Protecting Lily Read online

  Lily sank down in her own chair. “I know,” she groaned. “I don’t even know how it happened. One minute he was grouching at me because I was tapping my pen. The next he was telling me about how good he is at removing a bra. And then we were kissing.”

  “And if I hadn’t of walked in you could be doing the nasty on your desk. You wouldn’t be able to leave your list in the middle of your desk tonight. It would need to be cleaned.”

  “It’s not funny, Ri. What if it had been someone else who walked in? Shit, I don’t even think the door was closed.”

  “It wasn’t. It was wide open and I got an eyeful. Made me want to rush over to David’s office and jump his bones. You had some serious heat going on between the two of you.”

  “Tell me this wasn’t part of the service they provide.”

  “Service who provide?”

  “You know that Manservant site? In addition to the services, like his security expertise, Grayson will provide other services as well.”

  Rita busted out laughing and Lily could feel the way her face was beginning to warm up. God, what was happening to her?

  “Relax Lily. I didn’t request any extra perks. Plus his business is a legitimate security one. I don’t know how he ended up on that Manservant site, but it’s there. I guess he likes you. You should go for it.”

  “What?”

  “Well, it’s been a while since you’ve had any sort of relationship. Why not release some of your tension with Hottie McGuardy.”

  “What did you just call him?”

  “Hottie McGuardy. One of the office girls came up with the name. I think it fits him well. He’s hot and he’s a guard.”

  Rita was certifiable. She had to be for her to suggest Lily embark on a sexy fling with Hottie McG—Grayson.

  “That would be totally the wrong thing to do. Getting mixed up with the person who is supposed to be guarding me and the diamonds. Can you imagine if Bents found out about it? I’d never get another job. The business would go bankrupt and we’d all be out of a job.”

  “Now that’s being a little dramatic isn’t it? All I’m talking about is some hot sex and once the show is over. Kiss him and wave goodbye. By then it will be time to look at the designs for the fall collection.”

  Lily couldn’t deny kissing Grayson had felt pretty damn good. And she had been eager to see what was hidden beneath that sexy suit. But did she want a fling? She’d been yearning for something more since Rita had gotten married. She’d never tell Rita, but she’d signed up on an online dating website. Ironic considering how they’d found Grayson’s security company. She hadn’t checked out her profile page to see if she’d received any hits. She’d created an anonymous email address and hadn’t had the courage to check the email account either.

  She really had to stop being so timid when it came to her personal life. She faced businessmen head on and didn’t have a problem with it. But her private life? Well that was a different story all together.

  “No, no matter how tempting some out-of-this-world sex with Hottie McGuardy might be, the answer is no.” Lily looked up at Rita. “I want what you have. I want a life partner. I want someone to want me for me, and not for my business or my bank account.”

  “Aww sweetie,” Rita walked over and wrapped her arms around Lily. “It will happen. When the time is right it will.”

  Deciding to take the plunge and confess her secret. “I joined an online dating site,” Lily mumbled against Rita’s shoulder.

  Once again she found herself thrust away from a human being.

  “What?” Rita screeched. “You did not just say you’ve joined an online dating site.”

  “Ssshhhhh. You don’t need to screech it out.”

  “But Lil, this is huge. Have you been on a date yet? I bet you’ve had a ton of people respond to your profile. Oh, this is so exciting. I can’t wait to hear about every date you have. Ohhhh you have to tell me when your next date is so I can help you pick out your outfit.”

  “Rita,” she all but yelled when Rita stopped to take a breath. “Stop. I haven’t checked out my emails yet.”

  “Whoa. Why not? Let’s do it now.”

  Lily found herself shoved out of the way as Rita sat herself down and pulled up Lily’s email program. What the hell had possessed her to tell Rita what she’d done? In a moment of weakness she’d blurted out her secret and now she wouldn’t be able to date in peace. Or be humiliated in peace if her date was a bust.

  Rita’s fingers thumped away at the keyboard and muttered under her breath.

  “Geez Ri, you don’t have to be so rough on the keyboard. Pounding it isn’t going to make any emails turn up.”

  “I don’t get why you wouldn’t have got any emails yet.”

  “On what planet do you think I would sign up on an online dating site with my work email.”

  Rita stopped her pounding and looked up. “Smart. You used a different email.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well?”

  Lily knew exactly what Rita wanted and she had no plans to give it to her. She crossed the room to the cabinet which held all her design files. She pulled open a drawer and randomly yanked out a folder.

  “C’mon Lil, give me the email address? Please? You know I can help you.”

  Lily held the file to her chest before turning and facing her best friend. “That’s just it, Rita. I don’t want your help. I want to do this on my own. I have to do this on my own. Just like starting up this company. You can’t hold my hand forever.”

  Silence descended around the room. As much as she wanted Rita’s input on her love life, it was for the best if she did it herself. No matter what Rita said about coming back to work for her if she ever had a baby, Lily knew differently. Lily knew the moment Rita held that baby in her arms all thought of work would fly out the window.

