Protecting His Windflower (A Spirit Hunters Series Novel Book 1)

by Temperance Dawn

  “We will, Dad.”

  “Liam, your mom and I talked to Casey. We’re going to go visit her and the kids in a few days. But if you need to come back down here to get away, you guys feel free to come down. No need to call.”

  “Thanks. How is she doing?” Liam asked as he sat down with Emily on the large leather sofa in the study. Liam’s younger sister, Casey, had been going through a rough time. She insisted all was well, but he knew—everyone knew—something was up, and he was glad his parents were going to check in on her.

  “I’m hoping she’ll take us up on our offer and come stay here,” Janet said.

  “I have some words for Mike,” Clay said, his tone harsh.

  “You need back up?” Luke asked.

  “No, I think we’ll be okay.”

  “Call and let us know if you need any help, Dad. We’ll be there as fast as we can,” Liam told his father.

  “Appreciate that, son. I will. And I’ll keep you posted on what happens.”

  “Is everything okay?” Emily asked, concerned.

  “Yeah. My sister’s husband is a real pain in the ass. But don’t worry, Dad’s gonna set him straight. How about we go rest for a bit?”

  “That sounds like a great idea.”

  Liam guided Emily to the bedroom, where they snuggled next to each other. He couldn’t get enough of the feel of her warm body next to his. He gently pushed a lock of curls off her face and kissed her lips. Emily curled herself into him, tucking her head under his chin.

  “Liam?”

  “Yeah?” Liam moved his hand to the back of Emily’s head, holding her to him.

  “I don’t know why I know those names. I’ve heard them before. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

  “We’ll get to the bottom of it,” he whispered. “It will just take some time. This is what we wanted. We needed some information, and we got it. We’ll keep going about our lives. Enjoy our beach getaway and use the clues once we get back to the city. Either to help us research further or to provoke the damn thing during our next investigation.”

  Emily lifted her head. She gazed into Liam’s eyes, and he felt the invisible strings in his chest reach out further and lock onto Emily. “Why do I feel like I know you so well?” she said.

  Liam caught her mouth, kissing her passionately. They went from slow and sweet to hot and desperate in a matter of minutes. Their hands roamed each other’s bodies, their teeth crashed with need. Both of them lost in an intoxicating lust.

  Emily pulled back to catch her breath. Liam caught her eyes and brought her hand to his mouth, where he kissed her knuckles and palm before making his way back to the area of her neck that he knew drove her wild. The spot just below her ear. His hand found the hem of her shirt and snuck it underneath. Her skin was fire and bursting with sparks.

  “Liam,” she moaned his name when he removed his hand from under her shirt.

  Liam lowered his head and kissed her again. “Baby,” he whispered on her lips before taking her mouth once more. But before the kiss turned hot and steamy again, he pulled back. “I have a surprise for you.”

  “You do? What?”

  “I’m taking you to dinner tonight.”

  Emily’s eyes widened with delight, but Liam caught a hint of apprehension.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing, I just didn’t bring anything nice to wear.”

  “Don’t worry. We aren’t going anywhere that fancy. Jeans and a sweater will be just fine.”

  “Okay.” And this time, Emily kissed him and made it very clear that she didn’t want to stop. But now wasn’t the time. There was no doubt that Liam wanted Emily. If he was being honest with himself, he wanted her from the moment he saw her. The thought of making love to her overwhelmed his senses. But he had made up his mind that he was going to take things slow.

  “Em,” he said as he pulled back. He felt her body stiffen under him, and he shifted his gaze. “Look at me?”

  When her eyes met his, he continued. “Have no doubt that I want you. I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my life—more than I want my next breath. But right now is not the right time. When we make love for the first time, it’s going to be slow. And it’s going to be where there aren’t any nosy ears close by to hear you scream when I make you come over and over again.”

  Emily’s eyebrows rose with his last statement, a crimson hue began to creep up from her chest to her cheeks. The knowledge that he could cause such an intense and immediate reaction to her senses made his dick twitch with excitement. Liam knew that probably made him sound like an asshole, but it was the truth. And he damn sure wasn’t ashamed of the reaction she caused his body in return.

