Spin the Bottle (14 page)

“If it’s work, you should see what they want. Don’t put it off because of me.”

“It’s Lachlan.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Mac grimaced. “My thoughts exactly.”

“What does he want?” Lilli placed her mug on the table, the slight trembling of her hand giving away her anxiety as much as the wobble in her voice.

“It doesn’t have to be about what you’re thinking.” He wanted to calm her fears, but if he was honest, and he planned to be truthful with her from now on, he had to tell her how he felt about Lachlan’s reaction to them being together. “And even if it is, it’s none of his business, and I plan to tell him so. What happens between us stays between us. Your brother can like it or lump it.”

“I get the feeling he’ll be in the lump it camp.”

Mac shrugged. “So be it.”

“You should probably see what he wants.” She gestured towards his pocket. “If it’s about us, hand the phone to me and I’ll talk to him.”

He smiled. There weren’t many people in this world willing to deal with an agitated Lachlan McDermott, but Lilli wouldn’t hesitate to take on the big brother she’d spent her life getting around. From the minute he’d met the McDermott siblings, Mac had known Lachlan’s one Achilles’s heel was his baby sister. His friend wasn’t exactly a pushover where she was concerned, but Lilli was more than a match for Lachlan. They both had the mile-wide McDermott stubborn streak.

“Fine.” He retrieved his phone. “I’ll listen to the ten messages first. But I’m not returning his call unless it’s something other than you and me he wants to talk about.”

“Okay. Put it on speaker so I can listen.”

The first few messages were Lachlan swearing about a photographer and a runaway ex-model. Each message quickly deteriorated into his best friend threatening to do Mac harm if he didn’t answer his phone. In the final message Lachlan confessed to using Lillian’s phone to find Cameron’s address and phone number. Before he could stop her, Lilli snatched the phone from the table and after a few swipes of her finger she brought the device to her ear.

“What the hell is going on, Lachlan? Call me as soon as you get this.”

Lilli pulled the phone from her ear and stabbed at the screen with the side of her index finger, her long nail clicking against the glass. Again she put the device to her ear, only this time she didn’t leave a message, she simply ended the call and hit redial after a minute. Finally, she gave up and dropped the phone on the table.

“He’s not answering? He rang only a minute ago,” Mac said.

“Do your parents have a computer here?”

“No, why?”

“Never mind.” She pushed back her chair and stood. “I bet I can find what I’m after on the TV. They’ve got Foxtel, right?”

Mac scrambled to his feet and, grabbing his phone, followed Lilli into the house. She’d already switched on the television and was madly flicking through the channels.

“What are you looking for?”

Lilli gasped and the images on the screen stopped flashing by. Instead, a dark, grainy image of two people making out filled the forty-two-inch plasma panel.

“Holy shit!”

“Holy shit is right.” Lilli tossed the remote control on the couch.

“No wonder Lachlan was threatening me with death.”

Mac stopped staring at the television to stare at his phone. With practiced ease, he pulled up a search engine and plugged in the necessary terms. What greeted him made his gut churn and bile rise in his throat. There were images of Lachlan and Kole all over the media.

“Fucking hell.”

“What? What? Show me.” Lilli grabbed his wrist and turned the phone in her direction. “Wow.”

“Wow doesn’t cover it.”

“I have to ring Cam.”

Once again, she was too quick for him. Lilli snatched the phone out of his hand and was madly tapping at the screen. She walked away, putting the device to her ear as she went. Disappearing into the bedroom, she closed the door behind her, effectively shutting him out. Mac wasn’t sure he liked being excluded, but right now he needed to know if he had to go into damage control, except without his phone or a computer his hands were tied. He used the only resource at his disposal and, picking up the remote, began flicking through the channels until he found a twenty-four-hour news network. It made him sick to think the station flashing up blurred, dark images of his boss and the legendary Kole was owned by McDermott Media Corp.

