Besieged (10 page)

Harry is strong and he doesn't deserve the guilt he burdens himself with.

"Okay." He finally whispers, though I know it's futile. Harry carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, taking responsibility for everything. I love him for it, but it saddens me.

"Good, so what are you going to do now you're back in rainy old England?” And just like that the conversation goes back to normal.

Harry pays for dinner, against my begging him to let me pay.

He's heading back to Bournemouth where he owns a couple of garages, they pretty much run themselves now, but he needs to check in with the guys. Harry had always wanted to travel, but swore he would never leave me while I needed him. I thought he would go when I went to Uni, but waited until I had finished my degree and had an internship before leaving. He even paid six months of my rent upfront before going, despite my complaining. He is the best brother in the world.

I walk him to the waiting car outside where his friend Tim is waiting to pick him up. Harry hugs me hard, promising to pop back in a couple of weeks before slipping into the passenger seat and pulling away.

With a sigh I turn and head back to George’s little red jeep, which he often lends me. The cool air makes me shiver and I realise that I don't have my scarf, I must have left it in the restaurant. I cross the street, dash back up the steps and walk over to the table where a waiter is clearing it.

"Sorry, I left my scarf." I explain as he gives me an odd look. I wrap it around my neck as I push through the door and catch the heel of my stiletto on the lip of the door, almost losing my shoe.

"Oh, shit." I curse as I stumble awkwardly. I lean against the iron railings lining the steps and readjust my shoe. I look up at the sound of an engine approaching.

A big black car pulls up at the curb, coming to a halt at the bottom of the steps. The back door opens and a man steps out. I know who it is before I even see him, my whole body hyper aware of him. He steps out of the car with his usual athletic grace and stands, a cocky grin already fixed on those perfect lips as his smouldering gaze renders me helpless.

He's wearing black jeans and a light grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up. My mouth goes dry as my eyes survey his gorgeous frame. He looks even more amazing than I last remember. His muscular shoulders strain against the material of his shirt which fits his narrow hips perfectly. His jeans hang from his hips but hint at his muscular thighs. Time seems to stand still in that moment as he stares at me and I stare back. As usual I am breathless at the sight of him. This is bad, I’m caught unawares and unprepared.

The door on the far side of the car slams shut and I’m aware of a woman walking around the back of the car. She comes to a halt at his side, but still he does not release me from his stare.

Suddenly flashbacks of Friday night burst through my mind and I have to remind myself to be embarrassed. I'm so overtaken by my body’s natural reaction to him that I had forgotten about the vomit and undressing incident. Shit, this is awkward. I take a deep breath and descend the steps, concentrating very hard on not going head first down them.

The woman is small and slim, she has a mane of dark hair that falls in loose waves down her back. Her big blue eyes compliment her smooth milky complexion. There is no question that she is beautiful. She's wearing black knee high boots that are very fitted and show off her slim calves. She has a grey fitted knee length cardigan on over a black shift dress. Another one of his willing vagina's I expect. Suddenly I feel an irrational pity for her, even though right at this moment I could easily give in and become all too willing myself. I pity the fact that she must have so little self-respect to allow herself to be used.

"Lilly." He greets me, whilst smiling like there's a private joke I’m missing out on.

"Mr Ellis." I greet him stiffly. I need to attempt to redefine some sort of lines between us.

I reach the bottom of the steps. The young woman nods and smiles at me, I return the smile politely.

I am stood barely a metre away from him now. I can feel that magnetic pull he always holds over me, as though I have a steel cable bolted to my chest and he's pulling the other end. My cautious resolve slowly starts to slip away under the weight of all that sexual prowess. My entire body thrums with anticipation and need. He raises one eyebrow as a cocky smirk pulls at his lips in his signature look, an invitation. I take a deep breath, summon some will power and slowly take a step back away from him.

"Goodnight Theo." I whisper breathlessly and begin to retreat.

