Untaming Lily Wilde (3 page)

“You stupid fucking bitch!” He hissed.

Before Lily had a chance to react, a deeper voice growled down the corridor, “Is there a problem, Mr Bateman?”

Aw crap.
Lily’s unshaven sex-god had just witnessed her extremely
un
sexy
fall from grace.

Bateman audibly yelped, “Lord Harper!”

Lord Harper? OK. So this guy wasn’t a hotel employee.

Bateman hurried towards him. “Such a surprise. I thought - well - we weren’t aware you’d be attending,” he grovelled, then whispered, “-
what with it being the baronesa’s opening ceremony tonight.”

Lord Harper’s voice was smooth, forceful. “I’m sure my wife can manage just fine without me. Now,
I believe you were about to apologize to the young Miss…?” His eyes snared Lily’s.

Oh God. His eyes… Storm grey and fierce. And oh, that look… softening for me. He’s not going to eat me. He’s going to eat Bateman. I should be relieved I guess, but…
She could feel herself leaning in, straining to get closer.
Christ, what’s wrong with me?! What did he just ask me?

“Wilde - Miss Wilde,” Lily stammered. But she hadn’t missed that unfortunate word he’d just used. Wife.
There goes my sex-god fantasy, straight down the drain, along with my job.

“Miss Wilde then,” prompted Harper.

“Of course, so sorry, Lily,” managed Bateman, before excusing himself with a nod, and scuttling towards to Gents.

Lily gaped, into space. “Wow. I threw Merlot over my boss’s crotch. Holy shih-tzu. I threw
Merlot
over my boss’s
crotch
!”

Harper laughed sympathetically. “Probably Rioja knowing Martha Cane.”

Lily, on the other hand, didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or chase after Mr Bateman and thwack him upside the head.

“Uh-huh - Rioja - right. Well I guess it’s good to get the details straight for my tombstone,” she said, wondering if it’d be such bad form just to grab her coat and call it quits now, rather than waiting for the hammer to fall tomorrow. Unfortunately, walking out just wasn’t her style.
Ever the good girl
, she thought with a sigh.

“Oh, screw it. Honestly, I don’t care if he fires me. This isn’t really
me
, anyway. The shoes, the make-up, the whole mingling and smiling thing -”

“Now that’s a shame. But, now I’m curious. What
is
the real Lily Wilde like?”

Lily felt the blood rush to her cheeks.
Is he flirting with me, she wondered.
He’s a married man.

“Actually, right now, I have no idea,” she said, feeling moronic - but it was the truth. She was still trying to work out that little conundrum.

She wasn’t meaning to be enigmatic, but never the less, her ambiguous answer seemed to peak his interest. He raised a curious eyebrow. There was something inscrutable about the way he looked at her. Something that made Lily’s mouth dry and her breathing shallow.

“Well to tell the truth,” he said, “this isn’t really me either. I’m not really the company dinner type.”

That took Lily by surprise. Surely this was his outfit. Lily felt flushed. The very sound of his voice was making her thighs tingle and her thoughts run crazy.
The force of his stare was almost too much for her. She couldn’t hold his gaze. Could barely think straight under the heat of that scrutiny
. Does he know what he’s doing to me?

Her throat felt constricted. Her voice too tight. “No? But with a name like
Lord Harper -
well - isn’t this
your
company?”

Lord Harper laughed. “Ah. I see what you mean, but no. My father’s
that
Harper, not me. I’m no lawyer. Usually I avoid these hobnobbing sessions like the plague.”

“But - you’re here - so…”

“So, I’ve spent a long time getting up to no good, and I figure it’s time I start behaving myself. What’s funny?”

Lily’s cheeks were visibly burning up. “Nothing. It’s just - I seem to have the opposite problem.”
Why am I telling him this?!

If her previous comment had seemed to peak his interest,
this
little comment had sent his interest waltzing up Mount Kilimanjaro.

“Go on…” he said. He twisted his lips to suppress a wry smile, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity all the same.

“I’d better not,” she mumbled.

Is he flirting? He wouldn’t surely. He’s married. Oh God, why am I so rubbish at recognizing the signs?

“You are quite a perplexing woman.”

Lily felt like a deer in headlights - no clue how to respond.
God, he
is
flirting with me. Yay! No - not yay - bad Lily! Just another cheating sleaze-ball. But oh, those eyes… grey/blue, just a hint of smile lines. Jesus - what’s wrong with me?! OK - just say something. Anything. Talk, Lily. For God’s sake, talk!

“Right - well - I should get back to work.”

“Haven’t you forgotten something?”

“Yes. God - I’m so sorry, where are my manners! Thank you - your -
Lordship
?” S
he felt ridiculous saying that. “ Thanks. Really. F
or intervening, I mean.”

“You’re welcome. And
please
call me Seb -
your Lordship
sounds horrendous - but that’s not what I meant. Haven’t you forgotten Mrs Cane?”

Lily frowned. “Mrs Cane? Oh, Jesus - Mrs Cane! I really am terrible at this job aren’t I?!” She gasped.

“Breathe - it’s fine- I’ll help you get her back to her suite.”

“Thank you - again - but no, I’d better do it myself. Christ, I hope she’s still conscious.”

Seb sighed and adjusted his tie. “Suit yourself, but at least let me fetch Cayley. It’s a two man job,” he said, marching toward the hall, and not waiting for an answer.

He knows Cayley, she mused.
Of course he does.
It was only just dawning on her that Mr Bateman had spoken to Seb as though he were a client. So what kind of business did Lord Seb Harper get up to?
Lily was angry with herself for even caring. No good would ever come of obsessing over a married man. She, of all people, should know better.
With a quick glance heavenward, she exhaled, reapplied her game-face, and headed courageously into the Ladies’.

