Книга - Ready for Her Close-up

Ready for Her Close-up
Katherine Garbera











“You have a Mr Right checklist?”


It made him uncomfortably aware that she was weighing everything he did and said. He needed to watch himself around her.

Gail shrugged. “It’s just qualities I think would be compatible with me. Like, I’m looking for someone with a good job.”

“Check that one off for me.”

She smiled at him. “And he has to be committed to the person he’s dating.”

“Ah. That one will be harder to convince you of, won’t it?”

“Yes. You aren’t exactly known for monogamy. And then …” She hesitated as a pretty pink blush spread up to her cheeks.

“What could be next?” he asked. “Why are you so shy now?”

“I have to be attracted to you. A healthy sex life is on my checklist.”

He leaned in close, his breath hot on her neck. “When the time is right you will have no doubts that I can fulfill all your needs.”


Dear Reader,

My new series from Desire™ is kicking off with a juicy, scandal-ridden romance! Russell Holloway was a secondary character in my MIAMI NIGHTS miniseries so you might remember him from there. In this book he meets his match in Gail Little, who is Russell’s antithesis. Where he’s a free spirit whose escapades are always heralded on the internet, she’s staid and quiet and looking for Mr Right.

Some matchmaker thinks Russell might be that guy, but PR guru Gail thinks it might be a setup to clean up Russell’s image. Russell starts out with ulterior motives but soon finds himself falling for Gail. He never would have thought that Ms Right would be so classy, so refined and so damned sexy!

I hope you enjoy the start to this new series.

Happy reading!

Katherine




About the Author


KATHERINE GARBERA is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty books who has always believed in happy endings. She lives in England with her husband, children and their pampered pet, Godiva. Visit Katherine on the web at www.katherinegarbera.com, or catch up with her on Facebook and Twitter.


Ready for Her Close-Up

Katherine Garbera






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


This one is for my family for always believing in

me and making me feel special even

though I know I’m not.




One


What had she been thinking?

Gail Little took a deep breath and walked into the makeshift hair and makeup area for the set of the reality-TV dating show Sexy and Single. She had never in her entire life thought of herself as sexy, but single … now, that was something she had buttoned up. She’d always thought she’d hook up with a guy in college, and they’d fall into a relationship as they both started their careers. Then, after three years of dating, they’d get married, but now she was staring down thirty and still alone.

“I’m Kat Humphries, the PA for Sexy and Single. I’ll also be your handler for all of your segments.”

Gail shook Kat’s hand. She’d expected to see Willow Stead—the producer of the show and one of her best friends—instead of a PA. Willow had gotten the idea to do the show when Gail had signed up with Matchmakers Inc. Though Gail had only told her friends she wanted to find a husband and didn’t meet the right kind of men at work, the truth was she wanted a family of her own and her biological clock was ticking. So she’d signed on with the dating service, never expecting her experiences would become the focus of a TV show.

Kat looked to be in her mid-twenties and wore a pair of slim-fitting jeans and a T-shirt from a bar in Mexico. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she had an earpiece attached to the radio at her belt.

“Follow me,” Kat said.

Gail nodded and went with her to a bank of lighted mirrors set up against the wall. This was behind-the-scenes television that few viewers ever saw. Not very glamorous, but as the owner of a very successful PR firm, it was a world Gail knew well. Funny that she never pictured herself as the one going onstage.

“Have a seat here. The hair and makeup people are on their way. You’re a few minutes early.”

“Sorry about that. I didn’t want to be late,” Gail said. Kat nodded, but held up one finger as she listened to something on her headset.

“Please stay in here until I come back to get you,” Kat said. “We want to capture that first moment when you and your match see each other.”

Gail wanted to groan. But she knew deep down that if she stayed in her rut any longer, her life would be nothing but work, and her dreams of a family and all that went with it would never be realized.

She stared at herself in the mirror as she waited for the hair and makeup person to arrive. Her thick, curly hair with its wild, out-of-control style framed her face. She reached up and pulled her hair back … that was how she usually wore it for work. Because let’s face it, she thought, her unruly hair didn’t scream sexy and single.

A man and woman approached her. “Hello, Gail. I’m Mona, and this is Pete. We’re going to be doing your hair and makeup. Just sit back and relax.”

Gail did just that, wondering what she’d gotten herself into. She’d wanted a man to spend her holidays with instead of being home alone, which might have been fun for Kevin in the Home Alone movies, but for her, a grown woman, it had been … lonely. She craved the perfect Christmas, for example, and images of it played in her mind like home movies. She was in the business of image and reality, so why couldn’t she create the perfect image and reality for herself?

She’d developed a PR plan to take herself from a business success to a personal success. She was very good at enacting her plans, so she had no doubt this one would work. Of course, she hadn’t expected Willow to love the idea so much that she’d turn it into a reality TV show.

“Okay, we’re done,” Mona said.

They turned her back to face the mirrors. Her thick, unruly hair had been straightened and styled to brush her shoulders. Her eyes were bigger than she’d ever seen them before. Her lips were so large and perfect. She’d had no idea a little lipstick and eye shadow could make her look like this. She didn’t recognize herself.

“What do you think?” Pete asked.

“I don’t look like me,” she said.

“Sure you do, honey. Just not the you that is usually in the mirror,” Mona said.

And that had been exactly what she’d wanted. “What do I do now?”

“Wardrobe,” Pete said. “Your dressing room is over there.”

She walked over to the tiny dressing room in the corner. There was a woman sitting there reading a paperback book—one that Gail had just finished. This was the life she was used to, and Gail felt as though she could just sit here for a few minutes. The woman put the book down and smiled at her. “Looking good.”

“Thanks.”

Gail had the feeling that Alice must have experienced when she fell down the rabbit hole, because twenty minutes later she stood in front of a full-length mirror in a couture gown by Jil Sander. The well-fitting top came to a V, revealing her cleavage, while the peplum skirt gave her hips a flattering fullness, hitting her midthigh. She looked sexy and glamorous, two things she’d never felt before.

Kat came back and signaled that it was time to go. Gail realized her hands were sweating and started to wipe them on her skirt but stopped—this gown cost more than her entire wardrobe. She was going to mess this up. No matter how much magic these stylists had done to her outside, inside she was still the woman who’d spent all of her time working. She had no idea how to make real small talk. This was a mistake.

“Two minutes until you will go into the ‘confessional,’ then it’s down to the ballroom, where you will meet your date, Ms. Little,” Kat said.

Gail was nervous. And that wasn’t like her. She wasn’t the type of woman who let anything stand in her way once she’d made up her mind.

