by Katie McCoy
Thankfully, he seemed to like it. I grinned, remembering the hot sex in the back of his car, how he had lost control so completely and so wonderfully. He seemed to like it a lot.
His arm tightened around my waist as he stirred, slowly coming awake beside me. I rolled over to face him.
“Good morning,” I said, kissing him.
“Good morning.” He smiled and kissed me back.
It didn’t take long for one kiss to turn into two, and for two kisses to turn into me on my back with Liam thrusting inside of me, making me come even harder than I’d come the night before in the back of his car.
I never wanted to leave the bed—or his arms—but the real world soon called to us. We both had to be at work, and since we had spent the night at my place, Liam had to hurry home to get dressed before he could head to the office.
We were just leaving my building when I heard a familiar voice from the restaurant doorway. I turned to find Adriana waving at me.
“We haven’t seen you lately,” she chided me after giving me a hug. She glanced up at Liam. “Is he to blame?”
I blushed. “Um . . .”
“I’m afraid I am.” Liam stuck out his hand. “I’m Liam.”
“Adriana.” She shook his hand, looking at him like he had walked off a movie set. Not that I could blame her—a lot of women looked at Liam like that. He was just that gorgeous. “My husband and I own the restaurant.”
“It always smells amazing,” Liam commented, and Adriana flushed with pleasure. “I’ve been meaning to stop in some time.”
“Oh, no.” Adriana waved her hand. “For Juliet, we make you two a special meal. In our home.” She reached over and pinched my cheek. “This one, she’s like family.”
I smiled, feeling exactly the same way. Adriana and her husband had been the ones to take care of me after my accident—always making sure I was OK. I might have died from loneliness—or starvation—if I hadn’t had them during my recovery.
“I’ll come to the restaurant soon,” I told Adriana. “But Liam is going to be late if he doesn’t head home to change.”
“Of course.” Adriana gave me a knowing look. “We’ll see you soon, honey.”
Liam and I parted ways—but not before he gave me a long, lingering kiss. Right in front of Adriana. The older woman gave me a knowing look, and I knew we would be having a conversation about Liam very soon.
I headed to work, feeling like I was walking on air. I still didn’t know where I stood with Liam, but if last night and this morning were any indication, I didn’t think I was going to be getting the cold shoulder any time soon. Sure, I was starting to think that I might not want to keep things as casual as they had been, but I wasn’t going to rush it.
At Rascals, I found Sawyer by the bar. “Yesterday was fun,” I told him, putting my bag down behind the bar. “It felt like a vacation.”
“My favorite kind of day,” Sawyer agreed with a grin.
Even though I was preferential to a certain dark-haired, dark-eyed numbers whiz, I could definitely see why women would fall over themselves to get the attention of a guy like Sawyer. He was gorgeous, for one, but also worked with his hands, which was pretty sexy in and of itself. In addition to being a partner in Rascals, he had another business building furniture and restoring old houses.
“You and Liam seem to be getting close,” he commented idly.
I was a little surprised he mentioned it. So far, the guys in the group had exchanged looks and made a few teasing comments, but it had been the girls who had actually spoken to me about what was going on between me and Liam.
“We’re just hanging out,” I told Sawyer, trying to sound more casual than I felt.
“Seems like a little more than that,” he responded. “I’ve never seen Liam like this before.”
I didn’t know whether that was a good or bad thing.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” is what I said to Sawyer.
“You should,” he said.
I felt a flush of happiness. It was a good sign that his friends seemed to think he was happy, but I couldn’t help worrying about what the girls had said that very first night.
“I know I’m not really Liam’s usual type,” I mentioned cautiously.
“You’re not,” Sawyer said bluntly.
I didn’t take it personally.
“I know he likes to be in control,” I said. “But I understand why he would need that, after how he grew up—” I paused, realizing I had probably said too much.
Sawyer raised an eyebrow. “He told you about his mom?”
I nodded slightly, hoping that it wasn’t a betrayal of confidence. But out of all the guys, Sawyer seemed to be Liam’s closest friend.
“He doesn’t like to talk about her,” Sawyer noted.
“I know,” I told him. “Please don’t mention that I said anything.”
“I won’t,” Sawyer promised. “But that’s a good sign that he talked to you about her. Because Liam might be a control freak with a giant stick up his ass most of the time, but once he has your loyalty, he has it for life.”
“I can see that,” I said, nodding.
“Don’t give up on him,” Sawyer said, his voice serious. “He might not realize how much he needs someone like you.”
Sawyer’s words, as well as the amazing day I’d had with Liam yesterday, had me feeling pretty damn good for the rest of my shift. And people seemed to notice.
“Lots of tips tonight,” Chase observed. “You must have really turned on the charm.”
“I’m just being friendly,” I responded, unable to control my smile.
“Mmhmm,” Chase said, clearly not buying that reason for a second. “Or you’re just in a really good mood because of some guy we both know.”
“Or maybe people just like giving me money,” I countered.
