Inescapable

mportant to a woman. ”

“I’m glad.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“What happened in the elevator?” Seth quizzed, drawing her back to the topic he was focused on, and then drank his tea as he listened.

He really did want to know. Was it important? Had to be. His job was to protect the witness, but she guessed he was reporting back to his colleagues on the blond guy, the ’shooter’ as he had previously called him.

“He knew where he was going, or seemed to.”

“Probably checked the place out before hand,” Seth commented. “He knew the fire escape went around to Adrian’s office.”

“When he got out of the elevator, he pushed me out of the way. I followed behind, trying to locate the suite. He kept looking back at me, so I lingered outside a door about half way down the corridor. That’s when he shot out of the window.”

Seth’s expression grew overcast.

“I figured he was a maintenance man,” she added.

Seth rubbed a hand through his hair, putting his mug down. “You would, of course you would.” He gave her a brief smile, but he was deep in thought.

She felt Adrian growing tense again, and wished Seth hadn’t gone into it while he was there. “I’m guessing this is pretty heavy stuff, because of the evidence you’re giving?”

Adrian nodded.

“What happens next? I mean, how long is it until the trial?”

“Ten days and hopefully Carlisle will be locked up for good. It can’t be over soon enough.” Adrian looked across at Seth. “Oh, bloody hell…I shouldn’t have even said that, should I. Sorry.”

“I didn’t hear it,” she offered, sensing this was difficult for them all.

Seth squeezed her hand. “Good girl.”

Adrian had lost his relaxed demeanour, and he stared across at Seth. “Did any of your other witnesses ever regret giving evidence?”

“Just about every one, at one point or another.”

“Well, I guess that’s reassuring, kind of.” He had a faraway look in his eye and he turned away and drank his tea. Lily noticed how browbeaten he looked. No wonder he had overlooked their date. This was heavy stuff.

“It always seems like a long wait,” Seth said, “but it’ll be behind you soon and you will have no regrets then, believe me.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Trust me.”

The moment was heavy, but it obviously needed to be said. Lily considered that first meeting, how angry Seth had been when he’d almost lost his witness, how much care he’d taken about getting the pair of them out of the building and out of London. After a moment, she flipped open the duvet cover, and invited Seth back into the bed.

Putting his mug down on the floor, he climbed in and spooned her hips with his, his hand moving around her to cup her breast. He nuzzled at the back of her neck before he continued speaking. “The less you know the better. I know that’s hard, but it’s safest for everyone involved.”

“I understand.” Lily exhaled, her back tingling as he took up residence against it. He seemed to like planting kisses on the back of her neck, and he breathed against the skin in the most provocative way. That area had never had so much attention, but she wasn’t complaining. Apparently it was a sensitive place and it made her respond to him in the most delicious way, sending darts of stimulation all over her, from her nipples to her toes.

Adrian took the cup from her hand and she wriggled further down in the bed. Seth grazed her earlobe softly with his teeth, his breath warm on her skin. Her body simmered against his, her eyelids fluttering shut, the arousal simmering in the pit of her belly flaring demandingly.

“So…we just have to amuse ourselves for the foreseeable future?” she asked, with laughter in her voice when she felt his fingers moving over her nipples. “Is that what you are trying to tell us?”

Adrian’s concerned look had evaporated.

“You’re a cheeky sort,” Seth commented.

Lily rolled onto her back between them. She was turned on, but she also wanted to know what made him tick. “I’m also sharper than you give me credit for.” She gave him a knowing look. “You are using sex to distract us.”