A tech guy in black pants and a polo shirt came over and attached a microphone to her collar. She should approach this the same way she approached a client at her PR firm who needed more exposure. She’d smile and pretend the glam woman staring back at her in the mirror was who she really was.

She stood up and walked over to the entrance to the small room that had been made out of moveable walls and pipe and drapes. No privacy at all. But then, that was reality television.

“Just push the button and start talking. Don’t worry—if you mess up, just start over. We’re going to edit it,” Kat said.

“What am I supposed to say?”

“Tell us what you are thinking before you meet your match.”

She stepped into the room and walked over to the camera. She sat down in front of it and pushed the record button. There was a small monitor where she could see herself, which just made her uncomfortable, so instead she stared into the lens of the camera.

“Let’s see…. I’m Gail Little and I own a public relations firm. I am beyond nervous.

“That’s it. I signed up with Matchmakers Inc., because I didn’t want to let another year go by without meeting someone. I work all the time and don’t meet many single men in my job,” she said. Then she took a deep breath. She was rambling.

“I’m anxious to find out more about the man that has been picked for me.” She pushed the stop button and got up and walked out of the room.

She’d done the best she could. She turned resolutely to walk back to the makeup area. “All done?” Kat asked.

“Yes.”

“This way, then. Your date is waiting for you.”

They stepped into the hallway and the soundman checked her microphone. “Bob is the cameraman who will be shooting you. He will be in front of you as we enter the ballroom. Don’t look at Bob. Instead, look toward the table where your match is waiting.”

“Okay,” she said. Bob waved at her from the end of the hallway.

“Walk toward Bob and then enter the ballroom. It’s been set up for an intimate dinner for two. As soon as we are out of the shot, I will signal you. Just start walking.”

Kat and the soundman joined Bob at the end of the hall, and it felt like an eternity before she was given the signal to go. She walked down the hallway, feeling silly that they were taping her walking. But she forgot about that when she stepped into the ballroom.

There were a few production people in the room as well as a man who stood with his back toward her. But she was distracted when Jack Crown stepped in front of her.

“Hello, Gail,” he said.

Jack Crown was gunning to beat out Ryan Seacrest for hosting the most shows on TV and was obviously the host of this one. He’d been an all-state athlete in high school and then went on to win the Heisman Trophy in college. He’d been a first-round draft pick and then suffered an agonizing injury in his very first professional football game. But he’d smiled up at the cameras and just shrugged his massive shoulders saying that America hadn’t seen the last of him, and he’d been right. He started showing up on television regularly hosting reality shows for the Discovery Channel.

“Hello, Jack,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m the host of the show. I’ll be chatting with both of you at the end of your dates.”

“Okay,” she said. “Now?”

“No, we want to see how you both react to meeting each other,” he said, stepping away. Her date had large, strong shoulders that tapered down to a lean waist, which she could see because he wore a well-fitted jacket.

“Stop,” Willow, the producer, said, her voice loud in the quiet of the room. It was funny because Gail had never been at work with Willow before, and the booming voice didn’t sound like her friend’s. “You are going to see each other for the first time in just a moment. I want you both to look at each other and not the cameras. Kat, move her into position.”

Kat directed Gail to a spot that was marked on the floor with tape. Gail stood so close to her match that she could smell the woodsy scent of his cologne. And she noticed his thick hair was a brown color with shots of golden-blond in it.

“We’re ready to shoot now. Please turn and face your match,” Willow said.

The man turned and Gail’s breath caught. Then her heart sank. It was billionaire New Zealand hotelier and nightclub owner Russell Holloway. She recognized him from his constant exposure on TV and in magazines. He couldn’t be her match. Surely this was a joke. He was a playboy with a reputation as a love-’em-and-leave-’em guy. Why would he go to a matchmaker?

Gail met the full force of Russell’s gray gaze. His eyes were bright and intense, staring down at her. He didn’t look as debauched as he should, she thought. He looked tanned, fit and healthy … too damned good for someone as bad as he was rumored to be.

“Gail Little,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Dumb. Was that really the only thing her mind could come up with?

Russell laughed as he took her hand and kissed it. “Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound promising. I know precious little about you, but I look forward to hearing your story from your own lips.”

She licked her lips and stared up at him. Her eyes tracked down his face to the sharp blade of his nose and then the full, sensual mouth underneath. Lips … the word echoed in her mind, and all she could do was stare at his. She gave herself a mental shake. She wasn’t going to be the latest to fall for this charming playboy. He was messing up her plans, and there was nothing fun about that.

Russell Holloway wasn’t sure what type of woman he’d expected to be matched with, but he knew he hadn’t anticipated Gail Little. She was beautiful, with her thick black hair brushing her shoulders and her big brown eyes that tempted him to get lost in them. Her figure was curvy and generous. If he were honest, she was exactly what he wanted physically. And she was classy. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d met a woman like her.

“I’m Russell Holloway,” he said, though he could tell she recognized him. She’d said that she’d heard of him.

“I know.” Then she shook her head. “Despite how it may seem, I’m usually a bit wittier.”

He chuckled. “First meetings can be a bit nerve-racking.”

“Yes, they can.”

She stared up at him and then flushed. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Then say nothing and let me enjoy the view. You’re a very beautiful woman.”

“I don’t know about that. Should we take our seats at the table?”

“Not just yet,” Russell said, linking her hand through his arm, leading her out of the ballroom and into the hallway.

He’d already arranged for the camera crew to follow them. Every detail had to go off smoothly. Russell had signed up with the matchmaking service to improve his reputation.

The Kiwi Klubs had had stagnate growth for the past two years. They had started as destination clubs similar to Club Med. Attached to each of the hotels was an exclusive A-lister nightclub where people went to see and be seen. Russell was making a profit but he wanted to try something new, and the real money in destination vacations was in families. He wanted to open a family-friendly resort, but with his reputation that was easier said than done. He had a chance to buy a well-known family vacation company but the owner was balking at selling to someone like Russell—not from a business standpoint but from a reputation-based one. So he’d decided to try to change his image.

He’d already arranged with Willow and Conner MacAfee, Matchmakers Inc.’s owner, to give Gail a preview of the Gustav Klimt exhibit that would be opening here in the Big Apple Kiwi Klub on Wednesday. As a personal friend of Russell’s, Conner had suggested participating in the show as a course of action to help Russell out.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “I think we are supposed to stay where we were.”

“Afraid to get in trouble?” he asked.

“No. I just like to follow the rules,” she said.

“I don’t.”

“Shocker,” she said.

He laughed. She gave the impression of being very sure of herself and confident. Those were traits that he’d been hoping for in his match. “Don’t fret, Gail, this side trip has been preapproved.”

