by Tina Martin
“Okaaay,” Gemma conceded. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
Gianna frowned. “Next time? You’re already planning on staying with him again?”
“No, Gianna. This was just a one-time deal. And it was for you and Ramsey.”
Gianna turned up her lips.
Gemma shook her head. “Jeez, okay, I don’t know what it is you’re thinking, but in case this is it, let me clarify. Royal St. Claire is not interested in me.” She untied her scarf, placed it on the bed and massaged her short hair. She felt comfortable with Gianna seeing it – no one else.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“What does that mean?” Gemma asked.
“It means, Royal has a thing for you and you can’t even see it.”
Gemma cackled. “Royal does not have a thing for me.”
“Oh, yes he does. Now that I have experience with a man, I can read the signs.”
“Oh, goodness. Here we go…”
“I’m surprised you don’t see them. You have to have picked up on it by now.”
Gemma turned red in the face as she laughed. “There’s nothing to pick up on, Gianna. I promise you there isn’t.”
“You’ve never seen Royal staring at you? He stares at you a lot, just like Ramsey does to me.”
“That’s only because he has this obsession with making sure people are okay. It’s his job. He’s a…um…whatchamacallit…a troubleshooter.”
Gianna grinned. “Girl, do you even know what a troubleshooter is?”
“Yeah. A person who shoots trouble. Duh.” Gemma grinned.
“Come on, Gemma. Be serious.”
“It’s hard to be serious when you’re trying to imply that Royal has a thing for me. It’s not possible. I’m not even his type.”
“Doesn’t matter. I wasn’t Ramsey’s type. Now, we’re married with a baby on the way. I’m telling you—there’s something more.”
“Gianna, you didn’t even know Ramsey was feeling you until I told you so.”
“Then I’m returning the favor, baby sis. Maybe you’re so close to Royal, you can’t see it, but I’ve been watching him—like the way you two were dancing on the yacht Saturday afternoon. He had you pulled so close to him, I’m surprised you’re not the one with the baby on the way.”
Gemma couldn’t help but laugh. “Excuse me but when did you find the time to watch us dance? I thought Ramsey had you occupied.”
“I wasn’t so occupied that I couldn’t see the way Royal was looking at you.”
Gemma brushed off her words. She didn’t want to admit it but she had caught Royal staring at her on several occasions. And then there was the way he looked at her – a way in which she couldn’t describe – not to mention the way he seemed to enjoy hugging her. Touching her. “Enough about your theories. Can we change the subject?”
“To what?”
“I dunno…let’s say, you. Do you have morning sickness?”
“No.”
“You haven’t been sick at all?”
Gianna beamed. “No. Not at all. That why Ramsey’s mother seems to think I’m having a boy. She said she didn’t get sick with any of her boys when she was carrying.”
“Well, that’s great you’re feeling okay. I know Ramsey is through the roof excited.”
“He is.”
Gemma stretched. “Well, I hate to rush you out of here, but I need to take a shower and go to bed.”
“What’s the matter? Didn’t get much sleep at Royal’s?”
“I got plenty of sleep. But today, we took a walk to a restaurant near his condo and walked back. I dozed off in the car on the way here and now I’m ready to pass out.”
“Okay, then,” Gianna said standing.
“Oh, and I’m going with you to the bakery tomorrow, so don’t leave me.”
“Why don’t you wait until Tuesday, Gem? I don’t want to tire you out.”
“I’ll be fine. I want to go ahead and get started. Royal thinks it’s important for me to do something.”
“Does he?”
“Yes. He wants me to have something special that I like to do. He thinks I could volunteer at the children’s cancer hospital—says I could offer hope to the kids.”
Gianna smiled. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
“I know.”
“And Royal came up with this on his own?”
“He did.”
“That proves right there that he’s been thinking about you.”
“Maybe, but not in the way you’re suggesting. It’s certainly not the way Ramsey sits around and thinks about you.”
Gianna looked delightfully happy. “Wow. It’s so different watching you in the very same position I was in and not being able to see what’s going on right in front of your eyes.”
“The only thing I want to see in front of my eyes are my eyelids. Now, skedaddle on up out of my room. You know Ramsey gon’ call a search party if you stay too long.”
“Whatever.” Gianna laughed. “Goodnight, Gem.”
“Goodnight. I love you.” She looked at Gianna’s stomach and said, “I mean, y’all.”
“We love you, too.” Gianna walked to the door.
Gemma waited until Gianna exited, then removed the rest of her clothes. She stepped in the shower, seriously considering the things Gianna was saying. What if…
What if Royal really liked her beyond a simple friendship? She grinned. Not likely. Royal wasn’t just any random man she’d met. He was a St. Claire for goodness sakes. At twenty-five, he had his stuff together. He wasn’t confused about life. He seemed to have carved a clear path for himself. Surely, she was a diversion from that path, but that’s it. A diversion – not a fixture. There was no way he was the least bit interested in her besides the fact that he wanted to help her.
