by Maggie Marr
“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.”
“I’m not dodging work,” Leo grumbled. He was putting in his time as he always did. Granted, he had to work much harder to focus because thoughts of Gwen infiltrated his mind every other minute. “Besides it’s new, we’re—”
“Don’t say you’re not serious.”
Leo cut his gaze over toward his brother. Justin’s face held a smug older-brother look Leo could see even through the growing twilight gloom.
“I’ve watched the parade of women you’ve blown through, and this one is different. Don’t even try to say that she’s not.”
Leo nodded. Justin was correct. Gwen was different. Different type. Different feelings. Different expectations, and perhaps even a different outcome.
“Bring her.”
“Can’t. She’s kind of—” How to put it? “She’s more private than the women I’ve dated in the past.”
“Not a bad thing. At least she’s not using you to up her public image.”
No. Gwen wasn’t using him for that. In fact, she seemed to think word getting about them dating could be more of a social liability than an asset. The brothers pulled up short in front of the offices. Leo walked in tight circles, trying to catch his breath.
“I was thinking Sunday dinner after the shower.”
“Bring her,” Justin said, gasping as he recovered from their run. “But that’s an intense one too. The entire family will be there.”
“She knows.”
“Brave girl,” Justin said. They walked into the warm lobby of the building.
“I guess.” Leo pressed the elevator call button.
“Come on, seriously? She’s gutsy enough to date one of the most dedicated bachelors in New York. She’s either brave or doesn’t want a relationship. And now, she’s agreed to eat with all of us at a family dinner?” They both entered the elevator. “That’s bravery, all right.”
Leo pressed the button for the forty-second floor. Was Gwen brave, or was he a fool to think that this thing between them was special? Or that they wanted the same things. They hadn’t discussed what she wanted or what he wanted…and what if those ideas were completely different. Granted, he didn’t want a convenient arrangement with Gwen, and he wasn’t just after a good time…but what did he want? He didn’t want kids and a house…a wife? Maybe. Someday. Not now. Maybe with Gwe—
“What the hell, man? You’ve got that way-too-serious look on your face.” Justin bent forward and stretched his hamstrings as they rode up to the top floor.
“No. Maybe.” The elevator dinged, opening onto the empty lobby of Travati Financial. He and Gwen were getting takeout tonight and watching a movie. Justin walked past him toward his office door. “Hey,” Leo called out. Justin turned back. “How did you know? With Aubrey?”
Justin shrugged. “It was different for us.”
“I know, but how did you know?”
“It was—” A smile flitted across Justin’s face. He shook his head. “I didn’t. For a while, I didn’t know.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “One day it hit me, that no matter how amazing my life was with the business, the success, the money, the cars, the trips, the jets…with all of it combined, no matter how awesome it was, my life would never be as good without her as it would be with her.”
Leo raised one eyebrow at his brother. “Dude? Way too much estrogen in your life. Seriously. We need to run more often.”
“What?” Justin smiled and laughed. “You asked.”
“I did,” Leo said. “I absolutely did.”
Chapter 14
Her legs would make a sculptor weep. Leo lay in Gwen’s bed, the pink flowered sheets tousled around him, watching her get dressed. She stood in front of the full-length closet mirror. First she adjusted the shortish skirt of her dress and then bent forward and clasped the tiny straps of her high heels. Best view he’d ever experienced. Every part of him wanted to lunge from the bed, grab her, and rip off her clothes, baby shower be damned.
“Don’t even think about it.” She shot a pointed glance at his reflection in the mirror.
“No idea what you’re talking about.” He sat up and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
“I see it in your eyes. Some of us have to be at the party early for set up.” She looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a flirty smile. “I don’t have time to roll around in bed again this morning.”
Leo scooted forward across the bed as if he were trying to grab her. She yelped and hopped away, laughing. “Stop! Not kidding. I have to get to Aubrey’s. I’m already twenty minutes behind schedule.”
“You’ve got hours before the party.”
“Hours of work. You think these things just happen?” Gwen grabbed her purse and coat from the chair in the corner of her bedroom. As she walked toward him, his gaze traveled up over those gorgeous legs, to her hips, her breasts, and her now-flushed cheeks. “I’ll see you soon.” She leaned down and kissed him.
*
Amazing. A growl escaped his throat. “You sure you don’t have a little extra time?”
“I already had ‘a little extra time’ before my shower,” she whispered against his lips, kissing him again.
His sex was hard and, damn, he wanted her. He reached out, but she pulled away from his grasp.
“I could stay here all day,” she sighed.
He wished she would. Without the dress, but she could wear the high heels.
She headed toward the bedroom door. “See you in a couple hours.”
Leo nodded and she gave him a little wave as she disappeared from his view. Her front door slammed shut. He got up from the bed. He had enough time to get Renley and go for a run before he had to be at the baby shower later today. But first a shower, a very cold shower to be sure.
