the time. Soon after, Christopher Jr. on purpose walked in, this time while Gideon and Eva were engaged in something a bit more discrete. Gideon had to make Christopher leave.

Monday morning, Eva (and Gideon) found out that Christopher sexually took advantage of a despondent Magdalene soon after she had seen what had been going on in the library. The Christopher/Magdalene tryst, which happened in an out-of-the-way location on the grounds, was secretly videotaped by Cary -- who then emailed the tape to Eva as a warning for her to steer clear of Christopher. Eva opened the email on her smartphone in Gideon's car, and thus he watched the video too.

It was apparent on the tape that Christopher knew Magdalene's body well - and thus he'd f****** her before. What she couldn't see, but Eva/Gideon could see on the tape, was a contemptuous look on Christopher's face. He was using Magdalene.

Now Eva understood why in the past, Gideon had tried to order Eva to stay away from Christopher. Now that Eva's seen proof there was good reason, Gideon offers some detailed reasons behind his warning.

• Christopher hates Gideon, jealous of all the attention Gideon got when the pair of them were younger attention Gideon had been receiving because of the suicide of Gideon's birth father.
• "So now he wants what's mine. Everything he can get his hands on," Gideon said by way of explanation why Christopher would f*** a woman (Magdalene) in love with Gideon. (page 266)
• The Magdalene episode was especially upsetting to Gideon though, because he'd never dreamed Christopher would go so far as to seduce her.
• "I thought Maggie would be safe from him. Our mothers have known each other for years. I forgot how much he hates me." (pages 265-266).

[LN Cronan]

This chapter was heartbreaking. I will admit to shedding a tear. I could feel his pain and sorrow, his anger at hurting Eva.

This strong, dominant , wilful force of nature as Eva referred to him, reduced to a desolate wreck, for doing something which is out of his control, being unconscious.

They are so passionate about each other, that they commit acts that are normally alien to them. When Eva slapped his face, now she had witnessed his anger.

." This time I answered him the way I couldn't before. Let's forget," I breathed into his mouth" make us forget"

He took me back down to the floor, where he buried his face in my throat and cried till dawn.

So sad.

 

It broke my heart too, the first time I read Chapter Nineteen, envisioning Gideon crying all night holding Eva, the pair of them lying on the floor of her bedroom. It's like he felt he was unworthy of even being in her bed anymore. Of the times we readers have seen Gideon open and raw in pain, this has to be perhaps the worst.

 

It makes me wonder, too, how much he cried the day Eva dumped him and in all the days that followed when he didn't even dare communicate with her in any way. I can envision him struggling in front of the cops, after that awful phone call he got from her, to keep from crying. But as soon as he got to the safety of his car, he must have lost it. I wonder what, if anything, Angus could have said to comfort him.

 

I envision that in the days that followed, he spent a lot of time working late, because perhaps the only times he could halfway concentrate would be after hours, when Eva had already left for the day. Evenings probably alternated between hours of punishing workouts at the gym and dinner business meetings -- the latter probably with Corrine at his side during every one of them. He'd avoid going home for as long as possible, but once there, he probably cried himself to sleep every night -- and probably suffered awful nightmares every night: the old nightmares of being raped, new nightmares of plunging the knife into Nathan's heart, and nightmares of having lost Eva.

 

[julie54]

It broke my heart too, the first time I read Chapter Nineteen, envisioning Gideon crying all night holding Eva, the pair of them lying on the floor of her bedroom. It's like he felt he was unworthy of even being in her bed anymore. Of the times we readers have seen Gideon open and raw in pain, this has to be perhaps the worst.

 

It makes me wonder, too, how much he cried the day Eva dumped him and in all the days that followed when he didn't even dare communicate with her in any way. I can envision him struggling in front of the cops, after that awful phone call he got from her, to keep from crying. But as soon as he got to the safety of his car, he must have lost it. I wonder what, if anything, Angus could have said to comfort him.

 

I envision that in the days that followed, he spent a lot of time working late, because perhaps the only times he could halfway concentrate would be after hours, when Eva had already left for the day. Evenings probably alternated between hours of punishing workouts at the gym and dinner business meetings -- the latter probably with Corrine at his side during every one of them. He'd avoid going home for as long as possible, but once there, he probably cried himself to sleep every night -- and probably suffered awful nightmares every night: the old nightmares of being raped, new nightmares of plunging the knife into Nathan's heart, and nightmares of having lost Eva.

 

We have assumed Angus's role to Gideon is a father figure as well as a confidante, and bodyguard. Gideons trust in Angus is obvious, but how much has Gideon told him about his nightmares I wonder?

[LN Cronan]

We have assumed Angus's role to Gideon is a father figure as well as a confidante, and bodyguard. Gideons trust in Angus is obvious, but how much has Gideon told him about his nightmares I wonder?

