Free Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives--Willow by Christina Phillips

Episode 9—Willow
    Willow Adams pushed herself out of her pool and sat on the edge, feet dangling in the glittering blue depths as she squeezed the water from her hair. The February morning sun was already hot and she gazed through a gap in the palm trees that surrounded the pool, where glimpses of the tranquil Lane Cove River at the foot of the hill could be seen.
    Although she was in the middle of designing her new jewellery line, first of all this morning she had a meeting with top French chef Henriette to go over the last minute details for the Double D dinner on Thursday night. She knew Henriette already had everything planned, but she had to make sure there were no last minute glitches. The last thing she wanted was Lana, one of her mother’s oldest and closest friends, telling her mother that Willow had screwed up.
    Her mother might be enjoying herself in Europe, but distance was no deterrent when it came to letting Willow know she wasn’t quite up to expectations. The Diamond Dinner Club, and everything it represented, was her mother’s pride and joy and Willow had officially joined the elite club when she turned eighteen.
    She sighed and forced her mother’s overbearing presence from her mind. There was no point getting worked up over possibilities. She just had to focus on making sure Thursday night was, as always, perfect.
    She wrapped a towel around herself and saw Mrs Duval, her housekeeper and all-round miracle worker, emerge from the French doors.
    â€œGood morning, Mrs D.” She’d inherited Mr and Mrs Duval along with the Hunters Hill property from her late great-grandmother two years ago. They loved the house as much as she did, and she’d never dream of letting them go. But despite having known them all her life, to even think about calling them by their first names verged on sacrilege.
    â€œGood morning, madam.” Mrs Duval’s reserved manner was belied by her warm smile. “Mr Wallis has just arrived. Would you like me to show him out here?”
    Willow’s sense of serenity from her early morning yoga session vanished. What the hell was Seb doing here at this time of the morning? She hadn’t even had a shower yet. And while Seb was only her friend and there was no reason why she should give her appearance a second thought when it came to him, the problem was—she did.
    â€œNo, I’ll come inside.” It would be easy enough to dash upstairs and make herself look presentable. But she hadn’t even reached the French doors when Seb strolled out.
    For a second she simply froze as she drank in the perfection that was Sebastian Wallis in the flesh. 6’4" of lethal masculinity, his toned body radiating raw sex appeal that she still found as irresistible as she had the first time they’d met nine years ago.
    â€œHi, Willow.” How could he make a perfectly normal greeting sound so sinfully suggestive? No wonder he had legions of groupies hanging breathlessly onto his every word. He leaned in, slid his hand over her arm and kissed her cheek.
    She tried not to breathe in his evocative cologne, but as always the musky undertones sizzled through her blood and made a beeline for her pussy. It was so bloody unfair. He affected her as much now as he had when she’d been an awkward seventeen year old.
    â€œI thought you were still in Melbourne.” Thank God she didn’t sound as though she wanted to shove him up against the nearest wall and shag him senseless. She swallowed and tightened her grip on her towel. Just lately her fantasies involving Seb were spiralling out of control. She obviously needed to get laid.
    It had, after all, been a while.
    His fingers trailed the length of her arm and goose bumps erupted, sending a thousand electric sparks skittering over her exposed skin.
    â€œWe wrapped up the current series yesterday so I hopped on the first plane back.” He offered her his trademark smile, the one that had