Worth the Challenge (14 page)

He flashed her that disarming grin. “I’m gonna go dunk my head now. I need to cool off.”

And then he slipped beneath the water without another word, not surfacing again until he was several feet out. Leaving her alone, aching with want. Aching to follow him.

But she didn’t.

Rhett pushed his wet hair away from his forehead, the saltwater stinging his eyes. It was stunningly cold, and the water helped clear his head, cool him down. He swam as far as his body could take him, always conscious of his limits, not wanting to put himself in any real danger.

He may be temporarily running away from temptation, but he wasn’t a complete idiot.

Treading water, he watched Gabriella as she wandered deeper into the ocean, until she was nearly submerged. Just as quickly as she dunked her body, she emerged from the water, her skin glistening, the thin black fabric of her bikini clinging to her like a second skin. Her nipples were hard, he could make them out even from this distance and just like that, he was hot for her. Hard for her.

Damn, he was pitiful.

He remained out in the water until he couldn’t take it anymore and finally, reluctantly, he went back to shore. She stood waiting for him, an excited look on her pretty face, her soaked hair dripping on her shoulders, little beads of water glistening on her skin.

He wanted to lick every droplet, taste every bit of her damp flesh.

“I need your opinion,” she said as soon as he drew close. “Plus, I need to experiment on you.”

“What do you mean?” he asked warily. This couldn’t be good.

Reaching out, she grabbed hold of his forearm, her slender fingers gripping him. She stepped closer and lifted his arm, bringing it up to her face and she sniffed delicately.

He stood paralyzed, waiting for her to say something, anything, but she remained silent. Continued to hold his arm so close to her face, he could feel her warm breath wafting across his chilled skin. She pressed her thumb into his flesh, sniffed him again before she carefully let go of his arm.

“Salty.”

“A given,” he tossed back with a slight smile.

“Undoubtedly. But there’s more. A hint of green, of sun, of clear, cloudless air.” She thrust her arm toward him. “Here, smell me.”

Glancing around the beach, he realized no one paid them any mind. Which was probably best, considering they looked strange smelling each other like animals in the jungle. He took hold of her wrist and lifted it to his face, sniffing so close, his nose brushed against her skin.

The first scent he detected was the salt. Then floral, which made him think of her natural fragrance. Beneath that the heat, the sun like she mentioned, and something else he couldn’t quite place.

“I’ll smell different, of course. And the salt is drying on our skin, which will alter it even further in the next few minutes.” She tried her best to sound diplomatic, but he heard the slight tremble in her voice, felt the quiver run through her. Slowly he stroked his thumb across the pulse point at her wrist. Back and forth, back and forth, keeping a lazy rhythm, falling under the spell she somehow cast upon him with her sparkling eyes.

“You smell amazing,” he murmured, because she did. Good enough to eat. At the very least, good enough to lick, nibble and suck…

She laughed nervously but didn’t try to pull from his grip. “I’m sure I smell like sweat.”

“Mmm, if you do, then I like it.” He brought her wrist to his mouth, pressed the softest kiss to the delicate skin. The throb of her pulse beat against his lips, a rapid tattoo that revealed her nervousness.

He was nervous too, which was odd. His heart raced, his breath became short and he wondered what the hell was wrong with him.

“Rhett…” Her voice drifted off, a little sigh escaping her when he licked delicately at her skin. Salt lingered on his tongue, the taste of her, the mystery of her, and his cock jerked against the front of his damp swim trunks.

“I’m tasting you,” he explained. “For the greater good of the future Worth perfume.”

“No one can taste anything in a perfume,” she protested weakly.

“I’m going to have to protest that statement. Taste and scent are closely related, don’t you agree?”

“Of course I agree, but what you’re doing is completely unnecessary.”

“Really, Gabriella? Do you mean that?” He stared into her eyes, bringing their linked hands down between them though he continued to hold onto her. “Because I’ll stop. Say the word and I’ll stop right now.”

He wasn’t referring to the simple kiss on the inside of her wrist and she knew it. He saw it in the way her eyes widened, how her breath quickened. She wanted him, the flash of arousal in her gaze unmistakable, yet he tamped down the surge of triumph that wanted to overtake him.

Not yet, not yet. Don’t jump the gun and push her away.

“I—I don’t want you to stop.” She bit her lower lip, her teeth sinking into the succulent pink flesh and the urge to kiss her was so overwhelming, it was all he could focus on.

But again, not yet. To push too hard was dangerous. She was still skittish. He didn’t want to scare her.

No, he wanted her eager. Willing. More than anything, he wanted her beneath him. Naked, her breasts pressed against his chest, her long legs wrapped about his hips. His cock buried deep inside her, connected to her so fiercely, she would be all he could concentrate on. Making her feel good, making her come, again and again and again…

“Think of it as making the perfume stronger,” he suggested, knowing he was offering a line of bull, but hoping she’d take it anyway. “If this one is successful, we’ll work on the men’s line next, and I want them closely related. Keep that in mind.”

“Fine.” She nodded, her wet hair sliding against her bared shoulders provocatively. “But what does that have to do with us here? Now?”

“Well, I think we’re creating the story here, you and I. The story of the fragrances and how they came to be.”

Her eyes lit. Now he was talking her language. It gave him a perverse thrill to see how instantly excited she became. “Oh, I love that. Tell me more.”

“All right. It’s about a couple together on the island.” He drew her closer, so close her body collided with his. A delicious tease of their bare limbs connecting, the sparks of attraction that all-too-brief contact brought to life. When he got her into his bed—and he would, he didn’t doubt it any longer—it was going to be so fucking good between them.

Unbelievably good.

“Go on,” she whispered as he laced their fingers together.

