"You said 'Lily,'" Sean replied. "Lily what?"
"It's not a Lily what. It's a Lily who. She's a woman I met last night. At this fund-raiser at the Copley."
"Hmm," Sean said.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
"Then just shut up!"
"Don't get pissed at me," Sean said. "I was just making conversation."
"Well, don't," Brian muttered. Silence descended on them again, both of them staring into their drinks. Then Brian cursed softly.
"Was she pretty?" Sean asked.
Brian nodded. "Yeah. And funny and smart and incredibly sexy. She was wearing this gold dress that made her look… wow. You know, I think she actually took my breath away. Did that ever happen to you?"
"Sounds like you have it bad."
"I spent one night with her."
"Tell me you didn't rescue her from some life-threatening situation," Sean said. "Or you're in big trouble."
Brian chuckled. "Naw, I didn't res-" He paused, his stomach sinking. "Oh, hell." He had rescued her, not from any danger, but from her boring companion! In fact, she'd even thanked him for the favor and he hadn't realized the importance of her words until now. "Yeah, I guess I did."
"Well, that's it then. Jaysus, Brian, haven't you been paying attention. Conor, Dylan, Brendan and Liam. Even Keely. It's a curse, you know. No one is immune. Not even you."
"Or you," Brian countered.
"Oh, no? I'm not crying in my club soda after a one-night stand."
"She wasn't just a one-night stand," Brian snapped.
"Did you hook up?"
"Yeah."
"Did you get her phone number? Did you make a date to see her? Are you planning to call?"
"No."
"Then it was a one-night stand."
"That makes it sound so… well, that's not what it was like. It was different. Besides, if I wanted to find her again, I could."
"Do you know where she lives?"
"No."
"You don't have her phone number. Did she tell you where she works?"
"No, but I have her name. Lily Gallagher."
"You sure that's her real name?"
"Stop talking like a P.I. If I wanted to find her, I could." In truth, Brian had been wondering about that same thing since the moment she'd dropped him off in front of the hotel. He could call the event organizers and get her address off the invitation list. He could call the limo company and find out who hired the car. Hell, he could look in the Chicago phonebook under Gallagher, if he really wanted to find her. "I don't believe in the curse," he finally said.
"Maybe you just had a close call," Sean said. "Be more careful next time. You just can't trust women."
Brian knew that Sean's feelings weren't entirely based on his own dating experiences. His distrust went back a lot further, back to their mother and her desertion of them when he and Sean were only three years old. Brian had no memories of Fiona Quinn when he was a child. They'd been told she'd left the family, then died in a car accident, a story fabricated by their bitter father. And now that Fiona Quinn was back in their lives, Brian had forgiven her past mistakes. Only Sean seemed to be carrying an old grudge.
"Ma is staying with Keely and Rafe," Brian said. "Keely called this morning and wants us all to come for a picnic on the Fourth of July. Now that she's getting her business moved up here, Fiona is thinking about moving, too. I think Keely wants to convince her that we all want her here. Are you going?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I'm busy. I'm going to be working on a case-out of town."
"What is your problem with her? You're an adult, not some pissed off little kid. She and Da had a tough time, they both made mistakes. If Da can forgive her, you should."
"I have my reasons," Sean said.
"What reasons?"
He shook his head, then reached for his Guinness and took a sip.
Brian cursed softly. "I swear, you are the most stubborn, selfish son of a bitch I've ever known."
"She cheated," Sean muttered.
"What?"
Sean kept his voice low. "Fiona. She was cheating on Da."
"How do you know that?"
"One night after the Mighty Quinn put into port, Conor sent me down to the pub to drag Da home. He was drunk. He was talking to some of his pals and he told them that he'd caught Fiona with another man. He said he'd kicked her out of the house and that he didn't expect her back. He didn't know I was there, that I'd heard."
"Geez, Sean, why didn't you say something?"
"What was I supposed to say? I never knew her. And the way Con and Dylan and Bren talked about her, she was like the goddamn queen of virtue and goodness and I believed that. I kept hoping she'd come home."