  “That’s right, Em. Over and over. I’m gonna take my time with you and make sure you know how much you mean to me. I’m positive you’re it for me. I don’t want anyone else. We’ve been in each other’s dreams for a reason. We’re supposed to be together. I’m not proposing marriage to you yet, but I want you to know that I am serious about us. Once all of this shit is over, I hope we can focus on where the future takes us both, together.”

  “Wow,” Emily breathed as she stared up at Liam.

  “Does that scare you?”

  “No. It doesn’t. I’m ready to move on with you and… live. I’ve been hiding my entire life. I’m done. Whatever this thing is, I’m ready to fight it and be done with it once and for all. And as for you and me, have no doubts that I fully intend to stay in San Francisco. I want to explore this relationship too. I want to see where life takes us. I am not running anymore. I don’t care how long it takes. Even if the bastard decides not to leave me alone. I’m sticking with you. He’ll just have to deal with it because I’m not letting him dictate my life anymore.”

  “I’m so proud of you, baby. That’s the exact attitude we need to have in order to beat him. Or it. Whatever the fuck it is. We need to show it that we won’t back down. Now we need to get dressed. I want to take you to dinner. I’ll show you downtown. It’s a nice little area. You’ll love it.”

  “I can’t wait to see it. Thank you, Liam.”

  “You never need to thank me, babe. Now come on, let’s get going.”

  Nineteen

  Liam had gone to meet with Phil’s attorney early that morning, and Emily stayed behind in his flat. Liam had been nervous about leaving her alone, but she assured him she’d be fine. He made her promise to call him immediately if anything happened, and she agreed.

  Emily was feeling more relaxed than usual that morning. Usually, a touch of anxiety always lurked beneath the surface. She still had nightmares each night, but being with Liam calmed her. He brought her…peace.

  Liam’s parents insisted that they stay a few extra days and take advantage of having time alone when they left to visit Liam’s sister. It had been a week since they arrived back in San Francisco, and almost two weeks since Liam had taken her to dinner that night in Carmel to a quaint little Mediterranean restaurant.

  Emily had never seen a town as adorable as Carmel By The Sea. The downtown area was filled with shops and restaurants housed inside of fairytale, cottage-style buildings. Emily had never been to Europe, but she felt like she was walking through a historic European village. Little alleyways of stone-paved streets meandered between and behind the buildings. Many of which had vines growing upward, covering the bricks and stucco.

  They sat and ate a delicious meal of gyros, falafel, Greek salad, and hummus. Afterward, Liam took her to a nearby beach where they walked for a bit and watched the sunset. Emily couldn’t remember the last time she had felt as calm as she had that night on the beach. It was as if the weight of everything that had plagued her during her life was lifted off her shoulders. Being with Liam felt so…right.

  Emily brought herself out of her daydream. Her mind had drifted off to her time in Carmel while she lounged on Liam’s sofa, talking to Lexi, filling her in on the last week.

  “You’ve gotta get down here so
we can spend the weekend there. You’ll love it,” Emily told her.

  “Well, actually. I’m so glad you called today because I’ve been dying to tell you that I got some time off. I was thinking of coming down there and spending some time with you. I totally want to go to Carmel. I also want to go to Napa! I’ve always wanted to see wine country.”

  Liam walked through the door then. He wore a pair of dark denim jeans and a light button-up shirt that hugged his body. Emily’s mouth watered at the sight of him.

  Liam gave her a wink and a smile so sexy it sent shivers through her body. He walked over to her, leaned down, placed his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, and kissed her. When he pulled back, he licked his lips, and the desire in his eyes was evident, sending the flutter she felt in her belly shooting down, exciting her. “Liam just walked in,” Emily said while watching him stroll to the kitchen. She hoped Lexi didn’t pick up on the elevation of her breathing.

  “Tell him I say hi!”

