Chapter 30
Charity
You’re The Best Thing – They Style Council
You know sometimes when you wake up and you have no idea where you are? Then you realize the reality of it all and disappointment sets in. This didn’t happen for me. As soon as I opened my eyes, the certainty that it was Liam Brown holding me and it hadn’t been a dream made my stomach swoop.
Turning in his arms, careful not to wake him, I pulled the cover higher over us.
I had no idea what the time was, just that the sun had gone down and I was hungry.
Through the door I could see the fire was still burning in the grate, but it was low, so we’d been sleeping for at least an hour.
I’d never been an afternoon napper but after two incredible orgasms, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
Warm and safe in Liam’s arms, his lips on my shoulder and I’d been lulled into that beautiful level of sleep that you wake from feeling refreshed and calm.
Liam sighed in his sleep and moved to his back, his arm tightened around me, and he took me with him.
With my cheek to his chest, I lightly traced the angel wings tattooed above his heart.
They were beautiful and he didn’t have any other ink on his body, just them and a date. A date that I knew the day Ezra passed.
“Careful, Sunshine,” he whispered, voice a little hoarse. “You keep touching that and I’ll think you’re trying to heal it.”
Lifting my head a little, so I could watch him, I noticed how peaceful he looked.
Completely relaxed and vulnerable, like I'd never seen him before.
Not that I knew him well, which seemed ridiculous after what we'd shared.
But I didn't. I only knew his reputation for being quiet and a little sullen.
And honestly, I'd seen plenty of that too, the way he'd dodged my calls, ignored the planning materials I'd pushed under his door, his initial resistance to everything.
But this version of him, the one who'd driven to Dallas to help find Faith, who'd opened up about Mallory and Ezra, was different. Maybe this was who he really was underneath all that armor he wore. I loved getting glimpses of this side of him. His skin was warm as I snuggled closer, and with the gentle thrum of rain on the roof, I felt a level of contentment that I’d never felt before.
It was like being back on the boat floating on the still waters of the lake with the sun on my face. But now Liam was the sun.
He stirred again and turned sleepy eyes toward me.
“Hey.” My heart stilled, wondering whether he might regret what we’d done.
But then it kicked back in as he lifted a finger, traced it down my nose and along the bow of my lips, gifted me the most beautiful of smiles, and said, “Do you know how incredible you are?”
I couldn’t speak for the lump in my throat, because of how genuine he sounded.
Because of the honesty in his eyes and the tenderness in his touch.
My cheeks heated and to avoid eye contact I dropped a kiss to his chest, just next to his ink.
“You slept well,” I told him, my lips whispering against his skin.
“How long were we out?” He rubbed at his eyes, giving a small yawn and it touched me. He looked boyish and it struck me that maybe that would have been what Ezra would have looked like.
“I have no idea. The fire is just about alive so it can’t be that long.”
He reached over for his phone and looked at the screen. “Wow, it’s six-thirty, we’ve been in bed almost two hours.”
I giggled. “Not all that was sleeping, though.”
“Very true.” Lifting onto his forearms, he kissed my forehead, one hand on my ass. “I should feed you.”
“I’ll cook.” I pushed the cover back and shivered as the cool air hit my naked body.
“Let me get some clothes for you.”
Before I could protest, Liam jumped out of bed and pulled open a drawer in the dresser. When he turned he had a sweater in his hands. Thick and moss-green—it would probably go beautifully with his eyes.
Grinning, he passed it to me. “This will look great with those little white panties of yours.” I reached out for it and as I did, he grabbed my hand and pulled me close, kissing me hard on the mouth.
“Feels right, you in my clothes.” He pulled away, heading for the bathroom and paused at the door.
“And make sure it’s just the panties, Sunshine. ”
As he disappeared into the bathroom, I did a little dance of joy.
“No, no way,” Liam cried, nudging me with his elbow. “You can’t add sugar to chili.”
