Entangled With The Heiress (Louisiana Legacies Book 1)

by Dani Wade

  “This is incredible,” Rhett said.

  Trinity couldn’t help but smile. “Michael had two rooms combined to make this theater about five years ago. He claimed it was perfect for entertaining, but we both knew he did this for me. I love watching movies. It’s my favorite way to unwind. But he didn’t like going to an actual theater because of crowds and travel time and such, so this was the compromise.”

  Rhett cocked his head to the side to study her. “I never would have pegged you for a movie buff.”

  “All it took was one good movie and I was hooked,” she said, smiling at the memory. “As I mentioned before, my mother was very religious. Extremely conservative. She believed that movies were sinful. So was television unless it was the news. I wasn’t allowed to watch anything. Not even cartoons.”

  “That must have been weird when all of your friends were talking about the latest TV show.”

  She shrugged. “Honestly, I spent a lot of time reading, so it didn’t bother me much until I became a teenager. The whole ‘being different’ thing made me even more of an outsider than our low income did.” She couldn’t suppress a sheepish grin. “But once I got older, I would sneak away to the dollar theater and spend the day watching movie after movie. It was wonderfully decadent.”

  Rhett moved closer, close enough she imagined she felt the heat radiating off his body. Part of her had a hard time believing they were having this conversation. Was he really interested? Or just humoring her?

  “Anyway, now I don’t have to leave the house to watch movies.” Trinity gestured around the room. “I can indulge whenever I want.”

  “When was the last time you did?”

  Everything inside her went still. She forced the words out through her tight throat. “Michael and I had movie night a couple of days before he died.”

  Without noticing him move, Trinity realized Rhett was almost touching her. “This looks like the perfect place to spend a rainy day,” he said, his voice soothing, coaxing her to relax.

  “I have so much I need to do today,” she objected, feeling the familiar guilt over taking a day off.

  “And it will still be there tomorrow.”

  “My mother always said that was a lazy person’s excuse.” And she’d been fond of saying so.

  “That explains this strange complex you have.” Rhett placed his hand on her back. The concentrated heat she remembered upon waking this morning returned, loosening her muscles, pulling her into the plan. “But I think this is the perfect place to spend a day relaxing, renewing your energy. Don’t you?”

  She looked around the shadowy room, imagining the joy of spending an entire day indulging her favorite pastime. “With buttery popcorn?”

  “I think Frederick might be able to scare us up some. Maybe lunch, too.”

  “Us? Will you join me?” She swallowed, afraid to look at Rhett. If she saw rejection in those gray eyes in her fragile state, it just might cause a breakdown.

  He was silent for so long, her fear multiplied. She had to force herself to meet his gaze, braced for what she might see. Even in the shadows, she could make out the crinkle of laugh lines around his eyes as he smiled.

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

  Why was her heart speeding as if she’d run a race?

  “Now,” he went on, “go upstairs, change into some lounging clothes and bring whatever you need to be comfortable for the day back here. I’ll look over the movie selection.”

  “If you’re joining me, you need to change, too.” She dared to let her gaze stray over the button-down shirt and dress pants he sported.

  His grin only grew bigger. “You’re on.”

  Trinity took a few extra minutes for a quick shower to wash off the last of the grunge from sleeping in her clothes. Then she put on her softest lounge pants and T-shirt and returned to the theater room carrying her pillow and blanket. She tried not to think about a day spent watching movies with a man who made her heart race and her palms perspire. If he enjoyed this as much as she did, she might be completely hooked.

  More than anything, she forcefully pushed away the guilt of letting her work slide for the day. As Rhett had said, it would still be there tomorrow. And nothing urgent was pending at the moment, so this wouldn’t do any harm.

  The thought of taking a mental break made her want to whimper in relief. Her head felt overstuffed from studying, and she was exhausted from trying to create profitable, secure scenarios for Hyatt Heights’s future. She needed rest. She knew that... She’d just been afraid to take the time off.

  Trinity dumped her pillow-blanket combo, then moved over to where Rhett was perusing the list of movie choices. She felt a little more comfortable at the sight of the lounge pants and plain white T-shirt he’d put on. She peered past his arm to see what part of the list he’d made it to, recognizing it right away.

  “What about a superhero marathon?”

  He glanced back at her in surprise. “Are you just saying that because I’m a guy?”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “It’s just not the kind of movies I would have expected you to like.”

  “Why?” She slapped her hands on her hips in mock indignation. “Because I’m a girl?”

  “Touché.”

  “What kind of movies do you think I actually like?” She was almost afraid to find out.

  “You know, romances or tearjerkers.”

  “So cliché.” Trinity shrugged. “I got into superheroes at Maison de Jardin. We as residents didn’t need a ton of extra emotion, and romances were excluded on sheer principle, since most of the women there were in the first throws of broken relationships. What we needed most were calls to action. There’s nothing more inspiring in that department than superhero movies.”

  “You’re a girl after my own heart.”

  She wondered if she really could be.

