A Convenient Arrangement(13)

“Hi Mrs. Bello.” Gwen walked toward the fireplace. Mrs. Bello had taken up residence on a comfy chair. With her grey hair and glasses, she looked like the perfect grandmother. Her coffee and a plate of cookies rested beside her on a small end table. Mrs. Bello loved her cookies.

“Gwen, I’m so happy you feel better.” She smiled and tilted her head. “You don’t look sick to me.”

“Maybe too much champagne last night.” Gwen winked. “Actually, I took a hot shower and a nap and I feel much better. It’s like I’m a new person.”

“Amazing what a shower and a nap can do.” Mrs. Bello’s gaze darted beyond Gwen. “Hot shower and a nap seems to work on a lot of people.”

Her belly heated and the hair on her neck stood on end. Oh no. No. No, no, no, no. The heat in her cheeks, they had to be glowing red. Leo was here, just behind her, she could feel it. Being near him was like walking into an electrical field…or in front of an oncoming train.

“Leo said the same thing”—one corner of Mrs. Bello’s mouth lifted into a smile—“hot shower and a nap and he was a new person.”

Gwen pressed her lips into a line and then pushed a giant smile onto her face. “Funny how that works.” She turned and her gaze locked with Leo’s.

Her stomach twisted. Her heart stalled. Her panties grew wet. Her entire body raged in a war between anger and want.

“Leo, Aubrey said you weren’t feeling well. Glad to see that you’re better.” She leaned forward and pecked each of his cheeks. Man. Soap. Oranges. Leo smelled of all these things, just as her pillows and sheets at home now did. She pulled back, tilted her head and gave him a sharp wtf look. He’d said he wasn’t coming. He’d said that she should come. He’d said that—

“You seem to be cruising to one hundred percent too. Aubs mentioned you’d come down with what? A cold?” He narrowed his eyes, took a drink of his beer, and glanced toward Aubrey on the far side of the room. “Sure hope you aren’t contagious. Wouldn’t want to get the pregnant lady sick.” He turned back to Gwen. “Maybe you should go home.” He lifted an eyebrow, as if to silently ask what the hell are you doing here.

Gwen bristled at his words. She was not going home. He’d insisted she should come to dinner today so as to squelch any rumors that might have started if they’d both missed the party after leaving Justin and Aubrey’s together last night. That is, if anyone had noticed—please God let no one have noticed. She was here now and she wasn’t going anywhere, not on his say-so.

“I’m pretty sure that I was just a little hung over. All better now.” She shot him an icy glare. “But you? Aubrey said you nearly hacked up a lung. Could it be pneumonia? Maybe you should take a quick run over to urgent care. Might take four or five hours, but you definitely wouldn’t want Aubrey to get pneumonia. Pregnant women have repressed immune systems. It’s science.”

Leo didn’t answer, but a long slow breath and narrowed eyelids indicated his annoyance loudly enough.

Gwen turned back to Mrs. Bello. “I’m going to see if I can help Nina in the kitchen. Can I get you anything, Mrs. Bello?”

“Oh, no, dear, really. Sitting here and watching you two, I’m doing just fine.”

Gwen scrunched her eyebrows together and headed down the hall toward the kitchen. Since when had she and Leo become so entertaining? She’d merely pointed out that if he were truly sick, he was putting Aubrey and baby at risk by staying here. It wasn’t her fault his faux hacking cough and “I’m better after a shower and a nap” routine was so lame. Please. Plus, Leo did not get to tell her what to do. She had caught him sneaking out of her bed this morning. She’d been smart enough to recover some semblance of her pride, and she wasn’t about to surrender that to him now by slinking out of a party because he showed up. For goodness sake, he could disappear and nobody would even notice. Let him go home to his couch and his football and his dog. She wouldn’t be bossed around and she wouldn’t—

A hand clapped over her mouth as an arm snaked around her waist and yanked her into a dark room.

“Hey!”

“Shhh.” Leo pressed one upright finger to his lips and slowly took his hand from Gwen’s mouth.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Leo was so close…oh my goodness, too close. Almost as close as he had been last night, except this time he had his clothes on. She wished that he didn’t.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Jason Bourne?” Gwen shook her head. This was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Leo had her pressed up against the wall in Anthony’s dark den.