Page 49 of Claiming Lily

She nods and we head to grab plates full of food. My mind is too focused on Lily to really taste the charred breading. There are so many milestones for us to conquer with this relationship. The first time we have sex. Meeting the parents. Sharing holidays together. It all feels daunting, but after talking with Mom, I’m more determined than ever to ensure that the guys and I do whatever we can to make sure that this works out.

Lily is end game.

Chapter Fifteen

LILY

Finally on a cool Friday afternoon and after a little help from the guys last weekend, I finish up the job at Addison’s grandma’s house. What was once buried in things is now a cute home, albeit a little outdated, but that’s nothing a new paint job can’t fix.

I wait with bated breath while she inspects everything, hoping all the hard work paid off and she’ll start sending leads my way instead of to Ryan and Laura. Addison eyes the worn cabinets as she walks through the gleaming kitchen.

“I didn’t actually believe there was a livable house underneath everything,” she murmurs.

“It was a lot to clean up, but it’s a great starter home for someone.” I rest my hip on the counter.

Addison turns toward me. “I thought by now everyone in town would be talking about how disgusting it was.”

“I’m not like that.” Shaking my head, I try to hide my annoyance. “Your grandma was a person who deserved kindness. I’m not going to go lie or spread rumors. She deserves better than that.” Those things, everything I’d consider trash, meant something to that woman. It was a sense of security. Treasures she couldn’t bear to part with.

Humming, Addison pulls her attention toward the living room. “I suppose now you’re going to beg for more favors?”

What types of friends does she have? “Uh, no. Actually. I wasn’t. Could I use more leads? Yeah, but I’m not going to beg for your help.” Now that she said it, I’m about ready to go. I gather my things, irritation crawling over my skin, and head out of the kitchen. I’ve found my own leads before, and I can keep doing so. “I’ll see you at work.”

Her heavy sigh chases me. “Wait.”

I turn and lift an eyebrow. “More insults?”

Frowning, she picks at a strand of her hair. “I’m not used to people—” she breaks off with a shrug.

“People being nice,” I offer.

She nods. “Yeah. Laura’s always threatening to make my life miserable and Ryan, well, he’s Ryan. I guess I thought you’d be the same.”

“You guessed wrong.” I glance around the home I’ve spent far too many days cleaning. “She had a lot of pictures of you. I saved them in a shoe box in the garage if you want them.” With that, I turn and head out of the house, piecing together the last of my dignity. I could have begged, probably should have.

I’ll find another way to make it work.

Opening the door to my BMW, I slide into the driver’s seat and unleash a heavy breath. Nothing is ever easy. I turn the car on, preparing to back out until my phone beeps with an alert. I check it before I start driving, eyebrows lifting at the fresh lead in my inbox. A couple looking for a vacation home, not in the price range of Tom’s, but still if they close, it’ll be a decent commission. I smile to myself and set my phone down, backing out of the driveway and heading home to get ready for the Halloween party.

The black dress clings to every curve, barely hitting mid-thigh and leaving little to the imagination. The neckline plunges enough to be scandalous without being trashy. I smooth my hands down the fabric, admiring how it hugs my waist before flaring slightly at the hips.

Perfect.

I lean closer to the mirror, applying the smoky eyeshadow. The dark purple and black blend seamlessly, making my green eyes pop like emeralds. A swipe of deep burgundy lipstick completes the sultry look. The pointed witch hat sits on my head, hair cascading over my shoulders in loose waves.

I look good, but my hands shake slightly as I adjust the hat’s angle. It’s not nerves about the party that have me trembling. It’s the anticipation of finally getting what I’ve been craving for weeks.

The guys and I have fallen into an easy routine. They make me breakfast before I can get downstairs, buy me flowers, text me in the middle of the day just because. They’ve been nothing but sweet this last week. While I appreciate them not rushing to get laid, I’m getting a little sexually frustrated. The brief touches, the tender kisses, and the heat in their gazes when they see me in my sleep shorts and shirt have kindled a fire that only they can put out. If only they would take it to the next level.

I’ve decided that maybe they’re waiting for me to make a move. Hence the sexy witch costume. I slip on the thigh-high stockings, the lace tops barely hidden beneath the dress’s hem. The black heels make my legs look impossibly long. If this outfit doesn’t do it for them, I might have to start walking around naked.

Taking a deep breath, I grab my small black purse with the gold chain strap and head downstairs, the sound of my heels clicking against the floor echoing through the house. The soft murmur of the guys’ conversation floats to me, but as I hit the landing and turn, their conversation stops mid-sentence, all their attention locked on me.

Hudson straightens from where he was leaning against the counter, Gage shoots to his feet from sitting on a barstool, and Cole straightens as well.

The silence stretches between us, thick with tension I could cut with a knife.

Their attention warms my body as they take in every inch of skin. The curve of my cleavage. The lean lines of my thighs. The lace of the stockings. The heels, the makeup. I shock all three of them into silence. I’ve never felt more powerful.