Again, the royalty imagery came to mind. Was there something going on in her head that she couldn’t seem to get away from that kind of thinking when it came to the two men in her life?
But George wasn’t really a ‘man in her life’. Not really. And yet, images of the two of them yesterday flashed back at her and she blushed, her body coming to life at the memories. With a sigh, she pushed them away, reminding herself that she was technically engaged, even though she’d tried to stop the wedding several times with Phillip. She couldn’t think about…the way George had touched her yesterday. The way he’d made her body come alive, his fingers sliding down her body, the way his mouth had…
Okay, so that was a pointless exercise and was likely to make her crazy. Hmm…crazier than she currently felt.
Lillian looked up and realized that Marie was still waiting for her to walk into Phillip’s office. Jerking to attention, her whole body seemed to stumble as she realized that she needed to move. “Yes. Right!” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She was procrastinating. This was going to be embarrassing.
Forcing her feet forward, she walked into Phillip’s office, smiling a thank you to Marie. The woman nodded efficiently at Lillian as she pulled the door closed. Closing Lillian in with Phillip. Closing the door with a snick that conveyed a sense of doom.
No, the door closing didn’t convey that doom. She’d been feeling it all morning. Well, to be honest, she’d been feeling it for the past several months, but especially since she’d pulled her clothes back on yesterday, realizing what she’d just done with George. She’d left him this morning in a mad rush, too confused herself to talk to him about what they’d done the night before. What they’d done over and over again. Her cheeks bloomed with color as she thought about…well, everything! She’d been voracious last night…completely unlike her normal, reserved self when it came to sex.
“Lillian!” Phillip called out as he came around his desk. “What a nice surprise. What brings you to my office in the middle of the day?” He lowered his head to kiss her cheek and Lillian wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to have sex with Phillip. Cold and boring? Mechanical? Probably. She simply didn’t feel any kind of passion towards Phillip. She’d known this for months, why hadn’t she asserted herself before now? Why had she simply let this wedding happen? Phillip didn’t seem to be any more interested in her sexually than she was in him.
A giggle slipped out of her as she pictured writing numbers all over her body. Would he be interested in her sexually if she had numbers written on her stomach and breasts?
“What’s so funny?” he asked as he tucked her hand onto his elbow, leading her over to the sofa and chairs on the other side of his office.
She shook her head, trying to make the amusement disappear. For what she needed to discuss with him, amusement was the absolute last thing she should be feeling. This was serious. “Nothing,” she lied.
He looked down at her skeptically. “It seemed like something. And since you still look amused, I’d love to know.”
Lillian wiped all indications of amusement from her features, trying to be serious. “No. What I need to talk to you about is pretty serious stuff,” she told him.
He smiled, holding her hand sandwiched between both of his. “That sounds very dire, my dear. I’m sure it isn’t as bad as all that.”
She placed her other hand on top of his. “I’m afraid it is very serious,” she told him.
He nodded. “Okay. What’s wrong? How can I help?”
Lillian was once again charmed. “You’re such a sweet, gentle man.”
The man laughed, shaking his head. “Lillian, you’re the only person I know who thinks I’m sweet and gentle.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Just tells me that you’re perfect for me.”
Lillian groaned silently. “About that….” She said and stood up, walking away from him. She rubbed her hands against the summer wool of her pink dress, not sure how to start.
“Lillian? What’s wrong?” he asked, leaning against the back of the sofa.
She looked over at him, wondered why she didn’t have the same crazy attraction to Phillip that she felt towards George. But it had always been this way with George. The man had made her crazy over the past year, but since she’d never experienced attraction like that before, she hadn’t understood what she was feeling.
After last night, there was no use denying it any longer. Their anger over the past few months was only due to unsatisfied lust. A lust that…well, it had been temporarily satisfied last night, but…just thinking about seeing George made her body throb with the need to touch him again. To feel him touching her and doing all of those things again. She shivered, thinking about some of the things he’d done to her last night. The way she’d felt when he touched her, or when he…
“Lillian? Are you feeling okay?”
She swung around, bringing her mind back to the present. “I’m fine!” she gasped, hoping she hadn’t revealed something to him just now. Then she looked into his handsome face and shook her head. “No. I’m not fine.” Clenching her hands together, she bowed her head. “I’ve done something terrible, Phillip.”
He laughed. “Did you get the wrong flowers for the reception?”
Her head snapped up with that question and she glared at him, shocked. He’d never patronized her before. And yet, she’d never told him about her dreams either. She’d allowed him to believe she understood all of this hedge fund stuff and knew that he was anticipating her being a part of the management team. They hadn’t really defined her role though. That suddenly seemed…significant. “Do you really think I’m that superficial?” she asked him carefully.
His eyes widened and he stood up, taking her hands in his once again. “Lillian, you know that I don’t think that about you at all. I know what you are capable of. You’re an incredibly intelligent woman.” He smiled and put an arm around her waist. “You’re nervous about the wedding, aren’t you?”
