Title: Whispered Wishes
Author: Sue Lilley
Genre: Romantic Suspense / Contemporary Romance
Book Blurb:
Lucas and Nathan have history. Old hurts run deep and trust is not on the agenda when Olivia is caught between them. Then Nathan’s worst nightmare comes true. His beloved daughter is missing. How can sworn enemies bury their toxic past? With tragedy snapping at their heels, can they work together to find her, before it’s too late? An intriguing tale of bad choices and second chances..
Excerpt:
Olivia knocked back her champagne, itching to hurl the empty glass at the wall. How could Lucas let her down like this? She was torn between longing for him to rock up and rescue her and hating the very notion of him witnessing her utter mortification.
“At least by Monday, it’ll be yesterday’s news,” Beth said. “You can put it all behind you and swan off into the sunset.”
“Great, in theory. But I haven’t lined up another job. I was so dazzled by Lucas, I took my eye right off the ball.”
As she bit back tears of humiliation, suddenly Lucas was there. He made his entrance in a swarm of commotion, guaranteed to cause maximum fuss in a crowded room. Only this room was far from crowded and his noisy entourage killed what little conversation was still going on.
Dishevelled and rangy in his trademark black, one hand clutched the neck of a champagne bottle. The other was draped around a twenty-something girl, half naked in a miniscule gold lace dress. It was Eloise Mitchell, his supposed girlfriend. He’d brought her here, with a cameraman in tow to capture every moment. How could he be so cruel?
Swigging from the bottle, he presented himself at her side. Judging by the splodges on his loose black shirt, he’d been at the booze for a while. His cuffs were undone, the oversized wrist-watch even more bling than usual. She couldn’t bring herself to speak to him.
“Looking good, babe.” A black curl dripped artfully down his forehead as his eyes ripped through the bias-cut satin of her vintage thirties gown. “Where did everyone go?”
Heart pounding, she glared at him. “You’re joking, right? If they want to keep their jobs, people can’t be seen consorting with the enemy. What the hell are you playing at, Lucas? Why choose this week to do it? You cost me a huge pay-off and you could’ve got me fired.”
“I told you I was going for maximum publicity. What’s the big deal? It isn’t even a nude shot.”
“It’s not the professional portrait you agreed to donate. My boss is livid. It dragged the company name through the mud.”
“Shame!” He shrugged theatrically, checking enough people were watching his performance. “Great bonus you look so hot. My phone’s ringing off the hook with women of a certain age begging for a makeover session.”
“So much for pledging to put something back!”
Oblivious to her sarcasm, he stroked her arm, leaning closer to whisper in her ear. “It’ll be great TV if you pretend you and Eloise are friends. They’ll spin it that she’s doing you a favour.”
She shook him off. “Doing herself a favour, you mean. Famous TV star lends glitz to local flop of a party. Is that the angle for the show?”
“Lighten up, Olivia. Everybody wins.”
“How do I win, exactly? You told me you and Eloise weren’t a couple. That you were only together to look good for the press. Bringing her here to drum up publicity for her show, just rubs my nose in it.”
“Don’t go all heavy on me.”
“Lucas, how can you do this tonight? It’s my birthday.”
“Is it? Happy birthday, babe!”
His hand trailed across her shoulder. He kissed her passionately, trapping her arms. She whipped her face away from him.
“That’s enough!”
He sighed dramatically then swigged more champagne. His eyes were more beady than enticing. Had she ever been fool enough to want him?
“I’d like you to go.”
“Really? Eloise is swanning about like Queen Bee, putting herself out for an old friend. We make the place look less deserted. You should be grateful.”
Grateful? He’d cast her as sad older woman bailed out by the glamorous girlfriend who was young enough to be her daughter. Eloise was lapping up the attention as she acted her little heart out for the camera, looking thrilled to be at such a losers’ event. Olivia just wanted to die.
Then Beth appeared, a saviour in tea-rose print. She scowled at Lucas until he brushed the hair from his eyes and sloped off back to Eloise. Beth handed over a glass of iced water.
“For what it’s worth, I think you just had a lucky escape.”
“Escape? If only!”
She’d never craved anything more. But she wasn’t up to licking her wounds in a faceless corporate hotel. Or the hassle of sourcing a flight. Where could she go anyway? The world wasn’t big enough to hide behind.
Then she remembered the cottage…
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Author Biography:
Sue Lilley loves getting lost in a page-turning story and can never put a good book down. She’s published several well-received novels and short stories and is always engrossed in creating the next. Her tales of hope, dreams, temptations and impossible dilemmas are sexy and real. Her shameless love of eavesdropping is done in the name of research and inspiration. When she isn’t escaping somewhere else in her imagination, she lives in the stunning north east of England.
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