A Convenient Arrangement (16 page)

Even through the darkness, he could see the color drain from her face and fear fill her eyes.

“Why are you so against that?” His fingertips circled the small of her back.

“I just…I wanted this to be between us, to see if…if we were compatible.”

“I’m thinking we’ve proven we’re pretty compatible, or am I missing something here?”

Her chin dropped. “No, but once we tell your family this becomes a thing, and it’s not a thing that we get to completely control. There’ll be comments and questions and opinions and my God, it just becomes an ordeal, and really, I wasn’t sure you wanted an ordeal”—those beautiful blue eyes shone at him through the darkness—“do you?”

Did he? He’d never wanted an ordeal before now and the public, the gossip hounds, the TMZs of the world had come to expect that whomever was on his arm really wasn’t a relationship as much as,  well…a convenient arrangement. Now the perception that Leo’s every relationship was based solely on convenience, a purely physical agreement between two consenting adults, was about to go even further with the app and the ad campaign and the interviews and the launch.

But those eyes. When he looked into those eyes…did he care what the world thought? Not really. This relationship was theirs to define, was it not? Besides, just because his affair with Gwen wasn’t a convenient arrangement didn’t mean either of them would be rushing to the altar soon, with a baby and little house with a picket fence to follow. No matter how much this gorgeous lady felt like home.

“Look”—he pressed his lips to the tip of her nose—“I bent my rules for you, now I want you to bend a little for me. I don’t want to hide out anymore. It doesn’t feel right to pretend that nothing is going on between us. It’s feels like a lie, and I don’t want to do that.”

Gwen stared at him. He had her with “lie.” He knew honesty was important to Gwen, and that she felt as though she’d been skirting the truth with Aubrey and the rest of the Travatis by not revealing the entire truth to them.

“Let’s go to the launch party together,” he suggested. “You and me. Travati Financial is underwriting and you’re coordinating.”

“I won’t have any time with you. None,” she protested. “When I work an event, it really isn’t fun for me. I have to make certain that everything is running smoothly. I know it seems that these events go off without a hitch, but there’s a reason for that, and the reason is me.”

“I know. I saw how hard you worked at the Teddy Bear Luncheon with all those kids high on sugar.”

“I love the Teddy Bear Luncheon.” Her smile took on a childlike delight of its own as she remembered. “All the kids and the presents and Santa. I mean, who doesn’t love being around excited little kids?”

Who didn’t? Leo didn’t. Leo did the luncheon because Anthony had founded the event, and part of being in a family meant that you did things to support that family that you wouldn’t necessarily do otherwise. But spending an afternoon with a hundred little kids jacked up on sugar was most definitely not what Leo considered a good time.

But Gwen?

Her face beamed with the excitement she seemed to recall from the Teddy Bear Luncheon. Then a tiny frown creased her forehead. “I don’t think your launch party is the ideal event for us to arrive together.”

“Fine, then the baby shower?”

“Again, my event.”

“You’re really digging in on this, aren’t you?”

“No, I mean—”

“Okay, okay.” He kissed her nose again. “Then Sunday dinner after the baby shower. Not your event.”

Her body stiffened in his arms. “And not very far away.”

“It’s more than a month. Is there a problem?”

“No…I mean…it’s just—”

“Mmmhmm. It would seem your work calendar is too full to accommodate me, and since you’re mainly worried about how weird this will get for the family, I think a Sunday dinner is the perfect, low key solution.”

“That’s not low key. That’s everyone, all at once, and I mean everyone. Nina and Aubrey’s dad will be there.” Gwen’s eyebrows creased. “And Aubrey is on bed rest. Why not…I mean, if we have to tell, couldn’t we wait until after the the launch party?”

While every part of his business mind agreed with Gwen’s suggestion, his heart, his feelings—since when did he let those things control his actions?!—wanted to tell his family about him and Gwen sooner. Leo closed his eyes. Why was he pressuring her to go public? What was this need? “I have this damned possessive need for the world to know you’re mine.” He rolled on his side to face her and pulled her closer. The hardness of his cock pressed against her sex, startling a gasp from her. “But this sneaking around thing is kind of sexy.” He rubbed the stubble of his chin against her cheek and followed it with a kiss.

