Worth the Challenge (23 page)

Good luck! I know they’ll love them all.

Dread consumed her. What if they hated them all? Her father had called this morning as well, full of bluster and advice, though she hadn’t told him today was her day of reckoning. The final moment of proof of whether she had what it took.

The elevator finally stopped, the doors sliding open to reveal the executive floor. Straightening her spine, she headed toward the conference room, her heels clicking loudly on the polished marble floor, sweat gathering at the base of her neck. Thankfully she’d worn her hair up, sleek and smooth, not a strand out of place.

More armor to protect her from the unknown.

The conference room’s doors were propped open. She could hear the low murmurings of men’s voices from the distance. They waited for her, every Worth brother was in that room and she stopped walking, extending her arm out so she could press her hand against the wall.

You can do this. Prove to them you’re worthy. Prove to them you can deliver.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed off the wall and strode toward those beckoning open doors, walking right into the room as if she hadn’t a care.

They sat at the table, all three of them and a smattering of others, including Hunter’s wife, Gracie. Her gaze met Gabriella’s and she smiled, understanding lighting her eyes.

She knew, Ella thought. She knew what it was like, facing these formidable men, all alone and scared while pretending to be brave. A kindred spirit in her midst, she felt somewhat reassured.

Somewhat.

“Ella, it’s good to see you.” The sound of Alex’s voice had her jerking her head, her gaze meeting his as he walked toward her with a warm smile. Another ally, she realized. Most likely encouraged by Tessa, though she’d never complain; Ella needed as much support as she could find.

“Hello, Alex.” She offered her cheek for him to kiss and he took it. Swore she heard a muttered curse in the near distance. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.

But she chose to ignore it.

“We’re almost ready, waiting for a few more people from our marketing department to arrive,” Alex explained.

Nodding, she glanced toward the corner of the room, saw the predetermined display she’d worked on most of yesterday afternoon and evening. She’d put it all together with her lab team, a simple presentation for an as-yet-unnamed fragrance. The three samples were waiting in plain glass vials, the white
touches
—smelling tabs—fanned out in silver cups, all of it sitting on a small black table that was used expressly for display in the Worth stores.

“Gabriella, I have someone here who’d like to meet you.” She turned at the sound of another Worth’s voice—this one Hunter’s—to find him standing before her with his wife by his side. “This is my wife, Gracie.” He glanced at the woman and smiled, a warm light in his eyes Ella found rather sweet. “Gracie, this is Gabriella Durand.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Gracie reached out and they shook hands. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Worry stalled Ella’s heart. “All pleasant things, I hope.”

“Oh yes, Tessa adores you.” Gracie beamed. “We should all get together for lunch sometime. I’ve been so busy with work, but once the fragrance campaign is put to bed, I’ll have more free time.”

“That—that sounds lovely.” The Worth women readily embraced her. Even Rhett’s brothers included her easily in their fold.

But Rhett? Well, he could have her every which way he wanted her, but when a glimmer of seriousness appeared in the picture, he ran.

“Perfect.” Gracie turned when three more people entered the room. “Oh good, everyone’s here. I think we’re ready.”

Nerves jumped into Ella’s throat, choking her. As if sensing her sudden mood change, Gracie reached out, gave her a reassuring squeeze on the arm. “You’ll be terrific. I have no doubt.”

Ella nodded, still unable to speak, her gaze scanning the room, until it landed on the man she’d been avoiding since the moment she walked in.

He
sat at the table, stunningly gorgeous in his navy suit, crisp white shirt and pale green tie. Lazily leaning back in his chair, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world, though she knew it was a lie. She saw it in his eyes. The wariness, combined with fear.

She felt much the same.

Without thought, she stepped closer to him, irritated he wouldn’t stand to greet her. Irritated more that she wished he would.

“Gabriella.” His rich, deep voice reached across the room and touched her, sending a scattering of gooseflesh all over her skin. She nodded her greeting in return, afraid her own voice would give away her nerves.

He didn’t even have the nerve to come over and greet her. The coward.

“If we could all be seated.” Alex waved a hand toward the table before he turned to smile at Ella. “Then we’ll begin. Are you ready, Miss Durand?”

Rhett draped his hand over his front, his palm resting in front of his groin as he subtly adjusted himself. Having her in front of him, painfully beautiful in a Worthwhile-brand dress, for the love of God, set his entire body aflame. She was magnificent, standing tall, her chin lifted, downright defiant.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Gabriella took subtle charge of the meeting, passing around the first scent, accompanied by the
touches
, the slender white strips of paper that were used to spray the perfume on. She offered no description of her creation, merely called it sample AG3 and then remained quiet. Letting the scent speak for itself.

He carefully watched everyone’s reactions, muscles tense as they sprayed the
touches
, then brought them to their noses. How Gabriella remained so calm, he hadn’t a clue. He felt ready to burst out of his chair.

Why didn’t they say anything?

The last to receive sample AG3—he wondered if somehow Gabriella planned that—Rhett sprayed it onto the paper strip and waved it gently back and forth, the scent already wafting toward him. It was fresh, green and clean with a hint of the ocean to it.

Inhaling, he held his breath for a long moment, knowing immediately that while pleasant, this was not the one. He glanced up, caught Gabriella watching him, and he shook his head once.

She smiled in answer and pleasure flashed through him.

“This is AG5, a variation of the first sample, with some additional layers.” She passed the second vial around, taking AG3 from Rhett, their fingers glancing across each other’s in the transaction. His skin tingled at the too-brief touch and he knew it affected her as well, if her almost tripping over her feet when she walked away from him was any indication.

The group’s reception toward the second sample was much more positive. He could feel the energy in the room, could tell by the smiles on their faces as they sampled the scent.

