I laugh. “He's a corporate lawyer, not a trial attorney. He spends his days closing mergers and reviewing contracts, not defending wronged daughters.”
“You sound like you had the perfect family,” Liam says, a wistful tone in his voice.
“I wouldn’t say that, but we were generally happy.” I pause, contemplating my next words. “My parents are good people, but they are too focused on success.” I turn to Liam. “Do you know what I mean?”
He shakes his head and lets out a bitter laugh. “Can’t say that I do. I’ve never had anyone particularly care whether I was successful or not.”
“Tell me about family,” I say, my heart already breaking at hearing him say that no one cared whether he was successful or not.
He shrugs. “Not much to tell. There's my mom, my stepdad, and two half-brothers.”
“Are you close?”
“Define close.” His tone is casual, but I feel him tense beneath me. “My mom is great. Remarried when I was twelve.”
“And your dad?”
“Not in the picture.” The words are clipped, final. “Look, it's late. We should sleep. Game day tomorrow.” He kissed me, cutting off what I was about to say.
I get it. We all have our walls.
And as I drift off in his arms, surrounded by Liam’s warmth, I let myself stop planning for just one night.
Tomorrow I'll deal with Jennifer, with the media fallout, and with all the professional complications we've created.
Tonight, I'm just a woman falling asleep with the man who scared her half to death and who somehow, impossibly, is becoming more important to her, every day.
14
Liam
“You are so damn beautiful.”
I'm lying on my side, propped up on one elbow, just watching Avery sleep. Morning light filters through the curtains, painting her skin gold. Her hair is spread across my pillow, dark against the white fabric. She's on her back, the sheet pooled at her waist, leaving her breasts bare.
I could watch her like this for hours.
“Thank you,” she murmurs without opening her eyes. “What time is it?”
I lean down to plant a kiss on her lips. “Sneaky. How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough to know you've been staring at me like a creep.” Her eyes open then. “Seriously, what time is it?”
I glance at my phone on the nightstand. “Six.”
She starts to sit up. “I should get home. I need to shower, get ready for work. I have a meeting with Jennifer.”
“Not yet.” I pull her back down, rolling to cover her body with mine. “Stay a little longer.”
“Liam, we can't.”
I kiss her, swallowing her protests. She melts into it for a moment before pushing at my chest. I press against her, letting her feel exactly why we should.
She laughs, that breathy sound that drives me crazy. “You're insane.”
“You like it.”
“Maybe.” Her hands slide up my back, pulling me closer.
