Worth was disappointed that things hadn’t gone as well as he would’ve liked, but he wasn’t surprised. It would’ve been stranger if his first attempt to get Sin back had worked out. And that was why he was renting an apartment instead of staying at a hotel.
“Are you seriously going to stay there until she comes around?” Joel asked. Even though they were chatting via the computer, it was clear that he was still at the office.
“Yes.” Worth nodded. “It’s not like you can’t handle things there without me.”
“Yeah, but it would be good if you were around.” The other man sighed. “Our clients always give me weird looks when I go there in your place.”
“Well, they need to get used to it.” Worth leaned back against the couch. “If we open another office here, you’ll end up running that coast.”
“What? You’re thinking of opening an office there? Seriously?” Surprise filled Joel’s expression then he narrowed his eyes. “Is this because of business or because of Sin?”
“Both,” Worth confessed. “Sin might not want to move out there so I’m just looking at my options. Also, our stores on the East Coast seem to be doing quite well. It wouldn’t hurt to have another base of operations that is closer to them.”
“Well, knock me over with a feather!” Joel laughed. “I never thought you’d be the kind of man to mix business and pleasure.”
Worth chuckled. “Neither did I.”
“Given that you’re even thinking of moving closer to her, I gather things went well today.”
“No!” Worth winced. “They didn’t.”
“What?” Joel stared at him like he’d lost his marbles. “Then what are you making plans for? What if she doesn’t take you back?”
“She will. She will,” Worth said, but even to his own ears he sounded uncertain.
He could still remember how Sin had shoved him away after their kiss and how she’d looked scared every time he came closer to her. The way she kept tossing their last conversation in Portland back at him left no doubt that she was still in pain, that he’d hurt her. Getting her to forgive him would be hard enough let alone convincing her to date him.
He sighed. “I hope she will.”
“Cheer up, man,” Joel encouraged. “All you can do is give it your best shot.”
“I’m trying, man.” Worth dragged in a deep breath. “I’m trying.”
The two men spent the next hour or two going over pending business. After the conversation was over, Worth took a shower, spent some time watching TV then went to bed. The next day at around ten a.m., he was back at Lani’s Café.
Given the widening of Sin’s eyes when he walked in and how she stilled, it was obvious that she wasn’t expecting him. Instead of going to her, he settled at a table in the corner of the restaurant. Naturally, Sin didn’t come to serve him; another server did. Still, it was obvious that she was aware of him by the way she kept glancing in his direction.
Worth ignored her glances and opened up his laptop to get some work done. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite concentrate, not when she was so close. Like the previous day, she was wearing shorts (khaki this time) and a tank-top. On any other woman the outfit would’ve been casual, but Sin had a body that could make anything sexy. Worth couldn’t help the instant rage that rose in his belly whenever he caught a male patron eyeing her. He wanted to drag her out of the café and take her somewhere private, somewhere where only he could see, admire and touch her. But he couldn’t do that, could he? She wasn’t his. Yet.
He pretended to be busy while keeping a covert eye on her. He knew that if he was patient, she’d eventually come to him. And she did. As expected, her curiosity won over her resistance and she marched to his table.
“What are you doing here?” She stared down at him, her fist pressed to her hip. Even angry, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever met.
“Can’t you see?” He pointed to his laptop. “I’m working.”
“You’re working?” She folded her arms over her chest, lifting her breasts in the process and drawing his gaze there. “Can’t you do it somewhere else? Why does it have to be here?”
He could’ve lied. He could’ve said that the café’s wi-fi connection was the fastest in the area or something else. But he didn’t. He met her eyes. “Because this is where you are.”
His words rendered her speechless, and she stared at him in shocked silence for quite a while before she huffed. “Go home, Worth.”
“Okay.” He smiled. “As long as you come with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she bit out.
“Then I’m not going home either,” he countered.
“What!” Distress was written plainly over her honey-toned features as she glared at him. “You can’t just stay here. You have your company and everything…”
He smiled. “You’d be surprised at the amount of work one can get done with just a laptop and a cell-phone.”
