For once, she wanted to do something on her own. Something that belonged only to her.
Frowning, she tore her gaze from the phone, taking in the stack of papers that sat beside it. Just looking at that contract gave her a headache. And okay, maybe it hurt to think that she didn’t necessarily get this job at Worth on her own merits but by gosh, she was going to prove to them she was capable of being a master perfumer. Perhaps almost as good as her father once was even.
She lay back down on the comfortable bed, her head cradled by the plush pillow. The sheets were soft, the comforter thick, and she closed her eyes, willing herself to drift off into sleep. A little nap would definitely help and she had time. After traveling and all the excitement the day brought forth, she was exhausted. A little overwhelmed.
And a lot excited.
Rhett had gone home and changed before he went to the Warwick Hotel to pick up Gabriella. At first he’d thought it best if he stayed in his suit, wanting to convey that he meant business, even if they were discussing it over dinner.
But then he feared he might intimidate her and considering she seemed a tad skittish, he decided it best to keep his approach as simple and friendly as possible.
Hence the jeans and simple button-up shirt, understated and casual. He’d made reservations at a favorite restaurant that wasn’t too trendy or expensive. He wasn’t necessarily trying to impress her and this definitely wasn’t a date.
It was strictly business. And that was exactly how he wanted to approach it.
Frowning, he stood in front of her hotel room door, unsure how to greet her. If this really was a date, he’d lay on the charm and flirt his way into her panties by the end of the night.
There would be no flirting and no getting into her panties this evening—or ever.
Rhett frowned. What a disappointing realization.
Knocking on the door, he shoved his hands into his front pockets, waiting patiently for her to arrive. The door swung open in seconds and Gabriella stood there, wearing a different dress, this one navy blue yet cut similarly to the one she’d worn earlier. Her damp hair hung around her makeup-less face, the scent of fresh soap clinging to her skin, and he wondered since when did the scent of a clean-smelling woman become such an aphrodisiac to him.
“Hello.” She had the slightest French accent, one most people probably wouldn’t notice if they weren’t aware of her background. It was sexy as hell. “You’re early. And you said we would meet in the lobby.”
She sounded downright accusatory and he shuffled his feet. “Sorry. Want me to come back in—” He checked his watch before meeting her gaze. “Ten minutes?”
Slowly she shook her head, leaning against the edge of the door. “I’m not quite ready, but it seems foolish to send you away.”
“Then don’t.” He smiled and nodded toward her. “I could come in. Just for a minute while you finish getting ready?” Wasn’t he presumptuous as hell?
“I suppose.” She warily opened the door wider, an invitation inside and he took it, slipping through the doorway, watching as she headed toward the bathroom. “Sit and wait, if you don’t mind. I’ll be right out.”
He sat at the round table that was close to the door, admiring the arrangement of fresh white flowers that sat in a mercury vase in the center. A low humming sound came from beyond the closed door and he realized she was drying her hair.
All right, this was odd. He didn’t sit around and wait for women drying their hair in the bathroom when he went out with them, not that he really went out with anyone. He was as bad as his brothers used to be, even worse. Steady girlfriends weren’t his style. He rarely saw the same woman twi
ce. Any time they came even close to doing something as simple and intimate as spend time together outside of a bar, restaurant or bed, he was outta there.
So here he sat, waiting for a woman he didn’t know in her hotel room while she prepped for their dinner meeting. Uncomfortable and awkward, sitting at a table and not knowing exactly what to say once she exited the bathroom.
He felt like a damn fool. The woman set him on edge and he wasn’t even sure if it was her or the circumstance. Easier to blame the circumstance and everything hinged upon it. Like his career.
Did Gabriella Durand realize how much his future depended on her? Probably not.
And he doubted he should tell her either.
Within minutes, she was exiting the bathroom, her face flushed from the heat, her silken hair spilling down her back in natural waves. She slipped a hoop earring into one ear as she searched about the room, her gaze locked on the floor. “So sorry to keep you waiting. I’m almost ready.”
He stood because he thought he should, clasping his hands behind his back as she approached the table. “No need to apologize.”
“Good, because I am feeling a bit scattered at the moment. I guess I’m more like my father than I—oh! There they are.” She extended her leg, offering him a glimpse of her knee and slender calf as she slipped first one shoe on, then the other. The same simple flat sandals she’d worn to the Worth offices. She must’ve kicked them off when she arrived at the hotel and they’d landed under the table. “I’m ready to go,” she said primly once she had the shoes on.
It was rather intimate, watching a woman get ready to go out. Padding around barefoot, her skin flushed and damp, a little harried, a lot sexy.
A lot sexy…
“You have everything?” he asked.