AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lilah swallowed and looked away. “It’s a long story.”
“Tell me,” he invited, reaching down and squeezing her hand.
Her laugh was without humour. “I don’t want to interrupt your night.”
A muscle jerked in his cheek. “Right. I’m on a date.”
Lilah felt as though he’d stabbed her. She nodded but spun away from him, unable to stop more tears from falling. Frustration gnawed at his gut as he moved to stand in front of her.
“What do you want me to say, Lilah? We were over months ago. I thought I’d never see you again.”
“You’ve moved on with your life. I get it.” She nodded jerkily. “And you should have. I’m not here for you. In the city, I mean.” It was a face-saving lie and she had no idea if he believed it or not.
“So why are you here? And how long are you here for?”
She dropped her head forward. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” He pressed his finger beneath her chin, lifting her to face him. “Your life is scheduled minutely. How do you not know what your plans are?”
“I told you. I’m on holiday.”
“Holiday?” He shook his head ruefully. “I don’t get what the hell is going on.”
“I know.” And because she was only human, she put her hands on his hips and stood on her tiptoes so that she could press a kiss briefly against his lips. Everything zinged in her body but she pulled away just as swiftly. “None of it is your problem.”
“I have never considered you a problem,” he promised, staring at her as though if he looked hard enough he could make sense of this sudden turn of events.
“Thank you.” She shook her head. “You should really get back.”
He nodded slowly and Lilah took it as the dismissal she had been waiting for. She turned and began to cut through the crowds once more, her eyes focused forward.
Looking back was where she came unstuck.
* * *
“Madam?”
Lilah pressed a finger into her book and then lifted her attention to the doorway.
“I beg your pardon, madam, but Mr Wright is here to see you.”
Lilah’s blood gushed through her veins so loudly she could hear it. “He is?” She put her book down and stood off the bed. She had indulged in a long bubble bath as soon as she’d come back from seeing him, and had changed into her pajamas.
“Please tell him I won’t be long.”
“Of course, madam.”
Lilah thought about getting changed but dismissed the idea. Her pajamas were perfectly acceptable and modest, but she added a robe to the top and brushed her hair until it hung soft and shining around her shoulders. She refused to put on cosmetics; that would be too obvious.
So when she padded into the lounge area of the penthouse a few minutes later, she looked incredibly beautiful and breathtakingly innocent.
Will had to cross his arms to stop from pulling her close and crushing her to his chest.
“Will?” She waved a hand towards the sofa before taking a seat in the same chair she’d sat in the first time they’d met. “What are you doing here?”
“I brought you some noodles.” He lifted a plastic bag and the unmistakable fragrance of mee goreng drifted across the room.
“Thank you.” She didn’t move towards him so he placed the noodles on an occasional table to his side.
