Unplanned Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  Charlee’s heart sank. That might’ve been her intention, but not the way he made it sound. “Liam, I would never use you li—”

  “Hey,” he cupped her cheek, his dark gaze staring into her eyes, “I’m not complaining. I enjoyed every minute of our ruse. Feel free to use me like that anytime.”

  Her world teetered. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? He enjoyed their lip-locking? Pretending they were a couple?

  Now that Charlee thought about it, when Bradley asked if they were together, she and Liam both said, yes. She wanted nothing more than a second chance with him, but before a few minutes ago, it was clear he hadn’t been ready for that. Now? She could only hope.

  Something had changed. She had a feeling it happened before he stepped into the bar. Liam didn’t play games. If he wasn’t interested in more than a friendship, he wouldn’t have returned her kiss. He also wouldn’t have said they were together.

  Then again, he might’ve done it to help her save face.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked, as if his words from a moment ago hadn’t just thrown her off-kilter.

  Charlee didn’t want to get her hopes up, and she definitely didn’t want to question what he’d said about using him anytime. Not yet at least. Liam was a complex man, but always a straight shooter. She’d know soon enough what was going on in his head.

  “I’m starving,” she finally said.

  “Me too, and over dinner you can tell me about this deal you closed on. Now, what would you like to eat?”

  Charlee gave a slight shrug, not caring where they went as long as she ate and they were together. “It doesn’t matter. You know what I like.”

  “Yeah, I know what you like, but what would you like to eat?”

  She stared at him in surprise then burst out laughing and couldn’t stop, especially when he frowned at her.

  “When did you start cracking jokes?” She dabbed at the corner of her eyes with the palm of her hand. “And who are you? What have you done with my Liam? You know, the one who gives one-word answers, rarely flirts, and only cracks a smile when I’m around.”

  “Would you believe me if I said I’ve changed?”

  “Uhh…no.”

  The corner of his lips quirked. “Okay, fair enough. I guess I’ll have to show you that I’m not the same man.”

  He looked her over. His gaze taking in her pink, sleeveless blouse, gray skirt that stopped just above her knees, and the tall gray pumps on her feet. She had folded the short jacket of her suit and put it in her bag that was hanging from her shoulder.

  “Do you need to change shoes? I was thinking about us walking a few blocks.”

  “I’ll be fine.” She hadn’t changed after the meeting and usually wore heels all day long.

  “So you’re okay if we don’t eat here?” He gestured toward the door of the hotel.

  “I’ll be happy to go anywhere you go,” she said honestly. She wanted to take her mind off of work, her father, Cincinnati and anything else that wasn’t a part of her right-here-and-right-now moment.

  “All right, then let’s get out of here.”

  They started walking, but Charlee stopped abruptly. “Wait. I didn’t get a chance to ask. What are you doing in New York and at my hotel?”

  “Actually, this is my hotel, too. I was visiting family in Brooklyn for the last few days and figured I’d spend the rest of my mini-vacation in Manhattan.”

  “Fate,” Charlee said in awe, excitement doing a jig inside of her body. “That’s what this is, fate. We were destined to run into each other.”

  “If you say so.” He started guiding them toward West 46th street where Charlee could already see the swarm of people covering the sidewalks. She loved New York and its energy, but right now, she wished that she could have Liam all to herself. No people. No crowds. Nothing. Nothing but them together hanging out in Times Square.

  Chapter Fifteen

  A short while later, they found a twenty-four-hour diner and had already placed their order. It was no wonder Charlee had been hungry. It was after nine, and she’d been in the bar longer than she realized.

  She glanced around the cozy space where practically every table was occupied. Almost everyone was eating. Maybe that meant that they wouldn’t have to wait long for their food.

  Her gaze landed on Liam, sitting on the other side of the high-back booth. It seemed surreal that she was actually there with him…in New York…about to have dinner. She couldn’t have planned the way the evening had shaped up even if she tried.

  “What? Why are you staring at me?” Liam asked, lifting the steaming cup of coffee to his mouth.

  “It always amazes me that you can drink coffee all day long and it not keep you awake at night.”

  He shrugged. “I’m immune to the caffeine, but I enjoy the taste…usually.” He frowned after taking a sip.

  “Is it that bad?”

  “Worse.” He slid the mug to the end of the table. “Let’s hope the food is better.”

  “All right, here we go,” their server said, holding a large, round tray. “I have French toast stuffed with bananas, Nutella and graham crackers with a side of bacon for you.” She set the plate of food in front of Charlee.

  Everything looked delicious, and she couldn’t wait to dive in. She only wished she had thought to order hash browns, knowing Liam wouldn’t share his.

  “And for you,” the server continued, setting dishes in front of Liam, “we have a Spanish omelet with onions, peppers, and salsa roja with a side of hash browns and sausage links.” She lowered the tray to her side. “Can I get either of you anything else?”

  “Not for me,” Charlee said, and looked at Liam.

  “How about a couple of waters? Also, can you bring her more hot water and a side of hash browns?”

