Love According To Lily by Julianne MacLean Read Free Book Online

tingle.
    She found herself getting caught up in this charade, actually believing that she could be flirtatious and interesting, and maybe even witty if she made the right effort. She struggled to keep her mind sharp.
    “That remains to be seen,” she said with a playful lilt to her voice. “What do you think? Seeing as you are a man of experience.”
    They both looked at Lord Richard. Lily was still poundingly aware of Whitby’s arm along the back of the sofa, his hand relaxed and bent at the wrist, almost touching her shoulder. She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with him. Did he find it strange, too? Did he find it as invigorating as she did?
    “I agree,” Whitby said, “that it remains to be seen. He is certainly very polite. Almost too polite to be daring.”
    “Can a polite man not be daring?” she asked. “Are
you
not polite, Whitby? You seem very well mannered at this moment. Perhaps there is another side of
you
that remains to be seen.”
    A sensuous current of electricity passed between them. “Perhaps there is.”
    They stared knowingly at each other. Lily’s heart thundered within her breast. Her palms were growing clammy, her head spinning. She wanted to jump up and down and squeal!
    She resisted the urge, of course. After a few heated seconds, she grinned at him with an intentional confidence and looked away.
    “Perhaps I will go and talk to Lord Richard now,” she said. “I suddenly feel very curious.” She gracefully stood.
    “You’re leaving?” Whitby asked.
    Triumph sang in her veins. He didn’t want her to go. All the more reason that she should. She would leave him wanting more.
    “Not leaving,” she replied. “I’m only crossing the room.” But she was leaving their
tête-à-tête
. “Perhaps later we can find each other on the dance floor and I’ll tell you whether or not Lord Richard was…
polite
.”
    He smiled at her, as if they were secret allies. “I’ll look forward to it.”
    With that, Lily turned and walked away from him, feeling exuberant and excited and full of glee, having finally tasted the sweet flavor of success.
    She had done it. She had attracted Whitby’s attention and kept it fixed on her. There had even been a sexual energy between them—a teasing allure that promised something more. There had been temptation. Desire. He was intrigued now. She knew he was. She wanted to laugh out loud.
    She also knew that he was still watching her as she walked across the room. She did not look back.

    Good God, had he just flirted with Lily
? Whitby asked himself with stupefying shock and more than a little unease.
    Jesus
, he had! And he’d bloody well enjoyed it, too.
    Whitby watched her walk off and noticed for the first time the slender length of her neck and the delicate curve of her shoulders. And those hips…
    She looked exquisite tonight, by God. He’d never seen her look that way before. The red gown was stunning on her, and her bosom was…
    Well, he had certainly never noticed that before. He’d known for a long time that she was growing into a woman, but he’d thought nothing of it. She simply wasn’t the type to catch his eye, and she was of course James’s baby sister, the little girl in braids.
    But tonight she was different, and not just in the way she was dressed. Everything about her was different. What in God’s name had she done to herself?
    Whitby watched her casually approach Lord Richard, who was standing with a group of guests, including Sophia and James. She joined in the conversation, while Whitby continued to watch her. Lord Richard said something to her and she laughed.
    Whitby wondered if he was talking about that dreadfully dull book again. No, he couldn’t be. It wouldn’t have made Lily laugh.
    He was suddenly unnerved by the fact that he had to fight the urge to go over there and charm circles around that pup, Richard. He could if he wanted to. Maybe if he had more energy and didn’t need to sit here and