Seducing the Playboy (A Hot Nights Series Book) (Entangled Brazen) (15 page)

He took the bag out of her hand, and she grabbed a second one lying on the table and picked up another puff. “Double-fisted? That’s impressive. Or did you know I’d be joining you?”

She shrugged, looking uncomfortable, making him chuckle.

“If I help you fill the rest of the puffs, can we go back to bed?” He couldn’t wait to tell her he loved her, too, but he didn’t want to do it in the middle of the kitchen. “I’m not sure we can top what we did before, but anything can happen in Vegas.”

Her eyes darkened, and she lifted her chin. “Let’s go back to the room. These puffs are extras.”

She wrapped and stored the puffs at warp speed. He worked just as quickly, washing her tools and getting rid of the empty mousse containers. The faster he got her back into bed, the faster the last vestige of the panic he’d felt when he woke up without her would disappear. He grabbed her toolbox with one hand and pulled her out the kitchen door with the other. They popped out of the corridor and into the busy casino. Lights flashed. Cigarette smoke and noise surrounded them.

A cheer broke out as someone hit the jackpot. He squeezed her hand, feeling like he’d hit the jackpot, too. There was only one thing that could make this better, and wasn’t it convenient that she already had a ring on her finger? He couldn’t wait another minute to tell her how he felt about her.

“Hang on—I’m feeling lucky.” He stopped in front of a roulette table and dug in his pocket, then handed a fat stack of bills to the croupier. “On black. All of it.”

He turned to Jenna. “And if I win. You marry me—for real—tonight. I don’t want it to be a fantasy.”

…

Oh my God.

Jenna felt faint as the wheel spun. Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged, and her heart beat as erratically as the bouncing ball.

Yes. No. Yes. No. Slowing, slower…stopped.

On black.

Roman whooped and spun her in a circle. “Even money, baby. What do you say?”

Her heart ached. He was wrong. It could only be a fantasy. A really good one, but if she allowed herself to continue pretending what they had was real, it would ruin both of their lives.

“Roman…I can’t marry you.”

His face fell, excitement extinguished. “I know I’m not the kind of guy you imagined yourself ending up with, but we’re dynamite together. Give me a chance. We saved the Beach House, and there are a lot of other restaurants out there waiting for us to figure out the perfect solutions for them, too. We’ll do Cooper’s first, but that’s just one small business in a big, wide world. I know it sounds crazy, and there are a lot of things we need to figure out, but the main thing is we could do it together. I love you, Jenna, and I want a lifetime with you.”

“I can’t do this, Roman.”
But oh God, it was tempting.

“Why not? What’s the problem? We’re magic together. In fact, I think we’re pretty goddamn perfect.” He pulled her closer, as if he intended to prove it, but she put her hands on his chest, holding him off.

“I think you’re perfect, Ro. I always have, and the sixteen-year-old girl trapped inside me wants to kill me for saying no to a life with you. It’s kind of like saying no to Brad Pitt or Channing Tatum, but I just can’t do it.” She broke away and headed for the elevator, hoping to make it back to the room before she had to explain any further. She didn’t want to have this discussion in the middle of the casino or worse, in an elevator, but Roman looked determined as he followed her, stuffing chips into his pocket.

As the elevator opened, she stepped to the back and several people got in after her, forcing Roman to stay near the front. She would have seventeen floors to think, if she was lucky.

The doors opened, and everyone but Roman got off on the third floor.

So much for luck.

“Tell me why,” he demanded.

It wasn’t going to be pretty, but he deserved the truth. “Because I love you, but I’ve been miserable since we got here, and this is your world. Bright lights. Beautiful people. Huge kitchens. I like small towns and small kitchens, like the one at the Beach House.”

“Then we’ll go back there. We’ll stay there.”

“You can’t. When your mother retires, you are going to be in charge of over a dozen restaurants up and down the West Coast. I bet some of them are even bigger than the one here at the Castle.”

He flushed, and she knew she was right. “I don’t want to build a life with a man who is going to be working even more than I am. You hit the nail on the head when you asked me if I want what my parents have. The answer is yes, and I can’t have it with you unless you give up everything you’ve ever wanted and come back to Lambertville with me…and stay there.”

He looked like she’d just clocked him with a baseball bat.

“Exactly,” she said. “I’d never ask you to do that. You wouldn’t be the man you are if you were willing to do that, and you’re a good man. I called you a momma’s boy, but that wasn’t fair. You aren’t under her thumb. You stand by her side, and when she retires, you’ll take the lead. She’s counting on you.”

