Worth the Risk

by Karen Erickson

  Dedication

  For my Grandma Grace, who is nothing like the Grandma Grace in this book. I love you!

  Chapter One

  The wedding was beautiful, the bride lovely in a strapless, cream silk gown that clung to her like a glove. The groom was dashing in his tuxedo, the full wattage smile he wore so wide his face looked like it might split in two. Never before had anyone witnessed a couple so much in love.

  The sight of them filled Gracie with such longing her eyes grew misty, and she sniffed as discreetly as she could while watching the bride pause at the open doorway before she slowly started walking down the aisle toward her almost-husband.

  “I didn’t realize weddings made you cry.” Gracie’s friend and co-worker Becky leaned over and gave her a nudge. “I always thought your heart was made of stone,” she added out of the side of her mouth.

  Gracie ignored Becky’s comment and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with the tip of her finger. Everyone thought her heart was made of stone. And they were right—sort of. The stone within her wasn’t her heart, though. It was the large wall she’d built around it long, long ago.

  The necessary wall she’d constructed to protect her bruised and fragile heart.

  Gracie’s boss and the CEO of Worth Luxury, Alexander Worth, took his bride Tessa Crawford’s hands and shot her a look so full of deep affection it sent a pang through Gracie. Ah, to be loved like that. She didn’t know what it felt like. She had no close family, not even her parents. A few friends, plenty of work acquaintances she enjoyed spending time with, but they really didn’t count—and she certainly had never fallen in love.

  It was too scary, putting herself on the line like that. She’d rather stay safe and keep it simple.

  And in her mind, simple equaled alone.

  “Her dress is gorgeous,” Becky said wistfully as the bride passed by.

  “It is.” She glanced at Tessa, the beautiful, understated wedding gown she wore. But really her eyes weren’t for the bride or groom, not any longer. She’d become distracted, as usual, by the man standing to the side of Alex. His dark hair gleamed under the golden chandeliers that shone from above, casting him in a warm glow. The tuxedo he wore accentuated the width of his shoulders, the long, lean lines of his body.

  A body she’d been held close to once. A little over a month ago, during a night filled with too many drinks and a few stolen, delicious kisses that she’d put a stop to immediately.

  How foolish she’d been, ending it. Regret unfurled deep within her, heavy and cumbersome.

  Alex’s younger brother Hunter Worth, Vice President of Worth Luxury, who oversaw the entire in-house brand and marketing department, was Gracie Hayes’ dirty little secret.

  “Hunter looks good tonight. Wonder if he brought a date.”

  Gracie jerked her head up at Becky’s speculative words. “Do you think he did?”

  Becky shrugged. “I don’t know. Everyone brings a date to a wedding.”

  “We didn’t,” Gracie pointed out. Worry gripped her heart, and she shook it off immediately. She was being ridiculous. Why should she care if he brought a date?

  “Well, yeah, but why wouldn’t he bring someone? He’s gorgeous and he’s loaded. What woman wouldn’t want him?”

  Right. What woman wouldn’t want him? Oh, her, that’s who. She was the one who turned him down after experiencing the most mind-blowing kissing session of her life. Only fifteen minutes, tops, and she’d been a little drunk, but oh, what a memorable fifteen minutes it had been. Normally she preferred not to drink at all, especially at after work functions, where she didn’t want to make a fool of herself for fear of her peers judging her. But she’d needed to cut loose that night.

  It was as if Hunter had sensed her need. That need to let go a little and a whole lot more. One minute she was sitting next to him at the bar drinking and laughing, noticing for the first time just how intensely blue his eyes were. How he had a faded white scar just beneath his chin. And when he shot her that slow, sexy smile, her panties felt like they were going to dissolve. Just with the flash of a smile.

  Next thing she knew she was in the dark back hallway of the pub, his hands all over her body, his mouth fused with hers. His tongue licked deep inside her mouth before he whispered hot words in her ear.

