A Convenient Arrangement(5)

Fallen brothers? Was he really likening his brothers’ falling in love and getting married to dying? How awful. No, she and Leo most certainly did not share the same idea of what a successful future entailed.

“Here’s the good stuff.” Leo pulled out a rectangular brown glass bottle and ran his hand over the surface. “Seems absolutely perfect for a party.” His gaze went from the bottle to her.

Gwen’s belly tightened. Her cheeks heated. Was the room suddenly…smaller? She tugged at the collar of her dress. Leo…Leo was so close the scent of him, that fresh soapy smell, surrounded her. Her eyes traced the line of his jaw and drifted up to those eyes…his dark eyes that seemed to stretch to infinity. She licked her lips. She could imagine Leo’s plush lips on hers, his hands that cradled the outrageously expensive liquor running over her body, and—

“There you are!”

Gwen jumped backward as though she’d been caught ogling a choir boy.

Justin walked in, with Anthony hot on his heels. “We were just coming to get the good stuff. My wife insists I did not order enough booze for this party.”

Justin plucked the bottle from Leo’s hands. “Hey Gwen.” He tossed her a smile. “The party is just great. Aubrey’s happy, so I’m happy.”

Gwen ran her fingertips over her necklace. Even with Justin between them, Leo’s eyes still remained on her face. Yes…oh my…those eyes.

“Gwen? Are you in here?” Nina stood at the door of what Leo had assured Gwen was a secret room. Some secret. Everyone but her seemed to know about the booze-room’s existence. “I need a little help with the sushi. Bring me your hands.”

“Coming.” She flashed a glance toward Leo. He gave her a smile, that horribly dangerous smile, his eyes still full of… Was that…? Her stomach tightened and turned over. Desire? Was there desire in Leo’s eyes? For her?

Gwen quickly skirted around Anthony and Justin, who pulled bottles of wine and hard liquor off shelves and out of cabinets as they conferred. Deep breath. Nina stood waiting at the door.

“Hurry up and lock the door,” Nina muttered under her breath. “Keep those damn Travatis contained.”

Gwen took a last look over her shoulder. Leo looked away from his two brothers animatedly discussing a bottle of bourbon, and his eyes burned deep into her core. “Right,” she whispered. “As if any one ever could.”



*



Gwen kept her distance from Leo after that. The party kept her busy, with details to attend to and Nina needing her in the kitchen over and over again. This party was meant to be small and intimate, with just two servers and a bartender to help. Gwen hadn’t even been supposed to work the party, but how could she not? Aubrey had done so much for her over the last six months. She had fundamentally changed Gwen’s business, transforming Gwen from a wedding and tea-party planner to the go-to party planner for all Travati Financial corporate events, as well as the Travati Foundation’s charitable fundraisers.

Nina emerged from the kitchen at last, and Gwen finally had a moment to breathe. She lifted a champagne flute from a tray as a server walked by. She took a sip and watched Aubrey, who absently stroked her growing baby bump as Justin wrapped a protective arm around her. Aubrey made a gorgeous pregnant woman. Gwen sighed. Yes, Aubrey and Justin were perfect together.

Her gaze turned to the other side of the room, where Shelly and Anthony stood and chatted up a business associate and friend from Dubai. Shelly and Anthony, another perfect couple. After years apart, Shelly and Anthony had re-found love. Now Gwen not only had a baby shower to plan for Aubrey, but also a bridal brunch for Shelly. Gwen had even agreed to plan the wedding, although she absolutely did not do weddings anymore, at least not for anyone else.

She pulled her eyes away from the newly engaged couple and looked at the TV. The countdown would begin in two minutes.

“Gwen, I left a bag of horns in my bedroom. Do you mind getting them?” Aubrey asked. Justin led her to the couch, where she slowly sat. Aubrey must be feeling tired if she was actually sitting at her own party. Although usually a dynamo with loads of energy, she seemed to be slowing down as she got close to the third trimester.

A smile spread over Gwen’s face. “Of course.” She set her empty champagne glass on another tray. She did a quick turn and nearly lost her footing. Hmmm… How long since she’d last eaten? That was glass number two of champagne on an empty stomach. Her body seemed loose and her feet a bit unsure.

A few moments later, she opened the door to Aubrey and Justin’s room and spotted the bag of missing party horns on the dresser. She grabbed them, turned, and closed the door behind her. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she bumped face first into Leo.