Spin the Bottle Read online

  Aaron flinched as Chantal’s talon-like nails dug into his arm. Chantal narrowed her baby blues, leaned forward and spoke through clenched teeth. “I wasn’t in rehab. I was involved in a car accident and spent time in the hospital recovering from my injuries.”

  As a cover story, it wasn’t bad, not that anyone inside the industry believed it, but the general public pretty much took gossip mags as gospel. Lil had no doubt the press were being fed exactly what Chantal’s management wanted them to print.

  “I’m glad to see you’re fully recovered. If you’ll both excuse me, I need to speak with the party organiser.” Lil turned and pushed her way through the growing crowd. With any luck, she wouldn’t cross paths with Chantal again. Why the other woman had made them sworn enemies still eluded her, but Lillian wasn’t about to let it spoil tonight. She’d have Chantal removed before it came to that.

  Lillian paused in the doorway to the living room. The hired DJ had set up in the far corner with a number of wireless speakers strategically placed around the house so that every room could be blasted with music. Cassie had explained that the volume would be turned down once the games really got going, but for the first few hours the loud beat of the latest hit songs would be played. There wasn’t a game set up in this room yet, but Lil knew Cassie had planned for an adult version of musical chairs. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of twist her friend had put on a childhood favourite.

  “Hey, Lil.”

  She turned to see Mac’s brother, Alec, heading her way. Glancing around, she made sure Mac wasn’t with him. “Hi, Alec, glad you could make it.”

  “Um, this isn’t exactly what I expected.” He dragged his hand through his too-long blond hair. “Mac said a few friends, some food and a couple of beers.”

  “Well, Mac was wrong. Besides, it’s my party not his, and when did you talk to him about it?” Lil asked, curious to know when Mac had found the time to speak to Alec seeing how he hadn’t tried to ring her in two days. Not that she would have answered his call.

  “He rang me from Melbourne just before he boarded an earlier flight.”

  Damn. No wonder he was already here. “I didn’t know he’d changed his plans.”

  “I was a little distracted, but I think he mentioned working with idiots and having had enough.” Alec laughed. “I guess he bashed some heads and came home early. Although I’m not sure he’d be happy to be home with all this going on. He was pretty adamant it would be a quiet evening relaxing with close friends. His description was what convinced me to come.”

  “Sorry, it was never going to be a quiet gathering, but please don’t go.” She could see Alec wanted to leave. “I saw Mac before, so he’s around here somewhere. Why don’t you grab a beer and go find him. I’m sure you’ve got some catching up to do.” Lil nudged him farther into the house, towards the bar.

  “I promised I’d show so I need to at least talk to him, I guess.”

  “Yes, you know Mac will never let it go if you don’t at least find him.” She gave Alec another push just as she spotted a familiar blond head. “Go, enjoy. I’ll catch you later.”

  Lil turned in the direction of the backyard. She greeted people as she passed but didn’t linger. She had to put as much distance between her and Mac as possible. Each room Lil looked into appeared more packed with bodies than the last, and Cassie gave her two thumbs-up and a wave as they passed on either side of the kitchen. The huge games room led to the back deck and the full wall of open sliding doors let in a light evening breeze, but it wasn’t enough to cool things down. Summer in Sydney had been a scorcher, and today had hit the high thirties with minimal reprieve when the sun went down.

  The air was warm and sticky already, and with the house packed full of laughing, talking, drinking partiers, things were heating up fast. Lillian checked the control panel and switched the air conditioning down a few degrees. It wouldn’t be as effective with all the doors and windows open, but she’d take all the air circulation she could get. A game of twenty-one started up in the corner and Lil watched as everyone was dealt cards. The first guy busted and picked up a shot glass filled with clear liquid, probably tequila, and swallowed it in one gulp.

  Each player, one after the other, took a card. All of them went above twenty-one and took a shot. A second round started up quickly and Lil stood off to the side to watch. She was enjoying the game when someone pressed into the back of her. Thinking the person wanted to get past, she stepped forward only to be stopped by an arm around her waist, a strong grip that pulled her back against the solid hot wall of muscle behind her.