  Rita would do exactly what Lily would do. She’d put her family first. She’d love her child with her whole heart. Rita would give her child the home she’d never had. She wouldn’t let her child go through the hell the both of them had gone through growing up. One day in a foster home. The next shuttled back to the group home. And then another foster home that wouldn’t work out. Lily couldn’t blame Rita because she knew she’d be the same.

  “Aww Lil, it’s not going to happen yet. I told you that last week.” And like always, Rita knew exactly what was going through her mind.

  Lily held her ground as Rita closed the distance between them. When she was close enough Rita reached out and touched Lily’s hands briefly.

  “I get why you have to do this, Lil. I really do. I’m here if you need me.”

  Rita brushed passed Lily and walked out of the office. As the door clicked shut, Lily let the lone tear fall.

  6

  Chop Suey by System of A Down thrummed through his ear buds as Grayson battered the pavement on his evening run. He only wished he could hammer out the memory of having Lily in his arms. Kissing her. The sweet taste of her lips upon his. The feel of her soft body in his arms. He’d known from the first moment he’d met her she would be the type of person who needed protecting. She’d seemed so vulnerable in his arms. If her assistant hadn’t interrupted them he was pretty sure he would’ve had her horizontal on her desk. Papers flying to the ground as he possessed her. And wouldn’t that have created a shit-storm.

  He’d accused Wayne of being unethical a couple of times, but after today, he was no better. Getting involved with a client wasn’t the smartest idea. No matter how tempting he found Lily.

  His arm vibrated and the screaming voices of the band were replaced with his ringtone. He tapped the connect button on his ear buds.

  “Warren,” he panted into the phone.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time, Gray?”

  Grayson halted mid-stride and had to stop himself from tumbling face first into the pavement.

  “Wayne, where the fuck are you? What the fuck have you done with the money? And you’d better be hauling your fucking a
ss back here.”

  “Now, now, Gray calm down. You wouldn’t want to give yourself a heart attack would you? Although by the sound of things, it might not be a bad way to go. Although why you’d answer the phone when you’re banging someone is beyond me. But then again work was always your wife wasn’t it? You gotta learn to live a little, Gray.”

  “I don’t have time to live when I’m cleaning up your fucking messes. So how about you tell me where you are and what you did with the half a million you stole from our client.”

  Wayne laughed and Grayson wanted to reach through the phone and strangle his insipid little neck.

  “Gray, take it easy, if you check your mail in a couple of days you’ll find a nice little surprise. I woulda put it in the company bank account, but it looks like it’s been closed.”

  “And that surprises you? Did you think I would let you have any sort of access to the business after what you did? Do you think I’m stupid?”

  Fuck. He’d just given Wayne an opening to let him know he was in fact stupid.

  “Gray, I don’t think you’re stupid. Maybe a bit too trusting.”

  “Whatever. Tell me what you did with the money you took?”

  “It doesn’t matter what I did. And it seems you’ve done everything possible to keep it out of the press. Why is that? Isn’t it illegal to cover up a crime?”

  Grayson pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted to end this conversation and he wanted to end it now. He wanted answers though. And if he kept Wayne talking maybe he’d let something slip about the location he currently called home. If he did, Grayson could let Ash know. Then the bastard would be caught and rot in jail. But the truth of the matter was, Wayne was correct. He covered up a crime and he could end up in jail too. While he liked the idea of Wayne being someone’s bitch, Grayson didn’t so much want the job for himself.

  “The client never knew you’d run off with his money. I took the necessary steps to protect myself and my business. Not that you gave a shit about me or the company when you fucked off to God knows where with that money.”

  “Our company, Gray.”

  “Not for much longer if I can help it. Maybe I’ll write you a check and send it to you and along with paperwork to dissolve the partnership. Call it square.”

  “What if I don’t want out of the partnership?”

  “Jesus, Wayne, if you really wanted to stay in business with me you wouldn’t have run off. So let’s cut the feel-good bullshit. Just tell me where you are and then I can forget I ever knew you.”

  When Wayne had run off, Grayson had looked over the partnership agreement to see if there was clause enabling dissolution of the partnership without too much hassle. A buyout was the easiest solution and since Grayson had provided all the start up capital, and owned the majority of the business, whatever amount Wayne sent him should cover the buyout. Then he really could move forward and put the whole sorry chapter behind him.

  If Wayne told him where he was hiding out, of course.

  “Now where would the fun be if I told you where I am? Later Gray.”

  Before he could say anything Wayne disconnected the call.

  “Son of a bitch.” Grayson kicked the ground in frustration. He doubted his partner had even sent him a check. He was playing a game and Grayson wasn’t going to play with him.

  A second late his phone rang again.

  “What do you want now?”

  “Why is it every time I call you, you bite my head off?”

  Dammit.

  Grayson scrubbed a hand down his face. “Sorry Lily. I just got off a call and thought the scumbag was calling me back again.”

  “Right well, apology accepted—again.”

  He walked over to a nearby park bench and sat down. “How can I help you, Lily?”

  “I want to go back into the office tonight and even though you’ve beefed up the security system I wanted to let you know. In case you get some notification about the alarm system being disarmed.”

