A New York Times bestselling novel, Bared to You by Sylvia Day chronicles the relationship between independent Eva Tramell and successful Gideon Cross. Published in 2012, Bared to You explores the impact of trauma as Eva and Gideon navigate their past experiences with childhood sexual abuse. The first book of the Crossfire Saga, Bared to You precedes four novels that document the turbulent relationship of Eva and Gideon. Classified as erotic fiction, Day’s novel features detailed sex scenes and skillful character development that offer a nuanced exploration of finding love while grappling with the remnants of life-altering trauma.

This guide uses the 2014 Berkeley Reissue hardcover edition of the novel.

Content warning: This guide contains references to childhood sexual abuse and graphic sexual encounters, which are discussed in the source text.

Plot Summary

The novel takes place in New York City and is narrated in the first-person past tense. A recent transplant from San Diego, 24-year-old Eva Tramell prepares for her first day of work as an assistant at an advertising agency. As she plans her route to work and explores her new office building named the Crossfire, she bumps into a mysterious, striking man named Gideon Cross who helps her to her feet. She feels an instant and magnetizing attraction.

The next day, Eva enjoys a successful first day at work. She and Gideon reconnect in the elevator. Eva is shocked to discover that Gideon knows her name and where she works. They go their separate ways. Over the following days, Eva helps her boss, Mark, prepare a last-minute presentation for Kingsman Vodka, a subsidiary of Cross Industries. When Mark asks her to accompany him to the presentation, Eva obliges and is stunned to discover Gideon is the owner of Cross Industries. Struck once again by her chemistry with Gideon, Eva falls once again. As Eva prepares to leave, Gideon propositions her and openly expresses his desire to have sex with her. Eva denies Gideon’s advances.

Through her local gym, Eva discovers a Krav Maga class, a form of intense Israel military self-defense. Quickly, her overprotective mother learns of Eva’s intentions by tracking Eva’s phone and enlists her wealthy stepfather, Richard Stanton, to convince her not to take it. Upon learning of her mother’s invasion of her privacy, Eva abandons her phone and returns to work where once again she finds herself alone with Gideon in the elevator. Gideon ushers Eva to his office and propositions her once again. They share a passionate kiss. Eva agrees to meet Gideon for lunch on Monday.

Later that night, Eva attempts to relieve stress with a night out at some local clubs with her roommate and best friend Cary Taylor. After Gideon surprises Eva at a local lounge, she uncovers that he owns some of the clubs she has patronized and planned to run into her. Upon Eva’s urging, Gideon agrees to compromise his structured rules of sex with no dating to spend quality time with Eva. They both agree that they are not dating.

The next morning, Eva receives a gift from Gideon. She spends a day at the spa with her mother and Cary in preparation for a charity dinner later that evening. Gideon asks to see Eva before the event. He asks her to attend the advocacy center dinner with him and performs oral sex on her.

As she prepares for the dinner and her date with Gideon, Eva calls her father, a policeman in California who is unaware that Eva was abused as a child by the son of her mother’s first husband. Eva’s traumatic childhood led her to seek treatment in group therapy, which is where she met Cary, who was a foster child. In the present, Cary presents some printed articles on Gideon Cross to help Eva prepare for her date. Eva reviews the articles and learns that Gideon’s father died by suicide to avoid imprisonment and that he has a penchant for brunette women. Eva wonders why Gideon is interested in her as she has blond hair.

Gideon and Eva head to the charity dinner. In the limousine, Eva initiates sex with Gideon. Overwhelmed by his lack of control, Gideon distances himself from Eva. Hurt by Gideon’s coldness, Eva wanders away from him at the party. They eventually reconnect. Eva listens to Gideon speak on childhood abuse and becomes emotional. She later spies Gideon speaking with a brunette woman named Magdalene Perez she spotted in the research Cary printed. Eva meets Gideon’s half-brother, Christopher Vidal, and dances with him before Gideon interrupts and tells her to leave his brother alone. Eva escapes to the bathroom and faces Magdalene, who jealously chastises Eva for sleeping with Gideon.

The next morning, Eva receives flowers from Gideon and confides in Cary that Gideon triggers her. She decides to cut off their relationship at lunch the next day. At lunch, Gideon apologizes to Eva and explains that he withdrew because he has never allowed himself to lose control like he did with Eva in the limousine. Realizing they share an emotional connection, they agree to date each other exclusively.

Eva and Gideon head to the gym after work. Overwhelmed with sexual desire for one another, they share a kiss outside of the gym before rushing off to a nearby hotel. After having sex, Eva discovers that Gideon has used this hotel room before to sleep with other women. Feeling used, Eva runs away while Gideon is in the shower. She wanders around the city before Gideon finds her in a restaurant. After apologizing, Gideon invites her to his apartment. She is the first woman besides his mother he has invited there.

