by Lily Harlem
I took a step away.
“No, don’t go.” Liam curled his hand around my upper arm. His long fingers held me tight and halted my movements.
I stiffened and my breath caught. Was he going to keep me against my will? Nobody knew I was here. He could squirrel me away for all of time and do whatever he wanted. My heart thudded so loud I was sure he’d be able to hear it in the silent apartment.
He let go of my arm as suddenly as he’d grabbed it, though I could still feel the imprint of his fingers on my flesh. His face softened and he shoved his hands deep into the front pockets of his jeans. “Please, Ariane, don’t go, I think you might be just what we’re looking for, I think we…the apartment, may be just what you’re looking for too.” He stepped away, his bare feet padding softly on the floor.
I tilted my head and tugged at my bottom lip, tried to calm my fluttering heart. “What do you mean?”
“Quinn and I would like a girl around the place, someone to inject a little softness into the apartment, the feminine touch. You would be doing us a favor if you moved in.”
“But you could get someone to do that who could also afford to pay you big bucks.”
“But I like the look of you.” He drew up his shoulders in a defeated shrug, as though he couldn’t help liking me. “Do you like the look of me?”
“Er, yeah.” I couldn’t deny it. I liked the look of him very much. Too much. I wasn’t usually one for lust at first sight but something about Liam had my hormones skittering all over the place and demanding attention. “But surely what you’re looking for is a business arrangement,” I said. “Why not just get an interior designer to add some softer edges to the room?”
“What do you do for a living, Ariane?”
“I, well, it’s complicated…”
“Try me,” he challenged with a grin. “I’ll do my best to keep up.”
“I’d love to make money selling my artwork, but to pay the bills I’m, or rather was, a sales administrator for a financial advice agency, but I left last night.”
“Last night, surely that’s a nine-to-five job, why would you leave at night?”
“Because I was at my boss’s house when I decided to quit.” I paused, remembering Jed’s disastrous premature ejaculation, which had sent him scurrying into the bathroom. Shivers of disgust tingled up my back. How had I gotten so close to sleeping with the creep? I was desperate, that was why. It had been months, no make that years since I’d last had the physical connection of sex. “Late last night I saw his files,” I said, wrapping my arms around my waist. “Secret files on his PC.”
“Secret files.” Liam widened his eyes dramatically. “Very James Bond.”
I frowned. “I remembered an email I’d forgotten to send to a client. His laptop was on standby and when I clicked it to life I saw private files. Files and statements showing he’d been embezzling money from the company share owners, namely the other fifteen people I work with, all of whom he’d encouraged to invest in the company. ‘A good way to increase staff motivation’ he’d said, ‘if everyone can see a direct and personal financial benefit for their hard work’.”
“And what did you do?” Liam frowned. “When you found out?”
“I emailed the files to the financial ombudsman,” I said with a shrug.
Liam rocked back on his heels and shoved a hand through his floppy blond hair. “Whoa, no wonder you had to jack it in.”
I felt my chest tighten. Exposing Jed had been the only option. I thought of Angharad, a single mum to three who’d invested her savings in Jed’s scheme. How could I have done anything different? Jed had to be stopped.
“It must have been awful for you,” Liam said quietly, his face becoming serious. “A real shock.”
I nodded and remembered my hands shaking over the mouse as file after incriminating file sent while Jed was taking a mercifully long, cold shower.
“And then you what, after you sent it to the ombudsman, you left, straightaway?”
I nodded.
“But you must have been leaving so much behind, everything you’d worked for. Home, friends…”
I felt a tear prick the corner of my eye and tried to blink it away. Hilary’s smiling face hovered before me.
“Not to mention stuff.” Liam eyed the small shoulder bag I’d used on my date with Jed. It held a comb, a lip balm and my wallet, nothing more. “You must have left behind essential, everyday stuff,” he continued. “More stuff than you can fit in there.”
