Her phone buzzed again. His gaze traveled from her face to her phone. Embarrassment heated her cheeks as she rejected the call again. “It’s nothing. Not important.”
When her phone buzzed for the third time during the meal, he pinned her with his gaze. “Someone’s being persistent.”
“Oh, it’s nobody. Probably work.”
The look he gave her said he doubted it. His gaze traveled down her chin to where her pulse throbbed at the base of her throat. “You’re a desirable woman, Avery. I don’t believe there’s no one back in New York,” he said as if he’d decided she had to know that on some level.
She saw something darken in his eyes that looked like a flicker of jealousy. “It’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me.”
“It’s probably my mother.” She paused as his eyebrow quirked. She couldn’t meet his gaze when she said, “You met her in my office.”
Reality dawned on Ryker as a flicker of compassion crossed his exotic features. “You don’t have to be embarrassed with me about your mother.”
“How’s that? You know I’m talking about Alexandria Chase, right? You saw her. You were witness to her, um, charms.”
“Is calling her Alexandria your idea or hers?” he asked, unmoved.
“Hers. Says she looks too young to have daughters this old and doesn’t want to confuse people,” Avery said, exasperated. “Of course she started this when I was twelve.”
“This bothers you?”
“Sadly, no. It did when I was little but not anymore. I’m kind of relieved.”
“Because?”
“You know the saying about birds of a feather.” She pushed her food around with her fork.
“You don’t want to be flocked with her?”
“I’m more like my dad, when he was alive. I’ve always known I was different.”
“Sorry about your father. But there’s nothing
wrong
with you.” he said, a hint of anger in his tone. “You must know that.”
“Tell that to a little girl,” Avery said wistfully.
He took her hand in his and braided their fingers together. Turning her palm up, he pressed a kiss to the soft skin of her wrist. “I’m sorry.”
She forced her gaze to his and found a deep well of understanding there. Her body was flooded with fire and warmth. She ignored it. “So. My name is Chase.”
“Are you hiding from it? Is that why you changed your name?”
He took this well, like he understood, and that caught her off guard. “No. I didn’t want to be successful because of it. I had to know Avery McAdams could do it. Probably sounds crazy to someone like you.”
He smiled at her. The earlier tension around his eyes had eased. “Makes perfect sense. Believe me, I know the blessing and the curse of a prominent family name. Mostly the curse.” His eyes darkened.
“That why you—”
“Went rogue? Rebelled?” He stopped for a long moment and focused on the circles he drew in her palm. “That came from anger.”
“Seems like your life would have been so wonderful. Born into one of the most prominent families in Hong Kong. I can picture servants and doting parents.”
“Only male son.” His jaw ticked. “Then again, I guess I could say the same for your family if I hadn’t met your mother. You have yet to meet mine. You will. Chase or McAdams—what do your friends call you?”
“Chase.” But she wanted to know more about him, and he’d glossed over his own background.
“Then Avery Chase, it would seem we have a lot in common.”
Her gaze darted somewhere else, anywhere else but to his, which had softened. “Not like we get to pick family, right?”
“You’re smart. Warm. Interesting,” he said, and his voice was soft.
Avery couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, as his lean fingers stroked her arm, sending devastatingly light chills up and down her arm. Her eyelids lowered. Her body hummed with awareness. Her heart opened a little, and she wanted to know more about Ryker.
Their hands were still joined, and the link solidified the growing force between them.
Avery’s phone buzzed again, bringing Alexandria’s accusations back.
You’re not good enough for a man like him.
Exactly the reason Avery ignored her cell, no matter how much it buzzed. Oh, but Alexandria was persistent.
Still, Avery was certain of one thing—she could not allow
this
to go any further.
She struggled her way out of the fog of desire that being near Ryker created by clearing her throat, standing up, and taking her hand back. When she could finally speak, she said, “I need to return a few phone calls. I’m going to my room to work. I’ll send the invites out tonight.”
“Thought you needed your theme?”
