not. And this was our first date. I don't think we should sleep together on our first date.'
'Considering what you just did to me, I think that's a little ridiculous, don't you?' Lily crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. 'Kiss me goodnight,' she demanded. 'And promise you'll call me tomorrow morning.'
Brian bent over her bed and brushed his lips over hers. 'Sleep tight. And I'll take you to breakfast tomorrow. Then maybe we should go to church. I haven't been to confession for a while. I have plenty of sins to tell. Good sins, not bad.'
She reached up and touched his cheek with her fingers. 'You're a nice man, Brian Quinn. But you confuse me sometimes.'
He kissed her once more, then reached over and turned off the light. As Brian stood in the doorway, he looked at Lily, the light from the living room just enough to see that she was smiling. 'I don't know what it is about you, but there's something,' he murmured.
As he walked to the door, Brian shook his head. This was definitely a first. It wasn't in his nature to walk away from a beautiful, naked woman, especially one who was willing and able to drive him wild in bed. But he had to trust his instincts on this one and his instincts told him that it wouldn't be wise to fall in love with Lily Gallagher. And making love to her tonight would be just that-making love.
For now, he'd need to be more careful.
The Fourth of July weekend was especially festive in Boston, a city steeped in the American Revolution. Lily had looked forward to the three-day holiday all week, assured by the hotel staff that it was the best celebration in the entire country. She didn't doubt their enthusiasm as flags flew from every house and lined the major city streets. The city was draped in red, white and blue.
Brian had picked her up at noon, and they'd spent the day walking around Back Bay, window-shopping and sightseeing, taking in some of the spots she hadn't yet visited. They'd had lunch outdoors at a restaurant on Commonwealth, then spent time at a comic book store that also sold silly novelties. Brian bought her a hat with a burst of stars coming out of the top and she wore it for the rest of the day.
The crowds grew bigger as the afternoon wore on, but Brian assured her that they would have a perfect spot to watch the fireworks. Lily couldn't believe it though. The Esplanade along the Charles River was packed with people, their blankets spread out to save a tiny bit of real estate for themselves and their families.
Finally, when it was nearly dark, Brian drew her along through the crowd. They were walking away from the river, but Lily decided to trust him since he was the one who knew Boston best. They got to Beacon Street and he pointed to a four-story house that looked like it had stood on that street for a few hundred years, its brick facade softly weathered by time. 'That's it,' he said.
'What?' Lily asked.
'That's where we're going.' Brian grabbed her hand and drew her along. He opened the front door with a key, but when she got inside, she was surprised to find the elegant mansion completely empty. The interior was stuffy and hot, but as he flipped on the lights, she could see what a beautiful place it was. Nearly every room boasted high ceilings and marble fireplaces, beautifully carved moldings and tall, narrow windows.
'Whose house is this?' she asked.
'My brother-in-law Rafe bought it a couple months ago,' he said.
'Why is it empty?'
'He and Keely are going to start to renovate it this summer. They're living in an apartment now.'
'Should we be here if they aren't?'
Brian shrugged. 'For tonight, the house is ours.'
'But it's hot in here,' Lily said as she walked along behind him. And though the atmosphere might be romantic, it would be more so with air-conditioning and a little furniture. 'Maybe we could open a window?'
'We're not staying inside,' Brian said.
They climbed the stairs to the second and then the third floor. And when they finally reached the fourth story, Lily's face was flushed and her spirits a bit wilted. This wasn't exactly what she had in mind for her holiday celebration. But then Brian led her up a narrow stairway and through a door and the entire world opened up. They were on the roof, high enough to see the Charles River and all the people milling about on the Esplanade.
Lily smiled. 'This is beautiful,' she said. 'We'll be able to see everything.'
'Yeah, it is,' Brian agreed. 'Rafe said it would be nice, but I didn't think it would be this nice.'
Lily turned to him and threw her arms around his neck. 'Thank you.' She caught sight of a small table set along the edge of the rooftop deck and she walked over to it. An ice bucket held a bottle of champagne in a puddle of quickly melting ice. Two boxes of old-fashioned sparklers sat next to the champagne. A cooler sat beside the table and Lily bent down and opened it, only to find it filled with food, all of it very elegantly prepared and presented. She pulled out a plate of cheeses and a box of crackers. 'Did you do this?'
Brian winced. 'If I say no, will you be disappointed? Rafe said he'd put something out for us, but I figured he was talking about a six-pack of beer and a bag of peanuts.'
'This was awfully nice of him,' Lily said, running her finger along the rim of a crystal champagne flute.
'Rafe is a nice guy. Sometimes I think he feels as if he has to try harder.'
'Why is that?' Lily asked.
'He didn't have a very good beginning with the Quinns. And some of my brothers still aren't very comfortable with him. But he married Keely, so he's family now. And he treats her really well, and takes care of my ma, too.'
'You'll have to thank him,' Lily said softly.
Brian stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. 'I'll be sure to do just that.'
'I'm glad I'm here,' Lily said. 'I don't know that there's any other place I'd rather be right now.'
An instant later, a streak shot into the sky and the first firework of the evening burst in the darkness. Lily's breath caught in her throat as the sky gradually came alive with light and color. They watched for a long time, the sounds of music and cheers drifting up from the river, Brian holding her in his arms as they sipped champagne.
Though she and Brian had seen each other every evening that week, they hadn't allowed themselves any more than a few very long and lingering goodnight kisses since the night of their picnic with Brendan and Amy. In truth, Lily had welcomed the new, less complicated direction of their relationship, their silent plan to start back at the beginning. It hadn't changed her desire for him. She still ached for his touch and craved his kisses. But their new relationship was like dieting-though it meant a constant state of starvation, it was good for them both.
But here, with the fireworks bursting over their heads and the champagne making her nose tickle, she didn't feel quite so confident. It would be so easy to give in to desire. When Brian touched her, she lost all ability to resist. A tiny shiver skittered through her as her mind flashed back to that night in her hotel room. The things he'd done to her, the control he'd had over her body, still made her blush.
Lily knew that if she turned around and kissed him right now, she could convince him to make love to her, here on this rooftop. But things had changed between them, a subtle shift in her feelings. When she'd first met Brian, she'd been simply overcome by lust. But now, there was something more to their relationship.
She groaned inwardly. Relationship. That's exactly what she'd vowed to avoid. But there was no denying it any longer. She and Brian had crossed over from one-night stand to a… relationship. She should have felt guilty about giving up so easily on her plans for a romance-free life in Boston, but when he kissed her, she'd been forced to admit that she was probably lost before she'd ever really gotten started.
Still, Lily couldn't ignore the fact that sooner or later, they'd have to face what was happening to them and make some decisions. She sighed inwardly. Just the thought of that discussion filled her heart with dread. She had her life in Chicago, he had his in Boston.
When the fireworks were over, they sat on the roof and finished the champagne, talking softly as the crowd below them headed for home. But the day had been long and the wine only served to make Lily sleepy. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head, willing to sleep right where they were, beneath the moonlit night sky.
'Come on,' he murmured. 'I'll walk you back to the hotel.'
Lily smiled. 'I'm not letting you put me to bed unless you're willing to crawl in with me.'
'Tempting,' he said. 'But then you wouldn't get any sleep.'
'That's the point,' Lily said. She stared at him for a long moment. 'What are we doing?'
Brian reached out and slipped his hand over her nape, toying with her hair. 'I don't know, Lily. But whatever it is, we're having fun, aren't we?'
