After dinner and dessert, that was his cue. The introduction and presentation for designer of the year was next. Clearing his throat, he swept his napkin off his lap and dropped it next to the remainder of his cake.

Before he stood, Lily grasped his hand under the tablecloth. He stole a glance at Clive, who lifted an eyebrow before turning back to his cake. Joanie pecked something into her phone, paying them no mind.

“You’ve got this,” Lily whispered, squeezing his hand. Then she leaned close, her warm breath tickling his ear, and whispered, “If you get nervous, just hang onto these.” Then she turned her hand over in his and slipped something tiny and silky into his palm.

She pulled her hand away and picked up her fork, taking a bite of her chocolate cake while he tried to remember his speech…or his name. Everything blanked as he stuffed what he knew were Lily’s missing panties into his pants pocket.

“You’ll pay for that,” he said under his breath, as he stood.

“Counting on it.” She beamed up at him, and he could have kissed her. Would have, dammit, if not for them pretending they weren’t together. He guessed the panties would have to do. “Good luck,” she said brightly.

“Thanks, McIntire,” he said, standing and pushing his chair in. “Not sure if that’s helpful or not.” Clive and Joanie echoed her sentiment of “good luck” and he thanked them, too, and then strode up the stairs behind the stage.

He held his shoulders back, feeling a lot like he did when he was in Little League—up to bat and sicker than a dog at the possibility of striking out.

But tonight, he wouldn’t strike out. Hand in his pocket, he fingered the silky gift and eyed Lily, who was leaning over and saying something to Joanie.

He had this. He fucking had it.

His smile faded when he met Emmett Webster waiting in the wings. The guy just rubbed Marcus the wrong way. There was something untrustworthy about him. And he didn’t like how he’d addressed Lily. The nickname seemed less an inside joke and more an insult.

“Ten minutes, they tell me,” Emmett said, when Marcus made it over to where he was standing. “I’m going to say a few words about Reginald London Superstores, mention very briefly the grand opening date of the new store, then I’ll introduce you as the man in charge who single-handedly got the win.”

Emmett slapped Marcus’s arm in what he guessed was supposed to be camaraderie.

“Cameron Designs as a team designed London’s superstore,” Marcus corrected. “Might want to downplay the single-handedly part.”

“Yeah,” Emmett agreed, but didn’t sound agreeable, “but both you and I know the battle is won by the leader. And you are clearly the leader between you and Lily of the Valley.”

Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you two meet, again?”

“Oh, I used to be the lead designer at Lawson and Becker.”

Marcus’s blood pressure skyrocketed. Seriously, he could feel his blood boiling.

“Then you know how talented Lily is,” Marcus said. “How well she can handle a presentation. She landed that account in the boardroom. The drawings were secondary.”

“Oh, I know how well the woman can use her mouth, if you—” Emmett’s words cut off with a choking sound—it was hard to speak with Marcus’s hand wrapped around his throat.

Emmett’s hands flew up and Marcus eased his grip, lowering his face and delivering a very clear threat. “How many of those teeth do you want to keep?”

The music started, Emmett’s cue. Fuck. The timing was terrible. Half of him wanted to knock Emmett out and glide onto stage and introduce himself. Sending a bloody-nosed Emmett rolling down the back staircase would make Marcus feel a hell of a lot better…but he had more than himself to think about. Lily. Joanie and Clive.

He let go. Emmett began straightening his tie. “I’m guessing you two have a thing.”

“None of your business what we have.”

“Just a warning, man to man…”

Marcus loomed over him and Emmett backed into the curtain, ruffling it. The music swelled. “Get out there. Before I change my mind and hit you anyway.”

Emmett straightened his jacket and nodded.

And Marcus closed his eyes and tried to reclaim his cool, and remember the words from his speech.

Chapter Nineteen

“When are you telling him?” Joanie asked after Marcus disappeared behind the stage.

“After.” Lily smiled over at her friend. “I just wanted to send him up on that stage with nothing on his mind except for his speech.” And the fact that he had her panties in his pocket. The other night when he practiced in front of her, he’d been confident and sure of himself. She wanted to give him a physical reminder that after his speech, she’d be naked and waiting for him. It helped, she guessed, since he’d walked behind the stage at a full strut.

The music continued for a few measured beats too long, and Lily began to worry…until Emmett stepped onto stage, lifting a hand to wave at the crowd. The jerk.

His introduction was brief, and sounded sincere enough. He held out an arm to introduce Marcus and Lily had to swipe her palms on her napkin when Marcus appeared, looking handsome and sexy, and just a smidge nervous.

“Come on, Black,” she said to herself. He’s got this. He’s totally got this.

Marcus stepped on stage, confidence in his dark eyes, and waved one masculine hand at the audience. As he did, she took a look around the room to see the admiring smiles of his peers.

“I was going to start my speech with a Donald Duck joke, but my esteemed colleague, and partner at Cameron Design, Ms. Lily McIntire, suggested I don’t lose the confidence of my audience right off the bat.”

Everyone laughed. Right on point. He winked at her and continued smoothly. Damn. He did have this. He flowed from sentence to sentence with barely a pause, speaking clearly, making eye contact every so often. The slight waver in his voice at the start of the speech was gone after the audience laughed at his opening line. He was charming, grateful, and had definitely earned his place in the spotlight.

And in her heart, she realized in a flash.

Something about watching him from afar made her see him clearly. Made her not want to keep him far, or keep them a secret any longer. Made her want him on a permanent basis. Made her realize that while Emmett was her past… Marcus was her future. She loved everything about him.

He wrapped up his speech, earning a standing ovation to which Clive added a series of loud whistles. Marcus cradled the coveted crystal award in both hands, and Lily couldn’t feel anything but pride that he’d been honored tonight.

“I’m gonna run to the ladies’ room,” Lily told Joanie, feeling overcome with emotion. She made it into the ladies’ room and out before there was much of a line, then instead of going back to the table right away, walked across the room to the balcony overlooking the lawn.

The warm air of the conference room fell off her as the crisp autumn air abraded her skin and made goose bumps stand out on her arms. She took in the stars twinkling in the dark sky, welcoming the chill. The moon was full, lighting the grounds and making the stars seem pale by comparison.

From the balcony, she could see down the hill to the rest of Fantom, streetlights and headlights as cars crisscrossed the intersecting roads. She couldn’t see Willow Mansion from here, but imagined she could. It was there, somewhere beyond the highway, and inside she pictured her discarded air mattress, Coleman lantern, and the heater, all sitting in the living room with who- or whatever had frightened her and Marcus out of the house.

Marcus, who’d rigged a speaker with a voice, she thought, shaking her head. The cheater. But still there was plenty they couldn’t explain—them tumbling into bed together at the top of the list. She never would have slept with him otherwise, so in a way, she had Willow Mansion and that crazy dare to thank for finding the man who made her start thinking of her future again instead of flailing in the present.