The Warrior In Me

by Anita Philmar

  “You talk to her?” Violet’s harsh tone accused him of committing an unspeakable crime.

  “Yes, at one time we were friends, then, well…” He gave Violet a telling glance. “I wanted to check on her and tell her Mark didn’t forget her in his will.”

  “He left her something?” Violet jerked back as if he’d hit her.

  “Yes. Even though, they got a divorce, they remained friends.” Zane ran a hand over Violet’s arm, trying in some way to reassure her. “You knew that, didn’t you?”

  Violet shook her head and appeared stunned by the revelation that a man she’d worked with for years had kept her in the dark. “Mark never mentioned word one about her to me.”

  “Mark and his secrets,” Lily grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest. The two women exchanged a knowing glance.

  Sebastian wondered if another of those hidden intimacies might have gotten Mark killed. Determined to dig deeper into the man’s life, he scanned the dwindling crowd around them. “It looks like Olivia has settled into her role as a grieving fiancée. Are the rest of us needed?”

  “No. You two head on home. I’ll stick around until the end.” Lily waved the other couple to the door. “Wait, Violet. If you could send out a company-wide email to let everyone at the lab know we’re closed tomorrow.”

  “Not a problem, but are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine. Now, go.” Lily smiled.

  Testing what he’d learned about the other couple, Sebastian studied their body language as they left. Both appeared committed to the other with Zane keeping his hands on Violet at all times. They did pause several times to speak to people but made steady progress toward the exit.

  Deciding to dig a little deeper into their past, Sebastian became aware of the empty space beside him. Where was Lily?

  A loud slapping sound echoed through the room.

  Swiveling on his heels, he spotted the catfight on the other side of the room. “Awe shit, I can’t leave that woman alone for one second.”

  ****

  Shocked not only by her reaction to Olivia’s comment but also the stinging sensation sizzling over her palm, Lily stared at the red mark on Olivia’s cheek. “I—”

  “Why you, bitch,” Olivia shrieked and lunged forward. Her hands rose, her artificial nails appearing like claws as she pounced.

  Grabbing for the woman’s wrists, Lily shifted quickly to one side and managed to keep the talons from her face. Instead, they hooked her hat, jerking it from her head. Her hair spilled from its top knot and flowed around her shoulders.

  Olivia tangled her fingers deeper in the mess and tugged. Pain fired through Lily’s scalp.

  Furious, Lily lowered her head to ease the pain and powered forward into Olivia’s stomach. The woman rocked back on her heels. Hastily adjusting her footing, Lily wrenched her head back and broke free of Olivia’s grip before she fell to the floor. The woman’s head hit the floor with a thud.

  Stepping out of the woman’s range, Lily glared at the woman. “Don’t you ever say anything like that about Mark again.”

  With a low groan, Olivia shut her eyes.

  Satisfied, the bitch had learned her lesson, Lily tossed her hair from her face and looked around on the floor for her hat.

  “What are you doing?” Devin squatted beside Olivia and waved a hand in front of her face. “She didn’t mean anything by her comment.”

  “Right,” Lily scoffed and scurried back. She bumped up against a solid wall. Raising her gaze to Sebastian, she read the concern on his face. “Don’t say a word.”

  He frowned and cupped his hands over her shoulders, then eased them down her arms to capture her hands. Lifting one then the other, he examined both before he gave each a kiss. “I believe now would be a good time to leave.”

  Wanting nothing more than to escape, Lily forced her eyes from the welcoming warmth of his and stared down at the woman still on the floor. Like the attention diva she’d always been, Olivia had tears running down her cheeks and clutched at Devin’s hand as if she were dying. Her blubbering comments sounded like pure gibberish.

  Sickened by the sight, Lily turned away. “Unfortunately, I’ve made a mess. Now, I have to clean it up.”

  The resentment bubbling through her rose to the surface with every snide remark the woman had thrown her way. Lily had managed to swallow her annoyance on numerous occasions until today when Olivia stepped over the line and insulted Mark. Like she had any right to throw stones.

