Chapter 21
Brady
“You live in a palace,” Lily said.
She sat on the couch in my living room, a glass of wine in her hand, her feet tucked underneath her. We’d only been back at my place for about twenty minutes. She’d gotten a quick tour, which she’d asked for, and we ended up relaxing on the large sectional in the living room.
I wanted her in a spot where she didn’t have to think about anything or anyone. I hoped my house would give her that reprieve since she’d been a bit on edge during the plane’s landing and the ride here. I couldn’t blame her. That asshole wouldn’t leave her the fuck alone.
Something I was immediately putting a stop to.
“I don’t know if I’d call it that.” I took a sip of my scotch. “But I think I did a pretty good job building it.”
“You built this house?”
God, she was so fucking sexy. Even in her Dalton uniform with their logo sitting just above her tit—a shirt I couldn’t wait to rip off her. I had all the love for Dominick, his family, and their company, but I didn’t want his name anywhere on Lily’s body.
I nodded. “I bought the land, knocked down the existing house, worked with the architect on the blueprints, and oversaw the contractor and interior designer. Not a single inch of this home was built without my eyes on it.”
“A control freak or a perfectionist?” Her hand went to my arm as she smiled. “I’m kidding.”
“But it’s true. I’m very much a heavy mix of both.”
She pushed deeper into the pillow behind her. “For the record, you’re never coming over to my place.”
“And why’s that?”
She laughed. “I live in a hotel.”
My brows rose.
“I knew things were just temporary in LA,” she continued. “It seemed silly to sign a lease for such a short period of time. Plus, being there makes me feel like I’m not living alone.”
I could hear what she wasn’t saying. When dealing with a dude who bothered her as much as he did, being alone could trigger some terrifying thoughts. It could also give him more access to her. At least in a hotel, if she screamed or called for help, someone would be there instantly.
Fuck, I hated that either of us even had to think that way.
“What hotel?”
She covered her face with her hand. “It’s not a Cole and Spade Hotel—don’t kill me.” Her hand dropped. “I checked, and your Beverly Hills location isn’t in my budget. Or even close to my budget.”
I pulled out my phone, clicked on my assistant’s text box, and sent her a quick message. “You’ll be checking in tomorrow. There will be a room waiting for you. And I assure you, it’s in your budget.” I put my phone away.
“Brady … stop. No. I can’t?—”
“Did you really think I was going to allow my girlfriend to live in a hotel that isn’t part of the Spade brand? Come on. We both knew the second you came clean, I was going to change that.”
If it were up to me, I’d have her move into my house, not the hotel. But I didn’t want to pull a David. I didn’t want her to think, in any regard, that I was making her a prisoner in my home. After he had taken everything from her, she needed her independence.
Still, I’d have my eyes on her the whole time she was there.
Her head fell back, exposing the sleek, smooth skin of her throat. “Your girlfriend …” It came out as a moan.
“I’ve been waiting to use it. The timing felt right.”
Her cheeks were flushed, her lips in a smile as she glanced around the large space, at the high ceiling and open floor plan and the windows that had a direct view of the Hollywood Hills. “Your girlfriend is going to have a very hard time accepting your generosity.”
“But you will.”
“Reluctantly.”
“But you will,” I repeated.
“Yes, I will.” She continued to smile. “Thank you.”
By having her at my hotel, I could ensure her safety much easier than if she was staying elsewhere. I wasn’t going to bring that up. She certainly didn’t need to know that I was going to be watching to make sure there were no unwanted visitors to her room. And until that asshole was fully out of the picture, I was going to make sure he didn’t even breathe in her direction.
“You know, if Edinburgh transforms into even a quarter of the beauty that you’ve built here in your house, that hotel is going to be absolutely amazing.”
“It will. I’ll accept nothing less.”
She stared at me from the corner, pillows surrounding her side and back, wineglass not far from her lips. “Something I find so interesting about you … I’m far from perfect, and yet you look at me like I’m”—she gazed around the room again—“this.”
“You’re more beautiful than this, Lily. This doesn’t even compare to you. Nothing does.”
Her head shook. “When you say things like that, I feel it. The words literally sink straight into my soul.”
“It’s the truth.” I untucked her legs and spread them out across my lap. “I didn’t wait this long to be with a woman because I was looking for perfection. I waited because no one I’d met, been around, or seen even tempted me enough to want to be in a relationship. Until you, Lily. Until you changed every thought, want, desire, and every opinion I had on the subject.” I curved my hand around the bottom of her bare foot. “None of us are perfect. We’re all loaded with flaws, but when you find the person you want to be with, you ask yourself if you can tolerate those flaws.”
“Have you had that conversation with yourself? About me?”
I huffed a bit of air out. “Several times. And you know what your flaws do to me?”
“Scare the shit out of you.” Her voice shrank. “Make you want to run?”
I massaged her arch. “They turn me the fuck on.”
“But—”
“No, no. We’re not going to talk about buts tonight. I want you here. I want every part of you.”
She raked her fingers through my scruff. “You make me feel like such a queen.”
“Well, this is my palace, so that does make sense.” I nodded toward my bedroom wing. “In my closet, on top of the island, are a few bags. They’re for you. For tonight and for all the future nights that I can convince you to stay here instead of the hotel. In one of the bags should be a bathing suit. Why don’t you go put it on?”
Her fingers froze. “Hold on a second. You got me … things? To stay here?”
“I didn’t give you an opportunity to go back to your place and grab whatever you might need. So, I had my assistant do some shopping, and a bathing suit was on the list.”
She looked at me in awe. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now.”
I began to rub her other foot. “We’re going in my hot tub. If you’d rather go naked, I’m all for that. I’d actually prefer it.” I shrugged.
She tightened her grip on my face. “Brady … that wasn’t what I meant.”
I laughed. “I knew what you meant.”
“You’re spoiling me.” She dragged her teeth over her lip. “I hate you for that.”
“You know what?” I growled. “That turns me on too.”
She crawled out of the couch corner and straddled my lap, her arms resting on my shoulders, her pussy grinding over my hard-on. “How private is your hot tub?”
A few more pumps of her hips, and I’d be tearing off both our clothes.
“Private enough that I’m okay with you going naked.” I grabbed her ass, squeezing those fucking cheeks, dreaming about my cock sliding between them. “Trust me, if I thought someone could see your body, I’d never allow it. No one is going to look at what’s mine.”
She lowered her lips to my mouth, pressing the softest kiss against me. “Take me there.”