A Convenient Arrangement Read online

  She slipped into the hallway behind Leo and followed. Her gaze dropped to Leo’s round, very muscular bottom. Her breathing stalled in her chest. So absolutely gorgeou—

  “Back here.” Leo looked back at her over his shoulder. Gwen jerked her gaze up from his derriere. Again he shot her a knowing grin.

  Heated flamed across her chest and up her neck. Caught. He’d completely caught her staring at his ass. He cocked that eyebrow of his, the one that seemed to say he knew every secret that any woman might ever have.

  “In here.” He pushed open a big, imposing door. They stepped into a cool brick room. A wine cellar in the penthouse?

  “How didn’t I know this was here?” Gwen spun about to survey the brick-walled room, which was as big as the dining room. It was as though she’d been transported from a high-end upper east side penthouse to a cellar in France.

  “No one knows it’s here. Well, I do, and Anthony and Devon. I don’t even know if Justin’s told Aubrey about this.”

  Gwen shook her head in disagreement. “Really? You actually think he’d keep this kind of secret from his wife?’

  “No, I guess I don’t.” Leo walked to the wall and opened a built-in cabinet. “I don’t think either of my fallen brothers can keep anything from their brides.” He sighed.

  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.

  A wall of smooth muscle and big infinity-pool eyes, deep brown looking almost black in the dim light.

  Heat pulsed through her body, lingering in the spot between her legs. Oranges. Soap. Citrusy, clean smell with a hint of…man.

  “Hey there, pretty party-planner. Where’d you disappear to?”

  “Uh…” Small talk was usually her weapon of choice, but when Leo directed his words, his eyes, his lips toward her, every thought in her head dried up like dew drops in a desert.

  Her gaze lingered on his jet black hair, worn just a touch too long for a man who worked in finance. His eyes, my God, molten brown eyes that looked nearly black in the darkened hallway, cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass, and a strong, angular jaw. The entire package screamed best-looking man ever. Finally her gaze landed on his full lips. The same lips she’d found her gaze locked to like a magnet to metal in the booze room. What would Leo’s lips feel like wrapped around her—

  “Uh, horns!” Gwen gasped out, jerking herself back to reality. She held up the bag of noisemakers. “Aubrey forgot the horns.”

  This was the best she could do? After years and years of planning parties and fine-tuning small talk, the best she could come up with when cornered by the man of her fantasies was to say the word “horns”? Nice job, Gwen.

  Leo tilted his head and cupped his hand around his ear, toward the sharp bleating carrying from the living room. “Sounds like most of them already have their horns.”

  Gwen could hear the beginning of the countdown as well. A chorus of excited voices chanted in unison, “10…9…”

  “We’re going to miss it.” Locked by Leo’s gaze, she couldn’t move, she could barely breathe, and she definitely…definitely wasn’t thinking straight.

  “8…7…”

  “Miss what?” He shifted forward, the wall of muscle that was his chest blocking her view of the hallway. A wave of that brilliant clean scent. His lips, God, those lips, so close…way too close. “I think maybe we both have everything we need rig
ht here.”

  Her heart scurried like a white mouse trying to escape a boa constrictor. Everything was backwards, her mouth was dry and her palms were wet. They both had everything they needed?

  “6…5…”

  Leo stepped closer and she didn’t step back. Heat flushed up her neck and into her cheeks. What would it feel like to nibble that bottom lip? His pupils were dilated and…was that lust that clung to his face? Her gaze trailed down his chest, over his waist, to that bulge…seriously…what would it be like to—

  “Have any resolutions?” One simple question, in a low sultry voice, sounded impossibly naughty coming from Leo’s lips.

  “Uhh…” Gwen jerked her gaze back to his face. The corners of his mouth lifted, with the hint of a devilish lift to his brow. How obvious could she be? Leo knew she’d been checking out his body, undressing him with her eyes. “Maybe…” Her breath faltered and her thoughts fell from her mind.

  Leo stepped closer. His arm snaked around her waist.