I pressed my palms to my cheeks and caught a shudder in my chest. “Yes,” I said in a shaky voice as the enormity of what I’d done hit me. “I left everything behind. I wasn’t thinking straight, I just had to get away. Jed has such a temper and I’d just cost him in excess of a million pounds not to mention a spell in prison. I knew I wasn’t going to be popular when he found out.”
Liam reached out and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “You poor thing,” he said softly, stepping right up close. “But it’s okay now, you’re here…with us.”
“But I can’t stay,” I said, feeling my eyes burn with unspent tears. “I really can’t.”
“What choice do you have?” Liam crooked his finger and tipped my chin. “You need somewhere to stay and we have a spare room crying out for a girl.” He smiled gently. “It’s a win-win situation.”
My breathing tripped out of control. Liam’s devastating proximity was doing odd things to my exhausted body. I felt my nipples peak at the same time as a tear broke the dam and trickled down my cheek. I wanted him to kiss me as much as I wanted him to scoop me up and protect me from the big, bad world.
Liam brushed his thumb over my face to mop up the tear. “I’ll tell you what,” he said. “So you don’t think its charity, we’ll call it a trial. Stay for a month and if you like it you can pay rent, a nominal amount mutually agreed by all parties, and if you don’t like it, well, you can move out, but by that time you’ll have got yourself back on your feet, job and money and all that.”
I looked up into his earnest eyes.
“Just think of it as breathing space, a reprieve whilst you get your head around what’s going on,” he continued as he dropped his head so low his lips were just a whisper from mine. “Let us help you out the way you just helped out your colleagues by exposing Jed.”
“Like karma?” I asked.
“Yep, like karma, you do something good for someone and then something comes round the corner that’s good for you.”
He looked at me like he was looking into my soul, cupping my chin and boring his eyes into mine. The heat from his wide, muscular body radiated through my light jacket, soaked through the thin material of my dress right into my skin. “Okay,” I said, thinking that Liam could be seriously good for me. “As long as you’re sure you don’t mind.”
A flicker of triumph seared through his pupils. “I think we can safely say having a beautiful woman around the place will not be a hardship to either myself or Quinn.” He poked out the tip of his tongue and swept it over his bottom lip. My insides clenched. I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d called me beautiful in my bedraggled state or if it was the sight of the dexterous tip of his tongue caressing his lip in such an erotic way.
“But first things first.” He stepped back and rubbed his hands vigorously. “Let’s have breakfast—eggs, bacon, sausages, any preference?”
“I, er, well please don’t go to any bother.”
“It’s no bother, I’m cooking anyway.” He turned and headed out of the room. I followed a step behind, acutely aware of my heels clicking on the wooden floor—the only part of the room that wasn’t black or white.
I stood in the doorway of the kitchen and felt my jaw slacken. It could have been a room from Hello! magazine—someone rich and famous’ kitchen. Acres of black granite work surface sparkled like the sky at night. All the appliances were shiny silver and meticulously clean. There was an island in the middle with three silver barstools on z-shaped legs and an
enormous bowl of fruit sat in the center. The window, like the one in the living room, looked out at the skyline, though from this room, instead of the bay the white spikes of the Millennium Stadium pierced the crystal blue.
“This is lush,” I managed.
“Glad you like it,” Liam said, yanking at the biggest fridge door I’d ever seen. “I designed this room and Quinn did the living room. I do the cooking since I’m at home the most so it seemed a natural division of time and effort.” He pointed to a barstool. “Sit,” he said. “I’ll get the coffee on.”
I sat, my weary legs grateful for the reprieve, then leaned forward and rested my elbows on the cool granite. “Do you work from home?” I asked, stifling a sudden yawn.
“Yeah.” He turned to me, several eggs balanced in the palm of his hand. “But I won’t bore you with the details.”
“I’m sorry.” I clamped my mouth shut to hide the yawn.
“It’s boring work to most people but I love it, so much so that once I get my head into a project I can’t leave it alone, I forget to eat, sleep, exercise, everything until it’s done.” He cracked an egg into the pan.
“What do you do?” I asked.
