Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Worth was already there, sitting on one of the couches, looking at something on his phone. His eyes widened when he saw me. “You look so fucking good. Turn around.”
I didn’t protest his assumption that I would obey his command, I simply did as he asked.
When I was facing him again, Worth stood. “I am honored to take such a gorgeous man to dinner.”
“You…um…you don’t have to say things like that.”
He took hold of my chin, gently lifting it so I was looking right at him. “If you think that I don’t mean everything I say to you, you’re wrong. I’m not just flirting. I’m not trying to make you feel good. Okay, I am, but it’s all true. You…I…Fuck you’ve got me tongue-tied.”
“You look really good too.”
Worth smiled. He took a step back and spun around for me. “Someone chose the perfect outfit for the evening.”
He held out his hand, and I took it, letting him link our fingers together. He led me out of the villa and along the path toward the taxi stand. “We’re going somewhere outside the resort?”
“Yes.”
“But the food here is included.”
Worth raised his brows. “Did Beck tell you that?”
“Yes. Wait. Did he lie about that?”
“Everything automatically goes on our account, so in that sense it is included for you.”
“So he just didn’t want me rejecting his offer.”
Worth’s smiled. “I think you’re right and I’m glad he did.”
I huffed. “Aren’t a lot of these places all-inclusive?”
“Yes, but I like it here, because it’s the best, and that’s what I expect. Also, they know how to treat a special guest. I’m going to spend an obscene amount of money here. A lot of that I’m going to spend on you. It won’t make a dent in my bank account, so stop worrying about it. Just think of it like everything in Aruba is already paid for no matter where we go.”
“I was already doing that, but—”
Worth pressed a finger to my lips and heat rushed through me. “I want to take you to dinner at my favorite restaurant on the island, and that’s where we’re going.”
I sighed. “Thank you.” There really was no point in arguing. He’d made it clear to me so many times that money didn’t matter to him. Even amounts that would ruin my budget for a year were pocket change to him. I needed to just let him—and Beck—spend their money. But it was really hard to not feel like it was wrong of me to let them spend so much and not try to pay some of it back.
“You deserve everything I’m going to buy for you here and more,” Worth said.
“I don’t know that that’s true.”
“By the end of this trip, I hope you do.”
14
WORTH
When the driver dropped us off at the restaurant, I offered Laurie my arm. When he laid his fingers on my sleeve, a rush of heat ran over me. How could such a simple thing feel so erotic? I placed my hand over his, brushing my thumb against the tender skin between his thumb and index finger, smiling when he sucked in a breath.
“You’re going to love this place.”
“I’m sure I will.”
“You can make your own choices, or I can order for us, whatever makes you happy. I’ve been here plenty of times, tonight is all about you.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want to.”
“You don’t have to seduce me. I mean, honestly, if you….”
“Laurie, this isn’t about you owing me anything. There is no obligation for anything I do for you. I want you to be happy, that’s all. If we eventually decide it’s impossible to keep our hands off each other, if we decide that Beck’s wrong and this is a fantastic idea for us to be together, that has nothing to do with what I’m doing for you here. I’m doing this because I can and because I want you to experience everything the island has to offer.”
His smile made me absolutely certain that this man was mine. I was going to follow Miles’s advice and not let him go.
A man in formal attire waited patiently to open the door for us as I let Laurie walk at his own pace. I wanted him to take in everything and feel the full weight of what I had said about the night. When he glanced up at me, I smiled. “Are you ready for dinner now?”
“Yes.”
I wondered if in his mind he was answering a simple question about dinner or if there was more to it because his yes sounded very much like he was opening himself to something he’d never dreamed was possible. I hoped that was true.
We were shown to the best table in the house, where I’d eaten many times before. It was on the upper floor in its own alcove looking out over the ocean. The view was stunning, and Laurie spent a few moments staring out the windows before remembering he was being seated.