"Until next time Lilly." He smirks knowingly at me. My body almost convulses at his voice, it's so masculine but so sensual. He offers such promise, but I must keep clear lines with him. He's a man for whom I would willingly blur the lines, but I mustn't. That is a whole world of shit just waiting to happen.

"The answer's still no Theo." I meet his gaze steadily and smile at him sweetly.

He shrugs. "For now..." His eyes darken, and just that look is enough to make my pulse race. Oh god. I turn and cross the road to the jeep, once inside I exhale in a gust. Deep down I know I’m in trouble. Each time I see him the sexual tension gets worse. That was almost unbearable, the next time I see him... I don't even care that he was with another woman. I want him.

I'm so horny now, it's ridiculous. My mind flashes through an imaginative array of things he would do to me, making me clamp my thighs together. With a frustrated sigh I pull out my phone and dial a number.

"I thought you might call. It's been over a week." Cruise's soft Australian drawl turns me on even more if that’s even possible.

"My place. Half an hour?" I ask quickly.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He hangs up.

Monday Morning I settle at my desk and start on some contracts that need immediate attention. I’m exhausted today. I had a night full of nightmares that would not stop. It’s been a while since I had a night that bad.  I gave up on sleep when it got to three in the morning.

"Lilly?" Josh calls from his office.

I stand and walk over to his office. "Yes."

"Ah, Lilly I need you to go to Ellis Tower today and get the last of the contracts signed with Mr Ellis. You've clearly impressed him because he asked for you personally." Josh beams clearly pleased with me and for me.

My stomach bottoms out. There's only one reason that Theodore Ellis wants me to go over there. If his several calls over the last week are anything to go by, then the vomit in the car was clearly not enough to put him off. If I see him again I think all that raw male power will kill me, I don't think I have any will power left where he's concerned. I'm in deep fucking shit.

Chapter 7 – Theo

I find myself sat in the office on Monday Lunchtime. I usually only come into the office twice a week, but since meeting a certain solicitor I’ve found myself needing an awful lot of legal advice that I have to deal with personally. I've never gone so out of my way to see someone, especially when that someone seems to loathe me.

"Miss Parker is here for your Midday appointment Sir." Lucy's voice comes through the intercom.

"Thank you Lucy. Please could you send her in."

I'm expecting her to be angry for coercing her into this situation, in fact I'm kind of hoping she's angry. For some reason her fiery temper turns me on in ways no-one else can.

There's a gentle knock on the door and the door opens. She steps into the room looking amazing as always.

"Lilly." I greet her.

She's wearing a dark grey dress that clings to her tiny waist, my eyes follow the line of her curves. God, she drives me crazy. I can feel my cock starting to ache already. She's wearing bright red heels, fuck me shoes. Her hair is pulled up in a bun on the back of her head and she's wearing her glasses. She looks like every fantasy I’ve ever had since I was fifteen.

As I make eye contact with her, her lips part slightly. She's wearing red lipstick, which draws my eyes to her mouth, the things I would do to that mouth. My want for her has only become stronger, grabbing me by the fucking balls until all I can think of is her. She's made regular business visits in the past two weeks and her resolve still seems firmly in place, but I’m not giving up that easily. I have never wanted anything as much as I want to screw Lilly Parker. She's become a challenge that I cannot bare to fail.

She walks toward me slowly never taking her eyes off me.

"Mr Ellis." For the first time since I’ve met her she actually sounds nervous. "I have the last few contracts for you." She walks to the edge of my desk and places her briefcase on it. She pops it open and pulls out some papers. She places them in front of me, leaning over the desk towards me as she does. I lean back in my chair admiring the view. She quickly straightens and flushes.

"Thank you, but that's not exactly why I called you here." I narrow my eyes assessing her reaction.

She takes a deep breath and sighs. She closes her eyes as she speaks. "I know. The answer's still no. I'd like to remain strictly professional. Please don't make this difficult for me or I'll request that someone else deal with Ellis corporate in the future." Fighting talk, but she can't look at me as she says it.

"Well we both know that's not true. Just stop fighting it Lilly." I smile at her. "You can at least have a conversation with me?"