He froze, an arrested expression in his eyes, and she cupped his cheek, feathering her thumb over his lips. “I came to California to figure out how to fix Cooper’s, but the restaurant and my family have been the furthest things from my mind. All I’ve thought about is you. Nobody thinks I can reinvent Cooper’s because I have a habit of losing my way. I dig myself deeper and deeper into trouble—”

“What are you talking about?” he broke in. “You have amazing ideas, your desserts are awesome, and you never run out of energy and enthusiasm.”

Her heart warmed, but she’d learned her passion wasn’t always a positive thing. “Yeah, well, I came out here to pick your brain and ended up begging you to have sex with me, talking you into changing your menu, and practically forcing you to take a risk on the croquembouches. When I commit myself to something, I give it every bit of my heart and soul—for example, pretending to be engaged in order to get some publicity. If you’d asked me to marry you an hour ago, we’d be standing in front of Elvis right now, and I never would have come up with a plan to save Cooper’s. But I did. I finally came to my senses, and I know what I need to do.”

The elevator doors opened, and they got off on their floor. Roman said nothing as they walked to the room. He slipped his key card into the lock and held the door open. “Tell me.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m going to make Cooper’s a home away from home for everyone who comes to dinner. We’ll be open on holidays, and my family will eat there with the customers. We’ll have a playroom for kids alongside the dining room, so parents can eat without having to make their kids behave. Service will be family style. Comfort food. Fun veggie dishes even picky kids will like. It will be the kind of place where people will come to relax, knowing they’ll be greeted with a smile, even when they are holding a screaming baby or scolding a pouting ’tween. I think we’ll make our motto
Come Home to Cooper’s
.”

Roman caught her hand. “Let’s do it together, Jenna. Let me help you. My mother isn’t retiring yet, and I don’t have another project lined up after the Beach House.”

She shook her head. “I need to do this alone. My parents think I can’t do it, and I want to prove them wrong. I don’t want your money or influence to be the deciding factor. I want them to have faith in me.” Every minute she spent with him eroded her resolve. She glanced around the room and realized there was nothing to pack except a few clothes on the bathroom floor.

“So that’s it? You’re bailing on me? What about the dinner tomorrow night?”

“You don’t need me anymore. You know as much about the dessert as I do and way more about how to plate it for two hundred. The only sticky part will be the sugar, but I packed newspapers.” She felt something ease inside her as she realized the pressure was off in one respect. “I know your mom is going to love it.”

“I couldn’t care less.”

But she knew better, and she was glad Roman and his mother would be on speaking terms by tomorrow night. She pressed her lists into his hand. “Don’t forget the gold dust.”

She leaned up to kiss his cheek, breathing in his spicy scent one last time.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, and she thought she would choke on the tears crowding her throat. She slipped the ring off her finger, and held it out when she pulled away from him.

He shook his head. “I don’t want that back. I never intended to return it. Keep it. It’s yours, and take this, too.”

He slid a notebook out of his suitcase and thrust it into her hands. “I wrote down everything I know about re-creating a restaurant. I hope it helps, and if you run into any snags or have any questions, please call. I think your idea for Cooper’s is fantastic, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind you’ll make it a huge success. I’d tell you good luck, but you won’t need it.” His blue eyes shone with—oh God—love, and she had no idea how she was going to force herself to open the door.

He did it for her.

Numbly, she zipped her suitcase and rolled it out the door. Her grip was so tight on the ring, it bit into her hand, and the spiral binding of the notebook pinched the underside of her arm.
I should be glad he’s making it easy for me. Going home is the right thing to do.
But it felt like she was leaving everything that mattered behind her.

“I’ll call the limo service and tell them to look for you out front,” he said.

“Thanks, Roman.” She trained her eyes on the elevator and put one foot in front of the other.
Don’t look back.
If she could make it into the limo, she could cry for four solid hours with no one the wiser.

“Jenna?”

She paused and glanced over her shoulder. His smile made a tear slip down her cheek, but his words broke her heart.

“Take care, Goldilocks. I have faith in you.”

Chapter Twelve

Roman put the last strands of spun sugar on the two hundredth croquembouche and stepped back from the tray.

“Go,” he told the waiter.

Alex gave him a mocking smile and clapped her hands. “Kudos to you. They love the dessert out there. I had serious doubts about your ability to pull off such a complicated dessert after your talented little fiancée took off, but you proved me wrong.”