Royal the troubleshooter wanted to make her life easier using his professional prowess in doing so. She didn’t see anything wrong with that, besides the fact that he could be a little pushy and insistent. And it didn’t help that he was drop-dead gorgeous. She had to will herself to fight an attraction to him, but she’d done it. She had developed a plan to combat fantasizing about him. Whenever she found herself lost in his eyes, she’d picture in her mind what the Royal woman would look like – like a freakin’ supermodel – not a cancer survivor with hardly any hair, no body and no…nothing. So brushing off everything Gianna had said, she persisted and maintained that she and Royal were just friends and nothing more. That’s the way it was. The way it would always be.
Chapter 7
“What’s up with you, Royal?” Ramsey asked, stepping inside of Royal’s office after their Monday morning status meeting. “You almost lost it in there for absolutely nothing.”
“Because you don’t listen, Ram. I told you, Regal and Romulus, three weeks ago, that we needed to find a new vendor for the Paris project. None of you listened. But since Basile has brought it to your attention, now, all of a sudden, it’s a hot-button issue. How about listening to your brother over some fancy talking French dude? Dang.”
“You’re right, Royal. You’re right. My bad. I was going through some things with Gianna when you tried to tell me about the vendor issue and I should’ve been more focused on work.”
“No. You should’ve been focused on Gianna. I just—” Royal sighed and dropped his head. Frustrated.
“What is it, Royal?”
“It’s Gemma.”
Concern quickly came to Ramsey’s face. If something was wrong with Gemma, it would, in turn, affect Gianna and he couldn’t have that. “What’s wrong with Gemma?”
“Okay, let me be more specific. There’s nothing wrong with her. This is about me and my feelings for her.”
“Oh, I see,” Ramsey said, picking up on the problem right away. He already knew his brother had feelings for Gemma. “What seems to be the issue?”
Royal looked up toward the ceiling and blew out a breath. “The issue is, when I’m here—whenever I’m away from her, I
can’t stop thinking about her. Right now while I’m sitting here talking to you, she’s on my mind.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“Because I’ve developed these feelings for her that won’t go away.”
“Won’t go away implies that you’ve tried to shake it.”
“I have, for her sake. Man, Gemma has no idea how I feel about her. She sees me the same way she sees you—like a big brother.”
“And how do you see her?”
Royal thought for a moment, but it didn’t take long to reply, “I see her as a woman I could share my life with.”
“Whoa,” Ramsey said. He took a seat in one of the leather chairs in Royal’s office and said, “Okay, let’s not get crazy.”
“I’m not crazy. That’s how I feel about her.”
“How is that possible, Royal, when you’ve only known her for three months?”
“You knew Gianna for less time when you two got married.”
“That was different. It was a Wedded Bliss situation, well, partly. Whatever the case, this isn’t your method of operation.”
Royal sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, so you tell me how I operate since you know me better than I know myself.”
“You’re trying to be sarcastic, but I do know how you operate, Royal. First of all, you get bored with women easily. The last woman you dated owned a business. She was a looker, too, and you dropped her just like that,” Ramsey said and snapped his finger for added emphasis.
“I wasn’t feeling her. What am I supposed to do? Force myself into a relationship with someone just because they’re a catch? And to clarify, just because the woman was a catch doesn’t mean she was my catch.”
“And Gemma is?”
“I have a connection with Gemma.”
“You have a connection with Gemma, yet, she has no idea how you feel about her. She hasn’t picked up on any vibes. Wouldn’t you think if you were feeling a woman, she would have a hint you were into her?”
“Not Gemma. She’s never been in a relationship before. She’s young and—”
“And she’s not for you,” Ramsey said.
Royal frowned. “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t date.”
“Royal, I’m telling you for your own good. Keep this thing with Gemma on a friendship level.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I love her.”
“You…you what?”
“I. Love. Her,” Royal said intentionally slow hoping Ramsey would get it this time.
Ramsey took a minute to let it sink in then shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t let you hurt her. History shows you’ll drop her just like all the rest.”
“I won’t. She’s different.”
“Why? Because of the cancer?”
“No. Because she’s strong and there’s an ambitious woman inside of her. I want to bring her out. I mean she’s already smart. She’s funny. She has the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my life. I love her, Ramsey.”
Ramsey frowned.
“What do you have against me and her?” Royal asked.
“I don’t like the idea of you dating her and dropping her when you’re done. That’s all I can see in my head. I don’t want you to hurt Gemma. Hurting her would be hurting Gianna. She doesn’t need to be stressed out because she’s troubled about what you may or may not do to her sister.”
“Then I give you my word. I won’t hurt her. I really do love her, Ramsey.”
Ramsey raised a brow. “And you’re sure about that after three months?”
“Positive.”
Ramsey sighed deeply and rubbed his mustache. Thinking. “You haven’t told her how you feel?”
“No.”
“Then let me give you a word of advice—be a friend first. Don’t move so quickly. I think that was your problem in your last relationship. You were so in a hurry to be in a relationship, you didn’t take the time to really know the woman. Get to know Gemma.”
“I do know her.”
“Then take the time to know her better. What harm could come from taking things slow? And she’s still in the recuperating stage of her recovery, man. Let the friendship build organically. Don’t rush it. If it’s meant to be, everything else will fall into place.”
