Chapter 3 – Liam
I ’ve been friend-zoned by the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.
I’ve accepted it since she’ll occasionally say things in passing that make it painfully clear I’m outside the realm of potential romantic partners in her mind. If she doesn’t want it, why make some stupid pass and risk a friendship that means the world to me?
Plus, I’ll never forget how vulnerable she was the day we met because of Chad.
She kept apologizing over getting her period blood on my sofa as if I gave a shit.
When she explained what she’d been wondering prior to catching her husband with another woman, I was so relieved that she wouldn’t be having his baby, happy that her body decided, ‘No, honey, this isn’t a worry you need today. ’
Our weekly dinners are a highlight of my routine and I cherish the time we spend laughing and talking about any and everything.
It’s so easy with her and I guess part of that has to do with the absence of the need to perform around her.
I’ve never known this sort of deep connection with any of the women I’ve dated and…
well, I’ve dated a lot of women. And, slept with even more of them.
A flash of red catches my eye, a brunette on the other side of the romantic Italian restaurant where I find myself on Friday night a few days later. Juliana is a brunette and she was wearing red at Twisted Anchor the other night.
“Liam, are you listening to me?” my date asks, breaking in on the memory.
“Not really,” I murmur before my brain can catch my mouth. My date’s eyes widen. Fuck . “Sorry, sweetheart. Just preoccupied by work.” I give her my best apologetic smile and she instantly melts.
“When can I see that nightclub you own?” she asks, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin.
“I don’t know if I’d take you there.”
“Why not?”
“All the men would be hitting on you and I don’t think I could stand it.”
I cringe internally over the lie - I don’t feel the slightest bit possessive over this relative stranger I’m having dinner with - but she coos, running her hand along my thigh under the table, and I know she’ll invite me to come inside tonight when I take her home before we’ve even ordered our entrees.
∞∞∞
A few hours later, I’m wondering how soon I can leave while staring at her darkened ceiling when I hear my phone softly buzzing.
Grabbing it, my heart speeds up seeing Juliana’s name.
I know it’s shitty of me when I’m in bed with another woman but, if she’s calling me past midnight, you can damn well bet I’m going to answer.
“Hang on a sec,” I whisper, quietly snatching up my clothes and heading into the bathroom before I continue. “What’s up?”
“Liam, I am so sorry to disturb you but I’m in a real pickle.”
Juliana would say she’s in a real pickle whether she lost her car keys or her house burned to the ground. “What’s wrong? Are you alright?”
“I’m okay but… I was robbed tonight.”
“What?!”
∞∞ ∞
The relieved breath I exhaled when I saw her safe and sound made it well worth my maniacal driving to reach her.
Juliana’s house was burgled while she was babysitting for her sister and sister-in-law tonight.
Nothing irreplaceable was taken but, once the cops left, she was still shaken up and couldn’t bear being alone.
“I hate to intrude. I could’ve stayed there if-”
“Nope, the lock was jimmied, a window was broken, and your security system is shit. We’re not taking any chances with your safety.
You’ll stay with me until everything is rectified to my satisfaction.
No arguments, young lady.” She smirks at my authoritative tone but it’s true.
I’ll contact my brother Dean. By the time his security tech firm is finished with Juliana’s house, it’s going to be more secure than Fort Knox.
Opening the door, I usher her inside my house in Presidio Heights. “Liam, I’m sorry to be-”
“Jules, if you apologize one more time tonight, I swear I’ll tickle you.” It’s the worst I can do to her because a) she’s ticklish as hell and b) there’s nothing I’d do to actually hurt this woman.
I keep my thermostat set low and she shivers as she steps inside so I rub my hands up and down her arms, trying to ignore her sexy curves in those leggings.
Her pretty hazel eyes flick up to meet mine and it’s like a thunderbolt to my dick.
Her high-swinging ponytail and pouty lips make it even harder to remember certain things - like she’s my friend and she prefers we keep it that way.
“Last time you babysat, you said you were too fixated on Amelia to eat. Are you hungry?” I ask, stepping back to break the spell she casts over me with such ease. I won’t do anything stupid. Not with Juliana. And, definitely not after the turmoil of getting robbed tonight.
She nods thoughtfully, staring at me a beat longer than expected. “I did say that, didn’t I? It’s true tonight, too,” she adds before making her way into my kitchen.
We’ve spent plenty of time in each other’s homes so it’s nothing strange for us to raid the other’s fridge.
I can’t say how many times Juliana has had the perfect casserole sitting in hers, waiting for me to warm it up in order to combat a hangover after a night out with the guys or how often she’s grinned like a child upon seeing her favorite flavor of ice cream in mine.
My fridge at the moment however…
“Liam Culver, you have nothing in here but some old takeout, processed cheese, out-of-date milk and beer.”
I bite my bottom lip, amused by her scolding. “I meant to go shopping earlier but my friend invited a burglar over.” She chuckles. “I have fresh bread and wine. How about a grilled cheese sandwich and some Cabernet Sauvignon?”
“Now, you’re talking.”
