Delilah’s eyes froze. “My personal life will never affect my performance here at the spa. If I had twelve more children and both my legs were broken, I would still be the best director for the spa. Would you like a breakdown of services we provided last week? We set a new record for Botox parties and facials. Here. Hold Willy while I locate the report on my desk.” Delilah plopped Willy in Lilly’s arms and Lilly stared at the baby.
Willy squirmed, reaching to tug at her hair. He yanked then beamed at her with a big smile.
“No, no,” Lilly whispered, trying to unwrap his fist from her hair. He bounced in her arms, chortling, and she didn’t have the heart to stop him even though he was pulling entirely too hard.
Delilah turned with a sheaf of papers in her hand. “Here’s the—” She broke off at the sight of Willy’s hand tangled around Lilly’s hair. “Well, well, Romeo. Now we know the truth. You have a thing for blondes,” she said with a smile. “Pretty, long-haired blondes. I didn’t think I’d have to start watching you in that area so soon.” She untangled Lilly’s hair and put him on her hip. “Sorry. Here’s the report,” she said, handing over the sheaf of papers. “It should make you sleep better about our profits.”
Unsettled by seeing Delilah with a baby, Lilly shrugged. “I’ll study it carefully.”
“You do that,” Delilah drawled with more than a hint of amusement in her voice.
Lilly couldn’t stand the woman’s confidence. She seemed to have so much of it, when Lilly had none. Lilly had no doubt that Delilah had been brought up without the finer things including a college education, but she had so much confidence she fairly oozed it. Lilly resented her for it.
“I’ll be checking on things from now on,” Lilly told her.
“By all means,” Delilah said with a careless wave of her hand. “I’m surprised you have time though. I’d have thought Robert Huntington would have popped the question and you would be busy with his campaign.”
Lilly felt her cheeks heat. Delilah had to know that she had just struck Lilly at her most vulnerable point. The woman wasn’t just confident. She was vicious. “That’s my personal business,” she said.
Delilah’s eyes rounded. “Oh, well excuse me. I thought the deed was done. Robert’s a bit slower than I had thought.”
Lilly immediately rose to his defense. “Robert is a man of integrity and honor. He wouldn’t make this kind of decision lightly.”
Delilah nodded. “I guess I can see that. Probably runs in the family,” she muttered. “Amazing though, it doesn’t matter if they have honor or not, you can’t let them think you’re waiting by the phone. But I’m sure you already know that.”
“Of course,” Lilly said with far more confidence than she felt. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
Delilah gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sure you will.” She glanced down at Willy and smiled genuinely. “Wave bye-bye, sweetie.”
Willy waved and Lilly would have to have been made of stone not to wave and smile in return. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she strode outside to her Beemer. As much as she detested Delilah, the maneater had unwittingly planted some ideas about what she needed to do with Robert.
Her cell phone rang to the tune of Beethoven’s Fifth, and she instinctively reached for it. She glanced at the Caller ID. Robert. He was probably calling her at the last minute to meet him for dinner. She wrinkled her nose. She and Old Faithful had a lot in common.
Her finger hovered over the button to answer while Delilah’s words echoed in her mind,
Don’t be so available
. It killed her not to answer. By the time the phone stopped ringing, she was nearly hyperventilating. She wasn’t sure she was cut out to be a maneater. She didn’t have the constitution for it. Just not answering the phone made her feel like she needed to run to the bathroom from nerves.
What if Robert never called again? What if he called someone else to join him for the fundraiser at the country club? Sweating, she closed her eyes and stiffened her backbone. This was ridiculous.
If Delilah Montague could wrap her wily father around her finger, then Lilly should be able to rope Robert Huntington. Perhaps he just needed a little prod.
Feeling like a conniving she-devil, she listened to the message Robert had left. As expected, he’d invited her to the fundraiser tonight. She dialed the number for the executor of her father’s estate and asked if he could recommend an escort for the evening. In fifteen minutes, she had a date.
She hoped her bladder would survive the evening. She would stash a paper bag and valium in her evening purse.
