“What competition?” Gemma put down her fork. Rosanna’s rambling had her beyond confused. “Are you talking about the owner or his son?”
“I’m talking about his son and the supermodels, of course.” She frowned. “I asked Armando if he knew of any respectable men who would be interested in more of a full-figured woman.
“Armando? What? Please don’t tell me you pimped me out to some office bigwig.”
Rosanna lifted her dark, overly thinned brows. “Gemma, you make it sound wrong.”
Appetite suddenly lost, Gemma stood. “It is wrong. For one, I don’t need your help finding a man. I’m not desperate. Second, I don’t appreciate you telling the world how fat I am.”
“Honey, I didn’t say you were fat. I said you were full-figured.”
“What does it matter? For your information, I’m considered average in weight. Not that I should have to explain anything.” She pushed in her chair and grabbed her purse. Taking out a twenty, she tossed it on the table. “Here is my share. Enjoy your lunch.”
“Sweetie.” Rosanna stood.
Gemma turned and walked straight into a suited wall. “I’m so sorry.”
“Armando,” Rosanna said.
Armando? She lifted her head and locked gazes with Sebastian’s father. “Oh.” Crap. She stepped back. “Hi.”
He tilted his head slightly in greeting. “Miss Ashton, isn’t it?”
“You two know each other?” Rosanna sashayed around her and stood beside Mr. Reyes.
“We met this past weekend.” Gemma shook her head. “This is the Armando you mentioned?”
Rosanna smiled. “Yes.”
“Oh.” She took a breath then felt her stomach drop. Could this be any more humiliating? “Um, well. I was on my way out. Nice to see you again, Mr. Reyes.”
He gave her a curt nod, his espresso brown eyes seeming to bore into her. Sebastian must have taken his mother’s eye color, as his were a soft evergreen mixed with a golden brown.
“Gemma, honey?” Rosanna edged toward her.
Ugh, that sounded like her cue. “’Bye.” She half-waved, half-curtsied and rushed past them.
Outside, a curtain of humidity encased her. Squinting beneath the sun’s glare, she fished through her purse for sunglasses. Unbelievable. She’d curtsied in front of Sebastian’s father. How embarrassing, especially after the spectacle she’d been a part of the past weekend. And if he owned Rosanna’s company, was Sebastian the engaged photographer? But he’d kissed her.
Her eyes burned and she let out a shaky breath. She stopped walking and hoisted up her purse. “Where are my sunglasses?”
“Gemma?” Sebastian wore black slacks and a black dress shirt. A large camera bag hung off one shoulder. “What are you doing here?”
This couldn’t be happening. Tears pooled in her eyes as she snagged her sunglasses and slipped them on. “I’m coming from lunch with my stepmom.”
“I’m meeting my father. Sort of a working lunch.”
She nodded, afraid to speak over the knot in her throat. She was so naive. Of course he would be engaged to a supermodel. Within his social circles, he probably kissed a new girl every night.
Sebastian shifted in place and smoothed a hand through his ebony waves. “I’m sorry about Saturday—
“I’m over it.” She bit her lip and kept it from trembling. “Look, I can’t chat. I’ve got to get back to work. See you in class later, okay?” She moved past him.
“Yeah, okay,” he replied.
Chest tight, she closed her eyes. Two solitary tears streamed down her cheeks, and she hated herself for the weakness they revealed.
Chapter 4
“I’d like to sign up for Zumba lessons.” Nikolai walked into Sebastian’s empty dance studio and shimmied his hips.
“I don’t teach Zumba. You’d have to go to the aerobics classes a few blocks down,” said Sebastian as he pushed a sweeper across the polished wood floor. “Although I’d hold off on whipping out that move. It might make even the most enthusiastic Zumba instructor cringe.”
Nikolai frowned. “Says you, but you don’t teach Zumba so what do you know?” He clasped his hands together. “Ready for a beer?”
“Nah. Not in the mood.”
“Seriously?” Nikolai lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.” He placed the sweeper in a closet. “Maybe next week.”