*
Look at these!” Aubrey held up a pair of knitted Tiffany-blue booties with white bows. “Aren’t they the cutest?” The gaggle o
f women seated around her oohed and aahed. Yes, they were indeed the cutest.
Gwen skirted the perimeter of the party. Shelly, tasked with keeping the thank-you list, sat at Aubrey’s elbow and wrote down the name of each gift-giver and their gift in a little notebook Gwen had provided. Everyone had a drink. The buffet still held plenty of delicious food. Hot tea, coffee, lemonade,—all still well stocked. Nina leaned against the door frame in her chef’s coat, watching her sister open her next gift.
“I thought you promised to enjoy the party,” Gwen whispered.
“Right back at you. Don’t think I haven’t seen you circling and directing staff.” Touché. Nina was correct. While Aubrey had asked Gwen to enjoy the party, Gwen couldn’t just arrive and then think that the details would take care of themselves.
“Looks like we’re both a little Type-A when it comes to our work,” Nina murmured. “Oh my, look at that.” Aubrey held out the most adorable onesie in a pale shade of yellow. “My ovaries might explode.”
“Mine already did,” Gwen admitted.
“At least you’ve got a shot at becoming a parent,” Nina said. “What’s this I hear about a guy?”
Gwen’s eyes automatically drifted across the room to where Leo stood beside the youngest Travati brother, Devon. Both of them clasped beer bottles, affecting extremely bacheloresque stances well away from the gift-opening. In fact, most of the male attendees had managed to get out of the immediate vicinity of the cooing women.
“Hellooo, earth to Gwen. The guy—”
“What guy?”
“Well, not the guy over there.” Nina jerked her head toward Leo. “He’d be bad news for any friend of mine.” She smiled, but shook her head. “He’s family, but I wouldn’t set him up with anyone I know.”
Gwen pursed her lips. Same song, different sister. Aubrey’s comments had been eerily along the same lines. Wow. Two of her closest friends, and neither would want her seeing the man she was currently falling for. Leo’s gaze flickered toward her.
Her body exploded with heat. Just looking at him, their eyes connecting, the entire room dropped away, all the people and noise and activity, as though only the two of them stood there.
“Bringing the new guy to Sunday dinner tomorrow?” Nina asked. “I’m cooking.”
Gwen smoothed a hand over her hair and looked at Nina. “I asked him and he said yes.”
“Really? We’re going to meet him? Finally.”
Gwen looked back toward Leo, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Her desire for him was strong, and still her pulse beat out an erratic tune. If the relationship between her and Leo didn’t work out, and she guessed no one but her would think it could, she might lose her closest friends. One half of a broken-up couple always got the friends, and it wasn’t even like theirs would have a choice—Leo’s was family, and family came first to the Travatis. Plus people would talk, wouldn’t they?
She pulled in a deep breath. My goodness, what was she thinking? She wasn’t thinking, was she? At least not with her head. Her heart—yes, her heart was leading her, and well, another part of her body was as well.
But it was time to stop hiding. A smile broke over Gwen’s face. Yes, finally, her best friends would know that the man she was dating—the man of her dreams—and the guy they thought was a complete horror show commitment-wise were one and the same.
*
Devon leaned closer to Leo. “Can you believe these women?” He shook his head. “I mean, what the hell? You show them a tiny pair of socks and it’s like they’ve seen God.”
Leo took a pull on his beer. Dev had a point. The level of estrogen in the room was nearing toxic levels for all testosterone-bearing creatures.
“Thank God most of them are married,” Devon said. Their sister-in-law held up another onesie, this time in mint green. “Otherwise it’d be a feeding frenzy after she’s done with her gifts.”
Leo glanced at Gwen. She sat on a chair beside his soon-to-be sister-in-law Shelly and the big-as-a-manatee Aubrey. Gwen lifted a fuzzy blanket and whispered something to Shelly. Then Gwen closed her eyes, rubbed the soft fabric against her cheek, and smiled.
Leo’s gut knotted. He swallowed. That was a look of euphoria on Gwen’s face. Pure and utter desire mixed with longing shot through with need and bliss. Damn. Leo swigged his beer. The liquid tasted sour.
Hell.
Seeing that one look from Gwen, Leo knew he was doomed. That look was the I-am-a-baby-factory-and-want-to-be-a-mother look. Either his freedom and fantastic lifestyle were going down for the count, or this relationship-type thing with Gwen was. He tapped his fingers on the side of his beer bottle. Maybe not, maybe he was overreacting. Gwen opened her eyes and her gaze locked with his, a dreamy drunk expression that could only be from thoughts of naked babies in baskets reaching out doughy-fisted hands toward her plastered across her face. A gooey smile turned up the corners of her lips.
His chest tightened. He nodded, his face frozen into what he hoped was a neutral expression.
