Page 23 of Lilly
If you care for him like I know he doesyou.
Cling ontight.
Bumpyride.
You’ll never regretit.
My head is so all over the place that I gather up my stuff, leave a note next to Lucas and run as fast as I can. I need to get away before Mrs. Dalton appears and potentially starts filling my head with more thoughts I don’t need orwant.
I go down to the cleaners’ office. Thankfully, there is no one around. After finding an empty room, I head back up in the lift with the key in myhand.
I spread my stuff out across the double bed and try to carry on where I left off. The only problem is that all I do is stare at the blank sketchpad page in front of me. None of the wallpaper samples, paint colours or fabric swatches draw my attention. My sole focus is still on everything that happenedupstairs.
I don’t really understand how I got here. I was more than happy just cleaning rooms with either Eve or Imogen, and now? Here I am. I’ve slept with the boss, and I have his mother telling me not to let him push me away. I’m pretty sure I’ve been the one doing the pushing, though. Lucas was the one who went after the date, turned up even after I said no, and has since tried to spend more time with me. Granted, I haven’t seen him for two months until this morning, but I think that might have been because of his bruisedego.
I’ve discovered over the past year that when I need quiet time to work, finding an empty hotel room is perfect. No one knows where I am—they can’t interrupt me like Taylor would at home, or other students would at uni. I can hide away and gets loads done. It also helps that the rooms I’m currently designing are these exact hotel rooms. Using this hotel for one of my final projects has worked perfectly. I have access to most places, plus it’s in desperate need of an overhaul, so I can imagine my designs actually being put touse.
I get two hours of solid work in before my phone starts ringing. I ignore it and let it ring off the first time, hoping it’s someone ringing about my non-existent PPI claim, but no sooner has it stopped than it starts again. I reluctantly reach down and pull it from my bag. The second I see it’s an unrecognised number, I know exactly who it is. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to have a call thisquickly.
“Hello?” I answer, like I don’t know who itis.
“Where are you?” Lucas demands. I almost didn’t put my phone number on the note I left, but in the end, the idea of him being up there and needing something made me doit.
“I’m working, Lucas. Do you needanything?”
“Yes, I need something. You didn’t answer my question. Where areyou?”
I hesitate, because I shouldn’t really be occupying an empty hotel room for my own peace and quiet, but in the end I cave. “Room319.”
“You’re cleaning. I thought you only did my room,” he says, soundingconfused.
“I do. I’m…uh…using it to do uni work. I know I shouldn’t,but—”
“It’sfine.”
“What is it you needed, Lucas?” I know I might sound a little harsh, but he’s ruined my peace by demanding to know where I am like he ownsme.
There’s no response—he’s already hungup.
“Argh, you irritating man,” I moan to no one butmyself.
I sit back against the headboard and look at what I managed to achieve. I’m pleased with the designs I’ve come up with—they are a little edgy and unique. Definitely not the chain hotel look like the room I’m currently sitting in. I know Lucas is organising a refurbishment of this place, and I’m really intrigued to see what they do withit.
Bang, bang,bang.
I let my head fall back against the wall behind me with a thud. Why didn’t I think he’d just turnup?
I pull the door open and find a very rough looking Lucas staring back at me. The man in the doorway is almost unrecognisable from my perfectly put together boss. His hair is a mess and falling across his face. He’s got stubble on his chin and he’s wearing a white V neck t-shirt and grey jogging bottoms. If I saw him in the hotel, I don’t think I’d realise it was Lucas. He looks incredibly hot even though he’s got dark rings around his eyes. Those and his pale skin the only signs he’s ill. I feel my temperature increase and between my legs starts to throb as memories of our night together run through my mind. I shake the thoughts from my head and banish them. They are not helping thissituation.
“I would have come up if you’dasked.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” He’s right. I may not havedone.
“So did you actually need something?” I ask, stepping to the side as he pushes his wayin.
“Yes.You.”
My lips snap shut withsurprise.
