Chapter 21
LIAM
L ondon took forever in the tub, but I’d expected that. After she disappeared into the bathroom, I poured myself a generous amount of whiskey and went out onto the balcony, where I stayed until she finally emerged.
Mentally reliving the night, I combed over all the people we’d met and the conversations we’d had. The Carringtons had done us a huge favor by inviting us here. Having the opportunity to network at an event like this while we were new in town was a gift.
We’d met tons of people who had expressed an interest in meeting with us about their respective brands and businesses, and it had felt like the entire who’s-who of Florida were on this boat tonight.
I grinned as I looked out at the water, silvery moonlight shimmering on the surface and illuminating the gentle swells.
It was stunning out here at night, especially with the city lights twinkling in the distance and the moon hanging in the sky like it was being held up by an invisible hook. When I heard movement in the room, I twisted from my position at the railing and then nearly toppled over it.
London was finally done—but she hadn’t done me any favors when she’d packed her pajamas.
The shorts were tiny, like barely there, and the shirt was a pale pink so light, it was just about sheer.
I groaned into my tumbler, tossing back the last sip and praying to the gods of whiskey that we’d both just pass out.
She smiled when I walked back into the suite, her face now completely bare of any makeup and her sophisticated updo swapped for a really messy bun on top of her head.
Tendrils of spun gold had fallen free from it, framing her gorgeous, rosy cheeks.
Whether it had been the view, the heat of the water, or simply the exhilaration of the night, she was glowing.
Shit, she really is gorgeous.
“That was amazing,” she said. “I recommend it. Want me to run some fresh water? I would have left mine in, but it was cold.”
“Well, you were in there for at least seven and a half hours. Of course it would’ve gone cold.”
She laughed, her head dropping back a little to expose her elegant throat. It made me want to kiss her there. “It wasn’t that long. Besides, you should just be saying thank you. I could’ve easily stayed in there, but I figured you might need to pee.”
“Nope, but I do need to brush my teeth.”
She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes widening before she gathered a handful of bedding and opened the comforter. “You desperately need to do that. I can smell you from all the way over here.”
“Did you eat enough? You’re getting mean again.”
“I’m fine. Did you drink enough? Because when you came in, I could’ve sworn the suite started smelling like a distillery.”
I chuckled and shook my head at her. “It was a nightcap. There’s a whole bottle in the cabinet, though. Help yourself. I don’t think either one of us will have to drive the boat tonight.”
Going over to my bag first, I pulled out some shorts to sleep in and my vanity kit, then headed into the steamy bathroom and shut the door behind me. After I’d brushed and changed, I walked out to find her already tucked into our bed.
She’d taken the side nearest the balcony and she’d rolled over to face the ocean, a lazy smile on her lips as she looked out at the moon.
I took her in, so relaxed and comfortable even though she knew she wasn’t completely alone, and something deep inside me warmed up.
Not in the heated, horny sense but something softer.
The truth was that I really liked that she was so comfortable with me that there was no front being put up.
No worrying about what I thought or pretending to be something she wasn’t.
I smiled and switched off the light so she wouldn’t be able to see the look on my face.
Then I went over and climbed into bed next to her.
“You’re going to have to scoot up. I like to really stretch out when I sleep.” As if to prove my point, I put my arms out to my sides and spread my legs out wide.
She flipped over to look at me. “You know, there’s a really large bench-looking thing on our balcony. You might be more comfortable out there.”
I chuckled. “I would, but it’s getting pretty chilly in that breeze.”
“Seriously? I didn’t know it could get chilly here, but fine. I suppose you can stay. As long as you sleep like a normal human being.”
“Sorry. Don’t know how to do that,” I joked, hooking my hands behind my head as my eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness of the room.
All our lights were off, but there was an ambient glow coming in from the other rooms and the hallway, and the moon outside was so bright that I could make out London’s features as she stared at me. I also saw the questions in her eyes and I sighed.
“What is it now?”
She folded her hands under her cheek and got comfortable facing me. “Why didn’t you take your dad’s call the other day?”
