Spin the Bottle, page 4
And she had loved him—did love him. First with the bloom of a young girl’s crush and newly discovered hormones. And then with the deeper emotions that came with maturity and knowledge. She tried too many times to count to aim her affections at other boys, other men, but none of them affected her the way Mac did. Even when she wanted to strangle him, she wanted to kiss him while her hands tightened around his neck. Lillian swallowed over the lump in her throat and turned her head, brought her gaze up to meet his.
Eyes the colour of a clear summer sky stared back. Their shade of blue was almost too pretty for a male, but there was nothing soft about the emotions churning in their depths. Desire, need and anger all mixed together in a maelstrom of conflicted sentiment. She knew that look, had seen it numerous times in the past. He wanted her, but he didn’t want to, and that was the rub. For Lil that denial translated as a rejection of her, and she couldn’t live with the ache in her heart anymore. As much as it would hurt, she needed to cut her loses and run.
“Pass the tequila.” She curled her trembling fingers around her shot glass.
“No.” Mac grabbed her wrist and stood. “You’ll give me what I earned.”
Lillian sucked in a breath, tried to get her mind to find a plausible excuse to deny him. “You cheated.”
He pulled her to her feet and brought them eye to eye. “My house, my rules.”
“But…but, you can’t do that.” She stumbled in her five-inch heels as he tugged her away from the table.
“Hey, man, you can’t just barge in and steal a player,” the international cricket player sitting opposite her protested.
Mac eyed the guy across the table. “Can. Did.” He turned and towed her behind him as he stalked away from the game.
“Mac, you can’t do this.” She twisted her arm in a futile attempt to free herself, but his grip didn’t loosen. “Mac.”
“Not yet, Lilli.” The look he shot her over his shoulder had her teeth sinking into her lip.
She could only imagine the expression on his face as people moved out of his way. Like the Red Sea, they parted without a word. Some of the women gazed at her with envious eyes and Lillian almost laughed. Under normal circumstances she’s be thrilled to be with Mac, but right now wasn’t normal. He was angry. Angrier than she’d ever seen him. His muscles strained with tension and the raw vibrations came off him in waves. Any fool in Mac’s way would see them. They’d left the room and were heading for the stairs.
“At least tell me where we’re going.”
“My room.”
Uh-oh. Lillian’s stomach dropped to her toes, her heart sped up and beat against her ribs as though it were knocking to get out. They’d almost reached the top of the stairs and Lil knew there’d be no escape if he managed to get them any closer to his room. “Mac, stop. You’re causing a scene.”
He threw his head back and laughed, the sound humourless and scornful, but his stride didn’t falter. He continued up the last few steps and pulled her behind him. When they were both on the upstairs landing, he spun her around and pinned her to the wall. “I’m making a scene? You’ve got half-naked celebrities sucking face and kissing arse and I’m the one creating a scene? I don’t think so, Lilli. You’ll have to do better than that to get away from me this time.”
Mac held his gaze steady on hers. The blue orbs were charged with electricity that arced between them and sent a shiver down her spine. His stare dared her to contradict him, but she couldn’t. He was right. No one took any notice of them, well, no more than they did the rest of the people in the house. No words came to mind, and before they could he lowered his mouth to hers.
She expected a harsh, angry kiss, but his lips were soft on hers. Their warm breath mingled as he brushed his tongue along the curve of her mouth. Mac watched her as he took the kiss deeper, his eyes taking in far more than she was ready to give. She lowered her eyelids as though they could shield her from him, but it was too late. A whimper of surrender and need slipped from her throat and he interpreted the small sound as permission to plunder. He drove his tongue between her lips, pushing past her teeth to stroke the roof of her mouth before teasing her tongue out to tangle with his. The second she gave in and did some demanding of her own, he groaned and pressed his body to hers.
