Finally when Lily was comfortable with her routine and the electronics, she went to tell Max that she was ready to go home.
However, when she entered his office, he was on the phone and it must‘ve been Cybil by the way he was talking. She turned to leave when he spotted her and waved her in.
―I‘ll see you next month—yes I miss you—― he added, ―—
look I‘ve got to run, my assistant is waiting.‖
Lily never felt so uncomfortable in her life. He sounded incredibly sexy while he spoke to the other woman and she felt entirely insignificant. There were some times in her life that he spoke to her with warmth in his voice, but nothing like that.
His eyes glanced up at hers while still on the phone, ―—
female—why?‖ he said.
Lily realized that Cybil was questioning him about his 25
L. R. Wards
new assistant and when he narrowed his gaze while listening to the person on the other end she could only imagine what she was saying.
―She‘s the sister of my best friend Cybil and my employee.
Enough of this.‖ He countered, ―I‘ll speak to you tonight. I‘ve got to go.‖ He said right before he hung up.
―She doesn‘t approve of me.‖ Lily said.
Max stood up and grabbed his Jacket off a hanger out of a nearby closet not looking at her while he put it on, ―It doesn‘t matter what she thinks Lily.‖ He said finally turning to her.
If he was upset, it certainly didn‘t show. ―I don‘t want to make trouble.‖
―First of all honey, it‘s not you making trouble.Cybil‘s been out of town for a few weeks and she‘s worried I might stray.
I don‘t stray.‖ He added picking up his briefcase. What he didn‘t say was petty jealousies were a major turn off for him. Cybil was on the way out as far as he was concerned.After ten minutes with Lily, the woman was very dull.
Just then his mobile rang and he pulled it out of his pocket, ―It‘s Luke,‖ he said checking the ID before he flipped it open.
Lily couldn‘t help but grin.She hadn‘t seen her big brother in over a month and loved him to death.
―Yeah Luke—― he paused looking at Lily, ―She‘s with me, we‘re on our way now. I‘ll see you in about an hour.‖ He flipped his phone closed. ―Luke‘s home.‖
―Oh good.I miss him so much.‖ She beamed with excitement at the prospect of seeing him.Like any little sister, she thought the sun rose and set on her big brother. She never took him for granted and knew the sacrifices he had to make to raise her after the death of their parents when she was twelve. He used the insurance money to put himself through college and 26
The Billionaire‘s Secret Desire then her, but he was a millionaire now and when Max came into their lives they somehow shared responsibility of Lily.
―Come then,‖ he said with an incline of his head toward the door, ―He‘s waiting.‖ It would be nice, he thought, if she greeted me with such enthusiasm. In fact, any man would love to be greeted with her lovely face lit up like that.
Once at their building Max told Oscar to wait for him as he escorted Lily up to Luke‘s penthouse.He shook hands with her brother after she let him go from a genuine hug.
―I started dinner honey,‖ he said to Lily, ―You‘re staying right?‖ he asked Max.
―For your cooking? Hell yes.‖ Max agreed. Luke was a bit of a self taught chef.He had no choice raising his little sister after the death of their parents, but he went beyond that. It was his first choice when he went to college but decided a change of careers halfway through realizing he would never make as much money as he does now. However, he still studied cuisine on the side and thoroughly enjoyed it.
―How was your first day honey?‖ He asked his sister.
―Nancy was really nice.‖ She said pulling her hair out of its chignon not noticing Max‘s eyes follow the movement with intensity.Then she shook her head allowing it to tumble down her back, ―I‘m going to go get washed up and
