by Unknown
In the last few hours she had remained awake in bed and wondered about a lot of things. Mainly about having said too much to a guy who likely didn’t even care. Embarrassed and upset with herself for being dopey at the wrong time and with the wrong man, Liv had tried to stay distracted with a book. After ten minutes of reading the same line, she set the book aside and went into a walk-in closet.
After living on her own, she had become something of a clotheshorse and now her closet was stuffed with things that still had tags on them and more things she had yet to wear. Liv had managed to get over feeling guilty about a lot of things, and spending sprees were the easiest indulgence for her conscience to explain away.
When a half hour of trying things on and admiring all of the jewelry and accessories still in their shopping bags and boxes had passed, Liv decided to go down to the kitchen for an after-midnight snack. Not that she would eat anything, but whenever nights like this occurred and she wasn’t able to sleep, staring at all of the food inside the refrigerator somehow managed to help make her drowsy.
She never reached the kitchen. Neal stood half-naked on the balcony, and Liv couldn’t resist wanting to see him up close and personal. Damn, he was hot. Until now, she could only imagine what he looked like underneath those expensive clothes and now she knew. Muscle and sinew to spare met her curious gaze. She was relieved to see that he was golden head to toe and not the farmer’s tan she had suspected with only his face, neck, and wrists showing while fully clothed.
Neal looked as lean, healthy, and toned a man as she imagined he would be, and yet he was also still the guy she met back in high school. She wasn’t quite used to being around him and couldn’t help letting her mind revert back to the memory she carried in all that time. He was taller, broader, filled out better, and with the boyish face turned manly. He could still make her feel strangely wonderful just by being this close to him, too.
Let me love you. Those words spoken in a deep, sexy voice made her skin chill and for her heart to race. Just thinking about the implications of that request made blush rise on her cheeks. While they kissed, she hoped that what he meant was to have sex with her, because she was definitely game. If he meant to fall in love with her then there was a problem.
She let her hands slide sensually up and down his bare back, arms, shoulders, and chest, wanting to feel every part of him. It made her smile to touch the thin wisp of dark hair that faintly flared out along his ribbed sternum, and she couldn’t resist lowering both hands to trace with her fingers the delectable v-formation that began at his hips and curved inward, leading to you-know-where. Sexiest body part on a man as far as she was concerned, and the thick, solid form of Neal’s dive caused her to shiver with excitement. She gently stroked a finger down the thin line of dark hair that trailed below his outie to the elastic band of his shorts, and as she delicately wrapped her fingers around his erection, she smiled against his lips at his dull grunt.
Such a solid body and so tall, too. She had to crane her neck just to keep from rising on her toes, but she didn’t mind one bit.
Neal broke free with an agonized groan and stood with a fistful of his own hair at the back of his head, looking anguished; his breathing ragged.
Startled, Liv stood in place with her arms still wanting to be around him, and with her lips still parted, wishing his lips were still pressed against hers.
“I’m sorry,” he hissed before turning his back on her. “I didn’t intend to do that.”
It was nice! Why stop?
Liv reached out and started to slide a fingernail down his spine. His back stiffened, and then he stepped away. Sadly, she lowered her hand and stared at the floor, uncomfortable about his change of heart, and wondering if maybe it was something about the way she returned the kiss that made him stop.
If there was one thing she had learned about relationships, it was that women needed to relax more and indulge in sex as easily as men did. For her, there was no awkwardness after the fact, and instead of making things worse, it helped to alleviate any anxiety she felt about him and the intent of the relationship. Like a getting it over and done with moment so that they could move on kind of thing.
Liv needed to get over her curiosity about Neal if she hoped to get along with him while together for an undisclosed amount of time. Before she could ask what was wrong, Neal excused himself and marched past her, disappearing inside the parlor. Liv stood in place for a few minutes, and then she raised her brows, sighing aloud before going back up to her room.
Chapter 6
The next morning, Liv awakened to the smell of bacon and sat up with a start. Blinking a few times and rubbing her eyes, she started for the bathroom and stopped. Neal must be in the kitchen. A weak smile curled her lips as she secretly chastised herself for having forgotten that he was inside her house.
While she showered and then dressed, she thought about the kiss he’d given, and then about the way he’d backed off before the crucial part had a chance to occur.
“Maybe I did scare him away with the things I told him,” she mumbled, quickly fingering her curls in front of a dresser mirror and patting her cheeks to give them some color. “Whatever,” she grumbled, hurrying down to the kitchen. She was anxious to see him again and hoped he remained in those boxer shorts so she could see him nearly naked in daylight.
Entering the kitchen, Liv frowned inwardly to see Neal standing over the stove wearing the jeans, button down, and sneakers he had on yesterday. He slid a greasy finger inside his mouth and smiled at her.
“Just in time,” he said and turned to go to the table they’d shared their dinner at last evening. “You’re not allergic to eggs, are you?”
Shaking off the disappointment, Liv went to the table and sat down, placing a linen napkin on her lap. “No,” she said. “You didn’t have to do this, either. I’d have been up soon and could have –.”
