Chapter Twelve #2
He gave her green dress a quick once over—tight and short as usual, well above her knees. He checked her shoes. Green sandals. “You look nice,” he said and turned for the back door.
“That’s it?”
He glanced back. Her hands had gone to her hips.
“Okay, you look great.”
She opened her mouth to say something.
“And I’m going in,” he added, which he did without stopping.
~ ~ ~ ~
Lily battled back a severe case of nerves as she stepped with Aidan Cross through the entrance arbor at the side of the mansion and out onto Rhett’s terrace for the first time since Rhett had ordered her off his property. Garrett’s newest stunt had disaster written all over it.
Aidan’s firm hand at her back pressed her forward. He no doubt felt her hesitation. “You can do this, Lily,” he murmured low enough only she could hear.
She took a deep breath. “I’m not so sure. What if Rhett causes a scene?”
“I doubt he would do that. Too many clients here today by the looks of it.”
“Really?” She entertained a sprig of hope.
“It’s Delia you’ll have to worry about. Avoid her if possible.”
Lily’s hope wilted like an unwatered fern.
“She won’t have any compunctions about making a scene.”
“You’re making me feel so much better,” she said dryly.
She kept her eyes straight ahead, not daring to glance around and risk eye contact yet with Rhett. No telling what the man might do when he spotted her, no matter what Aidan thought. Lily on the other hand could always bolt, just like she had on her very first date with Rhett.
“Don’t worry,” Aidan whispered in her ear. “I’ll keep an eye out and protect you. I’ll even try to maneuver you into a position to get a few minutes alone with Rhett. If you’re still sure that’s what you want.”
“I’m second guessing everything now. And thinking this was a bad idea.”
“Now come on, Lily. You wanted a chance to explain, and this may be your last opportunity.”
Aidan guided her to a quiet spot at the far edge of the terrace near the garden. “This looks like a safe spot to leave you while I go get us a couple drinks.”
“Leave?” She grabbed his arm.
“Why are you so jumpy?”
“Rhett threw me out the last time I was here.”
He eyed her skeptically. “Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration? I’ve never known Rhett to be overly forceful with women.”
“He tossed my plants all over the terrace and threw my palms in the pool.”
Aidan’s jaw dropped.
“Well? What do you have to say now?”
“Maybe you have a right to be nervous, but I have to say—” He rubbed his hands together. “—this is going to be fun.”
Before she could argue, he patted her shoulder and headed for the portable bar set up near the pool.
Lily suddenly felt very alone and cast several furtive glances about the expansive terrace.
A dozen clusters of guests milled about the large pool.
Others talked and laughed in groups around the terrace.
Enough noise spilled from the open French doors to indicate a goodly number of guests had opted to remain inside the mansion.
What was taking Aidan so long? She could use a fortifying glass of wine.
This had been a colossally bad idea, and regret had come a step late.
All she could do now was tough it out and head for home at the first opportunity.
Scanning the crowd near the bar from her spot at the edge of the garden, she searched for Aidan.
Her gaze locked on Rhett.
He was turned away, speaking to one of his guests. She tried but couldn’t manage to tear her gaze away. He looked so handsome in dark trousers and a pale green polo shirt that hugged his thick biceps. Lily froze when he suddenly turned and stared right at her!
~ ~ ~ ~
Scanning his barbecue crowd to be sure all his guests were happy, Rhett suddenly noticed every male head on the terrace had pivoted in the direction of his garden, followed by the collective gazes of their dates and wives.
When his fingertips began to tingle, he didn’t have to turn around to know who had arrived.
Lily.
He turned in the direction his guests now stared and went still.
Lily had her hair pulled up on her head, and a mass of curls dangled and twirled about her nape and ears.
Thin tendrils curled about her face. A royal-blue silky blouse thing clung to her figure with a narrow vee in the front that alluded to sensual mysteries beneath, while showing very little.
At least, Rhett sensed the mysteries and stifled an urge to move closer to see what, if anything, could be seen.
His gaze slid lower to the white form-fitting capris and simple white leather sandals with her adorable peach-painted toenails winking back at him.
His gaze shot back to her face. She was smiling. At him.
Her eyes sparkled and matched the color of the Gulfstream where the big tarpon hung out. For a moment, he was stunned to find Lily right there on his terrace and looking sexy and gorgeous and . . . strangely defiant.
For one seemingly interminable moment, his body roared, Yank her into your arms and kiss her senseless.