"What else did Da say?"
"I don't remember much of it. He was really drunk. Most of what he said didn't make sense." Sean sighed. "All those Mighty Quinn stories. Hell, I don't blame him. Turning over any control to a woman is dangerous."
"You've got to talk to Ma about this."
"Why? So she can make some excuse? She was supposed to love us. She was supposed to be faithful to Da. That's what marriage is all about. Till death do us part."
"People make mistakes, Sean. And marriage is difficult enough, without a husband who's away for weeks at a time and who drinks too much and who gambles his pay away."
"Are you saying she had a good excuse to cheat?"
"I'm saying you need to talk to her and get this out in the open. She wants her family back and you're part of that family."
Sean shoved his glass across the bar. "Tell Da that I'll tend bar tomorrow. I have to go."
Brian sighed as Sean strode to the door. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed so hard. But he'd been on edge all day and provoking his brother into an argument had simply been a reaction to his mood.
"I have to forget Lily Gallagher," he murmured. "I just have to forget her."
"I don't know what I'm doing here," Lily said. "Patterson hasn't explained what he needs." Grabbing a piece of paper, she sat down at her desk in the living room of her hotel suite. She slowly scribbled on the paper as she spoke to Emma Carsten, her best friend and co-worker at the agency. "We've got a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, so I guess I'll find out then."
"Why did you have to be in Boston this weekend?"
Lily drew a heart and traced over it again and again. "I don't know. I guess he wanted me to attend this benefit he was sponsoring so I could see what a good guy he is."
Emma and Lily had started work at DeLay Scoville the same month and had struggled through their first year together, calling on each other whenever they had questions. Now that they had more experience, they still discussed their clients with each other.
"Why would he come all the way to Chicago to look for a PR firm?" Emma asked. "There must be plenty of firms in Boston."
"I don't know," Lily said. "I'll have to ask him."
"He must know you're good with a scandal. Do you think he's got a scandal he wants you to fix?"
"If he does, I hope it isn't too messy or I'm going to be here for a while."
"So, what are the men like in Boston?" Emma asked. "Are they cuter than they are in Chicago? Did you meet anyone interesting at the party?"
Lily's breath caught in her throat. Brian Quinn certainly had been interesting. How many times had his image flashed in her head since last night? She'd expected to put the evening aside and get on with her work here in Boston.
But making love to Brian Quinn in the back of a limo had been the craziest, most dangerous thing she'd ever done. And rather than satisfy her desire, it only made her want more-more of his mouth and his hair and his incredible body. More of the need and excitement and shudders of ecstasy.
Lily swallowed hard. "I-I'm not here to meet men," she said. "I'm here to work."
Emma was silent for a moment. "Are you all right? You sound a little strange. Tense."
"No, I'm fine."
"Are you thin
king about Daniel? This assignment was probably the best thing for you. You'll put some distance between you and him and get on with your life."
In truth, Lily hadn't thought about Daniel at all-not since the moment she'd met Brian Quinn. "I'm over him," she said. "I'm moving on. From now on, I'm not going to let myself get caught up in romantic fantasies. In fact, I'm not going to let myself fall for any man."
"I think that's a good attitude to have," Emma said. "For now."
A knock sounded on the door. "Listen, I ordered a little snack and it's here. I'll call you on Tuesday after I talk with Patterson. Make sure you water my plants. And don't let the mail pile up." They said their goodbyes and Lily hung up the phone.
She flipped on the television as she crossed the room to the door, the sound of the eleven o'clock news filling the room. Though she'd had healthy salad and a diet soda in the hotel restaurant earlier that evening, she'd been craving sweets all evening long. She'd promised herself to get into a regular workout routine, but decided tomorrow would be a better time to start. Besides, she'd gotten a day's exercise walking around Back Bay and Beacon Hill, shopping and taking in the sights of the historic neighborhoods, learning more about the city that would be her home for the next few months.