“I’ll figure something out. Give me a list of names. I’ll send a teaser for them to save the date and attach your name to the invite. I’m sure that’s all I need to do to catch attention.”
She left the room, and he didn’t say anything.
****
Ryker immediately followed her. Beautiful, sensuous Avery—she had no idea the effect she had on men. On him.
But she was about to find out.
Ryker took hold of her arm to stop her from going inside her bedroom, knowing it would be far too tempting if he followed her.
A little gasp escaped.
Ryker pinned her with his solid mass, his erection pressing against her belly.
She moaned before clearing her throat. “I need to freshen up. I trust there is a lock on the bathroom door.”
“There’s no need for a lock,” he said plainly.
“I disagree.”
“I only go where I’m invited,” he countered.
“Not in my opinion,” she argued, but didn’t move.
“I never said the invitation had to be spoken out loud. Did I?” His gaze took in her sensual curves.
His thumb grazed her bottom lip, culling an immediate reaction. Pressed to his, her body quaked. “I don’t remember asking for this.”
He released a haughty groan. “Then stop inviting me to touch you.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?”
If Ryker were a betting man, he’d go all in to answer her question. Taking her wrist instead, he slowly, ever so slowly, lifted it to his lips and brushed a kiss on the tender part where her arm joined her hand. Quietly, he whispered a few soft-spoken words in his native tongue that she would understand on a primal level.
Frozen, Avery looked to have lost all will to fight against the swell of need that rose and flushed her cheeks. When Ryker was satisfied his point was made, he brought his gaze to hers. A smirk curled the corners of his lips.
Avery sighed.
“Be ready in the morning,” he said, “and you will.”
“Will what?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and strode away.
****
Match point.
Avery was left standing in the hall, feeling like a complete idiot. A shower helped to cool down her racing thoughts. It gave her enough calm to phone Alexandria.
“I’ve been worried,” Alexandria said, not wasting time saying hello.
“You have? Why?”
“You know why. Has he?”
“What, Alexandria? Touched me? Attacked me? No. Don’t be ridiculous.” Then came the lie, “I’m not even working directly with him.”
“Then who?”
“His staff, like I said,” she lied again. Why did she feel the need to deceive her mother? Nothing had actually happened between her and Ryker. Not really.
Nothing would happen, either.
“Be careful. You don’t know what a man like that is capable of.”
“I will,” she conceded, knowing full well the impact of those words. Her laptop dinged, and she figured it was most likely Ryker’s guest list arriving in her Inbox.
“Now tell me why he really dragged you halfway across the world.”
“You can’t imagine how beautiful this place is, Alexandria. It’s beyond words.”
“And the party?”
“Is going to be amazing. If I can pull it off. I have little more than a week.”
“You’ll do it. I have no doubt,” Alexandria said and her tone said she meant it.
Naturally, she would have no idea the intense amount of work something like this involved. Avery had practically cut her teeth managing caterers by age eleven for her mother’s parties. “I hope so.”
Alexandria laughed. “You won’t have to do it alone. My passport’s in order.”
“What? You don’t think? You’re not expecting me to...you can’t come to his party.”
“Why not?”
“For starters, you don’t even know him
.
”
“I do now. We met the other day in your office, remember? And besides,
you
do. If you want me to quit worrying, you’ll just have to get me in so I can see for myself that you’re all right.”
“I don’t even talk to him directly. How am I supposed to ask him if you can come to his party?” she lied for the third time. She didn’t like the lying, yet it felt like necessary evil.
“Me and your sister. Don’t forget Bits. And tell him I’m worried about you. Besides, you’ll be there.”
“Not as a guest. I’ll be here as an employee. Big difference.” Avery wanted to say she wouldn’t even stay for the party if she didn’t have to. Oh, but what good would it do to explain real life issues to Alexandria. She lived in a fairy tale world, where she only had to snap her fingers and men made things happen for her. Another one with lucky fingers.
Besides, Avery was terrible at making sense out of an argument with Alexandria. But on this point, there was no give. “I won’t mix business with personal. Period.”
