Chapter Seventeen – Aurora
Aurora
The feel of something soft against my cheek caused my eyes to open. I nearly screamed when beady brown eyes stared back at me. It took me a hot second to realize it was only Perry, Winnie’s stuffed moose.
“Rora!” Winnie whispered before kissing me right on the lips. I giggled and pulled her in for a hug. The sunlight was shining through the window, alerting me that I had indeed fallen asleep in Winnie’s bed last night.
“Good morning, Peanut.”
My eyes looked past her to see Liam still sleeping.
“Oh dear,” I whispered when I realized what Liam and I had done last night.
The feel of his hand and mouth on my body made it instantly tingle.
I pushed the thoughts away since Winnie was staring at me with bright, innocent eyes.
The sound of purring was coming from somewhere near the bed.
The kitten had slept here as well all night.
Sitting up, Winnie turned to Liam and leaned down. I thought she was going to whisper, but she cried out, “Daddy!”
Liam flew up and instantly slipped off the bed and hit the ground.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” I asked, trying not to laugh as I sat up and looked over Winnie to the floor.
When he popped up and looked around confused, I lost the battle and laughed. Winnie laughed as well, and the kitten got up and stretched. She had certainly made herself at home.
“What? Why?” he asked before his eyes landed on me. A brilliant smile appeared, and I couldn’t help but smile back. I could feel my cheeks warming and fought the urge to put my hands on them. By the look on his face, he was remembering last night as well.
“Kitty?”
As if knowing she was being called, the kitten popped up and made her way over to Winnie.
“We really need to name her,” I said as I stroked her back. When she reached up and swatted at one of Winnie’s curls, she giggled.
“That dang cat played with my feet all night long,” Liam said, stretching his arms up. “My neck is killing me.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” I asked, sitting up and pulling Winnie onto my lap, where she promptly snuggled.
“You were sleeping so peacefully, and I liked knowing you were here.”
I smiled. Then panic set in. Not the regret kind of panic. But the kind that said you own a bookstore and you’re supposed to open this morning.
“What time is it?”
Liam glanced at his watch, then said, “Seven thirty.”
Leaning back against the headboard, I let out a sigh. “Oh, thank goodness.”
The kitten joined us as she curled up on Winnie’s lap.
Liam walked around the bed and leaned down to kiss Winnie on the forehead. “Good morning, princess.”
“Morning, Daddy.”
He turned his face and gently kissed me on the lips. “Good morning, beautiful.”
My stomach did a crazy flip while my chest warmed at the same time. “Good morning.”
Winnie giggled and placed her hand on the side of my face. “Rora here!”
Liam grinned. “Aurora is here and will be here a lot more.”
Winnie clapped, causing the kitten to take off and run out of the room.
“She seems to have made herself right at home,” I chuckled.
With a shake of his head, Liam smiled and turned back to me. “Breakfast?”
“Pancakes!” Winnie cried out right as she jumped off me, then the bed, and chased after the kitten.
Liam watched her, then turned back to me. “Looks like we’re having pancakes. Do you have to leave right away?”
I took the hand he was offering me and stood. “No, I’ve got some time.”
He drew me to him. “Thank you for staying last night. It wasn’t the night I wanted, but in a strange way, it was better.”
Lifting up onto my toes, I brushed my lips against his. “I feel the same way.”
“We’d better get down there before the kitten ends up helping us make pancakes.”
The morning was spent with Winnie helping Liam make princess pancakes for not only me, but even the kitten got one.
“She needs a name,” Liam said as he picked up the kitten and smiled.
I sat back and said, “I’m kind of leaning toward Luna.”
Liam looked the kitten over and nodded. “I agree.”
“What do you think, Winnie?” I asked. “Do you like the name Luna for the kitten?”
Winnie clapped. “Luna!”
Laughing, I said, “Okay, Luna, it is.”
Liam got Winnie dressed while I wrangled Luna into her carrier. I finally got her in and settled when they came back down.
“I should get going.”
Liam walked up to me and took the carrier from my hand, setting it on the table. “Let’s take the advice of your sister and aunt.”
Frowning, I asked, “What advice?”
“Let’s all go somewhere. Just the three of us.”
I laughed. “Liam, we’re going from zero to lightspeed here.”
He winked. “I wasted enough time ignoring the way I feel about you, Aurora. I don’t want to waste another minute.”
“What will people think?”
Shrugging, he replied, “Who cares what they think. I don’t. Do you?”
Screwing up my face, I replied honestly. “I’m not sure. I mean, I don’t think I do.”
“Then who cares?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Where would we go?”