Chase thought about it for a moment. “Naw, it’s the post-sex glow. Makes everyone more cheerful.”
I threw a dishrag at him just as Liam walked into the bar.
“Your woman is attacking me with terry cloth,” Chase accused when Liam came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I blushed a little at being referred to as Liam’s woman. I liked it—maybe a little too much.
“I’m sure you deserved it,” Liam told his friend.
“Traitor.” Chase threw the towel at him, but Liam caught it easily and gave it back to me.
“How was your day?” I asked, once Chase had returned to his spot behind the bar, giving Liam and me a little privacy. Well, as much privacy as anyone could get in the middle of a bar.
“It was alright,” he said. “My mom’s been set up in her new apartment, so I don’t have to worry about that for a few months.”
I nodded, knowing that it wasn’t something he would ever stop worrying about.
“How is your day going?” he asked me.
“Good.” I showed him some of the tips I’ve been making. “Chase says it’s because of the post-sex glow.”
“Or just your natural glow and charm,” Liam offered.
“That’s exactly what I said,” I told him, and he grinned. “I do have to get back to work, though,” I informed him regretfully.
“I know,” he said. “I’ll just hang out here until your shift is over. If you don’t mind.”
I didn’t mind at all. I was happy for any chance to see Liam, even if I was working.
“I was hoping we could head over to my place when you’re done,” he suggested.
“I’d like that,” I told him, my body already tingling with anticipation.
The next few hours seemed to drag out forever, especially now that I had a hot date waiting for me at the end of my shift. Then, about a half hour before we were about to close, a familiar face walked into Rascals.
“Viktor!” I went over to my former dance partner and gave him a hug.
He was with a bunch of male dancers from the company, and all of them greeted me warmly. I hadn’t seen Viktor sinc
e the brunch with Paulina and Becky, and even though I hadn’t really missed them, I was still glad to see him. Clearly, they had all just come from a performance.
“How was it?” I asked.
“Awful,” Viktor said dramatically. “I was simply terrible.”
I looked at the other dancers. “How much is he exaggerating?”
They all laughed.
Viktor smiled and pulled me into his lap. He had done this a million times before, the two of us sitting like this, his head against my chest, my cheek against his forehead.
“It wasn’t the same without you,” he told me.
“Now I know you’re exaggerating,” I teased. “You hated when I watched you dance.”
“Only because you could always see what was wrong,” he reminded me.
“You wanted me to point out your mistakes!” I argued.
“I know!” he said. “And I hated it, but I needed it.” He sighed. “I never know something is good unless you tell me it’s good. Because I know you won’t lie to me.” He squeezed me tightly. “I need you to come see the show,” he begged. “I need your feedback.”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if I could go see his show. I didn’t know if I’d have the same reaction I did the last time I tried to see a performance.
“I don’t know,” I told him, getting up slowly. “I might not be ready to go back.”
He nodded. “I guess I can understand,” he said, though he looked disappointed.
I patted his cheek. “I’ll let you know as soon as I am ready, though,” I told him. “I want the best for you.”
“I know,” he said, kissing my hand.
I headed back to the bar with their drink orders, feeling as if I had been thrown off kilter a little. What Viktor was asking wasn’t that big of a deal—to go watch my friend dance, I should be able to do that. But the thought of going back into that building, of being surrounded by my peers once again, of watching them do what I couldn’t do anymore, I just didn’t think I was strong enough to do that. Yet. And if Viktor was a good friend, he’d understand.
“Friend of yours?” Liam asked when I returned to the bar.
“Yeah, a ballet friend,” I commented, still a little distracted.
“You two seem close,” Liam observed, and this time I caught the hint of suspicion in his voice. It was kind of cute.
“Are you jealous?” I asked him, putting one hand on my hip. “I didn’t know we were exclusive,” I said, wanting to twist the knife a little. After all, Mr. Hot-And-Cold didn’t really have a right to be jealous.
“You’re right,” he commented, looking back at me. “We never really discussed that.” He turned, putting his elbows on the bar, facing me. “I think we should be exclusive.”
I didn’t know what to say. It was exactly what I had been hoping for, and I hadn’t even needed to bring it up.
“I’d like that,” I told him, trying to sound calm, when I really wanted to drag him to the back room to celebrate.
He gave me a wicked smile. “Good,” he said. “Now can I tell that guy to stop flirting with my girlfriend?”
I laughed. “You can, but Viktor is extremely gay, and no threat will dissuade him from flirting with me. In fact, he might get even more shameless.”
Liam cast a look over in Viktor’s direction, but Viktor was distracted, passionately making out with one of the other dancers.
“Not really your competition,” I told Liam, unable to hide my smile. “Still want to be exclusive?”
Liam leveled a dark, sexy look in my direction. “Absolutely.”
17
Liam
I was late for work. I was never, ever late for work. But Juliet had lured me into the shower with her that morning and one thing had led to another and somewhere between going down on her and fucking her in the shower, I had lost track of time. It was an amazing way to start the day, except for the fact that it had made me late.