  Warm air fanned over her ear and neck, sending shivers down her spine. His scent filled her nose, and he didn’t need to speak for Lil to know who had hold of her. Mac. He gripped her hip, splayed his fingers and urged her to take a step backwards. Her body was never her own when he was around, and she let him lead her where he willed. He moved them out of the way and stepped them into the corner of the room.

  In a second, Mac spun her around. He pushed her into the corner and caged her in, his hands flat on the wall either side of her waist. In her five-inch heels they were eye to eye and she could see the swirl of emotion in his blue gaze. She’d gone too far with tonight’s party, but that wasn’t what had her worried. No, what made her anxious was the look on his face that said he wanted to kiss her. They’d been there and done that with disastrous effects. Lillian didn’t know if she could survive a second time.

  “You can run, Lilli, but you can’t hide forever.”

  Chapter Two

  Mac waited for the explosion. He didn’t for one second think she’d let him get away with pinning her in a corner. No, Lillian McDermott never let anyone limit her. She took what she wanted when she wanted. It galled him to think she’d turned out exactly like her mother. That woman had a lot to answer for, the least of which was her absentee parenting. He shuddered. The last person he wanted occupying his mind was Gabriella McDermott. He’d much rather concentrate on her sexy daughter.

  The one who drove him nuts but pulled him closer with every breath he took. He’d tried to stay away, tried to ignore the gut-burning need to see if the kiss they’d shared was a fluke. His gaze dropped to her mouth. Slightly parted, her cherry-red lips beckoned, a siren’s call he knew he couldn’t refuse—didn’t want to deny. Mac leaned forward, his lips a breath from hers.

  “Mac?”

  His name on her tongue, the puff of warm air that blew over his chin and the tremor of her lips made him smile. “Lilli.”

  “What are you doing?” she whispered.

  “I thought that was obvious.” He didn’t pull away but moved his body closer to hers, his chest barely touching the tips of her breasts when she sucked in a breath.

  “You can’t.”

  “Can’t?”

  “N-no.” Her lips brushed his. “It’s bad, remember?”

  Mac pulled back a fraction to focus on her eyes. “What?”

  “Kissing me.” She licked her lips and sent his blood pressure soaring. “When we did it before, you said it was bad.”

  For a second, he hadn’t a clue what she meant, and then it clicked. “Oh, no, it wasn’t the kiss that was bad, Lilli.” He lowered his head, brought his mouth back within touching distance of hers. “I’ll prove it.”

  He slanted his mouth across hers. Thrust his tongue between her parted lips to plunder. Mac didn’t ease into the kiss. He dove deep, headfirst. She tasted of champagne and cherries. Of lush decadence that spoke of untold pleasure. The party faded away, lost in the mating of their mouths. Nothing existed but the woman now in his arms, her body plastered to his, her soft curves cradling his hard edges as he devoured her.

  Her breath hitched when he sucked on her tongue, and the gaspy little moan that followed the caress of his hand down her spine dragged him further into the most sublime kiss of his life. His cock throbbed, his balls ached and every nerve ending sizzled with the need to take her.

  Here.

  Now. r />
  Against the wall.

  Mac pushed his hand beneath the hem of her too-short dress, palmed her bare arse cheek and squeezed. Her supple flesh filled his hand, her smooth skin like silk under his fingertips. Jesus, she either wore a thong or nothing at all. Both options had his pulse accelerating and his cock stiffening. Blood rushed through his veins, pounded in his ears and slammed his heart against his rib cage. Lilli’s fingers tangled in his hair and tugged. The sting of pain was an erotic thrill he never dreamed would turn him on.

  Someone bumped into his back hard enough to make him stumble. He pulled his mouth from hers and let her go to brace his arms on the wall, shielding her body with his. She stared at him, eyes wide, her pupils dilated and those cherry-red lips wet from his kisses. A shudder rippled through him, the sight of her flushed cheeks and rosy mouth injecting another burst of lust into his system. This wasn’t the time or the place, but damn if he could get himself to care.