3

Wed, Jan 12th

10.45. Coffee in hand. Hiding behind computer. Pretending to work.

Dear Miss Diary,

Where to start?!

Yesterday I managed to flamboyantly screw up things with Mr Cock-Face Bateman. However, I seem to still have my job this morning. And he still has his head (took all my self-control not to rip it off after what he called me). More importantly, I THINK a gorgeous, rich (possibly), MARRIED (definitely) man was chatting me up. Bloody typical. Well that's a step into badness I'm absolutely not willing to take. What is it with men?! He's probably one of those arrogant, pretty-boy types who just flirt for the attention.

Better get back to work. Mr B is heading this way.

"Cayley, I've forwarded you an email from Seb Harper. Lily's going to be helping with prep for the baronesa's party. You'd better print off the confidentiality statements for her to sign." Mr Bateman wasn't his usual self. He refused to look at Lily, and didn't even try to peek down Cayley's top.

Cayley had a look of uncharacteristic confusion. Not, because of Mr Bateman's lack of sleaziness (which was Lily's first thought) but because Lord Harper wanted Lily involved in the baronesa's party arrangements.

"Surely it's not
that
weird," Lily puzzled. "I mean I'm
meant
to be shadowing you, right?"

"Well, yes you are, of course, but this client is - well -" Cayley hesitated, lowering her voice for emphasis, "-
unusual
."

Lily cocked an eyebrow. "Unusual how?
Oh!
Not
love
-
bead
unusual?"

Cayley pursed her lips trying not to smile. "Possibly," she smirked. "And possibly much, much more. But, before I can discuss
any
of that with you..." she trailed off and gave her mouse a few clicks before continuing, "There!" The printer whirred to life, churning out sheet after sheet. "Read it, sign it,
then
we'll talk."

That was one hell of a lot of paperwork.

Fortifying herself with a second Americano, Lily began to read. Even the title was long winded:
Confidentiality Arrangements Pertaining to Events Hosted by Baronesa Ana Pancheva and Lord Sebastian Harper.

After an hour spent reading, double-taking and reading again, Lily had gleaned three important pieces of information.

1. Her mystery man and his wife hosted
pleasure (sex!) parties
.

2. Their guests' (
paying
guests!) identities were top secret and not to be shared with the prep staff. Prep staff who, by the way, would not
under any circumstances
be present during events.

3. Prep staff were to be kept to an absolute minimum, and would be vetted.

So this was what Lord Seb Harper had meant when he said he'd been up to no good. Sheesh. A married couple, hosting orgies. Well each to their own, Lily thought, but swinging really wasn't her thing. The idea of it! Icky, groping hands in seedy hot tubs. No.
Really
not her thing.

But it didn't really add up. Seb said he was trying to behave himself, but then at the same time he was
almost
certainly flirting. So which was it? Was he in swinger mode or cheating a-hole mode?

The worst part was she couldn't stop thinking about him. It was beyond frustrating. She’d wasted precious sleeping hours mulling over the shape of his lips, the angle of his cheek bones, that indecent twinkle in his eye. She’d imagined him devouring her with his eyes, then grasping her wrists, yanking them above her head, pinning her to a wall, holding her there with one hand while unbuttoning her top with his other. She imagined the heat of his lips on her neck, her collar bone, her -

“Er, Lily? Hello? I said, have you signed it yet?” Cayley was drumming her nails impatiently on her desk.

“Oh - er - no… there. All done,” Lily stammered, her cheeks glowing.

Cayley laughed. “Yeah,
I
must have looked like that when
I first read it
, but honestly, once you get to work, it’s just like dealing with any other client on any other job.”

“Except for the love-beads,” murmured Lily.

“Might we be fixating a tad, young lady?!” Cayley mocked. “The beads are
nothing
compared to some of the stuff they get up to, believe me. Your virgin eyes are in for a treat.”

“Enough of the
virgin
nonsense. And I’m sure I’ll cope, thanks for the concern,” Lily derided, poking out her tongue in a mock huff.

“Good. Can’t have you going all coy and squeamish in front of the clients now can we!” Cayley winked. “Right - actually, having you on board is going to make this a hell of a lot easier. It’s a five day event, Tuesday to Saturday, so there’s loads to do. The theme is
Bacchanal
- you know - Ancient Rome, togas, urns, wine, debauchery...”

“Uh huh - think I get the picture.”

Cayley continued, “Anyway, I’m going to give you a list of bits and bobs to order; props, themed decor, that kind of thing. Double-check quantities, and make sure you buy from our list of approved stockists. I hope you’ve got plenty of concealer and Pro Plus. You’ll need it. This is likely to be an exhausting week. Great way for you to learn the ropes though. Plus you’ll get to see their mansion on Monday - Hatherly is totally knock-out. You’ll love it. Just a pity we’re not allowed to stay for the action. Oh, don’t look so shocked - I’m kidding. Mostly.”

Action… with him…
Lily’s imagination was ablaze. She shook herself back to reality.

Blushing, she did her best to sound casual, "Funny though. I mean, he's not your archetypal swinger is he?"

Cayley looked up from her laptop. "I don't think it's like that. I mean, the guests are mostly single as far as I know."

“Oh,” said Lily, trying not to sound
too
intrigued, “I just assumed. But he
is
married, so don’t they - you know -
join in?”

“Who knows. These days Lord Harper hardly pays any interest in the prep. It's mostly
her
making the decisions. But maybe, you know, when the night gets underway. What I wouldn't give to see that man naked.
Mmm...
"