  * * *

  “Uh-uh. Phone off.”

  The side-eye she cast him was just adorable.

  “I’m serious,” Rhett said. “The last thing you need is a text message making more demands on you or a phone call with bad news. We’ve had enough nasty surprises over the last couple of weeks.”

  And that was an understatement. But he’d pushed her enough for today. He simply watched in silence while she contemplated the empty screen of her phone. Hopefully the promise of a drama-free day would convince her to just turn it off.

  Sure enough, she eased her thumb to the off button and held it down.

  “Good girl.”

  She gave him a piercing glance. “Now you,” she demanded.

  Turnabout was fair play.

  Rhett didn’t usually turn off his phone for anyone. Yes, he might have a slight addiction, but he needed his gadgets to stay on top of his game. But under Trinity’s mock-stern gaze, he, too, shut down his link to the outside world.

  As he watched her create a little nest on her side of the lounger by raising the headrest to a decent angle and draping a soft fluffy blanket over the cushion, he wondered what came next. Would he be expected to keep his hands to himself with this sexy woman right beside him? Boring. But how was he supposed to know how far to take this?

  Excitement and a touch of unease tightened his gut.

  His uncertainty almost got the better of him as he stood beside the lounger not moving even after she settled in and pushed the button to start the first movie. But when she glanced up at him, it broke through his inertia. He sat down beside her. Close but not touching. Not nearly close enough.

  They were about thirty minutes in before she passed the tub of buttery popcorn to him and asked, “So what do you think?”

  “Definitely the most unique date I’ve had.” His entire body tightened as he realized what he’d just said.

  He was almost afraid to look over and see her reaction. She’d gone s
o still, he thought at first she might be angry. A quick glance proved she was watching him instead of the screen, but her expression was guarded in the flickering lights.

  “Is it a date?” she finally asked.

  He wished he had a prepared statement ready. “Would that be a problem?”

  She reached for another handful of popcorn and chewed thoughtfully before answering. He couldn’t tell if it was a delay tactic. “We are working together.”

  Two could stall. He munched on his popcorn for a minute or two, enjoying the salty, buttery goodness.

  Finally he said, “On the other hand, we’ve already spread the idea that we’re an item around to most of the people who know you. Even some people who don’t.” He indulged in another handful of popcorn as he reflected on the crawfish boil Saturday, when he’d put his arm around her and they went out to face the hostile, curious crowd together. Signaling that there was something going on between them.

  Was he meant to be a white knight instead of a sneaky spy?

  “I say we go with it.” This time he wasn’t playing around. Something deep inside was driving this. It was time he owned up to it. “I want to see where this leads.”

  “I thought you were just being nice at the party, getting me out of an awkward jam.”

  He’d thought so, too, at first. He took a deep breath as he waded into deeper waters. “I wasn’t sure at the time why I did that. Normally I would never take that step, especially publicly. I drew a hard line in the sand a long time ago. I don’t sleep with clients... I certainly don’t get involved.”

  “Because of your fiancée?”

  Rhett’s gut contracted as if she’d hit him square in the stomach. He’d left himself unguarded, and she got in.

  “I’m sorry,” she quickly followed up. “I didn’t mean to pry—”

  “No.” In for a penny... “You’ve had your private life made very public. I’m just not used to talking about mine.”

  “Was she involved in your business?”

  “Not that I was aware of.” He hadn’t meant that to sound quite so bitter. In all honesty, he wasn’t harboring a lot of resentment. He had in the beginning, but he’d channeled all of that negative energy into building his current business.

  “I don’t understand,” Trinity said, distracting him from his thoughts.

  He cleared his throat, trying to formulate the most straightforward answer. “I found out that what she really wanted me for was my bank account. I was her chance to live the high life without having to do any of the work.” He stared at the flickering screen without really seeing it. “It’s a lousy feeling—one I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

  “No one wants to be used,” Trinity said, her voice almost lost in a loud explosion from the movie. “Or accused of being a user. That’s what I don’t understand—do Richard and Patricia really think Michael wasn’t smart enough to defend himself against something like that?”

  “I wasn’t.”

  She was silent for a moment before she asked, “Did you know her long?”

  He shook his head. “Less than a year.”

  “Michael and I had been friends for over fifteen.”

  Rhett needed to start trusting that Michael had known what he was doing.

  Her gentle tone contrasted sharply with the loud sounds from the screen as she went on, “I’m sorry you went through that. Once that faith in others is broken—I know from experience that getting it back is hard. Especially with no one to lean on.”

  Rhett liked to think he didn’t need anyone for that, but didn’t everyone? “Men are a little different than women in that regard, I think,” he said, ignoring the gruffness that crept into his voice.

  “I’m sure they like to think so.”

  He glanced over at her but her smile was soft, encouraging rather than judgmental. “How would you know?” he teased. “Didn’t you grow up in a house full of women?”

  “Human nature is what it is.”

  He’d always thought so. Now he wasn’t so sure.