  The gentle caress of Sebastian’s hand on her shoulder pulled her back from the brink of tackling the woman again. She glanced at him again and edged a little closer to his solid form. “You’re probably right. I’ve done enough damage. We should leave.”

  “That’s my girl.” He guided her away from the crowd gathering around them. Their accusatory gazes drove home the point Olivia had their sympathy. Sebastian didn’t seem to notice and led her toward the exit.

  He had tucked her away in the passenger side of her car and slid into the driver’s seat before she had a chance to change her mind. She stared at him, wondering why he hadn’t asked her about her attack on Olivia.

  After starting the car, he reversed out of the parking space and drove away from the funeral home. Once on the road home, he glanced at her a few times. The worried looks and persistent silence pierced through her false bravado.

  Hoping to hide from him, herself, and the rest of the world, she buried her face in her hands. God, how stupid. Not only had she made a fool of herself, she’d probably given Olivia a concussion. The woman had hit her head hard on the floor.

  “Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Sebastian brushed his hand over her hair and cupped the back of her neck.

  Tears of regret didn’t form behind her eyelids. Just a feeling of complete numbness filled her. What did it matter? Mark couldn’t get upset with her, and after tomorrow, she’d never have to see Olivia again.

  One more day, and Lily could have come away from her all-too-long acquaintance with Olivia untouched. Now, she had to face her and everyone who had been at the funeral home again tomorrow.

  “Lily?” His stern tone had her glancing in his direction. “What did Olivia say to upset you?”

  He drew the car to a stop at a red light and captured her wrist. Holding her hand against his chest, he captured her gaze and refused to allow her any means of escape.

  “I lost it.” She shook her head and relived the moments before she slapped Olivia. “She was talking to Devin, telling him how several women had approached her with tales of sleeping with Mark. Each had confided that Olivia was lucky she hadn’t married him.”

  Biting her lip, Lily fought the urge to scream and forced air into her lungs. One breath, two, until the fury she’d experienced earlier receded to a controllable point. “Devin offered a silly platitude of how lucky it was Mark doesn’t have a horde of illegitimate children scattered across the state.”

  “At least not that we know of,” Sebastian added, sarcastically.

  Annoyed by the comment, Lily tugged on her hand, but the irritating man wouldn’t let go. “Release my hand.”

  “Finish your story, and I will.” He lowered the hand folded around hers to his thigh.

  Again, trying to rein in the anger building, she drew in several lengthy breaths. “Olivia chose to make a discriminating remark about Mark, and well, I slapped her. End of story, now let me go.”

  “That’s it?” He loosened his grip, and she snatched her hand from his.

  “Yes.” She swiveled to stare out the side window.

  “What exactly did she say?” Sebastian pressed, not getting her subtle hints that she no longer wanted to talk to him.

  She rested her elbow on the passenger’s doorframe and placed her head in her hand.

  “Lily, what exactly did Olivia say?”

  Silently, she prayed for patience and refused to repeat Olivia’s nasty comment.

  Sebastian cupped his large hand over h
er knee and squeezed. “Tell me.”

  She angled her leg from his grip and waited until they drove into the driveway. The slow progress of the garage door opening reminded her she had stashed her purse in the trunk, and Sebastian had her keys. With the front door locked, if she wanted inside, she’d need to go through the garage.

  “She said he was nothing but a man whore who chased every woman in a skirt.” Without staying around to hear his reply, she bolted from the car.

  Slamming the door behind her, she raced through the garage and into the kitchen. She darted through the living room and up the stairs. Running not only from Sebastian but from herself as well, she envisioned the hounds of hell were behind her.

  Knocking her door closed, she spun on her heels to flip the lock before she dove for her bed. Her face buried in the bedspread, she pounded her fists, ashamed of her lack of control. “God, I hate—”

  Myself, Mark, my life.

