the Billionaire’s Secret Desire(8)

for work. There is only skeleton staff there on Saturday so she

can take some time and show you the ropes and my expectations.

I‘ll pick you up tomorrow at seven-thirty.‖

―Oh.‖ She said understanding what he meant and was

actually thankful for his consideration. She could only imagine

what it was like around there on a Monday.

He looked up at the building through the windshield,

―You sure you want to stay here by yourself? I have several spare

rooms at my place.‖

And interfere with your love life? No thanks. She

thought, ―I‘ll be fine. When‘s Luke due home again?‖ she

couldn‘t handle it if he‘d brought a woman home while she was

there.

―Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow if things go well.

Which I have no doubt.‖ He shrugged and smiled knowingly,

―Luke‘s the best I got so I expect him home tomorrow.‖

―No doubt.‖ She smiled back at the flattery he gave her

brother.

―We could go out to dinner tonight.‖ He found himself

saying.

Dinner? Oh lord, could she possibly sit across from him

and not fall to pieces. ―I‘m tired Max.‖ She would have loved to

18

The Billionaire‘s Secret Desire



have him to herself , but she wouldn‘t know how to behave with

just him around and knew she couldn‘t keep up the facade of not

being in love with him. Something would definitely slip and give

herself away.

He resisted the temptation to brush a stray lock of hair off

her cheek while studying her expression, ―All right honey, I‘ll

take a rain check then.‖

―Okay.‖ She gave him a small unsure smile.

―So go on,‖ he leaned over her and opened her door, ―I‘ll

pick you up first thing tomorrow, be up and ready by seven

thirty.‖ He repeated.

She nearly gasped as his body gently brushed against hers

as he opened her door and when he erected himself there was

something odd in his eyes that she‘d never seen before. For a

moment all they did was look at one another before she realized

that she was ogling him again. Before the next blush hit her she

said goodbye and jumped out of the car. What she didn‘t see was

Max‘s gaze follow the sway of her backside as she entered her

building.

He sighed and shook his head before putting the car into

gear and pulling away from the curb, ―Be patient Max.‖ He said

to himself.

Entering their penthouse made her breathe a sigh of

relief. She shut the door and leaned against it for a moment.

Max always left her so drained. It was near impossible keeping

her attraction for him out of her body and facial expressions.

Setting her bag on the hallway table she made her way to the

kitchen to make herself some dinner when she stopped suddenly

at the sight of two dozen lavender roses in a vase with various

wisps of baby breath. Slowly she walked up to it spotting the

card that said ‗Lily‘ in no less than Max‘s handwriting. She felt

like a kid at Christmas as she opened it. ‗Welcome aboard‘ and he

signed it. He actually wrote the card himself. Smiling her fingers

19

Lietha Wards

guided along one of the soft velvety peddles wondering if he‘d

even gone to the flower shop to pick out the flowers too. Then

that got her thinking about his relationships with women. She

was sure he bought them all sorts of things to flatter their beauty.

Leave it to her to ruin her own brief happiness she thought as she

sighed out loud.





CHAPTER TWO


The next morning an immaculate long stretched dark

grey limousine pulled up in front of the building while she was

waiting just inside the door with Bill Jenkins, the doorman.



―See you Bill.‖ She said as he opened the door and she

walked toward the Limo.

‗Don‘t let him keep you out too late honey.‖ The old man

called after her causing her to laugh. He already knew from her

that it was her boss. He‘d met Max King before, and despite the

man‘s formidable wealth he seemed decent enough. Something

he wasn‘t quite sure about was the way the man looked at Lily

when she wasn‘t paying attention. The man had a reputation

with women, if you followed the tabloids. Not that he put such

faith into that kind of gossip, but this was Lily. He‘d known her

since she was sixteen when they first moved into the building and

she was as sweet as they come.

―How are you Miss Shayne?‖ said Oscar, Max‘s driver as

he held the door.

―Fine Oscar,‖ she paused, ―I can‘t believe you still work

for this guy,― She teased.

―Get in the car Lily.‖ Came Max‘s voice from the dark

interior causing her to laugh and Oscar to smile.

―You do now too, so don‘t knock it.‖ He grinned causing

his cap to slide up on his brow a bit making him reach up and