But even with shopping to distract her, Lily's thoughts had returned again and again to the previous night. Even now, she felt her cheeks warm as she thought of what she'd done. Pausing at the door, she pressed her palms to her face. Why should she feel embarrassed? She'd decided what she wanted and she'd gone after it. Just because that involved unbridled lust and an earth-shattering orgasm didn't make it a crime.
"That's what I'll keep telling myself," she said.
Another knock sounded on the door and she pulled it open. A waiter stood outside with a tray. "Good evening, Ms. Gallagher."
"Hi," she said. "You can just put that on the table, thanks."
Lily followed him inside and signed the bill for the pie and ice cream, adding a generous tip. Richard Patterson was picking up the tab for her hotel, so why not? But as she was signing the check, a familiar voice drifted through the room. She froze, then slowly turned to face the television.
Lily's jaw dropped. There he was! Brian Quinn was sitting behind a news desk reading the news. She closed her eyes and cursed. Now she was imagining him on television, and not just in her bed or in the limo or showering in her hotel bathroom. She opened her eyes and stared at the screen, prepared to realize she'd been wrong. "Oh, my God," she murmured. "It's him."
"He's really good," the waiter said, nodding in the direction of the television.
She snapped her head around to look at him. "What?"
"That guy. Quinn. He did an investigation on the auto repair business in Boston. It was really an eye-opener. Two of the biggest dealerships in town were taking cars in for repair and they were deliberately breaking things, just so they could charge to fix them. And this Quinn just went in and stuck a microphone in their faces, daring them not to answer the tough questions."
Lily turned back to the television, her attention transfixed by the image on the screen. He really was a handsome man with his dark hair and beautiful eyes, those chiseled cheekbones and sculpted lips. A tiny shiver skittered through her as she listened to his voice. It was hard to believe this was the same man she'd been with the previous night. He'd never mentioned what he did for a living-although that had been one of their little rules.
"He usually doesn't read the news," the waiter said. "He's like an… investigative reporter. I read somewhere he's from Southie."
"Southie?"
"South Boston. Hometown boy. Working-class neighborhood."
Lily handed the check back to him. "Thanks," she murmured.
The waiter smiled and nodded. "Have a nice evening, Ms. Gallagher. Just give me a call if there's anything else I can get for you."
She didn't see the waiter leave the room. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on the television, slowly sitting down at the table. How odd it was to be looking at him again. When he'd left her last night, she'd assumed it would be the last time she saw him. And now, here he was, in her hotel room with her.
She grabbed a fork and dug in to the piece of apple pie a la mode, her eyes still transfixed by the news broadcast. This was not supposed to happen! She wasn't supposed to feel this way. A one-night stand was supposed to last just one night!
But now she knew where to find him. He wasn't just some stranger in the night, he was a man with a job and a home and people who knew him. If she wanted, she could dial the television station right now and leave a message. And when he got that message, he'd stop by her hotel room and they'd-
Lily glanced down at the pie then methodically devoured the remainder of it in four large bites. Then she snatched up the room service menu and dialed the kitchen. "Hello. Yes, Lily Gallagher in 312. I'd like a piece of lemon meringue pie and a piece of pecan pie. And send up one of those chocolate fudge brownie sundaes, too, as well as two glasses of milk. And hurry."
She hung the phone up and went back to the television, pacing back and forth in front of it. "Stick to your guns," she muttered. "Don't imagine something that isn't there. This is all about control."
Lily groaned and sat down on the end of the sofa to wait for her food. If she was in complete control, then why did she want another night with Brian Quinn, and several more after that? And why did she feel like gobbling down an entire pie? Lily covered her face with her hands, groaning softly. "What have I done?"
3
Lily sat in her office at Patterson Properties and Investments, staring out the window at the Boston skyline. She pushed up from her desk and peered down on the streets in the financial district, watching the traffic crawl along. Though Boston was beautiful, it wasn't Chicago. Lily sighed. She'd only been in town for only three days and she was already homesick.