The hard wall at her back and Mac’s hard muscles along her front made her blood heat and her pulse pound. Her hips bucked against him and the solid length of an impressive erection prodding her thigh drew a moan from deep in her chest. He thrust into her, ground his cock on her leg and mimicked the rhythm with his tongue in her mouth. Lil’s pussy clenched, flooded with heat and moisture as her knees shook.
“Hey, man, can I have some of that when you’re done?”
They broke apart, each of them breathing hard as they sucked in vital oxygen. Lil wanted to lean forward, press her mouth to his once more and continue their mind-numbing kiss, but Mac’s mouth turned down in a scowl and his brows dipped in the middle as his eyes narrowed. As she watched, the lust swirling in his eyes turned to anger. She sighed. There would be no more kisses.
With a growl aimed at the well-known football player standing beside them, Mac grabbed her hand and, threading his fingers through hers, started down the hall. Before she could protest or gain her senses and stop him, Lillian found herself inside his room with the door shut and locked behind them.
Mac locked the door and tugged Lillian over to the bed. Noise from the party still thumped through the walls, but at least he could hear himself think in here. He stopped at the foot of his bed and was slammed with a bolt of lust. The urge to push Lilli onto the mattress and follow her down gripped him. In seconds, they could be naked and rolling across the sheets. Bad idea. It wouldn’t solve anything if they had sex now.
He let go of her hand and stalked over to the window. The yard below was lit up like a Christmas tree. Barely clothed people swayed to the music blasting from every room of the house. His fingers curled around the window frame and his knuckles ached as he squeezed his hands tighter and tighter. Mac would love nothing more than to put a fist through the wall, but he’d never been one to give in to violence. Never really felt the need to inflict damage pump through his veins like it did this evening. Twice now Lilli had reduced him to a base animal he had no experience with.
“Mac?”
Her breath fanned the hair on his neck. She’d stepped up behind him. He breathed deep, pulled her scent through his nose and into his lungs. The delicate fragrance that haunted his dreams, invaded his blood, flooded his mind and filled his cock with need that saturated his body. A burst of laughter echoed in the hallway on the other side of the closed door and brought his anger rushing back.
“Why, Lilli?” he asked.
“Why what?”
He turned around to look at her. “Why turn the house into a three-ring circus the first time you set foot back in the country in months?”
“I resent the implication that this party is out of control, Mac.” She spun away and headed for the other side of the room.
“Isn’t it? Were you even looking at what was going on down there?” He leaned his arse on the windowsill and crossed his arms. “Or is this the type of party you usually attend?”
“There’s nothing wrong with the party. You’re just pissed off I didn’t ask your permission to hold it.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not exactly what came to mind when I got your message. And I’m not the only one pissed off either. Lachlan is ready to spit nails.”
“Lachlan should concern himself with his own life before he butts into mine, and so should you. I’m not a child, and if I want to throw a party for my friends, I will.”
“Friends? You call those people downstairs friends?” Mac couldn’t believe she thought of that shallow bunch of celebrities as friends. “I hate to break it to you, Lillian, but your group of so-called friends are here for one reason and one reason only.”
“Oh, and what might that be, Mackenzie?” One eyebrow arched and she crossed her arms, stretching the skin-tight dress over her breasts and sending a spike of arousal through his balls.
“What you can give them.” He pushed off the wall and walked towards her, hoping the movement would focus his brain on something other than his throbbing groin. “You don’t think they actually want to spend time with you, do you? They’re here to be seen. To hopefully get their photo in the Sunday paper, or even better, be photographed with either of the McDermott siblings.”
“That’s a very shallow view of the world I live in, Mac. But then perhaps you have intimate knowledge of the attitude.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he spoke through clenched teeth. If she was implying he was one of those vultures who preyed on others for what they could give him, he’d strangle her. Or better yet, turn her over his knee and spank her arse.
“Let’s face it, Mackenzie, you wouldn’t be where you are today without tying yourself to Lachlan like you have all these years.”
