Liam : One Night with the Wicked Chef! (BWWM) (The Campbell Brothers Book 3)

by T. C. Clark

  “If by feeling me, you mean asserting my place in your life, then you are absolutely right,” Liam said.

  “You don’t have a place in my life,” she said quickly.

  Irene hated the way her body reacted to his nearness. Liam Campbell had a special touch when it came to her senses.

  “Yet,” Liam said. “You forgot to add yet to that sentence. If you wanted to go on dates, all you had to do was ask.”

  The server came back and handed Liam his card. They all stood up, and Liam moved to her side as Larry gathered his things.

  “Thank you again for a wonderful night, Irene. You helped me work through some stuff, and I wish you luck, Liam. You would be lucky to land a woman like her.”

  “I know, Larry. Trust me, why do you think I’m here?”

  They followed Larry outside and stood by as he walked to his car. Irene smiled; Larry did look better now. When she rubbed her arms, Liam slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her arms.

  “Why are you here, Liam? I thought we agreed what happened between us was a one-time thing.”

  “You agreed to that. I remember repeatedly saying that we would have to agree to disagree on that statement.”

  “Liam…”

  “Look, be honest with me. Tell me you don’t feel anything at all, and I will walk away. But you need to mean it, Irene. Unless you say anything happening between us is an impossibility, then I’m not going anywhere.”

  Irene opened her mouth to tell him just that, but nothing came out. She couldn’t quite bring herself to say the words. She liked Liam a lot. Irene waited for her natural caution to kick in. But her good sense tended to go on vacation whenever he was around.

  Once they got to the front of her shop, she faced him. “Liam, I think this is a mistake, but I can’t say that I’m not happy that you’re here.”

  “Why do you think it’s a mistake?” Liam was clearly confused by her certainty that they couldn’t work.

  “Let’s just say I’ve been down this road before,” she said quietly.

  “Maybe you have, but you haven’t walked it with me. Either way, you didn’t say you wanted me to leave, so I’m staying.”

  “Are you staying at the Cat Inn again?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. I need to go and officially check in. I’ll come by tomorrow, and we can set something up.”

  “Liam…”

  “Save it, Irene. I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere. Today, I just wanted to give you a head’s up that I’m in town, and then I found out you were on a date. I couldn’t have that, and now that Larry the lawyer is firmly out of the way, I can finish setting up my plan for your seduction.”

  Irene’s eyes widened. “My seduction?”

  “Oh, yeah. Campbells are known for fighting for what they want, and I want you, Irene. Sleep easy and I will see you in the morning.”

  Liam leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. He walked away before she could say anything else. There was a warm feeling in the pit of her belly. A part of her was excited he was here.

  She wasn’t a fool. Liam Campbell would be easy to love. He was charming, protective, and sexy as hell. But so was Bryce; she’d had the same reaction with him. She never wanted to be that vulnerable again.

  Still, she couldn’t tell him to leave. She’d missed this part of life. Hell, she’d missed Liam these last few days. Irene sighed. This was a mistake; she knew that, but it was one she couldn’t help but make.

  Liam had awakened something profound inside of her, and there was nothing she could do but try to figure out what it was.

  * * *

  Just after midnight in a small cat hair filled room sat a hungry man….

  “So, why are you in New Orleans again? I thought the business with Mel and Cole was done?” Tatum asked.

  “Cole and Mel are fine; I’m here for Irene.”

  “Ahh, I thought I saw something happening between you two at the wedding. Don’t tell me you caught what Brodrick and Cole have?” Tatum joked.

  Liam chuckled; it was true Brodrick and Cole had fallen quickly for their ladies. Somehow, they’d found love. Liam didn’t know how to explain his feelings for Irene. His reaction to her had come as a surprise to him, but it couldn’t be ignored. He had to know what this woman meant to him.

  Liam had called the one brother he knew would be up at this time. Like him, Tatum was dedicated to his career. He didn’t need to see his brother to know that he was busy grading papers at his desk.

  Tatum Campbell was the most logical of the brothers and the easiest one to talk to. Liam knew Irene was going to be difficult, and he needed someone to bounce ideas off of.

  “Honestly, Tatum, I have no idea what I’m doing here. All I know is something inside of me is telling me she’s important. I feel different when I’m with her. It doesn’t make any sense, and I can’t explain it. But I know I need to be here right now.”

  “And how does Irene feel about that?” Liam could hear Tatum typing away on his computer. The sound reminded him of when they were kids. He used to do his homework on Tatum’s bed while his brother worked at the computer. Tatum was the one who helped everyone with their problems.

  Liam thought about his question. “It’s complicated.”

  “So, not great,” he said dryly.

  “Tatum… ” Liam sighed.

  “Look, I’m having my own woman problems right now. So let’s get to the point here. You want Irene, and she’s unsure about you. I assume something has already happened between you, or else you wouldn’t be chasing her around New Orleans.”

  Now, this was interesting; Tatum never had issues with women. He never dated one long enough for issues to form. “What’s going on with you?”

  “It’s complicated. Anyway, we are here to talk about you. You two could barely take your eyes off of each other during the ceremony. What went wrong?”

