That voice. Raspy yet feminine. It sent another shock to his veins and his blood pumped harder. If she kept speaking, he would pass out from his suddenly improved circulation.
Liam stepped closer and caught a glimpse of the freckles running across her nose. A ray of sunshine crossed over her face as she found a comfortable position on the bench. She was not only breath taking, but she glowed with an aura that he had never seen before. She was sad, of that he had no doubt, but her presence exuded happiness. Like being this close to her could make everything in the world right again.
I should send her up north and see if that solves all these troubles, Liam thought to himself.
Those freckles. He needed to get closer and get a better look at them.
"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the small spot of bench beside her.
Her eyes narrowed, red rimmed and only slightly puffy.
It felt like hours instead of seconds before she sniffled and nodded her head, a shy grin pulling at her lips. "Please. There isn't anywhere else to sit unless you favor the grass."
"Aye, I do, but I favor a beautiful woman more," he replied.
Her blush was devastating and it spread across her cheeks like the red of a summer sunset. Poetic, Liam. Very poetic.
He resisted a face palm. That would only make him look more pathetic. Needy.
The bench wasn't all that comfortable, but she was sitting on it. Getting closer to her was his one and only goal at the moment. He finally caught sight of his aunt's picnic basket lying at the woman's feet and all his suspicions about Maggie's behavior came into focus.
"I see my aunts have gotten you squared away."
She glanced down at the opened basket and smiled. "They all but forced it on me, but I'm grateful. Everything is so delicious."
Liam watched her attempt to compose herself. She was struggling to hold back the emotion she'd been freeing from herself a moment before. When it was obvious her discomfort was more from her state than him, he decided to go ahead and ask the question they both knew was hanging between them.
"May I ask why you're crying?"
She looked down at her lap and took a deep, shaky breath. "It's depressing and dramatic. I'm sure you don't want to hear about some stranger's problems." She waved a dismissive hand, then folded them together in her lap and avoided his gaze.
Those problems were anything but dismissible. Liam could tell that whatever it was, her issues were burning bright. "Well, it must be depressing if you can't stop the tears, but I wouldn't ask if I wasn't interested."
She glanced up at him and his breath caught in his throat when her lips pulled into another timid grin. It was obvious that his eyes were on those full, pink lips, but it didn't seem to bother her. In fact, her blush spread further down her neck and disappeared under dress.
Liam tried not to wonder how far it went.
"I don't even know your name. Why would I share secrets with you?" she huffed.
"Well, now. I can solve that for you right now. I'm William Brannock, Maggie and Aivy's nephew." He held his hand out and she hesitated only a moment before placing her small delicate fingers in his.
"Isabelle Moore."
"Ah, I figured your name would be as beautiful."
She chuckled and shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't think that's why I got the name."
Liam furrowed his brow, not understanding what she meant. Instead of asking, he shrugged and bent his head to kiss the back of her hand and in his most proper English said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabelle."
"Same to you, William."
"Please, call me Liam."
Her whole face lit up with surprise and she smiled. "Liam. You are the one I need to get in touch with if something goes wrong at the house."
"Aye, that would be me."
"Protector."
"I'm sorry?"
"Your name, William. It means protector, in a way, or a desire to protect." She looked away, suddenly embarrassed.
Liam wanted to kiss her right then and there. This woman had to have someone waiting for her at home, but what man would allow her to travel so far all by herself. He'd get to the bottom of it.
"Then Ma chose well."
She turned back to him and the corners of her mouth quirked up once more. He couldn't stop the pride he felt for making her smile. Her grey eyes sparkled, pulling every bit of attention he had in his body right to her. That's when he realized her hand was still in his and he had no desire to let it go.
She hesitated a moment before slowly pulling her hand away and placing both of them in her lap. "I've got a lot of decisions to make," she said and her smile fell before she looked up at the sky and sighed. "Back home, there's a lot I have to consider."
"And that's making you cry?"
She nodded. "My family..."
She trailed off and Liam wanted to hear more, but he couldn't stop staring at those lips.
"They just don't understand," she said.
"Aye, family is usually the hardest to control. A family loves fiercely, but wrongs just as fiercely."
Isabelle nodded again in agreement. "That's the perfect way to say it."
"Do you have siblings?"
"No," she shook her head and smiled. "I always wanted a brother or sister or both, but I am an only child. Do you have siblings?"
Liam smiled and looked around them while he answered, trying to avoid the anxious feelings that consumed him when he saw her smile. "Aye, I have four younger siblings. Two brother and two sisters."
"Are you all very close?"
"We are. We've had our fair share of arguments, but we stick together." Liam tried to speak as clearly as he could for her and she seemed to focus on his every word, which made it harder for him to speak at all.
"That must be nice. And your parents?"
"They are parents," he shrugged, peering back at her. "Ma is a tyrant and Da worships the ground she walks on."
Isabelle's laugh rang out through the grove, engulfing the air around him and making it hard to breathe. "That's how it should be," she chuckled.