  Gracie wiggled in her seat at the memory, and she banished them. What good did it do, reliving it? A colossal waste of time, especially since it would never happen again. What was done was done. Let bygones be bygones, and all that jazz.

  She frowned. What, had she turned into a constant cliché?

  “He’s looking right at us. Oh my God.” Becky slumped in her wooden chair and looked away from the bridal party. “Do you think he’s a mind reader or what?”

  “He’s not looking at us…” Her voice trailed off when she realized Hunter was indeed looking at them. His gaze tangled with hers, those sparkling blue eyes glowing, his lush mouth twisted into a naughty little smirk.

  Could he read minds? If so, he appeared awfully pleased with her train of thought. She wished she could tell him to screw off. No, she wished she could tell him what happened between them hadn’t mattered to her whatsoever.

  Secretly, she wished she wasn’t so darned attracted to him, but her wishes were futile.

  She lived in constant denial. The man just—did it for her. She couldn’t explain why or how, but every time he drew near, her skin tingled. When he spoke to her, worked directly with her, and it was often, she felt as if no one else existed. As if it was just the two of them and everything else simply fell away.

  Which was silly. And pitiful. Yes, she was completely pitiful, and she only had herself to blame.

  Allowing the indulgence of one moment with Hunter had proved to be not enough. Yet she wouldn’t do it again. Ever. Never, ever, never.

  His gaze drifted over her, and her skin heated. He shot her a wicked wink before he turned to face the minister reciting the sacred marriage ceremony, and she wanted to melt into the chair.

  His effect on her was devastating. And Lord help her, she liked it.

  She was a glutton for punishment.

  “Did he just wink at you?” Becky asked incredulously.

  Gracie shrugged, feigning nonchalance. It wouldn’t do to have her friend suspicious. Becky was, after all, the human resources manager for Worth. “We work closely together. He’s just having fun. It didn’t mean a thing.”

  “Looks like he’s flirting to me,” Becky muttered.

  “Beck.” Gracie smiled when her friend slid a glance in her direction. “It’s nothing. Harmless fun. He’s my boss. We work together on a constant basis. He likes to flirt, but he never takes it beyond that.” Well, once, but that didn’t count. “You know how he is. So stop worrying.”

  “I’m not worrying. At least, not about him. More like I’m worrying about you. Don’t fall for his charm, Gracie. I’ve seen plenty of women who worked at Worth do it before. And it never ended well.”

  She wished she could ask more about that but didn’t want Becky to think she was interested. And he’d done this sort of thing with plenty of other female employees at Worth? Well, didn’t that just make her feel special?

  Not really.

  “There’s no need to worry about me. I have a heart made of stone, remember?” Gracie’s words sounded hollow, even to her.

  “Yeah, but I bet there’s a soft, squishy center just wanting to get crushed by the wrong guy.”

  “I will never let the wrong guy get close enough to crush it. Or me.” Gracie lifted her chin, pleased with her answer. It had been her mantra since she was a teenager and her first real boyfriend of all of four months had broken her heart by cheating on her.

  “Well, doesn’t that sound like a lon
ely way to live?”

  Gracie frowned. She just couldn’t win for trying.

  Weddings made him nervous. Monkey suits? Even more so. Listening to a minister preach about sacred vows and forever after? It made him want to break out into a cold sweat.

  Hunter shifted on his feet and slipped a finger beneath his collar, tugging ever so slightly to loosen the bowtie that strangled his neck.

  The tug didn’t help. Not for lack of trying. And when the hell was the ceremony going to end? Alex had promised it would be a short one. Looked like he’d lied.

  “Stop fidgeting,” his younger brother said from behind him. “You look like a little boy who needs to take a leak, hopping from one foot to the other like that.”

  Hunter clasped his hands behind his back, quietly fuming. Who the hell was Rhett to tell him how to behave? King of the rich party boys, a wastrel of the nth degree, he lived off the Worth fortune and merely pretended to work. He was now out in Southern California full time, supposedly managing the huge Beverly Hills flagship store, but everyone knew the truth.