There was just something about her . . . All my rules and plans seemed to disappear out the window the moment I touched her. The moment I even looked at her. It was primal, passionate, but more than just the physical, too. I would have happily stayed in bed with her all day, just hanging out, talking. Relaxing.
When I was with her, it was like the whole world faded away.
What was happening to me? I shook off the sentimental thoughts and hurried through my lobby. Even though I was sure I was imagining it, I felt like everyone was staring at me when I walked into the office. I grabbed my mail from my assistant and sat down to check my emails. I had been at my desk for less than ten minutes before Carl showed up in my doorway.
“Do you have a moment?” he asked, and my stomach sank.
“Of course.” I gestured for him to sit, wracking my brains for ways to explain my uncharacteristic tardiness, but Carl’s face spread into a smile as he faced me.
“I’ve got great news for you,” he said. “And a confession to make. There’s a reason we assigned you to the New York office project. I knew that they had been thinking about adding a permanent position to their team, and I also knew that you would be a great addition. That assignment was essentially a trial run to see if you fit in with the culture there. And they called this morning to confirm what I had assumed—which is that they absolutely loved you and want to make you an offer.”
I sat there, stunned, not sure how to process everything that Carl was saying. They wanted to give me a promotion—in New York?
He kept talking, but only a few things seemed to penetrate the shock. “The offer is excellent, of course,” Carl was saying. “You’d get a big bump in your salary, title bump, as well as a corporate apartment in the city. It’s the kind of stability that I’ve been wanting to offer you here but haven’t been able to.”
I could tell that Carl was proud of me. And I was excited about the offer—after all, it was what I wanted—but that excitement was colored with uncertainty.
This new job was everything I had been working for—but it was in a different city. My whole life was in Chicago—my friends, the bar . . . and now Juliet.
Shit. Juliet.
“I know this is a lot to take in,” my boss said. “So take some time to think about it. Think about your priorities and what you want out of your career. What your goals are.”
Up until recently, I had been very clear what my goals were. Now I wasn’t so sure anymore.
I spent the rest of the day still in that daze. I should have been thrilled, I should have been excited, but I just felt numb. The decision should have been simple, but I was shocked to find I was hesitating.
Which was crazy.
This was the plan, it always had been. Maybe not New York, specifically, but promotion, advancement. I’d known that I might have to move jobs or cities to climb the ladder, and I’d always been open to it. After all, there had been nothing holding me back. I was young and unattached. My friends would still be my friends, even if I saw them less frequently, and I could still keep on top of the bar’s finances and accounts from somewhere else.
The only thing different now was Juliet.
We had something. I’d kept her at arm’s length to start, but we were way past just a casual hookup. She took my breath away every time I saw her face, and the thought of leaving and not seeing her again . . . ? It was like somebody just dumped a bucket of ice over my head.
But changing my whole plan because of a woman? It was unthinkable. It went against everything I’d told myself. Acting on impulse and fleeting emotions only left you disappointed in the end. It was the fastest route to chaos, and I’d spent my life doing my best to make sure that chaos had no place in my world.
So, my choice should have been simple. It should have been easy to say yes to New York. But every time I thought about picking up the phone, I stopped.
Maybe I just needed more time to think it over. Make a calm, rational decision. I needed to see the full benefits package and negotiate an additional salary boost, I
told myself. I’d never been one for snap decisions, so of course I was taking the proper time to think this one through.
After work, I headed to Rascals. We were having an outdoor movie night on the roof of the bar’s building, and Juliet greeted me when I arrived, her hands occupied by bags of popcorn, so I managed to get a kiss and a very buttery hug. Not that I was complaining.
“Is everything OK?” she asked, when she drew back. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she examined my face. “You look upset. Is it your mom?”
It wasn’t a good sign that I looked concerned when I had just gotten probably the best job offer I could have hoped for.
“I’m fine,” I told her, putting an arm around her shoulder. “Just tired, I think.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow at me. “Do we need to get you right to bed?”
The saucy twinkle in her eye made me laugh and eased some of my frustration. It was a damn tempting offer—and she looked especially tempting in another easily removable, brightly colored wrap dress—but I also was looking forward to a night with her and my friends.
“I think I can handle the movie,” I told her. “But definitely bed after that.”
She smiled, her expression eager. “I think we can make that happen.”
Sawyer—being the crafty bastard he was—had found a way to set up not just a projector and screen on the roof, but had dragged up several comfy chairs and couches for all of us to sit on.
“Good thing we bought this building,” Emerson commented to Alex.
“Yeah, the previous landlords would definitely not have allowed this,” she responded, sitting down in one of the cushy chairs that Sawyer had set up. “Mmmm.” She leaned back. “But this is perfect.”
It was a gorgeous summer night—the perfect temperature for an outdoor movie. The humidity from the day was gone, leaving just a cool breeze to disrupt the warm air above the city. We had a great view of the Loop, lights twinkling all around us from buildings and from the sky above.