“Well, you’ve certainly got the hair for it,” Liam said, his eyes moving over windswept curls in appreciation. A lopsided grin flittered across his lips. “Would you like for me to strap you to the front of the boat, so you can get the full effect.”
She laughed. “Not hardly.”
“See, I told you we should buy a sailboat and take off around the world. You would love it. I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.”
He was right. Maurie felt free and unencumbered out here on the open sea. She’d gone all out and rented a fifty-foot sailboat for the day in celebration of Liam’s birthday. Several years ago, she was lamenting the fact that it was excruciating to buy a gift for a man who could afford to get whatever he wanted. Liam remarked that the greatest gift she could give was to spend the entire day with him. A tradition was born. Every year, they would do some grand activity together.
The previous year, they set out at the crack of dawn in order to beat the security guard posted at the entrance of the famous Stairway to Heaven Hike. 3,922 steps long, the stairway ran like a ribbon, straight up the plush Koolau Mountain Range. It was built during WWII so the military could place a radio station antenna 2000 feet up the mountain. The wooden steps were replaced with steel in the 1950s, and the summit was used as a navigation station for the Coast Guard. Now, the steps were a remnant of the past that afforded one of the most daring hikes on Oahu—partly due to the danger of the climb, but mostly because it was illegal to hike it. The hike was arduous, but the breathtaking view from the summit made it worth it. The only chance they had of getting on the stairs was to arrive at the entrance early in the morning. Luckily, they made it to the top and back down before the security guard arrived on site.
Liam seemed to be reading her thoughts. “I didn’t know how you could top last year, but I believe you’ve done it.”
“I’m so glad you like it.” They were sailing around Kaneohe Bay in the direction of Coconut Island, also known as Gilligan’s Island. Liam was an expert sailor, and the boat was moving so effortlessly across the water that it felt like they were gliding through cream. After all the stress they’d been under, they needed a day of relaxation. Maurie raised her face to the sun, liking how it made her skin feel warm and stretchy. She’d stopped by a deli picked up a gourmet lunch, and they were planning on anchoring the boat and doing some snorkeling at Barracuda Alley, a place known for its plentiful fish and sea turtles.
It was hard not to notice how Liam’s lithe body moved under his snug t-shirt and cut-off jeans. His hair was flopping in the wind, and wisps kept falling over one eye, giving him an adorable, reckless look. He felt her gaze and winked, sending a spark of warmth rushing over her. Life with Liam was a constant thrill. His every movement radiated vitality. No wonder he had so many women falling at his feet. He was an intoxicating mix of boyish charm and sophistication, all rolled up with that casual confidence that was impossible to resist.
Guilt stabbed at her. She shouldn’t be entertaining such thoughts about Liam, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Maybe Cooper had a right to be concerned. She didn’t know what to think about the incident at the restaurant the day before. The woman had seemed so convinced that Cooper was Mitchell Grant. And Cooper was visibly shaken. Maurie was debating whether or not to tell Liam about the incident. She didn’t want to fuel his jealousy of Cooper, but she needed to tell someone. And Liam was the obvious choice. They were planning on having a bonfire on the beach this evening. She would tell him then. Right now, she didn’t want to ruin this glorious morning.
Maurie’s heart about stopped when Liam peeled off his shirt. It was all she could do not to gawk. Years of windsurfing two or three days a week had kept him super fit. The first time she became hyper aware of Liam’s physique was when she dropped by his condo unannounced and caught him coming out of the shower the day after his failed wedding. He’d looked so perfect, wrapped in a towel, that she fleetingly wondered if she might’ve built him up in her mind. Seeing him today was a powerful reminder that he was every bit as hunky as she remembered. If anything, she’d downplayed him slightly in her mind. He was a live, Greek statue, his tanned skin glistening in the morning sun. Liam smiled at her, and she hoped he couldn’t read her thoughts as he often did. Thankfully, he was holding to his promise and had stopped pursuing her, because she was growing weaker and weaker where Liam was concerned. If he tried to kiss her today, she wasn’t sure she would have the strength to resist him. Heck, at this point, she didn’t know if she wanted to resist him. She was starting to wonder if her fears about Liam’s fidelity were groundless. Maybe he was truly ready to settle down.
“Love, if it’s okay with you, I think I’ll stretch the boat’s legs a little to see what she can do. Hold on.”
Maurie gave him the thumbs up and braced herself for what was coming.
Maurie scooted her camp chair closer to the comfort of the crackling fire, letting her mind get lost in the fluidity of the bright orange flames that were licking up the pieces of wood. Liam was sitting beside her, roasting marshmallows for smores. She wished the day wasn’t coming to an end. It had been almost perfect, except for that one moment when she thought she saw Cooper. She and Liam were returning the boat to the dock, when she glanced over and saw an Audi that looked just like Cooper’s. The man driving had blonde hair, but before she could get a better look, the car sped off. Was Cooper spying on them? The thought sent unease trickling over her. She was starting to think she didn’t know nearly enough about him.
Liam nudged her arm. “How many marshmallows do you think I can stuff into my mouth?”
“What?” She made a face. “You’re such a moron.”
