Free Naked Angel by Logan Belle Page B

truth, the only additional thing she would want out of the exchange was money. Oh, not money for sex like a prostitute. But maybe his special interest in her could translate into a sweeter deal for her costuming work. If there even
was
any special interest on his part.
    “I have some items of business to discuss,” he said, obviously looking around the room for some place to sit. The studio was not equipped for meetings.
    “Oh? I’m all ears.”
    Justin found a folding chair that was propped against a clothing rack, and he placed it at the cutting table so he was seated across from her. She thought, for the umpteenth time, how handsome he was. It made it all the more frustrating that, as usual, she’d felt next to nothing when they had sex. There she was, in a fabulous setting, with a gorgeous, sexy guy—who was doubly taboo because he was married
and
sort of her boss—and she still couldn’t come. What was wrong with her?
    “First of all, I want you to do the costumes for the Las Vegas Burlesque Festival,” he said.
    “Mallory told me she wants to make an appointment to speak to Agnes about that.”
    “I know. But I want you to create them—not Agnes.”
    “You’ll have to work that out with Mallory and Agnes. I don’t make those kinds of decisions.”
    “I write the checks. I make the decisions. And I want you to do the Vegas costumes.”
    Gemma looked at him with new interest. “So what’s the second thing?”
    “The second thing?”
    “Yes—you said the first thing was the Vegas costumes. What is the second?”
    “I wanted to see you,” he said.
    “You did?” She wasn’t being coy. She actually found this information surprising.
    “Yes. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the other night.”
    Gemma smiled and looked down at the cutting board. “I’m sure you say that to all the girls you lure up to your swimming pool.”
    He reached across the table and took her hand. “No. I don’t.” His steely blue eyes were serious.
    “I’m not sure what to say to that. Or do about it, for that matter. You’re married.”
    “This is true. But my relationship with Martha is complicated. She isn’t a typical wife. What happened between you and me isn’t even entirely out of bounds with her. I just—I should have invited her to join us.”
    “What? Are you out of your mind?”
    “No. That’s our agreement.”
    “I don’t do things like that.”
    “I . . . gathered that. And to be honest, I didn’t want her to join us.”
    “Oh? Why not?”
    “I didn’t want to share you,” he said, his voice low. His eyes swept down to her breasts. She knew he wanted to put his hands on her, but the table kept him at a safe distance.
    “I think we should stick to business conversation,” Gemma said.
    “Fine,” he said with a reluctant smile. “The other thing I wanted to talk to you about is that I want you to design costumes for a party I’m throwing at The Painted Lady. A few of the girls are going to be performing dressed as different silver screen movie stars. I also want to transform the room to look like an Academy Awards ceremony. Maybe you can help with that, too.”
    “What’s the occasion?”
    “Martha’s birthday.”
    “You can’t be serious.”
    “Of course I am. I do something different every year. We usually go away, but we’ve been so distracted with the opening of the club. . . .”
    “No, I mean, are you for real asking me to work on your wife’s party—me, the woman you cheated on her with? Don’t you find that a tad questionable, morally speaking?”
    “First of all, I told you the cheating thing isn’t that black-and-white with us. Would she be thrilled about it? No, but only because I didn’t follow the rules we set for stepping outside the marriage. And as for your doing the costumes and room, I think you’re amazingly talented. And I always want the best.”
    “I’m going to be very booked up doing the Vegas costumes. As soon as Mallory