Loving Leo (The Romanovsky Brothers Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

sight.
    Val remained detached, monotone.  “Novsky works under an open concept floor plan.  There are no offices, no cubicles, no doors, no walls.  I don’t even have walls, and I’m the founder and CEO.”
    “She won’t even be in the office.  You know good and well most of the designers work from home,” Zoey said.
    Val met Zoey’s eyes and held them.
    “I love open concepts,” Jessica said, sensing she was losing him.
    He looked back, eyebrows rising at how quickly she’d changed her tune.
    “I may have spoken too strongly when I said I hated offices.  I’m sure working in an office is a great way to make business contacts that will be invaluable in the future.  The pros surely outweigh the cons.”
    Those eyebrows stayed raised on Val’s face.  He looked bored to death, edgy, and utterly unimpressed with Jessica.
    Jessica’s eyes trailed back to Roman.  Perhaps Val wasn’t unimpressed, but deeply distracted, much like his older brother, who was back to staring at Val with hardness in his eyes.
    Still making his plate, hands full, Zoey’s elbow came flying at Val once more.  “Val is doing interviews all next week.  I know, because it’s my position he’s interviewing for.”  She looked down and covered her belly.  “I’m going to be taking leave soon.”  She nudged Val again.
    Val looked at Zoey.  The look quickly escalated into a deep stare.  Something passed between the two of them, something strong, because when he looked back to Jessica this time, the emptiness that had been present in his eyes a moment before had vanished.
    “Tomorrow,” he said.  “Nine o’clock.  The office is on the corner of Wall Street and Pearl.”
    “There with bells on,” Jessica said.
    “Good enough.” Val looked back to Zoey just as she set a full plate of food down in front of him.  “Thank you, baby.”
    Zoey rubbed his back and leaned over, popping a kiss on his cheek.
    “Enough.” Tony was already shutting it down.
    The microscopic smile Val had been fighting to the death finally broke on his face, and Zoey kissed his cheek again.
    “Ay,” Tony’s voice rose.  “What I say?”
    Val and Zoey finally separated, both fighting smiles.
    Jessica watched the exchange.  When those two crashed and burned, she was now sure she wouldn’t enjoy it as much as she’d imagined.  It would just be sad.  They were clearly in love, but that love was tainted.  The well was full of poison.  Val knew it.  Zoey didn’t.
    Still, from the way he looked at her, Jessica would have almost guessed Val didn’t know that his relationship was doomed .  As his eyes studied Zoey, they were so clear, so open, so full of trust, that the amateur eye would call it forever.
    Jessica knew better.  Val and Zoey weren’t forever.  They couldn’t be.
    Utensils scraped against plates as everyone in the room delved into their meals.
    “So, Ashley, how long have you been in the neighborhood?” Tony asked.
    “About a year.”
    “How have I never seen you?” Leo demanded.
    Her eyes met his.
    “I would definitely remember a beautiful face like yours,” he purred.
    Hisses flew around the table.
    “ Cheese ,” Zoey teased.
    “That’s the best line you got?” Angie winced.
    “I’m eating.” Gary motioned to his half-empty plate.
    Leo lifted his shoulders, motioning to Jessica with both hands, thumb and forefingers pressed together.  “She’s a beautiful woman. I can’t tell a beautiful woman she looks beautiful?  Look at her .  She’s gorgeous.”
    “She is gorgeous.” Zoey nodded, giving Leo a break.  She continued to rub Val’s back.  He was still watching her, plate untouched.  “She looks like a young Iman.”
    “I get Iman sometimes,” Jessica said.  Constantly, actually.  She’d learned at an early age that being constantly compared to a supermodel was something she was never allowed to talk about. If anything, she was to rebuff all supermodel comparisons immediately, feigning