6. Chapter 6
I throw the four wheeler in park and jump off as fast as I can.
Having Violet wrapped around me…well it brought back a lot of memories, and some new fantasies about how the rest of her would feel wrapped around me.
I extend my hand to help her off the back begrudgingly, I don’t know if I can stand to touch her again without pulling her into me and kissing her soft, luscious lips.
If I thought my crush on her was bad when I was thirteen, it has nothing on being around her as an adult now.
“Come on. Let’s get inside so you can see what you’re getting yourself into.”
The kitchen and I have a lot in common. Broken, a little in disarray, and needs some TLC.
Jesus, I need friends. I’m comparing myself to a dusty, musty kitchen. Get a grip on life, Liam.
I pause at the swinging door to the kitchen. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” She flashes me the biggest smile I’ve ever gotten from her.
Pushing the door, I hold it open for Violet to walk through. She appraises every square inch of the kitchen and I just stand by the door, waiting for her to finish her assessment. I bet she’ll turn and run.
Since we don’t have a chef, the kitchen isn’t really on the to-do list yet. It was more important to get the rest of the inn ready.
“Well. It definitely needs some work.” She muses to herself. “But with a little elbow grease I think it could definitely work!” She spins around to face me. “This kitchen is amazing, Liam. It just needs some love.” She clasps her hands under her chin, “I can be here first thing tomorrow—oh as long as Hunter doesn’t need me—and I can go get all the cleaning supplies…”
She wanders off back around the kitchen talking to herself and taking notes on her phone.
What does Hunter have to do with anything? Why is she worried about him letting her come?
“Why would Hunter care if you’re at my inn, doing work for your bakery?” The tic in the vein on my temple is throbbing at the thought of her and Hunter together.
“Are you jealous, Lee?” She saunters back over to me, getting much too close into my personal space .
“No, of course not, I—”
“Liam! I know you’re here! I see your four wheeler! Where are you?” Speak of the devil.
Hunter stomps through the dining room, knowing he can probably find me at the coffee maker, and probably tracking snow in his work boots all across the floor for me to mop up.
“In here, Hunter!” Violet sing-songs.
He pushes the kitchen door open and finds us standing very close together. A sly grin spreads on his lips.
“Am I interrupting?” he asks.
“No!” I jump back from Violet.
“We were just discussing using the kitchen for the bakery. Liam was so generous that he says I can use it, if I help him clean it up. So, I can’t help you with debris clean-up tomorrow. Is that okay?” She asks his permission to come here to be with me, or help me, or her. At this point I’m not really sure who this benefits anymore.
“Of course, I’m glad the lone wolf over here is actually letting you help him.” Hunter swings his thumb out in my direction.
I raise my eyebrows at him, “The lone wolf?”
“Yeah. You like to be alone. And you’re kind of a grumpy asshole like a wolf, but your pack always has your back.” He shrugs at the simple explanation but clearly he has given it quite a bit of thought.
I only grunt in response before turning to Violet. “So I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here with bells on,” she smiles .
“Right.” I start to walk out of the kitchen, “but not actual bells right? Because that sounds obnoxious.” Fuck that would grate on my nerves, even from her.
“No, just an expression, Liam. No bells I promise.” She rolls her eyes.
I nod and walk out silently leaving her and Hunter alone. Not the best decision on my part. The vein in my temple protrudes again. But I need a whole lot of space from her to prepare for her to be all in my space tomorrow.
Last night I tossed and turned the whole night. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Hunter and Violet, standing close, joking and laughing. It pissed me off.
I was always protective of her when we were kids, but now as adults, I want to protect her. I want to be the one she chooses.
I just need to tell her that. Maybe. What would I do if she rejected me? Women always choose my brothers over me. They’re fun, spontaneous, and happy. I’m stuck here, tied down by the inn, and I know I’m not easy to be around because of it.
I stop by the barn to gather the cleaning supplies tote I left here before heading to the inn to meet Violet.
Violet pulls in at the same time as me, parking next to the four wheeler. I take all the supplies I have and bring them inside to the kitchen before I go back out to help her.
“You know it’s customary to help females carry heavy boxes,” she huffs out as she places her box next to mine .
“I was coming back to help you, if you had patience.” I stare back at her with her hand on her hip.
“Listen, big bad wolf, you could have greeted me, and maybe relayed that information.” She scowls at me before laughing.
“Big bad wolf?” I raise a brow.
“It fits you. Lone wolf, grumpy, crotchety, muscular, furry.” She scrubs her hand over my facial hair that’s growing due to a complete lack of caring about how I look.
“I’m furry because it keeps my face warm,” I lie.
“Right.” She walks away laughing to her cleaning supplies and pulls out all kinds of bottles that I don’t recognize.
We decide to each start at opposite sides of the kitchen and meet in the middle. I have the refrigerator to clean out, and she has the oven. Seems fair enough.
This plan seems like it’s working in theory. Until we both got toward the middle and kept accidentally touching each other, and bumping into each other. She was cleaning the bottom of the cabinet and I was working on cleaning out the cabinet above full of all the coffee mugs and plates to go for a run in the dishwasher.
I was being so careful not to touch her, because it’s seriously testing my limits of restraint.
In an unfortunate turn of events when she spins around her face ends up directly at my cock. My cock, which is fully aware of how close she’s been for the last thirty minutes.
