13. Laurie

Istayed at the pool or out on the beach for the rest of the afternoon. I didn't want to return to the villa before I needed to get ready for dinner. I doubted Worth was just sitting around there, but if he was, being alone with him was a bad idea. I hadn't stopped thinking of him the whole time I was laying in the sun, swimming, walking the beach, splashing in the waves, and finally, taking a table in the shade and ordering more drinks.

I longed for him to come back down, take me by the hand and escort me upstairs so he could lay me on the bed and do everything he'd done the night before and more.

Fortunately, Worth wasn't in the room when I returned. I went straight to my bathroom, stripped out of my sandy swimsuit, and got into the shower. The cool water felt delightful as I washed off the sweat and sand. When I was done, I wrapped up in the clean, fluffy robe that had been provided for me, then immediately grew heated as I thought of how Worth had walked in on me in an identical robe, splayed open as though I were waiting to tempt him.

I smiled at the thought of how the open robe had showed me to even more of an advantage than if I had been completely naked.

I opened my bedroom door slowly, listening for Worth. When I heard nothing, I hurried into the kitchenette and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I was seriously in need of rehydration after all the sun and alcohol. I was leaning against the counter, water bottle in hand, staring out at the sea when the front door opened. The sound startled me, making me jump.

Worth laughed. "Are you trying to hide something from me?"

I shook my head frantically. "No."

"Then what made you jump like that?"

"I was just startled by the sound of the door." I'd gotten used to jumping to attention when Tommy came home.

I realized he was staring.

"You're wearing that goddamn robe again."

I sighed. "I almost didn't put it on."

He huffed. "Like that would be better."

"No, I mean, I almost got dressed before I came out of my room, but you weren't here and…."

"Don't do that."

I frowned. "Get dressed?"

"Don't censor any of your actions around me. You're free to be yourself here. I don't want you to ever feel confined the way you did before. This place is your home while you're here. I can handle myself."

"Can you?" Fuck, why did I ask that?

Worth smiled. "We'll see, won't we?"

"What are you wearing tonight?" I asked.

"Do you want to choose an outfit for me?"

"I suppose that would be fair since you chose for me."

He shook his head. "I made a suggestion."

"You made a command."

"If you'd rather wear something else, choose whatever makes you feel good."

I smiled to let him know I was only teasing. "I feel amazing in the outfit you picked out."

"Good. Come on, I'll show you all my options, and you can make a selection."

Knowing it was a terrible idea, I followed Worth to his bedroom. The moment I saw his bed, thoughts flashed through my mind that were only appropriate if we were about to fuck. And we weren't. We definitely weren't. "Maybe I shouldn't…."

Worth ignored me. He slid open the mirrored doors of the closet, and I gaped. "That's what you brought on vacation? You have more clothes here than I've ever owned at once."

"I like to have options, and I did a little more shopping today."

"Do you just wear pieces once then get rid of them?"

"Not my favorites."

I looked through the clothes, trying to concentrate on them and not on the gorgeous man behind me. I selected a lavender shirt and a gray suit and held them out to him.

He smiled. "Like I said earlier, you have excellent taste."

"You really think so?"

"I do."

His compliment made me feel warm all over. He took fashion very seriously, so I knew he wouldn't say that if he didn't mean it. It had been a long time since I'd been allowed to choose what I wanted to wear, but I wasn't resentful that Worth had chosen for me tonight. I'd been able to select a whole wardrobe while we were shopping. He'd guided me, but he'd never insisted. I loved the idea that he wanted to see me in the outfit he thought I looked best in, even if I wasn't supposed to be seducing him.

Dammit, why couldn't Beck understand I could make my own decisions and my own mistakes.

Because if Worth was a mistake—and I had to remind myself that chances were he would be—I still wanted more. I considered calling Beck, but I couldn't call him and talk to him about how much I wanted to have sex with his brother. That would be weird. We'd texted back and forth throughout the day. I'd told him how beautiful it was here and how much I was enjoying the pool and the beach. That was enough. He'd been such a good friend, I should just do what he said.

Except I was tired of doing what other people told me to. I wanted to do what I wanted, and I wanted Worth.

I realized I'd just been standing by Worth's closet, lost in my thoughts. "I guess I should go and leave you to get ready."

Worth held my gaze for several moments before nodding. "I suppose you should."

When I was nearly to the door his voice stopped me. "Do you want to?"

"Do I want to what?"

"Do you want to go, or do you just think you should?"

"Worth, what was the point of you leaving the pool if we're just going to keep doing this?"

Worth shook his head as if trying to free himself from a spell. "Fuck if I know. Go get dressed. We don't want to be late."

I rushed out the door, worried I might let myself stay if I didn't get out quickly.

I fussed over my appearance far more than I would have if I'd been on my own. Far more than I ever had for Tommy—no matter how much he scolded me about the need to look perfect whenever he took me out. My concern tonight wasn't about what anyone else expected. I wanted to look perfect tonight because I felt good when I looked good, and Worth was a man I actually wanted to impress. I did a final check of myself in the bathroom mirror before stepping out into the living room.

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."