recognized and made her feel a little better. He was polite but
there was an edge of annoyance present. Then he flicked a
glance in her direction and smiled subtly before continuing.
―English Cybil.‖ He said softly.
The woman cast a glance at the other occupants of the
car, and then smiled sweetly, ―Of course love.‖ She cooed while
slipping her arm possessively through his and unknown to her,
Max glazed his eyes over Lily from the top of her head to the tip
of her toes and gave her a sensual smile of approval.
If she moved any closer, she’d be on Max’s lap, Lily
thought, missing Max‘s look entirely. She looked up at her
brother who shot her an amused smirk and shook his head
slightly. Like Luke, Max knew that Lily spoke French and
understood every rude thing the woman said about her. He
should know. He tutored her when she was in high school. The
first thing out of the woman‘s mouth was an insult over her
gown, the same gown that Max had asked her to buy. Wouldn‘t it
ruffle the woman‘s feathers if she knew that it was her boyfriend
that suggested the style? She got a sense of smug satisfaction
knowing that Cybil just insulted Max‘s taste not Lily‘s. It may
have not been the three thousand dollar Christian Dior that the
model was wearing but she did think it was just as nice.
Dinner started out well. The Greek clients happened to
be a billionaire and his son who was about Max‘s and her
brother‘s age. It was then that Lily realized that Greek men were
ruthless at pursuing women and confident in their abilities just
36
The Billionaire‘s Secret Desire
as much as Max was. Nikos, the son, consistently flattered her
throughout the evening regardless of the fact that she came with
Luke, but no one had let on that she was his sister. Several times
she began to tell them when either Max or her brother
interrupted her. Finally she caught Luke‘s look which basically
told her not to say anything and it wasn‘t until later that she
found out why.
―I have a daughter your age.‖ Said Nikos father Hektor, in
broken English as he gave Lily a look of approval. Then a look of
sadness seemed to fill his eyes. ―She‘s nineteen.‖
―Then we‘re close.‖ Offered Lily pleasantly, ―I‘m twenty as
of last month.‖ She said ignoring Cybil‘s indignant huff. Lily
decided right then and there that she didn‘t like her. She‘d been
extremely condescending and no matter what she was talking
about Cybil made some childish noise, even if it was a simple
statement like now. How Max could be interested in someone
like that went beyond her. After all, he was such a deeply
intelligent man.
―She is very beautiful, like you.‖ Nikos added and smiled
seeing her rising blush. ―Greece refers to her as their sweetheart.
Even though she‘s nineteen, she does an enormous amount of
charity work.‖
Wow, thought lily, what a compliment.
The evening continued on and Cybil had long since given
up trying to gain his attention and was now sulking despite
having the most gorgeous man there sitting next to her she
obviously wanted all of the attention. Lily noticed that Max
didn‘t even take notice of her mood and clearly ignored it. She
knew him well enough to know that he didn‘t put up with the
pettiness that women were capable of. Lily on the other hand
was raised with a brother, no sisters, so she didn‘t understand
the cattiness that women showed each other. Because of that
37
Lietha Wards
most of her friends were male acquaintances, not female and she
was closer to her brother than anyone.
Then when Nikos asked her out to dinner the next night,
she suddenly felt Max‘s hand on her upper thigh squeezing a
warning. Trying not to jump out of her chair at the unexpected
touch and ignore the heat of his large hand she flicked him a
puzzled glance and he subtly shook his head.
Gritting her teeth she politely turned him down.
Although he didn‘t come close to Max, the man was still tall dark
and gorgeous and Max took it upon himself to tell her she
couldn‘t go out on a date with him. She sent a pleading look to
her brother who frowned at her expression. Strike two, she
fumed. She wasn‘t a baby anymore, yet both of the men in her
life basically told her she wasn‘t old enough to make a decision
on who she could date.
On the ride home she remained silent and looked out the
tinted window at the lit boulevards whit her arms folded under
her breasts in anger while Cybil talked a mile a minute in French
again. She was still angry at the both of them. Neither one
seemed to trust her enough to make her own decisions and
consistently interfered. No wonder she was still a virgin for