  Eleven

  She was so warm.

  It had been years since Trinity had felt this kind of snuggly, secure warmth that made her want to burrow in and hide from the light of day. Or rather, the light from the movie screen.

  Consciousness slowly returned as she became aware of the source of both the light and sound. The flashes against her closed eyelids made her want to turn away from the intrusion, toward the source of the heat at her side. Toward the smell of citrus and musk.

  She forced her eyelids up.

  Under other circumstances, opening her eyes to the sight of a man lying beside her would have been shocking. It was disconcerting...since it had never happened to her before. But something about knowing this man was Rhett Brannon settled her mind then and there. This might be new. Just a little bit scary... Okay, a lot. But she didn’t want to be anywhere else but beside him.

  He wasn’t pushing her away, so maybe he felt the same.

  She could tell from the soundtrack that they’d reached about the middle of the third movie. She wasn’t sure when she’d fallen asleep, but obviously she’d taken liberties and made Rhett serve as a pillow. Did he mind?

  A squeal of tires on the big screen sent a shock through her. Involuntarily her fingers curled into his chest as if to give herself an anchor. She watched in fascination as his hand drifted up to cover hers.

  If possible, she relaxed even more.

  “Sleep well?”

  The vibration of his chest beneath her palm as he spoke prompted her to rub small circles in his cotton T-shirt. She swallowed down her shyness and tilted her head back until she could see his face. “Yes,” she admitted. “Um, thanks for providing a replacement pillow?”

  He grinned, his teeth flashing white in the dim shadows. “No problem. I stole yours anyway.”

  He reached out and pushed her hair back away from her face. It must have come loose while she slept. Her heart sped up as his fingers tugged on the silky strands, then even more as he rolled to his side, easing her back against the cushions.

  The headrest of the lounger was still elevated so they were level with each other but she still felt dwarfed by him. Not physically, but because of his intensity.

  His hooded gaze stole her breath. She couldn’t look away.

  “Trinity?” he said, his voice a soft question that surprised her.

  He was asking for permission to continue and she found herself considering whether she should give it. Some women might not bother thinking about it. She imagined them throwing themselves at this willing man lying next to her with abandon. But Trinity had never been that carefree.

  Rhett had proven he cared about her. It wasn’t about a quick roll in the hay. He’d supported her through some difficult situations. Today alone said that he cared about her as a person, rather than just a convenient body. Was that enough?

  Instead of passively offering her permission, Trinity reached up to rub her thumb along the strong edge of his jaw. Rough stubble scratched her fingertips. What would that scruff feel like against more tender skin? Against her belly or her thighs?

  His eyes slowly closed, but otherwise he didn’t move as her hand wandered down to the side of his neck. She indulged her curiosity, running her fingers through his hair, testing the textures. The dark hair against the nape of his neck was softer; the gray coming in at his temples tended more toward coarseness. She trailed her touch to his full lips, then down over his chin.

  She let her palm fall to his shirt once more, detecting the faint texture of chest hair through the fabric. As she approached his belly button, his stomach tightened, the muscles rippling beneath her touch. She wanted so badly to close her eyes and focus on the feel of him, but she couldn’t drag her gaze away from the expression on his face.

  It wasn’t pain or ecstasy but almost a surprise
d fascination. She didn’t know how else to describe it. He practically soaked in her touch.

  She shifted so she could use both hands. She pressed her palms into his muscles, testing the resistance. The feel of him leaning into her touch sent a thrill through her. She followed the corded muscle of his chest out to his shoulders and grasped them with an intensity that conveyed exactly what she wanted from him.

  He followed her lead, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. Then he brushed his lips over her brows, her cheekbones, exploring her just as she had explored him.

  Finally, his lips brushed hers, the tang of salt giving way to sweet surrender. She pulled him closer, her grip tightening. The ache of need spread through her body.

  He didn’t hurry. He took his time exploring her mouth. The dance of lips and tongue set off tingles that spread in waves over her skin.

  She couldn’t hold back the moan from deep in her throat. Everything he did felt so good. Better than she’d ever imagined.

  He moved even lower, letting his body slide against hers, producing delicious friction. She felt the heat of his mouth against her throat. Her hips rose against him without her permission. So intoxicating.

  Mewling sounds escaped her as he licked along her neck, then suckled gently right below her ear. She gasped, clutching him to her. She wanted, no, needed, him closer. She tilted her head back, giving him an all-access pass.

  Only then did she realize that a light was intruding on the darkness. Opening her eyes, she realized the movie was over and the wall sconces had automatically turned on. They weren’t super bright, but it felt like it.

  She tried closing her eyes again. Tried focusing in on Rhett—the feel of him, the heat of him. Instead her mind started to race. What if someone came in? What if she did something stupid? What if something went wrong?

  And was she ready to expose her most intimate secret to him? The thought rolled over and over in her brain, leaving her whimpering.

  This had to stop. She had to stop. Panic sped up her heartbeat, left her gasping.