“Go home, Worth.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “There’s no reason to stay here. I already told you that I forgive you.”
His voice softened. “You know that’s not all what I want.”
“Well, that’s all you’re getting,” she snapped.
Before Worth could formulate a comeback for that, a patron called out for her. After one last glare at him, she stomped away. Worth couldn’t help the sigh that escaped his lips as he watched her bustle around. This would be even harder than he expected.
He was watching Sin so keenly that he wasn’t aware of the lady approaching him until she plopped down on the chair opposite his.
“Wha-” His eyes widened when he met her gaze. “You!”
“Yes, me.” The short-haired, petite woman who’d broken into his house watched him with an uncomfortably keen gaze. “So you really came?”
Worth folded his arms over his chest and sat back in his seat. “I really came.”
Little Miss Intruder raised her eyebrows. “After four months? Really? It took you that long to get yourself together?”
“I was busy,” he retorted but didn’t elaborate.
“Too busy for Sin?” The woman clucked disapprovingly. “Man, you’re a dick.”
“You should really stop insulting me,” he bit out. “If it wasn’t for the grenade you handed me, I would’ve been here sooner.”
“I can do whatever I like,” the lady retorted acidly. She suddenly smiled. “So I hear you got rid of Claire for me? Did she cry when they were dragging her to prison? I hope she cried.”
Worth had to laugh. “No, she didn’t cry.”
“Well-” The woman made a face. “That’s a pity.”
“She wasn’t happy though, and she won’t be for quite some time.” Worth watched his uninvited guest for a moment before saying, “You know you never told me your name, Sin’s friend.”
“Ten,” the woman returned briefly.
“Ten?” He wasn’t even surprised that her name was just as odd as she was. Chuckling, he complimented, “Interesting name.”
Ten ignored his compliment. Instead she asked, “So what are you here for? To hurt Sin again?”
Worth shook his head. “No, to make her happy.”
“Hmm.” Ten watched him for quite some time before saying, “You better make her happy because if you don’t, I’ll slice your balls off.”
Worth had to fight to keep from cupping his hands over his family jewels. By the murderous glint in the woman’s eyes, it was obvious that she meant every word. On that terrifying note, Ten stood up and left his table.
Worth stayed at the café for an hour or so more but he had to leave early for a conference call with one of their suppliers. However, he was back early the next day, and the next day, and the next day. Why was he there? One; because he wanted to see Sin. Two; because he wanted her to see him and realize that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he was serious about them being together. Sin always met him with glares but by the third day she’d stopped asking him to leave. Progress, right?
Though he had no problems with her working, seeing her on her feet everyday running around the café left a bad taste in his mouth. Plus not every patron who walked in was sunshine and roses. A few were proper jerks. She had to be tired. How could she not be? And hungry. It was now three p.m. and he hadn’t seen her take a lunch break.
Worth called a waitress over. “I’d like a piece of tiramisu and some fresh juice.”
When the waitress brought it over, Worth said, “It’s not for me.” He gestured towards Sin who was currently taking the order for a table a few feet down. “It’s for her. Tell her to eat.”
“Okay.” Though surprised, the waitress followed his orders. But she wasn’t gone for long. She and Sin only talked for a few seconds before she marched right back with the tray still in hand. Smiling sheepishly, she said, “Sin said to bring the cake back. She doesn’t eat or drink anything with milk.”
“She doesn’t drink milk?” Worth looked in Sin’s direction but she wasn’t even looking his way.
How in the world had he never realized that she didn’t drink milk? Then it struck him; the only meal they’d ever had together was on the day he’d dragged her to a restaurant so he could berate her over her dressing style and behavior. Even after sleeping with her he’d never offered her a beverage. She was the one who was always serving him, taking care of him. Guilt pulsed hard and strong through him. He’d treated her like crap, hadn’t he? No wonder she was having such a hard time taking him back. But he’d make it up to her, he swore. He’d make it up to her.
