Triplets Make Five

“Your application states you live on the Southeast side on Mulberry Street,” Serena said. “That’s in the heart of Little Italy, isn’t it?”

Gabriela blushed like you wouldn’t believe. A stab of desire ripped through my guts. Holy mother-loving hell, she was hot! How could I sit still for this? My cock twitched between my legs.

Her accent changed when she answered. She kept it hidden until now. “Yeah, it’s Little Italy, all right. I was born and raised there. I never lived anywhere else.”

Italian. Fiery. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her.

Serena didn’t notice that blush. “I see you have an accounting degree.”

Gabriela stiffened. “Yes. I do.”

“You stated on your application that you worked for five years at your last job, but you didn’t mention why you left it.”

Now she really froze. “I didn’t want to say why I left it because the firm got investigated by the FBI. The senior partner got convicted of money laundering, and now everybody thinks all of us who worked for him were a part of it as well. I haven’t been able to get a job since.”

Serena lowered her voice. “Oh. I see.”

Serena looked over at Tanya. Gabriela noticed that look and waved both hands. She got to her feet. “You know what? Just forget it. I never should have come here. Just forget all about it. Thanks for considering me. I’ll see you later.”

She headed for the door. Her ass swayed under her skirt in the most enticing possible way. I couldn’t let her walk out that door. I couldn’t take the chance on my team giving this job to anybody else. My hand shot out. “Wait!”

She turned around at the door. Her eyes widened when she looked at me, but the next minute, she squared her shoulders. She moved her chin sideways. “Forget it. I’m not marrying anybody for money. I might be desperate to pay my rent this month, but I’m not some kind of whore. You can get somebody else.”

I climbed to my feet. I towered over the rest of the team. “Don’t leave yet, Gabriela. Sit down and let’s talk about this.”

She arched one eyebrow. I didn’t have to explain. She saw at one glance I was the groom in question. “You can call me Gabi. That’s what everybody calls me.”

I colored in spite of myself. How many dreary, weary years passed since any woman made me blush like that? I waved toward the chair. “Sit down, Gabi...please. These guys can leave. I want to talk to you alone.”

“No, you don’t,” Tanya snapped.

Serena started to say, “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” but I chopped my hand through the air. “I think I can talk to her, just one on one. If we’re gonna go through with this, that’s the least I deserve.”

The team exchanged glances until Jason got up. He adjusted his jacket around his waist and

buttoned the button. “All right, Gray. Just remember what we told you. Keep it on the straight and narrow. The last thing we need is you trying something at the interview.”

I stood still while they filed out of the room. Gabi eyed them sidelong until the door clicked shut behind Pete. She turned her flashing eyes on me. “Well?”

I waved toward the chair. “Sit down. Please.”

4

Gabriela

So, this was the famous groom. He wasn’t old and ugly. I couldn’t have dreamed a hotter guy if I tried. Go figure. I studied him from across he room, but I wasn’t going to sit down in that chair just because he said please.

His dark hair cropped close around his ears, but it tussled on top. It shone with some kind of hair product, but it grew lush and thick to cover his whole scalp. Not one bald patch anywhere. I caught his brown eyes scoping me out. Any woman with eyes in her head knew exactly what he was thinking.

His shoulders filled out his jacket to the tailored seams. He spent a lot of time and energy on that body. His muscled thighs stretched his pants tight around his...oh, my God. He did NOT have a hard-on right now.

He strolled around the table and sat down on the edge. He jerked his head toward the chair. “Come on, Gabi. Sit down and talk to me.”

I set my hands on my hips. “As long as you’re certain we’re just talking.”

He laughed, and the cutest little dimples pocked his cheeks. A squirrelly twist of a thrill quivered through my insides. Man, he was hot! He bent forward to grin at me. “I’m not going to hold you down and marry you right here and now, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

That laugh disarmed my defenses. We were just talking. I wasn’t whoring around. I came all the way here for a job. I might as well see what it was all about.