  Grayson glanced at his watch. It was almost seven in the evening. It would take him about fifteen minutes to get home. By the time he showered and changed he could get to Lily’s office by eight, eight-fifteen at the latest.

  “I can be there by eight-fifteen to let you in.”

  Lily huffed out a breath and, after watching her for the last couple of days, he knew she’d be reaching for her pen to do that annoying tickety tap she found so soothing.

  “I don’t need you to come to the office. It’s not the first time I’ve gone back to work after hours. It won’t be the last time either. Sometimes I get my best work done when I’m alone.”

  “Yes, but were you working with diamonds those times you went back?”

  “Well no, but I don’t see why it should make any difference.”

  He got up and started a slow jog back to his apartment. “Look don’t go to the office yet. Plan to arrive by eight-fifteen. Okay?”

  He pressed the phone closer to his ear and he heard it. The tickety tap, tickety tap, tickety tap of her pen. He couldn’t help but smile. Yep, he had her pegged.

  “Fine. If it will make you happy I’ll wait until the requested time. Bye Grayson.”

  “Wait. Don’t hang up.”

  “What now?”

  “Promise me you won’t go in until I get there.”

  “Really, Grayson. That’s ridiculous.”

  “Promise me, Lily. Please.”

  He heard her quiet groan. “Fine. I promise I’ll wait until you get there. Happy now?”

  “Very.”

  “Well I’m glad one of us is. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  He disconnected the call and picked up his pace. An extra jump in his step at the thought of seeing Lily again. It was much pleasanter to think about Lily than to think about Wayne.

  Lily itched to get out of her car and march straight into the building. She had no idea why Grayson was being so pedantic about her waiting for him. But a promise is a promise is a promise. And she never broke promises. After having so many of them broken while she’d been growing up. She’d vowed once she made a promise she kept it, no matter how difficult it ended up being.

  She glanced at her watch again. Eight o’clock. Another fifteen minutes and she could finally work on the design she’d drawn up at home. She couldn’t wait to see if the diamonds looked as good on the actual garment as she’d drawn on paper.

  A rap, rap, rap sounded on the glass right next to her ear. She screamed and turned to find Grayson’s smiling face. She opened her door, uncaring that she almost hit him.

  “What do you think you’re doing creeping up on me like that? You scared me half to death!”

  Grayson laughed in her face. It only infuriated her even more. “It’s not funny, Grayson.”

  “You were the one who wanted to work late. You need to suck it up princess.”

  “When I work late I don’t have to sit around in my car waiting for an overbearing bodyguard to arrive. I usually park my car and go straight into the building.”

  All laughter died in his eyes. “Don’t you know how dangerous that is? What if someone watched you? Studied your work habits. You’re a wealthy woman, Lily. That makes you a target for anyone who’d want to extort money out of you or your family.”

  “Ha, I don’t have any family to extort any money out of.”

  “A kidnapper may not know that. I can’t believe you don’t think about these things.”

  Lily had enough. She hadn’t come here to be chastised. She’d come here to work. “Oh shove it, Grayson. I’m here. I haven’t been kidnapped and I’m not about to. Now can we please go in? I’ve wasted enough time tonight hanging around because of your paranoia.”

  Not waiting for Grayson’s response, Lily marched toward the building. Her hand reached out to grab the door handle but before she could get a hold of it, she found it opened for her.

  Grayson’s gentlemanly action surprised her. His quick movements to get to the door before her,
not so much. Anyone in security had to move quickly, quietly, stealthily. Not to mention he’d been a Seal and stealth mode was no doubt engrained in their training.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Lily stood to the side as Grayson swiped his card to call the elevator. He had insisted that the elevators be locked down at six in the evening. Seeing as no one but Lily worked late she had reluctantly agreed with his request, even though she thought he was being over cautious.

  The elevator arrived and again Grayson let her enter first. She punched the disk for the floor and as the doors slid shut Lily side-eyed Grayson. Dressed casually he looked even sexier than he did when he was dressed in a suit. He still wore his uniform of black. Black jeans. Black polo shirt. Black leather jacket. He looked delicious, dangerous, and desirable.

  She’d never been attracted to a bad boy. Dressed as he was, Grayson looked every inch the bad boy. Lily thought about her likes and dislikes she’d mentioned in her online dating profile. She thought about her perfect man list. Grayson didn’t check off one of those items on either one.

  “What are you working on?”

  His question startled her out of her thoughts. It seemed a ridiculous one to ask as well. He should know what she was working on.

  “What I’ve been working on for the last couple of days—my latest collection. You know the one you’re employed to baby sit me through.”

  The elevator doors opened and Lily walked out, without waiting for a response from Grayson. She wanted to get to her office, and start working on a new design that had hit her while she’d been traveling to her floor.

  She unlocked her door and flicked on the lights. Shrugging off her jacket she threw it in the general direction of one of the guest chairs in front of her desk. The moment she entered her office the need to get drawing hit her full force again. As she reached her desk she moved her daily to-do list and pulled out a sketch pad and started to draw. All thoughts and aggravation she’d been feeling five minutes earlier flew out of her consciousness as she went into her work zone.