Chapter Thirteen

Holly played with her necklace as she stared out through the rain-spattered window. After dinner, she’d helped Judy clean up, hoping to keep her mind off of the one thing she couldn’t stop thinking about.

I have to share a bedroom with Julian.

In any other circumstances, she’d jump at the chance. All night with a yummy man she’d love to run her hands over? Sign her up. Which was what made this so complicated.

If she were Holly, she’d fall into bed with her partner without any hesitation. But as Lillian, she should be holding him at arm’s length, not tangling them all up even more.

But I want him, and he wants me.

Did she have to think about the future? Couldn’t she live in the moment for once and take what they both wanted?

What about Lillian?

Before she crossed this line, she needed to know her sister was utterly out of the picture. Fishing her cell from her pocket, she pulled up her sister’s contact info and quickly typed out a text.

You need to respond. Is there any chance at all of you marrying Julian? Because I’m about to spend a night with him in a B&B, and I really want your answer to be no. Please tell me you have no future with him.

She hit send and ran her fingers through her hair. Lillian hadn’t replied to any of her texts, no doubt to stay off the PI’s radar. Would she see the importance of this one?

I need to know. Once and for all.

Was she playing in another woman’s fairy tale?

Or was Julian available in a way she hadn’t dared to think about?

She flipped the phone from hand to hand as she paced the elegant room. It had all the B&B charm guests would expect, with lace tablecloths, a four-poster bed, and a decorative tea set in the corner. The setting was serene and peaceful, but nothing was going to calm her agitation.

What if Lillian ignored this text like all the others? Then she’d have to make a choice. It was normal for Julian to want to test out sexual compatibility before entering into a lifetime with someone.

What was she going to do?

The door opened as she paced.

“You all right?” Julian asked as he entered the room, shaking his damp hair.

“Were you outside?”

“Wanted to grab my phone charger,” he replied. “Pete’s right. The storms up here are no joke. Judy’s down in the lobby handing out towels to the guests that got caught in it.”

“Good thing we’re staying then.”

“Mm.” He walked over to the two armchairs set before the dark fireplace and dropped into one of them. “If you want to talk about sleeping arrangements, we can.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, drifting closer.

He shrugged. “I can sleep in this chair if it makes you more comfortable.”

Warmth bloomed in her chest. “Doesn’t sound fun.”

“I’d rather have a sore back than make you nervous,” he said, leaning his head on his hand. “This night isn’t exactly going as we planned.”

“That just won you major brownie points.”

He grinned. “I know how I want to cash them in.”

A cursed blush heated her cheeks. Yeah, it didn’t take a genius to figure out exactly what he was thinking, and she was more than willing to follow his lead.

This isn’t fair.

He didn’t know all the stakes here. He believed she was someone she wasn’t.

I’m doing it for the right reasons. The company is depending on me.

But right here and now, those people seemed very far away. In the light of day, her reasons made a cold kind of sense. She was prioritizing her workers over her heart.

Standing alone with him next to a bed, however, made all her reasons ring hollow. When she stripped everything else away, there was no hiding how much she wanted this man or hated what she was forced to do.

“It’s okay,” he said, and she realized her silence had stretched too long. “I really don’t mind the chair.” He pushed to his feet and crossed the distance between them. “Let me run and grab an extra blanket before we get settled in.”

Her fingers closed around his sleeve. “Don’t,” she replied. “We can share the bed, at least. I promise I’m not a cover hog.”

“Good to know. But better safe than sorry.” He dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. “I’ll be two minutes, tops.”

Her eyes drifted closed at the brief contact.

Why was it always her life that got derailed? Why was she always the runner-up? She’d finally found a man capable of pulling her out of her quiet, safe world, and she wanted to run toward him with everything in her.

How was she supposed to push him away now?

None of this is fair to any of us.

When he pulled back from her, her stomach dropped. Watching him walk to the door was the last thing she wanted to see.

In her hand, the phone vibrated.

“Wait,” she called.

Unable to believe it, she turned the cell over to see a message on her screen.

From Lillian.

No way.

A wave of dizziness swept over her. Of all the questions she’d sent, this was the one her sister chose to reply to?

Pulling up the message, she read the four words over twice.

All yours. Love you.

A shiver raced through her, followed immediately by a desire she was now free to explore.

He’s mine?

Marriage to Lillian was totally off the table? Completely?

He wasn’t tied to another woman?

