Liam's Anchor
Page 5
Rose set a hand over her heart. “Here, in the back yard. And thank you so much. I normally enjoy doing this sort of stuff with my sister, but this time I’d love the help.”
Both Cammie and Finn snorted in unison, while Terry and Brett laughed outright. Liam glanced at his sister and Stacy. Judging by their smiles, they knew what the outburst was about, while he felt as clueless as Bugsby’s frowning expression.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Ignore them. Thank you for your offer, Stacy. I’d like to get married in our backyard here. I thought perhaps we could borrow some of those outdoor heaters.”
“Of course,” Stacy said. “I can also get you poinsettias and white Christmas lights. Is that something you’d like?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I have in my head,” Rose said. “We just want something small.”
This time it was Finn and Brett who grunted.
Rose gave her sons a pointed look before continuing, “It’ll be everyone here, plus a few of the staff and around fifteen more family members. So, it should be less than thirty-five.”
“That sounds perfect.” Stacy returned Rose’s grin. “Why don’t you come to my office tomorrow, after you’re done ring shopping?”
“Yes, but why are you working?” Rose frowned. “Shouldn’t you have the day off?”
Stacy grinned. “I do, but plan to go in so I can reorganize my shelves and clean out some drawers. So, if you come in, I can show you on my computer all the things I can get my hands on, and we can check delivery times then place your order.”
“Okay.” Rose nodded. “As long as I’m not making you come in on your day off.”
“You’re not.” Stacy said. “I promise.”
Bugsby leaned forward. “Then you can come find me and we’ll work on your menu.”
“Oh, that’d be perfect.” Rose’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you both so much. And you, too, Liam. This takes a load off my plate.”
“No problem,” he said, along with the others.
Those two were much more involved than him.
“I should get going,” Bugsby said, rising to his feet. “Cilantro is no doubt waiting for me at the door.”
Perfect.
Liam watched the man say his goodbyes and leave. Now he only had to wait a few more minutes before making his departure.
“Let’s clear the table then check out the game,” Finn said, rising to his feet.
Brett nodded as he stood. “Yeah, Liam. I think Dallas is playing. Isn’t that your father’s favorite team?”
“Yeah,” he replied.
“I think kickoff was ten minutes ago,” Terry said, standing next to Rose.
“You boys go ahead and enjoy the game,” she said, making a shooing motion with her hands. “We’ll take care of this. And the rest of the wine. And some of Stacy’s chocolate pie I forgot to bring out.”
“Did you say chocolate?” Cammie jumped to her feet and began stacking dishes.
His sister did the same. “Count me in.’
“Me, too.” Pride and satisfaction warmed Stacy’s expression as she grabbed the big serving platter and met his gaze over a few remnants of turkey.
The sparkle in her soft gaze sent a familiar heat through his body.
Maybe he’d stay and watch one quarter.
Two quarters later, halftime just started when most of the women joined them.
“Where’s Stacy?” Brett asked.
“She just left,” Trisha replied, settling next to him on the couch.
Liam told himself that the sudden heaviness in his stomach was thanks to the double helping of pie he’d eaten and not the loss of Stacy’s presence.
Finn grabbed Cammie’s hand and tugged her down onto his lap. “You were gone a long time. Must’ve been a big pie.”
She laughed. “Not big enough. But it was delicious.”
“So was the wine,” Rose said, and the flush in her cheeks proved it.
Liam hid a smile as he stood. “Well, thanks for an amazing meal. I appreciate the invite.” He bent to kiss his host’s warm cheek, then turned to her fiancé, already standing with his arm around her. “I’ll get with you next week to discuss the arch in more detail, if that’s okay?”
“Perfect. Thank you.” The man stuck out his hand.
Liam was in the middle of shaking it when Stacy appeared in the doorway.