  Her nipples were hard nubs digging into his chest and her breath came in harsh pants, mirroring his. Mac fought for some of his legendary control. Where had a lifetime’s worth of discipline disappeared to? What was it about sweet, innocent Lilli that cut the reins of restraint he’d lived by? He looked down at her, the skin-tight black dress she wore contradicted the idea of sweet innocence, but something about the provocative outfit didn’t ring true, he just couldn’t put his finger on why not.

  She gained her wits before he did. Mac was still breathing hard and ogling her cleavage when she ducked beneath his outstretched arm and escaped him. Trapped in a lust-induced fog, it took him a moment to realise she’d gone. When he did, he lowered his head and cursed himself a fool. For the second time, he’d had her in his arms and let her get away. That stopped here and now. If their first kiss all those months ago hadn’t convinced him, this second one had. Lilli would be his, body and soul, he would own her before the night was done. It was only fair. After all, she’d owned him from the moment his body had begun to crave hers.

  “Hey, Mac, there you are.”

  Mac glanced over his shoulder to see his brother a few feet away. “Hey, Alec.” He took a deep breath and turned to face Alec.

  “Not exactly the party you mentioned.”

  “No.” The word sounded more like a growl than speech.

  “I take it you weren’t privy to the plans,” Alec said with a smile on his lips.

  “No.” Again with the growling.

  Alec looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “You all right?”

  Mac clenched his fists, his short nails digging into the soft flesh of his palms. He needed to get control of his emotions or Alec would be asking questions he wasn’t ready to answer. “Yeah, tough week at work, and I’m ready for a little down time not a raging party.”

  “I’m with you on that.”

  “Have you signed that contract yet?” Mac asked.

  “Don’t start on that again, Mac. You know how I feel about it.”

  “Alec, don’t be stupid. This is the biggest thing that will ever come your way.” Mac couldn’t fathom anyone turning down the offer a major US celebrity had extended to his brother, but as usual, Alec walked to the beat of his own drum.

  “Come on, Mac, I’m not star material. I like getting dirty, and dirt doesn’t look so good on TV.” Alec brought the bottle of beer in his hand to his lips and took a sip. “Besides, I’ve got enough money to see me comfortable the rest of my life. I don’t need any more.”

  “It isn’t about money. It’s about success.”

  “See, that’s where you’re missing the point completely. And pissing me off. Right now I’m a thousand times more successful than I ever dreamed I’d be. I’m happy, content and nothing can make my life any better than it is. Not a contract from some American big shot. Not…” Alec’s gaze followed someone across the room. “Look, I’m done talking about his. I need another beer. I’ll catch ya before I head out.”

  Before Mac could argue further, his brother disappeared into the growing crowd. He scanned the many faces in the room, most were familiar, a few not. He spotted their neighbours in the far corner talking to a redhead he’d never laid eyes on before. A shout from the group playing cards drew his gaze and he watched as three of the players threw their cards in the centre of the table and downed shots of tequila. This party might not be his thing, but he had to hand it to Lilli, she knew how to have fun and she’d certainly made sure everyone here tonight had a great time.

  He pushed off the wall with a sigh and went in search of a beer. If he was going to be stuck with all these people in his house, he may as well get something out of it. And if he managed to corner Lilli again, he’d do more than kiss her. Of course he’d have to make sure they were in a room without any onlookers. He wasn’t into exhibitionism, even if her choice of career suggested she was. No, when he got his hands on her again it would be just the two of them.

  The only problem with being the hostess was everyone wanted a piece of you. Lillian extricated herself from another conversation and searched for Cameron. Where had the woman gone? She’s been right beside her a second ago. At least her friend had put in an appearance. Lil had known the lure of meeting Lachlan would be too much for Cam to resist, and she’d used him like the proverbial carrot on a stick to convince Cam to show. It didn’t matter how much the other woman pretended disinterest, Lil knew otherwise. Over the years, Cameron Winters had developed a sight-unseen crush on Lillian’s big brother.

