Spin the Bottle by Rhian Cahill Page A

hear the admiration and respect in the other man’s voice. “Is there anything else I should know?”
    “There is other information I could give, but unless I’m given the all clear from Ms. McDermott, or you give me information that leads me to believe you’ve found out something else, I won’t be divulging it at this time.”
    “Damn. I’d like to demand you do, Lucas, but I respect you and your judgment, and if you tell me I shouldn’t be worried, then I won’t be.” Mac stared out at the water that lapped onto the beach at the bottom of the backyard. “So, do I need to be worried, Lucas?”
    “No, Mac.”
    Mac breathed a sigh of relief. He could trust Lucas Wilhelm with his life, so he certainly could accept the man’s word about this. Plus, the fact he’d used Mac’s first name spoke volumes. “You’d let me know if there was something to be concerned about?”
    “In a heartbeat,” Lucas assured him.
    “Don’t go to bed early tonight. I may need you later if this shindig Lillian has put on gets out of hand.”
    “I already have two men inside, sir.”
    Mac laughed. “Why am I not surprised? Guest or worker?”
    “Worker.” Mac could hear the smile in the other man’s voice. “And don’t bother looking, they’re new on the payroll and employed just for this sort of occasion. No one knows them, including Mr. McDermott.”
    “Does Lilli know you have men staking the place out?” Mac asked with a smile.
    The sound that blasted his eardrum could only be described as a snort.
    “I’m still alive, aren’t I?” Lucas replied through laughter.
    Mac glanced over his shoulder and into the house. “Well, I’m not going to be the one to tell her they’re here.”
    “If you call me and a team in, they’ll remain catering staff. I don’t want these men’s identities compromised at all.” Lucas’s voice was stern and Mac could picture the man puffing up his chest as he gave the subtle order.
    “No issue on my end, Lucas. I’ll let you know if you’re needed.”
    “No problem.”
    Silence met Mac’s ear and he realised Lucas had hung up. Chuckling, he dropped his hand and slid the phone into his pocket. For long moments, Mac stood facing the sea. He thought about what he’d learned in the last few minutes and cursed himself for a fool. There were no excuses for his behaviour since Lilli had become a model. He’d treated her with contempt based on what her mother had been like. What kind of man does that? Especially to the woman he loves.
    Mac sucked in a breath—his body going rigid. He loved her? His breath whooshed out. Well, of course he did. She was the little sister he never had. Except the way he felt had nothing to do with sisterly love. Arousal buzzed in his veins whenever he thought about her, never mind when he was near her. The sensations she provoked fried his brain and filled his cock with urgent need. A need so deep it singed his marrow and drove him near to madness. Could he have used her profession to keep her at arm’s length?
    He lowered his head and closed his eyes. He’d been a bastard on so many occasions. Accusing her of things because of what? Her choice of career? Fear? His lack of control whenever she was near? God, he’d been an arse and never once had she called him on it. All the time she was building a business, establishing a name for herself without using her actual name, he’d been scornful, disapproving, sanctimonious in his attitude towards her. And she’d let him get away with it. If he were Lilli, he’d never speak to him again.
    Damn, he had some serious apologising to do. It shamed him to think of how badly he’d treated her. For all his accusations of her superficial lifestyle, he’d been the shallow one. Only seeing the one side of her, the one splashed all over the world, barely clothed, in sexy poses, tempting the male of the species to lust after her. That’s the way he’d seen her modelling. He’d done what every other male on the