  He had tried so hard to teach her how to hide her feelings in a crowd and exhibit the perfect front. She’d mistakenly believed she’d acquired a few skills, and with one little slip, she’d blown it. Now, she’d have to live with this debacle and hire someone else to raise money for their research.

  A sudden sense of awareness sizzled down her spine.

  Damn. She’d forgotten to lock the door to the bathroom. Twisting her head around, she caught sight of Sebastian and rolled over to sit up. She never made it that far.

  The man leaped on top of her and pinned her beneath him.

  She tried her best to break free, but the man met each of her countermoves. “Sebastian, get off me.”

  He captured her wrists and shoved them over her head. “Don’t ever run from me like that again.”

  “Why? It didn’t stop you from making your way into the house. Hell, you even made it into my bedroom.”

  “You’re lucky I didn’t break down that door.” He tossed his chin in the direction of the entrance to her bedroom and settled more snuggly over her. Shifting onto his elbows, he relieved the air-robbing pressure on her chest.

  She drew in a few breaths and glared at him. “And why, may I ask, is it so important for you to be in here?”

  “Because you’re in here.” His dark gaze drilled into her, telling her without words of his concern.

  She didn’t want the responsibility of him caring for her, not when she’d only let him down. “Go away.”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you don’t need to be alone. You’re upset by what happened with Olivia, and I don’t understand why?”

  Unable to comprehend his issue with the confrontation, she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, effectively shutting him out. Her mind raced with what she should do? Logic was her safety net for all situations, so she fought for a reasonable explanation for her current situation. After a concentrated effort to relax, she stated in a calm voice, “Given my past, I can see why you might want to check on me. But I assure you, I’m fine.”

  “Then why were you so upset by Olivia’s comment? You said yourself Mark couldn’t be faithful to any woman.” Sebastian cupped her cheek and brushed back several stray strands of hair. The gentle warmth of his fingers should have soothed her frazzled nerves, but they didn’t.

  “I know, but I didn’t insult the man by calling him a man whore a few feet away from where he lay in his coffin.” Lily struggled again to keep her anger in check. “She was his fiancée, for God’s sake. Couldn’t she show a little more respect?”

  “That’s why you slapped her? Because she insulted Mark at his wake?”

  “Yes. We were there to show the world he deserved to be honored for his accomplishments, not lambasted him for his flaws. The whole reason the Neanderthal project succeeded was due to Mark. You more than anyone else should understand how important the discovery is to your people, the world.”

  She shifted her hands, hoping he’d loosen his grip even as the heat of his body seeped through her dress, awakening a hunger inside her. Her gaze fell to the collar of his shirt, the knot of his tie.

  Somewhere along the way, he’d discarded his suit jacket. The buckle of his belt bit into her abdomen. The hard line of his erection told her he wasn’t immune to the position he had above her.

  She gazed into his dark brown eyes. “Was I wrong?”

  He released her hands and cradled her face in his palms. “I can understand your reasoning, but if Olivia really didn’t know of Mark’s carousing ways, she may have been hurt to find out he’d slept with several other women besides his ex-wives.”

  “I didn’t even think…” A sudden ache formed in her chest. She lowered her hands and grabbed his wrists. “No wonder she called me a bitch.”

  “She did a little more than that. For a moment there, I thought I’d have to pull you up off the floor.” Sebastian brushed his lips over hers and nibbled on her lower lip before he pulled away. “I decided right then, if you felt the need to wrestle, I’d be glad to accommodate you.”

  She lifted an inquiring brow. “Oh, really?”

  “Yes, but I have a few requirements.” He dropped his hands to her shoulders and one eased under her back. Insistent fingers located the tab of her zipper.

  “And they are?” She toyed with the knot of his tie, excited by the idea of working off some of her frustration with physical activity. Her normal workout had taken a backseat with all the extra time she had been putting in at the lab for the last few weeks.

