by Leanne Banks
His lips twitched. “There’s a galley kitchen across the hall. Laundry chute in my closet.”
Tugging off his tie, he released another shirt button. Lilli was struck by the sight of his tanned fingers against the white shirt. He truly was an amazing male. She wondered how many women had shared his bed. No chains needed for him.
She cleared her throat and tried to move her mind in a different direction as he tapped on the keyboard. “Just curious, but do you even know how to do laundry?”
He glanced at her and gave a cryptic smile. “Yes, I know how. We were required to learn in boarding school, along with basic mechanics, financial management, survival skills and cooking.”
“You can cook?” she said in disbelief.
“I make a damn good omelet, can broil a steak with the best of them and I was recognized for making the best grilled cheese sandwich in my class.”
She couldn’t stifle a laugh from his defense of his culinary abilities. “Nothing chocolate in your repertoire?”
He shot her a level glance. “I buy only the best.” He looked at the screen. “Here we are. Instructions for assembling your crib.”
She joined him to look at the screen, surprised at how fast he’d found the instructions. “How did you know what kind?”
“I looked at the brand and model before I left the nursery.” He hit the print button and seconds later, they returned to the nursery armed with instructions.
An hour later, they proclaimed victory as Lilli put in the final screw. “We did it,” she said, punchy with excitement. She lifted her hand for a high five. “I hate to say it, but I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks.”
“My pleasure,” he said, his hair mussed from raking his fingers through it. She’d known he’d spent the entire time itching to do the work himself. He’d offered and insisted every five minutes, but she’d demurred. “If only everything were this easy,” he said, offering his hand to help her up from the floor.
Her knees cramped from staying in one position too long, she wobbled as she stood. Strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her against his warm body.
Bracing herself on his arms, she was immediately distracted by the sensation of him, smooth skin over hard muscle. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her belly meshed with his and her thighs just barely touched his trousers.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice.
Her heart pounding a mile a minute, she nodded and barely managed a whisper. “Yes. I guess I sat a little too long.”
He slid his hand through her hair, surprising her with the sensual but tender gesture. “You stopped seeing my brother months ago. How is it that you don’t have a man in your life now?”
She swallowed hard. “I’m pregnant.”
“And no man has approached you?”
“No.” She closed her eyes, trying not to sink into a helpless puddle on the floor. He felt so strong, so good. The intimate sound of his low voice both soothed her and wreaked havoc with her nervous system. “I didn’t want a man in my life. I don’t know if I ever will,” she said, remembering how victimized she’d felt.
He gave a low laugh that caught her off guard. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
She looked up at him, searching his face in the low lighting. “No. I’m not.”
“Every woman has needs,” he said.
“I don’t,” she told him, because it had seemed all her sexual needs had disappeared. “Not for a long time.”
“How can you say that? You’re attracted to me,” he said and slid his fingertips from her hair to her throat.
“That doesn’t mean I want to have sex with you,” she said, but her skin was heating and her heart was racing.
“I could make you want to be with me,” he said. “I could make you want it more than you ever have.”
For a sliver of a moment, she believed him and the possibility sent her into turmoil. She had to shut this down once and for all. She took his hand and put it on her belly. “There will always be this between us,” she said. “Always.”
Max returned to his suite and poured himself a glass of red wine. There was something electric between him and Lilli. He could feel it in his skin and deeper in his gut. She was a little afraid of him, but still determined to hold her own. That attracted him even more. She was resolved to push him away, but she was fascinated by him. He could see it in the way she looked at him, hear it in her quick intake of breath and he felt it in her response to him.
The passion she tried to hide got to him more than any other woman’s overt seduction had. He was still aroused from being so close to her.
Plowing his fingers through his hair, he walked to his office and pulled out another legal proposal from his attorney. After watching what had happened to his brother because his guardian had been permissive and irresponsible, Max couldn’t stand the idea of another De Luca plunging down the same path.
He suspected Lilli would never sign a document giving him guardianship unless she became ill, and she might not even sign it under those conditions.
There were other options, though. Other ways to make sure this De Luca was raised properly. His attorney had outlined each of them. Some were more costly than others, and not just in terms of money. Rubbing his chin, he remembered when he’d got the news of his brother’s death. The feeling of loss and despair had slammed into him like a concrete wall.
He would never let the same thing happen to another De Luca. Never.
Four
The next evening, after a full day at work, Lilli entered the De Luca house to the sound of jazz music, tinkling glasses and animated conversation. She’d noticed a few extra cars in the driveway, but she hadn’t known what to expect once she got inside.
The scent of grilled food permeated the house, making her mouth water and her stomach growl. Then she remembered. This must be the barbecue gathering Max had mentioned the other day. All she wanted was a sandwich and she could fix that herself. Heading for the kitchen, she found two men and two women preparing food and placing it on serving trays.
A large bald man barked orders from one end of the large kitchen island. The man pinned her with his gaze as she approached the island. “No guests in the kitchen, bella,” he chided and pointed to himself. “Louie can’t have you stealing secrets.”