“This has to do with Gemma. You like her. That’s why you’re moping around.”
“I’m not moping.”
“Yeah, right. Did you apologize to her for the kiss?”
Of course Nikolai would push him. “She didn’t want to hear it. Besides, none of it matters. She’s a human. You know what my father expects of me.”
Nikolai crossed his arms and leaned against a wall. “Yeah, and you know what I think of that.”
“I just can’t get her out of my mind. She’s different, you know?” He met Nikolai’s gaze.
“You’re making this complicated, Bastian.” Nikolai rubbed his forehead with the heel of one hand. “Because she’s human doesn’t mean you can’t have her, but do you really want to bring her into your world? I suggest you sleep with her, get her out of your system then move on.”
Nikolai was right. Nothing with Gemma could last. Even with the recent legislation change, they were from two different worlds. “You’re right. No complications. I’ve just got to get her out of my system.” The words sounded hollow, even to him.
“Of course I’m right. Now, let’s get a beer.”
Sebastian shook his head. “I’m tired. I’ve been training a pair for a competition. I’m closing up here and I’ll call it a night.”
Nikolai pushed off the wall. “We still on for basketball on Saturday?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
“See you then.” Nikolai waved and left the studio.
Sebastian turned out the lights and climbed the stairs to his apartment. Gemma hadn’t shown up for class tonight, even after she’d said she would. More than likely she was fine, yet… He paused on one of the steps, lifted his left wrist. The screen on his black G-Shock read nine fifty-two. He turned and hurried down the stairs. Who was he kidding? Life without complications didn’t exist for him.
* * * *
“Sara, red wine has healing properties, doesn’t it?” Gemma asked into her iPhone. She swore she’d heard something good about red wine. She sipped the burgundy nectar then tried to slip on her terrycloth robe, which proved difficult while holding her phone and wineglass.
“I’m not sure,” said Sara. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I need brain healing.” She sipped again. “Mmm, good.” Three glasses of wine and she was ready to tango across her apartment’s parking lot.
“You don’t need brain healing. You need a more supportive family and more confidence in yourself.”
“Don’t forget a new crush. Preferably one who isn’t engaged or a liar. Why didn’t he tell me the truth?”
“I don’t know.” Sara paused. “Probably because he was busy arguing with his father and kissing you. Besides, I’m not sure I believe everything your stepmom said. Sebastian and I talk quite a bit. I would think he’d tell me if he were engaged. And we’ve been his students for months now. Wouldn’t we have seen a fiancée?”
“Who knows?” Paused in front of the mirror, she wiped her eyeliner-smudged eyes with the heel of her hand. “Man, I look like crap right now.” She tried to smooth down a few unruly curls then gave up.
“I’m sure you don’t.”
Chimes echoed throughout the apartment, and she jumped, spilling wine on the sleeve of her robe. Who would drop by now? “Shit. Sara, someone’s at my door.”
“Do you know who?”
“No. Hold on.” At the door, she placed her eye against the peephole. Sebastian, dressed in a gray hoodie, glanced around, flexed his jaw. “Oh, crap. It’s him. He even looks good dressed down.”
“Who?” Sara�
��s voice echoed with alarm.
“Who do you think? Sebastian.”
“Gemma, is everything okay?” Sebastian asked from outside her door.
“Yep.” She ran back to the mirror, spilled more wine. “Shit, he’s talking to me. What do I do?”
Sara’s laughter rang through the phone. “Boy, is he in for a surprise. Hang up the phone and answer the door, dingbat. And try not to act drunk. Call me tomorrow. I want to hear everything.”
“I will. I’ve got to go.” She ended the call, put down the nearly empty glass and grabbed a Kleenex. Where to start? She ran to the sink, wet the tissue and wiped her entire face.
“Gemma, I hear you. What’s going on?”
What the hell, here goes. She stumbled to the door and swung it wide. “Nothing.”