“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”

“Immensely.”

It was years too late, but he had something that would wipe the grin off her face—an apology. “Alex, I’m sorry I was such a jerk to you when we broke up. I should have handled it better.”

She arched a brow. “You mean you should have given a shit?”

Roman sighed. “I did give a shit, but I cared more about work. I’m sorry I hurt you.” He hadn’t made her any promises, but his eagerness to get to work after graduation had made him callous, to say the least, and Alex had deserved more from him.

Chefs and waiters hustled around them, cleaning up, clearing plates, and eating leftover cream puffs. Alex popped one into her mouth and chewed, slowly shaking her head. “I never thought I’d see the day Roman Gallagher got his heart broken, and I’m a little pissed I’m not enjoying it as much as I expected.”

“Does that mean you forgive me?”

“It means I’ll think about it, and only because I know your mother.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Or at least it didn’t back then.” She put her hand on his arm and squeezed, surprising him with a smile as sweet as the ones she’d given him when they were dating. “Roman, work is work. A job is just a job. There’s a lot more to life than making money. Money is nice, don’t get me wrong, but you’ve got a lot of it. Just because your mother is driven every waking minute of her day doesn’t mean you have to follow in her footsteps.”

He felt his jaw drop, and he blinked hard, staring at her, feeling like she’d just grabbed hold of his life and given it a hard spin. He shut his mouth, not knowing what to say.

Alex let go of his shoulder and chuckled. “There may be hope for you yet.” She patted his cheek then headed for the dining room, still laughing softly as she called over her shoulder, “You’re forgiven.”

As if summoned by the mention of her name, his mother sailed into the kitchen, hand in hand with a man Roman assumed was Jefferson Morgan.

She’s counting on you.

Jenna had been talking about his mother, but all he could think about was Jenna’s limitless faith in his abilities. She cheered him on, helped him succeed, and bolstered his confidence, but she also called bullshit when he was being stubborn, stupid, or just plain wrong. It felt like his world had ended when she walked out the hotel room door. Jenna couldn’t count on him because he was too busy working for his mother, who showed no sign that she was ever going to quit.

His mother stopped in front of him. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“I didn’t want to be found.” He’d only left the room to assemble the desserts today.

She gestured to the man beside her. “I’d like you to meet Jefferson Morgan.”

Morgan held out his hand. “Call me Jeff.”

Roman shook his hand. “I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but I’m not sure it is.”

Morgan’s nod was placid. “I get that a lot. You’ll get used to me.”

Roman had to give him credit for having balls. Morgan kept hold of his mother’s hand as if staking a claim. Even more telling, his mother let him.

“Be polite, Roman. We came back here to tell you dessert was spectacular.”

He frowned. “Glad you liked it. Is that all?” Surely his mother had more to say to him than that. Her last message had been along the lines of shape up or ship out.

“We’re getting married,” she blurted out.

He stared at her, certain he’d misheard. When her cheeks turned pink, he knew it was true. “Over my dead body.”

His mother let go of Morgan and put her hands on Roman’s shoulders. “I know I’ve been rough on you lately, and I don’t have any excuse except my world was turning upside down, and I didn’t know how to set it straight. I’ve never been in love before, and it made me a little nuts. I’m sorry I took it out on you. I don’t know if it makes it better or worse that it’s partly Jeff’s fault.”

Morgan met his angry gaze head-on. “I’m sorry about all the press, son. Your mother only has one weak spot, and it’s you. I knew I could gain leverage with her by keeping tabs on you, and I had to keep her on the hook long enough for her to want more from me than money for Oasis. I wanted her to need me, too.”

“What do you mean by keeping tabs on me? Did you have me followed?”

Morgan nodded. “And I used my media contacts to make sure you hit the news. No offense, but you aren’t that newsworthy, even though I’ve heard the Beach House burgers are incredible. I apologize for meddling with your life, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do when the right woman walks into his life. Maybe you know something about that?”

Roman ignored him and turned back to his mother. “So what do you really think about the Beach House menu?”

She squeezed his arms. “I love it. Venice Beach loves it. It’s perfect.”

Roman shrugged out of her grip, feeling betrayed. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to say it was enough. I’ve added a dozen restaurants to Gallagher Holdings, and it seems like you come up with one reason after another to keep from retiring. When you criticized my lifestyle, then my menu, then the croquembouche idea, I felt like there was something wrong with me, but this isn’t about me, is it?”

