She’s been inside my head all fucking day. By the time six o’clock rolls around, I decide that enough is enough. So what if she said no again when I asked her out earlier? I need to see her. I need to find out why, with only a few minutes of interaction, she has wiggled her way inside my head.

I’m hopeful that if I spend some time with her I’ll realise I’ve built her up to be something she’s not in my mind, and I’ll be able to put her to one side and get on with my life.

I’m Lucas Dalton, successful businessman. I run eight hotels, five restaurants and employ hundreds of people. I need to be focused. I shouldn’t allow someone to take up my thoughts—especially a certain golden-haired goddess called Lilly.

I convince myself I’m doing the right thing as I go through my employee records to find her information. I only wanted her address, but curiosity gets the better of me and I ended up looking at everything. I make a mental note of her birthday after writing down her address and shutting the computer back down.

I go about my usual routine as I get ready. It almost comes naturally now to look this way, like my colleagues and employees expect me to look. It doesn’t mean I like it, though. I stick my fingertips into my tub of wax and smooth my naturally shaggy hair back off my face. I repeat the action a couple of times until it’s perfect and looks the part. I pull on my grey suit and finish it off with a sky-blue tie, the colour of Lilly’s eyes. I give myself a mental slap around the face for that thought.

Before I know it, I’m stood at the entrance to her building and ringing the buzzer. She lives in one of the traditional Regency style buildings that make up the town. The front door is huge, along with each of the windows facing out over the park on the other side of the road. It isn’t the kind of building I was expecting a Cheltenham University student to be living in. It doesn’t exactly say student accommodation.

The second I hear a male voice answer the intercom, I’m on edge. Fuck, of course she’s got a boyfriend. I didn’t even give it a thought. My selfish brain decided it wanted her, and that was that.

“Hello?”

“I’m looking for Lilly.”

“Well, you’re looking in the right place. I’ll buzz you up.” Halfway through the sentence, I know I haven’t got anything to worry about. I’m pretty sure the guy on the other end is gay. What I don’t expect to see though, when the door to Lilly’s flat opens, is a giant of a guy. Whoever her roommate is, he’s seriously stacked.

“Hey, I’m Lucas. I’m looking for Lilly. I’m taking her out for dinner tonight.” I expect him to say something back, but he just stares. “Uh…hello,” I prompt.

“Shit, yeah, come in. She’s in the shower.”

I expect him to go and get her or something, but he just calls out and then stands and stares. I’m not really sure what the hell’s going on or what I’m meant to do in this situation. Thankfully, only seconds later I hear footsteps heading our way, and then Lilly appears. Wearing only a towel, thank you God.

I run my eyes down from her wet hair, over her slender neck and shoulders. I watch as the pulls the towel tighter around her before dropping my gaze to her long legs. Fuck, they’re incredible.

The roommate is still staring at me while Lilly stands there looking very uncomfortable. I decide it’s time to break the silence.

“Lilly, we’re going to dinner.”

* * *

I sit myself down and ping out a few emails while I wait—no point wasting time. If I have my way, I’ll be way too distracted to do any work for the foreseeable future. I’d much prefer Lilly to keep my mind—and body—busy.

The feel of her pressed up against me earlier pops back into my mind. How her body felt up against mine, how light she was. I could throw her around and get her exactly where I want her without much effort at all. The thought alone has me reaching down to rearrange myself.

Eventually, I hear a commotion down the hall and when I look up she’s stood at the entrance to the room, looking very unsure of herself. The sight of her takes my breath away. She is perfect.

“Wow, you look stunning, Lilly.” I see a small smile twitch her lips at my compliment, although I can still see she’s questioning this whole thing.

“Have fun you two,” the roommate says, walking up behind her.

“Oh, I’ll make sure of that,” I say with a wink.

The roommate’s face lights up, before responding with, “Good, she needs someone to show her a good time.”

“Taylor,” Lilly gasps before smacking his shoulder. “Come on, let’s go,” she adds and begins walking towards the front door. And who am I to argue? I follow her out, staring at her arse the whole way.

The second the lift door closes, the atmosphere changes. Well, I think it does, but that probably has something to do with wanting to back her up against the wall. I glance over at her and her face doesn’t tell me she feels the same.

“Why are you doing this?” she asks, looking totally confused—like the idea of me wanting to take her out is that unbelievable.

“I just want to spend an evening with you, Lilly. Is that so much to ask?”

“But you’re my boss. You sack everyone who so much as sneezes at the wrong time, yet here I am. I don’t understand.”

I can’t help but laugh at her assessment. “I only sack people who can’t do their job properly, Lilly. You do your job perfectly well, and I’m intrigued by you.”

“Was that a compliment?”

