Worth the Challenge (10 page)

“Mmm-hmm, well. She seemed awfully worried about what you might think of her purchases.”

Rhett frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that we bought her a ton of stuff, but don’t worry. We didn’t spend a lot of money. I think she needed it though, the poor thing. I thought her father was some famous, renowned perfumer.”

“He is. But he hasn’t worked regularly in years.” Didn’t sound like Michel Durand managed his money well either. “And she shouldn’t worry about how much anything costs.”

“Well, I don’t think she likes a lot of attention, so don’t make much of a fuss when you see her, okay? It’ll make her uncomfortable. And she’s such a sweet thing, very shy, though. I really like her, Rhett. Too bad you don’t feel anything for her beyond the work relationship.”

He nearly choked on his drink. “What the hell are you talking about?” It was as if Tessa was purposely trying to provoke him, shock him, whatever. Every single thing she said, he couldn’t help but answer with a question.

Realization dawned. He was being defensive, like he had something to hide.

And he didn’t like it.

“I could see myself spending more time with her, like she could really be my friend. I adore Gracie, but she’s so busy with work and the baby and Hunter. I never get to see her.” Tessa mock pouted. “You need a girlfriend, Rhett. So I can have someone in the family to hang out with. Gracie’s been complaining too.”

Jesus, now his sisters-in-law were going to gang up on him and get him to fall into the same hopeless trap his brothers had? Maybe meeting the women for dinner hadn’t been such a good idea after all.

But he couldn’t squash the curiosity that had consumed him since the moment he knew Tessa and Gabriella were together shopping. He had to see Gabriella one more time, before they left in the morning for Maui.

“Uh-oh. Don’t look now, but here she comes.” Tessa sent him a beseeching look. “Don’t make a big deal about her, okay? She might freak.”

“You make her sound like some skittish wild animal that’ll bolt and run the first time someone lays eyes on her.” He stood, following Tessa’s lead, watched as she moved away from the table to greet Gabriella personally.

Turning, he saw Tessa stop in front of Gabriella and grasp her by the shoulders, giving her a little shake. The two women laughed, the sound warming his insides, warming his soul, and he waited expectantly to see her.

And when Tessa finally stepped away from Gabriella, giving him a clear view, he nearly swallowed his tongue whole.

Chapter Seven

Ella’s entire body trembled as she walked toward Rhett. Having Tessa by her side was little reassurance, especially when she caught sight of Rhett’s face.

He looked like he was at a complete loss for words—and she doubted that had ever happened. Mouth slightly agape, blue eyes wide, his big body still as stone, he didn’t so much as blink as she moved closer.

“Well? What do you think? I meant to only take her shopping, but it turned into a mini makeover instead.” Tessa snuck her arm through Ella’s and gave her a little squeeze.

She didn’t even feel it. Too enthralled with the look in Rhett’s eyes, the way he drank her in as if there was no one else in the room.

Only her.

“You look, uh, different,” he finally said, his voice soft, his gaze drifting the length of her discreetly. But not too discreet, considering she noticed. “Not that you didn’t look good before…”

“Don’t put your foot in your mouth,” Tessa interrupted. “Be polite. And a compliment wouldn’t hurt either.”

“You look pretty,” he said automatically, a sexy smile curling his lips. Her knees wobbled and without another word she fell in behind Tessa, collapsing in a chair thankfully.

If her knees would’ve kept up the noodle bit, she might’ve fallen to the floor.

She was ravenous. Not eating lunch and trying on lots of clothes did that to a girl. Picking up the menu, she held her breath when Rhett slipped into the chair beside her, his shoulder brushing against hers. She turned her head, met his gaze.

“I was already sitting here.” He nodded toward the near-empty glass on the table in front of him.

“Oh.” For whatever reason, she assumed he’d sit next to Tessa.

“The food is good, but the servings are small. Just thought I’d warn you,” Tessa said, glancing up from her menu.

Rhett groaned. “You warn her, but you never had the decency to tell me when you took us here the first time.”

Ella frowned at her menu. Took
us?
Maybe a date? Oh God, maybe a girlfriend? Was she so stupid that she made a move on a guy who was already attached?

She was panicking over nothing.

“I thought you liked this place,” Tessa said.

He slowly shook his head. “I only chose it tonight because I knew you liked it. And it’s close to Gabriella’s hotel.”

Her skin warmed and she kept her eyes glued on the open menu before her. She really liked how he said her full name. Could imagine him whispering it in her ear just before he took her mouth in a heady kiss…

“Oh, by the way, I had the driver take everything over to the hotel and have it delivered to your room,” Tessa told her. “Including the new suitcase.”

It was embarrassing to remember everything Tessa insisted she get for this trip. Deeming it all necessary when clearly so much of it was absolutely not, Ella had watched helplessly while Tessa asked the various sales associates to gather up all sorts of things. Some items Ella had never even thought of. Some of it, she’d never even
heard
of.

For traveling so much during her youth, she felt like a naïve twit compared to Tessa. And though she certainly knew how to corral an entire team of sales associates at a department store, drugstore…wherever she happened to be, Tessa was also so nice about it. Everyone seemed to adore her.

Including Ella herself.

And when Tessa had spotted the salon in the department store, she’d dragged Ella inside. One haircut and makeup lesson later, she was a new woman. Not an overly made-up, unrecognizable woman, but different just the same.

She liked it. Most importantly, she believed she could duplicate the look, both the hairstyle and the makeup application. She felt more professional, chic in the city, so to speak.

Silly but true.

They ordered dinner, Ella letting them choose for her since she had no idea what was good or not, and her mind was awhirl anyway. She couldn’t concentrate on food no matter how hungry she was.

