She Was Never Just a Pretty Face novel Chapter 74

That evening, Luther called.

Hilda was in the middle of painting.

She answered the phone with one hand, his gentle voice coming through the speaker. "Are you done with your errands? Should I come pick you up?"

Hilda shook her head.

"I'm probably going to be a bit late."

"You can just head back and spend some time with Annie."

"What time will you be done, then?"

"—Around nine, I think."

After hanging up, Hilda turned her focus entirely back to her canvas.

Around 8:40 PM, Luther called again.

This time, he was waiting right outside the Indigo Tower.

Hilda had just finished up. She washed her hands and quickly freshened up.

As June handed her her coat, the assistant whispered conspiratorially, "Director Cassidy, someone took a picture of Mr. Sanford waiting for you downstairs, and it's blowing up in the company group chat! But don't worry, none of us will leak your identity. We'll all keep your secret. Until you're ready for an official reveal, no one will know you're The Bibliophile."

Hilda gave a soft, appreciative smile.

June waved cheerfully. "See you tomorrow, Director Cassidy!"

Hilda took the elevator down to the lobby.

She spotted Luther immediately.

He was leaning against his car, smoking. He wore a crisp white shirt beneath a black three-piece suit, layered under a tailored overcoat. Standing over six foot two with broad shoulders, sharp, sculpted features, luminous skin, and his dark hair slicked back, he radiated a mature, undeniably masculine aura. Even the most indifferent woman walking past couldn't help but steal a second glance.

Luther was perfectly accustomed to that kind of attention.

He tilted his head back slightly, taking a drag from his cigarette.

The thin ribbon of smoke rose into the air, quickly torn apart by the night breeze, over and over again.

The click of heels approached.

He saw Hilda.

She slipped off her overcoat, tossed it into the back seat, and leaned against the headrest. "Just drive, Luther. I'm a bit tired."

Luther suddenly leaned over. Before she could react, he cupped her jaw and pressed his lips to hers. Between sheer exhaustion and the futility of fighting his strength, she simply surrendered to the kiss. Forced by the awkward angle, she rested one hand on his shoulder, tilting her head back to accept him.

In the tight, enclosed space of the car, the faint, sultry sounds of their lips meeting filled the air.

Soft and intimate, blending together in the quiet night.

When he finally pulled away, his hand settled on her waist. His voice was devastatingly hoarse. "Let's head back to the apartment first."

Hilda didn't quite catch his meaning right away.

Luther brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek.

His dark eyes locked onto hers.

It was the exact same predatory gaze he gave her in bed.

Even if she didn't want to understand, she had to now.

Luther was the only man she had ever been with, so she had no baseline for comparison. But she could easily guess that he possessed a terrifyingly high sex drive compared to most men. He seemed determined to take advantage of every possible opportunity. Otherwise, he wouldn't have called her multiple times that afternoon just because he wanted to get her into bed.