Chapter 13
thirteen
LIAM
Everything?
I stand up, reach out a hand to help Maya to her feet.
“As you wish, Bloom.”
Once she’s standing, I place my hands on her hips and spin her until she’s facing the counter. Walk us forward and stop once she touches the edge.
“You invited me back to your apartment. Said you wanted a cooking lesson,” I whisper in her ear. She shivers just like she did that night. “And when it was immediately clear you’ve never actually used a kitchen, I had to show you the basics.”
“The basics?” she asks, her voice catching.
“We chopped tarragon together. For the corn cakes. But before we finished cooking, I had you right here.” I tug her hair out of the way, giving my mouth access to ghost over the back of her neck. “And we got a little distracted.”
“Show me.”
My lips brush under the shell of her ear and I’m hit with the most intense déjà vu of my life. That’s the point, right? Recreating this for her?
But this feels bigger than our night together. We were tipsy then. It was the middle of the night. I was still in denial about being a single father. She was vulnerable from a break-up.
She still is. And I…
“I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, but I still did,” I mutter.
“What?” She spins until we’re facing each other.
“That night, I told you I wouldn’t hurt you. And I’ll never apologize for prioritizing my daughter, but somehow, without even meaning to, I did exactly what I promised I wouldn’t?—”
“We hurt each other,” she says, cutting me off. “Even though neither of us meant to. Let’s do the opposite now.”
She reaches a hand to grasp the back of my neck, her nails scraping against my hairline. My hand drifts, a mind of its own, squeezing her hip and tugging her closer.
We’re touching everywhere but our lips. It feels more significant this way, just sharing space, letting our heat mingle.
But I’m starting to lose my patience. I’ve wanted this for so long.
“Do you want to kiss me?” she asks. Maybe she’s a mind reader too.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you again for two years.”
Our lips meet, and every part of my body seems to relax. Maybe I have been waiting for this moment for the last two years.
Maya sighs into my mouth, the sound making me instantly hard. Her lips are as soft as a rose petal and just as sweet.
She tastes like peppermint and all the chocolate candy she stole from my daughter, and picturing them from earlier tonight makes me pull Maya even closer.
This is different than before.
Before, I knew she was gorgeous. I was attracted to her radiant smile, her sweetness, her wit, how direct and open she was with someone she just met. Even the way she rambled turned me on.
Before, I wanted to give her a night she’d never forget.
The fucking irony .
But now…now, I know how kind her heart is, how deeply she loves her friends, how easily she’s won over Poppy. Now, I want to give her everything. One night would never be enough.
We kiss slowly, exploring each other, feeling that kind of magic you always get from a first kiss. I have to remind myself it’s not the first time, not for me. But it feels just as electric, the energy between us crackling with possibility.
“Liam,” she breathes. “Tell me the rest.”
Now that we started, I can’t seem to drag my lips away from this woman. I pepper kisses across her jaw, down her throat, all while I struggle to pull down the neckline of her sweatshirt so I can reach more skin, more Maya .
Sensing my frustration, she generously takes the top off, granting me access to her chest covered in nothing but a thin cotton bra.
“Tell me,” she repeats.
“Sorry, got distracted again.” I’ve moved my mouth down to the curve of skin between her breasts and I smile up at her. “We were like this, in your kitchen.” I don’t move her bra, but I still tease her with my tongue through the fabric, sucking on each nipple. “I touched you. Tasted you.” I gently bite down until she moans.
Rising up to my full height, I comb my fingers through her hair. “Then I fed you.”
She quirks an eyebrow.
“Corn cakes. With syrup.”
A giggle bubbles out of her and the sound has me helplessly kissing her again.
“Then what?” she asks against my lips.
I bend, wrap my arms around her and sweep her off the ground. She squeezes her legs around me, grinds against the bulge in my pants. I set her down on the island, drag my hands down her thighs and kneel.
“Then I took off the rest of your clothes.” I wrap both hands around the waistband of her pants. “And apparently, gave you the best se?—”
She cuts me off with a finger to my lips, but there’s no way I’ll forget those words. Now I just have to try and repeat the performance.
“Maya? Daddy?”
And…maybe not. My daughter’s voice has us both freezing.
“What are you doing, Daddy?”
I pull Maya down from the counter slowly, keeping her angled in front of me to hide something I never, ever want my daughter to witness.
“He was just…” Maya starts, clearly not knowing what to say.
“Helping her get ready for bed,” I offer.
“Oh.” Poppy does not seem convinced. For once, I wish my daughter wasn’t as perceptive as she is.
“What’s wrong, angel?” I ask, trying to change the subject. “You can’t sleep?”
“I wanted Maya to tell me a story.”
Maya, very slyly, reaches for her sweatshirt and slides it back on.
“Sure, Pop-tart. I can tell you a story.”
My eyes meet Maya’s and I know she can see the wonder in my expression. Of course, Maya isn’t selfish. I knew that. But something about the way she didn’t even hesitate, didn’t show a single hint of irritation, I’m in awe.
“Can I come too?” I ask my daughter.
She actually purses her lips, thinking over her response. “Yeah, I guess that’s okay.”
Damn, Poppy’s ready to trade me in for Princess Maya. And I can’t even blame her.
Feeling like an outsider, I follow the girls into Stevie’s room. Luckily, she’s the best little sleeper around and snores away in the crib while the three of us make ourselves fit into the full size bed. Poppy in the middle, of course.
This whole night has been…special. But that word just doesn’t feel big enough.
Finally discovering why Maya hasn’t remembered me, seeing Poppy so confident trick-or-treating, that kiss …my head is still spinning with all of it. But it’s this moment here that I think will mark itself on me, this little slice of domestic normalcy.
“Do you want me to get a book?” Maya asks.