“Good,” she said.

“Here we are,” he said, opening a door that led into the mezzanine atrium. The hotel area was very modern and had large expanses of open wall space with a glass dome inspired by Van Gogh’s Stormy Night. The floor was made of marble.

“This exhibit is opening on Wednesday, so we will be the first to experience it.”

When he’d approved the design, he’d specified that the atrium be used to display art. He had wanted to capture the feeling of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and replicate it here. If he was going to get families and couples into his hotels, then he needed to give them something special.

“I love Klimt’s work. I have a print of The Kiss hanging in my bedroom at home,” she said.

Russell thought it interesting that Gail had chosen that piece to hang in her bedroom. In it, the man was completely wrapped around the woman, holding her face in his hands as he kissed her neck. Klimt’s style was very sensual.

“Have you ever been kissed like that?” he asked.

She glanced up at him, a bit of shock in her eyes. “No. I don’t think so. But I’m sure you have.”

He arched one eyebrow at her. She didn’t seem to like him very much. “A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“But then, you never have been a gentleman,” she said almost sharply.

“That’s true,” he acknowledged. “I’m not exactly the kind of man who’s been circumspect in my relationships. But that’s why I’m here.”

“Truly?”

“Yes. I’m not on this show to play games with you, Gail. I’m looking for a match just like you are.” He knew if he was going to be successful in changing his reputation, it had to start with Gail. If he couldn’t convince her he wanted to change away from his bad boy image, the viewers at home wouldn’t buy it either.

“I’m sorry if I jumped to conclusions,” she said.

“You should be,” he said, flirting with her.

The PA motioned for them to move, and Russell put his hand at the small of Gail’s back and steered her toward another framed picture. It was a portrait of a high-society woman. They stood in front of it for a long time.

“She reminds me of you,” he said. It was a sensual portrait of a fully-dressed woman with an open bodice, just starting to reveal herself to the viewer.

“Did I mention that I don’t fall for practiced lines,” Gail said.

“What makes you think that was a line?” he asked. “She’s so sexy,” Gail said.

“You are too,” he said.

Gail gave him a yeah, right look, and Russell realized for the first time that he was dealing with Gail’s future as well as his own. And though he’d decided to do this purely for business reasons, he was determined to give her the very best of himself—however little that might be.

He reached over to touch her face, but Gail drew back. Getting past his reputation was going to be harder than he’d expected. It had been too long since he’d moved in any circles other than those inhabited by his decadent friends.

“She’s mysterious like you, as well. There is more to you than meets the eye,” he said.

“And you’re all flash, aren’t you?” she asked.

“I’d like to hope not. Otherwise I’d be pretty boring.”

“Well, no one has ever called you boring,” she admitted.

Russell turned them both back toward the end of the hallway. He’d forgotten the cameras were there. He rarely let anyone distract him from his surroundings and was a bit surprised that Gail had.

“Okay, cut. Great job, you two. Jack, come on in,” Willow said.

Jack joined them, and Russell was reminded that this was definitely a TV show. Jack shook his hand and Gail’s.

“You two are doing great,” he said.

“Thanks,” Russell replied.

“Okay, we’re ready to start shooting,” Willow said from across the room.

“Now that you’ve finished your first date, what do you think of Matchmakers Inc.?” Jack asked.

“They saw what I wanted even though Gail isn’t my normal date,” Russell said. “I think that the matchmaker was very intuitive.”

“And you, Gail?”

“Well, Russell is definitely the last guy in the world I would have expected, so in that respect they found me a man I couldn’t find on my own.”

Jack laughed and then Willow called, “Cut.”

“Jack, we’ll need you to finish shooting the intro. Russell and Gail, you are free to go back to the dining room, where a crew will tape you talking and eating.” The crew started heading back in that direction.

“That should be exciting,” Gail said, turning sharply and walking across the atrium.

“What’s your hurry?” Russell asked.

“I want to talk to Willow before we film any more.”

“Why?” Russell asked.

“I just need to confirm some details with her,” Gail said.

“Are you going to try to back out of this?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Don’t take it personally, but I’m not sure that you are at all the right person for me. I’m sure that this would be interesting viewing—the whole opposites attract thing—but I want more than interesting viewing.”

She started to walk away, and Russell realized anew how hard changing his reputation was going to be. “I’m not doing this for ratings.”

She stopped and glanced back over her shoulder at him.

“Why are you doing it?”

“We all have to grow up, and I’d say it’s definitely my time.”

He saw something change in her eyes and knew he had her. She wanted to see if he really was just the playboy, or if there was something more.

“Fine. I won’t say anything to Willow until after this date. But I’m not going to make it easy on you. Finding a husband is my goal for this year, and I don’t want to waste my time with someone who clearly isn’t marrying material.”

Clearly, this wasn’t going to be as easy as Russell had hoped.




Two


Since the beginning, when Willow had decided to take Gail’s personal life and make it into a reality television show, Gail had had a niggling doubt in the back of her mind that this wasn’t going to work out. But she’d forked out a lot of money to the matchmakers, and she really wanted to find a man to share her life with.

Willow had thought the show would be intriguing because a lot of successful men and women were finding it harder to meet someone. Willow said that with the 24/7 workday, it was inevitable that no one would have time for courtship.

Gail agreed, which was why she’d gone to a matchmaker. But she’d never expected a man like Russell Holloway to need one. He could snap his fingers and have any girl he wanted at his door.

Russell wasn’t the man for her. Of course, he was sexy as hell … but she wasn’t looking for sexy. She was looking for the guy in the Ralph Lauren ad, she thought, the one with perfectly styled hair, wearing those polo shirts and standing in front of a mansion in the Hamptons. She wanted someone who could look the part and give her the fantasy of the perfect life that she’d always craved.

She wanted to relax and enjoy her time with Russell, but she was under the gun, so to speak. Her biological clock wasn’t just ticking, it was winding down faster than most of her peers’. She had to see if Russell was going to be the right man for her. Could he be? Now she was beginning to wonder.

She was seated at a private table, waiting for him. He’d had to take a call before they started shooting. Gail had pulled out her iPhone, but really she’d told her assistant, J.J., to handle all emergencies tonight. She knew she’d never have a chance at making this a success if she was distracted with work…. Her mind began to wander.

Was there more to Russell than met the eye? She knew there had to be, but thanks to years in publicity, she knew that usually what was beneath a shiny surface was less than appealing.

Russell rejoined her, and there was a lot of movement around them as sound techs and makeup people made them both camera ready.

“If my mates saw me with this makeup on, they’d never let me live it down,” he said.

