Chapter 5 Liam
LIAM
“It’s about time,” Lizzy nudged me as she stood beside me.
I didn’t know when she walked up or how long she had been standing there. I was too busy watching Bailey. Every move, every laugh…and she was mine. There was no going back now. Not when I finally made my move.
“I’m so happy for you. Seriously, you deserve this.”
Lizzy was such a sweetheart, way too good for the rest of the family. She was the caretaker, the worrier, the one who was always there for us, believing in us even when we didn’t deserve it.
“Well, set the table, girls!” Ma called out in frustration. “It’s like you’ve never seen us with company before!”
Lizzy stomped forward, grabbing Krista by the arm as she went. Together, they started pulling down plates, and Bailey happily joined in as if she was already part of the family.
Leaning against the doorframe, I watched her move, watched the way she so easily fit in with everyone else. Of course, she would. We’d all known each other for years.
“You know, I’m well aware of your broody looks, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this look,” Jeff chuckled as he walked up beside me. “Well, except when you’re looking at her.”
“Is there a point to this?”
“Only that love looks good on you.”
I didn’t bother to correct him because he was absolutely right. I’d been in love with Bailey for way longer than I would ever admit to anyone but myself.
“Why did you really wait so long to ask her out? I mean, it’s obvious to anyone with a brain that you’re in love with her.”
The truth was, I didn’t know why I had waited. It just felt right last night in the bar, so I made my move.
“We should get drinks,” I answered, pushing off the door.
“Chicken shit.”
“Boys!” Ma snapped from across the room.
“How the hell did she hear that?” Jeff muttered.
As we were getting drinks, Pop walked in, hanging his hat on the hook before taking his seat at the head of the table. I waited for Bailey, then pulled out her chair, waiting for her to sit before taking the seat next to her.
Ma said a quick prayer, but instead of bowing my head, my eyes were firmly planted on Bailey. Glancing over at me, she sent me a chastising look for not paying attention. Ma noticed too, but she didn’t seem all that upset.
I stood immediately, filling Bailey’s plate with food before moving on to my own. When I sat down, everyone at the table was staring at me.
“What?”
Krista had love in her eyes and Lizzy shot me an approving wink. Ma looked like she was ready to hand me her mother’s engagement ring at that very moment, but Jeff and Pop just grabbed their own food and moved on.
“The horses are all shod,” Jeff announced to the table. “Tomorrow, I’ll start on fixing the barn door.”
“Honestly, we have company,” Ma sighed. “Can we discuss something other than work?”
“Oh, it’s okay,” Bailey grinned. “I don’t mind.”
“How’s work at the garage?” Ma asked.
My grip tightened on the fork. I had no problem with her working at the garage, but I hated her being within five feet of Wyatt.
“It’s good. I love working there. Though Cheyenne tells me that I’m covered in too much grease.”
“Nothing sexier than a woman covered in grease,” Jeff teased.
I immediately grabbed my dinner roll and flung it at him, pissed that he would make a comment like that.
“Ow!” he exclaimed when the roll poked him in the eye. “That was just mean.”
“Don’t talk about her being covered in grease. Or it being sexy.”
“And so it begins,” Krista chuckled.
“I think it’s sweet,” Lizzy smiled at me. “He’s being protective of her.”
Jeff scoffed in disbelief. “She doesn’t need protecting. This is Bailey. She’s tougher than all of us.”
“Just keep your mouth shut,” I snarled.
“Enough!” Pop’s voice roared above us all, but he wasn’t angry. Just sick of the bickering.
“Mmm, I got a message from Michael the other day,” Lizzy beamed. “I chided him, of course, for not keeping in touch enough. Not that he would listen to me. But he said he’s doing well. Oh! And he’s met someone. He said we’d all like her, but he didn’t go into details.”
“Did he say anything about coming home?” Ma asked hopefully.
“Um, not really, but at least he’s doing well. You know it’s been hard on him since the whole military thing. I just wish he had stayed home.”
My temper spiked at the mention of my brother, who had basically disappeared from our lives after he left the military. Yes, he’d been given a crap deal with a dishonorable discharge, but he left the rest of us hanging at a very hard time.
“When was the last time he was home?” Bailey asked.
“It’s been years,” Ma answered, a small smile gracing her lips.
Gritting my teeth, I bit my tongue about how I really felt about the situation. Now wasn’t the time to bring it up.
As if sensing my anger, Bailey wrapped her hand around mine under the table and gave a firm squeeze.
“So, Bailey, how exactly did you end up with this chump?” Jeff teased. “I’m not sure what you see in him.”
“You mean, other than how handsome he is?” Bailey retorted.