This was Max’s fabulous chef. She hadn’t had a chance to meet him yet because he seemed to cook and disappear.
“I’m not really a guest and I won’t steal your secrets. I just want to make a peanut butter sandwich. It won’t take a minute.”
He gasped in horror. “Peanut butter sandwich, when you can eat this?”
“I need to make this quick,” she said, more than ready for the solace and quiet of her room. She stepped behind the island. “I just want to take it to my room. Upstairs.”
Louie’s eyebrows shot upward. “Upstairs? You are a special friend of Mr. De Luca. Only the best—”
“No, no, I’m sure he doesn’t think of me as a special friend.”
“I don’t know why not,” a man said from behind her.
Lilli whipped her head around to look at a tall, muscular man with brown hair and luminescent green eyes. “Alex Megalos,” he said with a smile as he stood on the other side of the kitchen island.
“Nice to meet you. Lilli McCall.”
His eyes crinkled when he smiled. She liked that. She liked that he smiled at her instead of frowning. But she felt the need to disappear. She didn’t want to call attention to herself. “I really should go,” she said. “This is a business gathering.”
“No reason we can’t mix business and pleasure. Let’s get you a drink. Come out on the patio.”
Lilli shook her head again. “Thank you, but I—”
Max stepped into the kitchen and Lilli felt her heart take an extra beat. “When did the party move in here?”
“Max, you’ve been holding out on us. How did you lure this angel into your dark castle?”
Max met
her gaze and she took a deep breath. A snap of electricity crackled between them. “Just lucky, I guess,” he said.
“Well, if you need anyone to take her off your hands,” Alex ventured.
Max shot him a sideways glance. “Always competing,” he said, then turned to the chef. “Louie, the lady is hungry.”
“We can’t have that,” Louie said and quickly put a plate together.
“Max, don’t be so greedy. You’ve already got Kiki,” Alex said. “Share her with the rest of us. She should join us tonight.”
Lilli stared at Max in panic.
“If you would like—
“I wouldn’t,” she said. “Like,” she added, gulping and shot Alex an apologetic look. “I’m a little tired. Thanks, though.”
“I’m crushed,” Alex said. “Maybe I could give you a call when you’re rested.”
Confusion rolled through her as she watched a beautiful brunette appear from behind him. “Max, sweetheart, you disappeared,” the woman said.
He turned to the woman. “Kiki, I’ll be back before you finish your next drink. I need to take care of a personal matter.”
The woman looked at Lilli and lifted one of her perfectly arched eyebrows. “Is this the personal matter?” She narrowed her eyes.
“I—uh—need to go,” Lilli said.
“No need to rush,” Alex said.
“Exactly,” Kiki said.
Lilli felt as if she were suddenly surrounded by vipers. There were too many competing agendas for her comfort. “All I wanted was a peanut butter sandwich,” she murmured.
Kiki snickered. “How charming.”
“Here’s your plate, bella,” Louie said.
“Bless you,” she said. “Thank you. It looks delicious.” She turned to Alex and Kiki. “It was nice to meet you. Have a lovely evening.”
“I will,” Kiki said and slid her hand around Max’s well-developed bicep.
Lilli nodded, feeling an odd combination of emotions, most of which she didn’t want to examine. “Good night,” she said and stepped from behind the kitchen island.
Kiki’s jaw dropped. Alex blinked.
They were looking at her pregnant belly.
“Want Lilli all to yourself for the rest of the evening?” Max asked, shooting Alex a sly grin. He winked at Lilli and his humor helped her get through the incredibly awkward moment.
“Uh…uh…” Alex seemed unable to pry his gaze from her belly. He cleared his throat and closed his eyes then forced his gaze upward. He exhaled and smiled. “Hell, I bet she would be more fun than you are. And trust me, Lilli, I’m a lot more fun than Max.”
“Who is the lucky father?” Kiki asked in a strained voice.
Lilli glanced at Max. “Um, it’s—”
He met her gaze. “That’s between me and Lilli.”
Kiki’s face tightened with suspicion. “That’s a little vague, darling,” she said with an edge to her tone.
“Kiki, this is not the place for this discussion,” he said. “Louie will be upset if we don’t enjoy his meal. I’ll talk to you later,” he said, looking at Lilli.
“That’s okay,” she said, feeling her nerves jump in her stomach. “I’m hitting the sack early tonight. Very tired. Thank you again, Louie. G’night. Enjoy your evening,” she said and scooted out of the room, thankful that Kiki wasn’t armed. Otherwise, she was certain she would be so dead.
While Lilli ate, she watched a boring show on her flat-screen television. Afterward, she took a shower and went to bed, but didn’t fall asleep. Pulling a book about newborn care from her nightstand, she added to the list of items she would need to purchase for the baby.
A knock sounded on her door and she tensed, but didn’t answer. The knock sounded again and she held her breath.
“I know you’re not asleep,” Max said. “I heard you walking around three minutes ago.”
Lilli frowned. She’d gotten a drink of water from the attached bathroom. Sighing, she rose from the bed and opened the door.
