“Not nearly as much as I have.” Gavin set down his water. “Don’t spread the word around, though. My muse has been a cranky bitch for the last several months, so I don’t trust her.”
Luke nodded before he looked past Gavin’s shoulder, and his face seemed to lose all its angles while his blue eyes went from glacial ice to tropical sea. “Looks like some decisions have been made,” he said.
Gavin swiveled on the stool to see Allie and Miranda walking across the bar with arms linked.
“We came to get the official seal of approval,” Miranda said, her gaze on her new husband.
“Or veto,” Allie said with a nervous smile in Gavin’s direction.
All he could see was how Allie’s upswept hair showed off the creamy skin of her shoulders above the deep plunge of the gown’s neckline. He wanted to bury his face in the shadow cast by the curve of her breasts. Until he realized that other men would want to do the same thing.
Then he noticed that the fabric of the dress was nearly transparent, her arms clearly visible through the short puffed sleeves, and her skin glowing pink through the sheer ivory silk. He was sure that if she stood in front of a bright light, everyone would see the sinuous outline of her waist and hips and the ripe arc of her bottom.
He frowned.
“That’s not a good sign,” Allie said, her smile wavering.
Miranda finished her modeling spin and looked at Gavin. “I’m sure he’s just trying to find the right words to express how beautiful you are.”
He caught the slight note of warning in Miranda’s perfectly modulated voice and realized he was being a jealous ass, but that didn’t stop him. “She looks too beautiful.”
Allie’s smile firmed up as she turned to Miranda. “I knew he wouldn’t like the cleavage.”
“Cleavage! The whole damned dress just needs a strong light to turn it into Saran wrap.”
“That shows what you know about haute couture,” Allie said, floating up to him in the swirling dress. She bent to pick up the hem of the long skirt and show him that the layer of translucent organza was underlain by a layer of opaque pale pink. “It’s an illusion. You can’t really see my skin at all, except through the sleeves.”
“Fiction can be more powerful than reality,” Gavin said. “I don’t want other men even thinking they can see your skin under the dress. And there’s the cleavage.”
He caught sight of Miranda’s face as she threw a glance past him, her eyes dancing with laughter. Turning, he saw the corners of Luke’s lips twitch. Gavin snapped, “Just because your wife is wearing a perfectly respectable dress, don’t lord it over me.”
“I thought I looked like a dangerous siren.” Miranda posed with one leg thrust out through the high slit of her sheath. Now that Gavin wasn’t focused on Allie, he saw that Miranda’s crimson pour of a dress covered only one shoulder and clung to her curves in a way that might be considered sexy. If Allie hadn’t been standing beside her, looking like a deliciously sensuous sea goddess who had risen from the waves on a clamshell.
“You’re in trouble now,” Luke said.
“He only has eyes for Allie, and that’s the way it should be,” Miranda said. “I just wanted to point out that ball gowns are not meant to be conservative.”
Allie stood in front of him, her expression both hopeful and wary. Gavin started to reach for the edges of the neckline to pull them together before he realized it would require a very intimate touch. So he just gestured in the general direction. “Can’t they do something to make the dress less revealing?”
“I’ll ask,” Allie said, tugging at the fabric in a way that made her breasts plump up. Gavin wanted to groan. “But it will ruin the line of the bodice if they change it too much.”
Luke’s broad grin reminded Gavin that he had an overly interested audience. “Ah, well, we wouldn’t want to ruin any lines. Humor me in one thing, though. Avoid standing in front of bright lights.”
Allie laid a hand on his forearm. “Promise. I think the front is kind of low cut, too, but the rest of it is so pretty.” She swished the skirt with her free hand, destroying the last of his resistance with that simple gesture of childlike pleasure.
Miranda swayed up to her husband. “And do I have your seal of approval?”
“Am I allowed to tackle anyone who looks at you too long?” Luke asked, setting his hands on her hips and drawing her between his knees.
“Define ‘too long,’” Miranda purred.
“More than three seconds.”