Mac turned away. He’d seen enough for now. Besides, there was little he could do here without a computer or his phone. He went to tidy up their breakfast dishes while he waited for Lilli to finish her call. It didn’t take long to clean up, and he was back in the living room in front of the TV when Lilli came out of the bedroom and handed him the phone. Her gaze glued to the television and one of numerous pictures of Lachlan and Kole being shown.

“I’m not sure what went on last night, but Lachlan is with Cam and I don’t think he wants to talk to either of us right now. He hung up on me.”

“He did?” For a second, Mac wondered if he should leave it alone, except he couldn’t. “What did he say before he hung up?”

“We’ve both got some explaining to do.”

“We have?” Mac laughed and gestured at the television. “Somehow I don’t think we’re the only ones.”

“No. And I got nothing out of Cam before Lachlan grabbed the phone and hung up. Is that Gabriella?” She pointed to the muted TV.

Mac glanced at the screen. Great. They were rerunning the press conference Lilli’s mother had given earlier today. “Yeah, she let the world know Lachlan had a thing for Kole when he was a teenager.”

“Amazing how when the shit hits the fan Gabriella always manages to float to the top.” Lilli’s lips pressed together in a tight line of disapproval, the bottom one protruding slightly, and Mac had the urge to lean forward and lick the enticingly plump flesh.

In spite of the chaos unfolding around them, he was instantly thrown back into the desperation of wanting Lilli. The grinding frustration of craving something he shouldn’t. Only she wasn’t off-limits anymore. They’d already crossed the line and there was no going back. He took a step closer before his brain kicked into gear and reminded him they hadn’t talked. Hadn’t cleared the air or the way for them to move forward.

“Why do you keep pulling back? What could possibly stop you from doing what you want, Mac? I know it isn’t me.”

He met her gaze, and for the life of him he couldn’t think of a word to say. Him, the man who made a living from knowing the right words for every occasion.

She shook her head. “Is it because you were my first? I never planned it that way. I’ve been with other guys—”

Mac held up his hand. “Stop right there. I know we need to talk but I’m not interested in talking about that. I don’t want to know why none of them hit a home run. I’m still angry you didn’t tell me, but I think I understand why you chose not to reveal your virginal state.”

“Jesus, Mac. You make it sound like I was the Virgin Mary.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Mac shook his head in frustration. “Dammit, Lilli, I want to talk but not about sex.”

“Was it bad?”

Mac’s jaw dropped. “Bad?” She couldn’t be serious.

“It’s not the first time you’ve given me the impression I’m not up to par on the sexual front.”

“What?” He clenched his fists so he wouldn’t wrap his hands around her throat and shake her. “Lilli, you’re above par on every front, and just because you’re somewhat of a novice, don’t for one minute think your sexual skills are any different.”

“Oh?”

He dragged a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ, woman, you drive me insane.”

“That can’t be good either. Aren’t I supposed to inspire hearts and flowers?” The corner of her mouth twitched.

Mac narrowed his eyes. “Are you laughing at me?”

Her face lost all expression, took on the emotionless mask he’d seen over and over on numerous photographs throughout the years. “No. What do I have to laugh at? First my kiss is bad, but you chose to repeat the action anyway. Then sex with me made you angry and you don’t want to talk about it, so I assume that was bad too. And now I drive you crazy. Nope. Nothing to laugh at here.”

When she put it that way, he really did sound insane. And maybe he was. Crazy about the woman in front of him. The one he’d kept at arm’s length for too many years to count. For reasons he failed to remember now. He knew he loved her, had since he’d met her, but that love had changed—matured—as they’d grown older. Now he wanted to know if what he felt, what she felt—and he was in no doubt she felt something—if what they had could be more. So much more than either of them could imagine.

“I want you.” He couldn’t hold the words back.

Lilli smiled, her gaze sliding down his body. “Ditto.”

“No. Not in bed. Well, yes, in bed, but not yet. I want more.” Mac ran his fingers through his hair. “I want it all. With you.”