  “Maybe…” He tilted his head down, his mouth so near hers now. The thunder of her own heartbeat in her ears drowned out the final metronome mumble of the distant crowd, counting down to the new year.

  “Maybe,” she breathed out. She looked up into Leo’s dark smoldering eyes, nearly lost, nearly gone. He pulled her body to his, and the hard nudge of his sex pressed against her.

  “Yes, tell me.”

  “Maybe, have more fun.” She rasped out her voice a low whisper.

  “That’s a resolution I agree with.” He leaned down, his breath warm against her face. Heat flared in Gwen’s belly. My God. He was magnificent in every way—strong, funny, successful, handsome. The crowd roared in the distance with excited cheers Gwen could barely hear.

  “Happy New Year, Gwen.”

  Those lips. Those lush Leo lips were on hers. The sweet soft kiss quickly turned greedy. She wove her fingertips through his hair and his hands curved up and over her ribs. His tongue played along the seam of her lips, and her mouth opened to him. A song, a familiar song, played in the background while Leo plundered her mouth with his kiss.

  Heat curled through her belly and pulled between her legs. Yes, oh my, yes. With a hand on her hip, he pulled her forward to rest against his hard maleness. His other hand held the nape of her neck in a possessive clasp, one she could fall into over and over and over again.

  She wouldn’t pull away, she’d never pull away from this kiss, Leo’s kiss, how she’d longed for this exact kiss.

  A horn blasted close by. Gwen jerked back and Max with his buddies plodded down the hall toward Max’s room. She looked up at Leo through her eyelashes. Heat warmed her neck and face.

  “Happy New Year,” he said again, and touched his forehead to hers.

  “Happy New Year to you too.” Leo’s kiss proved that he too felt the heat that coursed between them. She hadn’t imagined the electrical sparks at the Teddy Bear Luncheon, at Christmas, and all those other times she’d seen him before tonight.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he whispered, his voice like soft velvet against her skin.

  How could she leave? She was meant to help Aubrey and Nina…

  As if he could read her mind, Leo said, “They won’t notice.” His lips pulled at her earlobe. “Besides,” he whispered, “everyone leaves after the countdown.” The hand on the small of her back drifted down to her ass.

  She could barely form thoughts, much less words. She started to speak, but those lips, Leo’s lips, were consuming her. Oh, yes, she was leaving, she was leaving now, and she wanted to do so quickly, without Aubrey or Nina or anyone else noticing who she left with. Yes, this was most definitely the best New Year’s of Gwen’s life.

  *

  This was the worst New Year’s of Leo’s life. He stared up at the ceiling and ran his hand over his jaw. Lights from outside illuminated the ceiling, where a long rounded crack shaped like a rabbit’s ear split the plaster. What had he done? He turned his head and his gaze landed on Gwen. One breast peeked out from beneath the soft blanket on her bed. Her face was relaxed, her skin smooth as marble, and her red hair flamed across her pillow. Damn. She was hot and fun and pretty, but she wasn’t his type. Plus, she was his sister-in-law’s best friend. Gwen wasn’t the type of woman he was looking for, not now, and most likely not ever.

  Nope.

  He appreciated that Justin was in love and now had a family, and that Anthony had always loved Shelly and they were finally together, but settling down wasn’t in Leo’s life plan. Nor were children and picnics and summer vacations with the kids.

  So what the hell was he doing laying in Gwen Fleming’s bed? This was bad. Very very bad. Not only was Gwen much too sweet and family-oriented for Leo’s taste, but she was also quickly becoming a permanent member of the Travati inner circle. Leo closed his eyes. He’d made a huge mistake.

  Leo pressed his hand to his forehead. This would be an utter mess. Aubrey and Shelly, not to mention Nina (who owned knives!), would have his balls for this. Leo’s gaze roamed over Gwen’s peaceful face, his thoughts spinning. Unless, of course, Gwen thought this was a mistake too. Then, with a little luck…maybe…they could both go about their lives, and even be in the same room at the same event, without feeling the weird tension that was created when one person wanted another who didn’t want them back. Leo would be okay, there would be no awkwardness for him, but Gwen didn’t seem like the type of woman who bedded guys for convenience.