“Um, I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said, shifting her feet. “But is it okay if I leave my car in your driveway until I can call a tow truck tomorrow? Darn thing won’t start, and I’d hate to bother anyone right now to tow it in case they’re just sitting down with family to eat.”
“I’m so sorry, hon,” Rose said. “Of course, it’s no problem.”
Liam was about to offer his assistance but couldn’t recall if he’d left his mechanic’s toolbox at the cabin or if it was in his Jeep. He’d had to remove it the other day to make room for a supply run and he wasn’t sure if he’d put it back.
Brett got up from the couch. “We can—”
“No.” Stacy cut him off. “Thanks. But I don’t want any of you wasting your valuable downtime on my stupid car.”
Finn stood and held out his hand. “Then just leave the keys with me. I happen to know a great mechanic.”
The man’s gaze met his for the briefest of moments, but long enough for Liam to notice and understand he was the mechanic Finn was talking about.
“You do?” Stacy sighed, and the worry lines around her eyes dissipated as she dropped the keys into Finn’s hand. “Do you think he can fit me in on short notice? It is a holiday weekend.”
“Oh, I’m positive he’d do anything for you—I mean, to help out.” Finn grinned, and although he did not meet Liam’s gaze this time, he was definitely smiling at Liam’s expense.
Bastard.
“And my brother was just leaving, so he can give you a ride to your cabin,” Trisha said, not bothering to hide her smirk from him. Or anyone.
He swallowed a curse and forced his expression to remain neutral. Working on Stacy’s car was one thing but sharing the close confines of his Jeep with the tempting woman was a bad idea.
The worst.
“A-all right.” The hesitancy in her voice matched her leery gaze. “As long as you were leaving.”
The way she chewed on her bottom lip told him she was nervous.
But of what?
He got the crazy impression it wasn’t because of him, but her.
“Yeah, I was saying my goodbyes when you walked in,” he said, caving like a damn wimp.
And he was cursing that wimpiness as he drove them the less than five minutes to her cabin.
In silence.
But a lot of heat. And not just from the heater. Or him. No, he was definitely catching sparks from the woman, who was chewing her lower lip again.
The urge to soothe it with his tongue shook through him as he shoved his Jeep into park and flicked on the overhead light.
“What are you doing?”
“Dropping you at your cabin.”
She eyerolled him. “I meant, why don’t you just pull into your driveway and park for the night?”
“Because then I would be dropping you off at my cabin and not yours.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I have two feet that are capable of walking.”
“And I’m capable of driving the few yards to my driveway—once you’re inside your cabin.”
She inhaled. “Do you always have to be so damn stubborn?”
“No.”
Silence returned for a beat before Stacy threw her head back and laughed. The pure sound had his lips twitching and body stirring.
“You know, Liam,” she said with a shake of her head when she sobered. The sound of his name in her sexy, low voice nearly decimated his control. “Sometimes you’re too much. I need to stick to my rule.”
Then her gaze dropped to his mouth.
Heat flooded his body.
There was something about the way she
was looking at him and the way she licked her lips like she wanted to taste him.
No way was he able to stop himself from shifting closer.
He had to clear his throat. “What rule is that?”
“The no touching Liam rule.”
His lip twitched. “I have the same rule about you.”
She swallowed. “But…sometimes, you’re too irresistible,” she said, and the breathlessness of her voice confirmed she meant it.
Which only served to amp up the air around them.
“No. That’d be you.”
He held her gaze as he lifted a hand but before he could cup her face, she pressed her cheek into his palm. The invitation was too much. One he wasn’t strong enough to ignore.
And as he leaned in, he told himself it was a bad idea, but the instant his lips brushed hers the arousal tripping his pulse and shooting through his body halted any and all logic.
Chapter Six
He’d missed this woman. Missed her warmth, and even though he deserved none of it, he couldn’t push her away.
