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‘Just what I say.’ Her tongue darted out to swipe across her bottom lip, and Alex bit back a groan at the strong impulse that flooded his body to take her mouth with his own. ‘I can’t stop thinking about it. And I think you’re feeling the same.’
Honestly, Alex was thinking about doing a lot more than kissing her, but he got the idea. ‘So, what do you propose we do about it?’
Lily paused, and took a deep breath before speaking. Was she nervous? She couldn’t feel as on-edge as he did. ‘We both know we’re not what the other’s looking for. You’re looking for love and marriage, and I’m looking for neither, quite honestly. But I know you want to build your business up first, before you start looking for your dream woman. And just because I don’t want to get married doesn’t mean I want to be alone forever. So, right now, while we’re here, feeling like this…’
‘A fling?’ The words came out hoarse, and Alex cleared his throat, trying to find some modicum of control over the conversation. ‘That’s what you want?’
Lily shifted her chair closer, and Alex fought warring impulses to move away or move much, much closer. ‘I just think that maybe Cora was right.’
‘I doubt it. I wouldn’t listen to her.’ Alex swallowed. ‘What did she say?’
‘That we’re kidding ourselves thinking this is just about friendship.’
The hell of it was that she was right, of course. How could he pretend all he wanted was friendship when he’d spent all day imagining stripping that skirt from her hips, pulling that silky top thing over her head? Laying her back on his bed and kissing every inch of her body.
‘But if it’s not friendship, and it’s not marriage…’
‘Exactly.’ Lily leant in, close enough that he could smell her hair, could reach her lips if he dared. ‘A fling. Like you say.’
As if this was his idea. As if he’d started this. Except, if he’d had any inkling that she might say yes, he would have done. In an instant.
‘I’m supposed to be giving that sort of thing up,’ he said, a last, desperate defence. Yes, he wanted this. But he couldn’t escape the feeling that Cora might have been right about more than the depths of their mutual delusion. If they did this… someone would get hurt. Someone always did. And for the first time ever, he found himself hoping it would be him, rather than Lily.
That was when he realized he’d already given in.
Whatever this was with Lily, maybe a casual liaison would be the perfect way to get it out of his system. One last fling for Old Alex, before he settled down fully into his new life.
‘Why give up something that could be so much fun?’ Her bare knee found its way between his thighs, pressing deliciously against his suit trousers so he could feel the heat of her through the fabric, and Alex gave up all attempts at serious philosophical thought. When had he turned so much to face her? How much wine had she had? He tried to remember. Not enough that he could blame it entirely for her actions. She wanted this, sure enough.
He took a breath, the scent of her filling his lungs, and he knew he’d never had a choice at all. Still, he had to know… ‘You’re sure about this?’
Her smile was lopsided. ‘Since I was about fourteen.’
Not entirely reassuring. But her hand slid higher up his leg, and his brain stopped functioning altogether. ‘Then let’s get out of here. Now.’
* * * *
It was taking far too long to find a taxi; apparently the entire Aberarian and Felinfach fleet were already ferrying guests from the wedding home in varying stages of drunkenness. Lily watched as Alex tried to negotiate with the taxi office woman and cursed the fact that she was about three glasses of wine over the limit, herself. She really didn’t want to give him time to change his mind.
Then he turned to her, his eyes glassy with want, and said, ‘Okay. It’s going to have to be the Grand.’
She grinned. The fading hotel on the seafront might not be the ultimate in luxury, but she was pretty sure they had beds, and that was all she was worried about right now.
The sea echoed in her ears, lapping up at the sand as they raced along the Esplanade to the Grand, too excited to walk. Lily giggled, gripping Alex’s arm, letting him tug her along. This was what she’d been looking for. This was the freedom she needed.
In fact, it wasn’t until they reached the reception desk that Lily felt the nerves stirring in her stomach. As Alex handed over his credit card, she watched him in the suddenly harsh light of the hotel foyer, and felt reality crashing down around her.
What the hell was she doing? She’d spent the last seven years with one man – a man who was more interested in her ability to make inoffensive conversation with the wives of his colleagues than in her body. Alex had by all accounts spent that time seducing a large percentage of the total number of elegant, intelligent brunettes living in London. How on earth did she expect to hold her own against his expectations of her?
