The Romance Plan - Lila Monroe Page 0,41

I have a choice. And if it means the book gets written even that much faster…

I take a deep breath.

“Leona found Thad in his office later that night,” I read, “once the last of the craftsmen had gone home for the day. He was bent studiously over his ledgers, his dark hair tousled, his fingers stained with ink. His muscles rippled under his bespoke dress shirt.”

The description goes on for another paragraph or two, during which time I can’t help but notice that Thad looks an awful lot like an infuriatingly handsome publishing heir I could name. He and Leona make perfunctory conversation about the future of the mining company—which, thankfully, is bereft of any scintillating geological nuggets. “Leona watched him for a moment, then turned to go. She was almost to the doorway when Thad called out her name.”

Verity glances up over the rims of her rhinestone glasses. “Liam,” she says pleasantly, “I believe that’s your line.”

“Oh. Uh.” Liam clears his throat, glancing at me for a moment before looking back down at the manuscript. “I’ve wanted you for ages, Leona. No matter how hard I try to keep things professional between us, you’re all I can think about. Your mouth. Your hair. Your—” He breaks off abruptly, his cheeks bright red. “Verity,” he says, looking mortified. “Is this really necessary?”

Verity gazes at him placidly. “Of course not,” she says. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” She sighs, taking her glasses off and perching them in her hair. “But I must confess, I am a bit worried about my inspiration drying up again if I can’t hear how this sounds out loud.”

She bats her eyelashes at him, and I hide a smile behind my pages. I have to admit, she’s good. She’s got Liam right where she wants him. He’d probably rip his own shirt off and offer to be her cover model if he thought it would help get her book done on time.

Now, that would be a sight…

Liam swallows audibly. “Right,” he says, eyes darting at me, then back to the manuscript. “Okay.” He clears his throat one more time. “Your mouth. Your hair. Your incredible body.”

“I can’t stop thinking about you either,” I read. “Leona reached down and plucked an ice cube from the glass of scotch on the desk, running it down across her neck and the pale rise of her breasts before slipping it between Thad’s parted lips. ‘It’s warm in here, isn’t it?’ she asked, her voice husky and low.

“Her fingertips brushed the top button on her dress. Slowly, her eyes never leaving Thad’s, she slipped it through its corresponding hole, the repeated the process twice more, the dress slipping from her shoulders with a sound like a quiet sigh. She wore nothing underneath it. Her—” My breath catches as my body flushes warm. “Her small pink nipples hardened, his gaze on her body as physical as a touch.”

I’m about to continue but to my surprise Liam begins to read. “Thad crossed the expanse between them in two big steps and crushed his mouth to hers, the kiss searing. All at once his mouth was on her everywhere: her jaw, her throat, the pale rise of her breasts.

“ ‘You’re beautiful,’” Liam reads, his voice barely more than a murmur. “‘You’re exquisite’.”

I don’t know how to explain exactly what happens between us then. It’s like Verity and Dot simply fade away into the background, the transportive power of Verity’s words making it so it’s just Liam and me in the room. It should feel corny or embarrassing, saying these words out loud. But instead it’s sort of ridiculously hot.

By the time Thad brings Leona to her third rip-roaring orgasm on top of the desk in his office I can barely get the words out, my breath is coming so quick and ragged. I look up dazedly at the end of the chapter to find Liam staring back at me—his lips slightly parted, the manuscript wrinkled and forgotten in his lap.

“That’s it,” I say softly. “That’s, um. All there is.”

“For now,” Verity says, a satisfied smile on her face. “Well done, peaches.”

“Uh. Well.” Liam clears his throat, coming back to himself. His cheeks are bright red, his gaze is darting wildly around the room as he jumps out of his seat like it’s on fire. “I think you’re really onto something here, Verity! Looking forward to reading the rest of the book. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some