Heated Secrets (Rose Garden Apartments Book 1)

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Chapter 13

  “Are you still awake?” Lilly whispered, not wanting to wake him up if he was asleep.

  “No,” he mumbled into the pillow. She smiled as his arm tightened around her waist.

  There was a long silence, then she felt him shift, rolling so that he could see her. “What’s wrong?”

  She shifted, stretching herself across his chest.

  “Lilly, what’s bothering you?’

  She laughed when he kissed that sensitive spot right below her earlobe. Pulling away, she looked at him in the dim light of her bedroom. “You mentioned earlier that you wanted to renegotiate the terms of this…um…agreement,” she finished lamely. She didn’t want to call what they had a relationship. That would imply that there were emotions between them. She was madly in love with him, but Lilly didn’t want him to know that. She feared that he might end this if he found out how deep her feelings had become.

  He nuzzled her neck again and she shivered, even though there was no way she could do a repeat of what they’d just enjoyed. She was too spent.

  “What do you want to change, Drako?” she asked softly, her heart thudding nervously against her ribs.

  With a sigh, he lifted his head from the pillow, staring down at her. She could still make out the harsh lines of his features and knew that he’d turned serious. “I want more,” he said quietly.

  For a long moment, that word didn’t register. She blinked up at him. “More?” she repeated slowly, not sure what he meant. “More how?”

  Was he breaking up with her? Did he want to find someone he could marry? Someone who wasn’t her? Someone who could give him more?

  “I want to be able to touch you, Lilly. Not when we’re in a business meeting or any other official capacity, obviously. But when there is no one else around, I want more. I want to know that I can touch you and feel you and, hell, kiss you. This total ban on touching, unless we’re here or at my place, is just not working for me.”

  The relief surged through her like a rush of warm, silky water. “That’s it?” she asked, almost afraid to believe that this amazing man just wanted to touch her more in public! Wow!

  “That’s what’s on my mind just now,” he replied back.

  She licked her lips, running her hands down over the muscled ridges of his shoulders and arms. “Um…I think…” she felt his body press intimately against her own. “I think that would be okay,” she whispered.

  “Good. I won’t embarrass you, Lilly. I’ll continue to be careful. I know that a romantic relationship in the workplace is different for a woman than it is for a man.”

  “Thank you!” she whispered, then rolled her hips. “I thought I was too tired for another round!”

  He laughed, nibbling at her neck. “Are you now?”

  She sighed happily as he pressed into her heat. “Apparently, I’m not!”

  He continued, proving that she was right. She definitely wasn’t too tired for another round!

  Chapter 14

  Drako watched as Lilly left the conference room. Her hips didn’t sway enticingly. She didn’t glance over her shoulder with a “come-hither” look in her eyes. She didn’t pause at the door with her cute, pink tongue sliding along her lip. But there was still something about the way she moved that captured his attention. She was just so damn…beautiful!

  He’d take her out to dinner tonight, he decided. Maybe that new sushi restaurant that everyone had been gushing about lately. He knew she loved sushi. Although, she wasn’t worried about anything at the moment, so maybe she wouldn’t want extra carbs tonight.

  Tapping a finger against his lip, he listened with a half an ear to the marketing ideas being proposed. He wasn’t sure who was talking at the moment, his attention completely captured by the enticing brunette who was now returning to the conference room, her blue gaze lifting from the tablet to meet his briefly.

  There! She paused. It was a small reaction, he thought. Barely there. In fact, he doubted that anyone else in the room noticed it. But Drako saw it! The surge of triumph he felt was intense and he wanted to cut this damn meeting short so that he could take her back to his office and…strip all of her clothes off. Yes, he wanted to make love to her right now.

  Lilly sat down beside him and slid the tablet closer, showing him the news that one of his competitors had just announced a trade deal with a factory in Thailand. Drako coughed to disguise his chuckle. The imbecile had hired one of Drako’s factories to make their new product! Exactly as he’d anticipated.

  Damn, he loved being right!

