Chapter 28 #2
They lost count of how many times they came together that night, exploring every position, every fantasy they’d harbored during their separation. When dawn finally broke through the curtains, their limbs tangled together, both thoroughly debauched and deliriously happy.
“Morning, beautiful.” His voice was rough from sleep and overuse.
“Morning yourself.” She stretched, delicious aches blooming in muscles she’d forgotten she had. Between her thighs, heat swelled and sensitivity lingered, evidence of their night together.
“Sore?”
“Mmm, the best kind.” She traced the scratch marks on his back. “You?”
“Battle scars. I’ll wear them with honor.”
They ordered coffee and pastries from the motel’s continental breakfast service, eating in bed with Liam wearing only his boxer shorts and Sienna wrapped in his dress shirt from the night before. She kept shifting her weight, hyperaware of how the fabric brushed against her sensitive skin.
“I texted Kitto earlier.” She glanced at her phone. “He’s dropping off some clothes for me—jeans and a sweater. Can’t exactly view a house in a ball gown. Not unless we’re buying a castle.”
“Shame.” Liam’s hand slid up her bare thigh under the shirt. “You look good in my clothes. We might need to make that a habit.”
His fingers found her still-wet center, and her breath hitched, immediately ready again despite the soreness.
“We have to meet Henry and Maia,” she protested weakly.
“We have twenty minutes.” He pulled her onto his lap. “I can do a lot in twenty minutes.”
He proved it too, bringing her to a swift, intense orgasm with his fingers alone while she muffled her cries against his shoulder.
When Kitto knocked on the door with her clothes, she answered it on shaky legs, her face flushed and her lips swollen.
“Not one word,” she warned as she took the bag.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” His knowing smirk said everything. “Good luck house hunting.”
Once dressed in her own clothes again—denim snug on her hips, sweater soft and familiar—she steadied herself, though every step reminded her of the night before, a secret thrill that made her press her thighs together.
“Ready to go look at our potential home?” Liam’s hand rested possessively on her lower back.
Our home. The words sent a different heat through her, warm and lasting. “Let’s do it.”
Henry and Maia were waiting on the verandah when they arrived, warm smiles and coffee cups in hand.
The little house stood bathed in sunlight, cheerful orange marigolds edging the path that led to the front steps. Painted white with pale green accents, it wasn’t grand, but it had soul. A broad verandah curved around two sides, inviting lazy mornings, evening drinks, and everything in between.
“I loved sitting out here with my morning coffee when I lived here,” Maia said, catching Sienna’s lingering gaze.
Sienna felt Liam’s fingers brush hers before sliding into a steady grip, their hands interlocking like it was second nature.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the interior,” he said.
The home was light and welcoming. The kitchen gleamed with whitewashed cupboards and a deep farmhouse sink, the scent of lemon polish lingering in the air.
A sturdy wooden table sat beneath the window, perfectly positioned for family breakfasts or lingering over coffee.
From the main hallway, a sun-drenched room caught Sienna’s attention.
Large windows framed the rolling hills dotted with ancient schist rock outcrops, the rugged landscape typical of Middlemarch.
Clusters of native trees stood scattered against the distant mountains, their silhouettes sharp against the sky.
She ran her hand along the windowsill. “Look at all this light.”
Liam came up behind her. “This would be perfect for Kitto,” he said. “If he wants to live with us.”
She turned toward him, surprised—and deeply touched.
“You think he’d want to?” she asked.
“He’s your family. And I’d like him around. It already feels like he’s part of the package.”
Emotion swelled in her chest. She pursed her lips, nodded once, then looked back out at the view, blinking fast.
The bedrooms were simple but spacious. Sienna could already picture one with Kitto’s paint-streaked jeans draped over a chair and canvases stacked against the wall.
Beyond the house, an expansive lawn unfurled toward paddocks, where a handful of alpacas grazed in the distance.
“Felix Mitchell rents the land,” Henry explained. “Quiet neighbors, unless it’s shearing day.”
Sienna smiled. “This lawn could become a veggie garden. Fresh herbs, tomatoes, beans.”
“The soil’s excellent,” Maia said. “I always meant to plant one, but playing rugby doesn’t leave me much time.”
Henry gave Liam a knowing look. “Sounds like a job for you. Speaking of which, have you thought any more about that part-time role? Gerard and I need someone reliable, and the hours leave room for you to explore other options.”
Liam didn’t answer right away. He glanced at Sienna, and she saw the shift in his expression—something steady and sure.
“I have,” he said. “And I’m interested.”
They stepped back inside for one last look while Henry and Maia settled on the verandah with their refreshed coffees.
“What do you think?” Liam asked, though she could hear it in his voice. He’d already decided this opportunity would work for him. For them both.
“I think six months ago, you would’ve said no to any job that didn’t involve farming,” she said. “And I would’ve panicked if you did.”
“And now?”
“Now I believe in us and in taking risks.”
He laced his fingers through hers. “I used to think that work was everything. But it’s not.” His gaze swept the little house before returning to her. “This is what matters. A new job, new skills. None of it means anything if we’re apart. I want to stay here with you.”
Sienna smiled, feeling peace settle inside her. This wasn’t just a house. It was the beginning of home.
They looked at each other for a long beat. Then, in perfect unison, they said, “We’ll take it.”
Henry grinned. “Excellent! I was hoping you’d say that. Maia never admits it, but she’s been rooting for you two since she heard your story.”
“What story?” Sienna asked, instantly on alert.
“Nothing dramatic,” Maia said. “Just that you’re new to Middlemarch and seem like lovely people. Local gossip.”
The paperwork was surprisingly straightforward—first month’s rent, a security deposit, and a simple lease agreement. When Maia mentioned they could move in within the week, a sharp flicker of excitement shot through Sienna.
“I’ll need to finish my contract with Cam first,” Liam said. “Two more months in the Mackenzie country.”
“I’ll start moving our things in,” Sienna replied. “Get it ready for when you return.”
Liam tapped on the doorway of the sunroom. “The office room will be perfect for Kitto’s studio. He deserves a space of his own.”
“He’d love that,” Sienna said. “Emily and Saber have been amazing, but I think he’s ready for a fresh start.” She paused. “I know I am.”
As they walked back to the car, the keys to their new place jingling in Sienna’s pocket, Liam halted and held her close.
She laughed. “What?”
He spun her once, grinning. “Just realizing we’re really doing this. House, jobs, figuring out a life.”
“Scared?” she asked once he set her down.
“Terrified. And positive it’s what I want.”
“Good.” She rose on her toes to kiss him. “Because you’re stuck with me now.”
“Forever?”
She winked. “If fortune favors you.”
“I’m the luckiest man alive,” he said, his gaze glinting with sincerity.
As they drove back toward town, the hills swallowed the view of their new home. Sienna shifted in her seat, aware of the pleasant ache between her thighs, the tender spots where Liam had marked her.
“You okay?” Liam noticed her subtle movement.
“Perfect.” She caught his hand and brought it to her lips.
His eyes darkened. “Wait until we have our own place. Our own bed. No more months apart.”
“Promises, promises,” she teased, but her body already responded to the heat in his voice.
Home wasn’t a place. It was this: the man beside her who’d worshipped her body all night, the road ahead full of possibility, and the certainty that whatever came next, they’d face it together—preferably naked and tangled in their own sheets.