“A couple on their first romantic vacation together. They’re discovering each other’s wants and needs, their likes and dislikes. Maybe they’re starting to fall for each other.” Not him, he never fell for anyone. This was all a story, a fun little sexy story where he could mess around with her for the next few days, eat delicious food, drink fine drinks and have outrageous sex all night long. Maybe even all day long too.

Oh yes, and work hard on creating the new scent. He couldn’t forget that.

“I like that.” Her expression had gone dreamy, the faint smile curling her lips so pretty, he wanted to kiss her. “It’s sweet yet sexy.”

“It’s going to be very sexy, that I can promise.” He meant every word he said. “And sweet. Hot.” Reaching with his other hand, he touched her delicate jaw with tentative fingers. Learning its shape, the softness of her skin, he brushed the delectable curve of her lower lip with his thumb.

“Let’s go back to the villa,” she suggested, her voice so low he could barely hear her.

He paused in his exploration of her. “Really?”

She nodded with a naughty smile. “I’m starved.”

He laughed, dropped his hand from her face. “So am I.”

If she wanted to postpone the inevitable with a meal, he wasn’t going to protest. A meal could be part of the seduction. He knew all about seducing a woman.

But this night, this woman, was different. It wasn’t about a quick lay he could run away from the next morning. He couldn’t escape her. They were going to work together. They had a future, one he couldn’t deny.

The idea of that, for once in his life, didn’t scare the absolute shit out of him. He wanted her. And if he was lucky, it was going to happen tonight.

Chapter Ten

The entire ride back to the resort, all Ella could think about was Rhett and what happened between them at the beach. The way he’d looked at her, the things he’d said, how he’d touched her so gently, so reverently, as if he were afraid to push too hard for fear she might break.

It was considerate of him, she could appreciate his manners, but she wanted more. She wanted passion. She wanted rough hands all over her, a crushing, bruising kiss pressed to her mouth with wet tongues and heated moans. Tearing clothes off of each other’s bodies, so overwhelmed they couldn’t make it to the bedroom. He’d take her against a wall, on the couch, on the floor, wherever they landed. And when she finally screamed her release, it was because he encouraged her every step of the way with shockingly wicked words whispered close to her ear.

A delicious shiver moved through her, heat settling in her core. Oh, yes. That was exactly what she craved.

But glancing in his direction, she realized he probably wouldn’t give that to her. Not at first. This was all on her. It was up to her to take the next step. And she wasn’t used to being the pursuer. Besides, she’d never pursued anyone like him.

Rhett was so gorgeous, he hurt her eyes. Sitting in the driver’s seat at this very moment, he looked delicious enough to eat. The T-shirt was back on, though it was covered in bits of sand that glittered when the light struck them. His skin had taken on a burnished hue with not a hint of sunburn showing, while she was red as a baby lobster despite the heavy coating of sunscreen.

So unfair.

Stubble lined his jaw, giving him a rakish air and she imagined what his roughened face might feel like against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.

She shifted in her seat at the provocative image. Rhett kneeling between her legs, his long fingers wound around the waistband of her still-damp swimsuit bottoms, tugging them gently down her thighs, over her knees, along her calves….exposing her to his gaze. The appreciative glow in his eyes as he drank her in before he bent closer, his lips hovering above her wet, aching center…

“Do you want to eat at one of the restaurants on the resort? Or go somewhere else?” Rhett asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“W-we can stay at the resort tonight. That’s fine with me.” She breathed deep, thankful he couldn’t read her mind. She kept her gaze focused on the window and the passing scenery. Refused to look in his direction for fear he’d take one look at her and know what she was thinking.

She felt like a teenager with a raging hormonal crush on the cutest boy in school. Not that she knew what that was really like, considering her father had homeschooled her. She’d never stepped foot in a high school. But she’d seen enough movies filled with teen angst to get a sense of it.

Ella frowned. Oh, she was being absolutely ridiculous. She should jump him the moment they walked into their villa. He’d given her permission, after all, to make the next move…

“Are you tired? We could always call in room service.” His tone was suggestive—or was that her overactive imagination coming into play?

“I—I don’t care.” She was stuttering like a fool but he was making her nervous.

More like she was making herself nervous.

“I’m up for anything.” Again with the suggestive tone and she swore it wasn’t her imagination. He was teasing her.

“I’m sure you are,” she murmured, causing him to laugh.

Within moments they were at the villa, Rhett opening the car door for her, solicitously taking her beach bag so she didn’t have to carry it. Her palms were clammy, her stomach bouncing with nerves as she followed him inside, her gaze lingering on his backside.

He held the door open for her and she walked inside, the sound of the door clicking shut downright ominous in the quiet stillness of the room. She heard him drop the bag onto the tile floor with a plop and she remained where she stood. Waiting. Trying to build up the nerve to go after what she so desperately wanted.

But he beat her to the punch, thank God. Suddenly he was there. Behind her, his big arms wrapped around her middle as he pulled her against his hard, hot body. He nuzzled his cheek against hers, his breath warm as he whispered, “Take the dress off.”

Tingles washed over her at the hoarse command and she shrugged the straps of her sundress off her shoulders, the top of the dress dropping to her waist. He grabbed hold of the bunched fabric and pushed it down impatiently, until it fell to a puddle around her feet. All the while his mouth was pressed against her neck, his teeth lightly nipping, his tongue soothing away the sting.

She stepped out of the dress, gasping when he whirled her around to face him. The hungry gleam in his eyes was unmistakable. Tilting her head back, she met his gaze, watched with eager anticipation as he descended upon her.

“Close your eyes, Gabriella,” he urged and she did as he ordered, loving how forceful he was. No man had spoken to her in such a commanding manner before.