A Convenient Arrangement

by Maggie Marr

  “I was hoping maybe we didn’t have to tell anyone. When we see each other again, could we act like this never happened?”

  Leo’s heart lurched in his chest. Gwen didn’t want a relationship with him?

  Why wouldn’t she want to be with him?

  “I mean,” she twisted a piece of hair between her fingers and then looked up at him through her eyelashes, “I don’t want a relationship right now, and I definitely don’t want to mess up my friendship with Aubrey. Do you think you could do that? Pretend like this didn’t happen?”

  “Uh…” Wow. Was he completely off the hook with this one-night stand? This had to be the perfect solution to what he thought had been a terrible mistake. Then what was this squeezing feeling in his chest?

  “I mean,” Gwen continued, blinking, “It’s not you, it’s me.” She shifted and stretched her arms up over her head, turning her head to one side.

  Kazow! His entire body zinged as the outline of her fabulous body pressed against the blanket. She yawned and snuggled into her pillow.

  “You’re a great guy and all, but really, I mean, I’m just not into the idea of a relationship right now.”

  “Uh, sure.” Leo finally found his voice, matching his casual tone to hers. He would never have guessed last night would mean so little to Gwen. Hmm, maybe he’d completely misread the type of woman she was? She seemed like a get married and get settled type of girl, not a woman who wanted to play the field. “Yeah, no problem. I’m completely down with playing this like nothing happened.”

  But he wasn’t. That was a lie. The minute Leo got what he’d wished for, a get-out-of-jail-free card, he was hurt. Discovering that this, tonight, him buried deep inside Gwen and her whispering his name, meant so little to her that she wanted to pretend for the sake of her friendship with Aubrey that it had never happened, left an empty pit in his stomach. He wasn’t happy that he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.

  “Great.” A lazy, sexy smile crossed her face. “You’re the best. I knew I could count on you not to make last night into something it’s not.” She reached down and pulled the duvet up over the blanket to her chin, then fluttered her eyelashes and yawned again. So damned sexy, but also cozily adorable, like a kitten ready to purr. Again Leo fought the urge to climb back into Gwen’s bed. “You can let yourself out, right? I’m not quite ready to start my day.”

  “Uh, sure,” Leo said. He pulled on his jacket. He felt somehow…discarded. He walked down the long narrow hall to the front door, glancing back over his shoulder into the bedroom brightening with morning light, but it looked as though Gwen had already fallen back to sleep.

  Chapter 3

  Gwen held her breath and kept her eyes closed until she heard the slam of the front door.

  Her heart fluttered in her chest and a sick feeling rolled through her stomach. Thank God Leo was gone. She should win an Academy Award for that performance. Hot giant tears filled her eyes before she even sat up. She grabbed for tissues. She didn’t blame Leo entirely—she’d wanted to spend the night with him. She’d asked him to come to her place, she was a grown woman with her own business, it wasn’t like she hadn’t had a relationship with a man before. She leaned her head back against her headboard. She’d thought…what had she thought?

  She had to be honest with herself, painfully honest. She’d thought that her fantasies about Leo Travati were coming true. That he did like her, that he did want her, that she, little ol’ Gwen Fleming, not the prettiest and definitely not the brightest, might just be the one for Leo Travati.

  “What an idiot,” she mumbled. Mr. Mouse, her sleek black cat, leapt onto the bed. He circled her then nestled into her lap, kneading the pink satin duvet with his paws. She stroked his fur. What had she been thinking? How could she have been that stupid? The champagne, the night, the New Year’s kiss…my God, he had kissed her, and her head had spun. Usually she was smart enough not to let her desires overwhelm her. Aubrey was her biggest client and her closest friend. There was no way that Gwen should have ever slept with Leo.

  Who was she kidding? If Leo had wanted to date her, she would have completely let her personal life interfere with her work.

  But he didn’t. Leo did not want to date her. If his attitude before hadn’t been enough to tell her that, he’d made it abundantly clear by trying to sneak out of her apartment before she’d even woken up. Thank God she’d thought fast on her feet—or laying in her bed—otherwise her entire life, a life that was finally starting to feel like a success, would have been shattered. She couldn’t let her best friend and all the fantastic people who were becoming her primary circle of friends disappear simply because she’d let her panties do the talking on New Year’s Eve.