We chat about Amelia while we grill - that kid is so damn cute, and her aunt is nuts about her. Then, I slip away to shower after pouring the wine.
She asks about Sable when I rejoin her, and I tell her about the sex toy vendor who sent us a thousand sample-sized bottles of pineapple-flavored lube. “That many?!”
“Sure. We’ll give them away and place the extras in the playrooms. Gotta have lube for certain activities, right?
” Fuck, her cheeks have turned the prettiest shade of pink.
It’s adorable. “Now, purely for scientific purposes, I know you’re one of those strange people who detests pineapple on your pizza… ”
“Because I am sane.”
“Nonsense. Pineapple on pizza is divine; however, on a cock, do you like that Hawaiian flavor or do you prefer-”
“Liam!” she snorts, trying to choke down her last bite.
“This is an important customer satisfaction survey for my club, Jules.” She rolls her eyes. “Very well, I’ll behave,” I promise, leading her to the living room sofa and knowing exactly what she needs.
“Austen?”
“Jane fucking Austen,” I confirm, hitting play on the mini-series she’s watched a million times and made me watch at least half that number. Arranging the blanket and pillow, I hold out my hand. “Come here. I’m holding you until you fall asleep.”
“You have guest bedrooms,” she argues but it doesn’t stop her from lying down beside me.
“I do,” I agree, giving her cheek a chaste kiss before settling the blanket over us. It isn’t the first time we’ve fallen asleep together watching TV, but it’s the first time it’s being done intentionally. Does she realize that?
“I take up too much room,” she says, worriedly.
I’m going to choke Chad Beaumont out someday for the shit he said to her during the divorce. Once he realized she was truly done with him, he went full asshole on her. I wish I knew how to extract his words permanently from her brain.
“You babble when you’ve been drinking wine, Davenport.”
“You’d be more comfortable in your bed.”
“Shall we move there?” Dead silence. Don’t fuck up, I warn myself. “Do you want to fall asleep alone?”
“No,” she whispers, shuddering. Whoever violated her sense of security by breaking into her house tonight is going to be fucking sorry.
“Liam?” she says at length as we watch our Regency couple bicker. “You took a shower earlier.”
“Yeah, I did.”
I had to. I wasn’t going to hold Juliana like this after I’d been with another woman without taking a shower and, honestly, I had to take care of some business in there so I can be the perfect platonic male friend making her feel safe instead of a horndog with a raging boner pressed against her ass.
Okay, to be fair, that might happen anyway.
“Where were you when I called you? You weren’t working tonight, were you?” she asks, her tone distant.
“No, I wasn’t working and let’s just leave it at that, honey.”
She stiffens and my stomach drops. She probably thinks I’m a complete pig. I have a feeling my date thought the same when I explained a friend needed me as she caught me sneaking out.
But, as the movie flickers in the darkness, I feel her relaxing again. “Is she someone special?”
“I just met her a couple of nights ago when I was out with the guys.” Sable may be our members’ playground, but it’s our business. These days, my friends and I generally seek women places where we can avoid any strings tied to the club.
“Will you call her again?”
“Am I a prick if I admit I don’t particularly want to?” She yanks on my arm hair. “Ouch.”
“Yes, but exactly what I’d expect from a player like you, Mr. Culver.” I frown, hating to hear her call me that. Even if it’s undoubtedly true. “I am sorry I interrupted your-”
“I warned you.” I cut off her unwanted apology by tickling her.
“Mercy, sir! Mercy!” she shrieks, breathlessly. “You’re too cruel.” I love the sound of her cackling into my pillow long after I give into her pleas. “Why don’t you want to see her again? Wasn’t it good?” she asks once we’ve settled again.
I shrug, wanting nothing more than to end the discussion. “Sex is always good.”
“Is it?”
I’m heading into shoaling waters here, but I answer anyway. “Sure. Though, I guess it helps if the man knows what he’s doing.”
“You guess right. I suppose you know what you’re doing?”
The way her voice was all husky and curious when she asked that? Yeah, I’m past the low tide zone. I’m running aground. “Shush, I’m trying to watch Lizzie deliver the world’s greatest burn.”
She laughs, her mood lighter, and her body becomes completely relaxed.
So does mine except for one part, but I keep my hips well away from hers.
She smells so good, like cloves and citrus.
She braided her hair after taking the ponytail down.
The end of it tickles my chest. I could die a happy man like this.
“Do you think you’ll ever be ready for something more with someone special someday?” she asks just when I think she’s on the verge of dropping off.
“That’s a lot of somes, Jules,” I hedge. “Do you?”
“You know I don’t. I can’t bear to say those three little words to any man ever again. I just… no.”
“I know.” God, I know it.
“Do you ever think about having children?” she asks next.
I blink, not expecting the question. “No, that’s not something I’ve planned on.”
“I want one,” she murmurs.
“What?When?”
I stay silent after that, waiting for her to answer. She drifts off to sleep in my arms instead. Whether or not I ever want kids, I know I’ve already found someone special I want something more with. She just doesn’t feel that way about me.