  Lilly leaned back in the leather chair, crossing her legs as she rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head to warn him to behave. Drako stifled another chuckle and turned his attention back to the speaker. At least, he pretended to focus on the speaker. In truth, his attention was on Lilly as she crossed her legs. The maroon fabric of her dress inched higher up her thigh. For a long moment, he contemplated her legs. He knew that the skin on her thighs was silky soft and highly sensitive. He suspected she was wearing black, lace panties. How could he know that? Because he’d spent hours online the other night choosing several sets of lingerie from one of his favorite stores, which had been delivered to her apartment yesterday evening and he’d watched as Lilly had unwrapped each piece. The black lace had earned the most interest and Lilly wasn’t one to wait on trying new things on.

  Was she wearing the matching bra? Probably, he thought, eyeing the high neckline of her dress. Were the bra cups low enough that he could push the lace out of the way and kiss her nipples? Damn, he hoped so!

  “I think we can capture another two point three percent of the market share with this approach.”

  Drako snapped out of his fantasy and turned to the speaker. “Thank you,” was all he said, and stood up. “I’ll review your data and get back to you.” He gathered up the reports and turned, waiting for Lilly to precede him out of the conference room. He wanted to watch her walk back to their office. He wanted to see if he could see the lines of her panties underneath her dress.

  But some ass wanted to discuss business! He didn’t want to think about business right now, he grumbled, but paused so that his director of marketing could toss around a few more ideas. Drako only half listened, annoyed that Lilly had made her way back to their office area alone. Leaving him to wonder about her panties.

  Oh, she was going to pay for that, he thought as he nodded yet again, not sure he really understood what his director was telling him, and not caring either.

  “I’ll have to get back to you, Mark,” Drako said when the man paused. “I have an urgent issue to deal with just now and need to make some arrangements.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll set up a meeting through Lilly,” Mark said and stepped back.

  Drako left the conference room, considering the possibility of bending Lilly over his knee as punishment for walking away from him. She’d known that he was watching and she’d abandoned him! Oh yes, she was definitely going to pay for that!

  Returning to their office area, Drako watched as Lilly conferred with Leslie, one of Lilly’s assistants. “Would you mind canceling his lunch meeting this afternoon?” she asked. “He’s going to need to review the files. Besides, the issue with Ben Stillon has been resolved.”

  Drako was impressed all over again with how thorough Lilly was. She knew things without him telling her and managed his office with grace and efficiency.

  And damn, he wanted her!

  “I need to talk with you,” he snapped, needing to kiss her. Needing to touch her! The whole meeting had been a trial to endure. Now that it was over, he didn’t want any interruptions.

  He noticed Leslie’s eyes widen nervously as she backed out of Lilly’s office, heading back to her own desk. But he didn’t pay much attention to Lilly’s assistant as he walked directly into his own office, tossing the papers down in the middle of his desk as he waited for Lilly to follow.

  As usual, she was efficient and concerned as she walked in, w
ith a pen and notebook at the ready.

  “Close the door, Lilly,” he ordered with a tone that she immediately understood.

  Lilly’s lips twitched and her eyes lit up with that special light that he loved.

  “I don’t think I will,” she replied, playfully backing up.

  He chuckled. “Your choice,” he replied smoothly. “But I didn’t think that you wanted Leslie to see me kissing you.”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “Drako, I know that look in your eyes. You’re not going to stop with just a kiss.”

  He shrugged. “Perhaps you’re right,” he came right back. “So, perhaps it would be…wise to close the door.”

  His tone was low and sexy and he watched as Lilly’s breathing became ragged. He had her! Now she was just as trapped with this lust thing as he was!

  Still, she backed away, although her lips curled up into a sexy, knowing smile.

  “So, you’re planning to test our new agreement already?” she asked. Another step backwards.

  Drako followed her. “You crossed your legs,” he explained. He took another step closer.

  Lilly laughed. “I cross my legs all the time, Drako. That isn’t anything new.”