  Rhett didn’t do jack shit but collect a paycheck, get drunk and get laid. And not necessarily in that order.

  Letting the anger bleed out of him, Hunter focused his attention on Alex and his bride. They stared at each other with dreamy, googly eyes, lovesick fools who thought they were taking the next logical step. Marriage. The old ball and chain, lock and key, one woman and one man, together forever and ever, amen.

  A shudder moved through him, and he breathed deep to quell the panic that wanted to rise.

  His brother was crazy. But they somehow fit, Alex and Tessa. She softened him, and he gave her strength. And that precious little niece of Hunter’s, Charlotte? Well, she had her mom and dad wrapped around her little finger.

  Hunter smiled. Yeah, she had him all wrapped up tight too. Who could resist the little cutie? She cooed with delight when he walked into the room and reached for him. It helped that he went there often to visit and secretly tried to teach her how to say Uncle Hunter when no one was around or paying him any attention. He’d settle for any variation of his name, especially if it was her first word.

  That was his ultimate goal. And wouldn’t it just burn her parents if his secret wish came true?

  The minister droned on, mentioned something about special personal vows the couple had written for each other, and Hunter bit back the moan that threatened. His brother was a complete liar. This ceremony was gonna go into Sunday at this rate. They had a reception to attend, damn it. The only thing he’d been looking forward to all week. The final, partying moment where they could say sayonara to all the wedding planning that had occupied the entire Worth family these last few months and allow them to get back to normal.

  He couldn’t freaking wait to get his drink and eat on.

  Tilting his head from side to side, he cracked his neck. Heard the snicker come from Rhett’s direction but chose to ignore it. His arms were tingling from holding them in the same position for so long, and he shook them out as discreetly as he could. An itchy sensation started to irritate the middle of his shoulder blades, but he knew it would be rude as hell to reach for it and try to scratch.

  The feeling intensified, and he glanced over his shoulder with a scowl.

  And he caught two women sitting in the crowd who stared directly at him. Becky, whoop-de-do. He liked Becks, but she was in HR, which meant she was a downer.

  No, it was the other woman who interested him—interested him far more than he cared to admit. And while Becky looked away like a guilty kid who just got caught raiding the cookie jar, the woman he wanted more than any other continued to watch him.

  Gracie Hayes. Cool as a cucumber, smart, slick Gracie watched him, eating him up with her gaze.

  He flashed her a smile, and her cheeks flushed pink. The same pink color he remembered from that one night when he broke through the icy barrier she wore so well to discover the warm and very willing woman lingering just beneath. He’d experienced the single hottest kiss of his entire life with Gracie Hayes. At an old pub with the rest of their co-workers close by, he’d mauled her in a hallway. Drunk from the whiskey he’d consumed, drunk on her taste, drunk on her scent, he’d lost his head.

  And then she’d pushed him away and told him they couldn’t continue. It wasn’t prudent, it wasn’t smart—those were her exact words. She’d even asked him to forget that it ever happened.

  Like he had a chance in hell of ever forgetting that spectacular moment in time.

  She dropped her gaze, the swing of her long, dark hair covering her face, ever the coy, subtle one, especially since they’d shared that kiss. But he knew she still felt it for him. Hell, the attraction between them was palpable. Like a living, breathing thing that bounced between them whenever they got close to each other. He didn’t know how anyone else hadn’t called them out on it yet.

  Thank Christ they hadn’t. She would first panic and then push him away even further. The very last thing he wanted. His ultimate goal—besides teaching his precious niece how to say his name—was to bed Gracie Hayes.

  Stupid, yep. Risky, oh hell yeah. But he was a man who liked to gamble. Safe, predictable, he left those traits up to Alex. As the oldest brother, that was his responsibility. Foolish and idiotic, well, Rhett wore those banners quite well.

  But the charmer, the gambler…that was his role. One he wore proudly.