“No, just a fact. A compliment would be me telling you your hair looks so good I want to run my fingers through it. Or that you smell divine. Or that you look incredible in that dress and I can’t help but imagine what you look like without it.” I watch as a flush of red spreads from her cheeks and down her neck.

“Okay, that’s enough.”

“It’s all true, Lilly,” I state.

I come to a stop next to the passenger side of my car and open the door for her. When I stand back up, she’s running her eyes over it before moving to me and running them up my body. “Like what you see?”

“This is crazy, Lucas. I’m your cleaner, and you’re…” She doesn’t explain, just gestures towards my car.

“Just get in.”

As I walk around to the driver’s side, I can’t help being unsure of whether I’m pleased or not that people fall for this act. But then, I guess I’ve played the part for so long now it’s almost normal. The suits, the money, the flashy cars. Lilly might have the impression I’m something impressive, but under all this, I’m far from the person she thinks I am. I know she’s thinking that she’s not good enough for all this, but if she only knew the truth: that she is the one that is way too good for me.

She’s silent as we drive further into town towards the restaurant I booked earlier. I wish I knew what was going on inside her head.

“Where are we going?” she asks when I bring the car to a stop.

“A restaurant just down here.”

Lilly stares at me for a beat before letting out a breath and allowing me to help her out of my car.

“Reservation for two under Dalton.”

“Sir, Madam, if you would like to follow me to your table.”

I glance back at Lilly as we follow the hostess. Her eyebrows are drawn together as she looks around at the lavish decoration. I can only presume this isn’t her normal night out.

I don’t get to check she’s okay until we are introduced to our waiter, have our drinks order taken and have been talked through the specials. I make the decision for her and order the nine-course taster menu and a bottle of wine. Lilly looks so overwhelmed that I just go ahead. I’d never say it to her, but she needs a little meat on her bones, so the nine courses should help towards that. Don’t get me wrong, she has a stunning figure, but she is a little too thin.

“Are you okay?” I ask once we’re alone. I reach my hand across the table to hers, but the second I touch her, she pulls her hand away as if I burned her.

“I’m just not used to this,” she replies.

We get interrupted again when the wine is delivered. I shoo the waiter away before he gets the chance to pour it for us. I have no desire to have him hovering around our table. I’ve already seen the look he’s given Lilly; the farther away he is the better.

“I wanted to spoil you for the night.”

“Thank you, but why?”

“Because you deserve it.” I don’t get to say anymore, which is probably a good thing, because her phone rings.

“I’m so sorry,” she says, clearly embarrassed by the noise blaring from her handbag. She rummages around, then pulls it out and looks at the screen. She looks torn as she tries to decide what to do.

“Go ahead,” I prompt, and after a couple more seconds she answers it and puts it to her ear.

I hear a male voice as soon we the call connects on the other end, and I can’t deny that it puts me on edge. I don’t want her talking to another guy while she’s out with me. Fuck it, I don’t want her talking to another guy full stop.

“Stop, listen,” she says, trying to get a word in edgeways with whoever it is on the other end. “I’m on a…date?” she whispers, sounding unsure of what to call this, as she turns away from me slightly. I hear his muffled voice before she states, “Well, I didn’t know he was a psycho until he turned into one.” There’s some more talking on the other end before she tells him it’s fine and that she’ll call him tomorrow.

I watch as she slowly puts the phone away before turning back to me.

“I’m—”

“It’s fine,” I interrupt, because I have no intention of allowing whoever it was on the phone to ruin our evening. As much as I want to ask about the psycho she mentioned, I won’t.

When the first course gets delivered, I begin to think Lilly isn’t going to eat anything. She just sits and stares at it.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it looks delicious. Too good to eat. I’m sorry, Lucas. This is just…not me. I don’t dress up like this or go to fancy restaurants. I feel totally out of place.”

I instantly feel bad about my choice. I wanted to show her a good night, treat her, but my effort has fallen completely flat and instead made her uncomfortable.

“We can leave,” I offer, putting my knife and fork down.

“No, no, no. I’m sorry,” she says again. “I’ll be okay, it’s just a shock I guess.”

“Well for the record, Lilly, you look exactly like you belong here. You’re the most beautiful woman here.” I’m relieved to see a small smile twitch her lips as her checks flush red at my compliment.

“Thank you, Lucas.”

Once she’s had another glass of wine, Lilly loosens up a little. I see her shoulders relax and the conversation starts to flow a little better, although the focus is mostly work. That’s not a bad thing, but I already spend my life there—it would be nice to have a little reprieve. On the other hand, though, it’s better than her asking about my past.

“Let me take that,” I say to the waiter when he returns with her jacket after I’ve paid the bill. Lilly tried to argue and wanted to pay half. That was not fucking happening. I already feel bad enough for making her uncomfortable with my choice of restaurant tonight.

