She took a sip of her drink before she continued. Keeping her back to Rita was easier than facing her.
“But I’m scared, Rita. I’m scared because even with that perfect man list I think I’m falling for someone who is so opposite of everything I thought I wanted that it’s laughable. How is it possible that what I thought would be the man of dreams could be so different to the reality of the person who fires my soul? How is it possible that the person I spent the best night of my life with last night is the right one? How is it possible that my perfect man could actually be Grayson Warren?”
“It’s possible because the perfect woman for Grayson Warren is Lily Green?”
Lily whirled around the contents of her can flying out and splashing all over Grayson’s black shirt.
“Grayson, what are you doing here?” Realization sunk in. It hadn’t been Rita who’d walked in—it had been Grayson. She’d bared her soul to the one person she hadn’t wanted to bare it too. “Oh my God, you heard everything didn’t you.”
“Does it matter if I did? Are you going to try and tell me that you lied? That every word you spoke about your past and the reason you write your lists is all now bullshit, because it was me you were talking to instead of Rita. It’s too late. You can’t make me believe that for the first time ever I was hearing the real Lily Green.”
Lily dropped her head forward and sighed. “So what if it was the truth. It doesn’t change anything does it? You walked out on me this morning.”
Looking down at the ground she saw the tips of two black shiny shoes belonging to Grayson. A second later fingers hooked under her chin and lifted it so that she had no option but to look at him. His eye was now a lovely shade of purple and the bump on his head was a little smaller. He’d never looked more attractive to her than he did right then.
“But I’m back, aren’t I? I’m here standing right in front of you.”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t stay away. I tried to. I spent the morning feeling like shit for leaving you. Even knowing that Wayne was out of my business and I wouldn’t have to deal with him again, made me feel better. I came clean with the client too. Told him what Wayne had done. How I covered it up.”
Lily couldn’t believe what he was saying. She had been so sure Grayson wouldn’t breathe a word of what had gone down with Wayne to anyone, let alone the client. “What happened?”
Grayson laughed lightly. “Exactly what I thought would happen. He didn’t care. He had his money, that’s all he wanted. I do think Wayne better watch his back, though. The guy even hired me for another job. I turned him down. I don’t need the likes of him in my business.”
When he leaned a little closer to her, Lily held her breath. Would he kiss her? She wanted him to. She wanted to taste him again. She wanted him to possess her like he had the previous evening. Not the greatest idea in the world when they had so many other issues to sort out.
“I don’t want to talk about business, Lily. I want to talk about us.”
Her heart leapt to her throat. “What about us.”
His hand trailed down her cheek. Her flesh warming immediately beneath his touch. She need to touch him too, so she cupped his cheek in her hand, her thumb brushing tenderly beneath his bruised eye.
“It feels so good when you touch me, sweetheart. You soothe the ache I had no idea lived inside of me, with a simple brush of your thumb. I know we’ve only just met. I know we have so much more to learn about each other. I know we’re going to fight. But I want to experience it all with you. Can you give us a chance, Lily? Can you take a leap of faith and enter into something you haven’t written a list for?”
With each word Grayson spoke the lighter his eyes grew until they were a bright blue. His faith in her, in them, chased away the darkness that lived inside of him. Just like he’d told her.
Could she do the same?
Could she take that massive no-list leap of faith?
If the last few hours of despair she’d been living in, thinking that she’d lost him was anything to go by, she’d be mad if she didn’t. Lily had never experienced the sort of desolation she’d been feeling that morning. Not even when another family had decided she wouldn’t fit with them. She’d always bounced back fairly quickly from a family’s rejection. She didn’t think she could bounce back if she lost Grayson.
The time had come to do it. No words of love had been declared. It was way too soon for them to be said. But they could be in the future.
Grayson was right. Love couldn’t be added to a list. It had to evolve between two people and she wanted it to evolve between them.
“Yes, Gray. Yes I want to take that leap of faith with you.”
He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her like she was the only air he needed to breathe. Their lips caressed each other in a silent vow. When they broke apart Grayson rested his forehead on hers.
“Can I please rip up your Perfect Man list? I don’t think you need it anymore.”
12
Grayson swallowed the groan of pain as Lily gripped his hand even tighter than a few seconds ago.
“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. Just breathe,” he told her.
“It’s easy for you to say. It’s not your life that’s about to change in a few minutes.” She grumbled at him.
He laughed and pulled her tighter against him. “We’re in this together, so yes my life is going to change too. It’s going to be wonderful, sweetheart. Trust me.”
A second later the lights dimmed. Music built to a crescendo as the crowd clapped in excitement. The final model appeared at the back of the catwalk. Her white diamond encrusted bra and panty set glittered beneath the strategically positioned lights.
