Chapter 5
All Roads Lead to You
(Liam)
I enter the living room before her, wearing only my boxer briefs because I forgot my robe is in the other bedroom. My other options were the wet, freshly washed clothes I just took off, or my suit I wore to the funeral. I hope she isn’t offended. As soon as she comes out, I’ll run in and grab my robe. That’s when I hear the door open. I look up and there she is standing in my robe. This is bad. I grab the closest decorative pillow on the sofa and place it in my lap to hide my growing erection. There is nothing sexier than a woman, naked, under her man’s clothes.
Nervously, I quickly apologize for my nakedness. “Hey, sorry Nicole. I forgot my robe was in your room.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Liam. Here…”
She opens the robe to take it off and I see all her bare skin in those skimpy shorts and clingy tank top.
“No, please, you keep it. Just please forgive my bare chest.”
Though it sounded gentlemanly when I said it, it was really to hide just how un-gentlemanly I was being.
She is just as eager as I am to change the subject. “May I ask you something?”
I look at her with sincerity, “Absolutely.”
“How did you come to have a suite in this amazing resort?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
She nods. “Well, I used to own this resort. When the racial clash went downhill for people who look like me, I signed it over to my best friend and asked if I could keep this room.”
“Wow. May I ask you another question?”
I nod. “Not that I’m staring, but what happened to your chest?”
“I was shot.”
Changing the subject quickly, I ask, “What size shoes do you and Zion wear?”
She takes a deep breath, and I brace myself for the fight that doesn’t come. “Seven for me and kids size two for Zion.”
I guess she notices shock covering my face because she asks, “What?”
Smiling and shaking my head with my hands up, “Nothing.”
“You’re surprised I’m not fighting you?”
“Well, yes. Give me just a second.”
I send Thad a text asking him if he can find boots for both of them. Then, I continue, “What made you change your mind?
“Water helps me think; it always has. While I was in the bath, I tried to come up with a feasible plan to find my family while keeping Zion safe.”
I already know the answer but need to hear her say it. “And?”
She sighs, “And all roads lead to you. Please tell me you’re not one of those men who likes to gloat.”
I smile, “Absolutely not. I just want you both to be safe.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask, but where are you taking us?”
“I have a home in the mountains. It’s a three-day hike. Before I came back to civilization yesterday, I was up there for three years without seeing another person.”
“Okay, the mother in me is officially freaked out. You want me to take my seven-year-old child on a three-day hike to a remote location where there are no doctors?”
“Is Zion sick?”
“No, but…”
“Are you sick?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Then what’s the problem? Didn’t you see that room in there? There are a lot of medical procedures I can perform.”
“Are you a doctor?”
I stare at her hoping this conversation won’t lead her to changing her mind. “No, I’m not an MD, but I have a PhD in biological sciences in public health.”
“Stop talking!”
I look at her as if she slapped me in the face. “I’m sorry, but you’re giving me an anxiety attack. I only recently started getting them.”
As I spring up, the pillow falls out of my lap. Thank goodness my erection went away. Gently, I take her hand and help her sit on the sofa. I sit down in front of her on the coffee table. “I’m guessing you probably aren’t taking any medication for these attacks, so just sit here, close your eyes, and take a few, deep cleansing breaths.”
She does and I watch her breasts rise and fall with each breath. One day, I’m going to hold her in my arms and feel them against me. After a few deep breaths, she slowly opens her eyes. “Better?”
“Yes. Sorry about that. This is hard for me, I used to be so strong and self-assured.”
“You still are! What you did today for Zion was one of the bravest things I have ever seen. You, are very strong.”
I look down and realize I’m still holding her hand. She hadn’t noticed either. She begins to pull away, so I gently let go. “We should get some sleep. It’s best if we leave under the cover of night. I’m thinking 4 a.m. which means we need to be up by 3:30.”
“You sure you don’t need to ask me more questions before you take me off into the woods?”
She gives me a little smile.
“If I ask you everything I want to know about you now, what will we talk about during our hike for the next three days?”
I smirk and stand. She stands too, and I walk her to her room. “Good night, Nicole. It has been my absolute pleasure meeting you today.”
I turn and go back to the sofa where I’ll be sleeping tonight.