“Off you go charmer, let me sleep,” she said and smiled at her words.
Leaning over Elijah kissed her forehead, picked up his socks and shoes and left the room. Lilly was asleep before he closed the door. When he reached the sofa in the main room to put on his remaining clothes he jumped when he saw a shadow in the corner. There was someone here after all.
Leaping to his feet, he was ready to tackle whoever had broken into Lilly’s home. He was standing in front of the person in three strides and had his hand clamped around the man’s skinny arm.
“Who the hell are you, and how did you get in here?” Elijah said, bellowing his question at the strange man.
“William Harrison.” There was a standoff, each glaring at the other. “Well, I know who I am, who are you and what are you doing in my sister’s apartment at midnight?” William said.
Elijah let William’s arm go and took a step back, he switched on the light nearest him so that he could take a look at the man claiming to be Lilly’s brother. He looked thin and scrawny, his hair greasy and matted. He didn’t look like a healthy person and Elijah wondered why he was skulking in the dark.
“My name is Elijah Geary and I am a friend of hers. Why are you hiding in the dark?”
“I’m not hiding. I just got here when you came out of her bedroom. Why are you running off andnot saying goodbye to her? She deserves better than that Elijah. What kind of name is Elijah?”
“Oh, I see,” Elijah said, tapping his finger on his lips. “You’re an arsehole, well as much as I would like to stand here talking to you, I have a job to get to. Don’t think I don’t know what you do as a sideline either. We’ll have this talk another time when I’m not as angry.” Elijah turned to walk away.
William was wise enough to keep quiet and let Elijah leave the apartment. Elijah assumed that as William had not broken in, Lilly was ok with him being there and didn’t question him further. Closing the front door behind him, he drove to his bar to sort out the mess that had happened earlier.
Chapter Eighteen
Lilly woke the following day refreshed and ready to face the day after showering and dressing. She wandered to the kitchen to make some breakfast. Opening the fridge door, she shivered at the unwelcome cold draft that met her bare legs. She needed to head to work to clear out her office that she should have done two days ago. She was sure Harry would be ok with the delay but she wanted to close the door on that job and get it done today.
Cursing her brother she assumed had visited last night and eaten her food hadn’t even left her with a drop of milk. There wasn’t enough for a cup of tea. She returned to her bedroom to find her shoes and her handbag. Lilly didn’t know if she was welcome at Blue’s bar after the drama she’d caused and she wasn’t entirely sure if she could make it as a bartender.
Lilly didn’t think she could make it as anything right now. She felt a fool for being in the vulnerable position of being given drugs. Lilly felt awful and her stomach ached from lack of food. She needed breakfast and wantedpoached eggs. The problem was that the best place for poached eggs was Blue’s and she didn’t think she was ready to see Elijah just yet.
They had taken things from platonic to intimate in one giant step. Craving his company like no other she wanted to go to his bar to see his handsome face smile back at her. Now that she knew his taste and touch, Lilly wanted more. It wasn’t healthy to want someone this much. She’d never wanted anyone this much before and was at a loss to know if this was infatuation, hero worship or real affection.
Lilly’s stomach growled again, and she ventured outside and see where her feet took her. Wrapping her sky blue scarf around her neck and pulling on her light jacket, she went out for breakfast. She hadn’t noticed the time as she left but soon realised that she had missed breakfast in most of the cafes along the street from her apartment. After the fifth café, she gave up and her feet carried her to the place she wanted to visit all along. Pulling open the heavy door to Blue’s, she walked into the light airy bar and instantly felt at home. She enjoyed coming to this bar. For a long time it was her hideaway from the job she hated. Her hour of heaven while she escaped from her career and what it represented was bliss. Now that she no longer worked at the firm of lawyers, this place was still her haven but from reality instead. She wanted to feel safe, she just wasn’t sure if it were Elijah’s bar or Elijah himself that made her feel safe. She didn’t much care at this stage because she was staring right at him and he was staring back.
Stuck to the spot and unable to move she kept looking at the handsome man before her. He had rescued her from the piece of crap that had fed her the drugs. Stayed with her at the hospital, taken her home and stayed with her until she felt ok. It was more than she expected of him in one respectbecause she barely knew him but not enough to satisfy her craving of his company.
She didn’t move and Elijah came towards her, he approached her fast and she was unable to stop the enveloping hug her gave her. He lifted her off her feet and kissed her temple.
“Are you ok, is everything ok, are you feeling ok?” Elijah asked her.
“Yes I’m fine I just needed food and didn’t realise the time and everyone seemed to stop serving breakfast at a stupid hour. I had my heart set on poached eggs,” Lilly said and huffed as she straightened her scarf after being lifted clean off the floor.
Elijah took the edge of her scarf and deliberately pulled it so that it was all askew and chuckled at his juvenility, he had an urge to anger her. He needed her to get passionate about something even if it weren’t him. He never wanted to provoke a woman before, but he felt playful and to see how long it would take to see her flare up. He watched as she straightened it again with an irritated pull, he stepped closer waited patiently for her to finish and then pulled it again. Lilly’s head snapped up and the glare he was rewarded with was worth it, the fire he saw in her eyes was all he needed to see. She wanted him and he couldn’t have been happier at the thought.
“What are you doing Elijah?” Lilly asked impatiently.
“I’m trying to make you mad, so we can kiss and make up,” Elijah said playfully.
“You are such a child,” she scolded but couldn’t help the grin that broke out across her face. She liked he was playful.
“If you want a kiss, you just need to ask,” she said.
He didn’t hesitate in kissing her, wrapping her in his arms, he wasn’t going to waste any time asking. He couldn’tcare who saw them, he wanted her and only her. Elijah wanted to taste her, so he pinched her bottom that in turn made her squeal, but he had her firmly in his arms so there was no escaping. Her startled response gave him what he wanted, he touched the tip of her tongue just once, sweeping across her mouth. He needed to stop or else would carry her off to his office and bend her over the table. He wanted their first time to be somewhere far more private and comfortable. Where they wouldn’t be interrupted.
He couldn’t stop, her taste was intoxicating, her body moulded to his, he carried on kissing her in the middle of the bar until he heard a discreet cough. He knew whose cough it was as it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it. He broke away from her mouth and kissed her forehead.
“I need to take care of an issue, take a seat and I will be back very soon, order whatever you want and the chef will make it for you. Don’t worry about the menu.” Elijah said.
“Is everything ok Elijah?” Lilly asked.
“Everything is fine, I’ll be right back with you.”