She had to smile. “It’s just part of the package for being on TV, part of the glam life all celebs have to endure.”

“Never thought I’d be part of any ‘glam life,’” he said.

“Why not? You seem very at home in the jet set.” Just this morning, she’d seen a picture of him on a yacht with two Spanish royals on one of the gossip sites she monitored for her clients.

“It’s not really my thing,” he said. “I like to travel and I ski and yacht and go to club openings, but a lot of that is for my business. To keep it in the public eye.”

“Yet you get a lot of newspaper and internet coverage,” she said. She didn’t follow him, so she had no idea when the intense media scrutiny had started, but she’d be willing to bet it had been there since he’d become successful in the hotel world. He had looks that no woman would resist.

“I do, but I really don’t court that,” he said.

Their food was delivered, and Gail found herself unable to stop looking at Russell. She had met so many people who’d needed to have their images cleaned up that she freely admitted she often saw the worst in someone. But she wanted to give Russell a chance, not simply to be fair to him, but also for her own sake. She’d invested a hell of a lot more than money in these dates; she’d kind of thought of them as her last chance.

“You’re staring at me,” he said.

“You are a very pretty-looking man,” she said, being glib because that was easy when she didn’t want to be honest.

“Pretty … isn’t that a word for girls?” he asked.

“No. Boys can be very pretty.” And he was, with that classic jawline and thick brownish-blond hair. But he was also a bit on the rugged side, thanks to that square jaw and a small scar on the bottom of his face. His face had character, but she wasn’t sure if it was good. He had the build of a boxer and carried himself like a man who’d lived life—a very upper-crust one, but still, there was more to him than money.

“Well,” he said, lifting one eyebrow sardonically, “thanks, I guess.”

She smiled at him. He was an easy man to talk to, and though she was giving him the fifth degree in the hope of catching him out in a lie, she liked him. “I keep looking for some indicator that you are being honest with me.”

“And?” he asked.

“I’m simply not sure yet. But I think it’s making me overanalyze your every action,” she admitted. But if she was honest, she did that with everyone. She’d always spent a lot of time thinking about why people did things. It didn’t bring her any closer to really understanding them, but she tried.

“Then I’m not doing my job,” he said. He leaned in, and she could smell that one-of-a-kind, spicy aftershave of his. “Am I boring you?”

“No, you are not boring me at all. Tell me why you are here,” she said. It was a question she’d originally planned on asking her date before she knew it was Russell. In fact, she now made the snap decision to treat him the way she would have treated John Doe if that’s whom she’d been matched with. No need to change just because he was Russell Holloway, international billionaire and playboy.

He leaned back in his chair and looked into her eyes. “It’s time to settle down. I set out to make my fortune and a name for myself. I think we can both agree that I’ve done that.”

“I’m not buying that as the entire story. There must be more,” she said.

He laughed and tipped his head to the side, studying her, and she felt a little exposed for a moment, as though he was trying to see past the makeup and the facade to the real woman underneath. “The truth is that I like the party lifestyle, but it has lost its charm. I want to have a partner I can share all my life with, not just a couple of days.”

She wanted to believe him. Who wouldn’t? It was every young girl’s dream to have a playboy like him say he wanted to settle down, and to be the lucky one he chose. “I can understand that, but marriage?”

“Why do I seem so debauched to you?” he asked.

“You don’t,” she said, realizing she was being harder on him than she would have been on any other man. And she knew it was because she was mad. Mad that she’d been matched to this man and now had to make the best of the situation.

“I’m sorry. Tell me about your family,” she said.

“I had a traditional upbringing, and though my parents are gone, I know they wanted me to get married and have kids someday.”

He had a pensive look on his face, and he turned away from her for a moment. She felt bad about the way she’d been questioning him. He obviously had a reason for going to the matchmaking service just as she had, and she should respect that.

She cleared her throat, and he turned his attention back to her. “You have kids, right?”

“No,” he said. “There have been paternity suits that I have settled out of court, but I have no kids.”

“Why not just make a family of those blended children?” she asked. What did he mean by settling paternity suits but not having any kids? She wanted to know more but this first date wasn’t the time to ask questions.

“It’s not feasible, since they aren’t mine,” he said.

“What do—”

“Enough questions—it’s my turn. Why did you go to a matchmaker?” he asked, turning that direct, silver gaze of his on her. Suddenly she wanted to go back to being anonymous. She wanted to be the one in control, and she wasn’t the least bit interested in sharing that control with him.

She fidgeted a little in her chair. She didn’t want to tell him about herself. “The simple answer is that it’s the next step for me. I have a successful business and a good life.”

“Sounds idyllic, but since you are here with me, something must be missing,” he said.

“Yes,” she said.

“It makes sense,” he said. “And I understand where you are coming from.”

“Do you?” she asked. It was hard for her to believe that she had much in common with this man. Odd to her that the two of them were at the same point in their journeys. But they were here together and, no matter how wrong that felt to her, she decided she’d make the best of it for now.

“Yes, when I was young I knew what I wanted and went after my goals with single-minded intensity. I worked hard and played hard and then one day …”

“You woke up and realized that you had everything?” she asked.

“Yes. But I wasn’t satisfied.”

“Me either,” she said. Maybe she didn’t want to see the man behind the image. Because now that she saw him expressing the same doubts that she had, she was starting to like him.

Like was too tame a word. She was attracted to him and wanted to find something—anything—that would give her a reason to stay on this show with him. The legal reason—the contract she’d signed—wasn’t enough. But hearing him express himself this way … it was appealing.

“You’re staring at me again,” he said. “I’m trying not to let it go to my head, but you’re making me feel irresistible.”

“You’ll have to get used to it, if you keep surprising me.”

“Then I will, because I intend to keep you off balance,” he said.

“Why?”

“That’s the only way I’m going to get to know the real Gail,” he said.

“And that’s important?” she asked. She wasn’t too sure she wanted anyone to know the real woman she was.

“Infinitely,” he said. “I think that is the only way that you are going to let me know you trust me. I mean, really trust me.”

“I don’t trust easily,” she admitted. “I guess that’s another reason I’ve gone to a matchmaker.”

“You’ve been burned by a man before?” he asked, leaning closer.

“Yes,” she said, putting her head down and remembering that past love. Joe hadn’t meant to hurt her—she was still sure of it—but he’d been too much into what Joe wanted to never realize that he was stepping on her dreams to achieve his own.

Russell nodded and took her hand. “I know there isn’t anything I can say right now that you’d believe, but I do want to be very sure you understand I’m not like any other man you’ve had in your life before.”

“I already knew that,” she said with a grin.