  “I don’t know, chemistry isn’t the problem. From what I can tell, she’s got some issues from a past relationship. Someone must have broken her heart.”

  “I have to ask, are you serious about her? She’s Mel’s best friend, and that means Irene is going to be a part of family things. If you aren’t serious, I suggest you move on to someone else. We don’t need this kind of drama just because of a hookup.”

  Liam sighed, “I wish it were simply a hookup. If sex were all I wanted, I would have left by now. We’ve already slept together. I thought that would lessen my need for her, but it only amped it up. Seriously, Tatum, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I don’t like it, but I won’t walk away either.”

  “You’ve never been one to back down from a challenge, and if you are still chasing her, then it has to mean something. Okay, let’s look at it from Irene’s perspective. People who’ve been traumatized by relationships tend to look for the same habits in their new partners. Irene is a beautiful woman, but she avoided attention. At the party, she mostly stayed to herself and only opened up when Mel was around. I think if you want this to go somewhere, then you’re going to have to make your presence known. She is a woman who is comfortable being alone, and too much space may not work in your favor. Show her who you really are and when she finally notices you, make it clear you’re not like her ex.”

  “How do I show her I’m not like her ex? I don’t even know who he was.”

  “Liam, you’re a Campbell. We can be assholes, but we don’t go around hurting people for fun. Whoever broke Irene’s heart was clearly an ass. She’s a sweet woman. I could tell that in the way she handled Ansley. Whoever that guy was, you’re not like him. Give her enough time, and she will figure that out, too.”

  “Okay, thanks, Tatum. You sure you don’t want to talk about your lady problems?

  “Nope, all of you are falling left and right. I refuse to end up like that. I wish you luck with your girl, but I’m better off flying solo.”

  A few minutes later, Liam hung up the phone with a renewed sense of vigor. He hadn’t come all this way to back
down now.

  Irene James couldn’t just turn his world upside down and walk away. No, his instincts had never led him wrong before, and they said Irene James was his woman even if she didn’t know it yet.

  It was time to show her exactly what that meant.

  Five

  Dream big or go home...

  * * *

  “Irene, there is another flower delivery for you!” Willa yelled from the front counter.

  Irene sighed and shook her head. She’d received five flower deliveries since she’d opened the shop this morning. At this rate, she was starting to feel like a florist.

  Irene walked out of the back and smiled at the delivery guy. The poor man’s name was Fred; she knew this because of how many times he’d stopped by today.

  She couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful arrangement. This time it was lilies. So far, every bouquet she’d received was different. “How many more of these are there, Fred?”

  “I was told to continue delivering them until they said to stop,” Fred said apologetically.

  “Do you know who this person is? There is no name on the cards, just a number.”

  “All I know is he is not playing around. I have on-the-hour deliveries for you for the next few days.”

  “The next few days!?” Irene yelled; this was too much. It was time for her to take action. Even though the cards didn’t have a name, in the back of her mind, she knew exactly who was sending them. The number had to be for Liam Campbell.

  Liam made it clear he would have been here earlier if Gabby and Brodrick hadn’t had their baby. A small baby boy they’d named Ramsey Campbell.

  “I’m starting to like Liam, Auntie,” Deshaun said as she collected her flowers.

  She hated the silly smile she couldn’t control. She hadn’t received flowers in so long, and she had to admit they made her feel special.

  “Hush, Deshaun.”

  “I’m just saying, this is a hell of a way to get your attention, and to be honest, I’m happy he’s going all out with you. I don’t think Liam is the kind of guy to give up easily, and it’s about time you have some fun.”

  “Deshaun…”

  “I’m serious; you are too amazing to be on your own forever. Don’t get me wrong; if that is what you truly want, I support you. Lord knows you’ve supported everything I’ve ever wanted over the years, but these last few days, your energy has been different, and as much as I hate to admit it, maybe Liam would be good for you. None of us know what happened in your past, but I do know something made you close up. Is it really so bad to have a little fun?”

  Irene opened her mouth to explain why she and Liam couldn’t work, but the denial didn’t ring true anymore. No, she didn’t like the fact that Liam was a celebrity, and she’d never wanted to be with another man who had so much power on his side.

  Liam could say he was a B-list celebrity, but she knew better. No, they wouldn’t work long-term, but why couldn’t she go out with him for a little while? She could keep their relationship quiet, and she would protect him if her old enemies re-surfaced. No one deserved to suffer because of her mistakes.

  She had the same hunger Liam did. Irene had no idea how this was going to play out, but for once, she refused to be scared.

  “Maybe you’re right, Deshaun. Can you watch the store for a bit, and if I get any more flowers, do you mind putting them upstairs?”

  “You know I don’t mind doing that. What are you going to do?”

  Irene slipped off her apron and grabbed one of her bouquets. She already knew where Liam was staying. “I think I’m going to pay my secret admirer a personal visit.”

  Deshaun’s mouth dropped open. Clearly, her actions were something he’d never expected. She couldn’t blame him for believing that, for the last few years, she’d run from things that made her uncomfortable. Not anymore. It was time to see if she could handle Liam on her own terms.