Then she started walking, slow measured steps down the runway. The noise from the crowd drowned out the music. When the model reached the end of the catwalk she paused and twisted to the right and then to the left, giving the crowd a good look at Lily’s beautiful creation. The center diamond shone brilliantly and the love hearts on the panties winked cheekily to the audience. The model turned and walked back down the catwalk before disappearing backstage.
“It is exquisite, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you.” He gave her a gentle push. “Now go celebrate. Walk out with your collection and absorb all the cheers because they’re all for you, Lily. All for you.”
Grayson stood in the wings clapping and cheering proudly for the woman he loved. They’d come so far since that day in her office.
He’d stood silently by her side as she worked her butt off for the collection. He’d helped her weary body out of the building back to her place where he tucked her in and held her all night long.
It’d been perfect.
His business was getting more contracts than he could handle. It helped that he’d gone into partnership with Ash. A partnership where they both worked together to grow the business. He couldn’t be happier.
Grayson put his hand in his pocket, his fingers connecting with the small box residing quietly within the folds of fabric. He’d worked with the diamond company to design the perfect ring for Lily. He hoped she liked it.
But first they had a launch celebration to get through.
Lily took another sip of champagne. She didn’t really want it, but she had taken it when the directors from Bent’s made their speech. She was excited to work with them again.
“Hey Lil, I’m so happy for you. The show was amazing. I knew you could do it.”
Lily smiled as Rita walked toward her, noting Rita’s husband, David, had his arm firmly around her side holding her close. Rita herself, rested her left hand on her small protruding belly. Lily was going to be a godmother in a few months and she couldn’t wait.
When Rita had announced the news of her pregnancy Lily had been so happy for her friend. In private, though, she’d had a meltdown until Grayson calmed her down and told her everything would be fine. Everything would work out. And it had. With the help of Rita and Grayson, they’d formed a
plan for how to deal with Rita’s pregnancy and what would happen after the birth of the baby.
Lily had plans drawn up for converting an office into a nursery for Rita for when she returned to work after having the baby. They’d started training Rita’s replacement and Lily really liked Kirsty.
“Earth to Lily?” Lily became aware of Rita waving a hand in front of her face.
“Sorry, Ri, I was miles away.”
“Yeah I noticed. And as I keep saying, everything is going to be fine.”
“I know. I really am excited to meet your baby.”
Rita laughed and smiled lovingly up at David. “So are we. Oh, I meant to tell you. We’ve got so many requests for the finale piece to be shown in stores. There’s talk of it doing a national tour.”
Lily laughed at the thought of a bra and panty set doing a tour around the country. “That seems so illogical, but entirely plausible at the same time.”
“Definitely and we know where to go to for security for the tour.” Rita looked around. “By the way, where is Hottie McGuardy?”
“Hottie McGuardy? Who the hell is that? And do I even want to know?” The object of Rita’s question slid an arm around Lily’s shoulders. Immediately she relaxed into his embrace. She’d never tire of being held by Grayson. He was her perfect man and she loved him with her whole heart.
“You, babe. A girl in the office came up with the nickname the day you started working at the office. Rita latched onto it with glee.”
Grayson chuckled. “I might have known.”
Rita leaned in to give Lily a kiss. “Well we’ll leave you to it. My feet are killing me. Bubba and I need to rest up.”
“Wait, before you go I want to know if we could all go backstage for a minute?” Grayson asked.
“Sure,” Rita and her husband responded together.
“What’s going on?” Lily questioned as the four of them made their way through the crowd. The noise level dropped substantially the moment they walked around the back of the stage.
“I’ve got something I want to say and well,” Grayson paused. “I wanted the most important people in your life to hear what I have to say.”
Lily’s heart dropped, Grayson couldn’t be breaking up with her, could he? She squashed the thought immediately. He’d held her hand all through the show. Told her he loved her over and over.
Another thought entered her mind, but she stomped on that like it was a spider. It was still too soon.
Grayson tugged on her hand and she refocused her attention to him. It was then she noticed he was down on one knee with a red velvet box in his hand. “Lily, the day I met you, you were freaking out about losing a list. I knew immediately you needed protecting. I told myself then that you were high maintenance and I wasn’t the man for the job. But, I was wrong and,” he glanced over at Rita and Lily saw the tears in her best friend’s eyes. “someone had other ideas and I will forever be grateful to her. Lily, my lingerie-making-list-loving love of my life, will you please do me the honor of marrying me?”
Her vision blurred. She blinked to clear it and a couple of tears trickled over her eyelids.
“Oh my God, Gray. Yes. Yes I will marry you. I love you so much and I have so much to thank you for too. Thank you for letting me be me. Thank you for tolerating my love of lists. But I’m finding I don’t need them as much now. I have all I need with you. You are my everything. Thank you for loving me.”
