Liam's Anchor

by Donna Michaels

  She cleared her throat. “You should also pat yourself on the back, Rose. You raised them well.”

  “Aww, thanks, hon.” The smiling woman patted Stacy’s arm instead. “But their dad and Terry get credit, too,” she said. “Even though Terry isn’t their father, they look up to him like one. He’s been around their whole lives and he loves them like sons.”

  “Finn and Brett are very lucky to have you both,” she said, having never spoken truer words.

  Rose set a hand over her heart. “That’s so sweet of you. Thank you. They are also lucky to have found true love.”

  Stacy sipped her hot chocolate and refused to let her mind dwell on everything she lacked. Pity parties weren’t her thing. She much preferred to celebrate her friends’ good fortune.

  “Like Liam,” Rose said causing Stacy to blink.

  Liam?

  She must’ve zoned out because she had no idea how they’d gotten on the subject of the enigmatic man from her past.

  “Did you know that not only is he not taking a salary on all this work he’s doing, but his company is not making a profit either?” Admiration warmed Rose’s gaze. “He’s doing it for cost. And the cost of labor for his men.”

  Stacy’s heart squeezed. “No.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t know.”

  She had the feeling there were a lot of things she didn’t know about the guy. But it didn’t matter. He wasn’t part of her life anymore.

  “Oh, my goodness.” Rose blinked and set her cup on the desk to remove the purse from her shoulder and fish through it. “I almost forgot to hand you your car keys. Sorry, dear. Wedding brain.”

  Her keys?

  She set her cup on the desk and took her I Love Colorado key ring from Rose. “Why do you have my keys?”

  “Because Liam had just finished fixing it when Terry and I got back from town a little while ago, so I offered to drive it here since I was coming to see you.”

  Frowning, she shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Well, we just thought it was foolish for you to have to get a ride to my house to fetch it.”

  “No.” She shook her head again. “Not that part. The Liam part. He’s the one who fixed my car?”

  “Yes, dear,” Rose said. “He was at our house bright and early and well, it’s almost one now, so he spent the past six hours or so on it.”

  “But why Liam?” Her mind couldn’t grasp it. “I thought Finn said he knew a good mechanic.”

  “He did. Liam.” The woman grinned. “According to my son, when they were SEALs, Liam was the mechanic on the team. He could fix anything. Look at what he’s done around here. He’s just one of those guys who is really good with his hands, you know?”

  Oh, she knew all right, and her body heated just thinking about it.

  Bad body.

  “He’s a good man,” Rose said. “And you’re a lucky woman.”

  Stacy choked on the not-so-hot chocolate she’d foolishly decided to finish at the worst time. Coughing, she pounded on her chest until her throat was cleared, while Rose patted her back.

  “Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

  Nodding, Stacy swallowed a few times then wiped her eyes. “Wow,” she said. “You sure say the strangest things, Rose.”

  The woman’s eyes widened. “Me? All I said was you were lucky because Liam is a good man and obviously sweet on you.”

  “Sweet on me?” She blinked. “W-why would you say that?”

  Rose laughed. “It’s evident in the way he looks at you. It’s cute how his face seems to soften. And there’s the fact that he showed up bright and early today and spent hours in the freezing cold fixing your car. I don’t know too many men who’d give up their day to do that for just anyone. No. Trust me, Liam likes you. And by the way your gaze kept straying to him yesterday and the blush on your cheeks right now, I’d say you like him, too.”

  She snorted. Couldn’t help it. It was funny and true. Too true.

  Dammit.

  And even though she’d tried her best not to, Stacy was still thinking about it hours later. Well after she’d placed an order for a hundred white poinsettias, made sure they had enough spare topiaries, Christmas lights, and white linens in the storeroom.

  Well after Rose had left.

  Stacy’s mind was still trying to digest the new things the woman had told her about Liam. His extreme generosity toward the new veteran’s area of the ranch. The fact he’d fixed her car even though her departure from his Jeep had been almost hostile last night.

  Her sigh echoed through the room.

  Stacy powered down her computer, shrugged into her coat, and grabbed her keys, already knowing she wasn’t going straight home.

  No. She owed the man a thank you.

  After turning off the lights, she locked her office and yawned. It’d been another long day. A fruitful one, though, she thought as she nodded to the girls at reception on her way out.

  “Coming in tomorrow, Stacy?” one of them asked.

  She shook her head. “No. I think I’ll actually take the day off like I’m supposed to.”

  “Good for you,” the other said with a grin.

  Stacy returned it and was still grinning when she spotted her car in the parking lot. Geeze, what exactly had Liam done? It was shiny and looked a heck of a lot newer than it had yesterday. He’d definitely gone above and beyond.

  He’s sweet on you…

  Rose’s words resounded in Stacy’s head. Yeah, that part did funny things to her chest. Stupid things.

  Things she needed to stop.

  Inhaling the cold, fresh air cleared her head, so she did it again before getting behind the wheel, and by the time she parked alongside her cabin, she had a game plan.

  She’d knock on Liam’s door, hold out her hand and thank him. Then she could go home with a clear conscience and enjoy some quiet time with Slater before calling it an early night.