“What happened?” He cupped her face, turned it from side to side. “Did someone hurt you? You have a red stain on your sleeve and your robe is half off.” His hands moved down her neck and over the thick straps of her silk nightgown. “Why aren’t you speaking?”
“Because you’re talking.” And because she enjoyed the feel of his hands making their way down her body. Bad Gemma.
Sebastian held her shoulders and studied her face. “Gemma, you’re drunk.”
“Bingo.” She smiled then remembered his engaged status. “Oh God. You should be with her now.” Tears pooled in her eyes, making the room blurry. Not again with the crying. Gosh, she felt like a basket case.
“Be with whom? What are you talking about? What’s wrong?”
She blew out a long breath and closed her eyes. The wine made her silly. “Your fiancée. Why didn’t I know about her?” She shook her head. “Don’t answer that. And you’re a photographer who goes out with supermodels too. It’s like you live a double life.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying. I am a freelance photographer on occasion. Sometimes my father asks me to shoot for him. Only when a photographer cancels. I swear.”
“And your fiancée?”
He smiled, and she fixated on his straight, white teeth. “Gemma, if I were engaged, you’d know.”
“I would?” How?
His smile disappeared and eyes darkened. “I thought I made my feelings clear the other night.” He turned away. “Admittedly, in the most idiotic way and for that I apologize but—”
She placed a hand against his chest and met his gaze. Tonight it appeared more green than brown. “Please don’t play with my emotions. I’m not sure I could handle that right now.”
“I’m not playing, sweetheart. The other night, audience or not, I wanted to kiss you. I still do.” He bent his head and pressed his mouth to hers, coaxed her open with his smooth, warm lips and hot tongue, deepening the kiss.
As he caressed her hips, butt and back, a moan escaped her. How many times had she dreamed of this, imagined him wanting her? She leaned in and laid her head against his chest.
He rested his chin lightly on her head. “You feel amazing.”
The words were what she wanted to hear, but his tone reflected sadness. “What are you doing here?” she asked, suddenly feeling too sober.
“You weren’t in class.” He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Okay? This was too surreal. Could she trust him?
He leaned in, kissed the side of her jaw then trailed kisses down her neck. At the crook between her neck and shoulder, he inhaled deep. “You smell like sunflowers and wine. Were you celebrating something?”
“Not really.” She shrugged, putting distance between them. “I had a bad day, I needed to unwind.”
He stepped back, studied her, making her feel vulnerable. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” Why drag him down with a pity party? She was done with it herself.
“I can respect that.” He pressed his lips into a straight line. “Gemma, would you go out with me this Saturday? I know a great place only a couple miles from here. I could pick you up around seven thirty?”
She could barely breathe. “I don’t know.”
He put his hands in his pockets. “I know I haven’t exactly made a good impression outside dance class. That wasn’t my intention and despite my probably poor timing, I’m trying to change that impression. Please, give me a chance.” His mouth curved upward in a sort of half-smile and dimples peeked out at her. “For you, I’d beg, but I’d rather not.”
He was so damn sexy she could hardly concentrate. Dark waves curled around his ears and touched the edge of his jaw. She itched to run her fingers through them. “Fine, only because I don’t want to see you beg.”
“Great. I’ll leave now before you change your mind.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Until Saturday,” he whispered then turned and stalked out her front door.
Gemma closed the door and leaned against it. The man was too irresistible for his own good.
Chapter 5
Gemma wasn’t a huge coffee drinker, but after a restless night, she needed something. The image of a red-eyed Sebastian flashed in her mind, and she touched her neck. Last night, she’d dreamed of Victor strangling her. She couldn’t quite remember how, but Sebastian had saved her. Only, his eyes had burned like molten lava. Demon eyes. Why would she dream of him as a demon?
She sipped, and bitter liquid coated her mouth, sticking to her tongue and throat like black tar. Yuck, no wonder Carlyn swore by Starbuck’s.
“Gemma, are the report copies ready?” her boss, Mr. Cooperton, asked from inside his office.
