Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
I scowled at that. “Anyone would be attracted to you.”
She shot me a look of confusion. But it melted away as she grinned cheekily, those adorable dimples tempting me to madness. “Luke prefers men.”
“Ah.” I laughed huskily at my strange possessiveness. I really needed to get over myself if Lily and I were to make a go at this friendship thing.
Lily suddenly frowned as we turned on the Royal Mile heading toward my flat. “Where are we going?”
“Our place.”
“Oh, I should head home.”
“Come back for a bit. Then I’ll walk you home.”
“I can grab a taxi.”
“No, I’ll see you home.” I threw a look at the girls following Harry and Zac back to our place. “If you leave, then I’m left with Illiana.”
“Alana.” Lily’s lips twitched. “She’s very pretty.”
“I’m not interested and not in the mood to reject someone tonight. And I did rescue you from Kyle the prick, so you owe me,” I teased.
“How did you rescue me?” She shoved me playfully. “I think it was pretty clear the evening would end that way from the moment he showed up with his phone glued to his bloody ear.”
“Moron,” I muttered under my breath.
“What?”
“Nothing. Will you come?”
She turned around suddenly, walking backward so she could face me. The short hem of her little pleated skirt bounced around her thighs, and it took everything within me to keep my eyes on her face. “Fine. But only because I’m nosy about this flat on the Royal Mile.” She gestured around her. “Very fancy.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not going to think too badly of me when you see it, are you?”
“Why? Do you have a butler called Wakefield who waits on you hand and foot?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Not quite.”
“Then I’ll only gently mock your fanciness, I promise.”
Lily didn’t mock me at all, but I found myself watching her every reaction as the lads and I led her and their companions into the penthouse. Lily took everything in with a guarded expression and then strode across the living space to the three tall windows overlooking the Royal Mile.
I sidled up beside her. “What are you thinking?”
“It’s so modern. You wouldn’t think it was from the outside.” Lily smiled at me. “It’s fantastic. What a view.” She pressed a hand to the glass, her pretty, polished nails making a tapping sound on it. A sudden flash image of those nails raking down my back had me squeezing my eyes closed. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and I never tire of the history.”
I opened my eyes as I watched her lean to look farther up the thoroughfare that led to the castle.
“Do you know the last time the castle was inhabited was 1633?” She looked up at me. “Can you imagine what life was like then?”
“Smelly,” I joked. “I imagine it was very smelly.”
Lily laughed, those dimples deeply indenting her cheeks, and I decided my new mission in life was to make her laugh every time we met. Which would hopefully be often.
“Harry’s asking if you guys want a drink?”
We turned to the voice to find the girl from the bar staring at me. “I’m fine. Lily?”
“I’m good.”
“We’re good, Illiana, thank you.”
The girl’s face fell. “It’s Alana.” She grimaced and strode off toward the kitchen where the others were.
“You do that deliberately, don’t you?”
At Lily’s odd tone, I replied, “Do what?”
“Get their names wrong. When you’re not interested in a woman, you deliberately get her name wrong.”
Christ, she was way too perceptive for my own good. I shrugged guiltily. “It seems like the least shitty way to make it obvious.”
“It’s not.” She gave me a disappointed look.
The thought of Lily finding anything about me disappointing stung. “Then I won’t do it again,” I promised.
She squeezed my arm to let me know she wasn’t mad at me. Then she sighed. “I really should get going.”
“Bloody hell, where have you all been?” a familiar and unexpected voice asked. “I’ve been waiting here for ages.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LILY
Apixie of a woman stood in the entrance of the open-plan living area of Sebastian’s impressive flat. She was petite but stunning with her short blond hair and doll-like features.
“Juno!” Harry crossed the room to pull the woman into his arms.
She laughed and hugged him back. “Well, that’s a nice greeting.”
“My sister,” Sebastian told me with a pleased grin before he strode toward her.
Nervousness fluttered in my belly as I followed him.
Juno released Harry as Sebastian reached her and he bent down to lift her off her feet in a bear hug.
“Put me down, you big softie!” Juno cried happily.
Sebastian set her down but cuddled her into his side, pressing a kiss to her temple as he proudly introduced, “This is my sister, Juno. Juno, you know Harry and Zac. These are their recently made friends Alana, Katie, and Shan.” His gaze moved to me, and he beamed. “And this is my new best friend, Lily. Lily, meet Juno.”