Eva sleeps over at Gideon’s apartment. She learns that Gideon suffers from nightmares and comforts him with sex. The next day, Eva reads a gossip article detailing their relationship with a photo of them outside of the gym. Anxious about losing her anonymity, Eva decides to tell Gideon about the secret of her childhood sexual abuse. She fears this secret will embarrass Gideon’s public persona. Before she can speak to Gideon about her past, she receives another alert for a gossip article that features photographs of her with Cary and Gideon with Magdalene the night before. Jealous, Eva ignores Gideon’s request to meet and heads to lunch in Bryant Park with her boss, Mark. Gideon confronts her. Eva and Gideon argue publicly before reconciling. Gideon explains that he only saw Magdalene briefly the night before.

Later than evening, Eva confesses to Gideon about her past. She recalls the gruesome details of the abuse, which did not end until she was 14, and that she suffered a miscarriage. She received a settlement of five million dollars that her stepfather invested for her. Gideon and Eva have sex. She asks Gideon about his own past. When he struggles to divulge it, Eva encourages him to share one fact about himself daily. Eva and Gideon decide to go to couples counseling to work through their issues with trust and insecurities. As they sleep later that night, Eva wakes to Gideon having another nightmare and masturbating. Disturbed, she confronts Gideon who refuses to tell her anything about his past. Eva leaves his apartment and returns home alone. Gideon sends Eva a letter the next day that she interprets as a break-up message. She attends lunch with Gideon’s brother and accepts an invitation to his family’s garden party. Christopher promises her that Gideon will not be there. Eva attends a therapy session with her mother, who promises to respect Eva’s privacy moving forward.

Cary and Eva head to Christopher’s garden party at Gideon’s family estate. She meets Gideon’s mother, stepfather, and half-sister. Gideon surprises Eva at the party. They argue before kissing passionately. Gideon reveals that he has started to attend therapy and will also attend couples therapy with Eva. They begin to have sex. Despite her past trauma, Eva asks Gideon to experiment with anal penetration. Gideon encourages Eva to choose a safeword. Eva chooses the word crossfire. After they have sex, Gideon reiterates his warning for Eva to stay away from his brother Christopher whom he fears wants to hurt Gidon through Eva. He drives Eva to his home.

At his home, Gideon initiates a conversation about Eva being a submissive during sex. As a survivor of abuse, Eva rejects Gideon’s claims as she feels like being a submissive will victimize her once again. Eva initiates sex with Gideon where she takes the dominant position to prove Gideon wrong. Gideon shows her a room he has built in his home for her that is a replica of her own bedroom. He encourages Eva to escape to this room when she feels the need to run away. He hopes that this room will provide Eva a safe place to process her feelings and help Gideon not feel abandoned by Eva.

During dinner, Gideon gifts Eva a ring decorated with ropes and Xs. Feeling like she is losing her independence, Eva refuses to wear the ring. Later than evening, Eva awakens to a need for more sex. She realizes that Gideon was right about her being a submissive. She places the ring on her finger and allows Gideon to dominate her.

On the way to work the next day, Eva receives a video from Cary that shows Magdalene and Christopher having sex and accusing Eva of using Gideon. Disgusted, Gideon tells Eva that Christopher has been jealous of him his whole life. Eva tells Gideon that she loves him. He does not say it back. Throughout the day, Eva sends flowers to Gideon and gifts him with a ring that she purchases on her lunch break. He puts on the ring immediately.

Eva and Gideon share a relaxing evening with Cary in her apartment. They fall asleep. Eva wakes to someone attempting to penetrate her and covering her mouth. She flashes back to her childhood abuse before realizing that it is Gideon having a nightmare. Cary pulls Gideon off Eva and threatens to call the police. She begs Cary not to and attempts to comfort a shocked Gideon. She and Gideon sleep on the floor. In the morning, they have sex to forget the events from the previous evening.

After work the next day, Eva returns to her apartment with Cary’s boyfriend, Trey, who discovers Cary sleeping with a woman. Eva and Cary quarrel over Cary’s destructive decisions. Gideon and Eva spend the evening together at her apartment. He tells her that he informed Magdalene about the video and will start taking a prescription medication to help with his nightmares. They sleep undisturbed through the night.

Gideon and Eva attend a gala together. Eva spots Magdalene with a beautiful brunette woman named Corinne Giroux whom Eva quickly learns is Gideon’s former fiancé. Corinne admits to Eva that she still loves Gideon. Eva confronts Gideon about his relationship with Corinne. He takes her to his limousine and takes on the dominant role as they have sex. They return to the gala where Gideon continues to ignore Eva to talk to Corinne. Eva strikes up conversation with a man named Dr. Terry Lucas who asks her to have a drink with him. Gideon grows jealous. Eva uses their safeword of “crossfire” and escapes to the bathroom. She texts Gideon that she is leaving and returns home.

At home, Eva finds Cary having a drug-fueled four-person orgy. Eva attempts to make everyone leave. When one of Cary’s guests approaches her, Gideon appears and punches him in the face. Gideon and Eva argue about what happened at the gala. After Eva expresses frustration that Gideon has not said that he loves her back, Gideon confesses his deep love for Eva. They reconcile and begin to pack Eva’s belongings to take to Gideon’s apartment. They kiss in the car as they wait to drive off in the night together.