And it didn’t help, having the delicious-smelling Rhett Worth sitting next to her. The deep, sexy rumble of his voice sent her nerves on high alert. His very nearness, the heat that radiated from him made her hyper aware of every little shift and move he made. The sound of his laughter, the gentle tone his voice took when he teased Tessa, there was affection there. An ease between them she couldn’t help but be envious of.

No siblings, no family, just her father as the one constant person in her life, made for a lonely childhood. And that loneliness had bled into adulthood as well.

The realization made her sad. She longed to change those past mistakes, no matter how ridiculous the wish. So if she couldn’t rectify the past, she certainly could allow more people into her life in the future. In the present.

Now.

Tessa seemed to genuinely like her. So did Rhett…but in a different way.

His gaze met hers now, warm and open, downright wicked even, if she allowed her imagination to run wild. He nodded toward the dishes spread out before them, the waiter having just dropped them off. “Take your pick.”

It all smelled divine but truthfully, she had no idea what she was looking at. “They’re like little pieces of art.”

“Mmm, I can’t wait.” Tessa reached forward with a pair of chopsticks, snatching up a roll of some sort with ease. She popped it in her mouth. “Delicious.”

“Ladies don’t speak with their mouths full,” Rhett chastised fondly, earning an eye roll for his remark. “Try one before she eats them all,” he said to Gabriella.

“What is it?” The outer layer was almost translucent. She could see a variety of vegetables within and the fragrant scent emanating from the plate was heavy with spice.

“Spring rolls with shrimp. You like seafood?”

Ella nodded, picking up her chopsticks and mimicking what she’d seen them do. Breaking the wooden chopsticks apart, she rubbed the sticks together, her gaze locked on Rhett’s hand. He used the chopsticks with such ease, his fingers deft, his movements precise as he plucked a spring roll from the plate.

She held the chopsticks in her right hand, her index finger poised just so. The sticks clattered to the table.

Heat suffused her cheeks. She’d not tried much Asian food. Her father had never enjoyed it and she’d allowed his preferences to influence her.

If she was being honest, she’d let him influence her far too much.

“There’s an art to it,” Rhett said, his voice gentle. “Want some pointers?”

Lifting her head, she met his gaze, her mouth going dry. He was so close, his head bent toward her, his expression open, manner easy, more like what she remembered from a few nights ago. Such a difference from the man she’d met with at the Worth building, stiff, like he’d been afraid to make any sort of misstep and screw the whole thing up.

She could relate.

“I think if I want to eat, I definitely need pointers,” she finally said.

“Here.” Picking up the dropped stick, he pointed them at her and she took them. “Hold them like this.” He demonstrated with his right hand.

Ella readjusted the sticks, fumbling with them, and she silently cursed. Could she look more ridiculous? “Maybe they could bring me a fork,” she said weakly.

“Here.” He reached for her, his hand wrapping around hers, forcing her grip around the chopsticks with his fingers. A zing moved through her at his touch, sharp and bright, leaving her breathless. Dizzy. “Like this.”

She pressed the chopsticks with the tips of her fingers, watched in amazement when they moved like they were supposed to. Rhett dropped his hand from hers and feeling brave, she reached for one of the spring rolls.

And picked it up with ease, bringing it to her mouth triumphantly.

“See? I knew you could do it,” he said, his gaze dropping to her lips just as she shoved the spring roll into her mouth.

Mortification rose up swiftly, making her feel like an idiot. Her appetite disappeared with every chew. Rhett Worth didn’t spend time with women who thrust food down their throats and didn’t know how to use chopsticks. And they certainly weren’t in need of a radical makeover or a new wardrobe.

Surely his type of woman was a gorgeous, impeccable sophisticate who would make Ella look like a gauche, untried girl.

Ugh. She swallowed and set her chopsticks on the edge of her plate. She wasn’t that much of a failure. He did, after all, kiss her.

For about two seconds before he shoved her out of the cab.

“You didn’t like it,” Rhett said. A statement, not a question either.

“I—” She couldn’t remember how it tasted, too worried over what he might think of her. “It was good,” she lied.

“Try something else,” he suggested, pointing at the variety of plates spread out before them. “There’s plenty. Take your pick, whatever appeals to you.”

Could she tell him
he
appealed to her?

Doubtful. Like she was brave enough to say such a thing.

Ella glanced across the table, saw that Tessa was furiously texting on her cell, not paying them any mind. She spooned up a few items, most of them so pretty she was almost afraid to eat them. They were beautiful and so little, the key word being
little
.

No wonder Rhett didn’t care for the restaurant. It was expensive and the servings were small.

Of course, maybe this sort of restaurant was perfect for her. Then she wouldn’t make a fool of herself looking like a glutton, piling her plate with food. She was starving and worn out. Even vaguely uncomfortable despite enjoying the time she’d spent with Tessa.

It was Rhett. Being so close to him, especially after what happened between them a few nights ago, made her uneasy. The atmosphere was too casual, almost—again—like a date, though with a third wheel, aka Tessa.

Eyeing Rhett as discreetly as she could, she wondered what he thought of her. Had he thought of that night? Or was she already forgotten? They were going to spend a few days together alone in Hawaii and she hoped like crazy it wouldn’t be awkward.

Despite his prior bad-boy reputation, he’d acted like a true gentleman that night when he could’ve taken advantage of her. Lord knew she would’ve let him.

How much would it take to make him wild again? If only for just one night? Or a short trip to Maui…

“I have to go,” Tessa said abruptly, knocking Ella from her thoughts. “Alex just texted me. Charlotte’s not well.”

Rhett snorted. “You have to be kidding me. He can’t handle one night alone with his daughter?”

“Shush.” Tessa stood, grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder. “He says she has a slight fever. I need to get home. My baby needs me.”