Joy lit inside her. Whatever Lillian’s plan was, it must be working. Which meant she’d have a hell of an explanation to give, but maybe, just maybe, there was a way through this for Julian and her.

He might forgive me for this. If Lillian saves the company, I can tell him for the truth about why we switched places.

Where they went after that was up to him. Would the connections she offered be enough to make up for what he’d miss by not marrying Lillian?

Her heart rate kicked up in excitement. No doubt he’d be livid about her using the wrong name, but that would be the worst of her crimes. And if he cared about her the way she was starting to care about him, wouldn’t the opportunities they had together be worth more than a few letters?

I want to be with him. See where this really leads.

Not as her sister. But as herself.

Over and over, she’d tried to be someone else. Someone more than what she was. No one wanted plain old Holly.

Except Julian.

He saw her. She was sure of it.

And for the first time, she didn’t want to hide.

Her hands trembled. Was she really going to do this? Leap without looking? This could all blow up in her face so easily.

“Don’t go.” The words slipped out of her as if she was helpless to keep them inside. For better or worse, all she wanted was him.

A slow smile split his lips before he turned the old-fashioned lock on the door.

Adrenaline shot through her as he prowled closer, but with it came one more realization.

Lillian might have given her blessing, but there was still one more problem she couldn’t overcome. Not tonight.

But it wasn’t fair not to tell him the truth.

She flipped her necklace through her fingers.

How do I make this better? What can I tell him?

She didn’t want to talk him out of this, but he deserved to know not everything was as it seemed.

You could lose him with this gamble.

The smart play would be to make him sleep in the chair.

Wetting her lips, she chose her words carefully. “What if I had a secret I couldn’t tell you?”

He blinked, some of the lust in his gaze banking at the unexpected question. “A secret? Sounds dramatic.” He started walking again, closing the distance between them.

“You have no idea,” she replied.

“And you can’t tell me?”

She shook her head. “Not yet.”

He stopped before her, tilting his head to the side as he examined her. “Do you want to?”

“Yes.” There was no ignoring the truth in that one simple word.

“And it’s about us.”

“Yes,” she said again.

His hands molded over her hips. “Is this secret stopping you from falling into bed with me?”

She bit back a laugh. “Yes.”

“All right, then, that’s easy.” He pulled her closer. “Keep your secrets and kiss me.”

Her fingers tightened on his shirt. “What?”

A smile ghosted over his lips. “I have years to prove I’m trustworthy. You’ll tell me eventually.”

“Just like that?” she demanded. “You trust me that way?”

He stared down at her for a long moment before simply saying, “Yes.”

Such an easy answer, and yet the most complicated one she’d ever received.

He trusts me.

A woman who was lying to him.

A woman who was falling for him.

Who am I?

Where did her loyalties lie?

His fingers threaded through her hair.

“So much thinking,” he murmured. “My poor Lillian.”

Not my name.

“I don’t care about the future,” he said. “I just want you. In or out?”

A new determination lit within her. The old Holly would have run away and hidden from a situation this intense. But meeting him had changed everything. Now she wanted to revel in every second she had with him. However long that might be.

“In,” she said, making a decision that might damn them all. Grabbing his shirt, she rose to her tiptoes and kissed him just as he’d asked.

An arm wrapped around her waist as Julian pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. She smiled against his lips, excitement bubbling up inside her. She always did the right thing. Put others first. Tried to help where she could.

Tonight was for her. One wild mistake she’d treasure for the rest of her life.

She’d never been less in control.

And it’s freeing.

When his hands ran over her body, the voices whispering in the back of her mind that she’d never be good enough quieted. When his lips ran down her neck the worries that she was a pale copy of her sister disappeared.

Julian had never found her wanting.

And given the liquid heat in his gaze, she must be the sexiest woman in the world.

“Do it again,” he said, staring at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Smile.” He shook his head. “You’ve never looked at me that way before.”

I was never allowed to.

Lillian had a plan. And she and Julian had a shot at something real.

She smiled wide, letting her joy show.

A growl rumbled through his throat before he claimed another kiss that sent heat pooling low in her abdomen.

With his hands on her hips, he walked them backward toward the ornate bed.

“This is your favorite room, huh? Seems a little girly for you.”

“What, you think I don’t live my life searching for the perfect floral pattern?”

She laughed. “My mistake.”

“It was the first room Judy and Pete ever put a guest in and that guest was me,” he told her.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t sentimental?” she teased.

“I’m not.” Those burning eyes met hers. “Usually.”

