Lily gritted her teeth. Everything he was doing and saying was grating on her strung nerves.
“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong or are you going to stand there the rest of the day?”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Lily burst out. “Everything is bugging me; you, Georgia, Jewell, the church. Name it.”
Shade leaned back further in his chair, his smile widening. “How about we take one issue at a time. How am I bugging you?”
Her mouth opened and closed. “You’re getting on my nerves, bossing me around. You never do what I expect you to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like not cashing in my IOUs, not touching me, and when you come in a room you just set my nerves off,” she finished, trying to think of something he did that really made her angry and coming up with a blank. How could she expect him to understand what she was trying to say when she realized how stupid she sounded to her own self?
“Okay, we’ll tackle that problem last. What has Georgia done now?”
“She made a face at me this morning when I came in late. She’s not a nice person.”
Shade nodded. “I can agree with that. She isn’t, but she is a good worker. Were you late?”
“Yes,” she said sulkily.
“Why?” His eyes narrowed on her face. Lily knew she looked tired. She had put a faint pink lip gloss on and a brush of blush to give herself some color. She was sure both were long gone by now, though.
“I was tired,” Lily admitted.
“So you’re angry at Georgia because you were late and she made a face at you when some bosses would have at least said something to you about being late.”
Lily thought about it for a minute. “I may have been wrong,” she admitted, already not liking the direction the conversation was taking.
“Now that’s settled, let’s move on to Jewell. What did she do?”
“Nothing.”
“Then how is she bugging you?”
Lily didn’t know how to get out of the sticky situation other than telling the truth. “You have her IOUs.” She stopped talking, narrowing her eyes on his expression. “Or do you?”
“I do, and that bothers you?”
“Yes.”
“All right.” Shade opened the desk drawer before reaching in and pulling out the slips of paper. Opening them, he counted out several before putting the remaining ones back in his drawer. “Here, you can have them.” He handed the slips of paper over. Lily stepped out of the corner, taking the papers before hastily returning to her safe space.
“Next up, what’s bothering you at the church?”
Lily looked down at her hands. “Pastor Dean can’t find anyone to run the church store. No one outside the church wants the position because it doesn’t pay. No one in the church that would do okay at it wants it because it doesn’t pay, and the few people who did volunteer did terrible. Jordan Douglas told everyone in her bible study class how much money someone made who came in the store. Marie Newman told Lark Jackson he didn’t need a new coat, that the one he had was just fine. He had on a thin jacket! Laverne Thomas told Willa to keep the clothes she was donating because the way her weight fluctuates, she would probably need them again in a couple of months.” Lily blew out an angry breath.
“So the job needs someone that is qualified to judge based on financial need if the people coming in require help, be sensitive to their privacy, and work five days a week all for free?”
“Yes! Oh, and they need to be nice.”
“I know the perfect person,” Shade said with a rueful expression.
“You do?” Lily asked hopefully.
“Yes: you. I can’t think of anyone more qualified.”
“Me? I can’t take the job,” Lily protested.
“I don’t see why not. It will give you the opportunity to use your degree in a way that will really benefit those in need, especially children, which is what you wanted to accomplish. You’ll have a better sense of what’s going on in their homes than a social worker with limited time. Anyone who arouses your suspicions, you can tell Knox. You would be sensitive to their privacy and you never gossip. But most of all, you have the most important qualification—you’re extremely nice.”
Lily smiled at his compliment.
“But what about the pay?”
“I have enough money for the both of us.” He held up his hand before she could interrupt. “But since I know you want your own money, I’ll ask the brothers to each donate enough money to pay your salary for the year.”
“I couldn’t ask them to do that.”
“You won’t, I will. Anyway, I already have a couple of their IOUs.”
Lily thought hard for a second before stepping back out of the corner, giving him Jewel’s IOUs back. “Don’t forget to ask the women members,” she reminded him.
“I won’t. Feel better?”
Lily nodded then bit her lip.
“What?”
“There is a family who comes into the store. They have two kids. Could the father have my job? I know there is a wait list, but since you said my job is extra, could you?”
Shade groaned. “Give them my number.”
“Okay.” Lily happily went toward the door.
“Lily, we aren’t finished. Come here.”
She let out a sigh. Yeah, now she remembered. There had been one issue he had saved for last. She started to go back to her corner but didn’t want to appear churlish. Instead, she walked back around the desk, coming to stand next to Shade.
He stood up, causing her to lean backward until her hands went behind her back to press against the desk. “I think I’ve also figured out what it is about me that’s setting your nerves off.”
“You have?”
“Yes, I have. You see, sometimes when a woman wants a man, her body lets her know by becoming… how shall I put it delicately? Horny. Yes, that’s the word I’m looking for. You’re horny.
“I’m not horny!”
“I can prove that’s what’s bothering you,” Shade said smugly, leaning over her, pressing her back against his desk. His hand went to her thigh, bringing it up around his hip. “And, I can fix that problem for you, too.”