“Alright. I’ll try to take your advice,” Royal said, swiveling in his black executive chair.
“Good.”
Ramsey stared at his brother for a moment and then asked, “What is it about her?”
Royal smiled. “I just told you. I think mostly, though, it’s just—just her. I like how comfortable she is around me.”
“You know that’ll change the minute she knows you’re feeling her.”
“Yeah. Another reason I should take it slow, I guess,” Royal said, tapping a pen on the desktop.
“Yep.” Ramsey stood up. “You know she’s at the bakery with Gianna today, right?”
“Oh, so she did go? She was so tired last night, I didn’t think she would wake up in time.”
“Yeah, she went. I’m going by there at lunch if you want to tag along and see your girl,” Ramsey said.
“Cool. Ay, let me know when you’re leaving.”
“Yep,” Ramsey said, exiting the office.
Chapter 8
Gemma had been working nonstop since arriving at the bakery with Gianna. She got a lesson on how to make vanilla cupcakes and now she was placing a new, freshly frosted batch in the display counter at the front when she saw Ramsey and Royal walk in.
“Um, why are y’all coming up in here looking like a couple of Federal agents?” Gemma asked.
Ramsey smirked. “I’m here for my set of sweet lips. Where is she?”
Gemma shrugged. “She’s probably back there somewhere hiding from you. You know how she do.”
“Yes, all too well,” Ramsey said, stepping behind the counter. He gave Gemma a kiss on the temple and asked, “How are you, peanut?”
“I’m good. Gianna’s keeping me busy.”
“I’m sure she is. This place does get pretty crowded, but,” Ramsey glanced at his Rolex. “It’s almost one. The rush is almost over.”
“Good,” Gemma said. “Maybe now I can get a chance to sit down.”
While Ramsey continued on to the back, Gemma turned to look at Royal. “So, Ramsey’s here to stalk my sister, obviously. What brings you by, prince Royal? Here to check out the booming cupcake scene at the University City Boardwalk?”
He grinned. “Nah. Gianna’s cupcakes are delicious, but I, for one, like to keep my abs nice and tight.”
And they’re certainly tight and nice for that matter. Gemma still couldn’t get the image of his bare chest and torso out of her head, not that she wanted to. She gave him a full once over, looking at his expensive leather shoes and a gray suit that looked like he just wore it straight out of Neiman Marcus. No wrinkles. Just perfect creases on a most perfect body. “Okay, so what’s up? You and Ramsey riding around troubleshooting, causing trouble or what?”
“No. I rode with him over here because I knew you were here.”
She lifted a brow. “You came to see me?”
“Yes, Gemma,” he said, giving her a pointed stare. “I came to see you.”
Ugh. Sure you did...
She hated how sinfully handsome men toyed with women’s emotions just because they could. He came to see her.
Yeah…
Right…
He could’ve come up with something better than that, like maybe he and Ramsey had to run out to a job site and Ramsey wanted to stop by the bakery to see Gianna before returning to the office. That sounded more plausible.
She glanced up at him. He was still staring. She wondered why, but caught up in the magnificence of his attractiveness, she remained without a voice.
“Can you take a break for a minute?” he asked.
She frowned, darted her head back and glanced around before looking at him again. “Who?
Me?” she asked, placing a hand on her chest.
He chuckled. “Yes. You. Why are you getting brand new on a brother all of a sudden?”
“I just…I…um…I’m fine. I’m not getting brand new…whatever that means to you. I just…um—” Gemma swallowed the thick lump that threatened her voice. What are you doing, Gemma? All that crap Gianna told you about Royal last night is messing with your head and has you acting strange. And not just any kind of strange, but Gianna strange. Oh no. I’m becoming my sister. Crap. Crap. Crap!
“Gemma.”
Gemma closed her eyes the moment she heard him call her name. Instead of trying to shake off the nerves that had her becoming her sister and making an attempt to save face, the strangeness continued when she opened her left eye and kept the right one closed.
Royal chuckled. “Something wrong with your eye?”
“Nope. Something wrong wit’cho face?” she shot back.
Royal frowned, stroking his hand down his beard. “You’re acting weird,” he said. “Are you okay?”
“Y-ye-yeah. I’m fine.” She closed both eyes and did a reset, opening them both at the same time now.
“You’re back.”
“Ta-da!” she said, silently chastising herself for acting like a flake. Get it together, Gemma. Jeez.
“Can you take a walk with me?” he asked, undeterred by her antics.
“Um…”
“If you can’t—”
“Wait…let me check with Gianna first,” Gemma said. “Be right back.” Gemma walked to the back to find Gianna sitting on the desk in her office with Ramsey standing in front of her. All she could hear was kissing, moaning and lip-smacking noises.
“Ew. Don’t y’all get enough of each other at home?” Gemma asked.
Ramsey grinned. “I can never get enough of my sweet cupcake.”
“O-kay. Gianna, if you can hear me, I’m going to take a walk with the prince real quick. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Take your time,” Ramsey said. “I’ll fill in while you’re gone. No need to rush.”
“Okay. Thanks, and remember – the baby needs air, Ramsey. Gianna can’t breathe with your tongue blocking her windpipe.”
