Page 15 of Lilly
Chapter Four
Lilly
Iwake with a start.Something’s not right. When I open my eyes, I know immediately what itis.
Lucas is propped up with his back against the headboard and he’s looking down at me with an amused expression. I blink a couple of times, thinking I’m seeing things, but then the memories of last night slam intome.
Oh holy cow, I slept with my boss and he’s still in my bed. Naked.Crap.
“Good morning,beautiful.”
“Oh my God,” I whisper before diving under the covers. I can’t believe I’ve done this. I should never be allowed to drink wine ever again. I’m naked, in bed, with my boss. I mean, could I screw this whole situation up any more? I was just meant to be cleaning his room, and now look. I was more than happy when I thought he was a smooth-talking businessman, but now I’ve seen that’s only one side of him. Last night, he was anything but. I’m in trouble. Serioustrouble.
“Lilly?”
I feel the duvet being tugged and hold tighter as I try to come up with aplan.
“Lilly, for fuck’s sake, comeout.”
I let go of the duvet at his demand and sit up. I keep it clutched to my chest and focus on my chest of drawers at the other side of the room. I’m scared to look at him. I’m scared for a couple of reasons. One, because all that bad boy in the bedroom that I’m remembering might have just been a good dream, and two, if I see him naked when I’m sober, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to look at him the same again. Every time I do, his suits will melt away and I’ll be seeing his tannedskin.
When I pluck up the courage to say something, it’s definitely the wrong thing. “Shouldn’t you be at work orsomething?”
“I’ve cleared my schedule. I thought we could spend the morning together, get breakfast or something.” The hurt in his voice surprisesme.
“I’ve got to go to work, Lucas” I snap a littleharshly.
“Ring in sick. I’m sure your boss won’tmind.”
“I can’t. I can’t just blow off work to hang out with you. I need that job, the money. Just because I made the stupid decision to go out with you—and sleep with you—last night, doesn’t mean I don’t have to do myjob.”
Lucas is silent for a minute and I almost apologise because it did come out a little harshly. I won’t allow him to give me special treatment though, just because I slept withhim.
“Fine,” he states. “I was only suggesting it for this morning. I’ve got more important things to be doing anyway.” With that, he flings the duvet back and gets out of bed. His sudden movement makes me look his way and I wish I hadn’t, because he’sperfect.
We both stare at each other for a few seconds, me admiring his perfection and he, I guess, waiting for me to change my mind. It’s right there on the edge of my tongue, but it’s wrong. I won’t doit.
When he breaks eye contact with me, I feel like bursting into tears. I don’t want to admit to myself how much I would like to spend the morning with him. Instead, I focus on what I should be doing, on what is right. That is, until he turns and I get a full view of the tattoo I only caught glimpses of last night. His entire back is cover with a stunning black and grey phoenix. The artwork is incredible. My breath catches when I see it, and his body pauses when he hears my reaction. He soon rights himself though, and starts pulling on hissuit.
Then he’s gone without so much as a goodbye. Did I just play that allwrong?
“Oh my God,” I groan when I get out of bed. I can’t believe how much everything hurts. My muscles pull and ache as I grab my dressing gown from the back of my door and pull it around me. I’ve always been pretty agile with all the yoga, but I never went back to classes after I was given the all clear. I couldn’t bear to go out in public in my usual crop top and leggings, so I’ve stuck with doing the odd bit in the flat every now and then. I hadn’t realised how out of practice Iam.
I hobble my way to the bathroom for a hot shower. I lean back against the bathroom door and breathe a sigh of relief that I made it without bumping into Taylor on the way. No doubt he’ll have a million and one questions for me. His bedroom might be the other end of the flat, but I know for a fact that noise travels pretty well in this place, so there will be no denying what went on lastnight.
“Lilly, get your skinny arse out here now!” Taylor shouts through the door as soon as I turn the shower off. He bangs on it a crazy number of times—just in case I didn’t hear, Iguess.
“Really?” I mutter under my breath. I was hoping to escape the flat without an inquisition. I should really knowbetter.
I pull the door open to find Taylor stood there with his hands on his hips, lookingimpatient.
“I want all thedetails.”
“Don’t you haveuni?”
“Don’t change thesubject.”
I get dragged to the sofa and questioned about the first part of the evening. Where he took me, what we ate and drank, what I found out about him, how much he spent. The questions get much harder to answer when he moves on to what happened here. I don’t know why he bothers asking, because it’s clear he heard everything. He’s had enough experience to picture what we were upto.