  This man, Charlee thought. She had a weakness for practically anything made out of potatoes and tried to keep her consumption to a minimum. For her, they were like desserts. Once she had a taste, she couldn’t stop eating them.

  “I’ll be right back with those items,” the server said before leaving the table.

  Charlee twisted her mouth and narrowed her eyes at Liam, trying to look offended. The smirk on his face basically said that she was failing miserably.

  “Are you afraid that I’m going to ask for some of your hash browns?”

  “I know you are. Since I don’t want to have to stab you with my fork when you try to take them, I figured we should just get your own.”

  “You think you know me, huh?”

  “Yup. I probably know you better than anyone.”

  Charlee nodded slowly in agreement. There had been times when she thought he knew her better than she knew herself. Too often he had predicted a need or his thoughtfulness got her exactly what she needed on occasion.

  Yeah, he knew her well.

  They dug in and she tried not to moan her pleasure. The coffee had to be horrid for Liam not to drink it, but the food was terrific. Neither of them spoke for the first five or ten minutes of eating.

  “We’ll have to come back here sometime. This is good. How’s yours?” he asked.

  Charlee hesitated in responding, stuck on the part where he said—we’ll have to come back here sometime. Now she really needed to know what his intentions were. She wasn’t the most patient person and wanted to push for answers, but she’d wait and follow his lead for the moment. Even if it killed her.

  “Charlee?” He frowned as he stared across the table at her, his fork mid-air. “What’s wrong? You don’t like the food?”

  She shook her head. “Uh, no. I—I mean, it’s good. Very good. Maybe you should try again with the coffee. That might’ve just been a bad batch.”

  “Nah. We can stop somewhere else after we leave here. So, tell me about your presentation.”

  For the next few minutes, she recapped her presentation, getting excited about the deal all over again. The idea had been her brainchild and something they hadn’t offered any other clie
nts until now. Since the Richardson Group had been buying equipment and tools from them for years, they were the perfect company to start with. The goal was to convince them to use Fenlon’s equipment exclusively.

  Once she had finished presenting, the group, four men of various nationalities in their late fifties, early sixties, directed their questions to Bradley. Charlee didn’t take offense or allow them to overlook her. She made it clear that she was the one with the answers. If they wondered why Bradley was there, they didn’t ask.

  “I made them an offer that they would’ve been fools to pass up. They just had to agree to use our equipment exclusively for a specified amount of time.” Charlee shrugged. “And before I knew it, the CEO asked—where do I sign?”

  Liam nodded, the huge smile on his face enhancing her excitement. “I’m proud of you, but I’m not surprised. You’re creative, and your innovative ideas have been helping your father’s company for years. This is just another example of that. There will be more huge contracts to come, thanks to you.”

  Charlee’s cheeks heated. She couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face. Liam’s words meant everything. He was a perfectionist. His architectural skills—second to none. Hearing him give her such positive accolades was almost as thrilling as landing the contract. He also knew how important it was for her to succeed in her career.

  “What was the purpose of having Bradley along if this was your project?”

  “Don’t get me started, but my father thought the presentation would go better if Bradley was present since this group was used to dealing with men in this industry. I proved that a woman can do the same job if not better.”

  Liam nodded as he finished off his omelet. “That you did.”

  “I’ll admit, I was a little salty about my father’s decision. I’ve always traveled and done my presentations solo, and I did them successfully. I can’t help but wonder if something else was behind his decision.”

  She and Bradley were equals as far as their positions in the company. Maybe sending him on the trip was part of her father grooming the man for the CEO job. The more he knew about the clients, especially clients that had been with the company since the beginning, the better Bradley would know how to deal with them in the future.

  “Are you still traveling a lot?” Liam asked, the serious expression that she was used to seeing was back, his tone solemn.

  The evening was going great, and the last thing she wanted was for her traveling schedule to overshadow their time together. Memories of their past problems came rushing back.

  “I occasionally travel for work, but not nearly as much as I used to,” she said honestly. “When I became a part of the senior management team, I inherited support staff who does more traveling than I do.”

  His expression didn’t change. The thrill that Charlee felt earlier about the possibility of a reconciliation waned. Who was she kidding? Liam was who he was, and she respected the fact that he knew what he wanted and what he didn’t. The difference now was that she wanted what he wanted. More importantly, she wanted him.

  “I want you back,” she blurted.

  So much for patience.

  Charlee braced herself for whatever he’d say next. If he didn’t say the right thing, she’d move on and wouldn’t look back. She had never been shy about going after what she wanted or asking for what she needed. Except with Liam. He had the ability to hurt her feelings with a simple no. And receiving a no from him would be a thousand times worse than from anyone else.

  Holding his gaze, she dared him to tell her that he didn’t want the same thing. Before their ruse at the bar, she hadn’t been positive that she’d get a second chance with him. Sure, the last few times they’d kiss were like old times, but his words the other morning at his house had given her pause. But the vibe she’d gotten off of him at the bar was giving her renewed hope.

  “How long are you in town for?” he asked, not bothering to comment on her declaration.

