by Nina Singh
“Just went out for some fresh air,” he told Laney, trying to ask her the question silently with his eyes.
It didn’t work. Laney stepped aside to let him in. “Did you forget your key?”
“No. Sounded like you weren’t alone and I didn’t want to intrude.”
Both eyebrows lifted and she gave him a dazzling smile, as if he’d passed some sort of test. “See,” Laney threw over her shoulder at the other woman. “What did I tell you? He’s so considerate.” She gave him a small wink. “Come meet my cousin.”
The blonde immediately stood and strode to where they both stood.
“Gianni, this is Mabel. Mabel, meet Gianni,” Laney said as she shut the door.
Gianni extended his hand, but it was bypassed as the cousin reached with both arms to grip him in a tight hug. So this was clearly one of the few who didn’t fit the mold. She was about the furthest thing from standoffish as he could think of.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she was saying under his chin. “We’re so glad you’re here with Laney.”
Gianni waited to speak until she let go. To his amusement, it took several beats.
“Thank you. I’m very glad to be here.”
To his surprise, Laney took his hand in hers. He had to work hard at not reacting to her unexpected touch. How silly of him to be so affected when he knew full well the gesture was purely for show in front of her cousin.
“Mabel’s working on her doctorate in animal science. She’s studying to be a veterinarian, specializing in marine animals,” Laney explained.
So this one was an academic, as well.
“Keeps her very busy,” Laney added. “I haven’t seen her in months.”
“Then I should leave you two to your visit.”
“Oh, no,” Mabel protested. “I’m the one who should leave. I need to get ready in any case.” She gestured toward Laney with a laugh. “And you do too!”
Without giving himself a chance to think, Gianni pulled Laney up against him, tight to his side. “I think she looks adorable.”
He felt her shock as she stiffened next to him. She recovered quickly. She stepped fully into his embrace, wrapped his arms around her waist with her back up against his front. “Oh, he’s such a charmer, isn’t he?”
Mabel stood grinning at them both. Looked like they were pretty convincing. “I’d say.”
“It’s easy to be charming with you, cara mia,” he told her, at the risk of laying it on a bit thick. Throwing the Italian in there might have been a bit much. But it was hard to deny that he was enjoying this—the affectionate banter between the two of them...the feel of Laney in his arms.
If only they didn’t have an audience. Which was a silly thought. After all, that was the entire point, wasn’t it?
Mabel looked ready to swoon at the sight they made.
He leaned closer to give her a small peck on the cheek. Laney chose that very moment to tilt her head up and back to look at him. They somehow met in the middle. He didn’t allow himself to think. He meant to give her a small peck, just to complete the charade, but his mouth seemed to have different intentions. Before he knew what was happening, his lips were on hers. He couldn’t even tell which one of them started it.
She tasted exactly as he’d imagined she would. Like the sweetest fruit at its most ripe. Like cream and honey and nectar all in one. He breathed in her scent as he tasted her. A small moan sounded from her mouth into his.
It was over all too soon.
Laney pulled away with a jolt, no doubt remembering there was another individual in the room with them. A fact he’d so easily forgotten.
Mabel had her hands clasped to her chest, studying them with a clearly heartfelt smile. She actually said, “Aw. How sweet.” As if she’d just watched a scene from a holiday movie on one of those seasonal channels.
Somehow, when he wasn’t looking, he’d found himself playing leading man.
* * *
She should have found a way to stop the kiss. Or she should have managed somehow to avoid it altogether for it had left her shaken to the core. If Gianni had been moved by it in any way, there was no sign of it in his expression or his manner. And why should there be? He’d done it simply for show. He’d behaved exactly as she’d asked him to around her family members. She was the one being silly.
Someone in the room cleared their throat. She couldn’t be sure, but it might have even been her. Right. They weren’t alone. This was just pretend. The kiss that had so shaken her was merely a ruse, a playact. Nothing more. So she’d do well to ignore the quaking sensation in her middle.
“I guess I’ll see you both aboard the boat, then,” Mabel said as she started walking toward the door. “So nice to have finally met you, Gianni.”
“Likewise,” he answered, his voice steady and cheery. Not shaky at all, unlike her. She was right. He hadn’t been affected by the kiss in the least. Had probably already forgotten about it. What a fool she could be when it came to men in general and to Gianni in particular. How many times could she leave her heart unguarded only to have it bruised?
She didn’t bring herself to glance at him as she turned toward the bedroom once Mabel had left. “I guess I’ll finally go get dressed. Be out soon.”
“I’ll be here.”
By the time she came out dressed and ready twenty minutes later, she’d managed to steady herself and had only thought about his lips on hers about a dozen more times. Progress. Her dress of choice for the occasion was a silk wrap in a deep navy blue. A color that always seemed to complement her despite her dark coloring and olive skin tone. If she were being fanciful, she could swear Gianni did a bit of a double take when she emerged fully dressed and heeled. The idea had her nearly giddy and she made sure to squash it with haste.
