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I wanted his gaze, his touch, his words. I wanted whatever he’d give me, and I knew it was dangerous. It definitely wasn’t smart. I knew enough from my therapy sessions that letting my hormones, or my heart, get attached to someone like Liam wasn’t a good idea. He had a fortified fortress around his and his girls’ lives. He’d never let me in, and eventually I’d want my own key to that barbed wire entrance to his heart.
It was a mess in the making.
Still, I was desperate to dabble.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he cleared his throat. I didn’t miss how his left hand went to the left side of his crotch, likely to cover the growing bulge there.
“Uh.” He cleared his throat. “I’m just upstairs if you need anything.”
I nodded, pushing a few loose strands of hair back.
He took a few steps closer, until he was in my space, his breath on my face, and his hands dove under the neck of my shirt, pulling my hair free.
“There, you had some stuck.” His voice rumbled nice and low, grating against my skin in the most delicious way. I swallowed thickly and whispered my thanks.
He didn’t move right away, and it took all of my strength not to pull him closer.
“Goodnight, Haley.”
My eyes were finally on his, my head slightly slanted back.
“Goodnight.”
His finger trailed down my arm on his way past me, and then he was jogging up the stairs, leaving me there, flustered and confused.
9
LIAM
I tappedmy finger against my leg, watching the stairs.
The sound of the blow dryer was still going as my girls giggled and laughed. Apparently having Haley here when they woke up was equivalent to Christmas morning.
By the time I had come downstairs, she was already dressed in the clothes she’d had on last night. My T-shirt was folded in a nice, neat square, along with all the blankets from the couch last night.
I was exhausted because I didn’t get any sleep. Every tiny noise made me jump, thinking it was her. And the fact that I had left my door open meant absolutely nothing. I just wanted to be sure if she needed something she could find me.
I’d be sneaking that shirt into her bag the second she brought one over because it was hers now. The memory of her standing there in my living room, thick socks pulled up to her knees, and that shirt barely hitting her thighs, sliding off her shoulder, would be imprinted on my brain forever. Those perky, full breasts pressing against the fabric had me so fucking hard last night. Around two in the morning, I finally gave in and succumbed to gripping my cock and stroking it as I thought of her.
I sipped my coffee, trying to push those images out of my head. The things I thought last night…the things I wanted to do to her were so wrong. She was so young… And fuck, she’d probably think I was a creep. Although, the way she didn’t pull away from me last night made me wonder.You’re twelve years older, asshole. Stop thinking about how soft her skin is, or how her hair would look wrapped around your hand as you fuck her from behind.
“Girls, you’re going to be late for school!” I yelled from my spot at the table. My coffee was cold, and so was the cup I had poured Haley. She had made breakfast, or tried to. The bacon was burned and the eggs undercooked, but the toast was perfect. None of us cared because no one had bothered to cook for us in years. The girls were all dopey smiles and excited giggles. I had explained that Haley might spend the night some nights. For their sake.
“Sorry, they’re coming!” Haley called from the top of the stairs, her silky hair swaying as she poked her head over and then ducked back into the bathroom.
My heart did an odd thing, thudding erratically like a wild animal was caught inside, scratching to be freed.
Moments later the blow dryer turned off, and all three of my girls jogged down the steps. Mila had shiny hair that was parted into two symmetrical braids and tied off with pink ribbons. Seraphina had her hair in a perfectly straight ponytail without a single piece of hair out of place, and Maddy had ringlets bouncing against her shoulders as she hustled down the stairs. They didn’t look like my girls. They looked like tiny princesses.
“Don’t they look amazing?” Haley beamed, walking over to where I was standing. They slid into their brand-new boots and zipped up those expensive coats, all of which she had purchased for them. It was a mallet to my pride, but somehow seeing Haley smile at them as she helped situate their backpacks and hair eased the sting. She had done this for them. She had made them feel pretty. My girls were beautiful with or without that stuff, but I knew there was something to feeling it, owning that confidence in a way that no one could take it from you.
“Will you be here when we get out of school?” Mila asked Haley.
Haley glanced over at me, the question in her eyes. I nodded, knowing we’d talk about that later. I didn’t want her to feel like shehadto be here, but if she wanted to then she was welcome.
“Yay!” The girls all beamed as we headed outside.
“So, I’ll meet you at the gym in like thirty minutes?” Haley asked tentatively, walking toward her SUV.
