A Convenient Arrangement(45)

Gwen stared at him. He had her with “lie.” He knew honesty was important to Gwen, and that she felt as though she’d been skirting the truth with Aubrey and the rest of the Travatis by not revealing the entire truth to them.

“Let’s go to the launch party together,” he suggested. “You and me. Travati Financial is underwriting and you’re coordinating.”

“I won’t have any time with you. None,” she protested. “When I work an event, it really isn’t fun for me. I have to make certain that everything is running smoothly. I know it seems that these events go off without a hitch, but there’s a reason for that, and the reason is me.”

“I know. I saw how hard you worked at the Teddy Bear Luncheon with all those kids high on sugar.”

“I love the Teddy Bear Luncheon.” Her smile took on a childlike delight of its own as she remembered. “All the kids and the presents and Santa. I mean, who doesn’t love being around excited little kids?”

Who didn’t? Leo didn’t. Leo did the luncheon because Anthony had founded the event, and part of being in a family meant that you did things to support that family that you wouldn’t necessarily do otherwise. But spending an afternoon with a hundred little kids jacked up on sugar was most definitely not what Leo considered a good time.

But Gwen?

Her face beamed with the excitement she seemed to recall from the Teddy Bear Luncheon. Then a tiny frown creased her forehead. “I don’t think your launch party is the ideal event for us to arrive together.”

“Fine, then the baby shower?”

“Again, my event.”

“You’re really digging in on this, aren’t you?”

“No, I mean—”

“Okay, okay.” He kissed her nose again. “Then Sunday dinner after the baby shower. Not your event.”

Her body stiffened in his arms. “And not very far away.”

“It’s more than a month. Is there a problem?”

“No…I mean…it’s just—”

“Mmmhmm. It would seem your work calendar is too full to accommodate me, and since you’re mainly worried about how weird this will get for the family, I think a Sunday dinner is the perfect, low key solution.”

“That’s not low key. That’s everyone, all at once, and I mean everyone. Nina and Aubrey’s dad will be there.” Gwen’s eyebrows creased. “And Aubrey is on bed rest. Why not…I mean, if we have to tell, couldn’t we wait until after the the launch party?”

While every part of his business mind agreed with Gwen’s suggestion, his heart, his feelings—since when did he let those things control his actions?!—wanted to tell his family about him and Gwen sooner. Leo closed his eyes. Why was he pressuring her to go public? What was this need? “I have this damned possessive need for the world to know you’re mine.” He rolled on his side to face her and pulled her closer. The hardness of his cock pressed against her sex, startling a gasp from her. “But this sneaking around thing is kind of sexy.” He rubbed the stubble of his chin against her cheek and followed it with a kiss.

“So Sunday dinner,” she whispered.

His hand trailed down her belly and slid between the lips of her sex. “Promise.”

“Uh-huh.”

As her hips rocked against him and her hands clutched his shoulders, he rolled her onto her back, her legs parting.

“I guess I’ll take you at your word.” His mouth descended on hers and his cock slid deep into her sex.





Chapter 13




“Okay, so the menu is locked. The flower arrangements are a go. Are the RSVPs current?” Aubrey ticked off the items on her fingers as she listed them.

“Yeah, I just got another.” Gwen scrolled through the list of couples who were confirmed to attend Aubrey and Justin’s baby shower and then clicked on her email to scan for any new responses.

Her stomach flipped. Leo. Well, of course Leo would attend. He would be the new Travati baby’s uncle. He couldn’t really miss the baby shower. He hadn’t indicated a plus one. Big sigh. She didn’t know why she felt nervous. He wouldn’t out their relationship there. Ever since they had discussed going public with their dating, she trusted that that he’d wait until after the shower like he’d said. So she had a least a little while until—

“So did you hear about Leo?” Aubrey’s voice dripped with the tantalizing tones of soon-to-be delivered gossip.

Gwen’s heart galloped like a wildebeest being chased by a lion. She forced her expression to remain neutral as she collected the iPad and her notebook from Aubrey’s bed. “Hear what?” She busied herself with her computer case, pretty certain that if she looked at her best friend, Aubrey would see the guilt in Gwen’s eyes.