For his part, Gianni had changed into a fresh collared shirt and beige khakis. He somehow seemed to make the casual outfit look stylish and elegant. He could have been a picture out of a magazine cologne ad spread. The man certainly cleaned up well. As if he weren’t attractive enough in simple jeans and a T-shirt. Or even a waist apron.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
They were outside and walking toward the harbor marina within minutes. The afternoon was mild and warm, sunlight filtering through thick white clouds. One had to hand it to Emily. She somehow managed to book a day in which the weather couldn’t have been more ideally suited for a city cruise.
Laney exhaled a deep breath once they approached the vessel’s boarding ramp. The happy notes of party music sounded in the air. The DJ had started with a bouncy new pop song that featured an accompanying dance. Laney heard the sound of a cork popping. “I guess this is it. The moment we’ve been prepping for. Ready to meet my people?”
“Ready and able, Captain.” He gestured toward the ramp.
A crew member greeted them at the entry way and asked for their names, which she then crossed off a list.
“Go right on up,” she instructed, her smile bright and cheery. “You’re not late but the party is well underway.”
“That’s not a bad way to sum up my life in general,” Laney found herself saying as they made their way toward the hub.
“What’s that?”
“I’m not often late but somehow the party has always started without me,” she explained with a small chuckle. But Gianni wasn’t smiling when she glanced over at him.
“Do you really see yourself that way?”
She’d meant it as a small joke. Though now that he was asking, she realized how true the statement was.
She gave a small shrug as she answered him. “I guess I do. I always feel like those around me have moved on as I’m perpetually trying to catch up.” It could certainly be said about her last relationship, in fact. “I seem to be the square peg in the round hole all too often.”
He stopped in his tracks. “I haven’t known you that long, but I don’t see you that way at all.”
“You don’t?”
“No. Not in the least.”
She was afraid to ask the next question but mustered the courage to do so. “Then how do you see me?”
Something shifted behind his eyes. Something she didn’t want to analyze too deeply. “You’re bright. You’re successful. Fun to be around. As far as catching up to others, have you ever considered that you might just be going in a different direction?”
“Not really.”
He inhaled a quick breath. “You chose a different path than the family of attorneys you come from. That says nothing about your accomplishments or success. It merely says you decided to pursue your own goals.”
“Guess I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Maybe you should start,” he said, then slowly started walking again. Laney didn’t move with him right away. Instead, she let the full impact of his words really settle in. Not just the last part, though the statement about her going in a different direction was certainly something to think about. She’d always been the square peg in her family.
But everything he had said before that echoed through her head. He thought she was bright. And fun. Which implied he liked being with her. That he actually enjoyed her company. Given the way Joseph had dumped her a couple weeks ago, the thought that this much more dynamic and alluring man felt that way made for a heady feeling. She’d be lying if she didn’t say she felt flattered and...well, validated.
Suddenly, the next forty-eight hours didn’t seem so daunting. Not with Gianni by her side. She’d be able to get through this. His words had somehow given her a shot of confidence—something she hadn’t felt in a while.
Gianni seemed to finally realize she hadn’t kept step with him. He turned and gave her a questioning look. “Coming?”
“I just need a minute.”
“Still nervous?”
She wasn’t really. Thanks to him. “I just want to gather my thoughts before we venture into the crowd.”
“That’s fair.”
She strolled over to the rail, the sounds of the party still echoing through the air around them. Gianni joined her, and for several moments they remained silent, simply taking in the view of the Boston skyline from the water.
“Also, I just wanted to thank you,” Laney eventually said.
“For coming with you? Already told you. I’m just here to enjoy a party with a beautiful woman.”
He was doing so much more than that. She shuddered to think what the day ahead of her might have looked like if she’d had to endure it solo. All the questions about why she was there alone. Of course, now there were bound to be questions about the new man she was with. But those would be so much easier to answer with someone by her side.
Even if it was all a lie.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“YOUR DAD KEEPS staring at me.”
Gianni took a sip from his frosty bottle of beer and made sure to keep his polite smile in place. The introductions so far had been short and sweet, with Laney’s parents assuring him they’d make time later for a longer chat after the wedding tomorrow, when there would be less distractions. Or maybe threatening would be a better word to use in this context.
“Don’t sweat it,” Laney said, swirling her glass of Chardonnay absentmindedly as they sat at one of the side tables. “He’s just trying to measure you up a bit.”
He had to chuckle at that. “And I’m not supposed to sweat it that he’s doing so?”
The soiree was fully underway now. They were past the harbor waters and the city skyline was well off in the distance. Emily had gone all out and chartered a tri-deck luxury yacht with tinted glass walls and a plush luxurious interior big enough to house a dance floor, ample number of tables for guests, and comfy sofas and upholstered chairs for the close to three-hundred guests in attendance. True to form, Emily had succeeded in securing the perfect venue for her first wedding event.