 

I think Angus knew Gideon was raped as a child, the only person under the Vidal roof who believed Gideon. I have a theory that Angus is the one who stopped the rapist from continuing to victimize Gideon -- Angus taking the law into his own hands, because "the system" had already failed to protect Gideon, only a child.

 

Angus is the only person Gideon absolutely trusts. He trusts Angus even more than Eva herself. Angus had to have done something momentous to earn that trust. Angus has been in Gideon's life since Gideon's childhood. So the only thing I can think of is that Angus put a stop to the rapist, and then Angus gave Gideon the emotional support he needed to grow up, becoming the one good parental figure in Gideon's life, Gideon having been failed miserably by his mother, his father and his stepfather.

[julie54]

I think Angus knew Gideon was raped as a child, the only person under the Vidal roof who believed Gideon. I have a theory that Angus is the one who stopped the rapist from continuing to victimize Gideon -- Angus taking the law into his own hands, because "the system" had already failed to protect Gideon, only a child.

 

Angus is the only person Gideon absolutely trusts. He trusts Angus even more than Eva herself. Angus had to have done something momentous to earn that trust. Angus has been in Gideon's life since Gideon's childhood. So the only thing I can think of is that Angus put a stop to the rapist, and then Angus gave Gideon the emotional support he needed to grow up, becoming the one good parental figure in Gideon's life, Gideon having been failed miserably by his mother, his father and his stepfather.

I wonder if Angus worked for Vidal as bodyguard/ chauffeur before he married Elizabeth? How much could he have told Gideon about Vidal?

[LN Cronan]

Favorite quote from Chapter Nineteen of Bared. Gideon says this to Eva after she's convinced him to stay, not run, over what he almost did to her in the midst of the worst-yet violent nightmare he's had while sharing a bed with her.

 

"Make love to me," he begged in a breathless whisper. "Make love with me. Touch me, angel. Put your hands on me." (page 289)

 

This especially moves me because of what happens weeks later, in Chapter One of Entwined, after Eva's convinced him she's not going to run away forever over what he'd done to Nathan.

 

 

“Touch me.†The words were an order, but his tone was a plea.

 

Up until that point, they'd been holding one another, kissing, and Eva crying. But "touch me" is how Gideon begs her to start what he himself couldn't dare - them to start making love for the first time since all the awful happened. He was giving Eva the choice - and giving her the control too.

[julie54]

Favorite quote from Chapter Nineteen of Bared. Gideon says this to Eva after she's convinced him to stay, not run, over what he almost did to her in the midst of the worst-yet violent nightmare he's had while sharing a bed with her.

 

"Make love to me," he begged in a breathless whisper. "Make love with me. Touch me, angel. Put your hands on me." (page 289)

 

This especially moves me because of what happens weeks later, in Chapter One of Entwined, after Eva's convinced him she's not going to run away forever over what he'd done to Nathan.

 

 

“Touch me.†The words were an order, but his tone was a plea.

 

Up until that point, they'd been holding one another, kissing, and Eva crying. But "touch me" is how Gideon begs her to start what he himself couldn't dare - them to start making love for the first time since all the awful happened. He was giving Eva the choice - and giving her the control too.

Eva said to Gideon after the Corrine dinner debacle, that women thought of him as the ultimate prize. I think this is how he views Eva. There is no one better than her. She is his ultimate prize.

[Kirsten]

Favorite quote from Chapter Nineteen of Bared. Gideon says this to Eva after she's convinced him to stay, not run, over what he almost did to her in the midst of the worst-yet violent nightmare he's had while sharing a bed with her.

"Make love to me," he begged in a breathless whisper. "Make love with me. Touch me, angel. Put your hands on me." (page 289)

This especially moves me because of what happens weeks later, in Chapter One of Entwined, after Eva's convinced him she's not going to run away forever over what he'd done to Nathan.

“Touch me.†The words were an order, but his tone was a plea.

Up until that point, they'd been holding one another, kissing, and Eva crying. But "touch me" is how Gideon begs her to start what he himself couldn't dare - them to start making love for the first time since all the awful happened. He was giving Eva the choice - and giving her the control too.

I love that quote LN. It really makes me think about Gideon never feeling loved. Needing the reassurance from Eva that her love isn't conditional. He's so broken and only Eva gets to see that.

[Kirsten]

Eva said to Gideon after the Corrine dinner debacle, that women thought of him as the ultimate prize. I think this is how he views Eva. There is no one better than her. She is his ultimate prize.

Very true Julie. Cary was right when he said Gideon is thinking the same thing about her being a prize (I'm paraphrasing) as she's thinking about him. They both never thought they deserved that type of love and devotion.

[sscrph]

It broke my heart too, the first time I read Chapter Nineteen, envisioning Gideon crying all night holding Eva, the pair of them lying on the floor of her bedroom. It's like he felt he was unworthy of even being in her bed anymore. Of the times we readers have seen Gideon open and raw in pain, this has to be perhaps the worst.