“You’ve always been the one perfect thing in my life.”

“It’s never going to be enough, is it?” he asked.

Slowly, she shook her head.

Relief then sadness crowded his heart as he realized he didn’t want his mother to retire so she could relax. He wanted her to retire so he could.
It’s now…or never.
“I don’t want to run Gallagher Holdings.” The words ripped from his soul and left him gasping.

His mother hugged him tight. “Good—because you’re right. I don’t want to retire. I like working.”

They held each other until his chest shook with a chuckle. She was laughing, too, huge, gulping giggles that set him off again every time he managed to catch a breath.

Finally, Roman sobered. “Oh, man. Jenna. I totally fucked that up.”

He could see it so clearly, now that he wasn’t tied to the necessity of his future. Jenna was home to him. She made home wherever she was, with her parents in Lambertville, cooking dinner for her landlady and her daughter, and serving homemade chocolate chip cookies at a beach party. If she had stayed to serve dessert tonight, she’d probably be in the dining room right now, making friends in a room full of famous strangers. She made everyone feel at home, but it went deeper than that with him because he and his mother had moved around so much when he was growing up, he’d never truly had one.

A sudden thought struck him. “Is Morgan the reason you were so dead set on getting an investor for Oasis? Did you want to get to know him better?”

His mother laughed again. “I’m afraid so.”

Roman turned to Morgan and sized the guy up again. Shaggy head of dull brown hair, short, glasses, slight paunch, but his eyes gleamed with intelligence and just a little bit of malice. Of course, Morgan had gotten his girl.

He nailed Morgan with a look. “You might have more money than God and every reporter in Los Angeles in your back pocket, but if you hurt my mother, I’ll kick your ass from one end of California to the other. And quit stalking me. I don’t care for your methods of persuasion, but I’ll put up with you as long as my mother is happy.” That was it—the thing that had been bothering him since they walked in the room together, holding hands. His mother was happy and relaxed. And he was jealous because this little number cruncher had accomplished what Roman had been trying to achieve his whole life.

Morgan reclaimed her hand, tugging her away from Roman. “I respect that, I truly do. Actually, I should probably thank you for taking such good care of her up to this point, but I’ll take it from here. She’ll be fine, I promise.”

Roman felt like he’d been put in his place, but instead of feeling resentful, he was joyous. Morgan might not look like much but he exuded strength and confidence. His mother was happy, and Roman was free. He held out his hand, and Morgan shook it.

“Are you even going to
open
Oasis?” Roman asked.

His mother nodded. “Of course, although there’s no rush. I think I wanted an oasis for myself, and now I’ve got it.” She gave Morgan a sickening grin.

He decided to leave them to it. “I’m going back to Venice Beach.”

“Not New Jersey?” His mom looked surprised, and a little disappointed. “I really liked Jenna.”

Roman shook his head. “Wait—when did you meet her?”

“Last night in the kitchen. She made a few pointed observations that led to me giving Jeff a chance. I’d hoped to accomplish the same for her. I’m sorry to hear she’s gone. Can you go after her?”

“Not just yet.” She was heading back to Cooper’s with guns blazing, and he wasn’t going to steal her thunder. He had goose bumps when she told him her plans for the family restaurant. She was dead right, on target, and he had no doubt she was going to nail her niche. He had to let her do it on her own. He thought he’d been living up to her teenage crush on him, but he’d been wrong. He had been indulging in his own fantasy of loving someone and having a home, a future family, and a steady source of comfort and security. No wonder he’d wanted to take it slow—he’d been in heaven. Living that fantasy with her had changed his life, and after she achieved her goal at Cooper’s, he planned to change hers, too.

Provided she convinced her parents not to sell this week, the bank had given the Cooper’s four months to make up the payments. Jenna had spent almost two weeks with him. That meant he had three and a half months to wait. Fourteen damn weeks of alternately biting his nails and sitting on his hands. She would make Cooper’s a success…but what was he going to do?

An idea occurred to him as he walked them out of the kitchen. “Jeff, I don’t suppose you have any media contacts in New Jersey, do you?”

Jeff’s eyes gleamed. “I have contacts all over the world. You just tell me what, when, and where, and I’ll make it happen.”

Roman grinned back at him. “I’ll be in touch. Meanwhile, keep the week of Christmas open. It’s lovely in New Jersey at that time of year.”