“So Sunday dinner,” she whispered.

His hand trailed down her belly and slid between the lips of her sex. “Promise.”

“Uh-huh.”

As her hips rocked against him and her hands clutched his shoulders, he rolled her onto her back, her legs parting.

“I guess I’ll take you at your word.” His mouth descended on hers and his cock slid deep into her sex.

“Okay, so the menu is locked. The flower arrangements are a go. Are the RSVPs current?” Aubrey ticked off the items on her fingers as she listed them.

“Yeah, I just got another.” Gwen scrolled through the list of couples who were confirmed to attend Aubrey and Justin’s baby shower and then clicked on her email to scan for any new responses.

Her stomach flipped. Leo. Well, of course Leo would attend. He would be the new Travati baby’s uncle. He couldn’t really miss the baby shower. He hadn’t indicated a plus one. Big sigh. She didn’t know why she felt nervous. He wouldn’t out their relationship there. Ever since they had discussed going public with their dating, she trusted that that he’d wait until after the shower like he’d said. So she had a least a little while until—

“So did you hear about Leo?” Aubrey’s voice dripped with the tantalizing tones of soon-to-be delivered gossip.

Gwen’s heart galloped like a wildebeest being chased by a lion. She forced her expression to remain neutral as she collected the iPad and her notebook from Aubrey’s bed. “Hear what?” She busied herself with her computer case, pretty certain that if she looked at her best friend, Aubrey would see the guilt in Gwen’s eyes.

“Leo is
seeing
someone.” Aubrey’s eyes widened, as though she’d just revealed the Pope was getting married. “I mean like
really
seeing, not just one of those convenient arrangement things he does with models and actresses and heiresses. He’s really going out with someone. For more than a month now.”

Ruh-ro. Oh no. Wow. Gwen’s face heated. She had to leave, right now, because she definitely did not want to hear Aubrey’s uncensored thoughts about Leo seeing someone since that someone was her and—

“After all the press about all the girls, can you imagine a woman actually believing that Leo could be
serious
about her?”

Too late.

“I mean come on? With as many women as Leo’s dated? Like he’s
ever
going to settle down.”

Gwen’s heart twisted and thumped. She reached for her ponytail and smoothed her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know. Wasn’t Justin kind of opposed to settling down too? Didn’t he play the field for nearly forever until you two reconnected?”

“But he had a near-death experience. That changes a person. Took him nearly dying to realize that life was more than a string of nameless, faceless girls, and even then, if not for Max—well, who knows what would have happened to Justin? I don’t know that we would have crossed paths otherwise.” Aubrey rested her hand on her belly and gave a tiny smile. “I want to believe that I’m his one and only and that I changed him, but who knows, really?”

“You don’t believe in true love?”

“Of course I believe in true love,” Aubrey said. “I’m madly in love with my husband and have been since the first time I met him, but it took us so long to find each other again and be together. Justin nearly died before he understood that making a family was the thing that was going to make his life complete.” A long sigh passed over Aubrey’s lips. “I just don’t think that Leo is built that way.”

Gwen’s chest tightened. Of course Aubrey would never intentionally hurt Gwen’s feelings, and it was completely unfair that Gwen was privy to Aubrey’s uncensored thoughts about the idea of Leo dating, and yet, Gwen was thankful for the naked honesty. She exhaled the long breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she zipped her computer case closed.

Gwen’s best friend had just confirmed Gwen’s fears. That when Leo’s “relationship” with her exploded into a million smithereens, not only would she lose Leo but she’d also be fodder for countless gossipy conversations. Worse, she feared she’d also lose her best friend in the process.

“I hear she’s pretty and has her own business,” Aubrey continued, “which is completely out of character for Leo. Justin says he’s been spending all his time with her. One day”—Aubrey lowered her voice as if telling a particularly scandalous detail—“he even skipped out of work and canceled all his meetings. So whatever this girl has must be special, because while I can’t imagine Leo settled down, he definitely seems to have a
thing
for her.”

Gwen smiled. Yes, he did have a
thing
for her and she had a
thing
for him. Such a big thing that she was afraid she might even call it the beginning phases of love.

