Chapter Seven #3
“Fair enough. You never answered me though. Can I hold out hope you’re here without a date this evening? I’d love to take you out after the charity auction tonight for a drink. Or two.”
Okay, that was flirting!
Lily suddenly felt very nervous. Aidan Cross was way out of her league and had dated even more women than Rhett, according to Garrett.
“No, I’m here with Rob Shaw, my good friend.”
Now why had she added that?
Aidan’s eyes lit up. Even she could see his interest.
Oh be honest, Lily. You’re hoping Rhett is watching a handsome man—his friend, no less—flirting with you, and you intend to make this last a while if you can.
“You’re all through with Rhett Buchanan though, right?” Aidan prodded.
“I already told you, it’s—”
“—none of my business. I get it.” He held up a placating hand. “I’m only asking because I don’t want to horn in on Rhett’s territory. Like I told you at Delia’s, he and I are sort of friends.”
She tilted her head. “How does one be sort of friends?”
He relaxed. “We went to college together, competed against each other in most things, and played on the golf and lacrosse teams together.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “We were sort of the odd couple. I came from old money. Rhett came from no money. I had the best golf clubs, and Rhett played with garage-sale golf clubs.”
“Oh.”
“I saw you get all misty-eyed,” he chided. “Don’t feel sorry for him. He was the only guy on the golf team who could beat me. Hell, Rhett could have gotten his PGA card right out of college, but he was dead set on making his fortune the hard way.”
“What about you?” Lily asked. “Could you have gone on the tour?”
He shrugged. “I loved golf more than Rhett, but my father had other better plans for me. When you come from old money, Lily, you don’t have to earn it like Rhett. You only have to work to hang onto it. It’s considered a family responsibility for the generations that come after you.”
“You don’t sound very happy about that.”
“I’ve got no complaints. I have homes here and in Antigua and Hawaii and condos in New York and Telluride.” He spread his palms wide as though his life were an open book.
The poor guy didn’t look happy about all those homes and did look like he might have a complaint or two about his life.
“Wow, is that misty-eyed look for me this time?” he teased, then grew solemn. “I can see now why Rhett was taken with you, Lily Foster. You’re an easy person to talk to, and you make others feel comfortable.”
She smiled at the compliment and was about to answer him when she caught movement to her left and saw Rhett leading Delia right toward the spot where she stood with Aidan.
“Why don’t you and I sneak off someplace quiet and get to know each other better, Lily,” Aidan said suddenly—and loudly—right as Delia and Rhett swept past.
Rhett’s step hesitated one brief second. Lily thought she heard a growl, but she couldn’t be sure. She was sure however, of the smug look Delia tossed back at Lily right before Rhett led her from the ballroom.
“Why did you do that?” Lily cried at Aidan.
“Do what?” he asked, all innocence, his blue eyes wide. “Ask you to go out with me?”
“You said it very loud and right when Rhett walked by.”
“So, that’s the way of it,” he said softly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Oh, I think you do. Does this mean you won’t have a drink with me?”
“You don’t really want to go out with me.”
“And why is that?” he pressed. His eyes twinkled with amusement when she finally glanced up.
“Because I don’t sleep around. So there.” What did she care what Aidan Cross thought? He was too dangerous for her anyway. Better she set him straight.
“Never?”
She could hear the amusement in his voice and inwardly groaned. She just stared back and didn’t answer.
“I know that look,” he said and tilted her face back with a finger when she tried to look away. “That’s the I-have-to-be-in-love-first look.”
She gasped and turned fully away. Good Lord, what had she done? He’d probably go right back to Rhett, and the two of them would have a good laugh.
Aidan scooted around in front of her to block her retreat. “Does Rhett know that?”
Lily hesitated, then gave up and nodded her agreement. At least, she thought she’d made it clear to Rhett. Better if she just went along and didn’t make a big deal with explanations.
“Wow, and he’s still hanging around?”
That caught her full attention. “He’s not hanging around. In case you didn’t notice, he was here with Delia tonight.”
“And you’re here with Rob Whoever,” he pointed out. “You’re wrong about Rhett, Lily.”
She frowned.
“Didn’t you see him just now? Anytime he gets that red under the collar when another man talks to you, he’s definitely still hanging around.”
“Really?”
She hated that she felt a stab of hope. Better for her if things remained hopeless. How could she love a man who wouldn’t give her a chance to explain?
“Really,” Aidan insisted. “This is just a shock for me, that’s all.”
“A shock for you?”
“After all that trouble Rhett had in college, I never figured he’d let himself truly care about anyone again.”
“What trouble?” She shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Nothing I want to rehash. Let’s just say Rhett got himself hurt and badly. So he finished college a capella you might say, sans any other girlfriends, and chased after every starlet and supermodel that crossed his path once he made his fortune.”
She didn’t care for the sound of that, and her brows lowered once more.
“Now don’t look like that. None of his women lasted more than a couple months.”
His women?
“I don’t have a claim on Rhett,” she retorted.
He arched both his brows at her.
“I don’t,” she repeated, “and you sure know an awful lot about his night life.”
“No, just his women.” Aidan grinned devilishly. “Stopped in a few of those ports of call myself, so I know.” He sobered. “Thing is, Lily, him still hanging around means there’s more to this than meets the eye.”
She turned away. “Doesn’t matter.”
He tilted her face back with his finger once more. “Oh, I think it does. I can tell from the look in your eyes. Question is, what are you going to do about it?”
Nervous under his scrutiny, she stepped back. “If you and Rhett are such big competitors, why are you trying to help him?”
Aidan gave a long resigned sigh. “I owe him for something that happened back in college.”
She tilted her head and waited for an explanation she wasn’t going to get.
“I’d love to help you if you’ll let me, Lily,” Aidan said softly. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll give up on Rhett and give me a chance.”
“There’s nothing to—” She started to protest, and he laid a silencing finger against her lips.
“I’ll be around,” he said with a wink, and Lily watched him disappear among the milling gala attendees.
Garrett was at her side moments later. “What were you doing with Aidan Cross?” he demanded abruptly. “You’re going to ruin all my plans.”
She whirled to face him. “What plans?”
He waved her off. “Never mind. Answer the question.”
“We were just talking.”
“Well, if you wanted to make Rhett crazy, that’s the way to do it. Now that I think about it, I wish I’d come up with the idea. I thought Rhett was going to have a coronary when he looked over here and saw you with Aidan.”
“Yeah, but Rhett left early,” Lily reminded him glumly, “and with Delia.”
Garrett grinned. “Don’t you worry about Delia. Now that we know Rhett goes crazy at the sight of you with Aidan, I’ll have something to work with.”
“I don’t want to be a part of any more shenanigans or deceptions involving Rhett.”
He winked at her. “Let me see what I can do.”