Page 7 of Secret Match
She shook her head like she judged him as she said, “Well, have fun, though you’re expected to meet the rest of the family socially tonight at my…our brother’s house.”
Kiwi passed the conference room, her purple sweater a cape behind her. If he rushed, he’d catch her near the door, so he told his sister with a salute, “I’d love to. I’ve only heard bad things about your family, so it will be nice to see for myself how wrong that was.”
Victoria snorted as she walked to the conference door with him. “Sounds like our father spoke about us to you. He never mentioned you to us.”
Kiwi headed out the door. His skin zipped that he needed to hurry, though he told his sister with a wink, “Naturally. You and your brothers were the legitimate branch. Talk more soon.”
“Bye,” Victoria called after him.
Finally, he was free. He caught Kiwi in the black marble lobby and pressed his hand against her back as he kissed her cheek. “Kiwi, there you are, as radiant as I remembered.”
“Let’s go, Casanova.” She gave him a warm smile that offered a glimmer of hope.
If she was here, then he was in the right place. The night in Paris had been a memory he’d never shaken and to even be near her again was enough to satisfy his hunger. Kiwi Washington was unforgettable and now he had a second chance. He’d pull out all the stops to have her again.
Chapter 3
Ten minutes earlier…
Kiwi’s heartwas beating fast. Her heels beat against the gray industrial carpet as she ran down the office hall with partitions to her right that hid cubicles. Various coworkers were there, but she headed straight to her corner office.
She couldn’t think or breathe.
Mr. Sexy was here? Now? He was Gio Morgan. Her company had ignored his trademark for his growing male-fashion empire in Italy. Had Victoria known that was her half-brother?
Everything in her life felt upside down and she might be sick, again.
Her degree in business and years of experience working as Serenity’s CFO at her spa before taking a creative leap to work at the House of Morgan meant Kiwi had a nose for commerce—whatever had happened smelled like trouble.
She hadn’t realized the company’s legal issues would be directly tied to her own pregnancy—how could she have known?
This was too much. She locked the door and pressed her back on it, forcing herself to breathe. She refused to get sick. Not here. Not now. The rumbling of her stomach passed but she waited another minute to make sure she was okay. Kiwi stood taller and slowly walked to her desk, wishing the windows overlooking Biscayne Bay opened.
Fresh air would be good. Kiwi took out her cell phone and quickly dialed her best friend. The phone rang and on the second ring, she heard the click. Without waiting for a hello, Kiwi quickly said, “Serenity, thank goodness you answered.”
“What’s going on?” Serenity asked. The sound of the water fountain on Serenity’s desk turned off.
Part of Kiwi wished she still worked at that spa instead of being embroiled in a Morgan battle, now that she knew what was happening.
Her fingers pressed against her temples as she put the phone on speaker and set it on her desk.
In Paris, she’d never experienced anything so passionate as the night with her handsome stranger. She’d walked around his apartment wearing only his white shirt—her toes tingled just from the memory of his kiss.
In retrospect, she realized that yes, the man’s shirt was from the House of Morgan and must have been his own design. How had she been so blind? She couldn’t even open her eyes as she said Mr. Sexy’s real name. “Gio Morgan.”
Serenity asked in her bubbly, sweet voice, “The one with the Italian trademark and menswear line?”
“Yes, that Gio.” Kiwi’s stomach flipped.
Clearly her baby recognized her father with all the flutters she now had in her tummy.
“Didn’t he date that actress, Piper Lacey?”
“I guess.” She thought back. “I haven’t seen her in a movie or on a magazine in a while.”
“So, what about him?” Serenity asked. “You never get upset about work stuff, Kiwi.”
Right. She needed clarity and fast. She held her breath for a second and then forced herself to belly-breathe. “Serenity, Gio is Mr. Sexy.”