The average person kisses only two weeks of their lives. If the average lifespan is 76.9 years, we’re wasting a lot of time.
—D
ELILAH’S
D
ICTUM
R
obert Huntington greeted so many people the faces began to blur until he saw Lilly. He reached for her hand and smiled.
“Lilly!” he said, with a mixture of surprise and relief. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t make it.”
Her hand felt stiff and her face looked flushed.
“Is something wrong? Are you not feeling well?” he asked. That would explain why she hadn’t returned his call.
“I’m fine. I didn’t get your call until—” She broke off and shrugged. “I’m um here with—” She broke off again and cleared her throat. “Robert, this is Greg Weatherby. I met him through the executor of my father’s estate.”
Robert automatically extended his hand to the young man at Lilly’s side, but his brain paused. “Nice to meet you, Greg. Glad to have you here tonight.”
“I was glad Lilly could join me,” Greg said, smiling at Lilly.
Somewhere deep inside, Robert felt an odd discomfort. It was as if someone had moved the furniture in his bedroom without telling him. He didn’t have time to figure it out now. “You like to play golf?” Robert asked. After months of campaigning, he was an expert with safe questions.
“Always. I’m still shooting for under par three times in a row. Work interferes.”
“What do you do?” Robert asked casually, aware that he was spending more than the recommended three minutes with Lilly’s escort. He assessed Greg, drawing comfort from the fact that her escort was shorter than he was. Odd as hell thought.
“Estate attorney with Long & Forrester.”
An attorney. Robert stood straighter. “Really? Where’d you graduate?”
“Yale. You?”
“Texas born and bred,” Robert said, distracted by a strange competitive urge. “UT. You two enjoy yourselves. Lilly,” he said with a nod and moved onto the next couple.
He was expected to deliver a stirring, yet entertaining speech tonight. He had also expected to have Lilly by his side. It wasn’t that he had strong, overwhelming feelings of passion for her. He just depended on her. His father was always pushing, pushing, pushing. Robert knew the pushing was motivated by his desire to win the election, but his father wasn’t a restful person to be around. When Robert left his father, he sometimes felt as if he needed a drink or two. When he’d been a child, his mother had attributed Robert’s bed-wetting to his father’s pushiness.
Lilly expected little of him. She was undemanding and adoring, and she didn’t cause him one bit of grief. Being with her wasn’t overly stimulating, but it was a relief.
He stole a quick glance across the room, finding her chatting with her escort as she twirled a glass of wine. The discomfort inside him twisted again, making him frown.
He felt a nudge on his back and turned to find his father at his side.
“What the hell is wrong with you, boy?” his father asked in a low voice. “You’re supposed to be circulating and inspiring donations. This is a well-padded crowd.”
Robert’s irritation pinched him harder. “I’ve been meeting and greeting.”
“Well, do it more. Are you ready with your speech?”
“I’m ready,” Robert said, his gaze wandering again to Lilly.
“Why isn’t Lilly with you?” his father demanded.
“There was a mix-up. She didn’t get my message until late.”
His father sighed. “If you screw up your chances with her—”
Robert’s frustration spiked. “Lay off, Dad. I haven’t screwed up anything,” he said and decided to get himself a drink. He was supposed to be charming and persuasive tonight and he just wasn’t in the mood. It couldn’t be related to Lilly, he told himself as he downed a scotch. She wasn’t that important to him. She couldn’t be.
Robert delivered his speech with panache. He was a competitor. He may not be his brother Benjamin, and sometimes he felt like he’d spent his entire life living in Benjamin’s shadow, but Robert had been dreaming and practicing for the moment when his father would finally see that he was the real choice for politics. He wasn’t as good-looking as Benjamin. Heaven knew, he wasn’t as naturally gifted, but he could be just as determined. Maybe more. The years of coming up on the short end of the stick during the comparisons had toughened him.