I groaned. “Do you really want to talk about this right now?”
She shrugged. “We’re not doing anything else.”
“No, but we could. Whiskey? We could drink. That’s always more fun than talking about my family.”
“I beg to differ.” A hint of a smile played across her lips in the moonlight. “How’s Isabella?”
“She’s… Isabella.” I relaxed into the mattress, burrowing my head into the pillow until it was comfortable and looking up at the constantly moving reflections of light on the ceiling.
“How do you think she is? She’s happily married.
They’re talking about trying for a baby and her husband works for my father too, so there’s no friction on the work front either.
It’s smooth sailing as far as I can tell. ”
London let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m sure there’s friction, Liam. There always seems to be when Rodrigo is involved. How is he, anyway? Did you ever call him back?”
I shook my head. “All he ever wants to talk about is when I’m going to join the family businesses. That’s literally the only reason he ever calls me.”
“Maybe that wasn’t it this time, but even if it was, would it have been the worst thing to answer and talk to him about it?”
“Yes.” There was absolutely no doubt in my mind. I wasn’t a difficult guy. In many respects, I was pretty easy-going and happy-go-lucky, but when it came to my family? I was stubborn as hell and I knew it. “I don’t want that life, Walker. You know that. So does he.”
“Do you really think he still wants you to make the move?” she asked gently. “It’s been years. I know it’s unlikely, but it’s not impossible that he called to tell you he’s accepting your decision.”
“He thinks it’s a phase.” I blew out a heavy breath. “Did you know that when your dad called him to check if it was alright with him that he hired me, Rodrigo told him to let me live out this little marketing fantasy so I could get it out of my system ?”
She paused for a long moment, stirring beside me in the bed but not moving close enough to touch me.
Unfortunately. I would have given my pinkie toe for a distraction right about then, but on the other hand, I didn’t mind talking to her about this stuff as much as I minded having anybody else even bring it up.
London had always been my go-to girl. At least, as much of a go-to girl as I’d ever had. We also connected easily on the rare occasion that we actually talked and didn’t just take swipes at each other.
“I didn’t know the exact words he used, but I knew it was something along those lines,” she admitted. “Dad never told me. I’ve just heard snippets of some of the things he’s said to you over the years and I pieced it together from there.”
I chuckled, but the sound was humorless and dry. “Never let it be said that you’re not observant, London Walker.”
“I only pretend not to be so that people underestimate me,” she joked, but I heard the smirk in her voice.
After another moment of silence, that lightness in her tone was gone.
“For what it’s worth, I know it’s not a phase.
Marketing is your calling. You’re really, really good and I can’t imagine you ever leaving to go work in any other industry. ”
“Neither can I.” It was a quietly whispered confession in the dark, but it was also one of the truest things I’d ever said.
“The thing is that I don’t know if your dad also thinks it’s just a phase.
Don’t get me wrong, I know he loves me like a son.
He calls me at least as often as he does any of you and he’s forever joking about me being the boy he never had, but what if he didn’t plan on having to keep me around forever? ”
“Are you crazy?” She bolted upright, shoving her hair behind her ears with her lips pursed and her eyes intensely focused on mine.
“There is absolutely no way he’d ever give you up unless you told him you wanted to leave, and even then, I know he’d sweeten the deal to try to convince you to stay.
You’ve got as certain a future in Walker and Co as I do, Liam. ”
“My dad could start putting pressure on yours.” I half-rolled to be staring directly up at her. “You know he’d do it if he gets desperate enough.”
“Nathan’s a big boy. He can handle it.” She brought her hands to my shoulders and leaned over me a little. “Now you listen to me and you listen good. The only way you’re leaving this company is either in a body bag or after a super well-motivated, voluntary letter of resignation.”
I felt a smile starting to tug at my lips. “What about in a coffin?”
“Nah. I only threw in body bag because that’s what they use to remove murder victims from the scene. I’m a bigger threat to you than either your dad or mine.”
I laughed, looking up at her and itching to push those golden curtains of hair that had tumbled free back behind her ears.