"Aye, it is. We've given them a hard time, but they are good people and have raised us the best they can. Maggie keeps an eye out for Ma so there's no getting away with anything. My father has no patience for the lot of us most of the time and it doesn't help that he is a Guarda."
She scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion.
"He's what you would call a police officer."
"Oh."
"He's the eldest in his family. His father was an officer as well as his father before him."
She quirked an eyebrow, "I assume you will be carrying on the tradition?"
Liam shrugged. "I mean to, but it's not expected."
A frown pulled those distracting lips down , her brow furrowing. Liam held his breath and tried not to stare too much. She seemed to be sorting something out in her head so he gave her a moment.
Isabelle looked down at her lap with a wistful grin. "I imagine things would be different if my family's expectations were different. If they actually cared what happened to me."
"How can they not care?"
She looked at the sky once more and lifted a hand to tug on her ear before sweeping a lock of hair behind it. Liam swallowed thickly. Her long slender neck was like a beacon.
He shook his head and forced himself to listen. Now was not the time to be imagining what she would taste like where her shoulder meets her neck. Now was the time to pay attention and find out why she was here.
"My parents are trying to force me to marry a man I don't want to marry."
"That still happens?" Liam asked. His shoulders deflated hearing that she actually did have someone at home, but then why was she here without him?
"In my situation, yes," Isabelle replied. "My father is a businessman so they treat everything in life the same way. Make a deal that will benefit them regardless of who it affects."
"And this man you are meant to marry. He is..."
&nb
sp; She stood and stepped away from him. It was a question she didn't want to answer and one that he would have begged her for if he had any reason to. But he didn't. She was practically a stranger and why would a stranger trust him?
"I shouldn't be speaking with you about this. I'm sorry, I think I just got carried away. I am here for a vacation and I want to spend it happy, not stressed."
"How long are you here in Ireland, Izzy?" he asked, already making the hasty decision he knew he already would make.
She chewed on her lip and stood still as a statue. "Twenty eight more days."
Twenty eight days. He knew it wouldn't be long enough, but then he had always taken the hard way when it came to life choices now didn't he?
Maybe he couldn't fix her situation back home, but he could give her a pleasant time while she was here at his home. The thought of whether or not her family - or this man she was supposed to be with - would approve, didn't occur to him. She was alone in a foreign country and he wasn't going to have much to do anyway, so why not show her around?
"I like that," she said softly.
"I'm sorry?"
"Izzy. I like that name."
"Then it's yours," he winked.
She smiled and he watched her melt right there in front of him.
Lord, help me.
Chapter 5
Izzy
Waking up felt very different that next day.
Isabelle didn't sink into that familiar limbo she'd felt so much in the past. She knew exactly where she was and she knew that it was exactly where she was supposed to be, now.
She missed the sunrise, sleeping like a rock the entire night and late into the morning. Her body felt more rested and her mind refreshed. A little more weight was off of her shoulders, a little more of a curl was in her smile, and the knock at the front door sent a little more of a rush through her body.
She climbed out of bed and threw the blanket around her shoulders, not bothering to check her reflection in the mirror. She knew who it was and her face flushed with excitement.
The afternoon spent in Maggie's garden was one she would not forget anytime soon. Liam made her laugh mercilessly with his stories about his younger siblings. Especially the ones about his youngest brother, Colin. The trouble they consistently found themselves in sounded like quite an adventure to Isabelle. What would it be like to have constant companions like brothers and sisters?
She could already tell that the Brannocks were the type of family she always longed to have. Parents that adored their children and accepted each one individually no matter how different they turned out. Love and unconditional acceptance.
What was that like?
Isabelle wondered if she would meet the rest of his family before she had to leave and hoped that it would be sooner rather than later.
Liam was incredibly handsome. In fact, that first moment she caught sight of him in her moment of panic, she had struggled to release the breath that caught in her lungs. His deep blue eyes captivated her and swept that panic away, along with his kind smile. One she could clearly see under that neatly trimmed beard.
She was never one to be attracted to men with beards, but Liam was unique in every way. Those full lips stole her attention half the time he spoke and the crooked smile he gave her, when he flirted with her, showed a hint of a dimple on the right side. Lord, she knew if he shaved that beard off it would be her undoing.
He towered over her, but not once did she feel intimidated by him. He was a man, but he didn't use his strength or size to make her feel any less. It was a part of him he didn't take for granted and knew about himself very well. His gentle touch was proof enough of that. Not to mention the accent that sent shivers down her spine. The way he said her name, the way he said everything. It made her stomach flutter to hear the curl in his words and the deep brogue when he asked about her. She couldn't get enough and they stayed in that grove for hours before either of them realized it was finally getting dark. He drove her back to the house and asked to see her again. Isabelle didn't hesitate when she said yes, didn't even think about the consequences or what Christopher or her parents would have said. She just wanted to see him again.
A near stranger, Izzy? You don't even know the man and you're acting crazy.