Then Alex turned to her, his eyes dark and wanting, and Lily’s nerves were replaced by desire. This wasn’t about being what another man wanted for the evening. This was about getting what she wanted, at last. And if she could make it good for him too… She licked her lips and smiled as his hand came to rest at her waist to guide her up the stairs. Well, if that meant she got to enjoy it more than once, that could only be a good thing, right?
It was time for Lily Thomas to grow up and enjoy all the wonderful, grownup pleasures the world had to offer, that she’d been too scared to take until now. Time to step out of Edward’s safe and limiting shadow at last, and take what she wanted.
Alex.
Halfway up the stairwell, she stopped, hands pressing against his chest as she backed him against the wall. Stretching up on tiptoes to reach his lips with her own, she let out a soft moan as she kissed him. Alex’s arms tightened around her waist, holding her close and tight against him, his mouth moving over hers, relentless and hard and desperate.
‘God, Lily,’ he murmured against her skin, moving from her mouth across her cheek, skimming down the column of her throat. Lily bent her head back to give him better access, sparks of pleasure running over and under her skin. His fingers found their way under her camisole, pushing it up her sides, baring her stomach and her bra to him. He pulled down one of the cups, and Lily’s breast ached for him to take her in his mouth. He bent his head and –
Somewhere, a door banged open.
Alex cursed, lightly, and spun around, shielding her with his body. A middle-aged couple appeared at the bottom of the stairs, bickering about something as they made their way up, and Lily quickly adjusted her top to preserve what little was left of her modesty. With a bright smile at the other guests as they approached, she let Alex pull her up a few more steps and through the double doors into the hotel hallway.
‘Is this even our floor?’ she asked as he tugged her along by the hand.
‘Against the odds, yes.’ Alex came to a halt outside a room and fumbled in his pocket for the key. ‘Someone’s on our side, anyway.’
The door fell open, and he yanked her inside. Before she could even find her balance, the door slammed shut behind them, and Alex had her pressed up against the wood, pulling her top over her head. ‘Now, where were we?’
He lowered his mouth to her breast, leaving Lily dizzy with sensation. As his tongue swirled around her nipple, his hands came down to settle around her waist, holding her close and tight, and feeling so, so right.
Even if it was just for the night.
But she couldn’t think about that now.
‘Bed,’ Alex whispered in her ear and, with a shiver, Lily nodded.
* * * *
Lily awoke late the next morning, her body aching in the best possible way. Stretching her muscles and feeling them twinge, she turned onto her side to see Alex still asleep beside her, his lashes dark against his cheek. The duvet covered most of his body, but Lily didn’t need to see it to remember the way it had moved against her, the feel of his muscles under her hands, his ski
n brushing against hers. The way he’d pressed her into the mattress, whispering wonderful things into her ear between kisses. Biting back a smile, she reached out and ran her fingers along the firm line of his shoulder, down the length of his arm as it rested on top of the covers.
Alex’s eyes opened, slowly, dozily, and he smiled.
‘Good morning,’ he said, his voice rough with sleep.
‘Hi.’ It came out considerably shyer than Lily felt was appropriate, given the things she’d let this man do to her the night before. She should sound sensual, wanton. Not like a schoolgirl with her first crush.
Except, of course, despite the last twelve years, that was exactly what she was.
Alex reached out to tug her closer into his arms, and Lily decided that the past didn’t matter any more, anyway. The present was considerably more fun.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Achy,’ she admitted. ‘But in the good way.’
‘Me too,’ Alex said, with a rueful smile. ‘I’m not as young as I used to be, you know. I think you might have broken me, woman.’
‘Me?’ Lily tried to look innocent. After all, he was the one who’d seduced her in a stairwell. Or, actually, had she started that? And she was the one who’d woken him up in the middle of the night for more. ‘Well, maybe.’
‘It was worth it.’ He placed a kiss on the top of her head, held her close, then let her go. ‘But, sadly, I have to go and meet with Max about the books for the Mill, and so can’t demand a repeat performance.’
Alex rolled out of bed, and Lily hauled herself into a seated position to watch his naked form as he made his way to the bathroom. The man really was magnificent. Really, perfect fling material. Especially since he knew exactly how a perfect fling should be conducted between the sheets.
Now they just had to figure out how it would work outside them.
‘What are your plans for today?’ Alex asked, sticking his head back outside the bathroom.
Lily considered. There was reliving the previous evening on a loop in her head. Taking a very long bath to try and ease her sore body. Not freaking out about what she was doing with Alex or worrying about either of them getting too attached.