“Almost,” she called out. Placing her cup on a counter beside the copy machine, she lifted the machine’s lid. “I’m on the last page.” She set a sheet down on the scanner.
“Great. I need it for my meeting after lunch.”
“Yes, I know, sir.” He had only mentioned it a dozen times that morning. At least she had come in early and finished the report. The copier worked at a snail’s pace. To make matters worse, the screen beeped and flashed red.
“What now?” Gemma opened the paper tray. “Of course you’d run out of paper now.” Ugh. She placed her stack of copies on the counter next to the machine, refilled the copier’s tray with paper then closed it. “That should do it. Work with me here.”
“Talking to the copier? Now that’s a new low,” Lila Patterson said. “Are you so lonely?”
Gemma jumped, knocking the counter and tipping over her coffee. Brown liquid splattered the pile of copies she’d finished. “No. Oh, shit.” She righted the cup and swept coffee off her newly printed reports. Tan stains covered them like outstretched tentacles. “Damn it.”
Lila neared. “Yikes, that doesn’t look good.”
Did Lila always have to state the obvious? Tall and lithe, she physically embodied everything Gemma wanted to be, and it stopped there. Her cat-like green eyes and blond waves made her a favorite with the men, but not everyone in the office was easily fooled. Plain and simple, Lila possessed a reputation for being a first class bitch. She had a way of putting others down and rubbing their face in it. The type of woman who could easily dish it, but not take it.
Despite the temptation to throw jabs, she resisted stooping to her level. “Is there something you needed?”
“From you?” Lila tossed her hair behind her shoulders. “What could you possibly give me? A donation of fat?” She laughed and turned away. “A couple inches off the hips, Gemma, and you might not have destroyed those copies. Oops.”
Gemma clenched her teeth as Lila left the room. Didn’t she have any work to do? Definitely a bitch, but she had a point. If Gemma were a bit smaller and less clumsy, maybe she wouldn’t be scrambling to get Mr. Cooperton’s copies to him on time.
“Is everything all right, Gemma? You’re pale.” Carlyn entered the copy room and lifted the lid of the copy machine.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she lied. Carlyn hated Lila more t
han most but there was no reason to add fuel to the fire. “Just didn’t sleep well last night.”
Carlyn smiled. “Yeah, Sara mentioned Sebastian stopped by.” She frowned as she collected her copies. “Did everything go okay?”
“Gemma,” Mr. Cooperton called.
“Of course,” Gemma said. “I’ve got to go. I’ll update you later.” She gathered up the destroyed copies. None of them were even worth salvaging, at least not if her boss wanted to make a good impression on their clients. “Yes, sir?” She stepped into his office.
Mr. Cooperton pushed his thick, black-rimmed glasses up into the gray hair on his head. Swivelling a little in his chair, he scrutinized her with his navy blue gaze. “Well, what have you got to say?”
“I’m so sorry. I swear I’ll spend my lunch hour getting these copies finished. They’ll look great for your meeting.” She fumbled with the papers and bowed her head.
“Look at me, Gemma. You know me better than to assume I’d get angry over copies.”
She lifted her gaze. The kindness in Mr. Cooperton’s expression left her at a loss for words.
“I heard what Lila said and I think you should know it’s a bunch of bull-you-know-what. Please don’t take this as inappropriate, as I deeply love my wife of twenty-seven years, but you are a beautiful, kind young woman and worthy of a true gentleman. Lila, on the other hand... Well, I’ll let sleeping dogs lie with that one.”
“Mr. Cooperton.” Never would she have thought he’d pay attention to office chitchat.
“What? Have you ever known me to lie?”
She shook her head.
“Right. Well, now that we’ve come to an agreement, we can get back to my copies.”
“Yes, sir.” She smiled, hugged the papers to her chest. “I’ll get right to it.”
“Nah.” He waved. “Contact the Kinko’s store a couple blocks down. I’m pretty sure you can upload a soft copy on their website and place an order with them for pick up.”
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