“How can you fix the fact that you’re an arrogant ass?”
“I can’t, but I can fix it where you won’t care.”
As his mouth covered hers, cutting off her smart-aleck reply, Lily literally drowned under his touch. She had been craving his mouth on hers so much the past few days that she immediately opened hers wider, letting him take what he wanted and she needed to give him.
His hand slipped under her skirt, pushing it up to her waist. He stepped back, pulling off her panties before his hand moved to her pussy. Lily wasn’t even embarrassed for him to find her wet and needy for his touch. A couple of strokes against her clit had her close to coming. She pushed harder against his hand as he took his mouth away from hers.
Gasping for breath, Lily ran her hands through his short hair, drawing him closer to her. His hand left her cunt, lightly snapping the waistband of her skirt against her taut stomach before sliding her loose shirt up, exposing her matching purple bra.
Shade tugged her breasts out of her bra, his startling blue eyes gazing down at her. He bent over and placed his mouth over her nipple, sucking it into his mouth, laving it into a pointed tip.
“Am I still bothering you?”
“Not so much,” Lily moaned as he teased her nipple.
Shade rose, standing straight. Lily could see herself reflected in his clear gaze. His face was a mask of tortured need.
His hands went to his belt buckle, unbuckling and unzipping his jeans, and Lily froze, her memories dragged from her lust back to the present.
“Eyes to me, Lily.”
Her dreams of a perfect wedding night intruded, but she didn’t protest when he leaned over her. She needed him. She wouldn’t be the first, nor the last, woman who had given up that particular dream.
&nbs
p; When Shade’s cock brushed against the flesh of her pussy, Lily tried to lift her hips so he could slide deep within her, but his hard hand held her to the desk, pinned in place. With his cock sliding back and forth against the outside of her cunt, her desire spiked, wanting him inside her while he denied her that fulfillment.
The feel of his cock butting up against her clit had her climaxing as his hands held her tightly. Her scream was stifled by his mouth as she felt his cock pulse against the outside lips of her pussy. She trembled with the last remnants of her orgasm as he reached over his desk, pulling several tissues out of the box.
She lay across the desk, looking up at him with wonder as he gently cleaned her before throwing the tissues into the trashcan and then helped her into a sitting position. He then cleaned himself before zipping his jeans.
Lily looked down at herself, pushing her breasts back into her top and then pulling her top back down to cover herself.
His hand went to her jaw, tilting her head back, his kiss brief and gentle. Stepping back, he helped her to her feet.
“Ready to go back to work?”
Lily nodded happily as she slipped off the desk. She was almost around the desk when she turned back, looking around the floor.
“What are you doing?” Shade’s resigned voice had her looking swiftly to his eyes, a flush coming to her cheeks.
“I was looking for my panties.” Her eyes swept the floor again.
Shade’s hand came out of his pocket. “These are now mine.” His hand pushed the panties back into his pocket.
She started to argue, not wanting to go back to work with no underwear; but from his predatory gaze studying her unwaveringly, she decided it would be worth the quick trip to the house for her underwear.
She went through the door, reaching back to shut it when he said, “By the way, while you’re at the house getting another pair of panties, could you get me a cup of coffee? Please.”
Lily’s only response was to slam the door.
Chapter 33
After Church on Sunday, Lily had told Beth and Razer to go on to the diner ahead of her. She wanted to talk to Pastor Dean in his office where he readily agreed to give her the job of running the church store. When they walked together to the diner afterward, she was so happy she felt like she was walking on air.
She slipped her arm through her pastor’s as they crossed the street, heading into the diner where she thanked him again, hugging him enthusiastically. Laughing, he pulled away at the same time that Lily invited him to sit with them for lunch and saw him pale as his eyes went over her shoulder. He said he remembered leaving something in his office and left her, practically running out the door.
Lily stood with her mouth open as she watched through the diner window as her pastor sprinted across the street. It must really be important, Lily thought. Turning back around, she walked to her table, seeing Viper standing behind a red-faced Shade with his hand on his shoulder.
“What happened?” Lily went immediately to Shade’s side, her hand going to his forehead.
“He’s fine now. He choked on his breakfast,” Viper said, resuming his seat by Winter.
“Thanks, Viper. I’m glad you were here,” Lily said with concern.
“Me, too,” he said grimly.
Lily told everyone the good news about Pastor Dean letting her run the church store and received their congratulations.
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Beth asked, leaning closer to her side.
“Yes, I do. I’m happy we settled it before Christmas. Do you think we have enough time to push for another toy drive? The store is already running low.”
“I’m sure we do,” Beth said above the groans at the table.
“I’m going home and hiding my wallet. Not only do we have Winter constantly after our money, now we have Lily after it for toys. Jeez,” Rider moaned.
“It could be worse,” Lily suggested.
“How?”
“If I don’t get enough toys, I was going to ask Killyama if she could help take donations,” Lily said, taking a drink of her hot chocolate.
