Inescapable Read Free Page A

flashed out as he shot her an annoyed look, cold blue eyes scanning her.
    “Sorry,” she said, and paused as he pushed past her and exited, turning immediately left. People jostled into the elevator, office workers intent on leaving the building at the end of the day. One of the women put her hand on a button on the panel and kept it there while the others piled in. Jolting into action, Lily squeezed through the crowd and hurried out into the corridor.
    Facing her was a large stainless steel board mounted on the wall. It listed the occupants of the suites on the 16th floor. Glancing left and right, she noticed how up-market the place was. Polished marble tiles ran the length of the corridor, inscribed steel plaques gleaming on the doors. She still couldn’t believe that he was an accountant, a man with his own suite of offices in the heart of London. He’d suggested meeting here, assuring her this was a busy place and there were lots of other people around, which there were. Adrian clearly had a reputation to keep, which was also reassuring.
    Scanning the board, she smoothed down the close fitting top and skirt that her flat mate, Andrea, had insisted she borrow, and pulled her thigh-length leather coat closer around her.

     
     
    16

    Adrian’s office was in Suite 16K. The sign indicated that she should turn left. She took a deep breath and forced herself in that direction, resisting the urge to go back to the elevator and disappear into the departing crowd. She wanted to know; she had to find out. If it didn’t work…her stomach tightened at the idea of it. It would be awkward, especially after all that they had revealed to each other. That was the worst part.
    Glancing at the various company names as she passed the offices, she estimated Suite 16K was the last door on the right. The rude man from the elevator was ahead of her, and he seemed to be headed in the same direction.
    Her footsteps slowed.
    What if that was him? What if the man with the cold blue eyes was Adrian? Just as the thought occurred to her, the man glanced back over his shoulder and looked directly at her, his eyes narrowing.
    He was built large and brutish, and dressed in dark clothing. She didn’t think he looked like an accountant. Adrian’s easy, sexy, and direct chat had reminded her of a barman she’d met on holiday, the sort of bloke who put women at their ease immediately. That was how she had been picturing him, working a bar in the city. She’d never have guessed he was an accountant. What did an accountant even look like, anyway? She hadn’t a clue. Andrea’s aunt did their paperwork for the Sandwich Boutique.
    The sudden wave of uncertainty sent a shiver through her. The man ahead was moving quickly and had passed the last door on the corridor. That was weird. Where was he going?
    As she gained on him she felt increasingly uneasy. Drawing to a halt, she paused outside a random door. Perhaps he was lurking around to check her out as she arrived. If it turned out that he was Adrian, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go ahead with the date. He had a cold look about him that creeped her out.
    What the hell was she getting into, she thought, feeling panicked. When the man turned back again she looked away and put her hand on a door handle for suite 16J, grappling for cover while she cautiously watched him from the periphery of her vision.
    With one last glance back over his shoulder, the man stepped over to the window at the end of the corridor, opened it, and climbed out onto the fire escape.
    Maintenance man, not accountant.
     
     
     
    17
     
     
    Lily shook her head and laughed at herself, which released a heap of tension. Then, with a deep, steadying intake of breath, she walked along the corridor to the door of suite 16K. The polished plaque mounted on the door read: Adrian Walsh, large business accountancy .

    She was in the right place. That was a good start. She glanced at her watch. Just a minute or so early, which gave her