She pulled out of his arms, irritated that he was treating her as if her biggest concern was the wedding plans. “Phillip, you do know that I haven’t done anything to organize this wedding. Our mothers hired a wedding planner and, between the three of them, they have done all of the work. I’ve barely even given my preference on the various choices to be made. It will either be perfect or not. I don’t give a damn either way. My mind is focused on things other than the wedding right now.”
His amusement vanished. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you curse before, Lillian.”
Lillian pulled back, irritated that the only issue he had with her entire statement was the fact that she’d used the word “damn”. Turning, she glared up at him. “Yes, well, I think this situation calls for a bit of cussing.”
Finally, there was a break in his calm. Irritation flashed through his brown eyes and she almost clapped her hands with excitement. “What situation? You haven’t told me what’s on your mind.”
The phone ringing on his desk stopped whatever she might have said. “Just a moment,” he told her and walked over to the phone. “Marie, I…” he stopped and listened, nodding a moment later. “Got it. Okay. I’ll be there in a moment.”
Lillian heard his words and felt as if she’d just been given a reprieve. He turned around and looked at her. “Honey, I have to go. Someone is waiting for me. Can we talk about this later?”
“Yes, of course. I arrived unannounced.”
He kissed her cheek. “Lillian, you can interrupt me any time you’d like. I’m honored to see you today.”
With that, he walked out of his office, saying something quickly to Marie as she handed him a file and gave him instructions. Through the doorway, she watched him nod at whatever Marie said to him, then both of them walked hurriedly down the hallway.
Lillian looked around at Phillip’s office. It was a strong, masculine office, but she’d never really thought of Phillip as abnormally strong. Then another thought hit her. She’d never real
ly kissed Phillip. Not a truly passionate kiss that made her knees wobble. Not the kind that made her want to rip his clothes off.
Not the kind of kiss that she’d experienced with George yesterday.
“Good grief,” she sighed and walked out of his office. “Marie, can you…” but the woman wasn’t there. “Of course she isn’t here. Why would she be here? Why would anyone be here when I need to talk to someone?!” she snapped and stomped out of the office.
Chapter 5
“Lillian!”
She heard her name being called, and even knew who was yelling her name. It was pretty hard to miss when George called out to her but even so, she increased the pace of her steps, wanting to reach her office before…well, before he caught up with her.
Although, what she was going to do when she got to her office, she hadn’t a clue but…even so, she still sped up, not ready to deal with George yet. She wasn’t ready to deal with anyone at this point. After her frustrating meeting, or non-meeting, actually, with Phillip, she needed a few minutes to herself. A few minutes to just pull herself together.
So instead of doing what was right, what would be considered polite, she hurried down the hallway. As soon as she stepped into her office, she closed the door, dumping her purse onto the middle of her desk.
Of course, George wasn’t anything like Phillip. If she’d walked away from Phillip, he would allow her a reprieve, call her later tonight, and ask her politely if she was okay. They would discuss any issues they had, the reasons why she’d walked away when she’d obviously heard him calling her and they would respectfully work things out.
That’s the southern way of doing things.
Of course, she would then go discuss the events with her friends and a few ‘bless your hearts’ might be uttered. But no one who had grown up in the south would simply barge into another person’s office uninvited. It simply wasn’t done!
Unfortunately, George hadn’t grown up in the south. So when the man barged in, she tried to remember that and not snap his head off. Also unfortunately, she couldn’t remember that she was supposed to be polite. All she could remember was being in his arms yesterday and the things he’d done. The things she’d done! The pleading for him to…continue.
“Lillian, what have…?”
She spun around with fire shooting out of her eyes. “How dare you come into this office uninvited and…!”
George didn’t stop at the doorway. He slammed the door and walked over until he was towering over her. Lillian leaned back against her desk, trying to maintain a bit of space between their bodies. Unfortunately, George wasn’t. Allowing space, that is. He leaned into her, forcing her to lean far back, almost toppling over. “What are you doing?”
George placed a fist on either side of her waist, glaring down at her. “I want an explanation.”
“For what?” she demanded, but she knew. Oh yeah, she was fully aware that she owed him an explanation for yesterday. And probably for a whole bunch of other times, but yesterday’s activities popped into her head.
“For why you walked out on me,” he growled. “I’d just walked out of the bathroom after throwing away…” she couldn’t let him finish that statement. It was too crass and just…well, too embarrassing.
“Nothing happened!” she told him firmly, holding her breath as she watched the shock come into those dark eyes of his. “Nothing at all! So you don’t…”
He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, pulling her hand from his mouth. “Lillian, are you seriously going to pretend that we didn’t have sex in your office yesterday? Multiple times, actually? Once right here on your desk, might I add?!”
She stiffened and tried to push his shoulders. But of course, the stubborn man didn’t budge. Not even an inch. “We aren’t going to discuss it,” she told him firmly, trying to pull a veil of dignity around her. Even though she’d come into the office today specifically to speak with him about what had happened. So where had all of her courage gone?! She wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t helping that he was leaning over her like this.