“I don’t mind,” he interrupted with a smile as he set a small dish of buttered toast between them and sat across from her. “After the delicious meal you served last night, I owe you one.”
“This is your specialty, then?”
Neal laughed as he set a napkin on his lap. “You could say that.” Then he paused, eyeing her in a way that made blush rise on her cheeks. If he mentioned last night, she wasn’t prepared to respond. “Now that I think about it,” he said, “it’s been awhile since I’ve had a home-cooked meal. I should phone my mother later.”
Relieved, Liv asked, “You and your mother are close?”
He appeared bashful, smiling tightly while eyeing his plate, and then he flashed her another look that made her breath catch in her throat. He had a way of intimidating her with those sudden, serious looks, and Liv worried it might exhaust her before she got used to him and his unique ways.
“I think so,” he said. “We were all we had for awhile there, before she met John and her life settled down. I was pretty reluctant to get to know him until I saw you, and then I didn’t mind so much about his having relocated us from Toronto to California.”
“You’re from Toronto?”
Neal shook his head as he peppered his scrambled eggs. “Not originally,” he said, smiling at her as he set the shaker on the table. “I was born and raised in London. We moved to Canada when I was seventeen and she met John. They’re still together. I added cheese to the eggs,” he warned as Liv lifted a fork to her mouth. “I hope that’s fine with you?”
She nodded and closed her mouth around the fork, chewing slowly to savor the flavor and come to a decision about his cooking skills. As he had behaved the night before, Liv did pretty much the same thing, but not on purpose. Her brows rose and she leaned back to pat the bottoms of her feet on the floor, making delicious noises before she swallowed.
“Oishī!” she cried, ignoring his quiet laugh to shove another fork-full into her mouth.
“Delicious,” he translated. “You speak Japanese?”
Liv nodded while she chewed, smiling as she sipped some milk
, and before taking another bite, she eyed Neal. “Right after I graduated and received all that money, I left the country. I wanted to be as far away from everyone and everything as I could get, but after learning about my past, Europe was out of the question so I chose Asia instead.”
“Really? How long were you there?”
“About two years,” she said, turning aside to drink more milk. “It was where I honed my singing skills. I met a guy who did pretty much the same thing you do. We were at the same karaoke club, and he liked my voice. One of my first recording contracts was for the soundtrack to a video game.”
“Seven Kingdoms,” Neal replied matter-of-fact.
Holding another forkful of food in her mouth, Liv eyed him incredulously, and then she offered a shy smile while slowly removing the empty fork.
“You know about that?”
“Of course,” Neal said and took a bite of food. “I was just as crazy about that soundtrack as the rest of the game’s fans. So, about the guy you said you met in Japan.”
Liv paused her chewing to stare at the curiously annoyed expression he sported. His mood came through in his tone too, taking her by surprise and making her wonder why he would seem jealous.
“What about him?” She feigned innocence on purpose, hoping he might reveal more of his personality so that she would feel more comfortable with him.
“He was, like, your boss or something?”
Liv giggled as she held the empty fork to her lips. Definitely jealous. Shaking her head, she said, “No, not my boss. Well, we moved in together and worked together, so it was more like –.”
“Forget it,” he said and waved a dismissive hand while snarling at his food. “Sorry I asked.”
Liv set her elbows atop the table and smiled at him. “You’re a strange man, Neal. How can you be jealous of someone you don’t even know? And, it’s not like we’re together or anything.”
“I like you, Liv,” he admitted and didn’t seem to regret it. “I’ve always liked you, so hearing about your past dealings with other guys isn’t something I want to think about, much less find out all the sordid details.”
“Sordid,” she snorted derisively. “I like you, too, by the way, but maybe it’s because we’re on different wave-lengths that I find it difficult to figure you out as easily as I’m able to do with other people – guys especially. I think you’re attractive, sweet, and respectable, and you like your mother, which is a huge plus in my book. You’re still a rock star, though, which is a turn-off. And excuse me, but, I know just about every starlet, super-model, and bunny you’ve been with, Neal. You don’t see me fuming about it, though.”
Neal grinned, and as he poked at his eggs, he started to chuckle before he leaned back with a hearty uncle that made her laugh as well. “Alright,” he caved. “I was being an ass.” He suddenly straightened up and wore another serious expression. “I can’t help myself around you. I’m really not like this with anyone else. I mean, I’m me any other time, but around you I’m this . . . I don’t know how I’d describe myself. Possessive just sounds wrong. I’m not, am I?”
Liv laughed. “You’re asking me?”
Scowling, Neal set his elbows atop the table and cuffed his fists. “You’re beautiful, and I know lots of guys are interested. I’m not stupid, and I get it. And, you’re right about us not being an item or anything, so forgive me for acting this way. I have no right.”
“Eat,” she suggested and smiled as she watched him sit upright, wipe the depressed look off his face, and dig into his meal. He was two years older than her and looked like a grown man, but with some adorable attributes that gave him boyish charm. The kid in him was taking his time leaving that adult body and Liv had to wonder if she’d always think it was cute or eventually grow to hate it. Still, it amazed her to realize how easy it was to get along with Neal. It seemed as if they had always known each other and were falling back into a friendship role neither of them had ever played before.
