Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“That story is for another day, Angel,” Sunny lofted over his shoulder. “You’ve got to run up and tell Liam about that valet. Every minute we waste, the bomber slips further away.”
It was the truth of that which stopped me from chasing him down and... what? Chew him out? Claim another searing kiss? Tackle him out of that chair, rip off those Caddells, and get another tour of his perfect frame?
At some point in the last four days, we graduated to kissing, and Hera help me if I saw the sign. Sunny was clearly taken with me, and funny things happened in my chest when he looked in my direction. Even so, we went through a traumatic event together. As I saw it, he woke up from certain death and imprinted on the first face he saw. Sunny would be making moon eyes at Sienna if it was her instead of me. I would not read more into his kisses, compliments, praise, or touches than there were.
When he knew the real me—the homeless single mom who lost her baby and carries a sordid, heartbreaking past—his crush would vanish into nothing.
“Sienna, I’m running upstairs for a minute.”
“I’ll keep your breakfast warm. When you come back, we’ll go shopping.”
I agreed, grabbed the notepad on the living room table, and headed out. The Fairfield was outfitted with the best security there was to offer, including the call that went out to Liam’s apartment when I hit the open button for his floor.
“Hello?” A tiny voice poured through the speaker.
I softened. “Tricky, sweetie. It’s Kenzie. I came to see how you were doing. Can I come in?”
Her tone brightened. “Kenzie, you can come in. Daddy thinks I don’t know the code, but I do.” With that, the elevator slid open.
Rounding the corner, I took one look and leaped back, plastering myself against the wall. Holding my breath, their murmured conversation poured over me.
“—doing fine. There isn’t a scratch on her, Liam,” said Doctor Hendrix. “The scare had the worst effect, and knowing our Elizabeth, she’ll bounce back in no time.”
“I should send her to someone.” Tightness laced his baritone, upsetting the natural lazy calm and squeezing my chest. “A therapist or—”
“What she needs is her daddy to hold her, kiss her, and tell her everything’s going to be alright.” The buxom, pretty doctor’s tone dropped to a purr. “It’s you I’m worried about, Liam. Who’s going to hold and kiss you—make you feel all right.”
My chest tightened for another reason. Of course this was the explanation for why I turned the corner and found them standing with barely a whisper between them, her fingers stroking his chest. Still, it compounded my embarrassment further. Of course Liam popped my bubble at the restaurant and then pulled away when my dense self rose up, deluded into thinking he was going to kiss me.
Liam had my background check. He knew about Laurel and got an eyeful of me in holey socks and dirt as an accessory. There was no crush to kill. He’d never in a million years want me when gorgeous, age-appropriate doctors were willing to make house calls.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked, driving the point home.
“You.”
“Kenzie?!”
I jerked, banging my head on the wall.
“Kenzie, where are you?” Elizabeth called. “Daddy, did you see her?”
“Kenzie?”
Lifting my chin, I stepped into the hall, praying my mortification wasn’t written all over my face. Liam and Hendrix stood before the doorway, Elizabeth clinging to her dad’s leg. The two didn’t bother to spring apart at the sight of me or his daughter. This relationship was no secret.
Why would it be? Unlike if the two of us hooked up, there’s nothing scandalous about two single people in their thirties getting naked.
“I didn’t mean to lurk,” I said, owning up. “It looked like you two were having a private conversation and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“You’re not interrupting. You were invited.” He raised a brow at his daughter. “It’s me who didn’t realize I had to change the code again.”
Elizabeth grinned unrepentantly. “Kenzie came to have breakfast with me.”
“I did,” I confirmed, “and I brought a sketchpad so we can get started on that jacket. Still want a unicorn?”
“Yeah!” She bounced up and down, shaking her dad. “Can we make it today?”
I laughed and scooped her up as she ran for me. “It’s going to take a little longer than that, but we can for sure draw out leather-jacket-domination today. I’m going shopping after breakfast. I’ll pick up everything we need.”
“Daddy, can I—?”
“No,” Liam slid in. “You can’t go shopping with Miss Kenzie. After breakfast, we’re going to finish packing, then we’re driving up to see Grandma and Grandpas. You’re staying with them for a few days.”
Elizabeth pouted but didn’t argue. Liam wasn’t wearing an expression I’d try to mess with either.