  Suddenly, taking all those improv classes when she first arrived in New York to help her with public speaking seemed like the smartest thing she’d ever done. Each little thing she’d learned then had come in handy this morning when she’d needed to convince Leo that she’d wanted nothing but a one-night stand. He’d agreed to never breathe a word about their night together. She didn’t want to share her humiliation with anyone. Nope, she could wallow in her own bad decision-making skills alone.

  The light brightened through the window. Despite her act for Leo, she wouldn’t be falling back to sleep any time soon. She reached for her robe and tied it around her body. Damn, these sore muscles would feel satisfying if she hadn’t caught the good-looking man who caused such pleasure attempting to slip away without so much as a good-bye. She lifted Mr. Mouse into her arms, sniffling and dabbing a tissue to her nose with one hand. No. Absolutely not, she would not cry about Leo. She would not feel like a fool. She’d played this morning perfectly. Now all she had to do for the rest of her life, every time she saw Leo, was pretend that she had absolutely no interest in him at all.

  But first ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream. “Come on, Mr. Mouse,” Gwen whispered, “I’ve even got a bowl for you.”

  *

  “Are you okay?” Concern laced Aubrey’s voice.

  “Just have a little cold.” Gwen sniffed into the phone for effect. “Maybe I picked something up with all the parties from the holidays. I think I just need a day to relax.” Gwen dug her spoon deeper into her second pint of Chunky Monkey. So far her New Year’s Day accomplishments were moving from the bed to her couch and back to her bed, finishing one pint of ice cream, starting a second, and preparing to order Chinese delivery.

  “Okay, you’re sure you don’t need anything? I can have Max or maybe Leo—”

  “No!” Gwen nearly jumped from her bed. “I mean no,” she added more softly. “My goodness,” she covered. “Mr. Mouse nearly broke my mother’s vase.”

  “Bad kitty!” Aubrey said. “No, but seriously, I hate the idea of you being all alone in your apartment without everything you need to feel better.”

  “I’m fine,” Gwen continued. “I have tea and lozenges and a couple of movies. Give me today and I’m certain I’ll be one hundred percent by tomorrow.”

  “Well, we’ll miss you at Shelly and Anthony’s, but I’ll let them know you’re not feeling well. There must be something going around, because Leo just texted me. He thinks he has a cold too. Said he was coughing all night after he left.”

  Gwen’s chest tightened at the mention of Leo’s name. “Oh?” She pressed her lips together. “That’s too bad. I hope he feels better soon,” she crooned. No, not really, a huge part of her wanted him to die. Or at the very least, wanted him to feel like she felt today. Used, bruised, and a bit abused. “Give everyone giant kisses for me, and we’re still on for Thursday, right? Working on the baby shower and Shelly and Anthony’s wedding and now a bridal brunch. I thought Shelly said last night she wanted a bridal shower brunch?”

  “Exactly right. And we can’t forget the bachelorette party, but it’ll have to be after this little baby gets out. Oh, we’re going to have an amazing year! So many parties! A baby, a wedding, and a new sister-in-law.”

  “Oh m
y!” Gwen echoed Aubrey’s excitement, wishing she could feel the same enthusiasm her friend did. To her, right now, it looked like an endless list of events where she’d have to see Leo everywhere she went.

  “Oh my, indeed. Okay. Feel better. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Toodles.” Gwen pressed off on her phone.

  A trickle of relief dissolved the heat of embarrassment that flooded her chest. Such bad judgment, but she seemed in the clear where Aubrey was concerned. She hadn’t commented on Gwen and Leo smooching in the hall, or mentioned them disappearing from the party at the same time. “I guess there’s one good thing, Mr. Mouse, no one knows about last night except for me and Leo.” The cat rubbed against her feet, as if to show he agreed. “Well and you.” Gwen picked up her remote and pressed the volume up on the Real Housewives of Orange County, still one of her favorite shows in the world. Then she lifted Mr. Chow’s menu to scrutinize her options. “What do you think, Mr. Mouse? Do we want one entree or two? I’m thinking two…that way we’ll have leftovers for tomorrow.”