  Yeah, that worked for her. She just needed to stick to the plan, and it would all be good.

  Feeling confident, Stacy walked over to Liam’s cabin and knocked on the door, her hand at the ready.

  “Come in,” he called.

  And just like that the damn man threw off her plan.

  Okay, plan B.

  No biggie. She’d go in, thank him, shake his hand, then leave.

  So, after straightening her shoulders, Stacy opened the door and stepped inside then promptly swallowed her tongue.

  Chapter Seven

  Liam was shirtless again, wearing a pair of jeans that were riding dangerously low on his backside as he crouched near the hearth. Droplets of water fell from his freshly washed hair and ran down the muscles rippling in his back and arms as he stoked the smoldering fire with a poker. The sight of the man unknowingly stoked one in her, too.

  She just couldn’t catch a damn break.

  “Trident.” His voice was low yet firm.

  A command. The sound upped the heat in her body.

  It also kept the dog at Liam’s side. The dog whimpered as he looked at her but didn’t move.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Let him come over.”

  Liam glanced over his shoulder at her then nodded and uttered another command, but it was too low for her to catch. Trident did, however, because he bounded straight to her, tail wagging, body a wiggling tornado.

  It was too adorable.

  With her thank you-handshake-then leave plan on hold, she dropped to her knees and rubbed the dog’s neck with both hands, then his belly as he sprawled onto his back.

  For several minutes, she concentrated on the adorable dog instead of his hot master. Her pulse and body temperature returned to normal, making it easier to think and breathe.

  She hadn’t come here to ogle the guy, even though he was drool worthy. And it wasn’t her fault he was practically naked again, showing her all that ripped real estate.

  No. That was his fault. She was not taking the blame.

  “Any chance you
’d do that to me if I laid on the floor?”

  Startled, not only by his words but his close proximity, she jumped to her feet.

  So did Trident.

  “Easy, buddy,” Liam said, his gaze on the dog, voice calm and firm.

  Careful not to move fast again, she raised just her brows. “Sorry, Trident. That was my startle reflex.”

  The dog moved to brush against her and put his nose into her palm, so she patted his head.

  “It’s okay,” she said, doing her best to use a calm, quiet tone.

  It must’ve worked, because he turned around and lumbered back to his bed.

  “Sorry,” she said, turning to face Liam. “I didn’t think…”

  Air funneled into her chest, stealing her words and most of her brain cells. A delicious fog enveloped her as heat from his hot, hard—extremely close—body seeped into her.

  The man was potent from a distance but up close, he was lethal.

  He was killing her.

  “It’s okay.” He shook his head. “You didn’t know.”

  She moved past him and took off her coat, needing some relief from the heat engulfing her.

  “You okay?” he asked from behind.

  She snorted. “Depends on your definition. And is it a SEAL thing to walk around in the winter with no shoes or shirt and no heat in your place?”

  “Cold doesn’t bother me.” He shrugged then narrowed his eyes. “Have you been drinking?”

  “Yep.” She nodded, turning to face him again. “Hot chocolate with Rose Brennan, who, by the way, handed me my keys and told me you fixed my car.”

  The amusement in his eyes faded. “You weren’t supposed to know.”

  “Why not?” She rounded on him. “You don’t want my thanks?”

  He shook his head. “No. You don’t owe me a thing.”

  She released some of her frustration in a hard breath. “Yes, I do. A thank you for fixing it. In the cold. All morning.” She swallowed as his nearness seeped into her again. “Thank you, Liam.”

  Even though she’d planned to shake his hand, she nixed that part. Touching would not be smart right now, if ever.

  “You’re welcome,” he said, his voice low and dead sexy.

  So sexy, she trembled.

  And he noticed.

  Damn him.

  “It’s your fault, you know.”

  “Mine?” He frowned. “What did I do now?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She waved a hand at him. “Saving trespassers. Not taking a salary. Fixing my car. Looking sexy while you breathe. That sort of thing.”

  A smile twitched his lips. “Is that all?”

  What was wrong with her?

  Stacy covered her face with her hands and blew out a breath that whistled through her fingers.

  She should go. Needed to go, otherwise…

  “This isn’t smart.”

  Shoot. She’d said that out loud.

  She heard him move a second before she felt his fingers brush hers.

  “Stacy,” he said, lowering her hands from her face. “There’s nothing to worry about. Nothing’s going to happen.”

  His gaze was kind and earnest and dammit, it had the opposite effect on her resolve. It added to his appeal.

  She blinked at him. “It’s not?”

  “No.” He cocked his head. “Not unless you want it to.”

  After studying him a beat, she tugged free and moved past him to stare at the fire, wishing she knew how to handle the situation. Truthfully. Yep. When in doubt, stick with the truth. Besides, honesty was the way to go with Liam. The guy always could spot a bullshitter. One of the many things she liked about him.

  Inhaling, she found her nerve. “That’s just it. I do.”

  “You want something to happen?” he asked, voice sounding incredulous with a hint of pleased. “I thought you had a rule…”

  She nodded. “Just like you. And just like you, I don’t think I’m the only one having a hard time keeping it.”

