It Happened in L.A.: Ms Match / Shockingly Sensual / Playmates

“Only if someone’s being an asshole about winning. Men, I mean.”

“We can be real jerks.”

“I’m sure you’re not.”

He answered the final question of the round. “I wouldn’t bet on it.”

He felt Gwen’s attention, even though he wasn’t looking her way. Not sure how, but he absolutely knew she was listening. He kept his gaze on Holly. “Then she’s not going to cry when I win this thing tonight?”

Holly smiled. “Uh, no.”

“Not even in secret? Come on. You can tell me.”

“Well, she did cry this one time—”

“Holly.” Gwen’s voice carried over all the room chatter. “What the hell are you telling him?”

“Nothing. I swear.”

Paul checked his grin as he turned to Gwen. “It’s okay. I understand. Women get all emotional, and that’s part of their charm.”

“I don’t get all emo—” She stopped. Gave an enormous sigh. “You are an evil man. You tricked me with all the dancing, but now I see it. You’re just evil.”

“Me? Nah. I’m the sweetest guy you’ll ever meet.”

The look she gave him was actually unsettling. It wasn’t at all what he was used to. The women he knew tended to have their own agendas blocking most honest interactions, and truth be known he wasn’t any different. But Gwen—her eyes were clear, her evaluation of him held no slack.

If there was going to be a friendship with her, it would be on the level. Straight up, no bullshit. He hadn’t had a friendship like that since high school. Huh. Tom Sutherland. They’d been close from the middle of grade school until just after high school graduation. He hadn’t thought of Tom in a long time. He’d had a stare like Gwen’s, only Tom’s eyes weren’t such a bold green. They weren’t quite as unflinching. And, of course, he hadn’t been a woman.

Gwen’s expression changed as he watched, her examination of him growing more intense by the second. Finally, she asked a question that took him totally by surprise. “What’s this about, Paul? Really?”

Honesty. No bullshit. He would stick to the game plan. “I hope we can be friends.”

“Why?” she asked, too quickly. “I’ve already earned you all the points I can with Autumn. She won’t think this is charming. In fact, it will make her think less of you.”

He’d figured that out for himself, but he didn’t want to talk about Autumn. “I enjoyed myself the other night, and I’m enjoying myself now. I have a feeling you’re someone worth knowing.”

Gwen’s expression changed once more. This time he wished he hadn’t seen it. Her look made it perfectly clear that she didn’t share his desire for friendship. That, in fact, she didn’t find him worth knowing at all.

He called the waitress back, not sure what to do. Crack a joke? Flirt with Holly? Ask Gwen to reconsider?

Reconsider? Why would he want to be with someone who didn’t want him? He had no idea. The whole thing was preposterous. He wanted Autumn, not Gwen. Autumn, with her sexy laugh, her amazing curves and that stunningly beautiful face. Yeah, so why should he give a damn that her less-than-beautiful sister didn’t want to be friends? He shouldn’t. But he did.

Chapter 6

IT WAS THE LAST ROUND of questions, those that separated the wannabes from the major leaguers. Gwen was two up from Paul, and while that pleased her, it wasn’t quite as satisfying as it should have been, given she’d obviously hurt his feelings.

Tough.

She looked over at him, so artfully hiding that he’d been wounded by their exchange. What did he expect? He’d come uninvited. He was Autumn’s bonbon and in different circumstances Paul and she would never have crossed paths. Now he wanted to be friends?

The question came up on the board. Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis was the first Commissioner of Baseball. Who was the seventh? Damn. It had to be Giamatti. If not, well, she was still one up on Paul.

Giamatti, it was.

She glanced at Paul’s machine, but couldn’t tell if he’d gotten it right. He’d shifted his seat so he faced the table squarely instead of tilting a bit toward her.

Which brought her right back to feeling guilty.

This time when the waitress came around, Gwen eschewed her club soda and went for the beer.

If they hadn’t been in the middle of a table full of coworkers, she’d have talked to him. Asked him again what had really prompted his trip. He didn’t belong here, any more than she would belong at Fashion Week.

He’d certainly sounded sincere, but that’s what he did for a living. Sadly, she wouldn’t put it past her sister to have made this evening some kind of test or maybe even a dare.

Gwen had toyed with the idea of moving out of California. Rockland had other offices, including one in New York. She’d never lived anywhere but SoCal, still, being this close to her family simply wasn’t good for her health. There were birthdays and anniversaries and weddings and all manner of holidays and she could only come up with so many excuses not to attend.

Next up her sister Bethany and husband, Harry, were having a big birthday bash for Gwen’s niece, Nickie, who would turn one. Gwen had been roped into bringing her famous red velvet cupcakes, which meant she really couldn’t bow out, even though she’d rather have a root canal.

There were only a few questions left, and Gwen put all her energy into answering them correctly. No distractions allowed. She aced the first one. Dammit, she missed the second. Got lucky on the third. The last one, though, was a gift. She’d just read the answer in one of her dozens of baseball books. She pressed the button and sat back in her chair. No gloating yet. Not until she saw how Paul did. The final scores always took about ten minutes, so she’d just relax and wait.

Holly appeared behind her and gave her a whack on her upper arm. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Just come with me.”

Gwen knew that tone. She excused herself to Paul and obediently trotted behind Holly to the ladies’ room.

Holly folded her arms. Not a good sign. “What are you doing?”

“What are you talking about?”

“First, you completely lied about how gorgeous Paul is.”

“Hey—”

“We can talk about that later. Now, I want to know why you’re being such a bitch.”

Gwen tried to keep her temper. “I realize it might be difficult to think of Paul as a person, but try, okay? I didn’t invite him here. I hardly know him. Why should I bend over backward?”

“Bend over? Please. You’re acting like he’s got the plague.”

“I am not.”

Holly’s eyes widened and she stepped closer to Gwen. This time, when she yelled, it was in a whisper. “I know when you’re being nice and when you’re not. You’re not. Even if you don’t like the guy, he hasn’t done anything bad. So ease up. Give him a break.”

“You’re only saying this because he’s handsome. Well, screw handsome.”