Preferably as I pulled her closer to kiss her.
Her expression was fierce in the bright moonlight, her eyes blazing and her lips just slightly shiny.
For some reason, she was also breathing a little hard.
“Are you okay?”
She scoffed and flopped back onto the bed, scowling at the ceiling as she drew in a deep breath. “No. I can’t believe you think that my dad might think this is a phase. Are you honestly worried about that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d say I was worried , but the thought has crossed my mind. They had a deal, London. It was that I came to work for you, but if it didn’t work out, your dad calls my dad to let him know I was a free agent again.”
“At which point, your deal with him would kick in,” she finished for me. “If Nathan lets you go, you commit to taking over the CEO position from Rodrigo when the time comes and you never breathe a word about leaving again.”
“Exactly.”
She sighed. “I’m going to preface what I’m about to say by telling you that I’m so glad you decided that you wanted to work in my family’s company instead of your own, but to be honest, I’ve never understood why you’re so adamant about it.
You could always go run the marketing department in your company if you really wanted to. ”
“I want to make something of myself, princess. Remember? My dad uses money to control people and I don’t want to spend my life being a puppet on a string, only to inherit a ton of cash that will only be a constant reminder of everything I gave up to get it.”
“You’re going to inherit that ton of cash anyway,” she pointed out. “So am I, for that matter. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. I just don’t want that to be the only thing I ever achieved. Have you ever thought about it like that? Would you have wanted your dad’s death to be the only reason you ever had anything?”
“Well, to be fair, if it was only my dad’s death, I’m pretty sure my mom would get everything. Same with your family. Serena would come before you, but I suppose you’re right. I wouldn’t have wanted that. Also, this is a really grim conversation.”
I grabbed a pillow and dropped it over my face, my voice muffled when I said, “I know. That’s why I didn’t really want to have it, but you insisted, so…”
She grabbed the pillow away and smacked me with it.
“I didn’t realize we were going to get so morbid.
Jeez. But okay. Let’s drop it. I do understand where you’re coming from, though.
My mom has never understood why any of us want to work.
Lord knows, I love the woman, but I wasn’t born to be a socialite. ”
“You’re already a socialite.”
She smacked me again. “Well, you’re an asshole.”
I laughed as I finally turned over to look at her, relieved to see that her features were devoid of any fire or fight and that she had a wide grin on her lips instead. “Do you want to watch a movie? It doesn’t look like either of us are ready for sleep.”
She nodded. “Harry Potter or nothing. I’m in the mood to watch Hermione kick a little ass.”
“You got it. You know how much I love me some magic.” I reached for the remote control and found the movie on the onboard entertainment system, but before the theme song was even over, London’s breathing had evening out and I wasn’t far behind.
Harsh sunlight roasting my face woke me up the next morning and I jerked, groaning when I felt something heavy on my chest. My eyes flew open, but my heart rate calmed when I realized the weight was a literal one.
London’s head had found its way to my heart and she was sleeping soundly with her ear pressed to it.
I should’ve probably shoved her off. Especially since we’d forgotten to close the curtains and were now being cooked alive as a result, but I took a moment to just take her in. This girl had me tripping over my own thoughts and wants.
After that night we’d had together, it was really damn hard being around her like this and not wanting her. She woke up with a jerk of her own before I could really question any of my current feelings about this, realizing almost immediately that she was lying on me and sitting up.
“So sorry about that.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “I had a dream about being swept away by this super rich guy with a yacht.”
I laughed lazily, stretching my arms out above my head now that she wasn’t on me anymore.
“Nope. The super rich guy is a client of yours and we’re in a romantic suite as a couple even though we’re both very much single, and we’ve got a crap ton of work to get done the minute we get off this boat. How’s that for a dream?”
She groaned. “Well, damn. How do you feel about going back to sleep? I can close the curtains and we could both be back in fantasy land in a minute.”
As I looked at her face, all sleep swollen and groggy, I shook my head. “No thanks. I think I’m perfectly alright with reality just the way it is.”