“How much do you need?” Razer asked, reaching for his wallet.
Lily felt comfortable joking and sitting around the table. In a few weeks’ span of time, she had grown more relaxed among them; though she didn’t participate in their parties and made sure she avoided the sexual aspects of the club unless she inadvertently blundered into one of their sessions.
After lunch, Shade asked her to go furniture shopping with him. The others went back to the clubhouse as she and Shade went to the only furniture store in town. Luckily, they had a vast assortment of furniture to choose from.
After only a couple of hours, he had managed to find furniture for the entire house and appliances, too. She had liked most of his choices, but when he had been unsure, he would ask her opinion and invariably go with her decision. The sales clerk looked like he was in seventh heaven and Lily was sure he was with the commission he was most-assuredly making.
“Is that all I can help you with today?” Leonard asked, carrying the handheld computer that had rung up Shade’s purchases.
“That will be it,” Shade replied, putting his arm around her shoulder when she would have kept looking at the furniture.
“But you haven’t picked out your bedroom furniture,” Lily reminded him.
“I don’t need bedroom furniture; I have bedroom furniture.”
“The set in the basement?” Lily questioned, looking up at him.
Shade nodded before turning to follow the clerk to the cashier. Lily hung back, her feet not moving.
“But that furniture won’t match the furniture in your house,” Lily protested. “Just look at the bedroom furniture. You might find something you like better.”
“I like what I have,” Shade said, again trying to follow the sales clerk.
Lily refused to move, looking down at the floor. “It won’t match.”
Shade gave a frustrated sigh, motioning for the clerk to wait for him at the register.
“Eyes to me, Lily.” She reluctantly raised her eyes to his. “Are you crying?” he asked, obviously stunned.
“No, I don’t cry anymore. Haven’t you noticed?”
“I can’t say that I have,” Shade replied.
“Well, I don’t,” she snapped.
“Okay. We’ll debate that later. Why won’t my bedroom furniture match the rest of the furniture I bought? That happens to be an expensive set, which I custom-ordered,” Shade explained.
“I don’t care how expensive it is, it’s still different from the rest of your furniture.”
“How?”
“It isn’t new.”
“It isn’t new?” Shade repeated.
“It’s not freaking new!” Lily whisper-screamed so no one would hear her, though she noticed Leonard turn his back so she wouldn’t see him laughing at her.
Understanding dawned on his face, and he bent down to whisper in her ear. “I bought that bedroom set after you were hurt last summer, Lily. It’s still new.”
Lily’s eyes widened.
“It’s all new?”
“All of it, including the mattress and sheets. And, before you can ask, everything in my cabinet.”
She turned red but didn’t try to avoid his amused gaze.
“Then I guess it matches after all.”
* * *
Lily locked the door after the last customer had left, looking out the window. It had been a long day giving out the Christmas baskets and turkeys. She watched the snow flurries struggling to fly; the tiny ice flakes were more granules than anything else.
“Ready?” Beth asked, coming to her side and looking out the window with her.
Beth had told her Shade had asked them to pick her up because he had something important to take care of. Razer was waiting for them at the diner while Lily closed.
“Yes.” Lily turned to Beth. “I have a favor to ask. I know we’re supposed to go straight
home, but I want to run by the store and pick out Shade’s Christmas present.”
“I’ll call Razer and tell him.” Beth reached into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. While she made the call, Lily put on her coat and took her purse out from under the counter, going back to Beth at the doorway.
“He says that’s fine. He’ll wait outside the store in the SUV.”
“Thanks.”
They went outside and Lily locked the door behind them.
“Have you decided what you want to get him?”
“It took me a while to figure it out, but yes, I know what I want to get him,” Lily said, unable to hold back her smile.
* * *
A knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” Pastor Dean said, setting his pen down on the desk.
Shade walked into the room, dressed in slacks and a button-down shirt. His expensive shoes were shiny and new.
Pastor Dean sat, uncomprehending exactly what he was staring at. As understanding dawned, an unholy grin came across his face, and he sat up straighter in his chair.
“Before we start, I’m warning you that if you make one wisecrack, you’ll be giving your own eulogy.”
“Shade, you have to at least give me one.”
A warning gleam appeared in his deadly eyes. “Like I said, it’s your funeral.”
“It might just be worth it,” Pastor Dean replied, hastily raising his hands in surrender when Shade took a step forward. “I promise I will behave to the best of my ability.”
“You do that,” Shade said, still not relaxing his threatening manner.
Pastor Dean stood up, coming from around his desk. He reached out his hand for Shade to shake. “I told you I didn’t think you deserved Lily. Let’s see if you can change my mind, John.”
* * *
Lily woke on Christmas Eve filled with excitement. She had always loved Christmas and this one was no exception.
The day before, she had finished her Christmas shopping and had come home to find Shade still gone. She had eaten dinner and gone to bed all alone, wondering where he was, and had only woken briefly when he had finally slid into bed with her, pulling her to him.