  “It is now,” he replied smoothly, pinning her to the wall. He closed the door and they were alone. “You also walked into the conference room.” He kissed his way along her neck.

  Lilly’s laughter morphed into a moan when his teeth nibbled that spot. That perfect spot that Drako seemed to zero in on every time. Good grief she loved it when he did…yeah, that!

  “Oh Drako!” she sighed, sifting her fingers through his hair, feeling the only soft part of the man’s body.

  “What…?!” she squeaked as she was carried over to his desk. “What are you doing?” she hissed, worried that her voice would carry through the doors.

  “I’ve fantasized about doing this so many times,” he warned, setting her down on the center of his desk. “Open your legs for me, Lilly,” he urged, his fingers teasing the delicate skin along her thighs, slowly, relentlessly pushing her dress higher. “I love it when you wear skirts, Lilly,” he said, his words conversational but his tone was husky.

  “On your desk?” she asked, breathless as she looked into his eyes as his hands continued to move higher. “In the middle of the day?”

  “Absolutely,” he confirmed. “Pretty much any time of the day.”

  After that, he lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers. The light, teasing kisses weren’t enough; she wanted more. Reaching up, she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer, showing him exactly what she wanted. When he kissed her this time, there was no teasing. His lips were strong and powerful as his hands…!

  The phone rang jarringly, startling them. They both glared at the offending machine.

  Muttering curse, Drako reached behind Lilly and grabbed the receiver. “What?” he snapped harshly.

  Lilly tried to scoot off the desk, but the pointed look he shot her stopped her. Then her bones turned to ice.

  “Yes, she’ll be right out.” He put the phone down, clenching his teeth with frustration. “Your mother is here.”

  Lilly couldn’t move for a long moment. Then she went into overdrive, pushing at his shoulders before jumping down off of his desk. She shimmied her dress back down and smoothed her hair, hoping that she didn’t look as if she’d just been ravished on her lover’s desk!

  “Do I look okay?” she asked.

  Drako looked at her. Her lips were swollen from his kisses and her cheeks were flushed. “You look beautiful,” he replied with complete honesty.

  She clasped her hands together, then noticed her palms were sweating and rubbed them against her outer thighs. “Why is she here?”

  Drako turned, leaning against his desk as he watched her, angry that one woman could completely demolish Lilly’s self-confidence. “Lilly, if you fear your mother so much, why don’t you just tell her to leave?”

  Lilly shook her head, smoothing a hand over her hair again. Of course, her fingers were trembling, which caused a single curl to shift, framing her face.

  “I suspect that you’re lying about my appearance, but I can’t wait. If we’re in here together, my mother will suspect that we were doing something sexual.”

  Drako chuckled softly. “Lilly, we were doing something sexual.”

  She waved a hand in the air frantically. “Yes, but she doesn’t need to know that!”

  He shook his head in exasperation as she hurried to the closed doors. For a moment, Lilly stood still, taking a deep breath as she tried to compose herself.

  A moment later, she opened the doors and stepped out, pasting a professional smile on her face. “Hello, Mother. How are you?” she asked.

  Lilly didn’t step forward and kiss or hug her mother, as she’d seen others do with their parents. Nope. The Von Deuch family didn’t do hugs. Affection was reserved for the campaign trail and only when reporters might capture a “tender moment” between husband and wife. Children were relegated to the back of the stage where their gaffes hopefully wouldn’t be noticed.

  “Lilliane, I was…” Janice paused, her eyes narrowing as she took in Lilly’s appearance. Those too-knowing eyes shifted to the open door behind Lilly and she instantly felt the weight of her mother’s disapproval.

  Janice shook her head. For a moment, those lips pressed together and Lilly’s chest felt tight as her mother’s judgment washed over her. Guilt and shame were terrible things!

  “Obviously, I’ve come at an…awkward time,” Janice replied stiffly. “We’ll talk on Sunday, when you come for brunch.” She shifted her purse on her arm slightly. “We’ll be expecting you promptly at ten o’clock.” She turned and walked away, calling over her shoulder, “Do not be late, Lilliane!”

