Page 9 of Gentleman Wanted
“You didn’t think Ruin?” For a second, Wicked seemed genuinely interested.
Again I shook my head. “No, Ruin has never wanted to lead. He knows he’s a hothead.” I fell into silence. “You and Chelsea are the real news. How did Ruin take it?” I let my eyes scan his face. I knew precisely how Ruin had taken it. I could see the bruises on Wicked’s face.
“Better than I expected.” He admitted with a wry grin. “And you and Gem? Not that I’m surprised I always did think there was something between the two of you.”
My head snapped up. “There’s nothing between us. She’s a friend.” It sounded lame even to my own ears. “I mean, she’s pretty...beautiful even, but…” I trailed off. What did they say about people who protested too much?
I could see the laughter in my president’s eyes. “Whatever you say, Gent. There must be another reason you aren’t balls deep in some pussy right now, then, yeah? Nothing to do with the fact you can’t keep your eyes off her.”
Damn it. My hand curled to a fist at my side. I didn’t want to talk about this with him. I didn’t even know my own feelings, so there was no way I could explain them to him.
It was like he was a mind reader. Leaning forward, he steepled his fingers under his chin. “I get it. Believe me, I do. But if you want that woman, don’t make the same mistake I almost made. Make sure she knows how you feel about her. Before it’s too late.”
Was it really so obvious to other people that I had feelings for her, even though I wasn’t sure myself?
“Gem is like family.”
Wicked chuckled. “Yeah, her and that little boy are your family. Are you really sitting there and telling me you would be happy if she met someone else? If she played happy families with some other dude?”
A chill ran up my spine, and I rubbed at the back of my head thoughtfully. Not that I had to think about it for long. Like hell, would I be ok with some other guy stepping into my boots!
“See.” Wicked winked. His eyes found Gemma. He raised his glass to her and she smiled shyly in return. “Right.” He downed his drink in one. “I guess we best get down to business, hey? Now the welcome backs are all done?”
“Business?”
“We need to know what she saw, Gent, if she saw anything at all. And I would rather do it now.”
“No.” The word took me by surprise as much as it did him.
“No?”
“I can tell you more than she knows. Give her tonight, Wicked. She’s exhausted. Let her try and get some sleep. Bobby is... .”
“Ok, daddy bear, I’ll give her tonight. I will get one of the guys to take her home and stand guard. I’m pretty sure Cali will go with her anyway, probably Avery as well.”
“I would rather she stay here…” Jesus, I sounded desperate. I knew she had her apartment still. I had been paying for it, sending cheques to Cali each month. But the thought of not being under the same roof as Gemma and Bobby were, was giving me palpitations.
“They will be safe, Gent.” Wicked’s voice was gentle. “I promise you. But like you said, she needs to rest, and I think it will be good for you to be with the boys for a while. Let your hair down a little.”
Let my hair down? My eyes found Gemma’s again, and this time the smile she gave me was just as uncertain as the one she had given Wicked.
We hadn’t even been back an hour, and I could already feel the distance starting between us. It was like she was on the other side of a chasm, and I no longer knew how to reach her.
“I guess so.”
“I mean, it’s not like you are in love with Gem, right?” His eyes were knowing. A smile playing around them as he tried not to laugh. “So you can enjoy yourself tonight. I have a feeling you’ve earned it.”
Yeah, I thought, reaching for the beer that was warming on the table. It wasn’t like I was in love with Gemma or anything.