“Web design. We set the fourth bedroom up as my office when we moved in three years ago. It works really well, just means I don’t get out much, you know, to meet people and stuff.” He shrugged.
I wrapped my hands around the mug of coffee he set down in front of me and tried to look into his eyes, but he diverted his gaze and turned back to the now-spitting eggs. I couldn’t decide if not getting out much bothered him or if it was how he liked it.
“Quinn makes up for me not going out much, he dashes off to work at all hours, sometimes he’s only in a few minutes and his pager goes and he’s tearing back there.”
“Why, what does he do?” I sipped the steaming liquid, enjoying the rich aroma dancing up my nostrils and flooding my taste buds. Coffee, it was my drug of choice and this was an exceptionally good hit.
“Quinn’s a doctor, a neurosurgeon, he works at the University Hospital.”
“Wow,” I said, raising my brows. “Intense stuff.”
“Indeed, he’s an amazing doctor, world-class, which of course piles the pressure on even more. He gets all the complex cases, the problems no one else can sort out.” He turned and looked at me through narrowed eyes. “He’s the last hope for the majority of the people he sees.”
I nodded seriously. “What time will he be in?”
“No way of knowing.” Liam slathered butter on a slice of toast. “Whenever he’s happy all his patients are stable for the night.”
“And if they’re not?”
“Then he won’t come home.” He set down a plate crammed with toast and eggs and handed me a knife and fork. “Is that okay or do you want bacon too?”
“Goodness no,” I said, smiling up at him. “This is way more than I would normally eat as it is.”
He topped up my coffee and then sat next to me at the island with an equally brimming plate of food. “It’s nice to have company at breakfast,” he said, stabbing at the eggs. “I usually eat alone.”
“Well, it’s nice to be here,” I said, feeling a warm glow inside. Jed and all the problems with Boverton suddenly paled into the distance. Sitting in a luxury penthouse apartment with a gorgeous man and a delicious breakfast was definitely not what I’d been expecting when I ran away, but I wasn’t going to complain—no way.
We both ate hungrily, scooping up the yellow eggs and slurping coffee. Liam ate like a man who truly enjoyed his food and popped two more slices of thick white bread in the toaster when he’d finished what he had on his plate.
“That was delicious,” I said, aligning my knife and fork. “Thanks so much.”
“You’re welcome,” he said grinning. “Now let me show you your room, perhaps you want a lay-down after your eventful night.”
I nodded. It was definitely what I needed. I stood from the stool but my legs felt thick and heavy and my heels teetered unsteadily on the shiny, slippery floor.
“Careful,” Liam said, quickly wrapping an arm around my waist to stop me landing in a heap. “Do you need a hand to get to the bedroom?” His voice was full of concern but it also had a sexy, gravelly quality to it, especially the way he’d said “bedroom” with a low, rasping tone.
“I’m fine,” I said, my ears and skin buzzing. “But like you said, I could probably do with a nap.”
He didn’t let go as he steered me to the doorway and then into the hallway. There was something very comforting about having a muscled arm holding me when I felt so drained and I leaned into him, feeling part turned-on, part pathetic.
“Here we go,” he said, opening the door to a neat, square room. It had a soft pink double bed, a pine dressing table and floaty white curtains. “This is the girly room,” he said, grinning. “You like it? We did this one together.”
“It’s lovely,” I said, eyeing the squidgy duvet and cushions with an unnatural amount of longing. “Much better than the cupboard you’d led me to believe I was getting.”
Liam let go of me and stepped into the room. “There’s an en-suite over there.” He pointed to a white panelled door. “And here’s a triple-sized wardrobe.” He pulled open the doors. “Obviously empty.” He looked at me still wearing my jacket and frowned. “We’re gonna have to get you some clothes aren’t we?”
“I’ll shop tomorrow.” I shrugged off my jacket and dropped it over the back of the chair by the dressing table. I stood in my little black dress. It had thin spaghetti straps and a low neckline that revealed my neat though definitely there cleavage. The waist was nipped and the skirt short, but not too short. It looked classically sexy with the sheer, black tights I was wearing and the high patent stilettos.