“I did some thinking,” he told her as they set their dishes in the sink. “This might not be the best place for us to hang out. At least until I’m certain my problem is behind bars in Chicago.”
Liv frowned at him, not liking the reminder about why her reclusiveness was at an end. He exhaled a soft burst of laughter and tapped her on the nose, warning her not to get upset before he was finished explaining his idea to her.
“I know you’re not happy about having your privacy interrupted, and I’m prepared to make it up to you for however long it takes. Just keep in mind that I’m doing this to protect you and not to butt into your life because I’m some selfish, inconsiderate ass.”
“You are, though,” she said on her way out of the kitchen. His loud protest made her smile and quicken her step. He reached her in the main room when the doorbell stopped them both. It was Stevens, and he didn’t look pleased.
“Bad news,” he said after entering the house. Liv gestured to a nearby chair, but the officer shook his head, slowly spinning his hat in his hands as he eyed Neal. “We’ve got a fugitive on our hands now.”
“No way,” Liv groaned, glancing aside to see the horrified look on Neal’s frozen face.
“Yes-way,” Stevens replied before gritting his teeth and frowning at the wooden floor. Then he took a deep breath and eyed Neal again. “There’s a man-hunt underway, but I’m here to advise you both to find somewhere else to stay. We’ll definitely find her, so don’t worry too much about that. She does know about this place, though, so I’m thinking –.”
Neal extended a palm, silencing the anxious trooper.
Liv scurried into the parlor and turned on a large, flat-screen television to watch the noon newscast. She softly gasped to see a small picture of Neal’s stalker in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
While the anchorman’s voice droned on about the walk-away stalker from the county jail, Neal gritted his teeth at officer Stevens. He needed a minute to calm down before he could speak clearly. “I get it,” he hissed against gritted teeth. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to go through something like this, and until the police found his stalker, it wouldn’t be the last. He glanced at Liv before wrapping an arm about her shoulders and pressing his lips against the top of her head. “I’m so sorry about this.”
“Don’t be,” she said and used both hands to gently pry herself free of his unwanted touch. Not that she was embarrassed to have Stevens witness the display, but more that the thought of this woman disrupting their lives made her too angry to want to be close to anyone just then.
The front door opened, and one of Liv’s friends entered. After slamming the door, she glanced at the group standing before her before she sauntered to the back of the house.
“Sherry?” Liv asked, curious about her reason for being there when she was supposed to be with her boyfriend in Toronto. Holding up a finger to the two men, she left them to go to Sherry.
The petite brunette was out on the balcony, and after seeing Liv, she offered a forced smile. Liv was afraid to ask what was wrong when it was sort of obvious by the look on Sherry’s pretty but pinched face.
The woman with dark brown bobbed hair that framed a heart-shaped face turned her small but curvy body at the railing, showing Liv the tears that now filled her big, brown doe eyes.
“That . . . bastard,” she hissed in a soft, child-like voice. “I hate him! I wish I’d never met him!” Folding her arms beneath pert breasts, Sherry left the railing and started to pace in the confines of the six by ten space. She frequently wiped tears from her eyes and continued to rail against her boyfriend, though nothing she said helped Liv understand what happened to make her this upset.
“Sherry,” Liv said and tried to remain neutral in tone and expression. “What happened? I thought you were in Toronto for his proposal?” She then gritted her teeth while holding her breath, sensing that what was to come wasn’t going to be easy on the ears or her concerned heart.
“Yeah,” Sherry laughed, brushing aside mo
re tears. “So did I. Unfortunately, or not, now that I think about it, the creep is married, so I guess getting engaged is out of the question.”
“What?”
Sherry shot her startled friend a knowing glance before gripping the railing with both hands and narrowing her eyes at the great lake. “Bastard,” she whispered. Seconds later, she cupped her face in her hands and wept as hard and for as long as she needed.
Liv slowly set an arm around her friend’s shoulders and tilted her head against Sherry’s; quietly assuring her that it was alright to cry. “What a creep,” she added. “How in the world did he go all this time without . . . I mean, why now? You’ve been together for two years, and he waits until now to tell you he’s a dick?”
Sherry managed a laugh and used her sleeve to dab the last of her tears. “He told me he’s been separated for a few months, and he said it in a way that indicated I was supposed to be as happy about it as he was. As if I’d known all along or something. Turns out he was testing me, to see if I was worth the hassle of a divorce. To my surprise, our trip to Toronto wasn’t an engagement party, but to celebrate his having served his wife with divorce papers.”
Liv frowned, thinking about the good and bad points of the situation before coming to any conclusions. It was Sherry’s problem and not hers, though. She would need to make all her own decisions, not Liv.
“Who was that gorgeous man I just saw you with?” Sherry glanced over her shoulder to look inside the house, and then she gazed up at Liv with a curious frown. “There’s a cop in your livingroom. Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Liv felt like laughing at her turn-about but didn’t and shook her head. “It’s not my trouble, and he’s someone I knew in high school.”
“The cop or the hot guy? Well, they’re both pretty cute, actually.”