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“Why do you wear these things anyway?” he asked as he put them away to the side. “They don’t seem like your type.”
I rolled my eyes. “They’re Cici’s. She’s always wearing these. She calls them her lucky heels.”
He pulled my ankle onto his bent thigh and gently examined it. “I think it’s safe to say that they aren’t lucky for you.” His eyes sparkled as they danced to mine. I couldn’t help the pull of my lips in response. My whole body pulsed when he smiled like that, even if he was teasing me.
Liam smiled as I yawned again.
“I think you are correct. But then, I’m not very good at a lot of things she is good at,” I told him softly.
“I don’t think you need to be. Families shouldn’t have to be carbon copies of each other.”
I stared at him, foggy mind trying to make sense of this man before me.
“Don’t look at me like that. This is sage advice coming from somebody who spent the better part of thirty years trying to live up to an older sibling who is great at everything.”
He held up my heel, handsome face exasperated. “Although even Tanner might have a problem sorting these out.”
“Tanner?”
“My brother, the eldest son and golden Macklen child.” He waggled his eyebrow at me as he moved to my other foot. “Surely you’ve come across him in your extensive research on my family and me.”
I had, but I stayed quiet anyway. The booze and the time of night paired perfectly into my sedative state. For a man who didn’t want me in his life, he sure was open now.
“The brilliant doctor who spent most of his life either on a podium receiving some honors or beside my father, gaining him more votes.” He gave me a pointed look. “You didn’t find him online, then?”
I blushed. No, I had found Tanner Macklen online. While the reclusive surgeon looked similar enough to Liam, he hadn’t kept my attention like the younger brother. It’d been far more interesting to keep scoping out Liam’s numerous photo ops over the years. But there was no way in hell I was admitting that to Liam. Not while he held my ankle in his lap, not ever.
I decided to alter the discussion. “And you compare yourself to him? Your brother? You’re about to be the CEO of one of the fastest-rising real estate firms in the state. That’s not exactly underachieving.”
He gave me a rueful shrug.
This was something that wasn’t in the profile. Kneeling in front of me was one of the most successful people in the city, perhaps the state. He ran a multimillion-dollar organization. Sure, he had a weakness for parties and pretty women, but other than that, he seemed like he had the world on a string.
His fingers finally unhooked the minuscule buckle and slid the second heel off my foot. His touch sent racing shivers up my spine. “When you meet him, you’ll understand.”
“When I meet him?”
A surprising flush colored Liam’s sharp cheekbones. “Tanner is my partner in many of my enterprises, including the one you’re standing in. If you can convince Tanner Macklen that his man-whore brother has been reconditioned, then the rest of the company will fall at your feet.”
“You’re going to help me, then? Agree to be rebranded, even with all the stipulations?”
He sighed. “Yes. I will help you. But I’m doing it becauseIwant to. And because that was one hell of a dramatic pitch the other day. And that you promise to never, never dance like you did tonight.”
My gaze found his. Even in the joke I could see he was serious. Excitement flooded my body as I realized what that meant for me. What it meant for Grove Communications. My client was finally on my side. Before I could stop them, my arms flew around his neck, and I plastered myself on him. “Thank you, thank you, Liam. You have no idea what this will mean to us.”
I pulled back to look at his face.
It was so close to mine that I froze, breath heavy in my lungs. I shouldn’t have touched him. He was the very definition of off-limits. And yet, my hands couldn’t stop now. They gently brushed over his shoulders, feeling the softness of his shirt against my scratched palms.
His eyes warmed my skin. “I’m sorry I shouted earlier. I was out of line.”
I smiled indulgently. “It’s okay. A simple misunderstanding, I hope. Perhaps next time we can just try talking about your evening activities instead of trying to embarrass each other.”
“I did not embarrass myself. You did that all on your own. But yes, I promise to keep you out of my man-whoring ways.”
I tilted my chin. “Excuse me… You still think there’s an ice cube's chance in hell I’m letting you do anything promiscuous until that shareholders’ meeting? Think again, sir. I will be your worst nightmare if I catch you out again like tonight.”
He chuckled, his voice satin. “What are you going to do about it?”