“I’ll stuff. You count.”
She laughed despite herself. Liam’s antics were a pleasant diversion from her worries. “Okay, ready, set, go …”
He kept stuffing marshmallows, until his cheeks looked like a chipmunk’s. “Fourteen,” he slurred, trying to chew and swallow. “That’s a record.” He raised his arms triumphantly in the air.
“I dub thee marshmallow king.”
He sprang to his feet and bowed. “Thank you.” When he sat back down, she noticed that he’d moved closer to her. “Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to revert to my teenage years, but I couldn’t stand to see you sitting there, staring into the fire like you’re about to be led to the gallows.”
She made a face. “Am I that transparent?”
“Only to me.” Tenderly, he brushed a lock of hair from her face, sending a jolt of awareness through her. “Care to share what’s going on in that curly head of yours?”
As she looked into his deep brown eyes that were brimming with compassion, she was suddenly grateful for their relationship and how comfortable they were with each another. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”
His expression tightened. “Cooper?”
“Yeah, Cooper’s part of it,” she said slowly, measuring out how much she wanted to divulge.
“What’s going on?”
“He wants to move the wedding up.” The stricken look on Liam’s face mirrored her feelings on the subject. She knew if she told him that Cooper wanted to whisk her away to Asia for several months that Liam would go berserk.
“Don’t let him force you into doing anything you don’t want to do. Take as much time as you need.”
She let out a dry chuckle. “Of course you would say that. You don’t want me to marry him to begin with.”
“True,” he admitted. His jaw began working. “I haven’t been saying much about the subject because I promised I wouldn’t.”
“I know, and I’ve appreciated that.”
“But since you brought it up, you know how I feel about the guy.” His eyes flashed with resentment. “He’s bad news from the word go. But he’s also dang good at covering his tracks.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she said absently. She had enough of her own reservations without adding Liam’s into the mix, and she didn’t want to get into all of
that tonight. Arguing with Liam was about as bad as getting caught up in a wave that kept circling around and around.
“Wait a minute. You said Cooper was part of the reason you’ve had a lot on your mind. What’s the other reason?”
Her eyes trailed to his lips. The temptation to kiss him was so powerful she could hardly control it. Several times over the course of the day, currents had sparked between them when they touched. Everything had been building up to this moment from the moment they got on the sailboat.
He searched her face. “Maurie, what else?”
Blood was pumping so furiously through her veins that she felt lightheaded. Did she have to spell it out for him? Embarrassment overtook her as she shook her head and looked away. She was suddenly angry with herself for acting like a fool. She was engaged to another man, and yet she was pining away for Liam. How pathetic.
His eyes lit with realization. “It’s me.”
She kept her eyes fixed on the distant waves, crashing to the shore.
He cupped the curve of her cheek, turning her face to his. “It is, isn’t it?” he said softly.
Her heart began hammering in her chest. “Yes,” she huffed. “It’s always been you.”
He slid his hands through her hair and then down her back, pulling her into his arms. A tiny moan escaped her throat as she parted her lips. The kiss was tender at first but then intensified when his tongue connected with hers, igniting a flame of pleasure that burned her bones to liquid. Their lips moved in such perfect sync that a burst of sheer exhilaration ran through her, and she was soaring to the stars above. She was still a little dazed when Liam pulled away.
“Wow! That was amazing,” he said pressing his forehead to hers. He pulled back, a crooked grin tugging at his lips. “We should’ve done that a long time ago.” He trailed the side of his finger down her cheek. “I love you.”
She swallowed hard, confusion swirling around her. “No, Liam, we shouldn’t have.”
His forehead creased. “Well, of course we should. I love you, and you love me.”
“But I’m engaged.”
“So, break it off.”
“It’s not that simple. I made a commitment, I gave him my word.”
He caught hold of her arms. “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me. If you can do that, then I’ll drop this whole thing.”
The fierce look in his eyes cut her to quick. “That’s not fair. I need someone who’s capable of making a grownup commitment.” Her eyes grew moist. “I need someone I can count on. Someone who won’t throw me by the wayside when something newer comes along.”
“Maurie, I’m right here! Stop being afraid to love. I’ve told you over and over. I’m not going anywhere. What do I have to do to prove it to you?”’
She bit down on her lower lip. “I don’t know.”
He looked at her for one long, hard moment. “All the happiness in the world is right in front of your face, and you keep flushing it down the loo.”
“I just need more time to sort through my feelings.”
“You don’t need time. You need to learn to trust me.”
“I’m working on it, I promise.”
“And what about Cooper? You can’t marry him when you’re in love with me.”
His smug tone was like a red flag in front of a bull. “Excuse me? You certainly have a high opinion of yourself, especially since I’ve never admitted that.”
He grabbed her arm. “Shh.”
“I beg your pardon. I can talk if I want—”
“Be quiet,” he hissed. “Someone’s in the bushes.” He motioned with his eyes. “Over there.”
She froze. “Are you sure?”
He stood and picked up a log. He acted like he was going to toss it onto the fire, but then suddenly sprinted across the sand toward the bushes. A man wearing a black hoody took off running in the opposite direction.