So, when she moaned, he took advantage, responding to her hunger with a deepseated hunger of his own. Liam slid his tongue inside, brushing hers in a hot, wet, deep kiss. It’d been so damn long since he’d kissed her. Years. His stupidity continued as he acted on the primal need to remind her that they’d been damn good together, even though he was the reason she was no longer in his life.
Stacy murmured his name against his lips, gripping his arms as she pressed closer. That worked for him. Close was great. Close was hot. He pressed her seat belt to release her then released his before he allowed himself to act on the need he’d suppressed for months now.
To touch Stacy. To feel her. To fill his hands with her soft curves, caressing and stroking her incredible body, losing himself in her sweet warmth.
Her hands were all over him, too. Touching, caressing, clutching, increasing his need tenfold.
After a few wild moments, she drew back, breathing erratically. “That was incredible, but…” She moved out of his reach to slump against the door. “Probably not smart.”
Even though he was in complete agreement, he couldn’t move away. “I know.”
“It’s taken me a long time to get over you,” she said, dragging in air.
He had no right to feel gutted by her words, and yet his stomach clenched, and chest tightened just the same.
“The way you left, Liam.” She shook her head. “No goodbye. No, ‘it’s been fun but it’s over.’ Not. One. Word.” She drew in another breath and exhaled, her bottom lip trembling.
His gut took another hit. “I had no choice.”
“There’s always a choice,” she muttered, eyes flashing. “And your choice just didn’t include me. I know the mission you came back from was bad and that you had stuff to deal with, but instead of answering a text or calling to tell me it was over—you changed your damn number, Liam. Who does that?”
“An asshole.” He blew out a breath and moved back to his side of the Jeep and stared into the darkness outside the window.
It reflected what swarmed inside his soul. The guilt and pain had been too overwhelming, too severe immediately after that damn mission. It had resurrected old hurts. Old tragedies. If they had spoken, if he’d seen her or answered one of her calls, he’d known with utter certainty he would’ve told her the truth and unwillingly hurt her even worse.
Back then, if he’d told her that truth—that he loved her but couldn’t bear to look at her because it reminded him that it was their relationship that had brought bad luck, bad karma, to his team—it would’ve crushed her.
No way in hell would he do that to her.
The gut-crushing weight of guilt belonged to him. It was his to carry every day. His and his alone. She didn’t deserve it. It hadn’t been her fault. He’d known better but had thrown caution to the wind and enjoyed the best four weeks of his life.
Too bad it had led to his biggest fuck-up.
Hurting her had been his second biggest, but necessary.
Kept karma off her doorstep. Kept her live.
So yeah, he’d changed his number. He had to or he would’ve caved. He’d have given into his need to hear her voice. And it would’ve led to hurting her even more.
“You should go in,” he said without looking at her.
He could feel her gaze on him, boring deep. After a few heated beats of silence, he heard the click of the door.
“Yeah, I should.” She got out. “Thanks for the lift,” she added before slamming the door.
He didn’t flinch. Not outwardly, but he did grit his teeth as he watched her march to her cabin, unlock the door, then shut it with a lot less force than she’d used on his vehicle.
She was pissed. Had a right to be. She was also still hurt.
That added another layer to his guilt.
Blowing out a breath, he drove the short distance to his driveway and parked.
It was a good thing the woman didn’t realize he was the one who was going to fix her car tomorrow. She’d no doubt refuse his help, with a few colorful word choices.
But he owed her. Big time, and this was just a small way for him to clear some of the black in his ledger of life.
Especially the chapter she owned.
Like his heart.
Stacy would always own his heart.
He had dated over the past four years, but not as much as he’d led others to think, including his family. There was a lot his family didn’t know. But letting them think he was avidly dating kept them out of his business. They left him alone, thinking he was having a great life, when in truth, outside of work, he didn’t have much of a life. He’d started to once, but it had ended in tragedy, one his family had never even known. Then he’d considered it again with Stacy, but once again, tragedy had resulted.
So he kept to himself. Practiced subterfuge with his family. Lie of omission. Blatant lie. All of the above. Whatever the label, it was his choice.