  “First, you have to be naked.” He rolled to one side and tugged her over enough to unzip her dress.

  Cool air met her skin, and she shivered. “Wait a minute. I think you have something else in mind.”

  “No, I plan to pin you to this mattress and take full advantage of having you under me.” He pressed her back onto the bed and wedged a knee between hers. “Then as the winner, I plan to enjoy my prize.”

  Knowing exactly where this would lead them, she held up her hands. “Can I take a shower first?”

  “Want to wash off the stench of the funeral home?” He rotated away from her and rose beside the bed. He held out a hand to help her up.

  Surprised, he understood her reasoning for a shower, she let him pull her to her feet. “It’ll only take me five minutes.”

  “Nope. I’ll just join you to make sure you’re primed and ready for what I have planned.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The image of Lily’s naked body through the glass shower door had Sebastian wondering if he should give her this additional time to unwind. Seeing her tussle with Olivia had aroused some primal urge inside him. He wanted to capture her fighting spirit and direct it toward pleasure.

  He knotted his hands into fists and glanced briefly in the mirror. His cock stood out from his body, eager for another taste of Lily. He grinned. She mistakenly believed he’d take what he could get and then walk away. In the past, that had been true, but now, with her, he longed to stake a claim and make her completely his. How to achieve that, he didn’t exactly know. Still, she pressed every sensual button he possessed.

  She stepped close. He had to touch.

  She ran. He had to chase her.

  She hurt. He had to ease the pain or at least funnel the energy to more satisfying pursuits.

  Draping his clothes over the counter, he opted to wait until after their shower to hang them up. He stepped inside the large shower. Fantasies flashed through his head as to how he might use the bench by the door. Suds splashed against his chest. He blinked and stared at the trail of soap, running down the center of Lily’s glorious body. “Ms. Sinclair, you’ve been a very naughty girl.”

  “Sinclair? How did you know my maiden name?” The hunger in her eyes rivaled his own.

  His hand spanned her waist, and he drew her closer. Water pelted him and flowed between them. “You keep forgetting I know a lot of things about you.”

  “Like what?” She fidgeted as if uncomfortable with the notion.

  Her wet body hit his
. The silky warmth sent his senses into overdrive. Taking things slow fell under the heading of impossible when her fingers closed around his cock, her breasts met his chest, and her plush ass teased his fingertips.

  “Like your impatience to get exactly what you want.” He squeezed her cheeks and rocked his hips, showing her he craved the same thing.

  She laughed. “And what is it I want?”

  He smiled at her inability to give him a simple answer. “Why don’t you tell me?”

  “Only if you promise to let me taste and tease and…” She licked her lips and lifted her hand. Shoving at his chest, she directed him backward.

  Curious as to what she had in mind, he edged back and ran up against the shower seat. He lowered himself and gazed up at her. “Is this what you want?”

  A wicked smile spread over her lips. She dropped between his knees and wrapped her hands around his cock. The smooth glide of her fingers tightened the pressure in his groin. “Yes, I’ve wanted to get a taste of this bad boy since Alaska.”

  Sebastian groaned as she worked her palms back and forth along his engorged length. “Are you sure? Because if you set your mouth on me, I may explode.”

  She waved one finger at him. “Now, now, you said you know all my secrets, so you must be aware of how I enjoy teasing you.”

  Dipping her head, she placed kisses strategically along his inner thigh, building anticipation in him as to where her mouth might venture next. His gaze locked on the utterly compelling sight of her naked body between his legs, her hands fondling his cock. Intense pleasure surged through him. A tremble of awareness rippled down his legs if he’d been standing he’d have fallen to his knees.

  He tunneled his fingers through her wet hair, his hands tangling in the silky strands. “Sweetheart, you’re killing me.”

  “You don’t want to die, or you’ll miss the fun.” Her breath whispered over the head of his erection before red lips nipped at the tip.

  Tormented by the image of her mouth sliding over his length, he tightened his hold on her head and begged, “Please.”