The Tycoon's Seductive Revenge(19)
“Carter?” She knocked again, waited.
He didn’t answer.
Ellie bit her lip, unsure if she should wheel the cart back to Pierre’s kitchen and endure his Iron Chef explosive mood swings. Or remain to see if Carter had overslept. She checked her watch. It was only fifteen minutes after the wakeup call Carter requested.
Anxiously tapping her nails on the cart’s handle, she knew Pierre would have a fit if she didn’t deliver the hot smorgasbord beneath the lids of these silver platters. She needed the cranky kitchen commando to stay serene so dinner prep would go smoothly.
Nothing will ruin tonight, Eleanor. Not even you . Her uncle’s words resounded in her mind like cymbals crashing in an echo chamber.
“Where is Carter?” She raised her fist to knock again.
Suddenly two hands cinched her waist from behind. Carter’s low, sensual voice rumbled in her ear. “Bringing me breakfast in bed?”
Flushing, she whirled around. “What are you doing up?”
“Went for a jog.” He looked delectable all disheveled, his damp sleeveless shirt revealing mounds of sexy arm muscles, his forehead beaded with sweat, blondish hair tousled like the morning after an erotic all-nighter.
“I see.”
“Good timing. I’m starved.” He wiped his forehead with the towel around his neck then slid his key card into the door.
Ellie pushed the breakfast cart in behind him. “I’m surprised to see you awake this early.”
He shrugged. “Pretty normal for me. When you caught me in the shower Sunday,” he reminded, a grin sliding onto his lips, “I’d been up late Saturday night dealing with my personal life before I hopped the jet to get here. Sundays are my day to sleep in.”
“Dealing with?” she repeated, as she set the cart beside the dining table.
“Women issues,” he said absently, lifting the lid off one of the platters. “God, this smells good.” Aromatic spices filled the air. Fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme from the omelets and sausages mingled with the syrupy sweetness of buckwheat pancakes and strawberry-filled crepes.
For some reason the hint to his personal—and sexual—life made Ellie’s skin blaze. He’d said women . Did that mean he was seeing more than one?
Tumultuous emotion crept up on her like a storm on a clear day, suddenly shocking her with lightning-bright jealousy. She swayed under the jolt of it. Just like she had when Carter was still a lifeguard and women draped themselves all over him, right in front of her.
To be fair, they didn’t know she and Carter were crazy in love. No one did. They hid their relationship so her father wouldn’t find out. That didn’t mean watching other girls fawn over his sexiness was less excruciating. They got into plenty of fights because of it, but Ellie always knew one thing for sure—Carter was as smitten and devoted to her as any man alive.
And I gave that up...for what? A ruined hotel, tons of debt, and a heart full of regret?
“Earth to Ellie. Are you with us?”
She pulled herself into the present. “Sorry, I guess I spaced out for a second.”
“You look pale.”
“I’m fine.” She loosened her grip on the china plate in her hand as she dished out spinach soufflé.
The plate was barely in front of him before he stabbed his fork into the fluffy texture. His eyes rolled back in his head. “This is heaven.”
What did she have to be jealous about anyway? She added rosemary-spiced pork sausage patties to Carter’s dish.
After all, she was the one who got engaged a year after he left. To the man her father had approved of. The man who managed to shred one-hundred years of the hotel’s thriving glory into a heap of bad advertising investments. All for greed.
“Please,” Carter said, gesturing to the chair next to him, “share breakfast with me.”
As she hovered over the morning meal, she thought of Steven Jacquard. How could she have ever believed Steven would replace Carter? He’d used her to get to her father’s wealth. Only he found out Daddy was already deep in debt, so Steven wouldn’t marry into the millions he’d expected.
“Ellie,” Carter said, raising an eyebrow, “it’s rude to ignore an invitation.”
“Right.” She sank onto the chair cushion as despair washed over her.
“Where has that beautiful mind escaped to?” he asked, sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear.
Forcing a laugh, she assured, “Nowhere important.”
His fingers slid down to cup her chin. “You think after all the time I loved you, I don’t know when you’re upset?”
Involuntarily, she pressed her hand against his. Their fingers separated, making room for the other’s grasp, and closed together in perfect synchronicity. “Why do you have to do that?”