After her breakup with Daniel, she'd decided to make some big changes in her life. She'd stumbled upon an old house for sale in the WickerPark neighborhood of Chicago and without really thinking about it, put in an offer. The act of purchasing a home had been her first step toward independence. From the time she'd left college, Lily had always rented, believing that her perfect mate would come along, they'd get married and buy a house together.
But now, she had a mortgage payment all her own and a house in need of a new roof. A promotion at work and a big raise would go a long way toward paying the bills. If she did a good job for Richard Patterson, Don DeLay would have to see her value to the firm.
The house in Chicago hadn't been the only change. Her mind flashed back to Brian Quinn. Her little one-night stand had been part of the plan, too-a part that she was fast growing to regret.
Lily turned away from the window. Why couldn't she put Brian Quinn out of her mind? Yes, the sex had been good… all right, great. Incredible even. But she had to believe that part of the excitement came from the spontaneity of the moment. Making love to him in the back of the limo had been dangerous and wicked, completely out of character for her.
After it had happened, she been pleased with the results. It had been everything she'd needed-at that moment. And she'd expected to relive the moments over and over again in her head, the memories of the passion so strong. But she'd never expected this nagging temptation, this need to see him again.
A knock sounded on her office door and Lily jumped, then calmed herself. She'd been so edgy! Was this a side effect of unbridled lust? "Yes?"
Marie, the administrative assistant assigned to her, poked her head inside. "Mr. Patterson will see you now, Ms. Gallagher. In his office."
"Thanks, Marie." She smoothed her skirt and tucked her notepad under her arm, then walked out of her office and down the hall to the elevator. When she stepped inside, she leaned back and fixed her gaze on the numbers above the door. This was exactly how an ordinary woman turned into a brazen hussy, she mused. All she could think about was sex, sex, sex. Had there been an attractive single man in the elevator, who
knows what might have happened?
"I need a hobby," she said. "Something to distract my mind. Pottery or kick-boxing. Maybe I could take singing lessons. I've always wanted to learn how to sing." She paused and glanced up at the security camera mounted in the corner of the elevator. "And maybe I should stop talking to myself now."
The elevator doors opened and Lily hurried out, making her way through the executive suites to the end of the hall. Richard Patterson's secretary stood as she approached. "Hello, Miss Gallagher. Is there anything I can bring you?"
"Coffee would be nice, Mrs. Wilburn," Lily said. "Cream and one sugar." She rapped on the door, then opened it and walked inside.
Richard Patterson nodded at her from behind a massive desk that was scrupulously organized. He pointed to a guest chair. "Good morning, Lily. I assume Mrs. Wilburn got you situated yesterday."
"She did. I have an office, an assistant and I met with your key people." Lily paused. "It looks like your public relations department has done a terrific job for you. But I still don't know what I'm doing here. You already have highly qualified people to do your PR. Why do you need me?"
He leaned back in his leather chair, bracing his elbows on the arms and steepling his fingers in front of his face. "There's a situation developing that may cause a bit of a crisis and I need someone experienced to handle it when it does. Someone from the outside, someone objective, to steer us through."
Lily studied his tense expression. "What kind of situation?"
"I'm working on a development project on the waterfront."
"The Wellston project," Lily said.
Patterson nodded. "As you know, getting a real estate project off the ground, especially one of this magnitude, can be almost impossible. There are layers and layers of red tape to cut through and if I can't cut through it all in an expeditious manner, I lose my investors and the project falls apart. The Wellston project was about to implode when I found a way to make it go."
"And?" Lily asked, a sick feeling growing in her stomach. "Or maybe I shouldn't ask?"
"I think it's best if you know everything. Let me just say that whether or not we broke laws is subject to the interpretation of those laws. We had to do some things that might not have been completely ethical. There are suspicions of impropriety. And certain people in the media have been gunning for me ever since I got approval on the Minuteman Mall project. They won't consider the… nuances involved in making a deal work. If the details of this story break, my investors will pull out and I'll be ruined. Patterson Properties and Investments will go under, taking hundreds of jobs with it. I need to make sure that story doesn't come out. I saw the way you handled that bribery scandal for that developer in Chicago. Can you do the same thing for me?"
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