Yet underneath his cultivated business persona lay a man who would drive hours out of his way to look at account numbers he could have solved over the phone. One who gave up Michelin-starred restaurants for fast food just because it made her happy. A CEO with a moral streak a mile wide and a sense of honor that she found devastatingly attractive, especially coming from a home where such things were considered weaknesses.

But they didn’t make Julian weak.

His hands gripped the hem of her shirt, inching it higher. Helping him out, she tugged it over her head and let it drop to the floor.

His gaze zeroed in on her newly exposed chest, and she rolled her eyes. Honorable or not, he reacted like every other man in the presence of breasts.

“See something you like?” she teased.

“Every time you step into a room.”

Her breath caught at the sincerity in his voice.

And the need in his expression.

He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. The heat of his hand against her naked skin forced a gasp from her lips.

But she wanted more.

Raising her hands, she deftly undid the buttons of his shirt and slipped her hands beneath the material, sliding it off his shoulders.

The soft lamplight shadowed his face even as it played off the defined muscles of his chest. Giving in to temptation, she traced those contours with careful fingers, grinning when his abdomen contracted beneath her touch.

All mine. At least for tonight.

And how she wanted to enjoy every second of it. Letting her hands glide lower, she undid the button of his jeans before sliding the zipper down.

“Not so shy anymore, are you?” he breathed against her ear.

She paused for a moment before leaning back and raising her gaze to his. “I don’t want to be. Not with you.”

And it was true. She’d never had a problem staying out of the limelight. Her comfort zone rarely included another person. But Julian made her want to shed those inhibitions. She didn’t want to be a mouse tonight.

She wanted to be a woman who took what she wanted.

“Good,” he replied. “I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”

He kissed her, and everything else melted away. Nothing was as important as this moment with him. Not the disaster that was her family. Not the nerves that had kept her clinging to the sidelines her entire life. Just this once, she wanted to have something that was just for her

Julian was like a lightning strike to her life. There was no stopping the changes he had inspired.

He’s making me think of the world beyond my family. Of a life beyond my father.

What a sacrilegious thought for an Abbott.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” he whispered against her lips.

Yes, I am.

“Help me stop,” she said and crawled backward into the bed.

…

My absolute pleasure.

Julian stared down at the woman before him and could barely keep his thoughts straight. Need and anticipation pulsed through him, mixed with something more, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He wasn’t a man to turn down a good romp beneath the sheets, but everything with Lillian was different.

Staring down at her, he didn’t know what to make of the tightening in his chest, this curious mix of lust and tenderness. Nothing about tonight was temporary.

But the idea didn’t panic him. A deep sense of satisfaction filled him. The pieces of his life were falling into place in a way he’d never anticipated.

All because of one far-fetched idea to grow my empire.

A wife was supposed to be the price of his success, not his reward for it.

Marrying her isn’t going to be a hardship.

The belief was further underscored when she shimmied out of her jeans and tossed them at his feet.

I’m a lucky man.

And tonight, he was going to prove she was lucky, too.

This was all about her. There was no room for anything else.

He moved onto the bed, watching her eyes light as he slid over her.

“Mm,” she said, making room for him between her legs as she draped her arms around his shoulders. “Much better.”

“Agreed.” Her skin was silky smooth beneath his fingertips as he leaned down to kiss her.

She twisted beneath him, arching herself to bring their bodies closer. A growl rumbled through his chest as she ground herself against the coarse material of his jeans. He wanted to go slow and take his time savoring her, but the lust pounding through his body had other ideas. Had he ever needed anyone with the blind desire he had for her?

He broke the kiss, working his way down her neck when she tossed back her head to give him better access. Everything about her was beautiful, from her wide smile to the generous breasts he couldn’t wait to unveil.

No time like the present.

With a grin, he rolled them to their sides to unclasp her bra. She slipped it off her body without any hesitation, smiling up at him, and something throbbed in his chest.

I wanted her to look me in the eye.

And now her gaze was clear and piercing as it met his.

“You’re incredible,” he said, the words stark and honest.

Her telltale blush rushed to her cheeks, and he chuckled at the familiar color. Would he ever get bored of seeing it?

Or of causing it.

His grin widened.

“You’re not too shabby yourself,” she replied.

“I’m just getting started.” He flicked a thumb over one hardened nipple and enjoyed her swift inhalation.

Sliding down her body, he turned his attention to the breasts he’d been dying to see.

Reality is so much better than fantasy.

He couldn’t deny having more than a few illicit thoughts about his fiancée over the last few weeks, but now that she was in his arms, she blew every single one of them away.

