Just as she turns around, the door opens and Gavin emerges. He looks at Traci. “Thanks for the documents. I’ll review them later tonight.”
She straightens, pushing her chest out in the process. “You’re welcome, sir.”
“You can go now.”
If she’s disappointed at his cool but polite dismissal, she doesn’t show it. She gives him a smile. “Have a good evening.”
As soon as she starts walking away, he turns to me. “You must be Belle.”
“Yes.”
“Gavin. Nice to meet you.” He extends his hand, and we shake.
I like the way he firmly grasps my hand. He seems solid. “Amandine asked me to get you for dinner. Everyone’s here.”
Instant concern pinches his face. “Is she not feeling well?”
“I think she’s just tired. She’s on a couch with her feet up now.”
He compresses his lips. “I don’t know if we should’ve gone for a second child. Really. She had some difficulties with the first, but she swore the second one would be fine because she’d already had practice.”
“Elliot said something similar.”
“Just regurgitating what I told him.” He shakes his head. “Sorry. You don’t want to hear me moan about my wife’s condition.”
“Not at all. I think it’s quite sweet.”
We walk downstairs together. Amandine is where I left her. As Gavin bends, she tilts her head up for a kiss like it’s the most natural thing in the world. They make a handsome couple. The glossy veneer of wealth and power doesn’t detract from the obvious love they have for each other. It’s in the way they angle their bodies toward each other, the tender gaze, the soft smile. I ache with longing—because I want that with Elliot.
Gavin helps his wife up. “Sorry. The call went longer than I expected.”
“Are you finished with the currency markets?” she asks.
“Yes.” Triumph glitters in his eyes. “It was quite profitable.”
Just then, Elliot enters the living room and wraps his arm around my waist. The contact feels sublime, and I can’t help but lean into him.
“So…ten billion dollars profitable?” Elliot teases.
I stiffen, stunned at the amount he’s talking about so casually. Surely they’re joking.
Gavin snorts. “That would be greedy and reckless. Three,” he tosses out as we walk toward the dining room.
“You’re losing your touch in your old age.”
“Three isn’t that bad, considering it only took me two days. I could’ve squeezed half a billion more if I was willing to cut it very close, but a few minutes longer, and the window would’ve been gone, and I would’ve lost the whole thing.” Gavin shoots an arch look in Elliot’s direction. “You should be kissing my ass for making you so much money.”
Elliot puts a finger under my chin and closes my mouth. I can feel my face heat.
“Don’t feel bad,” Amandine says softly. “I had the same reaction the first time I heard him talk about his work.”
“But three billion?” I ask in awe. “For real?”
Gavin shrugs. “It isn’t that bad.”
My knees go weak. It seems insane that he gambles with that kind of stakes. “Oh my gosh.”
“Leveraged in ways I don’t even want to think about. You could’ve lost three billion instead,” Amandine says, shaking her head slightly.