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‘Let me rephrase that.’ He tried his best smile, the one he used to win friends and influence colleagues. Her frown deepened. ‘What I meant was that I’ve had a long day. Landed in Melbourne this morning, had to attend this shindig for work tonight and I’m tired of the schmoozing.’
He waved towards the balcony. ‘Considering you’re out here to get away from the crowd, I assume you’ve probably had a gutful too?’
Her wary nod encouraged him to continue when he should cut his losses and run.
‘The way I see it, we have two choices. Head back in there and bore ourselves silly for the next hour or we can head down to The Martini Bar in the lobby and unwind before we head home—I mean, before we go our separate ways.’
The corners of her mouth twitched at his correction.
‘What do you say? Take pity on a guy and put him out of his misery by saving him from another interminable stint in there?’
Damn, he’d made a fool of himself, blathering like an idiot. What was it about this cool, classy blonde that had him rattled?
He’d had her pegged wrong and he, better than anyone, should know never to judge the proverbial book by its cover.
‘So you weren’t propositioning me?’
Was that a hint of disappointment? Mentally chastising himself for wishful thinking, he mimicked her frown. ‘Sadly, no. I’m too jet-lagged to—’
He bit off the rest of what he was about to say when her eyebrow arched.
Yep, he was stuffing this up royally.
‘To what?’
At last, she smiled and it made him feel oddly excited, as if he wanted to see her do it again.
‘To muster up enough charm to ensure you couldn’t say no.’
She chuckled and he joined in.
‘I like a guy with confidence.’ She laid her champagne glass on the ledge. ‘Let’s go get that martini.’
He didn’t have to be asked twice. ‘You really made me work for that acceptance.’
As he gestured for her to take the stairs ahead of him she cast him a coy glance from beneath her lashes. ‘Didn’t you know? You need to work your butt off for anything worth having.’
‘Is that right?’
‘Absolutely.’ She nodded, strands of artfully curled golden silk falling around her face in gorgeous disarray. ‘Nothing better than nailing a challenge.’
He bit the inside of his cheek to prevent laughing out loud, finding her utterly beguiling. In contrast to her sex-kitten persona, she was forthright and rather innocent if she hadn’t picked up on that nailing remark.
Then he made the mistake of glancing at her and saw the moment her faux pas registered.
She winced and a faint pink stained her cheeks, making him want to ravish her on the spot.
‘That didn’t sound too good,’ she said, wrinkling her nose.
‘Now we’re even,’ he said, wondering what they’d come out with after a few drinks under their belts. ‘My mistaken proposition, your nailing suggestion.’
‘Guess we are.’ She eyed him speculatively, as if not sure what he’d say next.
That made two of them.
‘Maybe we should stick to coffee tonight?’
‘Why’s that?’
That dimple flashed adoringly again. ‘Because with our strike rate, who knows what’ll happen if we have a martini or two?’
He laughed. ‘I was thinking the same thing.’
‘Coffees it is.’ She nodded, expecting him to agree.
But there was a part of him that delighted in flustering this woman and he couldn’t help but wonder how she’d loosen up with a few drinks inside her.
He leaned in close, expecting her to retreat a little, his admiration increasing, along with his libido, when she didn’t.
‘Actually, I prefer to live on the edge tonight. Why don’t we have a martini or two and see what other verbal gaffes we can make?’
‘As long as we stop at the verbal stuff,’ she said so softly he barely heard her.
‘Any other mistakes we make? Not our fault.’
‘Oh?’ He loved how she did the imperious eyebrow quirk.
‘Haven’t you heard?’ He lowered his voice. ‘What happens in The Martini Bar stays in The Martini Bar?’
With a surprisingly wicked twinkle in her eye, she nodded. ‘That’s if we stay in the bar.’
With that, she took to the steps, leaving him trailing after her, more than a little captivated by this woman of contrasts.
A woman whose name he didn’t know.
Ah well, he’d have all night to discover it if he was lucky.
TWO
LIZA LITHGOW’S STYLE TIPS
FOR MAXIMUM WAG WOW IMPACT
The Lips
For the height of sophistication and glam wow, the perfect pout is where it’s at.
