Page 2 of His to Cherish
It’s a laughable understatement. Lilly basically lives in jeans and t-shirts, with her messy curls almost always pulled up in a bun. When we get together to watch games, she often dresses down even more, opting for sweats or leggings.
I find it nearly impossible to keep my hands to myself when she’s all warm and comfy at home or in a sports bar. But dressed like this? I’m so absolutely fucked.
Time to reign it in, asshole,I tell myself. I pull Lilly away from the door and a few feet down the sidewalk, making sure she’s steady on those heels before pulling my hands away. My body immediately roars in opposition at the loss of contact.
“Well, that’s the thing,” she says, still blushing. She’s not meeting my eyes, either, which I don’t like at all. “I was thinking maybe we could do dinner somewhere else tonight.”
I stare at her blankly. “You know there’s a Duke game on tonight, right?”
“Of course.”
“And it’s Friday.” I gesture over my shoulder. “That means Hoops has those chicken wings you love.”
Her expression tightens. “I thought it would be nice to try something different.”
I study her face, concern finally breaking through the drum beat of lust that’s been fogging my brain since I saw her. “What’s going on?”
She laughs a little, but I’m not sure I’m buying her easy-breezy attitude. “Something has to be going on for me to want to try something new?”
“You never want to miss a Duke game.” My eyes travel down her outfit once again, and my jaw tightens. The dress isn’t tight, but somehow that makes it worse. The fabric shifts against her body every time she moves, giving a hint at the curves below. I know my voice is huskier when I speak again, but I can’t help it. “And you never wear dresses.”
She huffs. “You’re in a suit.”
“Because I came from the office.” That’s not entirely true, but I’m definitely not telling Lilly why I don’t change after work on Friday nights. She doesn’t need to have any inkling of what I get up to later in the evening.
I push those thoughts away, because the last thing I need to be doing is thinking about my weekend indiscretions when I’m around Lilly. Those two parts of my life need to be kept far apart, for my own sanity.
And for her safety.
She crosses her arms over her chest and I have to fight to keep my gaze from straying to her cleavage. This fucking dress is killing me.
“You know, you get to go out to fancy parties all the time.”
I make a face. “If you’re referring to work events, you know as well as I do that they suck and I hate every second of them. I would much rather be on the couch with you.”
Her expression softens at that. “It’s not just work events. You get to eat in nice restaurants all over the world.”
I feel a little stung—I’d thought she enjoyed our low-key nights at the sports bar or one of our houses. “Lilly, if you wanted me to take you to a nice restaurant, all you had to do is ask.”
She holds her arms out wide. “Consider this me asking, then.”
I rub a hand over the back of my neck. The thought of taking Lilly somewhere fancy—i.e. romantic—while she’s dressed like that has every one of my alarm bells going off.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “I can call my assistant and ask her to get us in somewhere?—”
She starts to fidget. “Well, I, um, kind of already made a reservation. At Orchid?”
The alarm bells in my head are suddenly replaced by blaring sirens. Orchid is definitely one of the most romantic spots in the city. But that’s not what has me on edge. Something is finally starting to occur to me, the pieces falling into place, and I hate the picture they’re creating.
Lilly all dressed up and wearing makeup. The fuck-me heels. Her shyness right now. Her choosing a restaurant without my input.
“Are you hoping to run into someone at this restaurant?” I bite out, rage beginning to simmer in my stomach. “Is there a man you’re expecting to see there?”
She blinks at me. “Of course not.” But there’s something in her eyes that I don’t like the look of. Like she’s hiding something.
My hands ball into fists as the anger burns hotter. The idea of her getting all dressed up, looking so fucking beautiful, for someone else? I want to put my fist through a wall. I want to find whoever this asshole is and beat the shit out of him. Lilly is mine, goddamn it.
No, she’s not,a voice in the back of my head reminds me.She can’t be.