“Why you fucking little…” Mac moved before he thought. He had no clue of his intention when he grabbed her upper arms, but the second he touched her all thought fled except one. Tasting her.
“Mac?”
He dragged her against him and crushed her mouth beneath his, squashing any further protest. Filled with a volatile mix of frustration and arousal, the kiss was rough—hard. Lilli remained rigid in his arms, but she didn’t try to push him away. She let him take, and her lack of resistance dissolved any lingering anger he had.
Mac broke the kiss and stepped back. Lilli wobbled a little before lowering herself to the floor as he sank to the bed behind him.
“I’m sorry.” He stared at the woman before him. “I don’t…I didn’t mean…” Mac shook his head. He had no idea what he was trying to say, what he should say other than sorry.
Lilli sat in front of him. She’d bent her knees and rested her chin on top of them. Her beautiful baby blues looked at him with an understanding that obviously eluded him.
“Will it always be this way, Mac?”
Her question only added to his confusion. “What way?”
“Like a battle ground between us. It seems like we’re always at odds with each other.”
“All’s fair in love and war.” He tried to make a joke but it fell flat even to him.
Lilli laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “There’s never been any love where you’re concerned, only war.”
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
“What is?”
“We’ve been too busy concentrating on the war part.”
Lillian pushed to her feet and looked down at him with pity in her eyes. “I’ve never had that problem, Mackenzie.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She turned away and strode to the door. “You’re an intelligent man, you work it out.”
The lock slid free with a click and Lilli left him sitting on the bed trying to piece together the conversation. Hell, the whole last few minutes. He’d never forced himself on anyone. Guilt and self-loathing assaulted him. She should have slapped him. He deserved more but that wasn’t Lilli’s style. No, physical retaliation wasn’t her way. She’d use something far more devastating—more painful. Lilli would take away the one thing he couldn’t live without. Her.
Mac got up and walked over to the window. The sounds of the party raged on and the yard below seemed fuller than before. He couldn’t think straight with all this noise around him. He’d love nothing more than to jump in his car and go for a drive, but he couldn’t even do that. There were at least four cars parked in front of the garage doors. Cars that belong to God knew who. With a sigh, Mac turned away and walked to the door. No point hiding out in his room, he may as well get a beer and find someone he wanted to talk to.
Lilli would be his first choice, but she’d be back to avoiding him after what he’d done. Besides, they could both do with some distance. He needed to work out what she’d meant with her parting words. Maybe then he could figure out what the hell was going on other than a serious case of lust. Even now, he had a hard-on thinking about her. Her taste lingered on his tongue and he licked his lips in search of more. His cock throbbed and his sac constricted, pulling his balls up. Jesus. What kind of arsehole kissed a woman in anger and got off on it? Mac wouldn’t blame her if she never let him touch her again.
Lillian splashed another handful of cold water on her face. She’d need to repair her makeup before returning to the party but that was the least of her worries right now. The confrontation with Mac had been eye-opening. He had no idea how she felt. All this time she’d thought he knew, thought he’d pushed her away and fought with her to keep her at arm’s length so he wouldn’t hurt her, but it was himself he was fighting.
She wasn’t sure how she’d missed it before. Mac not only didn’t want to want her, but he was completely oblivious to the fact she wanted him in return. It never occurred to her that he’d be blinded by his own anger and fear he wouldn’t see how she felt about him. Lillian was pretty sure Lachlan knew how she felt about his best friend, but he’d never said anything to her and she definitely hadn’t thought to confide in him. Even Cameron didn’t know.
Thinking of her friend reminded Lillian she needed to get back to the party and check on her. Lil didn’t think her brother would intentionally hurt Cam, but he didn’t know the woman or what she’d been through, and it was easy to picture him doing damage to her friend’s psyche with his alpha-male persona. Not that Cam was delicate at all. She could definitely look after herself, but Lil would feel better knowing she hadn’t brought either of them harm by arranging this meeting.