Having a palette of colours for various looks is essential.
Co-ordinate colour with outfits.
Go bold with fire engine red for an awards ceremony or pastel pink for the season opener.
Keep lips soft; that means no lip liner!
For a fabulous femme fatale pout, preparation is key.
1 Gently exfoliate lips with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
2 Moisturize with a specialized lip balm.
3 Use a lip-fix cream which prevents colour bleeding.
4 Apply lipstick once. Blot with tissue. Re-apply.
For a subtle look, pat lipstick on with a fingertip.
For bold lips, apply with a lip brush.
Blot.
Reapply.
If you want a plump pout without the injections, try lipsticks with inbuilt ‘plumpers’. These innovative ingredients are proven to increase lip volume by forty percent. Amazing! They also hydrate and restore collagen over time.
A dab of gloss in the middle of the lower lip is a subtle touch that adds real wow!
Liza couldn’t remember the last time she’d been out on a date.
One that hadn’t been orchestrated as some huge PR stunt, that was. She’d attended the Logies, Arias and Brownlow Medal galas on the arms of a TV personality, a rock star and an up-and-coming footballer respectively. And on each occasion had been bored witless within the first ten minutes.
So what was it about this guy that had her laughing and fluffing her words and interested in spending some one-on-one time with him?
She’d made her required appearance at the book launch; she should head home, get out of this designer dress she’d been begged to wear and curl up with her e-reader and the latest juicy romance.
Instead, she watched him place their martini orders, shocked she didn’t know his name, thrilled she didn’t particularly care.
She never had fun or did anything on a whim. Ever.
Her life for the last ten years since her mum had absconded when she was eighteen and left Cindy in her care had been about weighing decisions carefully to see how they would affect her younger sister.
Everything revolved around Cindy and while Liza never begrudged her sis anything, knowing tonight would be the last time she’d have to put on her fake face had lifted a weight from her shoulders.
She could be herself from now on and Mr Martini had been in the right place at the right time. More than that, he’d intrigued her, and she couldn’t say that about many men.
She’d watched him morph from uptight and judgemental to cool and a little goofy, with a hint of underlying sexiness that made her long-neglected hormones sit up and howl.
When was the last time she’d had sex? Probably not since she was with Jimmy, because while Henri had paid for her arm-candy status for a year, she wouldn’t go that far as part of their deal.
And if she couldn’t remember exactly, it meant it had probably been during the good period with Jimmy, which hadn’t been the last year of their relationship. The year he’d progressively withdrawn, establishing emotional distance before the final break.
Her mum had done the same over the years. In both cases, their abandonment hadn’t come as any great surprise but had hurt all the same. Hurt deeply.
But tonight wasn’t the time to dwell on her issues. Tonight was perfect for something else entirely.
She did a quick mental calculation.... Could it really have been four years since she’d been with a guy?
Maybe that explained her irrational urge to push the limits with Mr Martini. He’d be ideal for a celebratory fling, a little fun on a night where she felt like dancing down Swanston Street with her arms in the air.
Not that she’d had a one-night stand before but the way she was feeling right now? Edgy. Dangerous. A little outrageous. It could very well be a first tonight.
He stalked towards her, his ebony suit highlighting lean legs, broad shoulders, impressive chest, and she squirmed a little.
What would it be like to explore beneath that suit? To feel the warmth of a man’s skin next to hers? The heat of passion? The yearning to lose herself in pleasure?
Cindy was her world and Liza never regretted assuming responsibility for full-time care, but it was at times like this she wished deep down for something she’d never have: a guy to come home to, a guy to warm her bed, a guy who wouldn’t abandon her when the going got tough.
‘You must really have a hankering for a martini,’ he said, taking a seat next to her, far too close as a few synapses zinged with the need to touch him.
‘Why?’
‘Because you have an odd look on your face, like you want it real bad.’
Uh-oh. He could see her desperation? Not good.
‘I’m thirsty,’ she blurted, wishing the waitress would hurry up and deliver their damn drinks so she wouldn’t have to stare into his knowing dark eyes.
‘And I’m curious.’
