Gwennstood and grasped Paige’s waist, the swell of her baby bump grazing Paige’ship. She peered over her shoulder so they both looked at Paige’s reflection.“Listen to me, girlfriend. This dress is perfect on you. It emphasizes yourtiny waist, which I’ve always hated you for, by the way—especially now. It alsoshows off your girls without making you look slutty. And the lace is femininebut classy, like you.” Gwenn squeezed Paige’s bare arms and kissed her cheek.
Hours andhundreds of dollars later, Paige shared a table and a veggie pizza with Gwennat California Pizza Kitchen.
“Idon’t know how I let you talk me into all this,” Paige grumbled.
Gwenntook a sip of soda. “I didn’t talk you into anything. You needed a nice dress …and heels to do it justice.”
“Yeah,and the underwear, and the sweater and new jeans, not to mention the cute bootsto go with the jeans—”
“AndBeckett will appreciate every inch of you, even without a peek at the sexylingerie. And who knows? You might meet someone you really like there.Subject closed.”
“Thatwould be a terrible thing to do to Beckett. Besides, I really like him,”Paige blurted. Gwenn arched an eyebrow. “You know what I mean, Gwenn. I’vegotten to know a different side of him, a side I bet not many see. He’s funnyand sweet and smart and down-to-earth. And considerate.”
Gwennfrowned. “He sounds like Henry.”
“His‘normal’ side is like Henry—and much more likeable than his glamor-boy,‘I’m-so-sexy’ self.” Paige nibbled a piece of crust and stared out the windowat nothing in particular. “You know, maybe since he’s lost everything, he’sreturned to simpler roots.”
Gwennpointed a pizza slice at her. “So does that mean he’ll revert to a bad boy ifhe’s rich again?”
Paigeshrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it. He says there are things heenjoyed about the lifestyle—cars, houses, his hockey camp, jetting around—andthings that weren’t great. The hangers-on, lack of privacy, how everything’sblown out of proportion, how he never knows if someone likes him for himself orfor what they want from him.”
“Thedrugs and women were in the plus column, no doubt,” Gwenn said.
Paigelet out a wry laugh. “We don’t talk about the women unless we’re discussing notknowing who’s using you. But he did say the temptation with the coke was a hugedownside. And when he tried to kick it, friends and dealers hounded him.
“Hesays that’s the silver lining. When the money disappeared, so did the leeches.It woke him up, although he wishes he could have woken up before he lostabsolutely everything, including his ability to work in the NHL. I think thatbothers him more than anything. He really misses playing.”
Paige’sphone vibrated on the table. “Speak of the devil. Hey, Beck. Whatcha doing?”
“Nothing.Just hanging with the family and thought I’d call and see how you are.”
“How’sthat going, seeing everyone?”
Helaughed. “It’s got its moments, but it’s good. Saw my grandparents, somecousins, my stepsiblings and their families, and of course Cooper and Emily.Where are you? Sounds noisy.”
“Gwennand I are having lunch after shopping for the fancy-shmancy banquet.” Gwennwaved. “She says hi, by the way.”
“Didn’tmean to interrupt girl time, so I’ll let you go. Tell her hi back, and I hopeshe talked you into something really sex—uh, fetching.”
Paigelaughed. “Fetching? I’ll tell her. Thanks for calling, Beck.”
“Yep.I’ll call you after I get home.”
Paigehung up and glanced out the window again.
“If youcould see yourself.” Gwenn gave her a wily grin. “Just friends, huh?”
Paigerealized she was wearing a wistful smile and quickly dropped it. “What?” Shefelt her cheeks pink.
“Youdon’t fool me, even if you’re fooling him—and yourself.” Gwenn’s lightexpression transformed with concern. “Just watch your heart, okay?”
Paigegave her an eye-roll. “With my sucky track record, I think I’ve learned mylesson. Falling for Hugh Hefner’s understudy would be the stupidest thing I’veever done, bar none. Believe me, no way am I falling for him.”
If onlyshe believed that herself.
CHAPTER 16
Something Just Like This
Paige marched from her office, down the hall, pivoted,stalked to the kitchen, and started all over again. The Killers sang “The Man” inthe background, keeping time with her agitated steps. Beckett wasn’t due foranother thirty minutes, which meant he’d arrive in twenty, so why was shepacing like Tyrone?
Shedouble-checked the contents of her overnight bag to keep herself distracted. Whenher fingers brushed her waffle-weave long johns, she groaned. “Too practical,too ugly. God, too white.”
Ihave no sexy sleep clothes.
Therealization that Beckett had doubtless seen more than his fair share of everytype of lingerie—and the women in it—collided with the notion that she had nointention of showing him hers. She shook herself out of her daze and snatched asilky black slip from her lingerie drawer, tucking it into the bag by thematching bra and panty sets from Seattle. Definitely overthinking theunderwear thing. Although if I’m unconscious and paramedics have to cut myclothes off …
Outside,a late-model black Cadillac Escalade parked at the curb, and Beckett popped outof the driver’s side. Paige threw open the door despite the chill, giddy to seehim for the first time in weeks. Deep breath in, deep breath out.
“Welcomeback, stranger!”
Hereached her quickly, a wide grin splitting his face. Diffused morning lightplayed on his chiseled features, layering shadows that highlighted his chin andcheekbones. He towered over her.
“Can Igive you a hug?” he asked.
Sheflung her arms wide and high, and he swept her off the ground and crushed herto his chest. “God, it’s good to see you,” he murmured into her hair.
He heldher tight, stealing her breath away. The embrace remained fast for severalbeats, becoming charged with intimacy. She wriggled out of his hold and took astep back, scanning him from his short brown hair to his boots. Clean-shaven,he wore a fleece-lined denim jacket over jeans and a black sweater with a sliceof white tee showing at the neck. The jacket matched his eyes.
Wow.Just … wow. “Youlook good, Beckett.”
Heshrugged his shoulders and tugged his collar. “I feel good.”
Fromthe hallway behind her, Right Said Fred growled about being too sexy for hisshirt. Laughter bubbling up, a hot blush rushing from her chest to her scalp,she ruffled her hair and pulled him inside. “Come in. It’s too cold to standout here.” As
