Leah's Seduction: 4 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) Read Online Free Page B

surprise.”
    She whined. “I hate surprises.”
    “No you don’t. You love them.”
    Leah giggled. “Okay, let me get ready, then.”
    The line went dead. She had wanted to say that she loved him, and tell him how much she missed him. But she held back. She would have the chance later.
    So much for soaking in the tub.
    By the time Roston arrived, Leah had styled her hair, applied new makeup, and put on beige pants with a cream sweater. She grabbed her coat, just in case. On the way, she tried to guess where Gianni was meeting her, but she couldn’t.
    Roston turned toward the dock. Then she had a suspicion, but didn’t dare to think it was so. Until she saw Gianni on the deck. It was an elegant sailboat, some type of schooner from the 1800s. She couldn’t believe he would plan something like this with no notice.
    Once she was out to the boat, Gianni helped her onto the deck. “You look lovely,” he said. And before she could respond, he gave her a kiss that told her how much he had missed her. The touch revitalized her. The days without him and the loneliness vanished.
    When he pulled back, Gianni grinned. She knew something special had to be going on. It wasn’t that he smiled, as often he did. But that grin was different. “What?” she said.
    “I’m just glad to see you. I didn’t plan to be away quite so long, but I wanted to get everything wrapped up.”
    Leah didn’t know where he had gone. Just that it was business. The way he jetted to other cities to run his company, Gianni could have lovers in many cities for all she knew. But the way he was looking at her made her doubt it.
    The boat began to move away from the dock, and Gianni guided her to the railing. The island of Manhattan was covered in lights, and Leah knew that touring the city from the surrounding rivers would be spectacular.
    She had wanted to do it many times before, but couldn’t justify the expense of a dinner cruise. Apparently that didn’t hinder Gianni, since he had rented the entire boat. She leaned against him and gazed out at the dark water with the breeze blowing through her hair.
    Gianni had his arm securely around her waist, and she felt deep contentment. A waiter came up and served glasses of champagne. Turning to face her, Gianni raised his glass. “We are celebrating.”
    Leah raised her glass to match his. “What are we celebrating?”
    “A business deal that I closed. It’s an important one.”
    She waited, but he didn’t elaborate. “What was it?”
    “Soon I’ll be able to tell you,” he said, “but not quite yet.”
    Disappointment settled over her. She shouldn’t care. It was business. But she wished Gianni could share more with her. So often she felt left out, and Leah wanted to be more a part of his life. If only he would let her.
    The clink of the glasses was festive. Taking a sip, Leah held his gaze. “Congratulations.” She could see how pleased Gianni was. “You can trust me, you know.”
    His expression turned more serious. “I do trust you. Believe me, I do.” He paused. “But it’s better if you don’t know some things. That way no one can come to you for information, which could put you in a precarious position.”
    “I can handle it.”
    He ran his fingertips down her arm. “I know you can. But I don’t want you to have to deal with any of that.”
    “You protect me too much.”
    He furrowed his brow. “I don’t think so. It’s my responsibility to protect you, keep you safe, and ensure your happiness.”
    “That’s a lot. I never asked that of you.”
    “You didn’t have to.”
    Leah tilted her head. “Does the deal have anything to do with that whole mess with Vadim and Designer’s Edge International?”
    “Persistent, aren’t you?”
    “I can be.”
    He shook his head. “No, it doesn’t.”
    Leah looked into his eyes. It seemed like he was telling the truth. He wasn’t prone to lying. “What is going on with that, anyway? You came up with a strategy, you and