“That will make for very brief conversations.” She smiled and kissed him in a way that let everyone know that, for Miranda, there was no one else in the room at that moment.
Gavin clenched his fists to prevent himself from dragging Allie between his legs and ravishing her soft, sweet mouth as well. Instead, he cleared his throat in an irritating way. “I understand they have very comfortable rooms upstairs.”
“Go to hell, Miller.” But Luke released his wife.
Miranda’s lips curled into an impish smile as she faced Gavin. “You might consider a necklace to draw the eye away from the, um, dramatic neckline.”
“Of course,” Gavin said, leaping down from the stool. “We will go in search of jewels to adorn you. I understand they have a selection available here for that purpose.”
Allie narrowed her eyes at him. “Is the jewelry included in the ticket price, too?”
“No, but we can just borrow them for the evening, like the Oscars.”
“Oh, that’s all right, then.” He saw the tension leave her shoulders. “Are you coming, Miranda?”
“Tempting, but I’ve got my own jewelry back at Nathan’s house,” she said. “Although if you need a third opinion, just text me.”
As Gavin picked up his notepad and thrust it in his pocket, Luke said, “And I’ll be happy to offer my opinion, just like you did after our visit to Miranda’s farm.”
Gavin muttered something unflattering about Luke Archer, but Allie felt Luke’s comment soak into her heart like a balm. She remembered the story of Gavin intervening in Luke and Miranda’s courtship. Now it seemed as though Luke believed there was something similar between Gavin and her.
However, a more immediate concern was Gavin’s reaction to her dress. She wasn’t entirely convinced that he approved of it. On the other hand, she loved the way his face had gone tight with lust when he looked at her chest. So maybe it was worth a little immodesty.
She couldn’t help sighing inwardly over the way the giant blond athlete had engulfed his tiny wife with his body, handling her as though she was both precious and hungered for. Miranda was so warm and down-to-earth, yet she had captured the love of the superstar quarterback. The thought fanned the tiny, unwarranted flicker of hope that burned deep inside Allie.
“The jewel room is through there,” another black-clad dress assistant said in answer to Gavin’s question.
“I don’t know much about accessorizing with jewelry,” Allie said, suddenly nervous about the next step in her fashion adventure.
“Oh, I’m sure there will an expert more than willing to help you.” Gavin propelled her forward. “Maybe we can find one of those drapey collar necklaces that hang down very low.”
“Gavin, I don’t have to wear—”
“Joking.” But he sounded cranky. Her hope flared a little brighter.
“Mr. Miller, how may I help you?” A tall brunette in a cream-colored suit stepped forward as they passed into a library that had been converted to a jewelry showroom with glass cases and wheeled locking chests.
“My lovely companion, Allie, needs a necklace to draw attention to her neck, rather than her neckline.”
The brunette smiled. “I’m Helen. I think I have the perfect piece for you.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Gavin asked. “Show her several before you get to the perfect one.”
That was pure Gavin. Allie grinned.
Helen obliged them by beginning with an absurdly ornate collar that
dripped with diamonds. The cold weight of the stones against her skin made Allie shiver, although she twisted and turned to bring out their sparkle. Gavin’s grumpy mood seemed to dissipate as she modeled a few more outrageous gems.
“Now the one I think you’ll want. It’s by a new designer, a little edgy.” Helen unlocked one of the chests and slid out a drawer, lifting a necklace onto the velvet pad in front of Allie. “These are Paraiba tourmalines,” the jeweler said, pointing to the irregularly shaped green gems. “They’re found in only one region of Brazil, making them quite rare and desirable. These are a particularly glorious shade that hovers between green and blue.”
Their color was so intense that the stones seemed to glow with their own light source. They were set in bezels of tiny diamonds and joined together with more small diamonds. A larger diamond was attached to each bezel in a seemingly random position, which somehow added that modern edge Helen mentioned.
“It’s stunning,” Allie breathed.