“It’s my pretty face, right?” he asked with a sexy smile that sent shivers of awareness down her spine.

“Okay, that’s a wrap on dinner. Let’s get you two up to the rooftop,” the director said. The crew all bustled around them, and Gail realized she’d had enough. This matchmaking thing was going to take some getting used to. Add to that the cameras, and it was her definition of a nightmare.

Jack came back over and spoke to them again about their impressions of the first date. Gail was unsure what to say. She mumbled something and then thankfully was motioned off camera so Jack could talk to Russell. She stood to the side watching Russell and hoping this wasn’t a huge mistake.

Had she really thought she’d find Mr. Right like this? Through a matchmaking service that she’d found off an internet ad? But, really, what had her alternatives been? She’d dated all the guys she knew. Willow and Nichole had even tried fixing her up, but that had led to nothing permanent.

“Are we going to jump?” Gail asked.

“Not a bad idea. I guess that’s how we will get some ratings for the show,” Russell said. “I can see the headlines now. Respectable woman pushes rogue Kiwi playboy off roof in hopes of finding a better match.”

Gail had to laugh. “I won’t push you … yet.”

“I guess I better step it up in the charm department,” he said.

Before she could answer, Kat was back and taking her by the arm. “Chat on camera, guys. We need you on the roof now.”

They were escorted to a private elevator and soon were on the rooftop helipad, where a chopper waited for them. “Is this for us?”

“Surprise,” Russell said. “I thought an evening ride over Manhattan would be nice.”

“I am surprised,” Gail said. “I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“Good. Also, cameras can’t come with us, so we will have some time alone to get to know one another.”

Gail didn’t say anything else as their microphones were removed and they were escorted to the chopper. She saw the cameraman at a distance, no doubt filming them so they’d have something to show later, but she was relieved that they were going to be alone.

Russell gallantly helped her into the chopper and was seated next to her a short time later. He handed her some headphones, which she donned, and then she adjusted her microphone. “I’m sure I look pretty glamorous with these on my head.”

“You look great,” he said.

In a matter of minutes, they were in the air and flying over Manhattan. Russell’s voice was soft and intimate in her ears.

“When I first came to the States, I wanted to make my mark here. We started in Vegas because that suited the Kiwi Klubs’ reputation, but I wanted to own a building in New York City,” he said.

She looked over at him. “How did you get started?”

“With a small run-down hotel in Sydney,” he said. “I won it in a high-stakes poker game.”

“I though you were a New Zealander from the South Island?”

“I am. I left home when I was sixteen and never looked back,” he said.

“I didn’t see any of that on the internet when I was reading up on you,” she said. “I’m embarrassed to say, I only know the gossip I’ve read about you.”

He shrugged. “That’s the easy stuff to know.”

“But is it true?” she asked. “I’ve been in PR long enough to know that sometimes bad publicity can work in your favor.”

“Exactly,” he said. “I’m known for having rich and famous friends and for being a bit of a player, and that is exactly what my clientele wants.”

“So why change now?” she asked. “Is this more than a publicity stunt?”

“Of course it is. I’m not going to get married as a stunt,” he said.

“Many have done it before. Even if they weren’t just for show, marriages of convenience have been around for centuries.”

“I’d find it very convenient to have to look at you at breakfast every day,” he said in that flirty way of his.

“Me, too, but I need more sustenance than flash,” she said.

“Don’t we all. It’s easy to think that something or someone flashy has what you need, but after a short while you find that’s not true,” he said.

She glanced over at him. Surprised to hear something so … well, deep from him.

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m not just a playboy.”

She smiled at him. “You couldn’t be and be on the cover of Fortune magazine.”

“True. What about you?”

“Me?” she asked. “I’m not flashy at all. This is me at my most flashy.”

He chuckled. “I’m not shocked. You strike me as someone who is very sure of herself and where she is going.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I love to have a plan and then execute it. But when I have to depend on someone else … well, let’s just say sometimes things get messed up.”

“Like this?”

She bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to lie to him, but then she had nothing to lose. Russell wasn’t the kind of guy she usually went for, so being brutally honest wasn’t going to cost her anything. “Yes, like this situation with you. I mean, I planned to go to the matchmaker and find the perfect guy. I have a checklist in my head with all his qualities.”

“And I don’t measure up?” he asked. “That’s not fair, Gail. You don’t know if I have those qualities yet.”

“You’re right. But you are flashy,” she said with a grin. “And I’m a bit afraid to risk getting to know the real man.”

“I can understand that. I’m coming at this from the opposite point of view. If you aren’t the woman I think you are … then I’m screwed.”

She laughed at how he’d said that. “I guess we both are.”

He reached over, took her hand in his and lifted it to his mouth, rubbing his lips over the back of her knuckles. “I don’t want that. Let’s start over. I’ll try to be more the man of your dreams and you can …”

“Yes?”

“Give me a chance and not judge me so harshly.”

“I will try. It’s one of my worst faults,” she said, liking the way her hand felt in his.

“What is?”

“Not being able to accept failure.”

“In others?” he asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand before slowly letting it go.

Chills spread up her arm, and she knew she wanted to keep touching him. It was unexpected. She didn’t know why and couldn’t really explain it, but there was something about Russell Holloway that made her forget about lists and plans.

“And in myself,” she said softly, almost to herself. But she knew he’d heard her because he nodded.

“I’ll try not to let you down,” he said.

And just like that, she was hooked on giving him a chance. She wanted to guard her emotions, to warn her heart to be careful where he was concerned, because her common sense told her there was more to Russell’s move than just his wanting to change. But she couldn’t help herself. For these next six weeks she wanted to be the kind of girl who’d allow herself to be caught up in a man. Even if she knew he was at his core a bad boy who would probably break her heart.

Russell knew that he was luckier than many men. He had his secrets and more than his share of hardships, but life had been good to him. And this was one of the moments when he realized he’d gotten lucky. He needed a woman like Gail and here she was, dropped into his lap.

Her skin was soft and smooth and he liked touching her, holding her hand. But he didn’t want to crowd her. She smelled nice and clean, a pretty floral fragrance that he knew he’d remember long after he left her tonight.

“Thank you, Russell,” she said.

“For?”

“This ride. It’s really nice being up here, and I needed some time away from the cameras.”

“I did too. I’m not used to conducting my dates in front of an audience,” he said. Even though most of the women he dated were famous and they always had their pictures in the tabloids, Russell did try to avoid the spotlight.

“Me either. In fact, this is the first date I’ve been on that has felt this … high profile,” she said. “Not at all what I expected.”

“Is it on your list?” he asked.

“What list?”

