Leah's Seduction: 8 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) by Emily Jane Trent Page A

consumed me. You’ve asked me to confide more about how I feel.”
    “Yes, I do want that.”
    “For some reason, writing is the easiest way.”
    “I understand, baby.” Gianni placed his palms on her cheeks and kissed her. His lips lingered, stirring deep need, and she melted into him.
    Leah sat for a while with Gianni’s arm around her. Eventually, they walked through the park and looked for a place to eat, settling on milkshakes and hamburgers. It had been a while since Leah had eaten much, and it tasted great. Seeing Gianni devour his made her smile. They were okay again. It had been good to talk. Life was as it should be.
    *****
    After the weekend together, Gianni and Leah returned to GR, much to the relief of their coworkers. Business was thriving despite their absence. Aida was as energetic as ever, and had kept the marketing strategies rolling forward, as Leah had directed.
    Feeling renewed since making up with Gianni, it was natural for Leah to let her guard down. Any issues clouding her life seemed remote, as long as the man she loved was near. That was until another email arrived from Ava. The message was short: He won’t stay with you .
    It rattled Leah, although she tried to brush it aside. It didn’t seem right to whine to Gianni every time Ava posed one of her threats. He had enough going on with his company, and with the lawsuit. And there wasn’t much he could do about the emails anyway.
    Leah went to her assistant’s office. Aida was intent on something she was typing. The geometric designs on her blouse and her bright makeup were striking. She looked up.
    “Can you get away? I’d like to go grab a sandwich, and Gianni has a lunch meeting.”
    “Sure, I’m starved.” Aida grabbed her purse, and stood to follow Leah out.
    They headed toward a local shop, with Roston walking a few steps behind. Leah didn’t complain about her bodyguard’s presence. He’d stuck closer to her since Gianni had told him about Ava. And though Leah didn’t think Ava was actually dangerous, it was better to be cautious.
    “I’ll wait out here, ladies,” Roston said, opening the restaurant door for them.
    “Can we get you anything?” Aida hung back, waiting for his reply.
    Out of the corner of her eye, Leah saw Roston smile. “No thank you. I’ll eat later.”
    The place had been established in the 1920s, and the décor hadn’t changed much. It was a combo of kosher deli and diner. Old-style stools with red vinyl seats lined the long counter. The walls were covered with framed photographs of the owners and patrons. The place was normally packed, but they were early and managed to find a table.
    “Want to split a Reuben?” Aida said.
    “Sure, that’s what I wanted to order too, but they are too big for one person.”
    They ordered cream sodas and fries to go with the sandwich. Over lunch, Leah confided in Aida. She told her about getting back together with Gianni, skipping over anything too personal. Her assistant took it all in without comment, but Leah could tell she was pleased with the outcome.
    “You were both freaking me out, staying away from the office like that. And I know how you feel about Gianni.” Aida put her hand at the open neck of her blouse. “My heart was breaking for you.”
    “I am so glad we are past that.”
    “So am I.” Aida smiled. “Don’t do anything like that again.”
    Leah laughed. “I’m not planning on it.” She paused. “But there is something else that worries me.”
    Aida sipped her cream soda. “What is that?”
    “It’s Ava. She won’t quit.”
    “That email she sent you?”
    Leah knew Aida was discreet, so filled her in. “I have received several emails now. Each one has a similar message. She accused me of gold digging. And said I am not Gianni’s type. That he won’t stay with me. That I won’t get away with it.”
    Aida shook her head. “That woman has issues.”
    “I know that. And her messages make me uncomfortable.” Leah added mustard to