Chapter Four
Lily awoke to sunlight streaming through the window of her suite.
Her sleep had been so sound, she needed several seconds to gain her bearings.
She was not at home in her cottage where she woke every day of her life, but in a heavenly soft bed covered by a down comforter in the Waldorf Astoria suite of Rhett Buchanan.
She snuggled down under the covers and released a huge sigh of contentment.
If she were a cat, she would purr. Her stomach fluttered with delicious butterflies when she remembered Rhett’s sensual—and yes, rambunctious—kisses the night before.
The best of the butterflies she reserved for the tantalizing and very romantic way Rhett had carried her to her bed, intending to tuck her in and kissing her senseless instead.
She grinned. He had said he always had control, but not with her. That had to be good, right? He had to care about her.
His feverish words delivered in that husky voice made her skin tingle, even now.
And he had been so understanding. Last night with Rhett, she had crossed the temptation line—fairly sprinted across the line—and then panicked at the last second.
Yet the dear man hadn’t cried foul though he had every right.
Instead, he had been tender and sensitive and blamed himself for a lack of control.
Lily felt certain she’d done the right thing. Though she cared for him enough to take this to the next level, sleeping with Rhett under the guise of deception would have destroyed them. If not now, then later when he discovered the truth about her.
A painful thought intruded. Would he cry foul today, now that he’d had time to ponder the events of last evening? Would he think her ridiculous in the light of day? Or worse yet, a tease? Her cheeks flamed, and she threw off the covers.
Was Rhett up? Should she wander out to the parlor or wait until he knocked on her door?
Better to get out there now and get it over with, rather than sit in here and worry.
Today she would tell him everything. She scurried to the bathroom, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and ran a brush through her hair, then grabbed the thick terrycloth robe off the back of the door.
Last night, Rhett had made her feel beautiful and desirable and definitely aroused, and he had made her heart pulse so hard she had trouble catching her breath. She loved that feeling, and she didn’t want to give it up. Ever. She had to do this. Clear the air. The only way forward.
After one deep, calming breath, she cinched belt of the robe tight and marched out to the parlor.
Turning the corner, she froze. Not only was Rhett up, but he was dressed and seated at the breakfast table.
Obviously, room service had come and gone while she slept.
He rose when he saw her, his gaze traveled from her head to her bare toes and back again.
That intense gaze that felt like a caress and sent a fine tremor up her spine.
He looked absolutely delicious first thing in the morning, the curls on his neck still damp from his morning shower.
“I was just about to come get you.” He cleared the hoarseness from his throat. “I took the liberty of ordering breakfast for us.”
“Did I oversleep?” she asked worriedly.
“No, I have a meeting in an hour.” His expression looked unreadable, but his eyes glittered with that electrifying intensity.
She couldn’t seem to put one foot in front of the other, feeling suddenly exposed and out of place. “Is everything all right?” she asked, hating that her voice sounded so tiny.
He stared for several more seconds. “That robe—”
She glanced down. The robe was still tightly cinched. She looked back at him in confusion.
“I didn’t expect . . . I mean . . .” He swallowed hard. “It was hard to sleep last night after tucking you in, knowing you were right next door.”
His eyes darkened, and she suddenly realized the implication of coming to breakfast in her nightgown and robe. “I’m sorry. Would you rather I got dressed?”
“No!” He grimaced and glanced away, then back. “No,” he repeated in a much softer tone, “I’m doing it again.”
“Again?”
“Acting like that high-school boy again.” He shook his head and pulled out her chair. “Please come have some breakfast, and I’ll try to find some dignity.”
He hadn’t cried foul. This was good, right?
She padded over warily. His intense gaze followed each step. As she reached the proffered chair, she looked him square in the eyes, now black with desire.
“It’s just seeing you in that robe and wondering—” he said hoarsely. “You look so damn beautiful in the morning.”
Her heart trip-hammered against her ribs, and Lily fought back the urge to reach up and thread her fingers into his damp curls and tug his lips down to hers.
The atmosphere crackled between them. If she grabbed him now, there would be no turning back.
