Leah's Seduction: 2 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) by Emily Jane Trent

can’t afford it. She’s got some loans too, but there are other expenses. So the extra work will help.”
    “You’re a good sister.”
    “I try to be. We are a close family. It’s important to me to help when I can.”
    Leah scooped some of the foam of her cappuccino with a plastic spoon and ate it. “The foam is the best part,” she said. “It’s kind of like whipped cream the way they do it here. Really thick.”
    Kyra took the velvet tie from her ponytail, re-twisted her long hair, and replaced the tie. Some tendrils still hung loose. “So, how was the party? I took off with some friends before it really got started.”
    “Good.” Leah tried to keep her voice steady, despite the emotions roiling inside her. “We didn’t stay too long. Just had some food.”
    Kyra stared at her. “And?”
    Leah smiled. “No secrets from you, huh?”
    “No way.”
    “Gianni reserved a room in the hotel, and we spent the night there. Then yesterday we went to the film festival and saw a couple of films.”
    Kyra widened her eyes. “I think you skipped over the best part.”
    Leah lifted her cup. “Uh, yeah. You don’t want to hear that. I’d be too embarrassed to tell you.”
    “I take it he’s hot.”
    “Definitely hot,” Leah said. If she only knew .
    Leah’s phone vibrated. It was Gianni. She held up a finger, then stood up. “Let me take this.”
    Outside, she answered. “Gianni.”
    “Hello, Leah.”
    “I wasn’t expecting you to call.”
    “I hadn’t planned to. I know you have things to do to get ready for the week.”
    Leah didn’t care about any of it, and he knew it.
    “It’s okay. I was just having coffee with Kyra.”
    “I have something to tell you.”
    Leah’s heart skipped a beat.
    “I’m leaving for Amsterdam.”
    Her heart fell. “When?”
    “In ten days.”
    “Oh.”
    “I want you to come with me.”
    In a split second, Leah’s spirits soared from the basement to the rooftop. Amsterdam . With Giann i. Then reality crashed in. “I can’t. You know I can’t just take off work.”
    Silence. Of course, it was different for Gianni. He called the shots, and could go anywhere he damn well pleased. But her circumstances were different. She couldn’t afford to lose her job, and she hadn’t accrued vacation time yet.
    “Well, think it over. I’ll be gone for a couple of weeks. It’s Fashion Week. My staff could cover it, but I have other business there, so I’ve decided to go.”
    Leah felt the tears building. She would not cry. Definitely not. “Okay. I’ll see. But it doesn’t look good.”
    “You should know that if you go, you can fly with me in the jet,” he said. “Even Vadim will see the economy in that. You would be attending the shows without transportation costs.”
    That wasn’t such a good idea. Vadim didn’t know the relationship with Gianni was so personal. Leah preferred it that way. “Well, I think it will take more than that.”
    “Okay, baby. I’ve got a busy schedule for a couple of days, but I’ll call you midweek. If I can hold out that long.”
    His words softened the blow of hearing that he’d be gone. For weeks.
    She returned to the table and plopped down.
    “Gianni?”
    “You could tell.”
    “The look on your face.”
    “Yeah, it’s hard to hide that look.”
    “Is there a problem?”
    Leah put her hands under her chin. “You could say so. Gianni is leaving for Amsterdam and he has the idea that I can go with him. But I don’t see how.”
    “Good point. Vadim is not the most gracious of bosses.” Kyra finished her coffee and put down the cup. “But what always works for me is leverage .”
    “Leverage?”
    “Right. Like, say it’s important for me to be in a particular show.” Kyra waved her hand as she spoke. “I look for a way they need me. It could be a special look I have, or talent. Something they want that I have.”
    “I can see what you mean. But my job is a bit different.”
    Kyra shrugged. “Still, it’s