No, not overreacting.
Gwen’s cheeks pinked, but the smile lingered on her face and she lowered the white baby blanket to her lap. The future full of babies that entranced her, terrified. He nodded and smiled and then broke eye contact to look back toward Aubrey.
“Is it hot in here?” he whispered to Devon.
“Not really.”
Leo tilted his beer and finished the last sip. His collar felt tight, and he was nearly dripping sweat. “Going for another.” Leo ducked behind his brother and toward the kitchen. The kitchen? Like he really wanted to talk to Nina? She’d gut him like a fish with questions about who he was seeing. Instead, he wove through the staff and toward the back of the penthouse, toward escape. He tossed his beer bottle into recycling.
“Heading out?” Justin turned the corner, his arms laden with ripped wrapping paper.
“You’ll tell Aubrey good-bye for me?”
“Surprised you and Devon stayed this long.” Justin set the shredded bows and used boxes into recycling. “Waaaay too much baby stuff for you two.”
Leo nodded, shot his brother a half smile, and ducked out the door, into the back hallway that led to the second elevator. Screw it, he’d leave his coat behind. He needed to get out of the penthouse, away from all that estrogen and baby-making love to someplace where he could breathe.
*
Leo had left the party. Gwen hadn’t seen him, exit but she’d felt a shift in the room’s atmosphere when he’d exited, almost as though the life and excitement had drained out of the event. He was gone. And he hadn’t even said good-bye. Of course they weren’t there together and Gwen was busy helping with the party, but neither of those things had stopped him from kissing her on New Year’s Eve nor from corralling her into Anthony’s den on New Year’s Day. He could have at least winked or waved before he’d left.
“Today was perfect.” Aubrey’s words pulled Gwen’s thoughts back from Leo. Aubrey lay on the couch with her feet propped up, a cup of tea in her hand. Nina was in the kitchen cleaning up and putting away leftovers. Shelly sorted baby gifts and Gwen entered the handwritten list for thank-you cards into a spreadsheet.
“I thought it was beautiful,” Gwen said. “I can’t wait to meet the baby.”
Aubrey rested a hand on her giant baby bump. “Neither can I.” She rubbed her palm gently over the curve of her belly. “I was surprised Devon and Leo showed up.”
“Really?” Gwen picked up one of the gifts, her tone light, nonchalant. Tomorrow was soon enough for Aubrey to know that she and Leo were dating.
“Devon is so focused on the federal investigation and trial, and Leo, well, he’s the last guy on earth to ever want kids.”
Gwen’s heart stopped. She held a teeny set of velour footie pajamas with a rabbit on the front. Leo never wanted children. Of course Aubrey had already said so, and she’d guessed as much even before then. But she wanted children. What was she doing? Why was she giving her heart away to a man who held
such a different view of an ideal future? She couldn’t change Leo, wouldn’t change him. Even if they did get serious, get married, and she did get pregnant, that didn’t mean she’d have changed him. No. No, he’d simply be a man with children who didn’t want them. And that was unfair to the children, wasn’t it? She’d experienced that first-hand with her own parents. Still recovering. Still trying to understand the dynamic between her and her father.
Her hand came to her mouth unconsciously, her fingertips to her lips.
“You okay?” Aubrey leaned forward, concern shadowed her face.
“Yeah, of course.” Gwen shook her head and summoned a small false smile. “I just remembered something, a conflict I need to take care of.”
“You look like it’s much worse than that.”
Gwen put a bit more effort into her smile as she typed the name of the person who’d given Aubrey the gorgeous pajamas with the bunny applique into her spreadsheet. Worse than that? It was and it wasn’t. The conflict definitely changed her feelings about what she and Leo were doing together. While she might mean more to him than a convenient arrangement, that didn’t mean he’d want to change his entire vision for his life, and she wouldn’t want him to. No. She’d witnessed how angry, how unhappy, just how bitter a man could be who was forced into being a father. She wouldn’t want that reality for her own children, no matter how much she thought that she might love Leo Travati.
“Are you bringing the boyfriend tomorrow?” Aubrey asked, a warm lilt in her voice.
The boyfriend. Wow, was Leo even that? She’d thought that they’d arrive together for Sunday dinner tomorrow, but now…now…why even have that moment? Why subject everyone to an uncomfortable scene, as it would be when the family found out who she’d been dating, when she already knew the relationship’s inevitable outcome? She was certain the affair with Leo would end. She wanted kids. A marriage. A home life that included PTA, and loud Saturday mornings and soccer and ballet class and messy sticky fingers and well…it would seem Leo didn’t. So why? Why go through the motions of being involved when really, she would just fall deeper and deeper and harder and harder and the pieces of her shattered heart would be that much more impossible to put back together when they finally faced the truth that the two of them wanted completely and utterly different lives.