She slowly slides up my body, facing me. Her arms go around my waist, forcing a rare smile to spread across my face.
“You know, if you weren’t such a big bad wolf all the time, you’d smile more,” she whispers .
I return her gesture, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her into me. I nuzzle down into her neck and whisper in her ear, “Why? If I’m the big bad wolf I could eat you all up.”
A giggle bubbles up out of Violet. “Did you just make a joke?”
Fuck. That’s not what any man wants to hear when he tries to make a move on a girl.
I pull away from her but she grabs at my shirt, holding me in place. “I didn’t say I didn’t like it, it was just a little shocking.”
Before I change my mind, I use one arm to pull her to me, and place my finger under her chin to bring her face to mine. The moment our lips touch I swear it feels like everything is right in my world.
Much too soon the kitchen door swings open making Violet take a small step back. “Liam, where is the—”
Emma’s mouth drops open and she’s staring at our proximity. “Shit. I’m…uh… I’m going to…” Her brows furrow when she looks at me. “You’re smiling. Why are you smiling? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Can’t I simply smile?”
Emma runs over, clearly invading our space and places the back of her hand on my forehead.
She looks at Violet, “He doesn’t feel hot. Has he been acting strange all day?”
“Nope. His usual big bad wolf self.” She grins up at me.
“What can I do for you baby sister?” I am exasperated with her already and I’m pretty sure she just got here.
“Oh, I’m looking for the books. I wanted to balance and see what we have left over for a refresh on the rest of the rooms. ”
“They’re in my cabin. Kitchen table.” I toss her the four wheeler keys. Since she’s staying at the inn I know she’ll be back.
“Thanks. You, um...” She waves her hands between Violet and I. “Go back to what you were doing.” She turns and practically runs out the door.
It’s almost like I can hear her typing away to the group chat that I was smiling for once. I can’t wait for the amount of shit I’ll be getting from my brothers.
Pulling Violet back into me, I crash my lips back to hers once the door is closed. She melts into me, fitting with my body like a glove. Deepening the kiss, she grips the collar of my flannel to pull me closer to her.
"I've changed my mind," she murmurs into my lips. "I want you to eat me up like the big bad wolf."
Lifting her up, I place her on the counter and step between her legs. "Happily." Running my hands down her sides, I slip my hands into her pants. My hand slips down finding her clit.
"Liam." She moans as she grinds into my hand.
She throws her head back and I take advantage to cover her exposed neck in kisses, nipping at all the spots to find the one she likes best.
Her grinding becomes erratic and her legs wrap around me, gripping me tight.
"Use me, beautiful. Come on my hand." Circling her clit with my middle finger I pause only to add pressure long enough before I made another pass around,
"Shit. Shit. Shit." Her chants make my hard cock painfully press into my zipper .
I swallow her screams with a kiss, gulping down her orgasm I wish I was tasting on my tongue.
Resting her forehead against my chest, I slip my hand out and wrap my arms around her.
"I didn't see that coming." She giggles. "But I won't be sad if it happens again."
"You are staying at my inn. I think we could probably arrange that." I wink at her, giving her one last kiss on the cheek before stepping away.
“Since everything is done, do you want to come to Gran’s and help me get some supplies over here and then we can talk about your menu for the upcoming weekend? I’d be happy to cook breakfast, some sandwiches, and dinner for the guests if you want since I’ll already be here in the kitchen.” Violet finishes gathering up all the cleaning supplies and placing them on the massive stainless steel island in the middle of the kitchen.
“Sure thing. I wouldn’t want to make you carry all those heavy boxes in by yourself again.” I grab her box of cleaning supplies and head out to her SUV. “Can’t always be the big bad wolf.”
She takes her keys out of her pocket and presses a button that opens the back of her luxury vehicle.
I let out a low whistle, “This is some car you got.”
“Larry bought it.” She sneers as she answers me.
“Can’t say Margaret has had much to say about your stepdad over the years.” She’s had plenty to say actually. Just none of it is kind.
“I’m sure. She isn’t his biggest fan. He’s a big part of why Mom stopped letting me come to Balsam Cliffs. That first summer she made me stay in New York and join some stupid debutante class. Can you see me in the same room as a bunch of rich snobs in fancy dresses?”
I look down at her dust covered overalls, and the pink bandana folded into a headband with a large messy bun falling haphazardly down around her face. I can see her doing a lot of things, but a debutante isn’t one of them.
I never knew overalls were sexy until she reached into the back of the Land Rover, pushing the box of cleaning supplies further in, pulling tight across her plump ass.
I shake my head, taking a deep breath. I need to get these thoughts out of my mind if we’re going to be working together. Every day. All day. She’ll be here. Another deep breath.
“No, I can’t see that. At all. I bet you would find a nice hiding spot where no one would find you, and pull out your book.”
She laughs, “You sure do know me better than anyone else in this world, don’t you, Liam?”
“Like the back of my hand, beautiful.”
She chews on her bottom lip, her eyes raking over my body, but she shakes her head, closing the tailgate on her car and walks around to the driver’s side. I sit dutifully in the passenger’s seat, not pushing that I should be the one driving instead of her. I don’t feel like that statement would go over very well with her.
I am going to try to not be the big bad wolf anymore. For the first time in a long time, it bothers me that someone thinks of me like that.