Max stepped inside and closed the door behind him. His gaze fell over her body, and he gave her a bottle of water and a cookie. “You’ve charmed my chef. Louie said you looked like you could use a cookie.”
“Thank you,” she said, appreciating his kindness. “But I’m sure it’s because he thinks I’m a special friend of yours, even though I told him I’m not.”
“It’s safe to say we have a special relationship,” he said. “A bond, in a way.”
His tone made her stomach dip. “Speaking of special friends,” she said. “Just curious, was there a particular reason you didn’t tell Kiki the real father of my child?”
“Yes. For safety reasons, I’ve decided it’s better not to comment on your relationship with Tony. There are too many people he owes.”
“Oh,” she said, remembering the threat and feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach. She sat down on the bed. “I keep trying to forget about that.”
“Don’t,” he said, moving toward her. “You need to be on guard when you go out in public. People will try to take advantage of you if they know of your association with the De Lucas.”
“I don’t think my real friends would dream of taking advantage of me,” she said and put the cookie and bottle of water on the nightstand. The soft glow of the bedside lamp intensified the intimacy of the moment. He was close enough that she could smell a hint of his cologne and masculine scent. She could almost feel him.
He gave a cynical smile. “People will always try to take advantage of you when you have money.”
“You forget,” she said. “I don’t really have any money.”
He sat down beside her on the bed and studied her. “That could change,” he said.
Feeling his gaze on her, she looked at him. The expression on his face affected her in a strange way. “How?”
“There are options,” he said.
“If this involves that crazy contract,” she began.
“We won’t discuss it at this late hour,” he said. “Alex asked me to give you his card. He couldn’t stop talking about you.”
“That didn’t have anything to do with me,” she said, her hair drooping over one of her eyes. “I could tell he was only interested because he liked the idea of taking something away that he thought was yours. Just a game.”
“You’re right that Alex is very competitive with me, but you underestimate your appeal,” he said and lifted his hand to her hair.
Her heart fluttered. She could have pushed him away if she’d had the inclination, but she couldn’t find it anywhere inside her. He slid his hand over her cheek and then down to her mouth, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip.
Her skin tingled everywhere he touched. She swallowed hard. “Why are you touching me?”
“You don’t like it?” he asked, his dark gaze meeting hers. “There are so many reasons you should be off-limits.” He moved closer. “But I like the way your skin feels. I like the way you look at me when I touch you.”
She inhaled a shallow breath and caught another draft of his spicy scent mixed with cologne. In some corner of her mind, it occurred to her that she’d never been this close to such a powerful man. He knew who he was and what he had to do, and he was the kind of man who would make whatever he wanted a reality.
For Lilli, it was like getting up close and personal with a wild tiger. At the same time, he was solid and strong and she knew he would never force a woman. He wouldn’t need to. And to have him looking at her as his object of desire made her dizzy.
“There’s something about you,” he said, gently urging her mouth open so he could slide his thumb just inside to her tongue. “Wide blue eyes with secrets, a sweet smile.” He glanced downward. “You make me curious.”
Lilli was shocked at how quickly her body responded. She’d considered herself sexually dead, but she felt her skin heat and the tips of her breasts tighten against her white cotton gown.
He saw it, too. She knew it by the expression on his face.
“I shouldn’t want you,” he muttered and slid his hand around the back of her neck. “But dammit, I do.” He lowered his mouth to hers and took her lips in a kiss that made her lose track of time and space.
His tongue slid over hers and she felt herself respond. It was all instinctual. Her heart pounded in her head and her blood pooled in secret, sensitive places. Every second that she felt his warmth, his touch, she was shocked by her immediate response to him. Something inside her could not push him away.
She felt him lower one of his hands to her breast. Air caught somewhere in her throat as he caressed her through her gown. He rubbed the palm of his hand over the side of her breast and she shivered, pressing up against him.
He gave a low groan of approval and drew his hand closer to her nipple, but not quite touching it. She felt the peak of it stiffen against her nightgown, aching for his touch.
Full of wanting, she held her breath.
He finally pushed the top of her gown down and slid his thumb over her nipple. She couldn’t swallow a moan of relief with a twinge of frustration.
He pulled his mouth from hers and slid his lips over her skin, down her throat and collarbone. A riot of sensations shot through her. She wanted him everywhere at once.
His other hand slid over her back, massaging her, holding her in a solid embrace. The combination of security and caresses hit her physically and emotionally.
He looked up at her, dark desire in his eyes. Swearing under his breath, he shook his head.
Pulling back, he rose from the bed and prowled toward the window. Moonlight spilled over his profile as he raked his hand through his hair.
Lilli drank in a gulp of air, trying to clear her head. Shocked at herself, she tugged her gown back in place and tried to make sense of what had just happened. That night after she’d broken up with Tony, the night made doubly awful because she couldn’t recall it, she’d changed. She’d known she would never be the same. She would never be able to let a man touch her again unless she trusted him.
Why should she trust Max? There was no good reason. But something inside her did. Either that or she was crazier than she’d thought she was.