  *

  Leo leaned back into the supple black leather of his couch. Showered and shaved, he now watched UCLA kick Michigan State’s ass. What was better on New Year’s Day than beer, college football, and Renley? He rubbed his hand across the pup’s head. Renley was a good dog. They hadn’t gotten their run this morning, but Renley didn’t seem to mind. Actually they hadn’t gotten much done, except bailing on the New Year’s Day dinner Anthony and Shelly were having at their house and ordering a pizza instead.

  His phone rang and he flipped it over. Uh-oh, Aubrey, the new Travati matriarch. Checking up on him? Since his mother had passed, Leo had gotten used to the idea that he and his brothers didn’t have a woman to answer to. Mrs. Bello was awesome, but she didn’t make demands. Honestly, Aubrey was awesome too, but after Anthony’s apology for being such an ass, she had rapidly settled into the role of senior wife and Travati matriarch. In fact, she’d gotten pretty damn comfortable ordering the Travati brothers around.

  He coughed into his hand and hunched forward before touching the on button. “Hello,” he whispered as though he were on the threshold of death’s door.

  “My God, Leo, you sound awful!” Aubrey said. “I’m coming over there right this—”

  “No!” he burst out, sitting straight up. He shook his head and recovered. “I mean no,” he wheezed. “You can’t come over. What if you got sick? Think about the baby.” He balled his hand into a fist and pressed it against his mouth to stifle a laugh. No way would Aubrey ever come over now that he’d mentioned his cold might affect the baby. Nothing could negatively impact the impending arrival of the Travati prince or princess.

  “Then I’ll send Justin. He can bring some soup from—”

  “No, no, no.” Leo threw in a hacking cough for effect. “He’ll be near my germs, and then he’ll get it and be exiled to the guest room for the next two weeks. I’m fine. I’ve got soup, a blanket, and my remote control. Good night’s sleep and I’ll be better by morning.”

  “I hope no one else gets sick. Gwen can’t come today either, sounds like she’s come down with the same cold.”

  “What?” He coughed again to cover his abrupt outburst. “I mean, she has?”

  “She sounds just as bad as you, although not quite as hacky. Like the whole dang virus hasn’t gone to her chest just yet.”

  Gwen’s chest—yes, it was a lovely chest. Leo’s thoughts drifted to last night and Gwen’s chest, before he dragged his attention back to his sister-in-law on the phone. “Right, okay. Well I’m sure we’ll—I mean I’ll feel better by tomorrow. Thanks for calling and checking. Have fun today.”

  “We’ll try.” Her voice held the hint of a question. A question that he didn’t want her to ask. “Feel better,” Aubrey concluded and hung up.

  Hmmm, the fact that he and Gwen were both sick and missing New Year’s Day dinner was far too coincidental for Leo. He worried the scenario might be too coincidental for Aubrey as well. One of them needed to go today, so that no one started asking questions. The Travatis might be self-involved, and there was a lot going on right now with the baby and the engagement and Devon’s potential indictment, but come on, he and Gwen both suddenly getting sick and missing today could start some talk, especially since they’d left together last night. Had anyone seen them?

  Quite simply, Gwen needed to go, because he was definitely not getting his ass up off this couch. Leo picked up his phone. He didn’t want to call her…no…especially after this morning. That dismissal still stung. He decided to text.

  Are you really sick?

  He stared at his phone, waiting for the little bubble that indicated Gwen was responding. Took what seemed like forever.

  Are you?

  He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Whether he was sick was beside the point. What mattered was his family, especially the new women. Aubrey and Shelly might get some idea in their head about him and Gwen, and then they’d be doomed with regards to playing it cool at family events. And wasn’t that what Gwen wanted? To play it cool and pretend that nothing had happened the night before?

  His cock tightened with the memory of that nothing.

  You should go today.

  Again a long pause. He lifted a slice of pizza from the box. What the hell? What took her so long to respond?

  Why me? It’s your family.