He didn’t have any urgent calls so he was able to stay until closing time. Sin’s curt, ‘aren’t you leaving?’ was enough to send him out of the café. However, instead of heading home, he lingered by the entrance, waiting for her. A few minutes into his wait, Sin came out of the café carrying a full garbage bag.
Worth strode over to help. “Let me get that for you.”
“What?” Sin swung the garbage bag away from his reach. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you.” He tried to grab it again but even when he caught the top, she didn’t let go.
“Don’t!” Anger flashed in her gaze. “I can do it myself.”
“But you don’t need to. Let me,” he insisted. When she still didn’t let go, he eyed her. “Are we seriously fighting over garbage?”
It was enough to make her let go, albeit with a huff of frustration. Her angry gaze burned into his back as he hauled the bag down the sidewalk. He dropped off the garbage in the dumpster before coming back only to find her still standing by the café’s door, waiting for him.
“Why are you acting like this?” She confronted him as soon as he was in talking-range. “You’re being weird; trying to help me out, trying to feed me.” She puffed angrily. “Stop pretending like you care about me. Just act like a jerk like before.”
“I didn’t want to act like a jerk and I do care about you.” Worth closed the distance between them to a stop just a few feet from her. “This is how I wanted to treat you. I wanted to take care of you.”
“That’s a damn lie!” she snapped.
“No, it’s not. What I was doing then was the lie.” He rubbed the nape of his neck nervously and wondered why his skin felt so hot to touch. “I missed you whenever we parted but I pretended that I didn’t. I was afraid that if I showed you how much I cared for you, you’d think you were winning, that you’d use me.”
It was embarrassing to reveal how warped his thinking was at that time, but he knew that he had to. It was the only way he could get her to understand him and forgive him.
“But I was wrong.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans as he added, “If I’d just done what I really wanted then, we’d be together.”
“No, we wouldn’t.” There was an odd sadness in her voice as she emphasized, “No matter how you had acted back then, we still wouldn’t be together.”
“Why not?” He watched her. “We love each other.”
This time she didn’t bother denying it. Instead she said, “It doesn’t matter. We’re too different. You’re Wentworth Ransom the Third, and I’m Tamsin Jacob. It would never work between us.”
Confused, he frowned. “What do our names have to do with anything?”
“Not our names. Our identities.” Her eyes watered almost as if she was about to cry.
Instinctively, he stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He almost whooped in joy when she didn’t shove him away. However, her next words watered down his excitement.
“You’re a businessman who is well-respected in your city –in every city,” she reminded him. “Heck, you’re practically a celebrity. And me? I’m a con-artist, Worth. I’m a criminal. Ex-convict!”
He didn’t like how she was emphasizing her past. Cupping her cheek, he reminded her, “I know who you were. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Maybe not.” A tear slid down her cheek, then another one. “But it will matter to everyone else. What will your parents say? Your brother? Your employees? Your business partners?”
“Is that what this is about? What other people will think?” he asked. The sight of her tears falling sent hurt threading through him and his heart clutched. Using his thumbs to wipe her tears away, he soothed, “If I cared about what people thought about me and the choices I make, I wouldn’t be where I am. I’d be living a very different life from the one I’m living now.”
“Well, I do. I care.” She pushed his hands away from her face so she could wipe her tears away herself. “I care about what others think.”
“Since when?” Worth frowned. “You’ve never been a coward. You always do what you want.”
Sin shook her head. “You don’t know me. I’m a coward.”
“You’re not.”
“I am,” she insisted. “I’m not daring enough to destroy your reputation and your life just so we can be together. I’m sorry, Worth. I can’t do that! I can’t be with you.”
He didn’t get the chance to convince her otherwise because she turned on her heels right then and went back into the café. There must’ve been a door in there leading up to her apartment because she didn’t emerge again. Worth waited and waited for her to come back with no luck. Finally, he gave up. But the next day he was back. Unfortunately Sin wasn’t.
