Spin the Bottle (17 page)

“Well, that didn’t go to plan.”

Lil smiled. “I’m not complaining.”

“Good. I’m not sure I could offer you a do-over right now.”

She laughed. “You’re off the hook for now.”

“Excellent.” Mac threw his arm over her stomach and pulled her against his chest. “Wake me in a week.”

Snuggling closer, she tucked her head beneath his chin. “Not sure I’ll be up by then.”

“Fine by me.” He gave her a squeeze. “I’d be happy to stay just like this forever.”

“Mmm, me too.”

Lillian lay curled against Mac’s side and listened as his breathing slowed. She wouldn’t say he was snoring exactly, but it was close. As tired as she was sleep eluded her so she stayed tucked beside a sleeping Mac and thought about what the next few weeks would bring.

Her perfume didn’t launch for another month but there were still a lot of things to sort out ready for release day. Lilli Pond’s winter range had gone on sale weeks ago and already the figures were looking good. More than good. Other than the final Golden Lilli campaign ads to approve, she had a clear schedule. And then there was Mac. She wasn’t sure where or how they’d fit together but she was more than ready to make it work.

“Stop thinking.” Mac’s sleepy voice startled her.

“I can’t help it.”

“You know I’m not going anywhere, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now go to sleep. You’ll need your energy.”

“Why?”

“You still owe me a date.”

Epilogue

Six days later

A date. They were going on a date. Lil couldn’t hold back the smile as she put the final touches on her makeup. The last week had been the most unsettling and contented of her life, and Mackenzie Harris had been the centre of it. While they’d carried on their everyday lives, each going to work as though nothing had changed. It had. Both their worlds had shifted. Or maybe it was more appropriate to say their paths had finally converged. There had been only one hiccup.

Lachlan.

Her brother hadn’t returned home until Monday, and when he did it was to punch Mac in the face and turn right around and leave again. She’d tried to call him, but Lachlan hadn’t answered any of her calls, or returned them. Thank God for Cam. Her friend had willingly spilled the beans and said her brother just needed time to adjust to her and Mac’s new relationship. Add Mac’s assurance that everything would be okay and she had to believe that. If anyone knew Lachlan and his thought processes it was Mac. She trusted him with her heart, she could trust him about her brother.

But not even the worry over her brother could dampen her happiness. She’d been floating on air since Mac had rung and asked her out. He’d told her to be ready by seven and dress casual. When she’d pressed for details, he’d said he wanted to surprise her and quickly ended the call. Lil had thought about ringing back but then the excitement had taken hold. She was dating Mackenzie Harris. Her mouth had been in a permanent upward curve all week, but this evening’s agenda had her flashing her pearly white smile in blinding intensity.

Her outfit—a miniskirt and tank top—were designed to taunt and tease. The mini was black leather, soft and supple, it clung to her curves like skin. Lil turned her head to check out her rear view in the mirror. Oh yeah, like skin. She gave her arse a little wiggle and thought about driving Mac wild with the sway of her hips. He’d proven to have a thing for her arse. When they were together, he always found a reason to smooth his hand over the taut curves she didn’t need to work hard to maintain.

“God bless good DNA.” Lil twirled around to get the full view. The tank hugged her breasts, the neck scooping low to reveal a decent amount of cleavage, and she tilted forward to make sure she wouldn’t fall out. Tempting Mac was one thing, exposing herself in public another. Satisfied her modesty was safe, Lil turned one full circle, craning her neck to see from every angle.

“Damn. Mac is gonna swallow his tongue.”

Grinning, Lil packed away her makeup and headed downstairs to wait. In her overexcited state she’d managed to be ready early. And that was after dragging her heals as long as she could. Sighing, she made her way to the kitchen where she’d set up her laptop to work on the Golden Lilli campaign and Lilli Pond’s summer collection. With at least an hour to kill, she pulled up the business plan for Calla, the women’s range of evening wear she planned to launch in eighteen months.

No. Not even Lachlan’s silence and obvious disapproval could douse Lil’s satisfaction. She’d achieved so much, hoped to do more in the near future and her most wished for fantasy had become reality. Lillian McDermott had a date with Mackenzie Harris.

Mac picked up his briefcase and laid it on his desk. Popping the locks, he opened it and began loading in the files he planned to work on over the weekend. He hadn’t planned on taking any work home, but Lilli had told him she had to work Saturday morning, so he’d work instead of moping around the house waiting for her to return.

“Hey, you leaving?” Lachlan stuck his head into Mac’s office.

“Yeah.” Mac held his breath. They’d worked together all week without trouble, but they still hadn’t talked about him and Lilli.

“Mind if I hitch a ride?”

“Where’s your car?”

“Cam dropped me off after I took the bike in for repairs.”

Mac wasn’t sure what had thawed his friend’s icy attitude, but he wasn’t about to ask. “Sure. I’m leaving in ten.”

“I’ll meet you in the garage.”

“Okay.”

He stood staring at the doorway after Lachlan left. Mac didn’t hold a grudge about the punch his friend had thrown. He figured if it were him in Lachlan’s shoes and his best mate was screwing with his baby sister he’d have done the same. But now that Lachlan had gotten that out of his system they needed to talk. No time better than being confined in a car for sixty minutes. Mac finished loading his bag and switched off his computer. He grabbed his briefcase and phone and headed out.

When Mac exited the lift in the parking garage, Lachlan was leaning against his BMW. Neither of them spoke when they got in the car. They’d spent forty minutes in the peak-hour rush with thousands of others in a hurry to get the weekend started before Lachlan broke the silence.

