Page 29 of Just What She Needed

"Yes, I want him." Rhett moved aside as Mel picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her long, buttery-blonde hair. "But it was overwhelming, okay? The last time anyone tried to 'woo' me—" She added her own air quotes to the word. "I had just turned seventeen. Forgive me if I'm out of practice. Plus, when he kissed me today he...Never mind."

"You're not allowed a never mind." Mel pulled her hair into a ponytail and secured it with a clear elastic. "What?"

"I don't know." Uncomfortable, Rhett shrugged one shoulder. "When he kissed me he was Rhys James instead of Rhys Collinsworth."

"Okay, you've said something like that before. Are you trying to tell me the dude's got a split personality or something?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just..." Rhett waved her hands around as she searched for the right words. "I can't explain what I mean, but it's different. I feel comfortable with Rhys Collinsworth, but Rhys James..."

"Is a rock star," Mel finished for her. "Is that what it is?"

Rhett nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess that's it."

"Well, get over it." Finished with her hair, Mel turned to face her sister, arms crossed. "You can't compartmentalize the man, Rhett. He is who he is, and the guy who remembered you like the sound of rain is the same guy who makes your panties damp when he sings. There's no 'James' and no 'Collinsworth.' It's just Rhys. And if you can't handle that part of his life then you need to cut him loose and move on."

Shame burned through her when she realized Mel was right. She had been putting different aspects of Rhys into neat, tidy compartments just to make herself comfortable. Was she that petty and small that she expected him to suppress part of himself just because she found it overwhelming? God!

"I'm such an idiot," she said in a small voice. "And a selfish one, too. How could I do something like that?"

A sympathetic smile replaced Mel's frown. "Hey, you've never met anyone like him before, okay? And you've been nuts about him since you were a kid. I guess you just had to find some way to deal with that in your head."

"But it's wrong. You said it, he is who he is." She pressed her lips together for a moment. "And I don't want to cut him loose."

"Then suck it up, buttercup, and accept all of him. Because all of him appears to want you, Rain Man and Rock Star." Mel put a soft hand on her sister's cheek. "I know it's been a long time for you, but you need to realize you're a beautiful woman and you've still got it going on. And Rhys? He's a nice guy, Rhett. I mean, that thing with the rain today? That was a pretty special thing to do." A sly smile lifted a corner of Mel's mouth. "And so was that kiss, right?"

An embarrassed little laugh shook Rhett's shoulders. "Yeah, it was pretty special."

With a last pat on Rhett's cheek, Mel crossed to the bed and picked up her handbag. "Well, since you've given yourself time to think, you need to think about how you're going to let Rhys know the reason you hightailed it out of there today wasn't because you didn't like where things were going. Don't give me that look. The guy's probably sitting up there thinking he's finally run into a woman who doesn't want him, and you need to figure out a way to let him know that's not the case."

Rhett bit her lip in panic. "How do I do that?"

Mel shrugged. "Just put on some Rolling Stones and think about it. You're a woman who's hot over a man, right? You'll come up with a way."

12

I lead two totally separate lives. There are times when I have to slip into rock star mode.—Martin Gore

Rhys grabbed the to-go cup of coffee from his car's console and shut the door. As he clicked the remote and walked toward the elevator, his mind ticked over what he still had to pack before he had to leave for the airport. His flight to Vancouver was scheduled to depart at three-thirty, so he'd need a car by at least one o’clock. Then...

"Rhys!"

He turned and saw Rhett's sister standing next to a deep red Mercedes GLK350, a bakery box in her hand and several thick newspapers under one arm. She smiled and tilted her head toward the sleek SUV.

"Just the man I needed to see. Climb in and let's talk."

For a moment he stood in indecision, but as she put the box and papers into the back seat of her car he shrugged and walked over to her. Still troubled by Rhett's abrupt departure the previous day and the resultant worry that he'd blown it with her, maybe a talk with her sister might shed some light on the situation. Couldn't hurt, anyway.

He climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle and glanced over at Mel. "All right. Let's talk."

She didn't waste any time. "I need to preface this conversation with two things. First." She held up a finger. "Rhett can never know we talked about this, or she'll come after me with a gun. And she's a Texas girl and knows how to use one. Second." Another finger rose to join the first one. "I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but women talk to each other about everything. Every. Thing."

His lips pulled into a wry smile. "Yeah, I discovered that years ago. Nothing's held back, right?"

"Right. Glad you're aware of that, because at least I know we're on the same page here." She lowered her hand to the charcoal-grey steering wheel and tapped her nails on it, the only outward sign that she felt as awkward as he did. "Look. The first thing you need to know is that Rhett didn't run out on you yesterday because she didn't like what you were doing or because she doesn't want you. She did and she does."

"Mm." Got right to the point, didn't she? He took a sip of his coffee so he wouldn't have to say anything.

"I don't know how much she's told you about her husband." She cocked a questioning brow in his direction.