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“Well, this has got to be the quietest I have seen you since I’ve met you,” he purred.
“Well, it’s not every day you get to see the beautiful sights of Manhattan like this,” I countered.
“Is that so?” he quipped.
I knew what he was alluding to, but there was no chance I would fawn over him and behave in the way I was sure most other women he met did.
“Yes, my work keeps me busy, and even when I finally have a window of time, I usually spend it at home relaxing or returning to see my family. Not all of us have the time or the luxury of seeing the city at its finest.”
“Well, Serena, I’m not sure what you think I do, but I also find I’m very busy with work most of the time, but when I can, I like to indulge in the beauty that this great city offers.”
He raised his eyebrows, and his eyes sparkled with mischief.
“So, does your family own this place?”
He frowned.
“Well, as you already know, my family’s company has a large property and development portfolio over Manhattan and New York. The Mount, however, isn’t currently one of ours. Julian and I were here because we’re looking at using it to host our next event.”
Oh, that wasn’t quite the answer I was expecting.
“You seem surprised?”
He took another sip of his drink. I felt myself following his smooth and effortless movements.
“Nothing you or your family do surprises me. You seem to take what you want at any cost. Trust me, I learned my lesson back in college.”
I look straight into his eyes to gauge his response. Finally, I felt like I was back in control and had taken the reins on how my body responded to him.
“What do you mean? What happened in college?”
There was no way I would dive deep into that can of worms, but I could see on his face that I wouldn’t get away without answering.
“Let’s just say I experienced the effects of getting in the line of fire with privileged families and the lengths they will go to both protect their own and control the narrative.”
The firmness in my tone made it clear I wasn’t going to be going deeper than that.
“Serena, my beliefs are very different from those of my family,” he said with an edge of irritation.
So, I hit a soft spot.
Did he think I was that stupid and not know the type of man he was?
The type his family was?
I dealt with these wealthy, self-righteous clients every day.
He placed his drink back on the table and leaned his arm against the back of the couch, one leg bent and resting on the other as if opening himself up to me.
I found it unsettling, not because anything was intimidating in it, but because it made me notice his body again, and I’d been trying my hardest to suppress how much he physically turned me on.
“That’s enough business talk. So, is your plan for tonight to celebrate your friend’s birthday? Or are you looking to meet the man of your dreams? What is your true goal for the night here at The Mount?”
“I’m here celebrating my best friend Ruby’s birthday. We’ve been friends since school, and I wanted to do something special for her. It does seem, however, that her night is now on a different course as she has spent the last hour flirting with your brother.”
I didn’t manage to hide my contempt for that fact entirely, and Rhett noticed.
Leaning in slightly, he picked up our glasses and, with a devilish smile, said, “A toast to Ruby’s birthday. I wish her luck and good fortune, and that’s just with my brother.”