  And tonight, he was banking on Gracie.

  She finally looked at him again, offering him a quick little curve of her sensual mouth. He winked at her in return, and the smile grew, her gaze dropping once more. Just like that, his cock reacted. Gave a little twitch, let him know that it was more than ready to see a little Gracie action tonight.

  Hunter shook his head. He sounded like a horny teenager in his head. Hell, he’d felt like an out-of-his-mind hormonal kid since those few minutes with Gracie in his arms. She had him so amped up he was practically out of his mind with it. And it had all happened over a month ago.

  He hadn’t been with another woman since. No other would do. He wanted only Gracie.

  But she didn’t want him. And wasn’t that just a bitch?

  Yeah, he thought so.

  She might be right. It was foolish to mess around with a co-worker. It was crazy even. But look at Alex and Tessa. She’d started out as his personal assistant and ended up his wife.

  Talk about some personal assistance…

  Silently chastising himself, he returned his focus on the happy, almost-married couple, who had just wrapped up their personal vows to each other. Perfect. It was almost over.

  Feeling like an utter jackass for even thinking such a thing, he became solemn. Opened his ears and his eyes to what was being said. The beauty of love, the sanctity of marriage. Of two people becoming one, of pledging their love to one another until death did they part.

  Ominous words to a bachelor like himself. He swore he felt Rhett’s full-body shudder behind him. Yeah, neither of them was going to fall for that trap. Let their brother be the sucker.

  Hunter wasn’t interested in settling down.

  Glancing out the corner of his eye, he caught Gracie watching him yet again, and triumph surged through him. The minute the reception started, he was going to work up the nerve to talk to her. Because yeah, even though they had an excellent professional relationship and had even shared a brief but intimate moment together, he had to work up his nerve to talk to the woman.

  Something that had never, ever happened to him before. Women did not scare him, they did not intimidate him—with the exception of Gracie.

  Odd. But he didn’t really spend much time reflecting on it. To think on it too much would make it even more confusing.

  And for a man who liked to keep it simple, well, that was hard to deal with.

  Easy, breezy Hunter, that was him. Keep it light, keep it simple and when things got too heavy, move on.

  Move on, move on.

  Chapter Two

 
“Care to dance?”

  A quiver shot through Gracie at the sound of that deep, masculine voice. She’d heard it regularly for the past year, five days a week. Sometimes his voice haunted her memories, a memory she told herself she wanted to forget. Always whispering hot words of sensual promise just before he dragged his mouth down the side of her neck…

  Not that she’d ever confess that particular bit of information to anyone.

  Hunter stood before her, looking like Prince Charming in his impeccable tux. His big hand extended toward her, his expression hopeful. Not the usual look for her boss, that was for sure.

  “Um…” She paused, not sure how to answer. To refuse him would be business suicide, and she liked her job, thank you very much. But to accept—to take his hand and have him lead her to the dance floor, pull her into his arms and hold her close?

  That would be playing treachery with her heart. And she was always very careful when it came to the emotional stuff.

  As in, she didn’t let her emotions come into play whatsoever.

  A sharp elbow stabbed her in the ribs, and Gracie gave a little jump.

  “Answer him,” Becky whispered out of the side of her mouth.

  “Don’t leave me hanging, Gracie.” His velvety deep voice was laced with humor, but there was something in his eyes. A hint of disbelief at her potential refusal, mixed with a generous dose of invitation.

  As if he wanted to dance with her, not because she was part of his much valued marketing team, but because he might be—attracted to her.

  Okay, she knew he was attracted to her. And she was attracted to him.

  But she didn’t want to go down that road again. No way, no how. She’d already made one mistake with her superior and she didn’t want to do it ever again.

  No matter how good of a kisser he was.

  “I—yes, I would, um.” She stumbled over her words, feeling like an absolute fool, and Becky jabbed her in the ribs yet again. With her luck she’d end up with a massive bruise from her so-called friend’s abusive encouragement.