Untaming Lily Wilde Read Free Page B

voice was smooth, forceful. “I’m sure my wife can manage just fine without me. Now, I believe you were about to apologize to the young Miss…?” His eyes snared Lily’s.
    Oh God. His eyes… Storm grey and fierce. And oh, that look… softening for me. He’s not going to eat me. He’s going to eat Bateman. I should be relieved I guess, but… She could feel herself leaning in, straining to get closer. Christ, what’s wrong with me?! What did he just ask me?
    “Wilde - Miss Wilde,” Lily stammered. But she hadn’t missed that unfortunate word he’d just used. Wife. There goes my sex-god fantasy, straight down the drain, along with my job.
    “Miss Wilde then,” prompted Harper.
    “Of course, so sorry, Lily,” managed Bateman, before excusing himself with a nod, and scuttling towards to Gents.
    Lily gaped, into space. “Wow. I threw Merlot over my boss’s crotch. Holy shih-tzu. I threw Merlot over my boss’s crotch !”
    Harper laughed sympathetically. “Probably Rioja knowing Martha Cane.”
    Lily, on the other hand, didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or chase after Mr Bateman and thwack him upside the head.
    “Uh-huh - Rioja - right. Well I guess it’s good to get the details straight for my tombstone,” she said, wondering if it’d be such bad form just to grab her coat and call it quits now, rather than waiting for the hammer to fall tomorrow. Unfortunately, walking out just wasn’t her style. Ever the good girl , she thought with a sigh.
    “Oh, screw it. Honestly, I don’t care if he fires me. This isn’t really me , anyway. The shoes, the make-up, the whole mingling and smiling thing -”
    “Now that’s a shame. But, now I’m curious. What is the real Lily Wilde like?”
    Lily felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Is he flirting with me, she wondered. He’s a married man.
    “Actually, right now, I have no idea,” she said, feeling moronic - but it was the truth. She was still trying to work out that little conundrum.
    She wasn’t meaning to be enigmatic, but never the less, her ambiguous answer seemed to peak his interest. He raised a curious eyebrow. There was something inscrutable about the way he looked at her. Something that made Lily’s mouth dry and her breathing shallow.
    “Well to tell the truth,” he said, “this isn’t really me either. I’m not really the company dinner type.”
    That took Lily by surprise. Surely this was his outfit. Lily felt flushed. The very sound of his voice was making her thighs tingle and her thoughts run crazy. The force of his stare was almost too much for her. She couldn’t hold his gaze. Could barely think straight under the heat of that scrutiny . Does he know what he’s doing to me?
    Her throat felt constricted. Her voice too tight. “No? But with a name like Lord Harper - well - isn’t this your company?”
    Lord Harper laughed. “Ah. I see what you mean, but no. My father’s that Harper, not me. I’m no lawyer. Usually I avoid these hobnobbing sessions like the plague.”
    “But - you’re here - so…”
    “So, I’ve spent a long time getting up to no good, and I figure it’s time I start behaving myself. What’s funny?”
    Lily’s cheeks were visibly burning up. “Nothing. It’s just - I seem to have the opposite problem.” Why am I telling him this?!
    If her previous comment had seemed to peak his interest, this little comment had sent his interest waltzing up Mount Kilimanjaro.
    “Go on…” he said. He twisted his lips to suppress a wry smile, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity all the same.
    “I’d better not,” she mumbled.
    Is he flirting? He wouldn’t surely. He’s married. Oh God, why am I so rubbish at recognizing the signs?
    “You are quite a perplexing woman.”
    Lily felt like a deer in headlights - no clue how to respond. God, he is flirting with me. Yay! No - not yay - bad Lily! Just another cheating sleaze-ball. But oh, those eyes… grey/blue, just a hint of smile lines. Jesus - what’s wrong