That made two of them. She was curious as to why she’d agreed to this and why the hell she wanted him to be part of her freedom celebration tonight.
‘How could two intelligent people like us, about to having a scintillating conversation, still be strangers?’
‘Not anymore.’ She stuck out her hand. ‘Liza Lithgow.’
‘Wade Urquart. Pleased to meet you.’
As his palm touched hers and his fingers curled around her hand, Liza could’ve sworn every sane reason why she shouldn’t indulge in a night of incredible sex with this guy melted clean away.
‘Your name sounds familiar.’ He frowned, releasing her hand after lingering too long. She wasn’t complaining.
‘I’m hoping the next words out of your mouth aren’t, “Haven’t we met some place before?”’
He laughed. ‘No need for glib lines. You’re here, aren’t you?’
‘True.’
And with the dim lighting, the smooth jazz spilling softly from discreet speakers behind them and a gorgeous guy eyeing her speculatively, she was right where she wanted to be.
For tonight. Tonight, she was in the mood for celebrating. Shedding her old life felt amazing.
‘Why did you agree to have a drink with me?’ The waitress deposited their drinks and he raised a martini glass in her direction. ‘You seemed to be in your element at that party.’
‘Haven’t you ever faked it?’ She clinked her glass to his. ‘What you see isn’t always what you get.’
He stared at her over the rim of his glass, a slight groove between his brows. ‘Have to say, you’re an intriguing woman, and I can’t figure you out.’
She shrugged. ‘What’s to figure out? We’re two people who wanted to escape that party; we’re having a drink, end of story.’
‘Is it?’
His gaze locked on hers, potent and smouldering, and her breath hitched.
She took a sip of her martini, needing the alcohol to loosen her tightened vocal cords. ‘You’re expecting an epilogue?’
‘A guy can always live in hope,’ he said, downing his martini and placing the glass on the table in front of them. ‘Honestly? I’ve had a crappy six months, my dad’s business is under threat and I haven’t met anyone as captivating as you in a long time. So excuse me if I don’t BS you.’
Liza valued honesty. Most people didn’t know the meaning of the word. How many times had friends, who’d hung around under the misguidance she’d take them places because of her lifestyle, vanished when they’d learned she had a disabled sister?
Stupid morons acted as if cerebral palsy were catchy. And they didn’t stay to be educated either.
Even Jimmy had been awkward and stilted around Cindy, despite Liza explaining cerebral palsy was a physical disability caused by injury to the brain before birth.
Cindy had a milder form, with only the left side of her body affected by the debilitating spasticity that left her hand, elbow, hip and knee clawed, and some speech problems. She had been lucky in escaping ataxic—uncontrolled—movements and athetosis, the writhing movements.
Sure, the spasticity in Cindy’s elbow, wrist and fingers made daily tasks like eating, dressing, writing and manipulating objects difficult, but they’d learned to cope best they could. Countless occupational therapy sessions had seen to that. And the ongoing physiotherapy to prevent deforming contractures made Liza eternally grateful for the job she’d had for the last few years.
After tonight, not anymore.
Having Wade clearly articulate what he wanted impressed her. Scared the bejeebies out of her, but definitely impressed her.
‘Want to talk about the crappy six months or the business?’
‘Hell no,’ he said, loosening the knot on his tie and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt to reveal a hint of deliciously tempting tanned skin. ‘The only reason I’m in Melbourne is to sort all that stuff out, but considering I arrived this morning it can wait ’til tomorrow.’
‘Then why show up at the party at all?’
‘Because sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to.’
His frown reappeared and she had a feeling he did a lot of that. He’d been frowning when she’d first seen him on the balcony, deep in thought, incredibly serious. It was what had made her approach him. Because she used to look like that all the time when she didn’t have her game face on, the one she donned along with her make-up before a public appearance.
She’d frowned a lot over the years, worrying about Cindy. About her care long term should anything happen to her, about her sister’s health, about her financial security.
The latter had driven her to go to great lengths. Heck, she’d tolerated posing as Henri Jaillet’s girlfriend for twelve months when most people couldn’t stand longer than a few minutes in the egotistical soccer star’s presence.