  This was the part where he was supposed to agree with her. But there was nothing but silence in the room, except for the crackle from the fireplace and the occasional snuffling from Trident’s snoring.

  It was in that moment she discovered silence wasn’t always golden.

  Well beyond embarrassed, Stacy wished she could disintegrate like the ash in the fireplace.

  “You’re not wrong,” he finally said, interrupting her mortification and the pulse thrumming in her ears. “But I have to, concerning you.”

  She lifted her head, relieved he’d admitted his attraction but a bit miffed at the same time. Surely, he wasn’t revisiting old issues. He wasn’t still hung up on the fact that they’d started to see each other a few weeks after she’d gone to a ballgame with one of his team members.

  Stacy swiveled on her booted heels to face him.

  “Why?” she asked. “Because of Shane?”

  He nodded.

  “Unreal.” Tossing her hands up, she shook her head and frowned into his stoic gaze. “It was one date, Liam. One. No…it wasn’t even a date. And we definitely didn’t have sex. I don’t understand why that would make me Shane’s girl in that damn brotherhood code book of yours.”

  Shane had even told Liam to his face that they weren’t an item and gave his blessing. That was why Liam had asked her out.

  God, she’d thought this was all behind them.

  “I crossed that line,” he said in a voice low and full of remorse. “And the team paid the price.”

  Stacy’s heart rocked in her chest. “Oh my God,” she said as his actions and inactions of the past became clear. “That’s why you cut me out. You think I caused bad luck…”

  “No. Not you.” He stepped close to grasp her upper arms and hold her gaze. “It was never your fault, Stacy. I want you to get that thought out of your head right now. It was all on me.”

  Before she could respond, he released her and turned away.

  Well, that wouldn’t do.

  She jammed her hands on her hips and counted to ten before speaking her mind. “That’s a load of bullshit.”

  He stiffened before slowly turning to face her, one brow raised. “Which part?”

  “All of it,” she replied. “If you were guilty then so was I. Or if I was not guilty then neither were you. None of this taking the blame crap, Liam. I was far from innocent in our relationship. I wanted it as badly as you. I participated as wholeheartedly as you.” She blew out a breath and some of her frustration along with it. “I also wholeheartedly don’t believe what happened on your mission had anything to do with our relationship. It was horrible and I’m so sorry it happened, but we were not to blame. If anything, life is to blame. A bad outcome to a bad situation. It wasn’t karma.”

  His gaze clouded and she watched his jaw clench and unclench several times. He was either chewing on his thoughts or biting back his words. Whatever the reason, he eventually exhaled, and his shoulders relaxed.

  “We’ll have to agree to disagree.” He shrugged, his gaze once again clear, his jaw set.

  She set hers. “I guess we will.”

  “A’ight.”

  “Fine.” She didn’t back down. No, she watched the firelight dance in his eyes, casting shadows from his cheekbones, adding to his level of badass.

  The former SEAL was strong and stoic, both inside and out, with a soft side she missed and a brave, helpful side she was discovering. Her earlier thoughts were right.

  There was so much more to Liam than she’d known.

  It was too bad the chance had been taken from her. Taken from them.

  But one thing remained…and it burned hotter and brighter than the fire crackling in the hearth behind her.

  Attraction.

  Chemistry.

  And right now, since they’d admitted it, the attraction seemed to amp up and fan out of control. So much so, that her feet moved toward Liam without her permission.

  “Stacy,” he said, his tone low in warning.


  She swallowed, trying hard to resist the pull. “I know.”

  Managing to halt her feet proved easier than halting her gaze. It started at his Adam’s apple that bobbed a few times before her eyes moved over his tight jaw with its sexy salt and pepper dusting, until finally resting on his mouth. A very talented, giving mouth that used to steal her breath, drive her mad with need…like last night.

  Kind of like right now.

  “You’re killing me,” he muttered.

  “Sorry,” she said, then snickered as the absurdity of the situation and her actions washed over her. “Seems I’ve left my sanity next door in the cabinet where I keep the hot chocolate.”

  He chuckled and the sexy, low timbre never failed to make her nipples hard.

  “My sanity seems to be in short supply lately, too.” He smiled. “Let’s just say good night.”

  She exhaled and nodded. “Good idea.”

  To prove it, Stacy stuck out her hand. “Good night, Liam. Thanks for your help.”

  “Night.”

  The instant his big, warm, deliciously calloused hand closed over hers, Stacy realized her whopper of a mistake. And that, once again, her earlier assessment of touching him had been correct.

  Awareness shot through her body, tingling all her good parts, and heating her from head to toe.

  Dammit.

  Knowing she was holding his hand too long, she met Liam’s gaze—intending to say what, she had no idea—but finding his gaze narrowed and heated, sent whatever might have left her lips back into oblivion.

  “I’m glad you made a nice life for yourself here at Royal Pines,” he said. “It suits you.”

  Remembering to breathe was tough under that gorgeous green gaze of his, which was surrounded by equally gorgeous thick, dark lashes she’d always envied. Her stupid pulse hammered so hard it echoed in her head, drowning out her conscience and what little wisdom that remained.

  She cleared her throat. “Thanks,” she murmured, pleased she’d found her voice.