“Seriously. A chef told me.” I took the bowl of tomatoes he’d chopped and dropped them into the ground beef I’d been browning before grabbing the sugar.
“You really are doing it aren’t you?”
Stirring it in, I nodded. “I don’t suppose you have any dark chocolate, or cocoa, do you?”
Liam chuckled, deep from his chest. “No, that’s a step too far, Sunshine.” He handed me the chopping board with finely chopped garlic on it. “I’ll go with the sugar, but that’s it.”
“This is very professionally prepared.” I was more than impressed. In fact, he kept on surprising me with how good he was at everything he did. Our hours in bed earlier had been proof of that.
“I took cooking lessons before I went to college. Mom insisted on it. She said that someone else would be better doing it than her because she didn’t have the patience.
” He smiled, like he was recalling the memory fondly.
“I got an A plus for my chopping skills.” When he winked at me, I felt like I might faint on the spot.
He looked so hot and happy, like every moment of joy from the day had locked itself inside him.
As the wood of the cabin breathed around us and the fire crackled in the grate, the tranquility of the moment, Liam and I cooking side by side, was overwhelming.
It felt like something was trying desperately to burst out of my chest. A ball of light, of sunshine, that could crack through my ribs and warm up the whole world. It was tranquil and natural.
Once all the ingredients were slowly cooking in the pot, Liam washed his hands and stretched in front of me for a small speaker on the kitchen shelf. He turned it on and then reached into his pocket for his phone.
The first few notes of the song slipped into the room, lazy and smooth and wrapped themselves around me like silk.
Liam didn’t say anything as the low, honeyed rhythm drifted around us.
The way he was watching me, with a half-smile, made my pulse speed up, and when he held out his hand I didn’t hesitate in taking it.
“My dad loves British music,” he said quietly, like he didn’t want to break whatever spell we were under. “Especially anything that this guy, Paul Weller, did.”
“It’s beautiful.” The brass eased in, warm and golden, and it felt like the world had slowed down long enough for us to breathe in the moment. For me to breathe him in. It was one of those moments when you realize that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Liam pulled me closer, one hand on my hip, the other clutching mine close to his chest. His breath whispered against my ear as we slowly started to sway to the music.
“Didn’t think I’d ever get this again,” he murmured. “Dancing in a kitchen with a woman who makes me forget the rest of the world exists.”
A soft kiss to my neck and a squeeze of my fingers sent my heart racing.
We’d only gotten out of bed an hour ago, yet all I wanted to do was drag him back there.
He smelled delicious, his usual cologne mixed with the fabric conditioner scene clinging to the fresh t-shirt he’d slipped on with his soft, worn jeans.
He was barefoot and relaxed, his brow smooth and his breaths slow and easy.
“Can’t remember the last time I danced,” he told me.
I giggled. “Got to be honest, I don’t really see you as a dancer.”
“Are you saying you don’t like my moves?” His deep chuckle reverberated through his chest, the bass of it pounding against me, comforting and strong. “I happen to think I’m a great dancer. A little out of practice but damn good. I could go on Dancing With the Stars for sure.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Seriously?” His grave expression only made me laugh even more. “You really are serious, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.” He twirled me around and then bent me backward and leaned down, kissing me hard on the mouth. “Want me to do that jump from that dance movie now, just to show you how good I am?”
As he pulled me upright, he winked, and my heart and stomach looped together. I really liked this version of him. Happy and relaxed. Playful.
“Which dance movie are you talking about, anyway?” I asked.
“I don’t remember what it’s called.” He shrugged. “Tally and Mom watched it every time some guy she was dating upset her. And that was a lot.” Shaking his head, he sighed. “There are some real dicks in this world, more than you’re aware of, seeing as you associate with the best kind of men.”
A smile played at his lips, and I felt a raging desire to sing the words of the song back to him.
It was too early, though, to make such bold statements, like him being the best thing that ever happened to me.
Yet, it didn’t stop that idea nagging in the back of my head as we continued swaying in time to the music.