“Thank you,” she says, turning back towards me once she has her jacket on. I can tell the wine we’ve consumed tonight has had an effect on her. Her eyes are bright and her cheeks pink. “Tonight was incredible.” Fuck knows why, but I feel like puffing my chest out with pride at her words. All I did was bring her to a fancy restaurant, yet she’s looking at me like I’m something special. That is so not the case, and once she discovers how true it is, she’ll be running a mile.

As soon as we step out of the restaurant, Lilly wraps her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm.

“Here,” I say as I shrug my jacket from my shoulders and drape it over hers.

“You’ll be cold,” she says in a pathetic attempt to refuse the offer, but I can see she’s so cold that she doesn’t mean it.

“It’s fine,” I say, trying to sound convincing because it’s anything but fine. It’s fucking freezing.

We set off back towards Lilly’s flat. I glance to the side to see her resting her head back as she stares out the window. I can’t help but reach my hand over and place it on her thigh. Her head snaps to mine. I expect her to look angry and push me away, but she surprises me. She just smiles and places her hand on mine.

“Thank you for tonight,” she says again. “I shouldn’t have enjoyed it is much as I have.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You’re my boss, Lucas. We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“I could sack you, would that help?”

Lilly lets out a little laugh and it feels like it hits me right in the chest. I don’t waste time thinking about what that might mean. “No, Luc, I need the money.”

“I could still pay you…just not for cleaning,” I say with a smirk on my face, because I can feel her looking at me.

“Lucas!”

“That’s a shame. I think we would enjoy it.” I give her thigh a little squeeze and I don’t miss the feeling of her muscles tightening. Fuck, I want my hand on more than her thigh.

“Well…thanks again, I guess,” Lilly says sheepishly at her front door. I walked her up here on the off chance that I might get invited in, but it’s not looking that way.

“You’re welcome, Lilly.” I reach up and hold her jaw in my hand while rubbing her cheek with my thumb. “It’s been a pleasure.”

She stands still for a few seconds, but to my relief she starts to lean towards me. If it’s the result of the wine or my actions I have no idea, but I’m grateful anyway.

Our lips are about to touch when there is an almighty crash from inside. Lilly jumps a mile and looks scared witless. My instincts take over and I grab her and pull her behind me before walking into her flat. When I get inside, I see a woman dressed in a man’s t-shirt, stood around shards of glass.

Just as Lilly steps inside, Taylor comes running around the corner, dressed in only a pair of boxers.

“Shit, sorry,” he says to no one in particular as he rushes over to help the woman tidy up.

“Are you okay?” I ask Lilly, because when I look back, she still looks a little scared.

“Yes, it just made me jump.”

“Come here,” I say as I pull her to me and wrap my arms around her. I wasn’t ready for our moment to be over, but I’m expecting to be kicked out any minute.

She stays put while Taylor and the random woman sort out the kitchen and then disappear.

“Do you want a coffee?” Lilly asks when she pulls back.

I really want something stronger, but I have a feeling I’m going to be driving soon so I regretfully agree to a coffee.

Lilly joins me on the sofa with two steaming mugs a few minutes later.

“Wow that’s impressive,” I say as I take in the barista style cappuccino she hands me.

“My mum runs a coffee shop in Oxford. I’ve spent my entire life making coffee,” she explains.

I take a sip. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Good to know. I can’t stand the taste of the stuff. I love the smell though, it reminds me of home. Sometime I just make some for that reason.”

I look over at her mug and see if full of tea, not coffee.

“How do you grow up making coffee and not like it?”

“No idea. You’d have thought it would have grown on me by now, wouldn’t you?”

Taylor and the woman reappear after a couple of minutes of silence. The woman is now wearing a barely-there dress; it makes Lilly’s look huge in comparison. We both watch as Taylor backs her up against the door and shoves his tongue down her throat before watching her disappear. I continue to stare at Taylor for a few seconds as I try to figure him out. I thought he was gay.

“Sorry, I’ll leave you guys to it. Pretend I’m not even here,” he says with a wink before leaving again. “Have fun!”

The silence spreads out for another few minutes. Lilly is intently staring down into her mug, trying anything not to look at me, I think.

I place my mug on the coffee table before reaching over and taking Lilly’s out of her hands and putting it with mine. She looks up at me through her lashes, and the move has my dick twitching. Fuck, she’s so beautiful.

I grab her arm and pull her over until she’s pressed up against me. I run my eyes over her soft facial features, down her neck and across her exposed cleavage. My mouth waters for a taste of her.

I raise my hand up to her cheek so we are almost in the same position as earlier. “Where were we?” I whisper before leaning in. I keep my eyes open until the last minute, watching her reaction. As soon as my head moves, her eyes close and her lips part. She’s been good at playing her cards close to her chest this evening, but it’s clear by her reaction that she wants this as much as I do.