  “Lexi says hi.”

  Liam had poured them both some iced tea and walked back to the living room. He placed the glasses on coasters on the table and pulled Emily close to him on the couch. Then, asked her to put the phone on speaker.

  “Hey, Lexi. How are you?”

  “Great. Thanks. I was just telling Em that I got some time off at the hotel. I was thinking about coming down there to visit.”

  “Oh yeah! That sounds great! I can’t wait to meet you.”

  “Good. I was thinking of flying down in a few days.”

  “That’s perfect!” Emily told her, “I’m so excited!”

  “Awesome. Okay. I gotta run. My break is almost over. I’ll let you know next week what day I’m flying in.”

  “Sounds good. Can’t wait to see you.”

  “Take care, Lex. We’ll see you soon,” Liam told her.

  They said their goodbyes, and Emily disconnected the call. A second later, Liam pulled her on top of him on the couch and was devouring her mouth. “Mmmm. I missed you,” he told her.

  “You were only gone for a couple of hours.”

  “Babe, you need to understand something. You’re a breath of fresh air for me. I need you like I need oxygen. Being away from you is suffocating.”

  “Baby,” Emily said and rested her forehead on his, “that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “It’s true.”

  After a beat, Emily asked, “How did the meeting go?”

  He sat up so Emily could scoot back to give him room. She sat facing him, and he took one of her hands in his. “Well. It was all written down in black and white in the will. Phil left the property to me. It’s all paid off, of course. He’s owned this place for decades. I think it was passed down to him through family too.”

  “Why wouldn’t he leave it to family?”

  “Because he literally didn’t have any. He never married and didn’t have kids. He was an only child too.”

  “Wow.” Sadness came over her. Liam leaned back, resting his head against the cushions. Emily reached her hand out to stroke his forehead. “He must have been so lonely.”

  “I know.” Liam swiped his hand down his face and pulled Emily to rest at his side. “The attorney is having some paperwork drawn up to have the deed transferred to my name. Once that’s done, it’ll be official. I’ll own this house.”

  “It’s both incredible and odd at the same time.”

  “It is. But it’s reality. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past few days. I’m considering turning this place into our headquarters. With it being paid for and the amount of work we have, I don’t need a renter. We can keep our equipment stored here. Me and the guys can get the basement squared away and cleaned out. And I mean that both literally and spiritually.”

  Emily stared at him. She was excited for Liam and the guys to have a place for a headquarters. Then, something struck her. Liam noticed the change and reached for her. He pulled her onto his lap. She now straddled him

  “Em. I’ve also been thinking about us. What do you think about moving in with me?”

  “You want me to live with you?” Emily’s heart about stopped at his suggestion. She hadn’t stepped back in her flat alone since the night they saw the shadow figure. And when she did go downstairs, Liam was with her. She’d been staying with him since then, loving every moment of it. But they hadn’t talked about her officially moving in until now.

  “We’ve already been living together this past month. I know it wasn’t in our plans to move this fast. But I love having you here.” Liam kissed her hand before pulling her closer to him. “I was a hundred percent serious when I told you that you’re it for me. I don’t know how I know, but I know, down to the marrow of my bones, that you’re the one I want to be with from here on out. If you don’t want to move in yet, don’t worry. I’ll hold off on doing any renovations so you can continue living downstairs until you’re ready to move. But just know, I want you with me. And I’ll wait for as long as you need me to—”

  “Shhhhh.” Emily held her finger up to his lips, quieting him. “It’s ok. I want to live with you.”

  “You do?”

  Emily laughed and kissed Liam. “Yes! The thought of leaving you just to sleep downstairs hurts. It’s weird for me because I’ve always been so independent, but I love being here with you. You make me feel…whole.”

  Liam draped his arm around her waist while his other hand went to the back of her neck, caressing her skin. “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m positive. What’s the worst that can happen? We find out that we can’t stand each other, and I move out. Though, I highly doubt that is going to happen. Sure, it’s not the norm these days, but who’s to tell us what we are supposed to feel and do just to appease societal standards. I want this. For the first time in my life, I want to do what I want and not be afraid of repercussions. So, damn it! That’s what I’m going to do. Now, tell me what you’re thinking of doing for renovations.”

