“Oh, ok, just checking,” Lilly said and grinned.
“Are you ready yet because I want to chat up some hot men while you swoon over McHottie?”
“Keep your pants on Angie I’m ready.”
“I’m not wearing any but I get your point, let’s go,” Angie announced, picking up her handbag and drank the last of her wine.
Lilly rolled her eyes at her honesty and hoped that it wasn’t windy out tonight.
Chapter Nine
“Are you sure you want to go to Blue’s tonight, we can go anywhere in the city Lilly?” Angie asked as they stood outside the building, looking in through the windows.
“This may be the last night for a long time where I will be on the customer side of the bar. I want to celebrate quitting my job, standing up to my parents and being kissed thoroughly by the man who owns this bar,” Lilly declared. “Let’s go in and get drunk.”
“He kissed you? When? When did he kiss you, you didn’t tell me that bit? Bloody hell Lilly you leave out all the best bits,” Angie said.
“He kissed me in this bar today and then again on the street after he stopped me from being run over. Now you know everything, why isn’t there wine in my hand?” Lilly said.
Angie laughed at Lilly’s conviction to have fun and followed her into the bar. It was busy in Blue’s, and Lilly had to fight her way through the group of people trying to leave the bar. She let out a yelp, hopped on one foot andlooked up to see who had trodden on her foot. She looked up to find Jenny staring at her.
“Why the hell did you just stamp on my foot Jenny?” Lilly asked her.
“Oh, I didn’t see you there Lillian, I’m so sorry. Are you feeling better?” Jenny asked her in the same saccharine voice as Susan had earlier.
The gossip frustrated her so much in the office, but having Jenny assume she was sick was annoying.
“Oh, fuck off Jenny,” Lilly said and walked away and didn’t wait for Jenny to answer her. She wanted a drink, and more importantly she wanted to see Elijah.
Looking around the bar, Lilly searched for Elijah while Angie ordered their drinks. She spotted him talking to two women, laughing and joking with them. He looked happy and relaxed as he chatted. She kept her eyes on him willing him to look over so she could say hello. While she waited, she took in his appearance, crisp white shirt with a tie and waistcoat. Craning her neck, she could just about see that he was wearing matching trousers to his waistcoat. He looked smart and sexy at the same time. She didn’t have to wait long, within seconds he looked at her and stopped talking to the women he was with and just stared as his smile grew wide. He winked at her, made his excuses to the two ladies he was talking with and made his way over to Lilly.
“He is gorgeous Lilly, who is he?” Angie whispered to Lilly as she passed her the red wine she had just ordered from the bar.
“That’s McHottie,” Lilly just managed to say before Elijah was standing in front of her, grinning, with a twinkle in his eye.
“It is lovely to see you Lilly. I didn’t think I would beseeing you until tomorrow. You don’t normally come here in the evening,” Elijah said and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
“I thought I would have a night of freedom with my friend Angie before I started my new job. Is it ok that we’re here? We can go to another bar if you want,” Lilly said.
“It is more than ok,” Elijah said. “Angie it is lovely to meet you. I’ve heard so many great things about you. It sounds like she has a great friend on her side.” Elijah reached for Angie’s hand and kissed the back of it.
Angie flushed with the contact and flattery, her face matched her flame red lipstick and tried to recover her composure.
“You are a charmer Elijah, it is lovely to meet you, Lilly doesn’t stop talking about you and it is lovely to put a name to a face. You’ve kept her sane over the last six months. I hope you know how brilliant you have been?” Angie blurted out and winced slightly at the kick she received from Lilly at her confession.
“I’m glad I could be supportive to Lilly and I’m very proud of what she did today. Things will only get better for her,” Elijah said.
“Ok, I’m still here guys, it was lovely to see you Elijah, and I don’t want to keep you from your work,” Lilly said in a rush. Wanting to hurry away, she didn’t like being talked about like a lost cause but at the same time grateful that she had two people who cared about her wellbeing.
“Not so fast sweetheart, I need to talk to you about tomorrow. Angie, do you mind if I steal Lilly away for five minutes?” Elijah asked.
“No, not at all, steal away, I see some friends of mine,” Angie said.
Lilly stood open-mouthed at Angie as she walked through the mass of people in the bar and felt nervous leftalone with Elijah. She could feel his gaze on her and turned to face him fully. The desire in his eyes looking back at her warmed her soul. She instantly connected to Elijah all those months ago but didn’t feel the desire until he kissed her today. She felt his hand link with hers and a slight tug as he pulled her towards him. Slowly his dropped his mouth to her ear, she thought he was going to kiss her neck and felt a shiver at the prospect at such intimacy.
“You look lovely tonight Lilly, I wish we weren’t in a room full of people because I so dearly would like to kiss you right now,” Elijah murmured to Lilly.
Lilly didn’t need to be kissed to feel a second shiver, his breath and words were enough to create instant passion for Elijah. She didn’t move a muscle waiting for Elijah to make his next move. She stood patiently while Elijah turned around. To her surprise, he led her through the busy room to the door at the end of the bar. Fishing out a bunch of keys in his pocket Elijah swiftly unlocked the door and led her through to a dark corridor.
