Page 24 of A Shot at Love
When he saw how easily and freely she interacted with his partner though, Ky knew the little stab in his midsection had a name.
“No, ma’am,” Jon replied. “I’m too young and good looking to be tied down at this age. I’m single, bilingual, and ready to mingle.”
Gemma’s gaze narrowed.
“I’ve got a pretty good life outside the bureau. It’s a great job, but it’s just a job.”
“Really?”
“Yup. Life’s too short to make the job the be-all and end-all.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” she said, her lips quirking. “Maybe someday you’ll actually convince yourself it’s true.”
She turned to Ky while Jon let out a whoop.
“Gorgeous, talented, and she can cut straight through the bullshit,” Jon said. “Finally I’ve found the girl of my dreams. Gemma Laine, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”
“No,” she answered, immediately. “Not in a million years.”
Jon’s hands flew to his chest, a hurt pout on his face. With his eyes closed and clasped as if in pain, he declared, “You wound me, woman, to the quick.”
“You’ll survive.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, a ghost of a grin billowing on her lips. “You’re too much of a playa not to.”
For the first time Ky had an unfiltered view of her natural persona. Unguarded and quick, feisty, with just enough snark to be sassy but not derisive; this Gemma Laine was a delightful surprise.
She turned her attention back to Ky. “To answer your question,” she said, ignoring Jon now, the mirth drained from her face, “you’re right, Kandy’s regular cooking show isn’t in production anymore. But she signed a new deal to give the network three cooking specials a year. She wanted a complete out, but EBS knows what a golden goose she is. They gave her carte blanche and a ridiculous payday as long as she agreed. I can see her devoting an entire hour to food like this,” she lifted her spoon, filled with stew, “so you’d better warn your mother and grandmother to be prepared for her call.”
“They’d be honored,” he said.
Honored? They’d be hysterical, but he didn’t say that out loud.
He could picture them now, both women, plus his sister and his brothers’ wives, all standing in his mother’s kitchen, cackling away in Greek, each talking at the same time, offering their own special twist on a recipe.
While they ate the rest of their meal, Jon asked Gemma questions about her family and her business, while Ky sat and listened.
When they each rose and took their empty dinnerware to the sink, Jon reminded her it was his job to clean up.
“You guys really don’t have to wait on me, you know,” she told them. “I’m used to doing things all on my own. I’m not useless.”
“No one thinks you are,” Ky said. “Let Jon clean up, though. It keeps him humble.”
“That’s one word for it,” his partner said while he filled the sink with water.
“Come on,” Ky told Gemma. “I’ll show you the layout in the basement.”
Chapter Four
Gemma opened her eyes and for the second day in a row had a momentary flash of panic.
Not her bed; not her bedroom.
She sprang to a sitting position and as soon as her gaze landed on her laptop where it sat on the desk across from her, a desk Agent Pappandreos had insisted—ordered—her to move away from the window the night before, she remembered where she was.
And why.
She fell back on the pillow and scrubbed her hands down her face.
Another day in paradise.
Not.
Habit had her reaching for her cell phone. Immediately, she remembered she didn’t have it.
Stretching her arms above her head, she did the same to her legs, noting her knee felt fine, a little stiff, but no pain, and flexed her toes, lengthening her body along the bed.
A quick glace out the open window told her the day was just beginning, and she decided to begin it the way she usually did. With a workout.
Up and dressed in the exercise gear Kandy had packed since she knew her sister so well, Gemma tied on her running shoes, twined her hair into a short ponytail and made her way to the basement.