Scoffing, Jeff rolled his eyes dramatically before shoving another bite of food into his mouth. “Sure, if you like that dark, broody look,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“I happen to like his broody looks.” Bailey’s eyes met mine, but there was something dangerous shimmering in their depths. “And what about you? I hear Josie Nash has caught your eye.”
He dropped his fork, his cheeks bright red as he gaped at Bailey. “Who said that? Josie? Whatever she said—”
“No, it wasn’t Josie,” Bailey said sweetly.
“Well, whatever they’re saying, it’s just town gossip. Nothing happened.”
“Nothing, as in that heated kiss that occurred just outside her shop?”
“Busted,” I coughed out, laughing at the stunned expression on his face.
“It was nothing,” he rushed on. “She bewitched me or something with those herbs in her shop.”
“Right, it was the herbs and not that lip lock,” Bailey chuckled.
Leaning over, I whispered, “If you’re trying to fit in, you’re doing an excellent job.”
“Josie is such a nice girl,” Ma gushed. “Why, I was talking to her grandmother the other day—”
“When are you not talking to someone’s mother or grandmother?” Krista asked.
“Oh, hush. As I was saying, I was talking to her mother. Did you know Josie is also licensed in acupuncture?”
“Witch magic,” Jeff hissed. “I’m telling you, she did something to me.”
“With her tongue,” Lizzy laughed.
Pop sighed, finishing up his dinner long before anyone else. Of course, he was the only one not talking.
“I didn’t kiss her!” Jeff shouted. “Not intentionally. I swear it. I was standing there, and then it was like I was looking down on us, and I could see us kissing, but I couldn’t stop it!”
“Because she was sucking on your tongue,” Lizzy reiterated.
“Honestly, Lizzy,” Ma hissed.
“Josie’s very nice. You’d be lucky to have her,” Bailey added. “I mean, if you were her type.”
Jeff was about to take a bite, but the fork stopped just before it touched his lips. “Wait, what do you mean?”
Bailey shrugged. “Nothing. Just that she doesn’t normally go for…guys like you.”
“You hesitated,” Jeff accused. “Why did you hesitate? What is it about me that a woman like Josie wouldn’t go for?”
“Oh, nothing,” she waved him off.
“Well, you said it. Now you have to tell me.”
“It’s nothing. I only meant that she usually goes for a more…rugged type.”
Jeff flinched back, offended by the comment. He couldn’t see that she was goading him. “Are you suggesting I’m not rugged?”
I pinched Bailey in the side, but she kept going. “Rugged? I mean, sure, in that you work on the ranch.”
“I’m just as rugged as Liam,” he grumbled.
“Of course.”
And that was that. Or so I thought.
“Except, in a skinnier sort of way.”
Krista burst out laughing, but I knew better. No guy wanted to be called skinny.
“I am not skinny. I just don’t have as much meat on my bones as Liam. We can’t all put away ten pounds of meat at every meal.”
“I’m sure,” Bailey grinned. “And I would never imply that you’re not manly.”
Jeff narrowed his eyes at her. “So, now I’m not manly?”
“No! Oh, God no. You’re just smaller than your brothers. You always have been. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Being smaller has its advantages.”
“Like what?” Jeff asked accusingly.
“Like…” She pretended to think about it, then beamed at him. “Like you can get away quicker if someone’s after you!”
Jeff gaped at her, then tossed his napkin down on the table and shoved his chair back as he stood. “I have never run away from anyone in my life. She thinks I’m not manly enough for her? I’ll prove it.”
And with that, he stormed out of the house.
It was quiet for a moment, and then Pop of all people spoke up. “I like her.”
“Well, you certainly made an impression at dinner,” I told her as I drove her home.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“I just wanted to eat a meal with you.”
I slid my hand across the console and gripped her hand in mine. Everything tonight had felt so natural. There was nothing I wanted more than to spend every night with her, but I had to remind myself to take it slow. I may have known her all my life, but that didn’t mean I could rush into things.
But just as I repeated the words in my head, I pulled up to her apartment and forgot everything I had just told myself. Getting out, I opened her door for her, my hands immediately going to her hips, and that’s when I lost it.
Pushing her up against the truck, I wedged my knee between her legs and crushed my lips to hers. Her fingers knifed through my hair, tugging me closer as my hat flew from my head. Groaning, I slid my hand around her waist, tugging her flush against my body.
Delicate moans left her lips as I slid my tongue inside, tasting her for the first time. Fuck, she was everything I wanted, everything I had ever imagined. Having her lithe body tucked in against mine was almost too much to hope for. But here she was, cementing herself to me.