Kismet: A Serendipity Novella (4 page)

“It’s not the clothes, Lissa. It’s you,” he
said gruffly. “Do you know how many times I wished I could afford
to buy you nice things?”

He was talking about ten years ago.

She smiled. “I never wanted them,” she
murmured. She’d only wanted him. She shook her head, shaking off
the memories they couldn’t change.

“Ready to go?” he asked, placing a strong
hand against her bare back. “The limo is waiting.”

Surprised, she opened her mouth, then closed
it again. “Limo?” The word sounded like a squeak and he
grinned.

“Your article is supposed to document who I
am and how I live, correct?” She nodded. “Don’t worry. It’s not a
full limo. It’s a town car with a driver.” He chuckled, probably at
her shocked expression.

“Lead the way,” she said, raising her chin
in a futile attempt at nonchalance.

The man was riding roughshod over every one
of her good intentions and damned if she wasn’t enjoying having
someone else take control for a change.

Not that she’d give him the satisfaction of
telling him that. All she had to do now was get through the rest of
the night without succumbing to that charm he seemed so determined
to lavish on her.

But that was the sensible Elisabetta
talking. The old Elisabetta—the one who would follow Trevor’s lead
to hell and back, the one who was enjoying the feel of his heated
palm against her back—urged her to stop thinking and enjoy. Not
that she’d forget why she was with Trevor or that she had an
article to write when her time with him was through, but for now,
the devil on her shoulder insisted she relax and see where this
night and these sparks between them would lead.

And she wondered which Lissa would win.

For Trevor, nothing about tonight was
work-related. The fundraiser was something his firm believed in and
attendance was mandatory, but nobody conducted business at these
kinds of events. Most attended with their husbands, wives, or
significant others and it was as much a chance for people to catch
up personally as it was to raise money for the charity. Normally
Trevor hated these things. He’d have to dig up a date, either a
woman who bored him to tears or one who thought she could be the
one to catch him when no other woman had been able to before.

At first he’d questioned why this was on the
reporter’s schedule of events, but he realized Alex wanted to
showcase both Trevor and the firm’s commitment to altruistic
causes. He’d resigned himself to sucking it up because at least
he’d be with a woman who had no expectations. Once he’d discovered
the reporter was Lissa and after he’d made the deliberate decision
to let go of the past for this short time they were together, he’d
begun to look forward to the evening.

As for her insistence that she’d take a cab?
It was easier to let her think she’d gotten her way than to argue.
And it had been worth the waiting time in the lobby to get his
first glimpse of her uncensored expression the moment she’d laid
eyes on him as she walked out of the elevator. Pure, unadulterated
pleasure lit her gaze, along with a definite dose of female
appreciation, before wariness shuttered her emotions. And her skin
glowed radiantly, her emerald eyes twinkling with delight she tried
hard to hide.

It was enough for him to know he’d gotten to
her the same way she affected him.

Only then did he allow himself the full
pleasure of viewing her in all her glory. Dressed in a gold gown,
Grecian in design, that draped over one shoulder and hugged her
curves in all the right places, she looked like a princess. The
back dipped enticingly low, giving him a glimpse of her olive skin
and affording the perfect place to settle his palm possessively
against her back.

They made the ride to the Waldorf in silence
and Trevor let her squirm. He knew she was questioning his motives
and what he wanted from her. He liked her nervous and a bit wary.
That was when she’d be most unguarded, letting little things
slip.

There was much to revisit, much still
unsaid, and though they had a limited amount of time together, most
of it would be one on one. Just not right away.

As soon as they arrived at the hotel and
walked into the ballroom, all eyes turned to look at them. Trevor
understood. Lissa, with her Mediterranean olive skin, jet black
hair, and green eyes, made an impression. She had a regal look and
he was proud to have her on his arm.

“I’m the envy of every man here,” he said,
escorting her toward the bar.

“Flatterer. Have you seen the other women
here? They’re at least twenty pounds lighter and have much tinier
waists,” she said, laughing without seeming uncomfortable.