But those days were over. She’d invested wisely over the years and tomorrow, when her investment matured, financial security would give her the peace of mind she needed to get more carer help, leaving her more time to sort out her own future.
Why wait until tomorrow?
The thought wasn’t exactly out of left field. She wouldn’t be sitting here if she hadn’t already contemplated celebrating her newfound freedom tonight.
But how did this work? She couldn’t take Wade home; she’d never expose Cindy to that unless the guy meant something to her. Even Jimmy had hardly visited and she’d known him since high school.
Though that had been more due to Jimmy’s unease around Cindy than not wanting to see her. She hadn’t pushed the issue with him, content to protect Cindy from any vibes she might pick up from Jimmy. But it had hurt, deep down, that her boyfriend wasn’t more open-minded and didn’t care enough about her to accept Cindy as part of the package while they dated.
‘Another drink?’
She shook her head. ‘No thanks. After the champers I had upstairs, any more of this and who knows what I’ll do?’
‘In that case, maybe I should insist you try every martini mixer on the menu?’
She smiled, glad his frown had disappeared, but a little intimidated by his stare, the probing stare that insisted there was intention behind his teasing quips.
‘You could try, but you’d have to carry me out of here.’
‘Not a problem. I have a suite upstairs.’ He winked. ‘You could recover up there.’
Guess that answered Liza’s question about how she’d go about celebrating with Wade.
The old Liza would’ve laughed off his flirtation and changed the subject.
The new Liza who wanted to kick up her heels for the first time in for ever? Surely she couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this?
‘Is that an invitation or a proposition?’
‘Both,’ he said, capturing her hand between his, the unexpected contact sending a buzz shooting up her arm. ‘Am I in the habit of picking up women I barely know at parties? No. Do I invite them back to my place? Rarely.’
He raised her hand to his lips and brushed a soft kiss across her knuckles, making her yearn for more. ‘Am I hoping you’ll say yes to spending the night with me? Absolutely.’
Liza had a decision to make.
Do the sensible thing, the responsible thing, as she’d done her whole life.
Or celebrate her new life, starting now.
‘Do I accept offers to spend the night from guys? No.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘Have I had a one-night stand before? Never.’ She slid her hand out of his. ‘Do I want to spend tonight with you?’
She took a steadying breath and laid her hand on his thigh. ‘Absolutely.’
THREE
LIZA LITHGOW’S STYLE TIPS
FOR MAXIMUM WAG WOW IMPACT
The Shape
The key to WAG wow is making the most of what you have.
Learn how to show off your best assets and how to visually change the body parts you’d rather hide.
Always, always, dress to suit your shape.
PEAR
1 Wear dark colours on the lower half of your body.
2 A-line skirts that skim the hips and bottom are flattering.
3 Accessorise with scarves, necklaces and earrings to draw attention to the upper half of your body.
4 Avoid light coloured trousers or anything too tight on your bottom half.
BUSTY
1 Go for flattering necklines with tops and dresses: turtlenecks, shirt collars, boat necks, V necks.
2 Go for high-sitting necklaces as they draw the gaze up.
3 Avoid baggy tops with no shape as they can make you look heavier and avoid anything too tight across the chest.
SHORT
1 Dresses ending above the knee are best.
2 Wear fitted tops and trousers (straight or bootleg).
3 Avoid cropped length pants as they make legs look shorter.
TALL
1 Wear different colours top and bottom to break up the illusion of length.
2 Wear horizontal stripes.
3 Wear well-fitted layers that skim the body.
4 Adding a wide belt can help create a nice shape.
5 Avoid wearing pants that are the incorrect length.
Remember, the key to appearing confident in the clothes you wear is to be comfortable.
How many times have we seen women tugging up their strapless bodices or tugging down their micro-minis? It’s not a good look.
When you strut into a room, being confident in your body and the look you’ve created is half the battle!
As Liza stared out over the lights of Melbourne glittering below, she had second thoughts about her decision.
Was she really in Wade’s suite, about to indulge in her first one-night stand at the ripe old age of twenty-eight?