The floor was chilly under her feet, but she was moving too fast to care. Another knock sounded just before she tripped and nearly collided with the small table next to the door. The large vase of flowers would have gone crashing to the floor, but thankfully, she caught herself before that could happen. Her toe throbbed painfully and she hissed out a string of curses before lifting her foot into her hand to get a good look at it.
She was clumsier these days and thought it might have to do with the lack of eyes watching her every move. She didn't have to be perfect here.
Liam certainly noticed her clumsiness the night before and instead of insulting her for being so ungraceful, he seemed to favor it. His observing gaze was not at all critical, but more like he wanted to see what she would do next.
She limped the few steps to the door and pulled it open with a grimace.
"What in God's name just happened?" Liam asked, a look of panic on his face as he looked her up and down. "Are ye hurt?"
Isabelle smiled in spite of the shooting pain she was still feeling in her toe. "I just stubbed my toe is all. Moving too fast and not paying attention to where I was stepping."
His eyes moved down to her bare feet and he grinned. "Was it a loose board or were ye really just excited to see me?"
Isabelle rolled her eyes and opened the door a little wider. She found out very quickly that Liam was a natural flirt. At least, with her he was. She could sense a bit of shyness when he spoke about himself, but he was always quick to make her blush.
Liam chuckled and stepped inside, his arms holding a thermos and large paper bag that held something that smelled divine. "I thought ye might have gotten a late start so I stopped at Maggie's and found ye some breakfast and fresh coffee."
God, she loved how he spoke and whenever he saw her brow furrow in concentration, he slowed his speech and cleared his words. Part of her was disappointed when that happened, but she would rather have a pleasant conversation than always be wondering what he was saying.
"Thank you, it smells delicious." She tightened the blanket around her shoulders and finally realized that she couldn't sit down and eat breakfast with him while she was still in her nightgown. "I'll go change."
"Aye, ye better. We have plans," he smiled and his eyes drifted to her hands, tightly clutching the ends of the blanket.
She wanted to ask him what plans, but those deep blue eyes taking in her every movement made her forget the question altogether. So, she turned away and hurried up the stairs.
Once in her bedroom she let out the breath she had been holding since he walked in the house. "He's only a man, Izzy," she scolded herself. A man that made her forget her name. She hardly knew anything about him, but there was no doubt Liam Brannock was different than other men she'd met in her life. He wasn't there to take advantage of her or overpower her. He was there to be a friend.
She changed into a pair of pants and a light blouse. It was another beautiful day and she couldn't wait to explore the town more. She sped back down the stairs, barely catching herself from tumbling down them only to find Liam sitting at the dining table. In front of him was a plate full of some kind of bread that looked mouthwatering.
"I was going to shout to ye and tell ye these would be gone if you didna hurry it up," he teased her with a smile. "I see ye already knew."
Izzy felt the heat in her cheeks, but instead of feeling embarrassed about being so clumsy, she was flattered with the humor in his eyes.
"Can we stop by Maggie's today so I can thank her. She's an amazing cook."
"Aye, she is. Better than Ma's, that's for sure. But don't tell her I said that or she'll let it go to her head."
Isabelle giggled and took a bite of the delicious offering. "What
are these anyway?"
"Barmbrack."
She looked down at the slice in her hand, slowly chewing and tasting the sweetness of the raisins. "Is it just bread with raisins?"
Liam chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. "Simply put, aye it is. This is made a little differently and is sweeter than normal bread. Kind of like a cake, but not so... cakey."
Isabelle smiled at him, the song in his words made it difficult for her to concentrate. His aunts spoke the same way, but there was something deeper about the way Liam said his words. He mentioned it the night before and she thanked him for trying to speak clear enough for her to catch what he was saying. That wasn't what made her blood race, though, and she just couldn't put her finger on it.
She took another bite of Barmbrack, feeling his eyes on her as she ate. The bread was delicious and she could see herself having it for breakfast every day if that was possible.
"Does Maggie make this every morning?"
"She doesn't. This isna really a regular thing, but I imagine she will if ye ask her. She loves to bake and she'd jump at the chance."
"Does she live there? In the same place as her restaurant?"
He nodded. "There's a small room in the back that she stays in. She'll tell ye she doesna need much and she is content. Ma can't even get her to stay with us."
"Why doesn't she stay here?"
"She would rather rent this house out to some unsuspecting stranger, then take advantage of their love of pastries and cake."
Izzy rolled her eyes and Liam laughed softly as he watched her take another bite. His eyes captured everything and she wondered if he could see past the thick skin she'd armed herself with.
"What plans do you have for us today?" she asked, hoping to distract him from any questions.
"I was hoping ye would like to come to town with me today. I need to purchase a few things for this place so ye don't trip on anymore floorboards."
She felt her cheeks flush and Liam winked at her and took another sip of his coffee. "I also thought ye might enjoy the gardens in Rathdrum."
"Oh, yes, I would love to go there. Maggie was telling me about it when I first arrived."
"If ye like Maggie's gardens, I expect ye'll fall in love with these. It's a short drive, but we should be able to get there by lunch time. If ye don't mind spending the day."
Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4) Page 7