Lillian made quick work of patching up her makeup. Years of modelling had taught her quite a few tricks when it came to camouflaging the flaws nature dished out. Dark circles, blemishes and premature winkles were easily dealt with when you knew how. Satisfied she looked presentable, Lil left her bathroom and slipped back into the heels she’d discarded by her bedroom door when she’d sought the sanctuary of her private space.
The metre-by-metre poster board leaning on the far wall caught her eye and she walked over to admire Cam’s work for the millionth time. Lillian had been in a simple gold dress that flowed over her curves like water and her body was arched to emulate the bottle in her hand. She’d had the shape of the perfume bottle designed to resemble a calla lily and she’d been very impressed with the results. Pleasure filled her when she thought about the upcoming launch. They’d managed to keep the whole Golden Lilli project a secret, from conception to fruition, this was one more part of her dream, and Lil couldn’t wait for the ad campaign to go live.
Lilli smiled as she moved across her room. She turned the handle and opened the door. The noise hit her square in the face. Music, laughter and the general sounds associated with people having a good time. Mac might be right, most of the partiers were no more than acquaintances, but that wouldn’t stop her from putting on the party of the year. Tonight was a celebration of finally reaching her dream. Of course, no one but Cam and Cassie knew that. Still, it didn’t matter. Tonight would be her last hurrah to a world she’d never felt at home in.
Chapter Four
Mac couldn’t find Lachlan anywhere. There was no sign of Kole either, but the library was open again and another rowdy game of Twister was well underway, so he could only assume his friend hadn’t killed the woman who had starred in Lachlan’s—and millions of other men’s—teenage fantasies. He wandered the house with a beer in his hand for close to an hour. The party had revved up while he’d been upstairs with Lillian.
Lilli.
Her name whispered through his mind like a gentle breeze on a summer afternoon. It was a tantalising promise of relief but only succeeded in reminding him of how hot he was to begin with. As much as he wanted to deny his feelings for her, or put them down to pure lust, he couldn’t. He’d known her since she was five. He knew her heart, her generous nature and the way she chose to see only the good in people. She never had a bad word to say about anyone, even those who did her wrong weren’t treated badly, only subjected to what he liked to refer to as the Lillian McDermott dust off.
She always conducted herself with dignity and courtesy. Her faultless demeanour had been something he’d admired. Right up until she’d followed in her mother’s footsteps out onto the catwalk. Maybe that was his problem. Her chosen career was so at odds with the girl he’d watched grow up, a contradiction to the woman she should have become. Then again, who was he to say he knew the real Lillian. She’d accused him of not knowing her earlier, and perhaps she was spot on, because he couldn’t understand or mesh the two individuals who made up Lillian McDermott.
Before he could dwell on his thoughts further, a woman who looked familiar but he couldn’t put a name to stepped next to him and offered another beer.
“I’d say you’re ready for a new one. You’ve nursed that one for a while.” She smiled.
Mac glanced at the shirt she wore, the bold script across her breasts marking her as part of the company running the show. He traded his half-empty warm one for the ice-cold bottle she held out. “Thanks.”
Her gazed skimmed the room before coming back to his. “The party’s going great, isn’t it?”
“Humph.” Mac bought the bottle to his lips and took a swig.
“Look, Mac, I get that you didn’t agree to this party, but Lil deserves to enjoy this one night. She’s worked her arse off for this. Can’t you at least pretend to be happy for her?” Her voice took on an accusing edge.
“Ha. From what I can see, the company you work for has done all the work, all Lillian had to do was dress up and sashay out into the room.” Mac couldn’t help the snarl of disgust lacing his words.
“I’m not talking about setting tonight up, I’m referring to the last five years of working at a job she at times despised to achieve her ultimate dream.” The woman whose name still escaped him turned his way and lowered her voice. “She’s built Lilli Pond from the ground up without a handout from Daddy or big brother. The very least you can do is respect her for that, even if you don’t agree with her choices.”
