“Good evening everyone, I hope you are all having a great time. There will be lots of time for me to meet each of you but in the meantime please avail yourself to the all the amenities that have been provided. If you need something that is not readily available any of my staff would be happy to accommodate you. Lily can you come up here please.” He watched as she made her way through the crowd and came towards him. She turned to the crowd as she stood on the step below his.
“This is Lily; she is my personal assistant and the person responsible for putting all this together. In case of emergencies you can also contact her; she will always be able to reach me. Now, let’s adjourn to the dinner table shall we?” Jared tucked Lily’s hand through his arm and led her to the dining room where he pulled back the chair to the right of his own and seated her. They dined on a plethora of succulent meats, grilled vegetables and sweet wine, all laid out on the finest china that was a combination of several generations of Maguire marriages.
Jared mingled for several hours, dancing and talking to first one woman and then another. The evening progressed very well and would have been called perfect if the strained link between him and his best friend didn’t exist. She had yet to talk to him since the party started but acted like the perfect hostess, directing the staff discretely and carrying on light conversation with the guests.
It was late into the evening when the band started a slow bluesy tune and Jared had seen her in the arms of yet another adoring male for too long. He walked up to the dancing couple and tapped the man on his shoulder a little harder than was necessary.
“Excuse me, you don’t mind if I cut in do you?” Mingled with Jared’s icy stare it was more of a statement than a question. The man nodded and stepped back allowing Jared the space in front of Lily. She slipped into his arms easily but refused to look at him. Jared settled her in his arms and swayed to the music without effort, her head nestled in the notch between his shoulder and chest and Jared rested his cheek on the top of her head. He felt her relax and tightened his hold on her just a fraction more, it was by far closer than he had held any of the other women tonight. Why did he never notice before how perfectly she fit into his arms, not just his arms but also his life? Her left hand clutched at his back and the right was trapped under his much larger one over the steady beat of his heart.
The song ended as did their few minutes in heaven and Lily stepped away from Jared. Anything they might have said was interrupted by the departure of the guest for the night. The last person left, leaving the two of them alone in the foyer. An awkwardness that never existed between them now hung in the air.
“We need to talk Lily. We’ll go over the events from tonight and double check the plans for tomorrow.” He walked towards his office leaving her to follow behind him, never doubting that she would. Her professionalism was doing battle with her urge to run.
He waited until she closed the door behind her, making sure to keep the distance of the desk between them.
“I could tell them all to leave.” He said without any hesitation.
“No, why would you do that, your goal hasn’t been reached. You haven’t even gone out with anyone yet.” Again the clawing fingers of jealousy ripped through her chest at the thought of Jared and any one of those women.
“I wouldn’t need to if you married me.” It wasn’t a question. “Our lives already blend together and there sure as hell isn’t any doubt if we’ll be sexually compatible.”
Lily’s heart jumped at the word marriage, not daring to believe that it came from Jared lips and directed to her.
“That’s actually the problem in a nutshell. Why is this happening to us now? We’ve known each other for twenty-two years and nothing has ever happened, I’m afraid that this might just be a case of convenience and familiarity.” She was trying to be practical but Jared wanted noting to do with it.
“You need to finish this with an open mind and give all these women the attention you had intended in the first place. I don’t want you to settle for me because I’m handy; it would make us both miserable in the long run.”
“I understand that you think you’ll be moving to Dallas. When were you going to tell me about the job interview? He came around the desk to lean against its edge not two feet from where she sat.
“It’s been crazy around here recently and I didn’t have the opportunity.” She wondered how he found out but quickly remembered that nothing stayed secret for long in a household like this one.
“Didn’t have the opportunity to tell me you were leaving me? And when were you going to tell me about your date with Brian?” He glowed at her angrily and his anger fueled her own.
“I wasn’t going to tell you about my date; it’s none of your business.”
“Like hell it’s not my business, after what’s been going on between us? Men like him are used to women who know the score and will expect you to play the game. Do you have any doubt that if he touches you that I will likely kill him. I almost punched him out for dancing with you tonight.” Jared had always been possessive of her but also protective in a brotherly sort of way. The last few weeks proved that they weren’t related and his threat was savagely violent. It was a side to Jared that she had never seen before. The friendly banter between them seemed like something that existed in the distant past instead of just weeks ago. All that was left was heat and tension.
“I know that you’re aware that I don’t have very much experience when it comes to men and sex.” She ignored his heavy grunt and continued. “I won’t do anything I’m not comfortable doing but I also need know a little of what I’ve been missing. You will go on your date and I will go on mine. Don’t worry Jared, I’ll be alright.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek and he responded with the kiss to her forehead. He knew she was searching for a little of what was normal between them and he needed to defuse the situation. She seemed to breath easier when he released her without issue and left to go to her own place.