“I hadn’t noticed. I can’t take my eyes off
you.” He drew a deep breath. “Would you like a drink?”

She nodded. “A glass of white wine.”

The bartender had heard her, so Trevor
merely added, “And a Scotch on the rocks for me.”

A few minutes later, they had their drinks
in hand. “Let’s walk,” he said, steering her into the crowds. The
sooner they did the obligatory meet and greet, the sooner Trevor
could dance with this woman and take her to bed. They passed the
next thirty minutes talking to the important people at Wittman
Financial and other people in the industry. Trevor was careful to
introduce Lissa to the movers and shakers by both name and company
affiliation, knowing that despite the personal nature of their time
together, when all was said and done, she had a job to do.

“Trevor, Ms. Gardelli, I’m so glad you could
make it.” Trevor turned at the sound of Alexander’s voice. “I see
you two have worked out your ... differences?”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mr.
Wittman,” Lissa said, extending her free hand.

Instead of shaking it, Alex lifted her hand
and placed a courtly kiss on top. “You look ravishing.”

Lissa blushed.

“I was just telling her the same thing
myself,” Trevor said, unable to hide his pleasure at being with
her.

Over the years, as Trevor had escorted
various dates to these types of evenings, he’d envied Bradley
Banks, thinking the man was taking Lissa to country club events,
showing her off and then taking her home and making love to
her.

Trevor’s stomach turned at the thought even
now.

How much time had he wasted by not finding
out the truth of how her life had been?

Which reminded him, he had some crow to eat.
He turned to Alex. “I already apologized to Lissa and now it’s your
turn. I was shocked to see her after all these years and I let
emotion cloud my judgment. I was rude earlier today and I
apologize.”

Trevor wasn’t a man prone to saying
I’m
sorry
, but in this case, he owed his boss and mentor and
intended to prove he understood his mistake.

“I don’t know what happened between you two
in the past, but to have such an explosive reaction means great
passion was involved.”

A small hiccup came from Lissa, a clear sign
of shock.

“Alex ...” Trevor said in warning.

The other man waved away Trevor’s concerns
because in Alex’s world, people were meant to be paired off. He was
a romantic to the bone.

“Speaking of passion, Emma sends her best,
but she’s home with a headache and she wants to make sure she’s
better for tomorrow night’s dinner party. Which means I’ll be
leaving early,” he said with regret.

“I hope she feels better,” Lissa said. “I’m
looking forward to meeting her tomorrow.”

Trevor stepped closer to Lissa and slid an
arm around her waist. She stiffened for a moment before managing to
relax. “Please send Emma my best wishes. And we’ll see her
tomorrow,” Trevor added.

“She’s looking forward to it, as am I.” Alex
nodded. His perceptive gaze locked on Trevor’s possessive hold on
Lissa and a smug grin settled on the man’s face. “I’ll see you two
later,” Alex said and headed off to finish making his rounds.

Trevor gave Lissa a few minutes to enjoy her
drink in silence and take in the ambiance in the ballroom. He
finished his and turned to face her.

“Dance?” he asked.

“Sure.” Lissa handed her wine glass to a
passing server.

Lissa steeled herself for the next few
minutes in Trevor’s arms.

It was hard enough to see the heat and
appreciation in his eyes whenever he looked at her. Harder still to
make herself believe he meant it. She didn’t doubt he wanted her.
She desired him just as much. It was how she felt about that look
in his eyes that frightened her. As he wrapped his arm around her
waist and pulled her close, the warmth of his body and the thrill
his touch inspired scared her even more.

Yet when he looked down and into her eyes,
she practically melted on the spot.

“This feels familiar,” he said as he slowly
moved to the strains of the music.

She laughed, remembering their junior prom.
They hadn’t made it to their senior. “As I recall, we were more
awkward then.”

He shrugged. “Practice makes perfect.” He
stroked her bare back with his thumb and she shivered.

“Do you come to these things often?” she
asked.

“It’s part of the job. There are charitable
galas, holiday parties, things like that.”

“And that’s where you got all your practice.
Who were your partners?” she asked, forcing a smile while they
talked.