“The Mr. Right checklist,” he said. He liked the forthright way she spoke and how she always looked him straight in the eye when she talked to him. It made him aware that she was weighing everything he did and said. He needed to be careful to watch himself around her.

“Well … it’s not real. Just a bunch of feelings and qualities that I think a man should have that would be compatible with mine.”

He tipped his head to the side. “That’s a checklist.”

She shrugged delicately, drawing his gaze to her shoulders. They were left bare by the sleeveless dress she wore. Her arms were toned and muscled, so she must work out, he guessed.

“You’re right. It is a list. I’m looking for someone with a good job.”

“Easy! Check one off for me.”

She smiled at him. “I’ll give you that.”

“What else?”

“He has to be … committed to the person he’s dating.”

“Ah. That one will be harder to convince you of, won’t it?”

“Yes. You aren’t exactly known for monogamy.”

“I am here, aren’t I?”

“Yes. So that one is a maybe,” she said.

“What else?”

“Um …” She hesitated, then a pretty pink blush spread up from her neck to her cheeks.

“What could be next?” he asked. “Why are you so shy now?”

She wrapped her arms around her waist and looked out at the skyline of Manhattan. He saw the reflection of her face in the window of the chopper as she absently brought her hand up to toy with the charm on the gold necklace she wore.

“I have to be attracted to you. A healthy sex life is on my checklist.”

“When the time is right, Gail, you will have no doubts that I can fulfill your needs on that count.”

She turned back around to face him. Her thick black hair with the headphones on it made her seem smaller somehow. In the intimacy of the chopper, she didn’t seem as tough as she had in the ballroom when first seen her. Her mouth was full, and he couldn’t help but keep his eyes on her lips. He wanted to taste them. He needed to kiss her just to prove to himself that, even though she felt different to him, she wasn’t. He desired her. He knew that, but he wanted it to be just the normal lust he’d feel for any attractive woman.

Somehow though, in these close quarters with just the soft sound of her voice in his ears and her leg brushing his, it felt different. He felt different. He wanted to imagine he could check off all the qualities on her Mr. Right checklist, and he didn’t know why that mattered.

He leaned in close and she just stared at him. The microphone was in front of her face, and he reached to push it up and out of his way. He did the same with his mic, and then touched her face. Her skin was smooth and cool to the touch.

He let his thumb move lower to touch her lips. He traced them: the small indentation at the top and the full, fleshy lower one. Then he closed the small distance between them and kissed her. Just a simple brushing of their mouths at first, and then he slipped his tongue in over her teeth until he tasted her.

He tipped his head to the side; he wanted more of her. The thought that she was just like any other woman disappeared in an instant. This was more than lust. He lifted his hands, tangling them in her thick hair as he tried to get more out of the kiss. Gail’s hands fell to his shoulders, softly at first, and then as she moved closer to him, her grip got tighter.

He pulled back and took a deep breath. She said something, but he couldn’t hear it because her microphone wasn’t in position. He brought it down and she shook her head. “I didn’t expect that.”

“I didn’t either.”

She wrinkled her brow. “You were the one who kissed me.”

“I was trying to prove something to myself.”

“What?”

“That you were like every other woman I’ve ever kissed,” he said.

She narrowed her gaze. “That’s—

“Don’t get your back up. You weren’t. I don’t know why,” he said, genuinely perplexed. One of his good friends had married last year and Russell, while happy for him, hadn’t understood how one woman could be that important. Now he had an inkling of what Cam Stern had been experiencing and Russell didn’t like it for himself.

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” she asked.

“Hell. No, it wasn’t. I don’t know what it was supposed to be. I only know that I have no idea how to proceed with this.”

“Why not?” she asked.

He shook his head. He wasn’t supposed to be this attracted to his match. But his blood was pounding in his veins and he had to shift his legs to make room for his growing erection. He wanted her. He wanted her right now. But that wasn’t going to happen tonight. He needed to ensure that this matchmaking thing worked first, and sleeping with her tonight would pretty much send her running for the hills.




Three


Gail didn’t know what had happened, but somehow in the last thirty minutes, Russell Holloway had started to become real to her. He was no longer that bad-boy cad whom she could keep her distance from. Instead she’d kissed him.

Oh, yes, she had. That was the most daring thing she’d done since skinny-dipping in high school. She shook her head; she had become a very staid person. In fact, it had been almost seven months since her last kiss.

Now her lips still tingled from the contact with Russell’s. And she wanted more than just a few kisses. She wanted to feel his strong chest against her breasts and his arms wrapped around her.

She had a feeling that Russell knew how to use his body for maximum effect, and she was definitely ready for more. But that wasn’t smart. She prided herself on making the “right” choices, but now she wanted to just forget that and do what felt right.

So what?

She’d been smart her entire life, and look where it had gotten her. She was alone and doing silly things like signing up for matchmaking services and reality-TV shows. She wanted something—someone—different, and Russell certainly was that.

“You’re staring at me again,” he said with that little half smile of his that she was getting very used to seeing. He used it as a shield to seem open and friendly, but she knew it was a mask.

“That is entirely your fault,” she said. “If you’d just act like I expected you to, then I could walk away and pretend I gave this a chance.”

“Where would you walk to?” he asked. “If you are on this show, I’m guessing you are out of options.”

“Very true,” she said. “I guess I’d go back to my safe little world where everything fits neatly in its place.”

“So I no longer fit in my place?” he asked her.

Frankly, she wasn’t too sure what she’d do with Russell in his place. She wasn’t cut out to date a jet-setting playboy, and no matter what the matchmaker thought, Gail knew he wasn’t right for her.

“No, you don’t,” she said.

“What am I doing wrong?” he asked.

She nibbled on her lower lip and tasted him. “Kissing me.”

“You didn’t like it?” he asked. “I can try to improve my technique.”

“I liked it too much,” she said. “Don’t be offended—”

He leaned down and arched one eyebrow at her in a way that made her feel as though she was amusing him. “Saying that pretty much guarantees I will be.”

She smiled at him. “I guess so, but I expected your kiss to be practiced and kind of mechanical.…”

“Glad to disappoint,” he said.

She wrinkled her nose at him and mock-punched him. “I’m not letting my guard down, no matter how charming you act. I’m not sure about you.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to let your guard down. But there is one thing you should know.”

“And that is …?” she asked.

“I don’t lose,” he said with a full-on, smug grin.

She wasn’t too sure she wanted him to look at this as some kind of competition, and it was telling that he had done so. “I don’t want you to lose. In fact, I want us both to get what we want.”