There’d been times when he’d been so jealous of Benjamin that he’d nearly hated him, but not now. Robert could tell that Benjamin truly didn’t want to be in politics. He’d been a little nervous when Benjamin had suddenly returned to Houston, but Benjamin seemed intent on deflecting their father’s never-ending pressure to show the rest of the world how superior the Huntingtons were. Benjamin was determined to find his own way. Robert couldn’t help admiring his brother for his ability to buck their father. Even tonight, Benjamin had showed up for a few minutes to show his support then scooted away.
After Robert finished giving his speech, he cordially accepted congratulations and promises of support. The smiles and faces smudged together and he felt light-headed. The pressure of the last month suddenly settled over him like a noose. He slipped out onto the balcony and inhaled a draft of cool air. He glanced around and was surprised to find Lilly staring onto the well-lit grounds of the club.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, moving closer to her. “I would have thought it would be too cold for you out here.”
She turned and shook her head. “No. It felt stuffy in there.”
He nodded. “Too much hot air.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No, I did,” he said dryly. “It’s a political function. There’s enough hot air in there to fill up a balloon and send it to China.”
She laughed. “It’s not that bad. You did well with your speech, but you always do.”
“Thank you,” he said, her presence calming him. “You look nice tonight.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color. “Thanks.”
He thought of her date and a shot of irritation corrupted his sense of peace. “Where’s your date?”
“He’s putting together a round of golf, so I thought I’d catch a breath out here.”
Robert nodded. “Can I call you later? After the fundraiser’s over?”
She swallowed and bit her lip. “I—uh.” She lifted a shoulder helplessly and her gaze skittered away from his. “I may not be home until late. Greg mentioned something about dancing.”
“Dancing?” Robert echoed with a frown. “I didn’t know you liked to dance.”
She gave a tight smile and fluttered her hand. “You’ve been busy. You probably didn’t think to ask.”
Confused as hell by the burst of emotions circling inside him, Robert just nodded.
“We should probably go back in,” she said. “It was great seeing you. You did a wonderful job as always.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, wondering why he felt as if he’d been kicked in the teeth.
Lilly should be pleased. It appeared that she had knocked Robert sideways with that dancing comment. It appeared that Delilah’s advice was working. She should feel triumphant.
She felt like puking.
She was seriously beginning to wonder if she possessed the fortitude to be a manipulative she-devil. The beat of the music in the disco pounded in her brain. Her face hurt from smiling and her feet hurt from dancing. A slow number eased through the dance floor and Greg took her into his arms.
She allowed it, but she was miserable. She wished she were with Robert. She would rather be home waiting for him to call than dancing with Greg. Greg was nice enough, but he wasn’t Robert.
Unable to stand another moment of pretending, she pulled back. “I think I’m ready to go home. I have an early appointment and I’m tired. Do you mind?”
“Not a problem. Can I take you to dinner on Tuesday?”
No
, she wanted to say, but swallowed the refusal. She would like to believe that Robert would look at her differently now, but she couldn’t be sure. “That sounds nice.”
“Good,” he said, his gaze falling over her with sensual interest. “And I promise not to discuss golf this time.”
The semi-lust she saw in his eyes caught her off guard. Lilly had never suffered any delusions about her sexual attractiveness. Cosmetics, the right hairstyle and orthodontics had given her a pleasing appearance, but she was clueless and awkward at the very idea of seduction.
“I’ll hold you to it,” she said lightly.
“You can hold me anytime you want,” he said suggestively.
Lilly blinked at the heat that rushed through her. She gave Greg a second look and sighed. She didn’t really want Greg to want her. Why couldn’t Robert look at her that way?
Willy let out another stream of howls even as Delilah jiggled him and paced. She was ready to start howling with him. He’d been fussing on and off, mostly on, for two hours starting at 10
P.M.
She was getting desperate. Through her sleep-deprived mind, she tried to think of anything that made Willy stop crying. Anything she hadn’t tried.
The swing wasn’t even working tonight. The swing, Delilah had concluded, had been invented by an angel. It usually put Willy into a drooling daze. It was so effective she’d considered keeping him there until his first birthday.
