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Because of that, Hadley had been confident she could come on this trip and keep Liam from seeing her growing attraction for him. That was before they’d had a romantic dinner together and then walked home in the snow. Now a major storm system had stalled over the Midwest, stranding them alone in this snowy paradise, and she was in trouble.
“I’m sorry your clients won’t make the skiing weekend,” she said, her gaze glued to the pan of bacon she was fixing. Nearby a carton of eggs sat on the granite counter; she was making omelets.
“I’m not.” Liam’s deep voice sounded far too close behind her for comfort. “I’m actually looking forward to spending the time with you.”
She should ignore the lure of his words and the invitation she’d glimpsed in his eyes the night before. Hadn’t she learned her lesson with Noah? Getting emotionally involved with clients was never smart. She couldn’t lie to herself and pretend the only thing she felt for Liam was sexual attraction. Granted, there was a great deal of lust interfering with her clear thinking, but she wasn’t the type to lose her mind over a hot guy.
What Liam inspired in her was a complicated mixture of physical desire, admiration and wariness. The last was due to how she wanted to trust his word when he claimed he wasn’t Maggie’s father. Obviously the man had a knack for making women come around to his point of view. She was back to pondering his apparent sincerity and her susceptibility. What other outrageous lie could he tell her that she would believe?
Liam had propped his hip against the counter beside her and was watching her through narrowed eyes. “What can I help you with?”
“You never offer to help Candace.” The statement came out sounding like an accusation.
“I’ve given up trying. Haven’t you noticed she doesn’t like anyone interfering in her kitchen?” He reached across her to snag a piece of cooked bacon off the plate where it cooled. His gaze snagged hers as he broke the piece in half and offered part to her. “I’m completely at your disposal. What would you like me to do?”
Hadley told herself there was no subtext beneath his question, but her body had a completely different interpretation. She wanted to turn off the stove and find a use for the kitchen that had nothing to do with cooking.
“I’m going to make omelets. Can you get the ingredients you want in yours from the fridge?”
Liam’s lazy smile suggested that he’d heard the unevenness of her tone and had an idea he’d put it there. But he didn’t push his advantage. Instead, he did as she asked, and Hadley was left with space to breathe and a moment to cool off. Almost immediately she discovered how this had backfired. The gap between them didn’t bring relief from her cravings, but increased her longing for him. She was in a great deal of trouble.
Without asking, he pulled out a cutting board and began chopping onion and tomatoes. Engrossed in the task, he didn’t notice her stare. Or that’s what she thought until he spoke.
“Candace doesn’t work 24/7,” he commented, setting a second pan on the six-burner stove and adding olive oil. “I have been known to cook for myself from time to time.”
“Sorry for misjudging you.”
“You do that a lot.”
“Apologize?”
“Jump to negative conclusions about me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?” He dumped the diced onions into the pan and stirred them. “From the moment you walked into my house you pegged me as a womanizing jerk who slept with some random woman, got her pregnant and never contacted her again.”
She couldn’t deny his statement. “I don’t think you’re a jerk.”
“But you think I treat women like playthings.”
“It’s none of my business what you do.”
Liam’s breath gusted out. “For the rest of this trip I give you a pass to speak your mind with me. I’m not going to dance around topics while you keep the truth bottled up.”
“Fine.” Hadley couldn’t understand why she was so annoyed all of a sudden. “Back when I used to show, you had a reputation for going through girls like chewing gum.”
“Sure, I dated a lot, and I know that not every girl was happy when I broke things off, but I never treated any of them like they were disposable.”
“What do you call sleeping with them once and then never calling again?”
“I never did that. Who said I did?”