He leaned back against the seat and crossed his arms over his chest, glancing out the window as the chopper pilot made his way back to the helipad on top of the Big Apple Kiwi. “That came out wrong, didn’t it?”

“Only if you think of me as a prize,” she said. “We’re both feeling our way here. I’m not judging you.”

He shook his head and leveled that steady gray gaze of his on her. “I think you are. You’d have to be. Otherwise, how will you be sure I’m not the player you’ve read about.”

That insight was enough for her to continue to relax her guard. He knew that he wasn’t just starting a new relationship and maneuvering through the normal obstacles that most couples experience. They had the added pressure of his being so unlike her Mr. Right.

She knew that she’d designed her list based on a fictional guy. Her father had divorced her mother when Gail was eight, so she only had vague impressions of him at home. Her mother had dated but never remarried, so Gail was pretty much left with movies and books to form her opinions of what she wanted in a man. Well, that and the men she’d dated, who’d left her wanting more.

“I’m aiming for a win-win here,” she said at last, because, if she was honest, she had no idea what else to say.

“Me too,” he said. “Once we land, do we have to do more camera work?”

“I’m not sure. I think they will tell us when we come down. Why?” she asked.

“If not, will you join me for a nightcap?”

She would have said no just twenty minutes ago, but now she wanted to spend more time with him to talk to him, and get to know his point of view. See how he really viewed the world. His public image was different from this private man, and she was determined to find out how much so.

She took a deep breath. It was easy to say she wanted to change and was willing to put herself out there, but the reality was so different. In her fantasy date, the man was everything that Hollywood and romance novels had groomed her to expect. But Russell was a mixture of those fantasies and reality.

She had to decide if she was ready to step out of those expectations and into Russell’s world. She was. She wouldn’t have signed up with a matchmaker otherwise. “Yes.”

“Good. I knew that this was going to be a good thing,” he said.

“Matchmaking?” she asked. “It’s strange. I’m really not sure if it’s going to work out or not. When I saw the ad for the service, it was New Year’s Eve and I’d had a little too much champagne.”

“And a bad date?”

She shook her head. “Nope. I was all alone and I resolved that I wouldn’t be next New Year’s Eve.”

“Well you’ve gone a good route to find a mate. Matchmaking is an old tradition,” he said.

“Even in Australia?” she asked. She wasn’t that well traveled and didn’t know what the customs were in other countries.

“I’m from New Zealand,” he said. “But, yes, even there. Some of the women in my town were mail-order brides.”

“Did you have any doubts about doing this?” she asked. She had been unsure as soon as she’d signed up. Writing the check had been easy, but as soon as she’d walked out the door of Matchmakers Inc., she’d started to feel so vulnerable and scared. At least the fee had been refunded once she’d been selected for the TV show.

“Lots of them, but then I thought, if a woman was brave enough to do this, I could handle it. Having another person pick a date for you isn’t any worse than meeting someone in a bar,” Russell said.

“I’ve never met a guy in a bar. Most of the men I dated were from work or classes.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “You don’t seem like the type of woman who’d allow a man to pick her up in a bar.”

“Why don’t I?” she asked.

“You wouldn’t have time to ask all your questions. Most men are looking for a quick score,” he said.

He looked over at her, and she wondered if she’d revealed something she shouldn’t have. She knew she didn’t always say the right thing with men. But then she took a deep breath as the chopper banked for its landing, and she saw her own reflection in the window. She was on a matchmaking reality television show with a billionaire playboy…. There was nothing familiar about this scenario, and she was going to just let it play out.

“What are you thinking?” he said, his voice intimately deep in her ears, thanks to the headphones.

“Just how unreal this entire thing is,” she said. “Not reality at all.”

He laughed. “I agree. But I don’t mind it. Dating hasn’t worked out for either of us in the real world, so this might actually work.”

She wasn’t betting on it. They landed and took off their headphones, as the pilot turned off the helicopter.

“Do we have to tell them we kissed?”

Russell caressed her arm and linked their fingers together. “That can be our secret.”

With those words, he made them a couple. They had a secret that was just between them and, in a night of showy emotion and put-on romance, it was the first genuine thing to happen.

“Okay,” she said. “I like the idea of that.”

“Good. I like the idea of you and me,” he said.

She did too. But why? She wanted to figure out what it was about Russell that drew her in so deeply, but she had a feeling that the emotions he brought to the fore in her weren’t going to be logical.

“Ready to face the cameras again?”

“Yes,” she said. And she was definitely ready to get to know this man better, once filming stopped for the night and they were on their own.

She really liked Russell when they were alone.

Russell listened to the producer talking to Gail, and every once in a while, he heard her laugh. The sound was full of joy, and he could tell that she was enjoying whatever they were talking about. She was relaxed with Willow and her guard was down. Russell realized he still had a long way to go to get to know the real Gail Little.

“How’s matchmaking going for you so far?” Conner MacAfee asked as he came up beside him.

“Not bad,” he said.

“Good,” Conner said. “You know Matchmakers Inc. has a one hundred percent success rate, right?”

“Do you?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Did you do anything differently for us because of the TV show?”

Conner shook his head. “No way. We can’t compromise our policies, even for a show. I’m hoping to get some business out of this, and I can’t if we don’t do what we normally do for our clients.”

“Point taken. Do you know anything about Gail?” he asked Conner. He figured it was a fair enough question, given that she had heard of him.

“No. I really don’t get involved in the matching. I just run the company,” he said. He straightened his tie and glanced around the room. “I have to use my MBA from Harvard somehow.”

“Don’t brag,” Russell said with a grin.

“What’s the use in having one if you can’t tell people about it?” Conner said.

“Why do you own a matchmaking company?” Russell asked. His friend was one of the smartest business minds he’d ever encountered. Russell had always thought it was an odd thing for Conner.

“It was my grandmother’s business and I inherited it. I figured it wouldn’t make money and I could take it as a tax loss, but in fact the opposite was the case,” Conner said.

“The market can be unexpected. I’m trying to diversify now to make sure we have more of a toehold in other segments,” Russell said. That had been one of the reasons why he’d agreed to be on the show. He needed potential investors to see that he was a changed man.

“No kidding. We added an exclusive wife-finder for some of our more eccentric customers,” Conner said.

“What does that mean?” Russell asked.

“We vet the woman and send her to the client, and he approves her and marries her without any dating. It’s a very new service and a niche market. But a very profitable one.”

“That’s interesting,” Russell said. He guessed that everyone was scrambling in this new economy to figure out ways to stay ahead.

“Do you need anything from me?” Conner asked.

“No. I’m good. Poker on Thursday night?”

“Definitely. I want a chance to win back some of my money.”

