Worth the Challenge (7 page)

“You’re welcome.” He kept his response short, tried his best not to look in her direction. He breathed in her sweet, delicate scent, unable to avoid it and he watched in disbelief as she bent her legs toward him, her knee brushing against his.

Christ. She couldn’t touch him, even an innocent gesture like that was bad. He drank too much wine and was feeling way too inclined to act on all of the impulsive urges that were pinging inside of him.

He’d always done it before, giving in when he shouldn’t have. It was what got him into so much trouble. Only in the last year had he tried his best to straighten up and fly right.

Gabriella Durand inspired him to give it all up, toss it aside and damn the consequences.

“What time did you want to meet tomorrow?”

“What?” Jerking his head up, he looked at her. Big mistake.

She smiled prettily and his heart tripped. “The meeting you mentioned earlier with your brothers. What time would you like me to come?”

He’d like her to come anytime—again and again, if she was up for it. Could only imagine what it might take to make her come too…

“I’ll have my assistant call you first thing in the morning with a time. Hope that works for you,” he gritted out, pissed at himself. Last thing he needed to do was imagine Gabriella in his arms, his mouth fused with hers, his fingers stroking between her legs, making good on his imagined promise.

Clearly he was trying to give himself a heart attack.

“That’s fine.” She nodded, catching her plump lower lip with her teeth.
 

He swallowed a groan, growing weaker with each second that passed. The wine was getting to him. It was the only explanation. “You gotta stop doing that,” he protested hoarsely.

She frowned, a little crease appearing between her brows. “Doing what?” Clearly she was confused.

And clearly, he sounded like a damn fool. “Never mind.”

“Are you all right?” The concern in her voice was real. The way she reached out and touched his knee was also real. Terrifyingly, exhilaratingly real. “You’re acting kind of funny.”

He wanted to burst. Had he ever been this tempted? Had he ever denied himself like this before?

Nope. Didn’t think so.

“I’m fine.” He nodded, as if he could convince himself. “Really.”

She squeezed his knee in…sympathy? Yeah, sympathy, that’s what it was. Surely it couldn’t be anything else. “Maybe that walk wore you out after all.”

Oh no,
she
wore him out. Or more like, she riled him up. He couldn’t get over this all-encompassing need that consumed him. That made him want to revert to his old ways and do whatever the hell he wanted, damn the consequences.

“Though you look like you’re in good shape,” she murmured, her grip loosening on his knee and—
holy hell
—she slid her hand up his thigh. “I don’t see how a little walk could leave you looking so overexerted.”

Was she making a move on him? No freaking way. “It wasn’t the walk.”

Her hand paused mid-thigh. “It wasn’t?”

Damn. Her touch burned through the fabric of his jeans, searing his skin. She’d scooted closer to him somehow, her leg pressed against his and he knew he was in big trouble.

Wrapping his fingers around her slender wrist, he stopped her from going any further. “You’re venturing into dangerous territory,” he warned in his sternest, gruffest voice.

She parted her lips, darted out her tongue for a quick lick before she spoke. “Maybe I want to live a little dangerously.”

“Is this the wine talking?” If she was crazy drunk, no way would he do anything.

He couldn’t believe he was contemplating doing something.

Slowly she shook her head, her thumb doing a slow glide across his thigh. His entire body went rigid, one vicinity in particular. “We’ve been flirting all night.”

So she was aware of it. Thank God. “Flirting and business don’t mix.”

“I can be professional if you can.”

It was definitely the wine talking. He removed her hand from his thigh, setting it on top of hers instead. Which was a mistake, considering he touched her, felt the firm length of her flesh beneath the thin material of her dress. Reaction was automatic, smoothing his hand down her thigh to settle at her knee, and he leaned in, breathing in her heady scent, so close they shared the same breath. “We shouldn’t do this,” he whispered.

She bent her head back, her gaze meeting his, her mouth close enough that he could taste her. “I agree.”

Well, at least they were on the same page. “So let’s not and say we did. Or say we never did.”

“I—don’t know if I want to agree with that.”

Giving in, he pressed his mouth to hers. Once. For only a few tantalizing, agonizing seconds and then he broke away from her. In time to see the myriad of emotions cross her expressive face. Lust, confusion, want, hesitation, frustration.

He felt all of those things and more.

“That will have to be enough,” he said, full of regret as he moved away from her.

The cab screeched to a halt, its timing absolute perfection. “We’re at the hotel,” Rhett murmured. Unable to resist, he reached out, trailed his finger down the length of her creamy soft cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

She nodded mutely, reaching for the door handle. Sending him one long last look, she turned her back on him and climbed out of the cab, slamming the door behind her so hard he jumped in his seat.

Rhett rattled off his address to the cab driver and settled against the seat, breathing a sigh of relief. The car merged into traffic, pulling away from the Warwick Hotel, away from the most tempting woman he’d ever met in his life.

Maybe she was mad at him, he had no clue. But it was better than sleeping with her.

Not that any sleeping would’ve been involved…

Chuckling to himself, he shook his head. Getting all riled up over such a seemingly innocent woman. She was cute. She had a bangin’ bod she kept under wraps. But she was their future employee and no way could he risk this project. He had everything to lose.

Resisting Gabriella Durand was building up to be the biggest challenge of his life.

Chapter Five

“Miss Durand? They’re ready for you.”

The smooth, dulcet tones of the woman’s voice pulled Ella from her thoughts and she glanced up, saw the secretary smiling down at her patiently. She’d been waiting in the lobby of the executive floor at Worth Luxury, nerves eating at her at having to meet with the Worth brothers all at once. Rhett was intimidating enough.