  Deshaun looked down at one of the arrangements and examined the card attached to them. “You’re not even going to try the number on the card?”

  “No, I know this is Liam, and I’m over running,” she said firmly.

  “Okay, Auntie… Yass. I love this! Take all the time you need. I got the store.”

  Liam Campbell should be off-limits. He was definitely going to be a handful, but Deshaun was right. Since her night with him, everything felt different, and she wanted to explore those feelings a bit more.

  Now, she just needed to figure out how to do just that.

  * * *

  Liam was staring at his phone when someone knocked on his door. He’d expected a call from Irene much earlier in the day. He knew she was receiving his flowers. He’d seen Frank carrying them in.

  He wondered what was going through Irene’s mind right now. He had flowers planned for today and tomorrow, and after that, he would try something else. He put his phone down and walked over to the door.

  It was probably the inn owner; the elderly lady had taken quite a liking to him. He pasted a fake smile on his face and opened the door. The smile turned genuine as soon as he recognized her face.

  Irene was standing in front of him with the sweetest expression on her face. She had one of the flower arrangements he’d sent earlier in her hands.

  “Hello, Liam,” she said softly.

  Best play it cool. As serene as Irene looked, he still couldn’t quite read her eyes. “Hello, Irene. This is a nice surprise. What brings you my way?”

  “This does,” she said, and she handed him the bouquet.

  “Ah, I see you received my thoughtful and very sweet flowers.”

  Irene laughed. “I received a lot of thoughtful and very sweet flowers.”

  “And you are angry, happy, sad? I can’t read your face right now. You’d be great at poker, by the way.”

  Irene tapped her chin and tilted her head to the side. “I’m… curious.”

  Now, he had no idea what to say to that. He’d made his intentions for them clear. “How so?”

  Irene stepped into his room and closed the door. He hoped she didn’t look down at the front of his pants. His cock was as hard as steel. He no longer had to imagine what she was like in bed. He’d been inside of her and knew her taste. That was enough foreplay for him.

  Liam gritted his teeth. He wanted more from Irene than just sex. It didn’t matter how explosive or hot it was. He had to calm himself down before he fucked this up. He had serious plans for this woman.

  “Shhhh,” she whispered as she went up on her tiptoes. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in close. She kissed the thoughts right out of Liam’s mind. Her lips ignited his deep-rooted hunger, and he took over the kiss.

  His hands tangled in her hair as they held her in place. Every stroke of his tongue brought him back to their night together. The kiss only lasted a few minutes, but it rocked his world nonetheless.

  Irene stepped back and touched her lips. “Yep, my memory is correct.”

  “And what does your memory say?” Liam asked. He couldn’t lift his eyes from her swollen lips. He wanted another taste. The question was how to convince her to want the same.

  “That this is special, and as much I want to deny it, I can’t. I see you, and I want you, Liam.”

  “That’s what I’ve been saying all along. Do you think I move to foreign countries often to get a date?”

  Irene chuckled at how he sounded annoyed. “I will admit you’ve made me feel special. I still don’t see how this is going to work long-term, Liam. But I do want to see where it goes for now.” Irene put a lot of emphasis on the for now part.

  Liam frowned. “So, you still think we have an expiration date?”

  “I know we do, but as long you are willing to be civil after this ends, I won’t try to deny this anymore. To be honest, I don’t think I could stay out of your bed unless you are willing to go back to Scotland.”

  Liam shook his head and sighed, “He really hurt you, didn’t he?”

  Irene didn’t p
retend not to know what he was referring to. “He really did.”

  “Okay, I’ll take what I can get—for now.” Liam kissed her head, leaned over, and opened his door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Wait, you want me to go?” Irene was confused. She’d expected a different reaction from her announcement.

  “No, I want to pick you up, carry you to my bed, and repeat our last night together, but you think I’m temporary, and I know I’m not. So, I am forcing myself to go slow.”

  Irene shook her head; this wasn’t how she’d expected this meeting to play out. “I don’t need more time.”

  “You do for what I want,” he said. Liam kissed her again, this time lightly on the lips.

  “And what exactly do you want from me?”

  “Everything, Irene. Absolutely everything.”

  * * *

  Several steamy dates later….

  Irene sighed as she watched Liam across the room. A few of her customers surrounded him. Everything she’d feared was correct when it came to him. She’d started thinking about him way too much. His charm and gentleness merely added to his appeal.

  Days ago, when she’d first come to his room, she’d believed a brief affair would help burn out this need for him. At the very least, it would ease some of the feelings growing in her heart.

  But Liam wasn’t cooperating. He’d made it clear he didn’t believe he was temporary at all, and he refused to be just a fling.

  Irene was sitting at the counter, talking to Mel. Thankfully, her friend had taken time out from her honeymoon to check on her.

  “So, you and Liam are dating now?” Mel asked.

  “I don’t know what’s happening now. I see Liam every day, and we do go out, but he’s holding back in some areas.” Irene wasn’t sure how to elaborate without sounding thirsty.

  “Ah, he’s not sleeping with you.”