  Lilly stared at her mother’s retreating back, startled by the unnecessary admonishment. Lilly wasn’t late. Ever! She was annoyingly on time. In fact, she was usually early and had to sit in her car and wait for a more respectable arrival time. Not just for the weekly family brunch, but all appointments. Lilly considered being tardy as a sign of disrespect, as if whatever she was doing was more important than the person she was meeting.

  Her mother knew this. In fact, her family had occasionally teased her about her early arrival times. So her mother’s words felt like a personal jab. A way to belittle Lilly. To humiliate her.

  For the first time, her mother’s words didn’t pierce her self-confidence. In fact, just the opposite. She’d come out of Drako’s office feeling foolish and a bit like a tramp for fooling around during work hours.

  But now, understanding her mother’s pointless words and abject disapproval, Lilly felt…nothing. No, that wasn’t true. She actually felt a bit liberated! Goodness, that was a nice feeling!

  Lilly felt the warmth of Drako’s body heat behind her even before he spoke. “Are you okay?” he asked, placing a hand to the small of her back.

  She knew that he was watching her, obviously worried about how Lilly would react. The last time she’d spent time with her mother, Lilly had come back in tears. That thought sent her mind reeling. And a smile formed on her lips as she turned, tilting her head back to look up at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” What’s more, she really was fine. Better than fine! She felt…good! Very good!

  “Perhaps we should get to work?”

  He blinked at her, then shrugged. “Sure. But we’ll continue our previous conversation later.”

  With that, he turned and headed back into his office and Lilly laughed, in complete agreement with him.

  Chapter 15

  Lilly pressed the doorbell to her parent’s house at exactly nine fifty-nine on Sunday morning. She’d considered asking Drako to come with her this morning, and he’d even offered. She’d been warmed by the concern in his eyes. But in the end, she’d said no. “I’ll be fine,” she told him, lifting up onto her toes to kiss him goodbye. They’d been at his place last night, so she’d left him early enough to run home and c
hange into something appropriate for Sunday brunch with her family. “Appropriate” meant a business suit and heels.

  However, Lilly felt rebellious this morning, so she donned her favorite pearl necklace. She wore a pretty, dusky blue sheath dress that she hadn’t worn yet. But the color brought out the blue in her eyes and made her feel pretty. She hadn’t yet dared to get matching shoes, so she’d slipped on a pair of taupe heels.

  The real horror, at least in her mother’s eyes, was her lack of pantyhose. Lilly never wore hose to work anymore. The days when a woman was required to wear pantyhose to work were long gone. But not in her parent’s house! Oh no! Pantyhose were necessary!

  So, showing up without hose, and in a colorful dress…gasp! Yes, she was poking the bear today! She’d even worn her hair down instead of in a tidy chignon.

  After her mother’s disapproval at the office, and Lilly’s revelation that her mother’s disapproval no longer mattered to her, she felt gloriously free to dress as she pleased.

  “Good morning, Betty,” she said cheerfully to her parent’s housekeeper, who answered the door.

  “Good morning, Lilly,” she replied formally. She reached for Lilly’s purse, but Lilly shook her head. “I’ll keep it.”

  Sylvia was the first to step out of the living room where the family gathered for bloody marys or mimosas. As soon as her sister caught sight of her, she froze.

  “Goodness, don’t you look…colorful!” Sylvia announced. “How daring!”

  Lilly took in Sylvia’s tasteful cream dress with a fitted jacket that looked hot and uncomfortable. “You look fresh as well, Sylvia,” Lilly replied, greeting her sister with a smile. “Am I the last to arrive?”

  In answer, the doorbell rang.

  Lilly stepped out of the way as Betty reappeared and opened the door. Both of her brothers were standing on the front step. John entered first, with his wife, Carol, and his two sons, both of which grinned up at Betty, then raced off to the children’s area.