She still had time to bolt. She’d thought it rather cute when he’d mentioned making a quick trip to the convenience store across the road, and it reinforced his assertion that he wasn’t in the habit of picking up women or expecting to have sex his first night in Melbourne.
But while he was buying condoms, she was mulling over reasons why this might not be such a good idea after all.
She maintained strict independence for a reason. Depending on anyone for anything inevitably led to heartache.
Not that she’d be depending on Wade for anything, but letting her guard down came with a price. It left her vulnerable to feeling, and having her defences weakened, even for a short time, made her skittish.
She’d loved her dad. He’d abandoned her without a backward glance.
She’d depended on her mum. She’d eventually left too.
She’d thought sweet, easygoing Jimmy would always be there for her. He’d done a runner too.
No, it was easier maintaining aloofness, not letting anyone get too close. And that was exactly what Wade would be doing shortly...getting exceptionally close.
Ironic, it wasn’t the prospect of some stranger seeing her naked that had her half as anxious as the thought of being intimate with him and enjoying it too much.
She’d never been a needy female and had tried to instil the same independence into Cindy despite her physical limitations, yet there was something about how much she wanted to be close to Wade tonight that terrified her.
She could blame it on her impulsive need to celebrate and do something completely out of character.
Or she could admit the truth, albeit to herself. That she craved a connection, even if only physical, for just one night.
The soft swoosh of the key card in the lock had her fingers clenching on the windowsill.
So much for escaping.
He entered and her tummy fell away in that uncharacteristic swoop that signalled she really wanted this guy.
She tingled all over from it, her nerve endings prickling and putting her body on notice, a heightened awareness that made her want to rub against him, skin to skin.
Then it hit her.
She’d never been so attracted to any guy before. Not even Jimmy, whose body she’d known in intimate detail from the time they’d lost their virginity together in the back seat of his car at seventeen.
Because of the clothes she wore and the persona she presented to the world, guys assumed she was an easy mark. Even while she’d been dating Jimmy and Henri—albeit platonically in his case—guys had hit on her.
Fellow soccer and basketball stars who assumed WAGs were up for anything. Commentators and managers and agents who thought WAGs would do anything for stardom and recognition, including accept outlandish proposals.
The whole scene had sickened her and, while she’d seen enough hook-ups at parties in her time, she’d never been remotely interested.
What made Wade Urquart so special that she wanted to rip her clothes off the moment his sizzling-hot gaze connected with hers?
‘Glad you’re still here.’
He closed the door and slid off his jacket, where she caught sight of a tell-tale box bulging from the inside pocket. What looked like a surprisingly large box for what she’d envisioned as a brief interlude.
Her skin tingled again.
‘I contemplated making a run for it.’
‘What stopped you?’
He stalked towards her, stopped less than two feet away.
‘This.’
She laid a hand on his chest, felt the heat from his skin brand her through the expensive cotton of his shirt.
He didn’t move as her palm slid upward. Slowly. Leisurely, as she savoured the contours of hard muscle, desperate to feel his skin.
He watched her, his gaze smouldering as her fingertips traced around his nipples, his breathing quickening as her fingers skated across his pecs, along his collarbone and higher.
When her hand reached his neck, she stepped closer, bringing their bodies less than an inch apart.
She could feel his heat. She could smell his expensive citrus aftershave. She could hear his ragged breathing.
She’d never wanted anything as badly as she wanted Wade at that moment.
With a boldness she’d had no idea she possessed, she tugged his head down towards her and kissed him.
The moment their lips touched Liza forgot her doubts, forgot her past, forgot her own damn name.
She couldn’t think beyond their frantic hands and loud moans. Couldn’t get enough of his long, deep, skilled kisses.
Her body ignited in a fireball of passion and she clung to him, eagerly taking the initiative, pushing him down on the bed so he lay sprawled beneath her like a fallen angel.
His lips curved into a wicked grin as she shimmied out of her dress.
Another first. Letting a guy see her naked with the lights on.
She didn’t like being seen during intimate moments. She spent enough of her life in the spotlight, being scrutinised and evaluated, she didn’t need it in the bedroom too.