The only other time he didn’t cry was in the car.
She glanced down at her nightgown, then back into Willy’s unhappy face. “Okay, buddy boy. We’re going for a midnight ride. I may not be able to think straight in the morning, but that won’t be anything new.”
She pulled on her long, black winter coat and stepped into a pair of black suede clogs. She wouldn’t stop anywhere. No one was going to see her. If she could get him asleep, maybe she could get some sleep too. Grabbing her car keys, she stepped out of her door. Willy’s howl echoed down the hallway and she winced. Geez, this kid was so loud she feared he might break glass.
She quickly punched the elevator button.
She heard a door open and saw Benjamin glance into the hallway.
“Where are you going?”
“For a drive,” she said.
He glanced at his watch. “At this time of night?”
“The swing isn’t working. He doesn’t cry in the car.” The elevator dinged, announcing its arrival. “Oh, here’s my ride. Good—”
“I’ll come with you.”
She stared at him as the elevator doors whisked open. “Why would you want to do that?”
He shrugged, tossing her a look of irritation. “You forget. I can’t sleep. I can’t use power tools at night anymore or my neighbor will kill me.”
“Ah,” she said with a smile of satisfaction. “That neighbor would be me.”
“I might as well come with you. Let me grab my jacket,” he said.
Delilah found his offer both comforting and disquieting. She was still disturbed by her response to Benjamin two nights ago. The man made her feel weird. She glanced at Willy and the open elevator doors. “That’s okay. We’ll be fine,” she said and stepped inside. She pushed the button for the parking garage.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she jiggled Willy until the elevator doors whisked open. She walked swiftly to her parking space and opened the locked doors of her car remotely. She opened the door to the backseat and put Willy into his car seat. The volume of his howling increased, making her fumble with the fasteners.
“Need some help?” Benjamin asked from behind her.
Delilah nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped around to find Benjamin inches from her. “Don’t do that,” she hissed, her nerves rattled.
“Just keeping my promise to help,” he said innocently, but she knew better. This was the same man who’d wedged his hard thigh between her legs and made her wet in ninety seconds.
“But I didn’t ask for your help tonight,” she said.
“You asked for my help in general with Willy until you get things under control,” he said.
As if on cue, Willie let out a shriek of displeasure.
“It doesn’t look like things are under control yet.”
Delilah tossed Benjamin her car keys and headed for the passenger side of the car. “Okay, you may as well make yourself useful, but I get to choose the music.”
“The classical music station features opera at midnight,” he said, climbing into the driver’s seat. He adjusted the seat to accommodate his long legs.
“There’s a reason opera is featured at midnight,” Delilah muttered, putting her favorite blues CD into the player as Benjamin pulled out of the parking lot. “No one who is awake wants to hear it.” After she turned the heater on, she rested her head against the headrest and counted. “Bet this won’t take longer than ninety seconds. One-two-three—”
“Why are you counting?”
“To see how long it takes Willy to stop crying. Four-five-six-seven …” She stopped at 33 when no more fussing sounds emanated from the backseat. She cautiously glanced at Willy. His eyes were closed and he was sleeping. He looked so sweet and peaceful. A strange gooey feeling pervaded her. It was probably related to lack of sleep and the electric bun warmer heating her rear end.
“New record,” she said. “Thirty-three seconds.”
“You want to go back and put him to bed?”
Delilah twitched at the thought. “Absolutely not. He hasn’t been asleep long enough. He’ll wake up again and scream until he loses his voice.” She blinked. “Hey, maybe—”
“That would require a lot of screaming. Maybe more than you can stand tonight. Babies are amazingly resilient.”
She returned her head to the headrest. “Then drive on, James.”
“Any location preference?”
“Cancun,” Delilah said, closing her eyes and going there in her mind. “Or Grand Cayman. Although Cash told me it’s hideously expensive there. He said the customs agents are outfitted with high-power vacuum cleaners that suck the money out of your pockets as soon as you enter the country.”