“So we’re set for Saturday then. You’ll come to Sunday dinner the next day, right? Why don’t you bring the guy you’re dating, and I’ll make Justin convince Leo to bring the woman he’s seeing. Then we could all meet everyone. I mean, you’re not bringing your guy to the shower, and Leo’s said he’s coming alone too—”

The bottom dropped out of Gwen’s stomach. No. Just no. She wasn’t ready, wasn’t certain when she would be ready, no matter what she’d told Leo.

Aubrey went on. “I’ve never really met any of the girls Leo dated, well except the one”

The one?
Gwen didn’t really do jealous, but she couldn’t help that heat thrummed around her heart and squeezed at her best friend’s words.

“Trina,” Aubrey said absently, “I think her name was Trina. She worked in mergers and acquisitions at some giant law firm. Again, not really Leo’s type. Went on for quite a while—for him, at least. I actually thought that one had a chance. They seemed perfectly matched—neither of them wanted to be married and they definitely didn’t want kids.”

“Leo doesn’t want children?” Gwen nearly dropped her computer case to the floor.

Aubrey’s smile widened. “Are you kidding? Can you see him trapped in a house with a toddler running around? The man is allergic to anyone under age twelve. I’ll be surprised if we get him to come over to meet his new niece.”

Gwen’s gaze whipped toward Aubrey. “You’re having a girl?”

“Oh my God”—Aubrey clapped her hands to her mouth—“I can’t believe I said that out loud. Justin doesn’t even know.”

“I can’t believe you know!” Gwen covered her own mouth with her fingers, her eyes widening in shock. “And you didn’t tell him?”

Aubrey’s eyebrows pressed together and she shook her head. Guilt threaded through her eyes. “It was awful. I went in for an ultrasound and Justin was meant to come, but he had to fly to London last minute. And I’m lying there, all alone, and the doctor says to me, ‘Do you want to know the sex?’ And of course I wanted to know, but we’d agreed not to find out. But then I saw her, you know, all wiggly on the screen and I just—” Aubrey’s gaze fluttered down to her belly. “I said, ‘
Can
you tell me?’ And the doctor smiled and I caved like a house of cards in a wind tunnel. I said yes and she told me. I couldn’t help it.” She looked up at Gwen. “I feel so embarrassed. Justin doesn’t want to know and if he finds out that I know, then he’ll make me tell him. Which will ruin the entire surprise.”

“So you’re lying.” Gwen smiled at her friend to soften her words.

“Not lying, just keeping a secret.”

“Difference?”

“One is mean and the other is for a person’s benefit. Like killing someone versus a surprise party.”

“That’s an interesting analogy.” Gwen hoisted her purse strap onto her shoulder. “But I’ll let you go with it. Are you ever going to tell Justin that you knew before him?”

“Maybe when she graduates high school?” Aubrey smiled hopefully.

“A girl? Oh my. That means pink and ribbons and bows and ballet shoes.” Gwen beamed as she envisioned a frilly future for her friend’s baby. Aubrey blushed. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you. See you Saturday. And don’t forget—you have an open invite to bring your guy over for dinner on Sunday.”

“I won’t forget.” As if she could. She and Leo had already planned on coming to Sunday lunch together, although she still wasn’t sure she could go through with it. She gave Aubrey a peck and headed for the door. “You’ll see me on Saturday and Sunday.”

“And the guy?” Aubrey called after her.

“We’ll see,” Gwen called back. And so would everyone else.

*

“You ready for a gaggle of giggling women to descend on your place tomorrow?” Leo asked. The cold air bit into his face. Justin had suggested an outdoor evening run, and it had seemed like a good idea. Now he wondered why. The gym was good, the equipment worked well, and yet, when his brother had appeared in his office an hour before with the idea, Leo had agreed.

“Ha! More like, are
you
ready. Between Gwen and Aubrey and Nina and Shelly and Mrs. Bello, I’m surrounded most days. Besides its a couples’ shower. Plenty of men. Don’t worry—you won’t feel too outnumbered.”

Leo picked up the pace, pushing himself and his brother to sprint around the corner, into the final mile back toward their office building.

“Speaking of couples,” Justin panted, “you bringing this woman you’ve been dating?’

Leo’s heart jolted in his chest. “Dating?”

“The one you cooked dinner for? I’m guessing she’s the same one you’ve been dodging work to see.”