The only special person in his life was Trident.
As his gaze strayed to the cabin next door, he told himself he was good with that even though it was his biggest lie yet.
***
After suffering through another sleepless night, Stacy was mainlining coffee in her office the next day, having gone way past her three cup daily limit by noon. Last night’s tossing and turning was due to a fire of a different kind. One ignited by Liam that even his dismissal hadn’t doused.
She was pathetic.
His kiss, on the other hand… God, that’d been amazing.
Even better than she’d remembered.
Better than she’d fantasized about since August.
He’d tasted like cinnamon and coffee, an amazing combination. He’d kissed her like he’d meant it. Like he couldn’t get enough. Like he’d hungered for her for years. It’d been hot and frantic, and deep…and dammit, now she was hot and frantic and needed to cool down.
She grabbed a stack of brochures off her desk and fanned herself.
Yeah, she was big-time pathetic.
Grumbling, she sucked down her lukewarm coffee and still fanning herself, eyed the tall, five-tiered shelf along the far wall, stuffed to capacity. Then glanced at the one she’d just assembled and pushed next to it.
Satisfaction warmed her blood.
After setting the coffee and brochures down, she tested her handiwork by setting a box of envelopes on one of the empty shelves.
It didn’t collapse.
She was still fist-pumping the air when Rose Brennan walked in with a big grin on her face, a shiny new ring on her finger, and two foam cups in her hands that smelled suspiciously and deliciously like chocolate.
“Well, it looks like I came just in time with these hot chocolates,” she said, handing her one. “What are we celebrating?”
“I never need a reason to enjoy chocolate, but I was celebrating my triumph over there.” She pointed to her new shelf. “I put it together and it’s still standing
even after I placed something heavy on it.”
Rose held up her cup in a toast. “Good for you, dear. I was never any good at that sort of thing. Terry or my sons usually handle it.”
She sipped her hot chocolate then nodded at the gorgeous solitaire diamond on the woman’s finger. “Your ring is absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you. I didn’t want anything too big,” Rose said with a shake of her head, her shoulder-length brown hair swishing with the movement as she gazed lovingly at her ring. “I had some trouble convincing Terry to go small. He wanted to get me this huge, two-carat monstrosity that was bigger than my knuckle. He said I deserved the best. That’s when I told him that he was what I deserved, and that to me the ring should symbolize us. Yeah, our love might be big, but we aren’t flashy or complicated. We like simple things. Fresh mountain air. Cloudless blue skies. Freshly fallen snow that’s pure and untrampled. Once I told him that, he studied the case for a moment then chose this ring.”
“I think it’s perfect.”
“So do I.” Rose sniffed and shook her head. “Sorry. I’m babbling and just a little emotional. If someone would’ve told me last year that not only would I be about to marry the man I love but both my boys would be home, one happily married and the other happily engaged, I’d have said they were drunk.”
Stacy nodded with a grin. “It’s amazing what a difference a year can make.”
Never in a million of them did she think she’d be living next door to Liam, and actually talking to him.
And kissing him.
She shook her head. That was a one-time lapse in judgment. A huge one.
“I know.” Rose chuckled. “It’s bewildering. Did you ever think you’d see Finn and Brett so sweet and caring?”
“No.” Stacy snickered. “Especially Finn. He was so grumpy and miserable after leaving the Navy.”
“Exactly. Now he’s the kindest man. Ready with a smile, and the way he looks at Cammie…” Rose blinked back tears and gave her head a shake. “And Brett is so supportive and patient with Trisha. I’m just so proud of them both.”
“You should be.”
Emotions—happy ones—clogged Stacy’s throat. The Brennans were wonderful people and Stacy was fortunate to not only have them as her employers, but also as her friends. They were family. This amazing, generous woman in front of her was what she thought a mother should be, and she hoped the boys knew how truly blessed they were to have her.