“What exactly are you saying, Mac, because you’ll have to spell it out for me here. I’ve spent too many years getting the brush-off or being ignored or ordered around to leave anything to chance.”

He could understand that. Their relationship had been volatile to say the least. The fact that unpredictability had exploded into the best sex of his life had to mean something. Didn’t it? Surely she knew that. She had to know he wanted to take their connection deeper on every level. Take it all the way.

“I want to date.” The words burst from his mouth before he thought them through, but once they had, it all became clear. “I want to take you out to dinner. The movies. Go for walks on the beach, in the park. Take you away for quiet weekends, just the two of us. Sit on the couch and watch the news. Make dinner together. Dance under the stars. I want to go back to the beginning. Do this right.”

“That could take awhile.”

“I’ve got the time.”

“We might not get it right.”

“Sure, we may fuck up along the way. Hell, I’m a man. It’s guaranteed I’ll fuck something up. Just look at how stupid I’ve been up until now.”

“You haven’t been that dumb.”

Mac smiled. “I notice you’re not completely denying my stupidity.”

“I believe in taking responsibility for one’s mistakes.”

“Speaking of responsibilities, we should head home and clean up before we do anything else.”

“We?” Lilli arched an eyebrow. “You’re offering to help?”

Grinning, he said, “Sure. I’ll tell you want needs to be done.”

Laughter spilled from her lips and she slapped him on the arm. “Lucky for you I’ve got it all under control without the necessity of lifting a finger.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Cassie had her crew cleaning up as we went last night and she would have had the house put back to rights before leaving this morning.”

“So we’ll be going home to a clean,
empty
house?” Mac would have helped, but relief swamped him as he thought of going home and not being faced with utter chaos.

“I’m not as irresponsible as you think.”

“I never thought… Okay, fine, I may have entertained the idea that you did some careless things.” He shrugged. “It’s the image you project, whether you mean to or not.”

“Oh, I meant too.”

Mac shook his head. “You’ll explain that to me one of these days. On one of those long walks we’re going to take. But right now, let’s go home. There’s no point putting off the fallout from your party any longer. Lachlan will have my arse if I don’t shut down the media circus currently in full swing.”

He held out his hand, and when Lilli slipped her fingers through his he led her to the bedroom to collect their things, his mind already planning their first date, a romantic dinner with a kiss goodnight at the door. Tonight was the perfect time to start.

The second they entered the house, Mac began mumbling about Lachlan, photographers and damage control. He settled in the kitchen with his phone and laptop and barely made a peep when she offered him a drink. Taking the hint, Lillian went upstairs to shower and change. Refreshed, she tried to reach Cam again, but her friend wasn’t answering. Lil wasn’t up to a confrontation with her brother just yet so she didn’t bother calling him. Lachlan would find her soon enough. With nothing else to do, she set out to take stock of the party’s aftermath.

Walking through every room of the house, Lillian checked order had been restored. She didn’t find one thing out of place, broken or missing. Cassie and her crew had done an amazing job, and Lil sent her friend a text telling her so. The few valuables she’d locked away yesterday were easily returned to their rightful spots, and if Lil hadn’t attended the party herself, she might not believe it had ever happened. In fact, unless they’d witnessed the event themselves, no one would guess the place had held a mass of people only hours ago. Arriving back in the kitchen, she found Mac, head bent to his laptop and phone to his ear. He hadn’t moved.

She watched him work. The corporate lawyer was out in full force and she couldn’t help the shaft of arousal that shot through her belly and down to her core. He hadn’t done more than hold her hand since last night and she was beginning to think he would never touch her again at this rate. It was time to get his attention. Lil kicked off her shoes as she walked towards him. When she reached his side, she unbuttoned her denim skirt and lowered the zipper. Pushing it down, she let it fall to the floor and pool at her feet. The only covering below her waist was a thin scrap of lace that masqueraded as thong panties. Her top came next. The straps slipped from her shoulders to her elbows with a flick of her fingers, revealing her naked breasts.