Depositing the magazine she’d been clutching onto the little table beside her, she stood, smoothing the front of her pants with trembling hands before she fell into step behind the woman who led her down a wide corridor toward a conference room.

Memories of last night’s dinner meeting still lingered in her mind. More specifically, that moment in the cab when she’d touched him and he’d touched her, when their lips had met far too briefly.

She’d been so angry when he rejected her, but upon reflection he’d done the right thing. They were going to work together and a night of reckless sex after indulging in too much drink had disaster written all over it.

Fun, mind-blowing disaster, but a disaster nevertheless.

Pushing the worrisome thoughts from her head, she studied the woman in front of her who was dressed to absolute perfection. Crisp white shirt, fitted black skirt and the highest heels Ella had ever set eyes on. She walked with ease in those intimidating shoes, her long dark ponytail swinging as she turned her head this way and that, smiling and waving at people they passed by.

Ella glanced down at her simple black flats, a step up from the sandals she’d worn yesterday, but that wasn’t saying much. She wore plain khakis with a pale blue button-up shirt and a thin black cardigan, looking like she walked straight out of the Gap, which she had. If she was being truthful, she lacked polish, especially for an important meeting at a luxury fashion house in the middle of Manhattan.

How could the Worth brothers take her seriously when she looked like this? Dowdy and uninspired, completely untrendy, she’d probably look a mess to these men with impeccable—and rather discerning—taste.

She
really
should’ve rethought her outfit choice this morning but she’d woken late, her head pounding from last evening’s wine consumption. Regret over that stupid too-brief kiss, her behavior, all of it.

What if Rhett backed out? What if he’d told his brothers she was a wanton—albeit failed—seductress who was too much trouble to deal with? She’d be devastated to get so far only to be sent packing.

“Here you go.” The secretary stopped in front of an open doorway and waved a hand, indicating Ella should go inside. “Would you care for anything to drink? I can bring you some water or coffee if you’d like. Maybe tea?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Everyone was so solicitous, so kind. It almost made her uncomfortable.

She walked inside the room, her steps faltering when the three men who sat at the table turned to look at her. Alex, Hunter and Rhett Worth watched as she approached, power exuding from them in tangible waves. All three of them were clad in expensive designer suits. Colorful silk ties by Worth Luxury circled their necks.

Alex sent his brothers a measured look before he stood, the other two following his lead, and he came toward Ella with his hand extended, a polite smile curling his lips. “Alexander Worth. So glad you could join us today, Miss Durand.”

“Thank you.” She took his hand, marveled that she didn’t feel a thing when he touched her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She turned to Hunter, who introduced himself with gracious charm, his blue eyes twinkling when it was his turn to shake her hand. Again, she wondered why she felt absolutely nothing when he touched her.

Then she found Rhett standing in front of her, that lazy smile of his in full effect, making her knees weaken. He took her hand, gave it a more intimate squeeze versus the formal pump of a firm handshake. “Good to see you again, Gabriella. I trust you slept well?”

Heat sparked where their hands connected and his intimate question had her insides quivering. Their brief kiss came to mind and she was thankful he didn’t act awkward or try to ignore her. “I did, thank you.”

He released her hand, his fingers sliding over the top of hers and she barely restrained the shiver that overtook her at his simple touch. The smile grew, his eyes darkened as if perhaps his thoughts were the same as hers. Talk of sleeping well made her think of beds, which made her think of Rhett
in
her bed. Keeping her awake long through the night while he touched her, kissed her everywhere…

She wouldn’t be complaining of lack of sleep if that were the case.

“Have a seat.” He placed his hand at the small of her back and escorted her to a chair, pulling it out for her before she sat. Settling in beside her, he rested his arm on top of the table, his hand splayed, fingers rubbing against the shiny surface of the tabletop. His large watch drew her attention to his wrist, the fine dark hairs that grew there.

That hand had touched her last night. It had slid along her thigh with smooth, calculated precision, sending every nerve ending screaming with delight.

“Our human resources manager should be here any minute. Once she arrives, then we can begin discussions,” he explained.

Ella nodded, her gaze locked on his hand. The tip of his fingers did a slow glide. Down, then up, his fingers bent at the knuckles before they slid down again. Almost as if he was caressing the table, she couldn’t help but imagine those long, elegant fingers traveling along her bare skin, tracing a pattern around her nipple before they slipped down her belly, to finally stroke between her legs...

“Sorry I’m late!”

The woman’s breathless apology jerked Ella from her ridiculous imaginings. Tearing her gaze away from Rhett’s hand, she met the woman’s kind gaze as she sat across from her. She smiled in greeting, a harried expression on her face.

“This is Becky. She’s our human resources manager,” Rhett leaned over to murmur in her ear. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on end, her skin tingling at his nearness and she willed the strange reaction to him away.

But it didn’t go away. It only seemed to get worse the longer she sat there, so close to him, his scent washing over her, his voice…all of it a lethal combination to her senses. All three of the brothers sounded similar when they spoke but not a one of them sent shivers down her spine like Rhett did.

She couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t focus on the important matter at hand i.e., her future and career. That she would let a man she didn’t know distract her so completely was so unlike her, she wondered if an alien had somehow invaded her body and took over.

Her thoughts were ridiculous. Yet being near him was secretly thrilling. Did he feel the same way? Or had he merely humored her last night with the quick kiss before he dumped her off at the hotel?

“You met with your lawyer this morning, is that correct?” Alex’s question broke through her cloudy mind and she nodded in response. “Good. I’d hoped you would have the contract vetted before agreeing to sign. What sort of advice were you given in regards to the contract?”