"Fine. I’m here now, so say what you have to say and I can leave." She snaps, glaring at me with those piercing eyes. Wow, she's irritable today.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to you alone since that night at Allure. You don't answer phone calls, so I’m rather limited in my options."

"I don't answer your calls because I don't want to speak to you. Anyone else would take the hint." She glares at me defiantly.

"You kissed me that night in the club and then you freaked out and started hurling abuse at me. What am I supposed to do with that?"

"I was drunk. You kissed me and you instantly assumed you'd hit a home run...that pissed me off massively and so I gave you abuse. Yes." She shrugs. "I admit that it wasn't entirely professional, but then neither were you. In fact you've been nothing but inappropriate from the moment I met you." She seethes.

"I'm inappropriate! Everything about you is inappropriate." I gesture the length of her body. Okay, that was a low blow, but damn the woman drives me insane.

"What!? God you're an arrogant prick." She huffs.

"I make you angry because I make you want me, and you don't want to want me. You like to remain in control of the situation, my presence shits all over that, makes you lose your grip and you hate it." One look at her face and I can tell I'm right.

"Your arrogance irritates me. You assume you can have me, and for that reason you can't and you never will." Her rage is palpable.

"I think it's fair to say that's not the case. There are certainly no assumptions when it comes to you." Her eyes spit fire. Her temper is in full effect and damn, it's such a turn on. "You scream at me in the middle of the street and are just down right antagonistic. No-one else would get away with it." I growl. "Then you throw up in my car... I'm still here, still chasing you, though god only knows why."

She places her hands on the desk looking me straight in the eye. She cocks an eyebrow. "You're still chasing because you haven't caught me. You will always want what you can't have, it’s to be expected from a man like you. Now I've told you several times, but I'll tell you again. I'm not interested." Her face is totally impassive.

"Oh?” I smirk and raise a disbelieving eyebrow at her. “And why aren't you interested?" I'm also genuinely curious.

"Oh, because of course all women are interested in you. Sorry I forgot." She rolls her eyes.

"Exactly." She glares at me. I shrug. "I'm only going with the evidence. You can deny it, but you're clearly attracted to me. So why aren't you interested?"

She tilts her head as if I’m missing something obvious. "Yes, I'm attracted to you, but you are the definition of player Theo.  I will not be a piece in your game, nor would you want me to be, trust me. Now please sign the papers." God I love it when she gets that authorative bite in her tone. I stand and move slowly around the desk to her, I step around and behind her. She glances over her shoulder at me but doesn't move. Her lips are parted slightly.

"Ah, but you play the game yourself do you not?" I'm going with a hunch here, but the way she flirts... she plays, she's a woman who likes control and power, she needs it. That's why she's fighting this so hard, I need her to let go of it. She doesn't respond. "So why not play with me." I breathe just inches from her ear, she trembles a little.

Being this close to her is almost painful. I can feel the heat of her body near mine. It's been almost three weeks since I first saw her and my desire for her has gone from a flame to a raging inferno in that time. Her presence causes a near nuclear reaction in my fucking pants.

She glances over her shoulder, locking me in her gaze. "Not like you do. I'm not a slut. I have a basic level of respect for the people I have sex with." I run a finger lightly along the back of her neck. "When two play the game there can only be one winner." She whispers. "One will become the played, the used. I will not be used Theo." I trail my finger down her right arm. She shivers lightly.

"Oh, sugar you can use me anytime. I'm all yours." I breathe against the soft skin of her neck.

I trace my index finger along the line of her curves, over her ribs down her waist and hips, she trembles and I grasp her thigh making her breath quicken. I can feel her resolve slipping away from her with each passing second. I gently kiss her below her ear, she doesn't move. Her breathing is strained as I grab her left hip and pull her back against me, pushing my hard cock against her arse. She shifts her weight slightly, brushing my cock, making my breath hitch. My fingers tighten against her as my lips graze her collar bone.

"Please, don't." She whispers, but makes no other move to stop me.