“Allow me.” Gavin lifted the necklace and draped it around Allie’s throat. The tickle of his fingers against her nape as he fiddled with the clasp sent tremors of delight surging over her skin. He made a sound of satisfaction before he let his fingertip drift down the line of her spine, turning the tremors into tiny earthquakes rolling through her.
Fighting her yearning to lean back into Gavin, she focused on her reflection in the mirror. The jewels shimmered against her pale skin and tamed the red of her hair to near elegance. The sequined starfish on her dress evoked the sea, and the necklace seemed to contain it in each stone. Allie touched one of the gems as she admired how the brilliance and color brought out the delicacy of the dress.
She met Gavin’s eyes in the mirror. He smiled. “Helen got it right.” Then he leaned over, his body just brushing her back, to whisper beside her ear. “Tonight I want you to wear the necklace and nothing else.”
“We’ll take it,” Allie said in a rush as his breath seemed to feather over her in places he was nowhere near.
“Don’t you want to try on earrings as well? And I think a statement ring.”
“Whatever you recommend is fine.”
Helen laid out earrings that were simply a long chain of small diamonds, each circled in gold. “We don’t want to compete with the necklace, so something delicate is best,” she said. “And this ring in the shape of a sea urchin, worn on your index finger, will add the right touch of whimsy.”
Allie hung the earrings from her earlobes and slipped the large, jewel-encrusted dome ring on her finger, as instructed. “Works for me,” she said.
Gavin slid his finger under one of the dangling earrings, letting it drape over his skin. “You’ll dazzle them all at the gala.” He ran the back of his hand down the side of her throat, making her skin tingle and flare. He turned to Helen. “Draw up the papers and we’ll be on our way with our king’s ransom in jewels.”
“Borrowed jewels,” Allie clarified, her gaze on Gavin’s.
“Of course,” he said.
Helen printed out several sheets of paper and laid them on a leather blotter set on top of the jewelry case. Allie peered around Gavin’s shoulder to see photos of each piece of jewelry on the papers. Gavin pulled out his pen and began to sign where Helen indicated.
There was one odd moment where he paused and raised his eyebrows at the jewelry expert. Some silent communication passed between them, and Gavin signed his name yet again.
As Gavin tucked the elegant bag containing the leather-and-velvet jewelry cases under his arm, Allie asked, “What was that about?”
“What?”
“The signature thingie.”
“Oh, I have to guarantee that if you go skinny-dipping in the ocean and lose a gem or two, I will pay for the loss. It’s standard insurance red tape.” He put his arm around her waist. “You were meant to wear sparkling jewels. Do you like them?”
The question was asked with a note of uncertainty that struck her in the heart. “I feel like a princess.”
“You look like a goddess, ready to drive a chariot pulled by sea horses over the waves, with your mortal lover by your side.”
Allie stopped breathing, caught in the spell woven by his eyes and his words, waiting to hear how he would end the story.
“Allie! Gavin! I’m so glad we caught you before you left!” Chloe Russell’s cheery voice broke the spell before she hugged them both.
Nathan strolled up behind her, giving Allie a kiss on the cheek and offering a handshake to Gavin. Allie couldn’t believe that these rich-beyond-belief people were being so nice to her.
“Miller, I see you are about to make your escape,” Nathan said with a rueful gleam in his gray eyes. “Archer has already deserted me.”
“Allie still has to change into her street clothes, so why don’t you two go off to the bar?” Chloe said.
“We’ve been given our marching orders,” Nathan said, kissing his fiancée on the lips she eagerly turned up to his.
When the men walked off together, Allie was struck by the unconscious power they exuded. They were both dressed casually—Gavin in his jeans and black sweater, and Nathan in gray flannels and a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up—but the air around them crackled with the sheer force of their presence.
“They’re pretty impressive guys, aren’t they?” Chloe asked, her eyes shining as she followed their progress.
Allie nodded, letting Chloe walk ahead before she murmured, “Too impressive.”
Chapter 24
Gavin hit “Save” and lifted his eyes from the computer screen to the ocean darkening from green to steel gray in the fading sunlight. Possibilities for the book’s next scene danced above the perpetual curl and collapse of the breakers.