“Is that on the record? Or more of a
personal question?”

She tried to pull away but he tightened his
hold, continuing their glide around the dance floor. “Well?”

“I think you know.”

He nodded. “I do. And the answer is,
nameless, unimportant women.”

Her heart stopped beating. “All of
them?”

Again, he nodded.

“Why?” she asked softly, unable to believe
they were having this conversation.

“Are you sure you want an answer?”

Was she sure? Ten years of wondering if
Trevor ever thought of her. Lonely nights of imagining him taking
other women to bed, falling in love with one of them, eventually
marrying one and having children. Jealousy had eaten away at her
even as her rational self knew she had no right. She was the one
who’d turned to someone else. She’d had another man’s baby.

She met his gaze and nodded.

“Okay, but once you get it, there’s no
turning back.”

She couldn’t suppress a smile. Because she
had the sense there was no turning back anyway. “I’m sure.”

His dark eyes smoldered with need. “They
were all nameless, unimportant blurs because they weren’t you.”

“Oh, Trevor,” she said as his words wrapped
around her heart.

His grip on her waist tightened, his large
hand cupping her so hard she thought he’d leave marks. The thought
of him marking her in any way aroused her beyond reason. So did the
hardened erection pressing into her belly, telling her how very
much he wanted her.

That was what she could believe in. The only
thing.

The feelings behind the desire? Those were
emotions she no longer let herself trust.

“I need to get out of here,” he said
gruffly.

Lissa nodded. She’d never wanted anything
more. Another night with Trevor was more than she’d ever
imagined—and now it looked like they’d have at least two before she
went home to Serendipity and the life she’d chosen so very long
ago.

*

Instead of going to Lissa’s hotel as she’d
expected, Trevor gave the driver his Upper East Side address, which
for some reason made this next step seem all too real. To see where
he lived, what his life was like ... She shivered.

“Cold?” he asked from his seat beside her in
the car. She shook her head. “Ah. Then you’re thinking too
much.”

She smiled, amazed he could read her so well
after all these years.

“Guess I’ll have to remedy that.” He reached
up and slid his fingers beneath her hair, cupping her neck and
pulling her close. Then, without wasting any time, he sealed his
lips over hers.

His instincts had been correct, she thought.
At the sizzling connection between them, all coherent thought
stopped completely.

He’d always been talented with his mouth and
that hadn’t changed. His lips slid back and forth over hers, taking
her for a blissful, mind-numbing experience that quickly turned hot
and arousing when he grasped her hair in his hand and deepened the
kiss.

The slightly aggressive move was somehow
erotic too, and her body liquefied with the tug against her scalp.
With a moan, she returned each swipe and thrust of his tongue with
equal fervor and need, wanting nothing more than to crawl into his
lap and get as close as possible given the barrier of clothing.

When he suddenly pulled back, her entire
body protested the loss of his mouth over hers. “What’s wrong?” she
asked, feeling dazed and unfulfilled.

“We’re here,” he said.

Lissa looked out the window. “Oh,” she said,
shocked to see the car had stopped in front of a building.

He grinned and slipped his hand in hers.
“Thank you, Tony,” he said to the driver.

Lissa blushed and ducked her head,
embarrassed they’d been making out with the man right in front.

“He’s paid to be discreet,” Trevor said,
laughing, making Lissa wonder if he made this a habit, seducing his
dates on their way home.

She didn’t want to know if he did.

More sober now, she followed him inside,
aware of his arm around her waist but not feeling as relaxed as she
had earlier. Which was ridiculous, all things considered.

He lived in a building with a doorman, which
meant another stranger to nod to as she passed by, walking with
Trevor to the elevator. They stepped off on the twenty-first floor
and headed down the long, lit corridor to the end of the hall.

He unlocked the door and motioned for her to
step in ahead of him. He’d left lights on and she was able to look
around immediately. He tossed his keys on a shelf in the entryway
before taking her hand and pulling her into the main living room. A
wall of windows overlooked the glittering skyline of Manhattan.