Free A Deceptive Attraction: The Wilsons, Book 3 by Alicia Roberts

Violet was certain of that. Leon had been absolutely consistent in treating her like precious crystal. “But there are other ways to get hurt.”
    “I know,” Troyesha said. “But you can’t always dodge them. If you do, you end up dodging the good stuff too.”
    “You’re right, Troy,” Violet said. “You know what? You’re always right.”
    Troyesha nodded smugly, trying to keep a straight face.
    “Remember what you said? Wild horses couldn’t keep me away?” Violet suddenly remembered her wild night with Leon, how his impatience had matched her own eagerness. If anyone had told her to wait before she let him inside her and gave herself to him, she would have run over them.
    “I think I finally understand what you meant by that,” Violet continued. “Last night I found out how good it can be. What I want to know now is how bad it could get.”
    Troyesha shook her head. “You don’t really want to know that,” she said. “Put it out of your mind.” She started up her sewing machine. “Why invite trouble?”
    Violet had no answer for that.
     
     

Chapter 11
     
    “The reception is a black tie affair,” Leon told her. He was lazily slouched on the suite’s luxurious leather sectional sofa. “By invitation only.”
    “Then I’ll need to make a short trip to my apartment for something to wear,” Violet said.
    She was thinking of the black velvet evening dress that she had bought last year at Bloomingdale’s and dressed up with a matching cummerbund and a vintage rhinestone buckle. She had been waiting for the right occasion to wear it.
    Violet had just arrived at the hotel. She had worked until four o’clock, when Troyesha had shoved her out the door of the shop and told her she needed to go spend some time with Leon so he wouldn’t get away.
    “It won’t be the most exciting evening you’ve ever had,” Leon said. “Besides the tech geeks who are putting on the show, those in attendance will be mostly financial types like me. We’re not a very interesting crowd.”
    “Right you aren’t,” Violet said, leaving Leon to figure out exactly what she meant by that. She seated herself next to him on the sofa.
    Leon cocked an eyebrow at her. “Your New Yorker sassiness will keep me from getting bored this evening,” he said. “Not only that, but I will look so much better with you at my side.”
    “Ah,” Violet said. “We Americans have a saying for that. We call it ‘arm candy.’”
    “Arm candy,” Leon repeated. “I like it. And this particular arm candy is especially sweet.”
    He kissed her on the mouth and didn’t let up. Violet felt his arms tighten around her waist as his lips raked hers and his tongue beckoned her to return the kiss. She did.
    When he released her, her face was flushed and they were both breathing hard. “I’ll get you a cab,” he said in a husky voice. “We need to leave at seven-thirty.”
    Violet took the cab to her apartment and was surprised when the doorman recognized her and admitted her without comment. It had been a while since had been home, if that’s what she wanted to call it.
    Everything was neat and clean, just as she had left it. She found the dress she was looking for immediately, along with a few other life necessities. She was especially pleased to find the beautiful NARS eyeshadow she had bought last year at Sephora and never wore. The color was “Daphne,” an especially vibrant shade of deep indigo that she knew would make her eyes look stunning in an after-five setting.
    She considered returning to the suite to get ready for the evening, but as she made her way around the apartment gathering up what she needed, she found herself feeling more at home in her own space. She really had stayed with Tim too much at the end, probably because her intuition had told her some time ago that he was cheating on her. Instead of leaving, she had clung to him more tightly, trying to keep an eye on him, which of course was impossible.
    Violet