He waited until about eleven a.m. before he gave in and asked a waitress where she was. To his disappointment, he learnt that she’d taken the day off. He took the stairs to her studio apartment but found the door locked. She wasn’t there.
Was she hiding from him? He wondered as he came down the stairs. If she was , then where would she be? He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the woman at the foot of the stairs, leaning against the wall, until he was almost upon her.
“Are you looking for Sin?” Ten asked.
“Yes!” Worth stopped three steps above her. “Have you seen her?”
“No.” Ten suddenly smiled. “But I know where she’ll be later.”
His heart immediately leaped in excitement, but he hid it by coolly asking, “Where?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know!” Ten dipped into the pocket of her sports jacket to come up with a ticket. She held it out to Worth. “We’re supposed to go see this later.”
“You’re giving it to me?” Worth frowned. “Why?”
Ten raised her eyebrows. “Sooo you don’t want it, huh?”
“That’s not what I mean.” He quickly jogged the last steps to her then plucked the ticket out of her hand. Once the ticket was safely in his hands and he’d confirmed that it was a ticket to the latest superhero movie, he asked, “Why are you giving me this? You don’t seem to like me.”
“I don’t.” The petite lady shrugged. “But Sin does, and that’s all that matters. Just think of it as my good deed for the year. I told her that I was going to get to the theater a little later than her and to just take her seat first. So all you need to do is chill until the movie starts then pop in beside her and do your thing. If it doesn’t work for you, then you need to go back to school and learn some game.”
Worth wasn’t sure whether to be thankful or offended. Ten was good at making you feel both crappy and good. She was a confusing lady. But she wasn’t the lady he was interested in today. He raced home to prepare for his afternoon date.
He was at the mall thirty minutes before the movie but stayed in his car so that Sin wouldn’t see him and run away. Thankfully, he was parked strategically enough that he spotted her as she walked across the parking lot. He bent his head and shielded his face with his hands as she passed his car but once she was a safe distance away, he watched her.
God, how he wanted to just stride up to her and take her in his arms. After thinking about their conversation last night, he’d realized that she was rejecting him because she was protecting him. He hadn’t missed the fact that when she’d said it wouldn’t work, it was because she didn’t want to ruin his reputation. Her concern was justified. Already he knew that many people around him would have a hard time accepting that she was part of his life.
But Sin was mistaken about one thing.
She thought his reputation mattered to him more than she did. It didn’t. He would gladly throw away any reputation he had if it meant being with her. His reputation wouldn’t keep him warm at night. It couldn’t love him like she did. He would never give her up just so people could think better of him. He wasn’t giving her up! Never!
About fifteen minutes after the movie’s scheduled start, Worth exited his car. He made his way up the elevator to the floor where the theater was. After handing in his ticket, he followed the attendant into the theater. The large auditorium was dark except for the lit screen where the movie was already playing. The attendant flicked on a torch to help guide the way down the aisle to Worth’s row. When they were by the right row, the attendant pointed out Worth’s seat then left him to get there himself.
Worth immediately spotted Sin. She was focused on the movie. However, a few movie-goers on their row started grumbling when Worth skirted past them thus drawing her attention. She looked in his direction, stared and stared… The moment she recognized him, she sat straighter in her seat as if preparing to run.
He got to her before she could.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. If they were outside, her voice would’ve sounded normal, but in this theater it almost sounded like a shout. She immediately cupped a hand over her mouth.
Smiling, Worth flipped his chair then sat down. “I came to watch a movie.”
“How?” Her voice was a murmur as she arched her upper body away from him as if she was afraid to get too close to him. “How did you know…” She suddenly gasped. “Did Ten give you her ticket?”
“Smart girl,” he complimented.
“You can’t… I can’t-” She stood. “I’m leaving.”
“Don’t.” He stopped her by grabbing her elbow. Panic ballooned up inside him. “Please don’t leave.”
“Worth…” she gave an exasperated sigh.
“Please!” He squeezed her elbow. “Please stay.”