She couldn’t move, couldn’t quite pull in a breath.
His hands still grasped the chair, his eyes chained to hers. Her emotions flared with intensity. Her mind warred with her heart, and in her soul, she somehow knew he held back—with his steely determination—waiting to see what she would do.
Words tumbled breathlessly from her lips before she could think to stop them. “You make me feel so beautiful when you look at me like that.”
She heard his sudden intake of breath, and she grabbed for the chair to steady her balance. Her hand landed against his. The sudden feel of his warm, hard knuckles against her palm jolted like an electric shock. She gasped.
Rhett growled low in his throat, and his hand snaked around her nape as his mouth closed over hers.
She could feel both his restraint and the increased pressure of his lips as his need fought his steely determination for control.
Her heart turned over at the knowledge she could create such turmoil in this enormous, self-confident genius of a man.
Her arms tightened around his neck, pressing him close and riding the successive waves of emotions he created as his tongue trespassed where he’d promised not to go and hungrily teased her tongue into playing his game with a rhythmic sexuality.
She cast aside all her good intentions and never wanted this one mind-blowing kiss to end.
His hand slipped from her neck to her cheek, and she shuddered.
Rhett palmed both cheeks. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”
Oh, she hoped so. Especially once she bared her soul, she hoped so.
Lily could only stare in mute silence as his darkened gaze held hers.
She truly had fallen in love with this man at first sight, just like her dad had with her mother.
She knew that now, and here she stood, fearing all the love in her heart gleamed revealingly in her eyes.
She couldn’t do anything to prevent it though she drew some satisfaction from hearing his breathing as labored as hers.
“What am I going to do with you, my delicate little flower, my precious Lily?”
She winced at the word flower, an unwanted reminder of her deception. His gaze focused for several seconds, then he took a deep breath and slowly released it, almost like a soft sigh. She couldn’t breathe at all.
Tell him who you are.
The phone rang and startled them both. He hesitated for a moment, then crossed the room and snatched up the receiver. After a few short sentences so low Lily couldn’t hear them, he stepped out onto the balcony with the phone and closed the French doors behind him.
Lily worked at getting her heart and lungs back under control after the sensual pummeling she sustained in the scant few minutes since she had entered the room. Taking a seat, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped slowly while waiting for Rhett to return and have breakfast.
Ten minutes elapsed before he came back inside, and his expression looked ominous. Lily gulped and waited. Had someone called and told Rhett about her? He set the phone back in its cradle and stalked to the table.
“There’s been a change of plans,” he said gruffly and took a seat.
She waited for the boot to drop.
“I have to fly to London today. We have some problems there I need to reconcile.” He took a sip of coffee.
“I’m sorry, Lily, but we’ll have to cut this trip short a couple days.
I don’t know how long I’ll have to stay overseas, but I’ve talked to my pilot, and he will fly you home whenever you’re ready. ”
He took another sip of coffee but kept his gaze averted. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Use the suite. It’s reserved until Wednesday. You should go do some shopping and see more of New York. Charge everything to the room. I have an account here.”
He paused, and a wave of relief flooded through her, so strong she felt lightheaded. He didn’t know who she was. Yet. She had been granted a reprieve. He finally looked up and waited for her to say something.
“You’re very kind, but I think I’ll just go home.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t want to stay here without you.”
He studied her for what seemed like an eternity. A slight frown came and went. “You’re not mad?”
“Of course not. You couldn’t help it.” She saw a mirror of her own relief in his expression. “How could I be angry with a man so wonderful he took me to see Beauty and the Beast?” she said impulsively, feeling like a prisoner just given parole.
“Lily, you are amazing.” He leaned over to give her a kiss. “Most women would pitch a fit over getting their trip cut short.”
“Not if you told them to stay and shop.”
And not this girl. I’m just trying not to lose you too fast.
He grabbed his coffee cup and rose to his feet. “I have to go pack, so I can catch my plane,” he said regretfully.
“Go on. You don’t want to be late.” She waved him off.