  Lil couldn’t help the smile that curled her lips. Cameron’s interest may have been sparked by years of candid conversation, but Lachlan’s interest went all the way back to a teenage boy’s lust for the woman voted sexiest on the planet. Kole—Cameron’s former modeling persona. Lillian had clear memories of the poster on the wall in her brother’s bedroom. It was the reason she’d felt so at home with Cam on her first photo shoot. She’d never met the other woman until that day, and finding herself in an unfamiliar world, Lillian had gravitated to the only familiar face. They’d come away from that first job with a solid working relationship and a friendship that would last a lifetime.

  She wanted Cameron to see the proofs for the Golden Lilli ad campaign before the other woman came up with an excuse to flee the crowded party. Cam’s photography skills were legendary, but Lil was pretty sure the woman had outdone herself this time. She wanted to get her friend’s thoughts before giving final approval. Lillian ducked out into the foyer and spotted Cam on the stairs a second before she spied Mac and Lachlan heading her way. Shit. When had Lachlan arrived? She slipped behind a set of broad shoulders and hid until they’d passed.

  Peeking out from her hiding spot, Lil watched as her brother and his best friend were swallowed up by the mass of designer-label-clad bodies moving about the house. She was just about to go in the opposite direction when Cam rushed by. Lillian wasn’t surprised to see her friend following Lachlan, and as much as she could do without another run-in with Mac, Lil found herself treading the same path as the others. The two men wove their way through the crush of bodies with ease. They stopped at regular intervals to talk. Unable to hear the conversation between them, Lil used her years of experience observing their friendship to determine her brother was pissed off and his best friend was taunting him mercilessly.

  Mac pointed at the game of Twister currently being played in the library and both of them moved closer. Cam followed and Lillian edged into the room behind her. Lil quickly manoeuvred her way through the people watching the game set up in the middle of the floor. When Mac offered Lachlan as the next player, Lil held her breath. But her brother didn’t object and the game in progress continued until the well-known television host dropped to the floor ending the round. There was some nervous chatter and a smart-ass comment or two, but all eyes remained on Lachlan. The room frozen in place as everyone waited nervously for him to make a move.

  Lachlan broke the spell. “I think you won,” he said to the young woman whose body was contorted above the plastic mat
and her downed challenger.

  A recent Australian’s Got Talent winner, she blushed and giggled like a schoolgirl before collecting an article of clothing from the TV weatherman in charge of the spinner. As one, the room held their breath when the reporter asked Lachlan to ante up a piece of clothing to play. No one was more surprised than Lillian when he whipped off his shirt and handed it over. Lil knew her brother took care of himself, but the murmurs of approval from the women around her opened her eyes to him in a whole new way. He could easily grace the pages of one of his own fashion magazines.

  Lillian watched Cam move closer, and with the skill only a once-world-renowned supermodel could manage, remove her bra without revealing herself to the room. Lil didn’t need to wait for Cam to move to know what would happen next. Her friend was about to challenge her brother to a game. She had no clue what her friend had in mind, and she wasn’t sure Cam had even thought it through, but as the flimsy black strips of cloth changed hands there was no turning back.

  Like everyone else, Lillian stood mesmerised as tension arced between Cam and Lachlan. Her brother looked ready to tear Cameron apart, while Cam eyed Lachlan as though he were a smorgasbord and she hadn’t eaten in a month. Neither appeared willing to back down, and Lil waited for the fireworks to begin. The spin of the arrow started the game. Lost in the couple waging war on a Twister mat, she didn’t notice the person edging closer to her until it was too late.

  Lillian knew who it was the second he touched her. Mac. The familiar feel and scent of him were imbedded in every cell of her being, branded like the signature of a master painter—only no one else could see the mark. His arm slid around her waist from behind and yanked her back against him. Lil sucked in a breath as warm air rushed over her neck and his lips brushed the outer curve of her ear. She shivered. A delicate quake that shimmied from her head to her toes.

  “You’re not getting away from me this time, Lilli.” He wrapped his other arm around her middle and spooned her body with his.