Liam sucked in a breath and tugged at his bottom lip with his teeth. “Nice dress,” he said, sweeping his eyes over my body in a way that personified male appreciation.
“Thanks.” I toed off my shoes and sank my aching feet into the deep pile of the bedroom carpet. But I couldn’t deny the flutter in my chest or the spark between my legs his look ignited.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t get any more clothes.” He stepped close with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Just wear that all the time.”
“Now there’s an idea,” I said, fighting the urge to rest my entire body against the length of his. “Which could work until I want to go to the gym or the supermarket.”
He swallowed tightly and I watched his Adam’s apple bob low. “That’s where I’m off to now.” His eyes dropped to my chest and my breaths quickened as his cheeky gaze caressed my flesh. He made no move to go anywhere and his eyes were like hot licks of fire whipping my body into a state of frenzy. “Whilst you sleep I’ll go to the shops and then the gym,” he murmured, watching my chest rise and fall. “There’s one, a gym that is, in the basement for residents to use.” The timbre of his voice was even deeper than before, as though the last thing he was thinking about was the gym or the supermarket.
I swallowed and wondered about inviting him to bed to warm me up. I was sure he’d be up for it. I could see desire burning in his eyes as clearly as a volcano spouts lava into the night sky. And it had been so long, too long since I’d truly enjoyed the company of a sexy, naked man in bed.
But before the thought made it to my mouth he was gone.
“See you later,” he said, pulling up the door. “Sleep tight.”
Chapter Two
I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep of black nothingness and when I awoke I stretched out my arms and legs hesitantly, disoriented by the unfamiliar bed with its exotic scented sheets and deep, luxurious pillows.
“Hey, sleeping beauty.”
My eyes pinged open. I spotted the floaty white curtains wafting in the breeze and became aware of a dip in the mattress. I sat bolt upright, blinking rapidly. At the end of the bed sat a man. It wasn’t Liam, it was a stranger. I’d never seen him before. My heart stuttered and my sto
mach clenched. I opened my mouth, preparing to scream.
“Hey, shh, shh, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you.” He reached and pressed his hands on my lower legs through the duvet. His dark brows lowered and his jaw set firm. “I’m Quinn, Liam must have mentioned me.”
I gulped as my situation and surroundings flooded back to my sleep-addled brain. “Er, yes, yes of course,” I managed. “Quinn, yes Liam did mention you. I wasn’t sure what time you’d be home.”
“Early for a change, it’s only 7:30.”
I quickly calculated how long I’d been asleep—for most of the day.
“Liam’s been shopping for you,” Quinn said with an American twang. He reached to the floor and brought up a bulging Gap bag. “I hope you like, but if not it can go right back.”
I pushed a hand through my messy hair and studied him. He had a long face, a nose that would be considered a little big if it wasn’t perfectly straight, and wide, soft lips, the lower one fuller than the top. “That’s very kind of Liam but I can’t afford stuff from Gap,” I worried.
“I don’t think he’s considering it anything other than a gift.” Quinn’s coal black eyes flashed and his lips tightened. “You should just say thanks to avoid offending him.” There was something about Quinn’s tone that indicated he wasn’t used to being disobeyed—if he gave an instruction he expected it to be carried out, to the letter.
“Okay,” I said, delving a cautious hand into the bag. Who was I to argue? I was desperate, and I could always pay him back once I got myself straight. I pulled out a pack of pastel t-shirts, size six, that would do nicely. A pair of distressed jeans and a pair of smart navy ones followed, both size six short, three long-sleeved thin cotton tops, a short caramel-colored skirt, a pair of khaki trainers and some brown beaded flip-flops—both size four. “How did he know what size?”
“I’m guessing he checked out the clothes you peeled off, and the shoes.” Quinn nodded to the dressing table where my dress was draped over the chair back and my ludicrously high shoes lay abandoned.