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A workout would do him good. But first, he’d need to purchase gym shorts. He checked the hotel informational book on the granite kitchen counter. The resort’s one clothing store would open in the time it would take for him to walk to the lobby. Grabbing his key and a bottle of water from the mini fridge, he headed out. A good hard run on a treadmill would alleviate some of his pent-up frustration with the weather, and Sam, and Trent, and maybe even Callie.
Liam appreciated Callie’s restraint and professionalism. Her commitment to the business raised his attraction to an uncomfortable degree. As much as he’d love to have those long legs wrapped around him while staring into her eyes, if that never happened, they’d live. But the truth remained; Callie Laurel charmed him like no woman ever had.
Stop thinking about her. Work out. That’ll help.
In the resort store, he chose a pair of nylon running shorts, a simple blue resort t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers. They’d all work for a couple of days. He also grabbed a pair of jeans and little higher quality button-down shirt patterned with llamas for later, as well as some boxer briefs. Commando wasn’t going to happen. The clothes in the bag Britt had sent wouldn’t fit him. Sam was more muscular and a few inches shorter than Liam. He hadn’t even looked in the bag until Meg needed the shirt. He’d watched Callie’s reaction when Meg told her about the t-shirt being his. He could have sworn he saw a flash of jealousy when her brows furrowed over those amazing brown eyes.
Inside the locker room of the gym, Liam stilled, pulling on the pants. Maybe Sam wasn’t a muscular build anymore. His baby brother had stopped posting on his social media pages years ago. Hell, if the private investigator Trent had hired hadn’t found him by a credit card trace, Liam would still wonder if he was even alive. Now he needed to come home. The people who loved him most wanted to be there for him. And Britt wanted both of her brothers there for her big day.
He tied his shoes, did a little stretching to warm his muscles, and pushed on the locker room door. Liam’s body rocketed to life seeing her. He swore he’d recognize her in the dark. The pace she beat on the treadmill—more than a jog, less than a sprint—mesmerized him. The way her body swayed entranced him. Her intensity never faltered, focused with each step.
As he walked to the machine beside her, their gazes connected in the mirrored wall. She slowed the pace until she walked with a leisurely stride. Droplets of sweat dotted her radiant face, and her mouth remained open as she panted out a few slowing breaths. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Morning.” Liam stepped onto a machine to her left and arranged his water and towel into the machine’s cubbies.
She pressed the “Emergency Stop” button and before the belt had come to a stop, she jumped off.
“Good morning, Callie,” he repeated louder, and she stilled.
Her gaze trapped his in the mirror, and she removed her earbuds. “Good morning, Liam.”
“How’d you sleep?”
She smirked. “I’ll be asking if there’s a separate room today.”
He turned toward her. “I guess my offer?—”
“I just can’t.” She walked away.
Attraction meant very little if Callie couldn’t or didn’t want to go beyond a little flirting. He’d respect her declaration and find a way to develop a friendship above all else. Even if it hurt to even think about not exploring more, her security and well-being mattered to him more than his pounding libido ever could.
Liam pressed the speed button until he sprinted with every slap of his feet on the belt, punishing his body at a pace he’d probably regret later. He caught her reflection as she paused at the gym door. Her eyes traveled the length of his body, making him shuffle step, but he caught himself quickly and continued on his quest for ten miles of sweat and maybe blood and tears because of the new shoes.
The next time he looked up, the vision was vacant. A haze of what could’ve been was all she was. He hated thinking about “could haves” and “should haves”. Regret didn’t belong here. Hope did. He’d give her space, and if she wished for something less than what he wanted, he’d be that man. And if she wished for nothing … well, he’d find a way to forget the smell of her perfume and sway of her hips.
Somehow.
An hour later he hit the “Stop” button, and when he jumped from the still-slowing belt, his legs trembled with fatigue. That’d done the trick. His body didn’t want for anything, but a long, hot shower and a good meal for lunch, which was questionable with how the lights flickered. He grabbed a protein shake from the mini fridge on the way out of the locker room, guzzling the chocolate heaven in about four gulps, then chasing it with the remaining bottle of water in his bag.
His breathing settled, but the yearning and restlessness returned to him. When Sam had been missing, the days dragged by, but since he didn’t know where he was, Liam tried to believe, “No news is good news”. But now that he was so close to seeing him, he couldn’t help but want the reunion to happen immediately. Patience wasn’t something he’d ever excelled at, and now without the distraction of his demanding job, and a beautiful woman to engross his thoughts, his mind focused on what was wrong, not right, making him aware of the fears and anxiety coursing his body.
Back at the room, a thick steam rolled from the shower, and he spent longer than he ever had just standing and letting the water roll over him, then a shave, and another two bottles of water and he was finally presentable. The new jeans hugged his body like a second skin, tighter than he’d typically wear but nothing totally uncomfortable. He slipped his black loafers on and stared in the mirror. Why the hell did he care what he looked like? He just needed to decompress and ride out the storm. Literally.
Staring in the mirror, his mind wandered, and although he tried to stop it, there was something inside of him urging him on. Callie’s long brunette hair, which he knew was soft from touching it last night, and her silky, lightly tanned skin, which made his mouth go dry, were just icing on a womanly force that he wanted more than birthday cake. And he loved cake. Although she put effort into her appearance, he could imagine how she would look lying in bed, hair tousled and face clean from makeup, a natural and simple beauty.
He ran a hand through his hair.
Just forget about it.
The room phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Liam. It’s Meg. Callie and I are heading to the restaurant with Jon and Paul. You wanna come along?” Her perky voice effervesced through the phone. Seemed like she’d gotten a good night’s sleep. Imagine that.
“Sure.” He grabbed his wallet and keycard and forced them into his back pocket.
“Meet you in the hallway.” She hung up, and he heard voices outside his door.