Pivoting, he saw that Allie was engrossed in reading something on her computer, her red hair glowing in the light of the lamp beside her. Pie was stretched out on the top of the desk, her eyes mere slits, while Allie’s hand moved rhythmically over the cat’s fur.
He wanted to stop time at this moment, to freeze this tableau in a snow globe, but not with snow. It would have tiny golden glitter to evoke the sense of lightness within him. Something he could take out in the dark times, shake, and remember that there was another way to feel.
Guilt buzzed around his good mood like a fly. Nathan had reminded him that Ben Cavill would be at the ball. Gavin needed to confess his lie to Allie before Ben made him look even worse. She would have every right to be pissed off at him, and he had no defense except pure selfishness. He glanced at her again and decided to prolong the honeymoon a little longer.
To distract himself from his dilemma, Gavin clicked on his e-mail inbox. And wished he hadn’t. Ruth’s name jumped out at him, reminding him that he’d promised to look at her damned box again.
He growled.
“Gavin?” He loved the way Allie said his name, elongating the first syllable slightly.
He swiveled his chair toward her with a sense of relief. “Will you help me with something personal?” he asked.
“You know I will.”
He did, and it made all the difference in the world. He stood and walked over to her with his hand held out. She laid her palm against his so he could close his fingers around all that strength and gentleness.
She stood and searched his face with her clear gray eyes. “You look nervous,” she said. “What is it?”
“Pandora’s box.” He grimaced. “My stepsister Ruth sent it after my father died.”
“You’re afraid of what’s in it.” Her fingers curled more tightly around his. “I’ll look first and tell you.”
“It doesn’t involve severed heads, just books. My books.” He started toward the door. “I glanced at the top layer once, but Ruth seems to feel there’s something of significance there that I’m missing. So I promised her I would take another shot at the carton.”
“I’m flattered that you want me there.”
There was an odd note in her voice, one that unsettled him f
or a moment, but he was focused on doing his unpleasant duty, so he stored it away for later. “I’m using you as a crutch.”
“That’s a job I’m trained to do,” she said, confidence back in her voice. “I’ve held up bigger men than you.”
“I don’t want to know about your other men.”
Allie gave that funny little snort that meant he was being foolish, and she wasn’t going to bother to respond. He loved that about her, too.
Loved. The word stopped him for a moment. He used that word about Allie more and more. It was a figure of speech, but he understood the power of words. It was something to think about when he wasn’t facing the repellent task of rooting through Ruth’s box of bad memories.
They walked down the long hall to the room where he stored his papers. It held numerous built-in filing cabinets, a partners’ desk, and several comfortable chairs. The carton was still sitting on top of the desk where he’d left it, its cardboard flaps untaped but folded closed.
Seeing the box brought back the swirling misery of the weeks after his father’s death. His chest felt as though it would cave in under the weight.
“You sit down and I’ll unpack it,” Allie said, towing him over to one of the armchairs. After he dropped into the chair, she cupped her hands against his cheeks. “If it gets too bad, I’ll slam the top shut and keep all the hurt inside.” She kissed him, her lips so tender against his that he felt an easing of the weight, as though she had taken some of it onto herself.
Walking to the desk, she flipped open the flaps. Gavin shoved out of the chair and paced over to the window to stare at the dark sea.
“Is it all right if I unwrap one of the books?” Allie asked.
He pivoted and leaned his shoulder against the window frame. Allie stood holding a plastic-wrapped hardcover in her hand.
“Go ahead, but you won’t find anything. I wrapped the book myself before I sent it to him.”
“Do you really think he never opened it?” Allie’s voice was clogged with sadness as well as something sweeter. She put it on the desk and carefully peeled the tape up. “It’s been opened and resealed. I can see where the edge of the tape originally was.” She looked up at him with an excited smile. “He looked inside.”
The VIP Doubles Down (Wager of Hearts Book 3) Page 26