He would do as she asked and continue with his dating itinerary and he couldn’t stop her from going on her own date but she would have an unseen chaperone, Brian would never lay a finger on his woman and whether she chose to accept it or not did not change the fact that she definitely belonged to him. It wouldn’t be long before the only place she had to go was going to be upstairs in his bed and permanently installed in his home.
Chapter 12
Jared stared impatiently at the itinerary that was to be his life for the next two weeks His morning coffee took a little longer to get through as each of the ranch staff stared at him under lowered eyes and he had caught a couple of the cleaning ladies giggling behind there hands. He also noticed that each trip to the kitchen had them all giggling anew. What in the hell was going on? He wished he had the time to find out but the strict lines of the schedule said otherwise. He had an early horseback ride with Mitzi Boka a tri-county beauty queen that had aggressively sought him out last night. Next was a picnic by the shady pond with Laurie Black, who he didn’t seem to remember at all and finally dinner with Babs Fitzpatrick. She was the daughter of a business collogue that had mentioned his darling daughter and what a beauty she was every time he had ever run into Jared. Lily had once found a picture of Mr. Fitzpatrick and had drawn an apple in the center of the his eye and left it in his briefcase so that when he had opened it during a very important meeting he had almost burst into laughter; which would of course spoiled the image he was trying to project at the time.
Jared made his way to the east wing of the house where his guests were staying and collected Mitzi. She certainly was a beautiful woman, blond hair swept up in a complicated twist and clothes that fit her like second skin. She batted her eyes and found endless reasons to touch Jared, she reminded him of a rattlesnake just about to strike. Jared saw all of it and he felt nothing. It also became obvious to Jared that the woman knew nothing about horses; she seemed frightened of them and complained almost from the start about the odor of the animals. However, she seem
ed determined to try and it was the longest three hours that Jared ever spent. He was glad for it to end and took her back to her suite, gallantly bowing over her hand and thanking her for the date. She smiled widely, unaware that Jared had forgotten her completely as he turned and left. He had to grab a quick shower and get ready for date number two.
Ava sat in the kitchen of the main house talking to the ranch family. There was an excited buzz as she told them what she suspected and they all added what they had observed in order to collectively create a complete story. Just imagine, Jared and Lily, they had all started to give up when they were told of “The Plan” but there was hope yet. Maybe there was something they could do to help push the pair along, but what? Ava had placed items that belonged to Lily all over the house, a hair clip here and scarf that Jared had given her there. He would not be able to turn without some reminder of her. If they had only asked Jared he would have told them that he already knew what he wanted and that it was Lily that needed convincing.
The second date went as he suspected it would, Laurie Black was a cute twenty-five year old, but was so shy that trying to have a conversation was like pulling teeth. She blushed at every compliment and deferred to him on every occasion. They had spent most of the date staring at the water in uncomfortable silence, most of the food had remained uneaten as she had been too nervous to eat and Jared too much of a gentleman to eat without her. At the end of the date Jared thanked her for her time and she seemed as glad for it to be over as he was.
Again he returned to the main house and waited for the third and final date. He took that time to make arrangements for Lily’s unseen chaperone, her upcoming date never far from his mind. He also made sure that she was having dinner at the same place he had planned to take Babs. He picked up a familiar looking scarf and ran it absently through his hands; he inhaled deeply at the scent that clung to the material for a long moment. It was the first moment he had enjoyed all day.
Chapter 13
Lily rolled out of bed with a groan. Her eyes were heavy and filled with sand and it was all Jared’s fault. She did nothing but think of him for hours or was it days? This man that she knew so well, even better than she knew herself and yet suddenly there were countless things she didn’t know. The most shocking of course was the way her body was reacting to his. He set her on fire, gave her a fever that seemed to continuously burn in her veins. Her body had been humming since he kissed her two weeks ago and kicked into an almost painful pitch last night. When she did manage to finally fall asleep, he had invaded her dreams. The dreams had changed every time she had woken up and drifted off again.
One dream included a waterfall, one occurred in an open field on a hot summer day and yet another in a hayloft, but the one thing that remained constant was that it always consisted of her and Jared and bone melting lovemaking. It surprise her just how vividly real her dreams were, if you took into consideration that Lily had never yet had sex. She had woken up each time sweating and panting on the verge of satisfaction that never happened. She felt like she was given some sort of drug, unable to think reasonably and unable to cool down. She stood in front of her mirror and barely recognized herself, she was still getting used to the hair-cut but it was more than that, it was an awareness of herself as a sexual being for the first time and that Jared was able to unleash that part of her was amazing. She ran a light hand over her lips, then her breasts and finally her hips. She sighed and went into the shower hoping that it would shock her back into the person she was two weeks ago.