  “I am so happy.” Liam continued to caress the skin of her back while he spoke. “For starters, I want to expand this space up here. I have some ideas in my head. I need to draw them out and talk to a building engineer since this place is so old. I want to gut it. I want to add another room, maybe two. Redo the kitchen and bathroom and add an ensuite to the master bedroom.”

  Emily’s mind swirled, trying to picture how the new space would look. “That’s a lot. Where will you get the room to add two additional rooms?”

  “I can reconfigure the stairway. And I want to turn the downstairs into a couple of offices.”

  “A couple? Why not just use the whole space?”

  “Because I want you to have your own office. We can redo the kitchen, make it smaller, and build an office for you where you can work, and me and the guys will have a space to meet and work. We can even add a couple of meeting rooms where we can have clients come if they’re local, so when your clients come to see you, they don’t have to see our paranormal stuff.”

  “You would do that?” She reached up and ran her hands through Liam’s hair.

  “Of course, baby. I told you. I’m in this for the long haul. We’re going to make this work for both of us.”

  Emily’s breath caught. No one in her entire life, with the exception of Lexi, had ever given any thought to her needs. She had always dreamed of having a separate workspace. And now, here Liam was telling her he was going to build her one.

  “Say you’ll move in with me, Em. Say you’ll work right next door to me, so we’re never apart.”

  “Yes, I’ll move in with you. Yes, I’ll work next to you. Yes, to all of it.” Emily crashed her mouth down on to Liam’s lips. They made out there on the couch like they’d done so many times over the last few weeks. And like always, Liam pulled back when things became intense.

  “Don’t stop,” Emily told him.

  Liam looked at her. He was lying on top of her. One of his hands had found its way under her shirt w
here he caressed the sensitive skin at her ribs.

  “Are you sure?”

  Emily nodded. “Yes.” And she reached her hands up to pull his mouth down to hers.

  “Have you eaten yet, baby?” Liam asked her. “I want nothing more than to take you right now.” His voice was captivating, raspy, and deep as he spoke, sending lustful shivers down her spine. Goosebumps broke the surface of her skin where his hands touched. “But, your well-being always comes first for me. I need to make sure you’re fed first. Because once I have you in bed, I’m not letting you come up for air for a very long time.”

  Emily felt the blood flood her chest and cheeks. She knew Liam noticed the hot flush wash over her because he smiled, and his eyes lit up with more desire. “Not yet. You?” she breathed.

  “Nope. I went straight to see the attorney and came right back here afterward.” He looked out of the window then back to her. “It’s going to be a cold, windy, and rainy day. Let’s order in. Chinese okay?”

  “Yeah. That’s perfect.”

  “You got it. Put on a movie. I’m gonna grab my phone.”

  Emily grabbed on to him, halting his movement. “I like you right here.”

  “I like me here too. I’m gonna like it even more when I get you in bed and have you naked. But we need to eat first because we are going to be expending a lot of energy today. And I can’t order sustenance without my phone. So, I’m gonna go get it and order food. Then, we’ll cuddle here and eat, and after that, I’ll lay on top of you for the rest of the day and tonight if that’s what you want.”

  Not sure how to respond, Emily could only feel her cheeks burning more, and she knew she was bright red. “Okay, Liam,” was all she could manage to say.

  “Okay, baby. Here, get cozy under this blanket. I’ll be right back.”

  Yeah, this was perfect, Emily thought before she grabbed the remote to find a movie.

  Twenty

  Emily was right. The movie wasn’t necessary. She had found some action flick and put it on. But the moment Liam returned to the couch after ordering their food, they continued their make-out session on the sofa. It was carnal and full of want, and they both sighed and whimpered when they were interrupted by the doorbell, indicating that their food had arrived.