Grayson stood and slid the beautiful ring on her finger. Lily knew it sparkled, but she couldn’t tell the design because of the tears overwhelming her. She cupped Grayson’s cheeks and kissed him soundly on his lips.
The next moment the both of them were caught up in an embrace from Rita and David.
“Oh Lil, I’m so happy for you and Grayson. But you can’t get married until after the baby is born. I’m not going to look like a fat blimp in your wedding photos.”
“But you’ll be my fat blimp, honey.” David said. “Congratulations Grayson and Lily. I hope you’ll be as happy as Rita and I.”
They stood there for a few more seconds before Rita and her husband made the move to go.
“Well,” Rita said, wiping her eyes. “We’ll leave you both to celebrate.”
Lily pulled herself out of Grayson’s embrace and hugged her best friend.
“Thanks for everything Ri.”
“Oh Lil, you’re welcome. You’re my sister you know that, right?”
“And you’re mine too.” Lily laughed as they hugged once more before Rita allowed herself to be pulled away by her husband.
Then it was just the two of them.
“Okay, sweetheart?” Grayson asked.
Lily wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve never been happier in my life.”
About the Author
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Part of Susan Stoker’s Special Forces Operation Alpha Kindle World
Protecting Maria
With a final twist the knot held and Maria snipped the fine, silky black thread. Sweat trickled down her spine. The fact her hands remained steady was only due to her determination not to let the bastards know they were getting to her.
She threw the suture needle in the metal kidney shaped dish. The small tool joining the three bullets she’d extracted. "There it's done."
The removal of the gun barrel that had been held against her head for the last two hours should've been a relief. Only it wasn't. Maria Moretti knew after tonight the life she'd spent the last ten years working hard to create was over. Her past had found her and she knew it wouldn't let her go.
“Very good, Dr. Moretti. I’m sure Uncle Vittorio is very grateful that you saved his life.”
The sleaze ball who’d snatched out of the hospital parking lot was far too smug for her liking.
“Like I had a choice,” she muttered and snapped off her latex gloves. “Now, how about you and your goons, take my Uncle and get the hell away from me. I don’t want anything to do with him or the family anymore. My father knows this. And if you happen to see my loser of a father, give him the following message.” She glared at sleaze ball, waiting until he nodded. “Stay the fuck out of my life. Like we’d agreed.”
Without waiting for a response of any kind, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the doctor’s surgery they’d taken her to. She had no idea where she was, but this was New York, if she walked a couple of blocks she’d find a cab or a subway station. All she needed to do was get as far away from this place as possible, hoping that it would be the last time she’d see anyone from her mob family again. Somehow she didn’t think she was going to be so lucky.
***
A loud banging on her apartment door jolted Maria from her sleep. A glance at her bedside clock. The green luminous numbers showed six a.m..
Who the hell was making this type of racket at this time of the morning?
Throwing back the covers she made her way to her front door. “I’m coming,” she yelled as whoever was on the other side of her wooden door pounded again.
After the night she’d had there was no way she was going to unlatch the chain and disengage the locks. She may be sleepy but no one ever said Maria Moretti didn’t have any smarts. Pity exhaustion had her off her game last night, if she’d been more aware she may not have found herself in the situation she ended up in.
“Who’s there?” she asked.
“FBI, Ma’am. Ope
n up please.”
FBI? What the fuck?
Of course, it could be a trick. If the goon from last night had passed on her message to dear old dad, she wouldn’t put it past him to trick her like this.
Maria opened the door until the chain caught. “Show me your badge?”
A second later a meaty looking hand protruded through the door, holding out a leather pouch with a glittering gold badge and the name Agent Scott Whittaker typed neatly beside the FBI emblem.
Everything looked legit. But looks could be deceiving. However, Maria suspected her early morning visitors were going to be connected to her out of the way surgery last night.
After so many years of freedom she’d thought it was safe to stop looking over her shoulder. Last night proved, she’d always have to look.
She had no choice—again. If she refused their entry, they’d only force their way in.
“Watch your hand,” she commanded as she pushed the door shut and disengaged the chain.
Maria held the door open and three men dressed in suits walked in. Who the hell wore suits at six am?
Her normally spacious looking foyer seemed tiny with three large men taking up the space. Manners took over. “Why don’t we go into the living room and you can tell my why you needed to almost breakdown my door this early in the morning?”
The man whose badge she read spoke. “As I showed you. I’m Agent Whittaker,” he then pointed to the man to his right. “This is Agent Williams and this is Agent Clements.” He canted his head to the left. “We’re sorry to disturb you so early, Dr. Moretti, but we believe you have some information that could help us with a case.”
Her stomach plummeted as her suspicions were confirmed. No way was she going to let the Feds know she had an idea why they were visiting. Adopting her concerned doctor face she lifted her chin and looked Agent Whittaker in the eye. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
Protecting Lily (Guardian Seals Book 1) Page 8
