Page 85 of The VIP Doubles Down
Now she had to decide if she should share this information with Gavin. If it were true and Gavin didn’t know about it, he would be even more devastated than he’d been by Hugh’s contract news. If it were not true, she would be upsetting him for no reason.
Wait, he had Jane, who was a really great agent, according to Gavin. She would know what was going on with the ghostwriter, and she would certainly tell Gavin if there was anything to worry about.
Allie blew out a breath of relief. She didn’t have to upset Gavin unnecessarily. Damn Troy anyway.
She marched back to Gavin’s office and said breezily, “All settled. Sorry it took so long. Now we can get to work.”
He swiveled around in his desk chair and nodded to the coffee table. “Don’t you want your hot chocolate?”
A tray with two steaming mugs and a plate of what looked like homemade miniature doughnuts sat on the table. She inhaled and caught the rich scent of chocolate, making her mouth water. “Do I ever. Got any tequila to add to it?”
“Hair of the dog?” He walked to a built-in cabinet and swung open the door to reveal a well-stocked bar. “Here we are ... Gran Patrón Piedra. Probably a crime to mix it with chocolate, but it’s all I’ve got.”
“I was kidding,” Allie said.
“But I wasn’t.” He carried it to the tray and poured a generous helping in each mug before he picked them up and offered one to her.
“This isn’t going to improve your work ethic,” she said, taking the drink.
“I hope it will completely destroy yours.” He touched his mug to hers and took a sip.
She did the same and moaned at the deliciousness of the dark, slightly bitter chocolate, the creamy milk, and the kick of tequila. “Germaine is a genius.”
“And you haven’t even tasted her doughnuts.” He took a pastry from the plate and held it in front of her mouth, his eyes glinting.
Allie knew she was being seduced, but she played along, taking a bite of the doughnut, chewing the light, cakey treat and licking the sugar off her lips. Gavin watched her mouth the entire time, his face tight with focus.
“You seemed to enjoy that,” he said, offering her the doughnut again.
She took another bite, chewed, and swallowed, but before she could lick her lips, Gavin leaned in close. “Let me,” he murmured before he flicked his tongue against her skin, lapping up the sugar crystals.
The touch of his tongue sent tremors of pleasure dancing over her skin. How was she supposed to subtly find out whether he knew about a ghostwriter when he was brushing the doughnut against her lips, making the sugar cling to them so he could lick it off?
“Your kisses are always sweet,” he murmured before he sucked on her lower lip. Her body reacted as though his mouth was between her legs, making heat and arousal bloom inside her.
She put her hand on his chest and pushed at the hard, warm surface. “You promised we would work like dogs.”
He put the half-eaten doughnut in his own mouth and chewed slowly before swallowing, his strong throat muscles working. “Drink up your hot chocolate, and then we’ll see how interested you are in keeping our noses to the grindstone.”
His gaze went to the windows again. Allie took one more sip before putting down the mug. “Let’s go outside,” she said. “Fresh air will inspire you.”
“A walk on the beach?” He grinned suddenly. “I have a better idea, but you’ll need to bundle up.”
“Will we be back in time for Pie’s arrival?”
“We’re not leaving the grounds,” he said.
After a quick trip to his bedroom to collect warm clothing, he escorted her through another wing of the house and out a side door, where they followed a winding path through fallow winter gardens. Gavin swung open a gate set into a high, arching hedge and waved her through. His eagerness vibrated in the air between them.
“Are you kidding me?” Allie said, as she took in the huge sheet of perfectly groomed ice spread before them, a hockey goal at each end. “You have your own skating rink?”
“And skates.” He strode toward a small shingled building that sat at the side of the rink. It was stocked with skates in all sizes, hockey sticks, blankets, and a hot-chocolate machine. Sliding glass doors provided a view of the rink as well as the stone patio furnished with lounge chairs and a fire pit. Allie gaped at it all while Gavin rummaged around for skates.
“Does anyone use this except you?” she asked as he handed her a pair of figure skates.
“My guests.” He sat down and looked up at her as he pulled on hockey skates. “The local high school hockey team practices on it when the weather allows, if that makes you feel better.”
She plunked down on the bench beside him. It was weird that his owning a helicopter didn’t shock her, but having a private skating rink seemed like the height of extravagance.