But Poppy tells her we make up our own stories. I’ll have to remind Maya about my dyslexia. I can read, but it’s not my favorite night-time activity. It always gives me a migraine.
“Okay,” Maya says, humming to herself. “Well, once upon a time, there was a princess named?—”
“Maya!” Poppy whisper-yells.
“Should’ve seen that one coming,” Maya says under her breath. Poppy’s holding each of our hands in hers, resting on her stomach. I let a finger trail over to Maya’s. Our connection was halted so abruptly. It feels good to feel her again, even just a sliver of skin.
“All right,” Maya starts again. “Once upon a time, there was a princess named Maya.” She pauses, laughs to herself. Then her voice changes into something theatrical. “But she was cursed.”
“She was?” Poppy asks with the intensity of a child who still believes fairytales are real.
“Yep. She was cursed to never find her prince. I mean, she met princes. Tons of them. She met princes all over the world. But they were the evil kind. They were selfish and they lied and they made Princess Maya really sad.”
“Oh no, don’t be sad, Princess Maya.”
“It’s a story, sweetie. I’m not sad, I promise.”
“Okay.” Poppy turns on her side to be closer to Maya. It’s almost like she’s calling bullshit and she wants to comfort her anyway. I use the change in position to grab Maya’s other hand.
“Then one day,” Maya continues the story. “She met the perfect prince. He was so handsome and so nice and he gave Princess Maya the best night she’d ever had.” I try to stifle a laugh but she hears it. “They went to a ball and they danced all night long until she couldn’t feel her feet anymore.”
Poppy makes a small sound, a gasp stifled by a yawn.
“But the princess was still cursed, so when she woke up the next day, she didn’t remember ever meeting the handsome prince. She didn’t even remember going to the ball. It was like they never met at all.”
“So she’s cursed forever?” Poppy asks, sleep slurring half her words. She looks pained by this information.
“Maybe,” I offer, cutting in. “If the prince can find her again, and remind her of their special night together, she won’t be cursed anymore.”
Poppy’s asleep before I finish talking. Maya’s yawn tells me she isn’t far behind.
“Maybe,” Maya murmurs. “Or maybe she’ll always be cursed.”
In her sleep, Poppy cuddles further into Maya, and moments later, they’re both breathing deeply.
I can’t sleep, but I don’t move either. I don’t want to let go of Maya’s hand. And I can’t stop thinking about the end of her story.
Wondering if I have the power to change it.
At some point in the night, I went back to my house. I wake up in my own bed, very alone.
I felt like an intruder, staying in bed with the girls. Maya and I shared something last night, but I still have no idea what it all means.
Knowing my girl’s an early riser, I get up at six and head back next door. If I’m lucky, Maya will let me stay to make breakfast.
They’re already in the kitchen when I use my key to slip inside.
“Sorry I didn’t knock. I thought you might still be sleeping,” I apologize.
“Hi.” Maya grins at me, bouncing Stevie on her hip. “This one woke us both up a while ago.”
“Daddy, can you teach Maya how to make pancakes? I’m really hungry.”
“Lucky for you, angel, I thought ahead.” I drop the bag of groceries I brought over on the island and kneel down beside my daughter. “Good morning to you too.”
“Good morning, Daddy.” She crushes me with a hug and all is right in the world.
“Sorry,” Maya says when I stand up. “I told her I could try following instructions on the box but she said there’s a special recipe.”
“All good.” I reach out to pull Maya in for a kiss and quickly realize how wrong that would be. Patting her shoulder instead, we both laugh at the awkwardness. Hopefully I’ll get a chance for some alone time with her later, once Ezra, Ellie, and Theo are back. “I brought everything I need, if you don’t mind me staying to cook?”
“Actually, breakfast is required after…” she drifts off, and I’m happy to know our heads are in the exact same place today. I smile, throw her a quick wink.
“Pancakes, Daddy!” I hear little fists pound on the counter and turn to Poppy to give her the glare that says she’s being a brat. “Sorry. I’m just hungry.”
Quickly checking the app on my phone, her blood sugar does look a little low.
“It’s okay, angel. Why don’t you sit down and help Stevie and I’ll start cooking.”
Maya offers to help me, but I’m doubtful about my abilities to stay focused in the kitchen when she’s close, so I shoo her away. I pull out the oat flour I ground up yesterday and the rest of the ingredients and get to work.
“Actually, Maya, would you mind seeing if they have chocolate chips in the pantry?” Poppy deserves a little treat on the weekends and I’m so proud of how well she avoided candy last night.
Maya sits with the girls while they all wait for their food. She peppers my daughter with questions about all the best things I cook for her, and tells Stevie everything she can look forward to once she has more teeth.
Silence falls as soon as I place the stacks in front of them. I have to tell Poppy to slow down twice. The girl is voracious.
Maya groans at her first bite and the sound makes my cock twitch. Fuck. I make a mental note to add Poppy’s pancakes to her list of approved foods. Maybe I’ll get to feed them to her in bed one day.
The blissful thought is interrupted when the front door swings open and in walk my three best friends.
“Hey, you’re back,” Maya greets them cheerfully. But it’s clear that is not the mood entering this house. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
Ellie’s face is sullen. Her eyes are dry but remnants of old tears still stain her cheeks. She never responds to Maya, just grabs Stevie and carries her upstairs.
The guys look at me but still no one talks. What the hell happened with the doctor in Burlington?
It’s pretty clear they all need some family time, so I let them know Poppy and I were just about to head home. “I’ll come back in a bit to clean everything up,” I say, gathering up what I can.
“Should I leave?” Maya asks.
And finally, Theo speaks. “No, I think she needs you right now. She won’t talk to me.”
Wishing I could ask a million questions, I grab Poppy’s hand and head out the front door.