Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [9]
"I better switch from coffee," Millie said with a laugh.
"What kind of tea are we going to have?" Nan asked. "I've heard of green tea, but I know there must be lots of others."
"Lots," Paige agreed with a smile, "but I'll let Mr. Lo explain them to you." She looked up as a stooped, old man with thick black glasses and only a single tuft of gray hair on his balding head sat down at the table with them. "Mr. Lo. May I present Nan Delaney, her grandson, Riley McAllister, and her friend, Millie Crenshaw."
"Welcome. I am Yuan Lo." He set down a tray upon which there were several items—a shallow lacquered box, four small cups shaped like spools of thread, and four additional drinking cups. A moment later a waitress entered with a pot of tea that she set on a decorative hot plate. More small cups were also placed on the table.
Everything was so miniature that Riley felt as if he'd entered a child's tea party. He squirmed uncomfortably on the narrow chair, which was also too small. He tugged at the tie that his grandmother had insisted he wear and wished he was anywhere but here. He should have stayed in the lab. At least then he could have been bored in more manly surroundings. And he could have kept an eye on the dragon, maybe gotten some insight on how much it was really worth. Instead he was about to partake in some ceremonious, sanctimonious, hyped-up tea party.
"Relax, Riley," his grandmother said softly, as if she'd read his mind
"This has no purpose," he muttered.
"Of course it doesn't. Not everything in life has to have a purpose. Sometimes it's just about a little fun!"
Riley McAllister didn't like their tea, Paige decided. He'd stopped listening completely about the time Mr. Lo had begun discussing the differences among black tea, green tea, and oolong. While he obediently sniffed the scent of the tea leaves, and tasted at appropriate times, he didn't appear to be at all affected by the sensuous experience. She, on the other hand, was feeling warm, and a little dizzy. From the hot tea, she told herself, not from sitting next to Riley.
She had to admit he was an attractive man, with his raven black hair that was curly and thick and a little longer than it should be. His blue eyes blazed against his tanned cheeks, and there was a hint of a dark beard along the jawline. He wasn't the sophisticated executive she was used to seeing, but the rugged, extremely physical, very masculine sort of man that she almost never encountered. The kind of man who didn't tend to frequent high-scale gift and antique emporiums or museums, two places where she spent most of her time. Which was probably why she felt a little rattled around Mr. McAllister.
It was annoyance, irritation with his impatience, that made her feel hot and bothered, nothing more, certainly not attraction. Even if she were attracted, he obviously was not. He hadn't spared her more than a few disgusted glances in the last twenty minutes. It was clear that he wanted this over and done with, so he could get on with his life. She felt exactly the same way. She didn't need his condescension, his disinterest. She'd gone out of her way to entertain his grandmother, and she was sure her father would be making a more than generous offer to Riley and his grandmother in very short order. She didn't have a damn thing to apologize for, and she would not let him make her feel uncomfortable.
She straightened in her chair as the waitress brought over plates of food for them to sample. This was a lovely tea, and she was going to ignore Riley and enjoy it. At least Nan and Millie were fun. They chattered on, never seeming to notice the tension between Riley and Paige, which grew with each passing moment. She almost wished he'd talk. His silence, his unreadable expression bothered her. She was used to men who spoke about themselves,