Laney shrugged before answering Gianni’s question. “It’s not like it really matters, does it? Eventually, we’ll have to tell them that you’re not in my life anymore.”
It was silly of him to feel any kind of offense to what she said, but he did, nonetheless. Funny, up until she’d spoken the words, he hadn’t realized just how much he did want to remain a part of her life, in some shape or form. Which might be hard if she wasn’t keen on selling her business.
She was right. This was not the time for him to worry about how the business deal might play out or what type of friendship the future might have in store for them. Though, the way she looked in the silky sky blue wrap dress she wore, friendship wasn’t exactly the first thing that came to mind. His mouth had gone dry when she’d first walked out of the bedroom wearing it. His skin still itched with the desire to run his fingers over the silky material. If he allowed himself, he could so easily imagine helping her out of it and then carrying her away behind a closed door.
Before he could reprimand himself for those thoughts, a small child darted out from behind a table and practically jumped onto Laney’s lap. “Hi, Aun’ Wainey.”
Laney immediately cuddled the toddler closer to her chest and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Well, hello, pumpkin. I was wondering where you were.”
Pumpkin pulled her thumb out of her mouth and pointed at him. “Who dat?”
“This is my very good friend. His name is Gianni.”
“Jownee?”
He had to laugh at the pronunciation. “And what might your name be?” he asked.
“I’m Lisbeth.”
“Nice to meet you, Lisbeth.”
Laney tousled the girl’s hair. “Lisbeth is my little cousin. Mabel’s niece.”
“Yeah? I have a niece,” he said, for the benefit of them both, but Lisbeth had already lost interest in them. She left Laney’s lap and scampered off without so much as a glance back.
“She’s cute as a button,” he told Laney when the child had skipped off toward the dance floor. A tall man with blond hair scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around to the music.
“That she is,” Laney answered. “With the attention span of the three-year-old toddler that she is. How old is your niece?”
“Not much older. She just turned four. Her brother is younger by about two years.”
“You’re an uncle, times two?”
“I am indeed. I make sure to spoil them rotten.”
She laughed and took a sip of her wine. “Oh, their parents must love that.”
“It’s no less than what my brother deserves, the way he annoyed me when we were kids. I finally get some payback.”
“Revenge by spoiling his kids. Diabolical.”
“Yep. And just as they’re about to throw the inevitable tantrum, I simply hand them back to Mom and Dad and make my escape.”
She held her wine glass up and tipped it toward him. “There’s one thing you might not have thought of in all of this.”
“What’s that?”
“What happens when your brother and his spouse get their own chance at revenge? Like once you have kids of your own?”
Her question was an innocent enough one. But it wasn’t one worth entertaining. He’d decided long ago he wasn’t the type to play husband or daddy. He had no intention of having a family of his own. Falling in love and having kids weren’t for him. Love could make a man swallow his pride so hard that he could pretend the world wasn’t laughing at him when it clearly was. Just look at his own pop.
“That’s not going to happen,” he answered, signaling the server for another beer. “I don’t plan on having kids of my own. A family man, I’m not.”
She narrowed her eyes on him. “Oh? Why is that?”
He shrugged. “Just not for me.”
“That sounds like a vague way to tell me you don’t want to really discuss the subject.”
A petite brunette waitress stopped by the table with his drink. “There’s really nothing to discuss.”
“Consider the matter dropped. It’s really none of my business.”
The conversation was starting to get too deep, and a heavy mood had suddenly settled in the air between them. Gianni didn’t like it. Coupled with the repeated speculative looks Laney’s father kept sending him, it was all making him edgy and uncomfortable. He needed to step away from this conversation and from the table. He needed a physical outlet.
He stood and extended his hand to her. “Dance with me.”
Laney didn’t hesitate. Setting her wineglass down on the table, she stood and took his hand. “About time, Mr. Martino. I thought you’d never ask.”
Huh. “Why didn’t you just ask me yourself?”
She gave a small shrug of her shoulder. “I didn’t see you dancing at all that night at the club. I thought maybe you were one of those men who lack rhythm or skill.” A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She was teasing him.
“You insult me. I can manage a few dance steps.” He pulled her gently to the dance floor. “As you are about to find out.”
They moved well together. Laney matched him step for step, moving in tune to the music. The image had his mind flashing back to the day he’d witnessed her instructing the exercise class in her club. And it was no less tempting now than it had been then.
Only now they were in the company of a literal boatful of her family and friends, which made such thoughts beyond inappropriate on his part.
It didn’t help matters when the song switched over and the next number was a slow and sultry one that happened to have lyrics loaded with sensual undertones.
Laney stepped closer to him, a question deep in the depths of her sparkling amber eyes. He pulled her into his arms without a second thought.
Then he didn’t allow himself to think at all.
* * *