“I like this one better,” Hunter announced, spraying it on Gracie’s wrist before he bent and sniffed. “It seems much more…complex.”

Rhett wanted to roll his eyes but restrained himself. Was his brother trying to look like he was a perfume expert?

“As I said, there are many more layers to this one. So in a sense, it is definitely more complex.” Gabriella put her arms behind her back, her hands clasped. Such a difference from the woman Rhett first met only a month ago. Whereas he’d known from the second he saw her that first time she wasn’t from the city, now she looked like the quintessential New Yorker. Perfectly coiffed, the dress fit her like a glove and the shoes she wore were the highest he’d ever seen her in.

He had the sudden urge to muss her up completely. Pull the band from her hair and watch the wavy dark blonde strands cascade down her back. Press his mouth to hers and smudge the carefully applied lipstick. Run his hands up and down her curvy body, undo the row of buttons that ran along the front of her dress. Revealing bits of creamy flesh inch by glorious inch…

“Rhett.” Alex nudged him. “Here.”

Startled from his wayward thoughts, Rhett grabbed the bottle and
touche
and sprayed it, holding the paper beneath his nose. This scent held a hint of floral accompanied by the sea, plus a dash of heat, warm like the tropical sun. He looked up at her once more, pleased that she watched, waited for his reaction. That it seemed important to her.

Ella’s delicate brows rose, a silent
what do you think?
He inclined his head toward her, keeping his expression neutral. He liked this one better, but he still had hopes for the third one. Had a feeling she was playing all of them, leading with the one she liked the least, building up the anticipation until she finally dazzled them with the final scent.

She wasn’t a fool, having learned from the best. She knew how to create a captive audience.

“The first one is out,” Alex announced with finality. “It doesn’t have…enough to it.”

“I agree,” Ella said, taking the second vial from Rhett without looking at him, her eager gaze locked on his older brother.

Jealousy flared, completely irrational. She’d spent more time with Alex and Tessa the last two weeks than she’d spent with Rhett their entire time on the island. Hell, he watched Hunter introduce Gracie to Ella like they were welcoming her as another member of the family.

It made no sense. Yet it did. Something he really didn’t want to ponder too long over.

“I like the second one,” Alex continued, sniffing the paper he held with the tips of his fingers yet again. “It’s definitely richer, but is this the direction we want to go?”

Ella remained perfectly composed. “What do you mean?”

Alex slid a glance toward Rhett. “You wanted something unique, right? Yet elegant, sophisticated, and I wouldn’t call this scent, AG5, elegant. It’s pleasant. It’s very clean, but I don’t know.”

“Don’t pin all your hopes on this one,” Rhett reminded Alex quietly. “There’s still one more.”

“There is,” Gabriella agreed, grabbing vial number three. “This is B26. And it is nothing whatsoever like the other two.”

“Hmm. Sounds promising,” Alex murmured, watching with interest as the perfume was passed around.

Rhett studied everyone, his gaze riveted on Hunter at first, who sniffed his
touche
and immediately reared his head back as if startled. Then inhaled again, longer this time, his gaze narrowed, his head cocked. Seemingly absorbed as he studied the scent.

Damn if he could tell whether Hunter liked it or not. And his middle brother’s opinion was important, though he was loath to admit it.

Anticipation curled through Rhett and he waited impatiently as the vial was passed to each person. Gabriella remained quiet. Standing so close to him, he could reach out and touch her skirt. But he didn’t so much as look at her, too anxious to sample the next perfume. Too worried if she did look at him, she’d see the anxiety written all over his face.

The reaction toward the third scent wasn’t as vocal as the second one. Everyone seemed stunned silent—and Rhett wasn’t sure if that was a bad or good thing. But when he finally had the vial in his hand and sprayed the scent onto the
touche
, he brought the thin paper to his nose, sniffing delicately, almost afraid of what he might discover.

It hit him like a punch to the gut. Heat, so much heat. Golden sand and dark night, lit torches accompanied by the low murmur of drums. A blazing bright sky tempered by a cool breeze. Plumeria blossoms and salt, the scent of her skin, the scent of his, the two of them combined, their limbs tangled in the sheets.

Evocative, haunting, he could visualize as well as smell the scent.

“It’s very sexy,” Gracie suddenly said, waving her fingers. “Can I see it again, Rhett?”

He handed it to her from across the table and she took it eagerly, spraying the perfume liberally on the inside of one wrist. Hunter watched her, an incredulous expression on his face when she held her wrist in front of his nose.

“I love it,” Gracie declared, a giant smile on her face. “It’s different yet familiar. It reminds me of something, but I can’t quite place it.”

Hunter snorted but didn’t offer a reply.

Gabriella remained quiet, as did Rhett. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, saw the relief written all over her face, how her shoulders sagged the slightest bit. Her gaze flickered to his, a secretive smile curling her lips and he marveled at her talents.

How had she captured their time together on Maui in a bottle? Those shared, intimate moments between them could potentially be worn by millions of consumers on a daily basis. Nights filled with endless sex on a fragrant island, now forever contained in a perfume.

Un-freaking-believable.

“I agree,” Alex said. “This is definitely more along the lines of what I was looking for. What about you, Rhett?”

Everyone swiveled their head in his direction, even Gabriella, waiting for his assessment. He wanted to take in all the glory, declare that yes indeed, he and Gabriella had worked side by side and come up with this marvelous scent. This perfume that would take them to the next step, would set every other scent on its ear.

But he couldn’t take any credit behind offering her a bit of inspiration. He wasn’t about to confess exactly how he did that either. It probably wouldn’t go over well, despite how excited they were by its possibilities.