She exhaled slowly, relief flooding her veins, rendering her limbs languid. “Simple chemistry is all.”
He chuckled, the sound sending a ripple of fire along her nerve endings. “It’s not simple and you know it. Are you a witch, Gabriella? Concocting your little scents, sprinkling pixie dust and enchanting them so I’ll fall under your spell?”
“You’re not under my spell.” She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze meeting his. He may have laughed, he may have mocked her only seconds before, but the expression on Rhett’s face at this very moment was one of complete and utter seriousness.
The sort of seriousness that struck fear in her heart and turned her speechless.
“Ah, you have no idea the power you’re capable of.” He started to approach, his steps measured, methodical. She turned to face him, her body trembling as he drew closer, and she sidestepped the table, walking backwards to avoid him. “Are you trying to avoid me?” He sounded incredulous.
But he didn’t stop coming.
“O-of course not,” she stuttered.
“Then stop running away from me.” The dark command in his voice was unmistakable.
“I’m not running away.” She was being pursued by an intent man across a conference room, all the while walking backwards and nearly tripping on her heels.
She was most definitely running away from him.
“Do you realize how magnificent you were, passing around your little vials, setting them up for the final and most impressive scent of all?” The admiration in his voice was clear. “You had them leaning forward in their seats, breathless with anticipation.”
His praise meant more to her than anyone else’s could, even her father’s. “I didn’t set anyone up.”
He waved a negligent hand. “Figure of speech. You must admit, it was a carefully orchestrated presentation meant to impress. Meant to tantalize and shock.”
Ella’s backside made connection with the wall, startling her. She could go no further. Which meant he could keep coming at her and she had nowhere else to go. “It was rather spontaneous, actually.”
Rhett arched a brow, his expression one of disbelief. “Really?”
“Well, I went over what I wanted to say but, yes. I pretty much winged it.”
“Impressive,” he murmured, stopping just before her. She glanced down, saw the tips of his shoes nearly touched the front of her shoes, he stood so close. “What other secrets are you hiding from me?”
“I should be asking you that,” she retorted, irritated he would accuse her of such a thing.
Dipping his head, his gaze met hers. She pressed back against the wall, palms flat, shrinking away fr
om him as best she could, but it was no use.
She was stuck.
“There are no secrets between us, Gabriella. I can promise you that.”
White-hot anger rose within her and she clutched her hands into fists. “Stop lying.”
He frowned. “What do you think I’m hiding from you?”
“Everything!” The word burst forth before she could stop it. “You’re nothing but a coward. Running away from me, pretending what happened between us on Maui didn’t mean anything.”
His frown turned into a hard, furious scowl. “You’re the one who’s pushing me away.”
“Only because I’m afraid you’ll run again. You don’t know how to stick, Rhett. You want everything in your life to be easy, no troubles, no problems. You don’t want to work for anything.” She was on a roll now, and it didn’t matter if she hurt his feelings or not. She was mad. And it felt good to give him a piece of her mind. “Heaven forbid you come up against a challenge or have to, you know, do something.”
“You’re angry.” His fingers curved, he reached out, drew his knuckles, whisper light, down the length of her neck. Making her shiver, making her lose her train of thought, damn him. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”
“I care too much.” She knocked his hand away. “Don’t make this another one of your funny little games, because it’s not.”
His lips tightened. “You’re not a game to me.”