In the next second, he noticed that every man stared at Lily with some degree of lust, and his hand gripped his drink glass so hard it was a miracle the glass didn’t shatter.
His other hand balled into a fist, and he scowled at several of the leering males, forcing them to look away.
Who had invited her? Garrett? Rhett could feel the scowl tug at his face. He just might take that proverbial swing at his friend this time. Except he would have missed seeing Lily looking so spectacular if Garrett hadn’t meddled.
Rhett glanced around, but his friend-nemesis was nowhere in sight. How dare Garrett leave Lily alone with Delia prowling about? Another sweep across the terrace sent a wave of relief through him. Delia must be inside somewhere, no doubt checking on the caterers.
His gaze flew back to Lily like a metal flake to a magnet.
She looked up at that moment and locked eyes with him, the blue of her eyes reminding him of sapphires.
She didn’t smile, and he realized, with a start, that he still scowled.
As he worked to draw a blank expression, the stubborn set to her chin almost made him smile.
He should be angry. She hadn’t been invited and had shown up anyway.
No, she wouldn’t crash his party. So who had brought Lily?
Her gaze suddenly shifted to a point behind him, and a radiant smile lit up her face. A smile that hit Rhett like a sucker-punch. How could he forget she looked so drop-dead gorgeous when she smiled like that? No, he hadn’t forgotten. He just hadn’t allowed himself to remember.
And who the hell had made her smile like that?
He followed her gaze to the arbor entrance for barbecue attendees to reach the terrace.
His fingers curled back into a fist, which was happening too often as of late.
Her grower-cum-charity gala date Shaw, damn him, had just stepped through the entrance arbor.
Rhett eyes narrowed in an automatic glare.
Shaw hesitated and then turned back to the arbor to take the elbow of an older, well-dressed matron. The woman looked familiar, and Shaw seemed attached to her in some way. His mother, perhaps?
Rhett’s fist slowly uncurled. Confused, he turned back to face Lily and got his second shock in as many minutes.
Aidan Cross stepped close to Lily and handed her one of the two wine glasses he carried.
She smiled as he whispered something in her ear.
Watching Aidan stealthily slide an arm around Lily’s slender waist had Rhett dying to take a swing at the guy.
Garrett had some deep explaining to do this time.
What the hell was Lily doing with Aidan Cross anyway? Didn’t she know better? The guy had been seducing women since their college days. He was a complete hound dog. Rhett suppressed—just barely—a knee-jerk urge to cross his terrace and yank Lily away from Aidan, then shout some sense into her.
Good Lord! Anyone, but Cross.
He would take Cross apart if he tried to seduce his Lily. Rhett stepped forward, stopped, then frowned. His Lily?
“Oh, there he is,” a feminine voice said from behind him.
He turned at the sound, and Rob Shaw stepped forward, still gripping the older matron’s elbow. Shaw glowered. Probably angry Cross was across the terrace with Lily and her treasonous heart. How dare she strut into Rhett’s home and sidle up to other men right under Rhett’s nose?
Much as it galled him, Rhett extended a hand to Shaw. His barbecue after all. He had to play host, like it or not.
Shaw stared at the hand for a moment, then gripped it hard and gave it one good shake. “Rob Shaw,” he said.
“I remember.” Rhett worked hard not to snarl.
“And this is—”
“Olivia Shaw,” the older woman interjected and popped up a delicate veined hand.
So, it was the grower’s mother or aunt. The thought didn’t make Rhett relax. Shaw could still be Lily’s date today. Maybe the guy was glowering about Cross’s arm around her.
“—from the Jupiter Island Garden Club,” Mrs. Shaw was saying. “Thank you so much for your invitation, Mr. Buchanan.”
“Call me Rhett, please,” he said reflexively and worked to unclench his teeth.
“Rhett, then.” She beamed at him. “The Garden Club takes great pride in wonderful landscape designs on the island, and your garden is one of the loveliest,” she rambled on.
Shaw stood stoically by her side, faced toward Lily and watching her while Rhett was stuck in conversation with his mother.
“My husband couldn’t make it today. Business you know. So, my son Rob agreed to escort me.”
Shaw spoke up then. “Let’s move along, Mother. Buchanan has other guests to greet besides us.” He tugged on his mother’s elbow.
Rhett fought back a glare. He actually preferred Shaw where he could watch him and not milling around Lily out on his terrace. Movement at the French doors to his great room caught Rhett’s eye. Delia was perched to step out onto the terrace as she gave an earful to a passing waiter.