My heart starts racing the second he pulls me to him. I was gutted when we got distracted earlier. I know I keep saying that we shouldn’t be doing this, that he’s my boss, but I don’t really mean it. As the night’s gone on, or maybe as the wine has gone down, I’ve been looking past all the reasons I’d told myself why I didn’t like him. But being up against his hard body on my sofa, all I care about is having his lips on me. All thoughts of him being my boss are gone, along with my reasoning about him not being my type. It’s been so long since anyone showed any interest in me that now I’m desperate for more, no matter what the consequences may be.

As soon as his lips touch mine, it’s like I lose all control, which is very unlike me. I’ve never been forward when it comes to this sort of stuff—I’ve always been happy to sit back and let the guy take over. My hands come up to the side of his head and my fingers tease the short hair before running over his shoulders and down his chest. Without instruction from my brain, my fingers find their way to his tie before starting work on his buttons, all the while our tongues dancing together in the most amazing kiss I’ve ever experienced. And to think I thought the feeling of his hand on my thigh in the car brought me to life…this is something else.

I sit up and throw one leg over his thighs so I’m sat on his lap. I look down on him and I can’t believe the difference. His perfect hair is now perfectly messy, his blue eyes dark and hungry, and his chest…well, there aren’t words for how perfectly defined every muscle is, and the scar that runs a couple of inches across his left pec sets the whole thing off.

Lucas sits with an amused look on his face as I stare shamelessly at him. Where’s the sophisticated businessman gone? This man between my thighs is a bad boy. Excitement bubbles up in me at the thought.

“Bedroom,” he states before lifting me as if I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me in the direction I point.

As soon as the door is kicked shut, I am dropped on the bed none to gently before I feel the fabric of my dress being pulled up my thighs. The sudden realisation of what he’s about to see makes me panic. I bring my hands down to his to make him stop.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking up through his dark lashes at me. The sight makes my breath catch. He lifts one of his hands and runs it through his hair, pushing the inky black locks away from his forehead.

“I’ve…uh…got a scar.” His eyebrows draw together in confusion. “It’s ugly and no one’s ever seen it like this.” I gesture between us in the hope he understands what I mean.

“Scars are beautiful, Lilly. They show who you are, your strength, they tell your story. But more than anything, they show that you are a survivor, no matter how you got it.”

I feel myself tear up at his words. I so badly want to believe that my scar is all of those things, but all I see when I look at it is everything I lost.

Lucas can obviously see that I’m close to stopping this, because he stands up and drops his trousers. The first thing I see is the huge—and I mean huge—bulge in his boxers. I’m not sure whether I should be scared or excited by that, but soon my eyes drop to another scar that runs almost the length of his thigh. My breath catches for a very different reason, because it looks pretty nasty. That definitely wasn’t done in surgery.

“You’ve seen mine. Now it’s your turn.”

Lucas drops to his knees after kicking his shoes, socks and trousers off, then slowly runs his hands from my ankles up to my thighs. He stops for a second when he grabs the fabric again, but this time I don’t stop him. I sit up when he has it over my arse and lift my arms so he can pull the dress off. He throws it over his shoulder, but his eyes don’t move from mine.

After a few more seconds, I have to break my connection with him. It’s too strong, too confusing, so I shut my eyes and allow him to look at me. I hear his intake of breath when he sees it. My eyes fly open and I go to sit but I’m stopped with hands on my shoulders.

“You’re beautiful, Lilly,” he whispers before I feel his lips kiss across my scar. He doesn’t stop at the bottom though, he keeps going until he is kissing my mound through the thin fabric of my knickers. He nudges my knees apart with his shoulders before I feel him run his tongue over me. I shudder at the unfamiliar sensation. It’s been so long, I’d forgotten how it felt. I soon feel the fabric brushing my thighs as he pulls them off, and then his hot mouth is on me. Taylor’s words from when I was getting dressed briefly bubble up to the surface, about me not doing any maintenance down there, but the feel of Lucas’ tongue against my clit forces them away.

Lucas slides two fingers inside me, and it’s all I need after months of nothing. I fall head first into the most intense orgasm I think I’ve experienced. I’m aware of noise around me, but it’s not until I come back to earth that I realise it was me shouting. Wow, that was good.

I feel the mattress dip either side of me, forcing my eyes to open. When I do, I’m looking up into the smug face of Lucas Dalton.

“Good?” he asks, his smirk only growing with the question.

“Hmm, it was okay.”

Clearly that wasn’t what he wanted to hear, because his hands come under my armpits and he practically throws me up towards the headboard before settling himself between my thighs.

“Condom?” he asks before doing anything else. I just shake my head at him and he smiles down at me. “Second time lucky then,” he says before thrusting into me.

I cry out at the alien sensation that takes over my entire body. Thankfully, he takes it slow for a bit, allowing me to adjust to his size and giving my body time to remember what to do.