The things we’ll do together.

He grinned. They had a lifetime to explore all the ways they could play together.

“Julian,” she breathed as he ran his tongue over the other nipple. Her fingers delved into his hair, and he closed his eyes at the sensation.

“Just wait, sweetheart. I’ll make you scream my name before the night is over.”

“You absolutely will not. There are children staying on this floor.”

“Fine, I’ll make you say my name at an appropriate volume.” He nipped at her earlobe. “But next time, all bets are off.”

Her laughter was bright and happy, warming something inside him that had nothing to do with lust.

At least, not only lust.

Hooking his fingers around her black panties, he slowly pulled them down her legs.

The laughter stopped when he ran a finger over her slit, tracing her sensitive folds.

Something possessive and hungry rose up within him as he brought his mouth to her. He wanted to make her lose control. To leave some invisible mark on her that proclaimed her as his. This wasn’t just a first night with a new lover. It was far more important than that.

And that was coming from a man who’d lived a happily isolated life for most of his years.

That ends now.

Because Lillian was his future, and before the sun came up, he’d make sure she knew it, too.

…

Her mind was awash with pleasure.

Throwing out a hand, she clutched at the duvet as Julian proved just how skilled he really was.

Is there anything this man can’t do?

His tongue tapped across her clit, and she bit her lip to stifle a moan. No matter what Julian said, she had no desire to scandalize the couple who had taken them in for the night. Especially not when they were as close to in-laws as she was going to get.

But he was doing everything in his power to make it difficult for her.

Closing her eyes, she gave herself up to the pleasure building inside her. She was so close, rocking against his mouth helplessly. As if he knew just how far to push her, he licked her one last time before drawing back.

“No,” she groaned.

He chuckled. “Give me a minute, and I’ll make it feel even better.”

Rolling off the bed, he stripped off his jeans and boxers, giving her an eyeful that had her licking her lips. Nothing about the man was lacking, that was for sure. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on his rock-hard cock.

He fished his wallet out of their pile of clothes and pulled a condom from it.

“Look at that planning,” she said.

“I confess to being cautiously optimistic when I brought you up here.”

“So, the rain did your work for you, hmm?”

He crawled back onto the bed with an unrepentant grin. “I didn’t anticipate getting stuck here overnight, but I’m not complaining.”

“Me neither,” she said, reaching for him.

He settled between her thighs, holding himself up on his elbows as he looked down at her.

“God, you’re stunning,” he told her.

She smiled at the compliment, marveling at how comfortable she was in his arms. In the past, she’d always been a little off balance with her partners, like she was worried about making a misstep. But with Julian, she let go enough to enjoy the pleasure he offered.

And she was nearly licking her lips at what came next.

“Back at you,” she said, cupping his jaw with one hand to kiss him. As she did, she reached down to stroke him as she guided his cock into position.

“I want you,” she whispered against his mouth.

“Haven’t you figured out yet I’m all yours?”

He thrust into her before she could reply. Gasping, she wrapped her arms around his wide shoulders as he started to move.

She forgot about being quiet. Forgot about Judy and Pete down the hall and the reality waiting for them back in the city.

Nothing mattered but this feeling.

Angling her pelvis, she arched beneath him to match his rhythm. Pleasure started to build again, and she threw back her head, riding the waves of sensation he inspired. She opened her mouth to speak, but there were no words. All her concentration was focused on the man moving above her.

Each thrust built her climax. She was so close. Just a little more.

Again and again they rocked together, moving instinctively. Cupping his face, she kissed him, trying to communicate without words. The intimacy of the moment was almost as wonderful as the intense orgasm building inside her. He picked up the pace, driving into her with new energy.

“Julian,” she gasped.

“Let go,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll catch you.”

It was all the encouragement she needed. With another thrust, she broke apart in his arms.

Her back arched with the strength of her climax. Pleasure swamped her, bursting through every cell in her body.

Julian thrust into her at a frenzied pace before stiffening. With a satisfied groan, he collapsed on top of her, panting against her shoulder.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the aftermath, her body still twitching. She was utterly exhausted and utterly sated.

“Well, I think we can assume we’re sexually compatible,” he said by her side.

A smile tugged at her lips. “I don’t know. I might need more convincing.”

He chuckled against her skin. “I knew you were a brilliant woman.”

Turning, she snuggled into his arms. Maybe she’d just made a huge mistake, but for the first time in her life, everything seemed absolutely perfect.