Kate Hoffmann - Brian

"This was awfully nice of him," Lily said, running her finger along the rim of a crystal champagne flute.

"Rafe is a nice guy. Sometimes I think he feels as if he has to try harder."

"Why is that?" Lily asked.

"He didn't have a very good beginning with the Quinns. And some of my brothers still aren't very comfortable with him. But he married Keely, so he's family now. And he treats her really well, and takes care of my ma, too."

"You'll have to thank him," Lily said softly.

Brian stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll be sure to do just that."

"I'm glad I'm here," Lily said. "I don't know that there's any other place I'd rather be right now."

An instant later, a streak shot into the sky and the first firework of the evening burst in the darkness. Lily's breath caught in her throat as the sky gradually came alive with light and color. They watched for a long time, the sounds of music and cheers drifting up from the river, Brian holding her in his arms as they sipped champagne.

Though she and Brian had seen each other every evening that week, they hadn't allowed themselves any more than a few very long and lingering goodnight kisses since the night of their picnic with Brendan and Amy. In truth, Lily had welcomed the new, less complicated direction of their relationship, their silent plan to start back at the beginning. It hadn't changed her desire for him. She still ached for his touch and craved his kisses. But their new relationship was like dieting-though it meant a constant state of starvation, it was good for them both.

But here, with the fireworks bursting over their heads and the champagne making her nose tickle, she didn't feel quite so confident. It would be so easy to give in to desire. When Brian touched her, she lost all ability to resist. A tiny shiver skittered through her as her mind flashed back to that night in her hotel room. The things he'd done to her, the control he'd had over her body, still made her blush.

Lily knew that if she turned around and kissed him right now, she could convince him to make love to her, here on this rooftop. But things had changed between them, a subtle shift in her feelings. When she'd first met Brian, she'd been simply overcome by lust. But now, there was something more to their relationship.

She groaned inwardly. Relationship. That's exactly what she'd vowed to avoid. But there was no denying it any longer. She and Brian had crossed over from one-night stand to a… relationship. She should have felt guilty about giving up so easily on her plans for a romance-free life in Boston, but when he kissed her, she'd been forced to admit that she was probably lost before she'd ever really gotten started.

Still, Lily couldn't ignore the fact that sooner or later, they'd have to face what was happening to them and make some decisions. She sighed inwardly. Just the thought of that discussion filled her heart with dread. She had her life in Chicago, he had his in Boston.

When the fireworks were over, they sat on the roof and finished the champagne, talking softly as the crowd below them headed for home. But the day had been long and the wine only served to make Lily sleepy. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head, willing to sleep right where they were, beneath the moonlit night sky.

"Come on," he murmured. "I'll walk you back to the hotel."

Lily smiled. "I'm not letting you put me to bed unless you're willing to crawl in with me."

"Tempting," he said. "But then you wouldn't get any sleep."

"That's the point," Lily said. She stared at him for a long moment. "What are we doing?"

Brian reached out and slipped his hand over her nape, toying with her hair. "I don't know, Lily. But whatever it is, we're having fun, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are," she agreed. "But I'm just not… I don't know…" She shook her head, unable to put her confusion into words.

"It's all right," Brian murmured, brushing his mouth against hers. "We don't have to figure it out tonight, do we?"

They walked back through the house, turning lights off as they passed. When they reached the street, they headed toward Commonwealth Avenue, walking slowly, their arms around each other. People still crowded the streets, heading toward the T stations and the bus stops, their arms filled with blankets and lawn chairs and picnic coolers.

Lily wasn't sure she'd ever spend another Independence Day without thinking about her night on a Boston rooftop with Brian Quinn. She glanced over at him, still amazed by how sweet and handsome and funny he was. Giving in to an urge, she pulled him into the doorway of a shop and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him long and hard.

Brian chuckled, then dragged her back out on the sidewalk, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We're never going to get you home if you keep doing that." A woman stumbled into them and Lily held out her hand to keep her from falling.

"Miss Gallagher?"

Lily gasped as she recognized Richard Patterson's secretary, Mrs. Wilburn. Of all the people to run into tonight! The only person who might be higher on her list than Richard Patterson's loyal and devoted secretary was Richard Patterson himself.

Mrs. Wilburn glanced over at Brian, her gaze coming to rest on their hands, still clasped together. Lily swallowed hard and gently tugged her fingers from his. "Mrs. Wilburn, this is-"

"I know who you are," Mrs. Wilburn said, her expression unreadable, her eyebrow raised slightly.

"Brian Quinn," Lily finished.

"Did you enjoy the fireworks, Mr. Quinn?" Mrs. Wilburn asked.

"I did," he said. "We did. We watched from a rooftop on Beacon Street. They were really good this year. More… colorful, I think."

"Yes, well…" She turned back to Lily. "I'll see you at the office on Monday, Miss Gallagher. Have a pleasant weekend."

When she was out of earshot, Lily groaned then leaned back against a nearby fence post. "Oh, God, she knew we were together. She's going to tell Patterson. She's going to tell him and then he's going to fire me. I'm consorting with the enemy-in the truest sense of the word."

Lily started off down the street, weaving through the crowd. Brian quickly caught up to her. "I'm sorry, Lily. I suppose I could have just walked off, but I think she saw us together and it might have looked like we were trying to hide something."

"No!" Lily said. She stopped and turned on him. "I've spent the last week pretending that this wasn't standing between us. I actually thought I could separate my professional life from my personal life and I was doing a pretty good job of it. But we were both just kidding ourselves. We knew this would blow up in our faces at some point, so why not admit that we've reached that point."

"Lily, that's not what-"

"Why haven't you pushed your story about Patterson?" she demanded. "You've backed off, haven't you? Is it because of me?"

"No," Brian said. "I've just been working on other stories."

She drew a shaky breath. "Well, here's a news flash. Next week, we're doing the ground-breaking for the Wellston waterfront project. We pushed it up a month thinking that if we just did it, then the media would finally realize they can't stop us. As a media professional, I'd advise you to get your story on the air before people forget about the waterfront and the fishermen and start thinking about how nice it would be to eat at one of those fancy restaurants we have planned."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Are you going to run your story?"

"Yes. When I'm ready."

"Then we'll be ready for you when you do."

"Since when is it 'we'?"

"I work for Richard Patterson," Lily said. "I represent his interests, first and foremost. That's my job, remember? And if Mrs. Wilburn tells him about what she saw, he's going to consider it a betrayal and I'm going to lose my job. A job I need to pay for the damn house I just bought." She paused, calming her anger. But her frustration couldn't be contained. "You don't care about my life, do you? All you care about is what we shared that night in the limo."