“About Monday.”

Stopped in traffic, Mac glanced over at his friend. “Already forgotten.”

“I appreciate that, but every time I think of you and Lilli—together—I want to punch you all over again.” Lachlan stared straight ahead, not once making eye contact.

Mac could see the muscle in Lachlan’s jaw twitching and knew they needed to get past this or risk losing a lifetime’s friendship. “I love her, Lachlan.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Lachlan dragged a hand down his face before finally turning to face Mac. “Look. I’ll get my head around it. Eventually. And if I’m honest, and I’d like to think we haven’t lost that, then I have to say if anyone’s going to be screwing around with my sister I want to know I can trust them.”

“Sticking with honesty, I have to admit to wanting her for years. Our friendship, yours and mine, has been the barrier to me pursuing Lilli.”

A horn honked behind them and Mac turned to see the light had changed and traffic was moving again. “And I’m not screwing around.”

“You’re telling me you’re not having sex?”

Mac laughed as he manoeuvred his car through traffic. “Somehow I doubt you want me to actually answer that.”

Lachlan groaned. “You’re right. Don’t answer that. Shit. That’s an image I don’t need.”

The tension inside him eased. Things weren’t completely ironed out, but Mac had no doubt that once Lachlan got used to the idea of him and Lilli as a couple they’d be back on solid ground again. He decided a change of subject might help. “I take it things are better with Cameron.”

“We’re getting there. She’s nothing like I expected and better than any fantasy I ever conjured up as a teenager.” Mac could hear the pleasure in Lachlan’s voice.

“I take it that’s where you’ve been staying all week.” Mac glanced in his side mirror and changed lanes.

“I wanted to be on hand in case the press decided her fence was not a deterrent.”

“Now they’ve got something else to spend time on things should calm down.”

“Nice work getting those shots of Aaron Watson going into the rehab clinic, by the way.”

“He owed me. And it’s not like his alcohol problem is a big secret. Last I heard he’d signed a deal with a mag for an exclusive on his story when he’s out.”

“Jesus. Anything for publicity.”

“We probably shouldn’t knock it seeing how the media is what puts money in our bank accounts.” Mac smiled as he turned into their suburb.

“After this past weekend, I’ll be more than happy to stay on my side of the media fence.”

“You and me both,” Mac agreed.

They fell silent as Mac drove through the quiet suburban streets. Unlike earlier, it didn’t hold that razor edge of tension. The closer they got to the house the less strained the air between them became. As he turned onto their street, the muscles in Mac’s gut loosened and he knew they’d be okay. It might take a while, but he had no doubt he and Lachlan would be fine. Just like he and Lilli would be. Thinking of Lilli brought a smile to his face.

He had a date.

Mac couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone out on a date or when he’d anticipated one as much as tonight. He’d planned a simple evening. They’d eat at a small pizzeria that, in his opinion, served the best pizza in Sydney. Then they’d either take a walk on the beach or catch a movie. Lilli could choose that part of their date. And when the night was over, he’d bring her home and kiss her at the door. Of course he’d follow her in after, but he wanted the traditional date, the sweet courtship they missed by fighting their feelings for so long.

It was no wonder they’d come together in a blinding flash. A person could only live in denial for so long, and Mac was extremely pleased they were past that. They couldn’t go back and change the past, but they could certainly change the future. And he planned to make the most of every day he had. Starting with tonight.

“Why aren’t you pulling into the garage?” Lachlan asked.

“Because I’m going straight back out.” Mackenzie parked his BMW at the curb and switched off the engine.

“Jesus. You could at least pull into the driveway,” his friend grumbled.

“Nope. Need to park it on the street for this to work.” Mac removed his keys and got out. He was halfway up the walk before Lachlan caught up.

“That’s the last time I hitch a ride from work with you.”

“Noted.” They reached the front door and Mac pressed the bell.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Ringing the bell.”

“You live here, dickhead. Use your key.”

“Can’t.”

“Why? Did you lose it again?”

Mac turned to face Lachlan. “As I recall it was
you
who lost the house key, and I have to ring the bell. I’m taking Lilli out on a date. That requires ringing the bell.”

“A date? You’re kidding?”

“Does it look or sound like I’m kidding?”

Lachlan eyed him before rolling his eyes. “Man, you two are weird. You seeing my sister is bad enough, but this is just plain screwy.”

“Nope. This is two people building a life together from the ground up.”

“This isn’t helping me decide how I feel about you and my sister.”

“It doesn’t matter how you feel. What matters is how Lilli feels.”

“Jeez, you’ve got it bad.”

Mac smiled as the door opened and Lilli stood there in a miniskirt and tank top.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve got it bad.”

About the Author

Years of slavery to four young aliens and their sire failed to squash the love of writing or reading hiding behind the facade of a boring stay-at-home mum. Escaping from the mother-ship with vivid imagination intact, Rhian uses her superpowers for good.

Okay, so that’s not quite how it happened. A 20-year marriage to her very own hero and raising a family of four kept writing on the back burner, but with more time to spend on the things she loves most, Rhian and her accomplice, Mr. Muse, have taken over. Writing in a multiple of genres keeps life interesting and busy.

An Aussie who’s spent years living overseas Rhian is now happily residing with her family back in their native land of down under. Rhian can be found in numerous places online where her love of talking is well satisfied.

To learn more about Rhian and her writing visit her website,
www.rhiancahill.com
. You can contact Rhian at
[email protected]
.

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