Liam looked at Winnie, then back at me. “Camping.”
“Camping? You want to go camping?”
“What better way to spend time together than in an RV with just the three of us?”
I glanced down at Winnie, who was sitting on the floor playing with Luna. “What about Luna?”
“She can come with us. We can buy one of those cat backpacks and a leash for her.”
A snort slipped free, and I shook my head. “Are you serious?”
“Yes! I’ve been wanting to take Winnie camping. You can go to the bookstore today and do what you need to do, and I’ll get everything ready for the trip, and we can leave tomorrow afternoon, or first thing the next day.”
“What? How?”
He leaned in and kissed me. “Trust me. Just pack a bag for a few nights, bring warm clothes for nighttime and some hiking boots. I’ll have everything ready.”
“Food and everything?”
He winked. “Trust me. I’ll take care of everything.”
Feeling like a teenager about to go on my first date, I giggled and nodded my head. “Yes! Let’s do it!”
I pulled her to me and kissed her.
Winnie tugged on my shirt. “Winnie kisses!”
I smiled down at her. “There is nothing I like better than kissing my Winnie!”
Dropping down, I kissed her cheek and nearly felt my heart explode when she wrapped her little arms around me and whispered my name.
“Rora.”
I hugged her back, closing my eyes and trying to make myself believe this wasn’t all a dream. When I drew back, I blinked to keep my tears at bay. “Luna and I are heading to work, but I’ll see you later.”
She hugged me once again. “See you later!”
I laughed and kissed her once more before standing. “You’re sure about this?”
Liam took my hand in his and squeezed it. “I’ve never been so sure of anything.”
I exhaled as I nodded. “Okay. Then let’s do this.”
Taking hold of the crate, I started for the door. Liam opened it, and we stepped outside. He took Winnie’s hand and we started down the porch and to my car. Mrs. Randall suddenly appeared.
“Liam! Aurora! Good morning!”
Groaning internally, I lifted my free hand. “Morning, Mrs. Randall.”
“Morning!” Liam called out, with Winnie doing the same, causing Mrs. Randall to chuckle.
Before she could even comment on my car being in Liam’s driveway, I hurried to it and put Luna in the passenger seat. When I looked up, Liam had an amused expression on his face as he waved goodbye.
“Bye, Rora!” Winnie shouted.
“Bye, Peanut!”
Once I was out of sight and on Main Street, I let out a breath.
My phone buzzed in my purse, but I ignored it.
I needed a few moments to clear my head.
So much had happened in the last twelve hours.
I waited until I drove the short distance to my apartment above the bookshop.
I let Luna out and gave her fresh water and some soft food.
When I heard my phone ring, I pulled it out of my purse to see it was Brystol calling.
“Hey,” I said, trying to act like my entire world hadn’t changed since last night.
“I need a night out, and tonight is trivia night at The Muddled Moose. You in?”
“Um, I can’t.”
The line was silent for a moment.
“What do you mean, you can’t? Do you have a date tonight?”
“Something like that.”
With a slight laugh, Brystol said, “What do you mean, something like that? You either have a date or you don’t.”
“Are you sitting down?”
I heard scuffling on the other end of the phone. “Take Lily, Gavin!”
Making my way to my bedroom, I chuckled and grabbed a change of clothes and then headed to the bathroom.
“Okay, baby is out of my arms! What’s the tea?”
“Liam kissed me, we admitted we had feelings for each other, we fooled around on the sofa, then fell asleep in Winnie’s bed after she woke up when she couldn’t find Perry.”
“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!” Brystol covered the phone and yelled something to Gavin. When she came back, she said, “I totally used the ruse of trivia night to see if you would tell me about spending the night at Liam’s.”
“Wait, you knew I spent the night there? How in the heck did you know that?”
With a laugh, she replied, “You do live in the same town as I do, right? I heard it from Lori at Timeless Coffee Shop, who heard it from Lewis. He was on a run this morning and heard it from Viola Stevens, a neighbor of Annie Levet, who had heard it from Mrs. Randall when she saw her at Batter Up Bakery. She pointed out that your car had been there all night.”
I slowly sat down on my bed. “Holy shit. What time do these people get up?”
Brystol laughed. “Give me all the details!”
“There’s so much to tell you. Maybe we can get Harper and Cadie and meet for lunch or something.”
“Wait, why can’t you go to trivia night? We have a sitter and everything.”
“Liam invited me to go camping with him and Winnie, and we’ll be leaving tomorrow or the next day.”
Silence.
“Bry?”
“Your first time having sex with him is going to be in a tent? I’ve got to say, I’m a little disappointed in Liam.”