Avery closed the call. She strolled into the kitchen and was met with expressions of shock. She figured most of Ryker’s guests didn’t usually go wandering around alone in the evening. She could guess what they were doing instead, but decided to block the image of him with another woman out of her mind completely.
At first glance, it was easy to see who was in charge, and he was nothing like what she’d expect an executive chef to look like. His tattoos and red headband had her thinking he belonged on a modern-day pirate’s ship instead of in a billionaire’s kitchen. He wasn’t the least bit rigid or starched. In fact, he looked more like one of those weather-worn chefs that could be found on popular cooking shows with hateful hosts.
“I’m Kyle.”
“Your accent is—”
“Australian, mate.” He held out his hand.
Avery took it and introduced herself.
“You’re American.” It was more statement than question.
“Most of my childhood was spent in Houston. We moved to New York when I was in high school,” Avery supplied.
“Spent some time in New York. Liked it enough. But, Texans…” He smiled. “Now they understand Australians.” He rocked his head.
“Renegade spirit,” she said.
His wide smile said he agreed.
“I can see you’re busy. I just wanted to stop down and introduce myself before I turn in,” she said.
Satisfied if she needed to ask for help it wouldn’t feel so out of the blue now, she made her way back down the long hallway and settled in with her laptop. Invitations had to be sent out so plans could be finalized.
She thought about the kind of friends a man like Ryker would have and curiosity had her quickly opening the document he’d sent. She scanned it for recognizable names. The list read like a Who’s Who of the young and fabulous. And she’d never felt more intimidated. Thank God, she was simply planning the party and could disappear into the background once it started.
Parties like this made her evermore pleased that the fabulous rarely ever wandered into the kitchen where the help hung out. And even with her family background she felt more comfortable there than with the beautiful people in the front room.
Once the invite had gone out, she closed her laptop but couldn’t stop her mind from wondering how many of the women on the list Ryker had dated. Or slept with.
Avery, you’re tired. Go to sleep
.
Chapter Seven
The next morning, a note taped to Avery’s door read: Wear long pants over your swimsuit.
Long pants? Why on earth would she need long pants at the beach?
She didn’t have the energy to search Ryker out to put up a proper argument, so she dug around for a pair of jeans and light summer shirt.
Besides, his plans were irrelevant. She had plans of her own that involved rolling up her sleeves and getting to work. Seven days until the big event. And she was nowhere near ready.
Quickly, she sought out a swimsuit and dressed.
Ryker’s timing was near perfect, arriving at her door as she finished zipping her jeans. “Let’s go,” he said, and his masculine voice caused her heart to stutter.
“Go where?” she asked catching her breath, almost afraid to know the answer. After all, with Ryker she couldn’t be sure what would happen next, except for the guarantee that she’d struggle against her emotions the entire time he was around. He made life as difficult as possible for her in that regard. “You realize I have a ton of work to do, and you haven’t exactly given me much time.”
He stood at the door, grinning his sexy little crooked grin, his heft blanketing the frame as he folded his arms in determination. “If I have to come in there to get you, we’re not leaving anytime soon. Unleash that, and you’ll never get around to getting your work done.”
Something Avery couldn’t easily identify flashed across Ryker’s expression. Maybe her imagination ran wild, but she knew one thing for certain…he meant those words.
Avery stood. The last thing she needed was for her emotions to sprint out of control again, and being with him had a way of doing absolutely that.
Allow him inside the bedroom and she had no doubt about what would happen. What she wanted too.
She scooted into the hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked as she followed him out the door, remembering all those A-list actresses and socialites he spent time with...his intimidating list of so-called friends.
“And ruin the surprise?”
“I’m not a fan of the unknown. Besides, the invites have gone out. No going back now,” Avery protested for the second time.
“So I saw. I like them. Nice work. You’ve earned some time off to celebrate a job well done.”
Avery’s lips pursed, and she shook her head. “No. I haven’t even begun. There’s so much to do.”