“Good luck with that. The cards favor me and always have.”

“I know. I remember when we first met and you’d win enough money at the tables in Monaco to make your payroll.”

“Those days are long behind me,” Russell said. “But my ability at the poker table hasn’t diminished.”

“It might have. I feel the need to remind you whose country you are in,” Conner said.

“I haven’t lost yet,” Russell said.

“That only means you are due for a fall,” Conner said as he walked away. Russell watched his friend leave and took a deep breath. The air was chilly this evening but not cold. He suddenly felt a sense of peace he hadn’t felt in a long time.

The production crew left the rooftop as a group. He and Conner made their way toward the elevators, with Gail and Willow following them. They were still talking.

“I got a call from a friend of yours,” Conner said, turning to the women.

“Mine?” Willow asked.

“Yes, Nichole … I can’t remember her last name. She wants to interview me about Matchmaker Inc.”

“She works for America Today so she’s legit,” Willow said.

The elevator arrived.

“Do you want to chat about it quickly?” Willow asked.

“I’d like that,” Conner said. “See ya later, Russell.”

Russell waved goodbye to his friend as the doors opened. Dylan, his executive assistant, was on the elevator, a concerned look on his face.

“Hiya, boss. We have a situation,” Dylan said, stepping out of the elevator.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Gail said, backing away from the two men.

“Wait, Gail. Are we still on for that nightcap?” he asked.

“Yes. The lobby bar?”

“Sounds good. Twenty minutes?”

“Yes,” she said, getting on the elevator.

Russell waited until the doors closed before asking Dylan, “What is so important it needs my attention?”

“Penny Thomson is in the lobby demanding to see you. I tried to get her to wait in my office, but she wouldn’t.”

Great. Not what he needed this night, but he’d handle it. “Please make sure that Gail is taken care of until I’m done with Penny.”

“I’m happy to, boss,” Dylan said.

“Never mind, I’ll talk to her. You tell Penny I’m on my way, but I will only meet with her in the office, not in the lobby,” Russell said.

He took the elevator to the lobby and, once there, noticed that Willow had rejoined Gail and the two were talking.

“I’ll try.”

Dylan walked away, and Russell made his way to Gail. “I’m sorry, but I think my situation might take a little longer than anticipated. Can we meet in forty-five minutes instead?”

She flushed and looked at Willow. “We’re having a drink. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine. We want to capture the phases of your relationship, not every second. Enjoy yourselves.”

Gail turned back to him with a slight smile on her face. “I’ll be down there in forty-five minutes, then.”

“Good.”

Russell left the women and headed down to the lobby and the office behind the check-in desk. Dylan was standing outside of it when Russell approached.

“I always thought Penny would be nicer in person,” Dylan said. “Sorry about that, sir. I should have kept that to myself.”

“You probably should have, but I happen to agree that she can be a bit of a bitch.”

Dylan nodded and then walked away.

Russell opened the door and saw Penny sitting on the edge of the desk. She had her iPhone in one hand and was delicately tapping out a message with the tip of one French-manicured fingernail.

“It’s about time you got here. I’ve been tweeting about the inconvenience of waiting on a former lover.”

“Nice. Good to see you too, Penny.”

“Yeah, right. You made it clear you didn’t want to see me again,” she said.

She was a Hollywood starlet so beautiful that she’d floored Russell the first time he saw her. It had been impossible to think of anything but sex. But, after spending two days in bed with her, Russell knew it had been a mistake. Penny was vapid and so self-absorbed, it was impossible for her to be aware of anyone else.

“Stop tweeting. You always get yourself in trouble with that.”

“Well, this time, Russell, you’re the one who’s going to be in trouble.”

“Why, exactly? I thought we ended things amiably.”

“Sure we did. But it turns out we have a few unresolved issues.”

Russell realized as she talked that he couldn’t wait to get away from her and back to Gail. He liked Gail’s freshness and the way natural sensuality imbued her every movement, as opposed to Penny’s in-your-face sexuality.

“Like what?”

“I’m pregnant,” she said.

Russell shook his head. He’d settled a paternity suit when he was twenty-four and, ever since then, every time a past lover became pregnant he’d had to deal with this. “I’m not the father.”

“I’m not so sure about that, Russell, and I’m going to be tweeting about it unless you do what you should,” Penny said.

Penny’s timing couldn’t be worse. This was exactly what he didn’t want to deal with today. He wanted to get back to Gail and continue courting her and wooing her. But instead … “I’m going to need to see proof you’re pregnant, and then we need to do a paternity test.”

“I don’t know why. The baby is yours, and if you don’t cooperate, I’m going to make life very difficult for you,” she said.

He knew she meant it. He had to handle this delicately, because Gail was his chance at the future he wanted to have, and Penny was part of a past he was trying very hard to distance himself from.

Gail waited in the lobby bar for Russell, feeling just a little self-conscious that she was by herself. Honestly, she’d thought she’d mastered sitting alone in public a long time ago, but the truth was she hadn’t. She didn’t like it.

She felt someone watching her and glanced up to see Russell leaving the back office with his hand on the shoulder of a woman who looked familiar. Gail leaned forward and recognized her as Penny Thomson, rising Hollywood star and Russell’s ex. Gail watched them for a minute before deciding that he wasn’t the kind of guy she wanted to get to know better.

She knew any guy she dated would have an ex, but with another man, she wouldn’t be competing against someone like Penny. This was a mistake, she thought. Her gut had said so from the moment she’d recognized Russell, but the romantic in her had been wooed during that chopper ride over Manhattan. Just because he had money and knew how to make the right reservations, it didn’t mean he was capable of being the man she needed in her life. And Gail was on a tight timetable. She had these few months to find a man if she wanted to execute her “family” plan, including husband and, eventually, children.

Gail lifted the glass of soda water that she’d ordered and took a sip, trying to be disinterested. But she couldn’t be. Russell and Penny looked perfect together. That would make great TV, she thought. The pretty blonde starlet and the ruggedly handsome man. Not at all like her and Russell.

She’d had enough of this. She was going home and she’d figure out a new plan in the morning. For tonight, she needed to get away from the Kiwi Big Apple and the man who’d almost made her … what? For a little while, she’d forgotten that she was really just a plain Jane. For a little while, she’d forgotten her common sense. Forgotten what was painfully obvious right now—that there was no way Russell would be interested in her, because he was used to a class of women that was out of her league.

She wasn’t putting herself down, but was being realistic. She was never going to dress that overtly sexually or spend as much time on hair and makeup as Penny did. She was a normal woman with a job and a life. Not a sexual plaything whose sole purpose was to be seen on Russell’s arm.





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