  Good point. She wasn’t wrong, but really, today was for the ladies. The brothers didn’t get together on New Year’s Day unless maybe Justin said come over, bring beer, and let’s watch football. All this party-family-gathering started with Aubrey’s arrival, and would only get worse now that Shelly was marrying Anthony. If Gwen wanted to cover their tracks, she’d have to be the one to go. It only made sense. He tapped out another message.

  Aubrey is on to us. You’re the one who wants to play this cool. Both of us out is suspicious.

  *

  What the hell? Leo Travati might be hot, but he was obviously the world’s biggest idiot. Gwen speared a kung pao scallop and plopped it into her mouth. She flipped the channel. Now that the blondes with big boobs were finished yelling at each other, she would watch the Kardashian family. Trash TV all day long.

  She wasn’t going to the New Year’s dinner today no matter what Leo texted. If he was so worried about what his family thought, let him get his sorry behind up off his couch and go to Anthony’s place.

  Please, because there was no way she was getting ready today. Not after…her bottom lip quivered…not after she’d been such a complete and utter fool. She texted back:

  Your family. You go.

  Gwen tossed her phone onto the bed. How stupid was she? She pressed her palm to her face. How could she think, even after a few glasses of champagne, that she was what Leo wanted? I mean, the man had dabbled in actresses and supermodels and billionaire heiresses, oh and don’t forget the Danish royal. And yet she’d been fool enough to believe that she, Gwen Fleming, might have a shot with Leo? She shook her head. How much champagne had she had? Not enough to be that stupid.

  Her phone vibrated. She stared at it as if it were a rattlesnake ready to strike. No, not her problem, she didn’t even want to see what Leo had to…

  She grabbed her phone and flipped it over.

  Way I see it, you want it cool, this is your problem to solve. Just giving you a heads up.

  A heads up? A heads up? What an asshole. Last night he’d given her a heads in, and now he was giving her a heads up. Such a sweet and genuine guy, that Leo. Always thinking of everyone else. She dropped her phone onto the pillow beside her and crossed her arms over her chest.

  She wanted to keep what had happened with Leo quiet, but Aubrey wasn’t stupid. Had Max seen them leave together? He’d definitely walked down the hall while she and Leo had kissed. Had he seen it was the two of them? Gwen bit the nail of her index finger. She had to go to Shelly and Anthony’s today. She’d tell Aubrey that she’d taken a long hot bath, a nap, and woken up feeling
one hundred percent.

  The only reason Gwen wasn’t going to Justin and Shelly’s today was her desire not to see Leo. If he wasn’t going, well, she loved the Travatis. They were becoming like family. Fine. Gwen checked the time on her alarm clock. Dinner wasn’t until four, she had plenty of time. She could watch a little more TV, then with a shower, some makeup, some clothes, she’d be out the door. Parties always made her feel better. Being around people made her feel alive and jazzed. Yes, a party, a casual dinner with her closest friends, was exactly what she needed to get her mind off Leo. Besides, he was right on one count. She definitely didn’t want his family, especially Aubrey, thinking that Gwen and Leo both getting colds at the same time was anything but a coincidence.

  *

  No answer. Seriously, a woman who catered to her clients’ every need, and she didn’t answer his text? Leo scowled. Granted, he wasn’t her biggest client, but his sister-in-law was. Gwen really wasn’t going today? She was simply going to let the collective female minds of Aubrey and Shelly and Nina speculate as to why he and Gwen were both missing the New Year’s Day dinner?

  “What the hell?” Leo grumbled. Renley lifted his head and turned his boxer mug toward Leo. “No worries, buddy, not the game, not you, just a woman.”

  Ok. Gwen was not getting under his skin. She was most definitely not going to be a thorn in his side. Leo wouldn’t allow it. He’d rise above. Really, if she didn’t want a relationship with him, it was her loss, wasn’t it? Granted, he didn’t want a relationship with her either, so he wasn’t sure why exactly he wasn’t thrilled by the no-strings thing. It was perfect, right? They both wanted to pretend nothing happened last night. So easy. So perfect. So what was this weird tightness in his chest when he thought about Gwen’s casual words this morning: “Could we act like this never happened?” He’d been dying to do exactly that…but now…her request didn’t sit well with him.