Nor was it helping that she was fully aware of every male inch of him. Every delicious, male inch.
She didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell him that he was possibly the most virile man she’d ever met. Even though he was. Lillian curled her fingers into a ball so she wouldn’t lift her hand, let her fingers slide against the man’s rough jawline. She didn’t really want to do that anyway. It was just…well, he was…um…handsome, and pretty raw, in a sexy, masculine kind of way.
“Get off me,” she whispered, but her trembling voice gave her away.
He didn’t move. In fact, the man actually smiled at her. One hand lifted from the desk, his finger trailing against her skin. She couldn’t stop the shiver in reaction, wanting that finger to continue. She wanted that hand to slide down, to move the material of her sweater out of the way so she could feel his rough fingers against her skin. She wanted…all of him. Now!
“Why should I?” he asked, tilting his head so that he was looking down at her breasts. That only caused her nipples to pucker. And darn it, she wasn’t wearing clothes that would hide her body’s reaction. She knew the exact moment when he saw her nipples press against the thin material of her sweater. She also was struggling to get enough oxygen into her lungs.
“Because I asked you to,” she said, thinking that should be enough of a reason.
“Your lips are asking me to move away,” he said, and she shivered when his hand released her wrist, moving down to her neck. Then lower. “But your body is telling me something else.” He watched as her nipple hardened as his finger circled the tip, causing her to moan and close her eyes. “Which should I be listening to, Lillian?”
She couldn’t breathe. Not with his finger doing that to her nipple. “This is…” she gasped when his other hand slipped underneath the sweater, his fingers searing her skin. “You can’t…”
“But I am,” he told her. “Tell me to stop if you really want me to. I’ll stop touching you, walk out the door and we can forget that yesterday, and the past few moments, ever happened.” His fingers moved higher, sliding against her spine and she gasped, her hips shifting against his. She felt his body reacting just as quickly as hers, but that offered her no comfort.
She knew she should tell him no, but when his hand was doing that on her back, she couldn’t really think all too well. Her body was doing the thinking on its own and…it was telling her to let him continue.
“You’re not telling me to stop, Lillian.” And then she couldn’t say anything because he was kissing her. It was just as hot and amazing as yesterday, not to mention shattering her mind as well as dissolving her resistance in one, fell swoop. His tongue teased, his teeth nipped and she moaned when her arms wrapped around his neck as desire melted away any resistance. She wanted him. Now!
He lifted her up and shifted her on her desk, moving so that he was between her legs and pushing her black skirt higher on her thighs. It was then that she felt his hands cupping her breasts, his thumbs teasing the tips and causing her whole body to tremble. She didn’t want this, did she? So, if she didn’t want it, why was she arching into his hand? Why was she smacking her own hand over his when he started to pull his fingers away from her breast, bringing his hands back for more torment?
And then he was gone. He pulled out of her arms and stood up. When she swayed, George reached down to steady her, holding onto her hips gently until she opened her eyes and focused on him.
“Come to my house tonight, Lillian. We’re going to discuss this.” He waited until she was looking up at him. “Seven o’clock. Be there.”
And then he was gone. The only aspect of that interaction between herself and George that lingered was the haunting scent of his spicy cologne. She tried very hard not to deeply inhale that scent, but…well, she failed. Miserably!
Moving around her desk, she sank into her chair only moments before her knees gave out on her. Pressing her hands to her forehea
d, she tried to figure out what was going on. What was she doing? She was about to be married to Phillip in a few days and…she was making out with another man? Okay, so yesterday was a bit more than a make out session. And today…Lillian wasn’t quite sure what today should be categorized as, but it was a bit more than just making out. The way he’d touched her, the way her body had shivered with need and anticipation…yes, that was more than simple necking.
“Are you okay, Lillian?”
Lillian looked up into the concerned eyes of Ralph, her ever faithful assistant. “I’m fine,” she told him, but her hands were still shaking and her voice didn’t sound quite right. Clearing her throat, she looked up at him again, forcing her lips to smile. “What’s on the agenda for this afternoon?” she asked.
The man stood by awkwardly, a notebook in his hands. “You had an appointment at the dress makers. For your final fitting?” he clarified when Lillian looked up at him blankly.
Lillian leaned back in her chair, exasperated by this wedding stuff. “Right. Final fitting.” She swiveled her chair and looked out the window. The beautiful view of Lake Pontchartrain mocked her, the sun shimmering off of the water. It was laughing at her. Because deep down, she knew that she was marrying the wrong man.
Yes, she understood that a marriage to Phillip made sense. He was a member of the New Orleans best families, just as she was. They had grown up together, gone to the same schools, knew the same people, and had the same values. They had a history together. A history that made sense.
And yet, her body was called to George.
Doing the Right Thing Page 4