Lily dressed in a dark blue skirt that reached her mid-thigh and an ivory colored blouse that tucked in neatly and showed off the high swell of her breast to modest perfection. Her hands paused in the middle of tucking in her shirt as she remembered that Jared really had asked her to marry him and it wasn’t a part of her dreams. He had asked her to marry him and she had said no. Her hands shook as she completed her dressing rituals. She had a job to do and she was late for work, she chanted her work ethic all the way to the main house.
Jared had his first three dates today and Lily tried not to think of what was going on between the women or current woman and Jared. It was after lunch by the time she got into her office and any hopes of avoiding Jared today was shot when he came into her office. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, whistling nonsense and fussing with a very feminine scarf that he had tied around his neck. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight he made; he looked like an undecided gay decorator.
“Take the scarf off Jared; it’s not your color. It’s mine anyway, I was looking for that yesterday but couldn’t find it anywhere.” He took the scarf off and tucked it in his back pocket. “Hey, that’s mine. You gave it to me and you can’t take it back.” Jared pretended not to hear her.
“Why don’t you come and get it?” He challenged softly. His eyes took in the blue skirt that showed off her legs and the blouse that showed the roundness of her breast and failed to hide the protrusion of her erect nipples. Jared’s body went stiff with a need that hadn’t fully subsided in days.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, I’ll just get it later.” She caught the look in his eyes and quickly went around the owner’s side of the desk and sat down. She had started to perspire as the images in her dreams met the man from her dreams.
“How did the dates go Prince Charming?” She held her breath waiting for his answer. He groaned in disgust as he flopped down in her spare chair and looked at her suspiciously.
“You found women like those on purpose to torture me didn’t you?”
“What are you accusing your fairy godmother of my dear prince?”
“The first one tried to eat me and the second one could barely look at me without blushing. I should have checked that mailing list a bit closer. I’m afraid to know what tonight might bring or rather whom it’s going to bring. I don’t know if I can survive two weeks of this, especially when I already know who it is I want.” He stared at her pointedly.
Lily fought the urge to pat her hair into place, a nervous gesture that Jared was aware off. She had done nothing but drink in the sight of him since he had come in the room and felt uncomfortable with the forming mix of friendship and sexual tension. Jared didn’t seem to be bothered but it at all. It appeared that she was the only one that had been unaware of the masculine appeal that had been in front of her for the past twenty-two years. He was the same man he had always been but was suddenly so much more to her.
“I would love to be a fly on the wall tonight; I hear that Babs is a real treat.” She giggled like a girl with a secret.
“Well, now it’s my turn to be the wish granter. I want you there tonight.” He sounded like he boss again, giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed.
“But, I have a date tonight.” She protested, more due to the tone of his voice than his request.
“I know, if you have to, you can bring what’s his name along” He wasn’t happy about the prospect.
“You know very well that his name is Brian and besides you need to be concentrating on your date and me on my date. A double date will be a huge mistake.” Jared knew she was right because the first time he saw Brian slide his hand off of the table to touch any part of Lily he would probably try to stick him with a fork. He was not giving any man a chance at his woman.
“It will be fine, just tell him that you had no choice that your boss demanded it and besides, I need a familiar face tonight. I feel like I’ve been conducting interviews or being interviewed since I woke up.”
She shook her head in resignation. “OK”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at seven.” He turned to leave the office like it was a done deal.
“Not so quick mister. My date will pick me up at seven and we will meet you at the restaurant.” She had to draw the line somewhere.
“Oh yeah, your date. I forgot for a minute. “He looked sheepish.
“Sure you did” She didn’t believe that for a minute.
His expression gre
w serious again as her stared at her.
“Don’t let him touch you Lily. It won’t go well for him tonight if I think he’s tried to sample what belongs to me. I’ll play out this game you insisted on but don’t think for a minute that the same rules apply to you.” Lily swallowed hard. She had never heard Jared speak like that before, not about anything or anyone. He left no doubt that he considered her his possession, guarding her jealously. He didn’t intend to share her with anyone.
Chapter 15
A few minutes after she closed the door to Brian she had to open it to the furious pounding of Jared. She knew there would be a confrontation about the dinner and consequent disaster but she had hoped that it would have waited until tomorrow or next week or even forever but no such luck for her.
“You don’t have to break the door down, you have a key remember?” The best defense was a good offense, right? She stepped back to let him in the house. He had no right to be so intimidating with that black scowl marring his beautiful features. Brian had been a perfect gentleman all evening and Jared had treated him like an invader, Lily like she was invisible and Babs with tolerance. Then he totally confused her with his hands off attitude but only for a little while. She knew that he was just saving it up for when he could get her alone.
“Where is he?” he asked furiously.
“Where is he who?” she felt like an owl.
“Your little friend from tonight, Brian” he made the name sound like a dirty word. She didn’t know what made her push him even further.
Rules about Lily Page 4