 

It makes me wonder, too, how much he cried the day Eva dumped him and in all the days that followed when he didn't even dare communicate with her in any way. I can envision him struggling in front of the cops, after that awful phone call he got from her, to keep from crying. But as soon as he got to the safety of his car, he must have lost it. I wonder what, if anything, Angus could have said to comfort him.

 

I envision that in the days that followed, he spent a lot of time working late, because perhaps the only times he could halfway concentrate would be after hours, when Eva had already left for the day. Evenings probably alternated between hours of punishing workouts at the gym and dinner business meetings -- the latter probably with Corrine at his side during every one of them. He'd avoid going home for as long as possible, but once there, he probably cried himself to sleep every night -- and probably suffered awful nightmares every night: the old nightmares of being raped, new nightmares of plunging the knife into Nathan's heart, and nightmares of having lost Eva.

 

I envision him not sleeping in his bed much at all those nights ; I see him in his home office staring at the collage working and crying intermittently not wanting to sleep in his bed so he wouldn't experience another nightmare even though he 's actually living one ...

[sscrph]

Favorite quote from Chapter Nineteen of Bared. Gideon says this to Eva after she's convinced him to stay, not run, over what he almost did to her in the midst of the worst-yet violent nightmare he's had while sharing a bed with her.

 

"Make love to me," he begged in a breathless whisper. "Make love with me. Touch me, angel. Put your hands on me." (page 289)

 

This especially moves me because of what happens weeks later, in Chapter One of Entwined, after Eva's convinced him she's not going to run away forever over what he'd done to Nathan.

 

 

“Touch me.†The words were an order, but his tone was a plea.

 

Up until that point, they'd been holding one another, kissing, and Eva crying. But "touch me" is how Gideon begs her to start what he himself couldn't dare - them to start making love for the first time since all the awful happened. He was giving Eva the choice - and giving her the control too.

Yes this is sooooo true LUV all of these moments...

[Kirsten]

I envision him not sleeping in his bed much at all those nights ; I see him in his home office staring at the collage working and crying intermittently not wanting to sleep in his bed so he wouldn't experience another nightmare even though he 's actually living one ...

Gideon tells Eva in that infamous car ride from Dr. Lucas' office that he can't sleep. I'm sure he has been under siege with memories of Eva in general, memories of her at his apartment and thoughts that he might have actually lost her for good.

[AMC]

I would have loved to know what Gideon was thinking when:

 

"As I turned the corner back to the Crossfire to start the trip home, I saw Gideon step out onto the street with Corinne.....

 

He looked up and saw me, freezing in place just as I had."

 

Page 307 RIY.

[julie54]

I would have loved to know what Gideon was thinking when:

 

"As I turned the corner back to the Crossfire to start the trip home, I saw Gideon step out onto the street with Corinne.....

 

He looked up and saw me, freezing in place just as I had."

 

Page 307 RIY.

He probably died a little more inside, knowing that the hurt he was inflicting on Eva, he was feeling himself. Thinking can this get any worse?

[Kirsten]

I would have loved to know what Gideon was thinking when:

 

"As I turned the corner back to the Crossfire to start the trip home, I saw Gideon step out onto the street with Corinne.....

 

He looked up and saw me, freezing in place just as I had."

 

Page 307 RIY.

I was thinking you effin SOB.   Gideon was probably so surprised to see her there, and of course he knew it was killing her.

[julie54]

This murder was premeditated. Although it didn't quite go according to plan, eh Gideon!

Going on his behaviour towards Eva, and dare I say it, Corrine. IT SUCKED BIG TIME!

I suppose you could argue, he only had hours to put it in motion, commencing that Monday.

Every character in this book was being hurt somehow, because of some deranged SOB.

Eva's pain being the greatest along with Gideons. They truly are mirror images.

[AMC]

I was thinking you effin SOB.   Gideon was probably so surprised to see her there, and of course he knew it was killing her.

LOL!!

I wanted to thank-you for posting the 1st and 2nd chapters of EWY..

I have been soo far behind in reading everything

 

I think when Gideon saw Eva---his heart must have dropped...

A few hours earlier he had just given back Eva her ring..

[Kirsten]

LOL!!

I wanted to thank-you for posting the 1st and 2nd chapters of EWY..

I have been soo far behind in reading everything

 

I think when Gideon saw Eva---his heart must have dropped...

A few hours earlier he had just given back Eva her ring..

Playing catch-up is awful, but I'm glad you got to read them.

 

I'm sure his heart did drop. I felt Eva's pain so deeply. I know he was hurting, and reading it the second time around it was still painful, maybe even more so because I knew Gideon was hurting too. This is one huge mess.

[sscrph]

He probably died a little more inside, knowing that the hurt he was inflicting on Eva, he was feeling himself. Thinking can this get any worse?

That's for sure; Eva sure had a rein on those demons inside her because I could just see her storming down that sidewalk just like Gideon did when he saw Eva kissing Brett!!!

[jls1216]

Thank you for clearing that up.

good to know:)