Maurie was relieved that Liam didn’t try to play the hero and catch him. For all they knew the man could’ve had a knife or gun. Liam walked back to the campfire. “Did you get a good look at him?” Maurie said.
“No, it was too dark. Were you able to see anything?”
“No.” It had felt so cozy before to be out here, on an isolated stretch of beach. But now the empty space around them was menacing like they had targets on their backs. If the man had attacked them, no one would have even heard their screams. She shuddered, feeling the need to flee the beach and get to the safety of Liam’s car. “Maybe we should pack up and go home.”
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”
On the drive back, Maurie kept glancing at Liam’s profile. Even in the darkness, she could see the hard outline of his jaw, letting her know he was doing some heavy thinking. She was doing the same. And the more she ran through the events of the day, the more apprehensive she became. If someone had wanted to rob them, then they could have—a hundred times over. This person was simply watching them. It was too much of a coincidence that she’d seen someone that resembled Cooper earlier and then someone was watching them at the beach. It was time to come clean about her suspicions. “Liam, earlier today when we were returning the boat.” She cleared her throat. “Um, for a split second, I thought I saw Cooper.”
He turned his head so sharply in her direction that he jerked the steering wheel causing them to weave onto the shoulder of the road for a split second. “Are you sure it was him?”
“No, I’m not, which is why I didn’t mention it earlier. I thought I saw his car, but before I could be sure, the car sped off.”
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
“There’s more. But before I tell you, I want you to promise not to overreact.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said noncommittally.
“Yesterday, I took Cooper to Bubba Gumps for lunch.”
“What? How could you take him to our place?”
“I know, I shouldn’t have done it. It was a mistake. Anyway, a woman approached our table. She thought she recognized Cooper. She said he looked exactly like her best friend’s husband who died.”
“Really. What did Cooper do?”
“He denied it, of course. But the incident rattled him. The whole thing was strange. The woman seemed so sure that Cooper was this man named Mitchell Grant from South Carolina, but Cooper played the whole thing off like it was a case of mistaken identity.” She paused. “Cooper wasn’t happy that I was spending the day with you, but I have a hard time believing he would spy on us.”
Liam let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, like you have a hard time believing he had a building full of illegitimate art? Or that he could shoot at me? Or threaten me? Open your eyes, Maurie.”
It was all coming at her too fast to process. It was so far fetched to think that Cooper could’ve done those things. And yet … the woman in the restaurant accused Cooper of being her friend’s dead husband and someone had been watching them today. She caught hold of something Liam had just said. “What do you mean threaten you?”
He let out a long sigh. “The day Rebel came up missing. When you went to the kitchen to take the phone call, Cooper started going on about an oil painting of Venus and Adonis and how Venus incited Ares, her former lover and the God of War when she fell in love with Adonis.”
“That’s odd. What was his point?”
“Do you remember how the story ends?”
“No.” She could tell from the serious tone in Liam’s voice that whatever was coming wasn’t good.
“Venus begs Adonis not to go on the hunt, but he goes anyway and is gored by a wild boar.” His eyes met hers. “According to Cooper, Ares transformed himself into that boar.”
An icy fear trickled over her.
“It gets worse. Before Cooper went out the door, he told me to keep my nose out of his business … or next time he wouldn’t miss.”
She gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He gave her a sad smile. “Would you have believed me, love?”
Liam leaned over and put his arms around her. “Me too.”
Chapter 12
Liam rubbed a hand across his stubbly jaw. He was in desperate need of a shave and shower. He’d barely slept a wink the night before, worrying about how to deal with Cooper. It nearly ripped his heart out when Maurie told him she was scared. They were in over their heads. He wondered if he should hire bodyguards for the both of them—at least until he found out background information on Cooper. Maurie would probably balk at the idea, but the primary objective was to keep her safe. He’d tried to talk her into staying at his place until everything was resolved, but she insisted on going back to her house to maintain the appearance of normalcy. Her plan was to try and keep Cooper at arm’s length until they could find out more from the private investigator. “I should be able to come up with enough excuses to avoid him for a couple of days,” Maurie said, but Liam feared it might not be so easy. At best, Cooper was a stalker and at worst, a dangerous criminal. Not someone who could be put off easily. Liam couldn’t shake the feeling that things were going to get much worse before they got better.
Liam retrieved a large tumbler glass from the cabinet and poured the contents from the blender into it. He was feeling so wiped out that he decided to make a green smoothie for energy.
He opened the sliding glass door, but before he could step onto the back patio, Rebel darted past him like a racehorse that had been let out of the gate. She loved the freedom of roaming in the backyard. As usual, she made a beeline for his next-door neighbor Anthony’s yard, squatted, and did her business. Anthony was the most anal man on the planet. Rebel sensed this and enjoyed taunting him. It was a good thing Anthony was out of town for a few weeks, or he would’ve had an aneurysm.
Liam sat down in a chair and stretched out his legs. It was a beautiful day. The sky was bright azure blue and there was a slight breeze, belying the turmoil churning in him. He pushed the button on his phone to awaken it, then slid his finger across the screen to unlock it. Time to get down to business.
Love on the Rocks (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 9