  “I was planning to leave tomorrow unless you give me a reason to stay.”

  Seconds ticked by as he searched her eyes. Then he looked away. Not before Charlee saw a barely-there smile play around his lips and a slight shake of his head.

  He wanted her back.

  He didn’t have to say it. She knew it down deep in her soul. Hope blossomed inside her chest at the realization.

  If you want something bad enough, don’t be afraid to go after it.

  Her father’s words rang through her mind, giving her a renewed energy. There wasn’t anything she wanted more than Liam. Not even the CEO position at Fenlon or the pair of red Jimmy Choos she’d been drooling over a few weeks ago.

  “How long are you planning to stay in New York?” she asked.

  “I’ll be here four more days.”

  Charlee waited, hoping he’d say more. When he didn’t, she asked, “Are you going to—”

  “What would it take for you to spend the next four days with me?”

  In spite of the butterflies bouncing around inside of her belly, Charlee played it cool. “Ask me to stay.”

  After a slight hesitation, Liam slid out of the booth and sat next to her, one arm draped the back of the seat behind her. An intense shiver of wanting rushed through her body as the clean, fresh scent of his cologne washed over her like a hypnotic drug.

  His nearness was overwhelming. All she could do was sit there watching him in stunned silence.

  Gently grasping her hand, he slowly turned it over and placed a feathery kiss on the inside of her wrist, and then another on her forearm. He slowly worked his way up and his soft lips on her heated skin was like a healing balm to her soul. He didn’t stop the sweet torture until he reached the bend of her arm.

  Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest at the tingling sensation that shot to the tips of her toes. It had nothing to do with her pointy shoes being a little snug, but everything to do with his mouth on her body. The sultry hunger in his eyes and his potent magnetism had her pulse skittering out of control.

  Dang. His seduction skills were still on point.

  Still holding her hand, he unhurriedly brought the back of her fingers to his lips, his gaze steady on hers.

  “Stay with me,” he crooned.

  Charlee nodded, unable to get her mouth to work to release the words that were screaming in her mind. Hell, yeah, she’d stay with him. If given the chance, she would spend the rest of her life with this sweet, complicated man.

  For now, she’d settle for spending four glorious days with him and hope that they’d turn into more.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “You will never believe who’s in New York,” Charlee said the moment Rayne answered her work phone.

  “Is that a trick question? You told me last week that you were going. Something about a meeting that was a big deal.”

  “Yeah, I know, but guess who I ran into last night?”

  Charlee sat in the upholstered chair in her hotel room and fastened the thin straps of her sandals. She had only brought two extra outfits with her to New York and looked forward to doing a little shopping.

  A smile broke free at the thought of getting Liam to go shopping with her. She could already hear him groaning about bouncing from one store to another.

  Stay with me.

  Those three little words from him had made her evening, and of course she accepted. Even if she’d had back to back meetings scheduled all four days, she would’ve canceled every single one to be with him.

  “Girl, how should I know? It could be anyone. Just tell me.”

  “Liam.”

  A moment ago, Charlee had heard paper rustling over the phone line. Now there was only silence. She pulled the phone away from her ear to see if the call had dropped, but Rayne’s name was still on the screen.

  “Hello? Are you still there?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I’m still here. I’m just trying to wrap my brain around the fact that you ran into Liam of all people. How did that happen? Did you
know he’d be there?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  She told her friend everything, starting with the scene at the bar. After dinner, she and Liam had gone to a coffee shop so that he could get his fix. Then they took a ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island and back. It had been a dreamy evening. Clear skies, a gentle breeze, and being wrapped in Liam’s arms was the perfect way to end an evening. It felt as if they hadn’t been apart.

  She had been anxious when he walked her to her hotel room. She wanted so bad for him to spend the night, even if they just held each other. He told her his willpower to keep his hands to himself was shot and he kissed her at the door, bid her a good night, and promised to see her in the morning.

  “Oh. My. Goodness! I knew he was still in love because of the way he always looks at you, but what changed?” Rayne asked, excitement ringing in her voice.

  “Girl, I’m not sure.” She told her about the day at his house, as well as the text messages.

  “This is it. He wants you back. He’s just too much of a guy to make it clear. But still, I can’t believe he asked you to stay!”

  “I know, right?”

  “This is the second chance you’ve been waiting for.”

  Charlee agreed. She had no intention of being her usual pushy self. This was the perfect opportunity for them to get reacquainted and find their way back to each other for good.

  “I already know you guys are going to have a good time on this mini-vacation, especially if last night was any indication. Just be careful and don’t do anything crazy, like skinny dipping in the Hudson River or parachuting off the Empire State building.”

  “Now, would I do anything that dangerous?”

  “Yes!”

  They both laughed, knowing she would try almost anything once.

  “When you get back home, I want all the details.”

  “Definitely,” Charlee said, then heard someone at the door. “Hey, I gotta go. Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck!”

  She disconnected the call and tossed her cell phone onto the bed on the way to the door. Looking through the peephole, she released a relieved breath, glad it wasn’t Liam since she hadn’t done her hair yet.