  His eyes swept across her room, filled with pictures of friends and flowered curtains and matching pillows piled on the floor. Pink. Loads of pink. Nope, he was pretty certain Gwen wasn’t a one-night-stand type of woman. More like a “let’s date for three months, meet each others’ parents, then maybe have sex right after we pick out a china pattern for the wedding” type of woman.

  He was screwed.

  Leo quietly lifted the blanket. He’d go home. Yes, it was the shitty thing to do, and yes, she might be pissed, but he would say he was feeling ill, that his dog needed him, that Devon called, that—

  “Hey,” Gwen said softly. In the first glow of dawn beginning to dispel the darkness, he could see her eyes on him. Though a tiny smile curved her lips, a question lingered in her eyes.

  “Hey.” His heart hammered in his chest. She was beautiful, not like the skinny model-type women he normally bedded, but sensual, with that doe-like wide-eyed look and swollen lips. She was damned good in bed too. He hadn’t expected Gwen would be so…uninhibited…but he’d been pleasantly surprised. Maybe the best he’d had. “I was going to head home.”

  Disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she recovered so quickly that Leo wondered if he’d imagined the hint of sadness.

  “Yeah,” he continued, “Renley’s been alone all night and he’s used to our run in the mornings, plus I really should go into the office for just a little bit to get a jump on some of the business for the new year.”

  “Right. Of course.” Gwen pulled the blanket tighter around her body. “Yeah, I have tons to do today too.” Her smile was a toss-away, an attempt to make the best of an awkward situation.

  Leo turned from the bed and bent forward to put on his clothes. He felt her eyes on him, just like last night when they’d been standing outside Aubrey and Justin’s bedroom. He picked up his sweater. Damn, when you were trying to subtly let a woman know that sleeping with her had been a mistake, getting a hard-on didn’t help make your case.

  He wanted her. Even while he was preparing to duck out of her apartment, like a jerk, he wanted her. He wanted to crawl back under that blanket, spread those white thighs, and climb between her legs. Instead he pulled his jeans up and over his hips, tucked away his sex, and pulled up his zipper.

  He turned to Gwen, all milky-white princess meets sex-goddess with lush red hair. Her blue eyes caught and looked deep into his. He dropped his gaze. Her eyes held questions. Too many questions that he didn’t want to answer. He didn’t want to see the disappointment and sadness in her e
yes because he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Last night wasn’t the beginning of a relationship, at least not for him. He simply wasn’t that type of guy.

  “Thank you,” he said, leaning forward to brush his lips against her forehead.

  She pulled her lip beneath her top teeth and tilted her head.

  Don’t ask, please don’t talk about this. Leo wanted to pretend this sexy interlude had never happened. Chalk last night up to a New Year’s Eve mistake, a little too much champagne taking them way beyond flirting. He grabbed his jacket and turned toward her bedroom door, hopeful he could escape into the new year without having to talk over the events of last night.

  “Just so you know, I hope this won’t be awkward between us.”

  Leo stopped, his shoulders slumping. Conversation front and center. He glanced longingly at her front door, just down the hall from where he stood in Gwen’s bedroom. So close and yet…he turned toward Gwen. Paradoxically, at the sight of the thin blanket draping her curves, the urge to rush back to bed, take her into his arms and press his lips to her breast, burst through him again. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “Aubrey is the best friend I’ve made in New York, and I really like Shelly and the rest of your family.”

  “I know they all love you.”

  “Right, so do you think we could keep this between us? This…mistake?” Gwen’s smile, which hadn’t wavered, took on a rueful cast.

  Leo’s heart stopped. Wait? What? Gwen thought sleeping with him was a mistake? Two minutes ago that was exactly what he thought he wanted to hear. But now he stood stunned. “Uh…” His eyebrows creased. He’d braced himself for questions, and recriminations, possibly even tears about what a cad he was, how uncaring and unfeeling. Now he didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t how this conversation was meant to go.