Worth the Scandal by Karen Erickson

dig for the truth until finally he found it.
    And maybe…just maybe Alex didn’t want to know anything yet. Not that he suspected her. It wasn’t possible. She wasn’t savvy enough, wasn’t sophisticated enough to pull something like this off.
    He would do his own investigation. Prove to himself before turning her over to his brother that she could never be so disloyal to Worth.
    Or to him.
    “Looks like the relaunch went off without a hitch,” Hunter said.
    “It did. We had an excellent turnout and the media was there in droves. Great exposure.”
    “I know, I saw. Photos have already hit the web.” Hunter paused. “How’s Tessa?”
    “Tessa?”
    “Yeah, you know, your sexy little assistant? How’s she doing? Holding up while dealing with you?”
    “She’s working out—perfectly.” He gazed at the closed door, wishing he were with her right now, not listening to his brother drone on. Revealing bits of information he didn’t want to hear.
    “Got her into your bed yet?”
    “No.” Alex scowled when Hunter laughed.
    “Answered too quick, bro. I have a feeling you’re making the moves as we speak.”
    He hated that his brother was so close to the truth. “I’m not making moves on her, Hunter. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
    Hunter chuckled. “No need to sound like such a stuffed shirt. If you want to fuck her, I won’t hold it against you.”
    Alex’s skin chilled to the very bone, hearing what he was about to do with Tessa put so bluntly. Deep down, he knew it was the truth. He did want to—fuck Tessa. And she deserved so much more. “I need to go. Call me as soon as you learn more.”
    “Yeah, well if you remember anything, you do the same. Any bit of information you can think of is appreciated. This IT expert we have is like a forensics investigator. He’s putting everything together like pieces of an intricate puzzle.”
    “I’ll call you.” Alex hung up and tossed the phone on his bed.
    His mood was ruined. His erection long gone. There was no chance he’d spend the night with Tessa.
    He had too many things to consider. The first whether he could trust her.

Chapter Seven
     
    They’d traveled to Sweden and Norway, then on to Spain, Germany and finally they were in Paris for the next two nights before they made their final stop in London. It had been a whirlwind of a trip, constant traveling in the jet with Lora nowhere to be found, their days filled with press junkets and store openings. Tessa worked long hours, fielding phone calls, emails and inquiries for Alex throughout the day when she wasn’t helping supervise the events at the stores. Organizing and assisting, making sure everything went off without a hitch. Every single night she fell into bed exhausted.
    And always alone.
    After the night of the charity ball, when they’d been interrupted by a phone call, Alex hadn’t touched her. Nor had he talked to her about what happened. He’d come out to wish her a good night while she still stood where he left her, her dress falling down around her waist, body still humming with arousal.
    It was as if those few stolen minutes they’d shared never existed.
    She couldn’t deny his rejection hurt. She’d fallen asleep that first night crying so many tears her pillowcase had been damp. The next day she’d been befuddled, confused as to why he behaved like nothing ever happened. That he wouldn’t even acknowledge it hurt even more.
    Sadness, confusion, frustration and finally, anger had settled in. The one emotion that drove her on, made her determined to do a damn fine job on this blasted tour until they got back to New York and she’d discreetly ask for a transfer to another division within the company.
    Maybe Hunter was in need of someone on his marketing team, not that she had much experience in that area. Anywhere would be better than with Alex.
    At least, that’s what she told herself, especially late at night as she was trying to fall asleep, fighting her thoughts of