Chapter Twenty-Three
“You were terrific.” Jessie’s red tips bristled with excitement, a near match to the ornate rose centerpiece that sat atop the lunch table they’d just left. “The fire only made you come out swinging harder. Mr. Nurasawa was definitely impressed.”
“You think?” Lily tried to keep her excitement to a dull roar.
The Cosmopolitan Club was a somber place, all dark leather and cigar smoke, and one of the most exclusive gentleman’s clubs in the city. The only reason she’d been able to set her little toe inside was thanks to Nurasawa’s invitation. The man was not only a prominent developer and businessman, but a key Winslow Industries board member—and now, thanks to today’s meeting, a supporter of Lily Bennett for CEO.
The urge to throw back her head and bay at the moon like the ferocious hunter she was rode her hard. She’d snagged her first unequivocal vote for next month’s board meeting.
“I agree.” Jim bounced along beside them. “I thought after what happened…I mean, when you went home you seemed so tired and defeated and yet…today you…” The tips of his ears reddened. “Well, the point is, you’re focused, confident, and had an answer for every one of his concerns. Very CEO-like. I don’t know what got into you yesterday, but keep it up.”
The memory of exactly what—or rather who—had gotten into her brought a flush to her skin.
A rival who’d stayed the night though she’d expected him to cut out any minute. Who’d kept his promise and picked up the broken pieces and made her feel whole again. Who’d helped make breakfast and then given her a good luck orgasm on the breakfast counter for dessert. Who’d sent her off to work with a sexy growl and the demand that she kick some serious ass.
It was hard to believe she’d ever thought Alexi cold. Or unfeeling.
There’d been a worrying ache in her chest since he walked out her door this morning, but she wouldn’t take last night back for anything.
She’d been on her own her entire life. Gone without more times than she could count. It had been more than nice to have someone there when she was down.
She just needed to make sure she didn’t get too used to it.
“Hmmmm.” Jessie stared at her phone, oblivious to the two doormen in uniform who pulled open the massive oak doors of the lobby. “Looks like you just got a request for another meeting with a board member at two. Are you up for it?”
“Of course. The more the merrier.” Hands gripped tight around her briefcase, Lily marched through the lunchroom. The tide was changing. More of the board members were interested in hearing her ideas now that Russell’s eldest and Don Pierson were out of the picture. Speaking of which, “Any word on Paul?”
Jessie and Jim exchanged a quick look, the deep grooves around the latter’s eyes making him look older than only days before. “Nothing yet. He’s not answering my calls.” His guilt was painful to behold.
She reached out gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry. This is hard, but don’t forget it isn’t the first time he’s disappeared. Last time he and Russell had a fight, he took off for Thailand and returned two weeks later as if nothing had happened.”
“But he’s not there this time. We checked.”
“We have our best people looking for him. He’ll turn up.”
“Until then, we just have to keep to the business plan.” Unlike Jim, Jessie didn’t appear too broken up about Paul’s vanishing act. “Bring more board members to our side. Not let ourselves get distracted. It’s the only way.”
“You’re right,” agreed Jim, a determined look stealing over his face.
Lily smiled at them both. “You guys are amazing. None of this would be possible without you.”
Her phone pinged.
The elevator doors that led to the garage opened.
She stole a quick glance at her cell.
Jessie hustled in. Jim right behind. They looked at her expectantly.
Heels planted firmly, she remained where she was. “Text me the meeting address. I’ll get a taxi and meet you there at two. I need to…take care of something first.”
The elevator doors slid shut on two surprised faces.
A minute and one walk through the fancy lobby later, she stood before a discrete set of doors labeled members only.
The dark doors of an elevator slid open. “Finally.” Kazankov loomed within.
“Is everything okay? What are you doing here?”
“Waiting impatiently.” Large, rough hands wrapped around her arms and drew her across the threshold.
The doors slid shut behind her.
Kazankov’s talented mouth skimmed her throat, her temple, her jaw. “I just paid a king’s ransom to fast track a membership to this place. Turns out they have a top-floor apartment that’s available to members only.”
She titled her neck for better access while trying to play catch-up. “Won’t someone be in it?”
“Not anymore.”
Need flared. Amusement, too. Giddy, beautiful relief, as well. The man was ridiculous—spending far too much—but she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t floored by what he’d done to be with her.
They were breathing hard when they broke apart. The floors flashing by as the elevator climbed upward.
Raw lust warred with good sense as she studied him warily. “I thought…I thought last night was it.”
His gaze bore into hers, dark, hungry, unreadable as ever. “Not for me.” He shifted closer. “We’ve tried to end it before. It doesn’t take.”
“Last night was…different.” She couldn’t excuse it away as just primal attraction or angry, lust-filled one-upmanship. He’d been there for her—and it had changed something inside her for good.
“You’re right.” He didn’t even try and pretend otherwise.
She swallowed hard.
“Your choice, Lily.”
He was making no promises. Offering up no solutions or deals or bullshit about a compromise that would work for them both.
Pure honesty. Since they knew there were no solution to be had.
Paul was missing. The police were no closer to figuring out who was behind the vandalism or the fire than they’d been before. The board was dividing into fixed camps, some of whom supported her, some of whom supported Alexi.
Only one of them would win. The other would lose—and the stakes only seemed to grow. But in the meantime…
Her hand closed around the lapel of his jacket and dragged him closer. “Someone could see us.”
“There are no cameras on this elevator.” He nipped at her lower lip. “It’s just us.”
She dropped her briefcase, the bang echoing in the intimate space, and grabbed his ass. “Then why are we still talking?”
He smiled against her lips, sliding her skirt upward, the rough friction of his hands making her moan. “You could not be more perfect.”
“I could,” she spoke between frantic kisses, her hands pulling at his shirt, the belt buckle of his pants, “if I was screaming your name as you drove deep.”