Unplanned Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “I’m not a baby.”

  “He’s not a baby.”

  Zack and Jr. said in unison.

  Liam burst out laughing, ignoring the daggers Jada shot him with her eyes. His sister hated dirt, especially if it was on her or her child. Heck, his nephew couldn’t even get a scuff mark on his shoes without her wanting to buy him a new pair.

  As for Zack, he was the opposite. He had played professional football for over ten years, becoming one of the league’s best running backs before retiring. Being outdoors and getting dirty was in his DNA.

  “C’mere with your fine self,” Zack said, wrapping an arm around Jada’s waist. He pulled her against his large frame, unfazed by her outburst. “Let me wiped that frown off of those sweet lips.”

  Liam shook his head. “Really, dude? You gon’ kiss my sister like that in front of me?”

  “Eww,” the boys yelled and ran out of the room and back outside where Liam assumed Michael was.

  Zack shrugged when he ended the kiss. “Can’t help it, man. My woman is too sexy for me to let opportunities like that pass me by.”

  To his credit, the kiss must’ve worked because Jada had calmed down and hadn’t said another word.

  “I’ll get lil Zack cleaned up and then we can head to dinner.” Zack held Jada’s hand and turned to Liam. “You sure you don’t want to go out with us tonight?”

  “Positive. I’m heading to Manhattan so I can start my real vacation.”

  His plan had been to spend a few days with his family and then the rest of the week touring the city. He had already booked a hotel and was looking forward to some alone time.

  “But if one of you can drop me off at the nearest subway station, that would be good.”

  “We shouldn’t take him anywhere since he’s holding out on us,” Jada said.

  “Holding out about what?” Zack asked.

  Liam headed to the stairs. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

  *

  “Here’s to landing the biggest contract the company has seen so far this year.” Bradley Handler clinked his tumbler of Tennessee whiskey to Charlee’s glass of red wine.

  They were sitting in the hotel bar, celebrating her big win. Each time Bradley got a refill of his drink, he posed a different toast. This one made number three. He seemed just as happy for her as she was for herself, and now Charlee was glad he had come along on the trip. Having him in the meeting, even if he didn’t have to add much to the discussion, had been comforting.

  They had arrived in New York the day before and nervous energy had her going over her presentation what seemed like a hundred times. By the time she finally drifted off to sleep, Charlee had dreamed about the impending meeting.

  Now, it was all worth it. She still couldn’t believe that she had convinced Edward Richardson and his team to use Fenlon exclusively for construction equipment. She’d had a lot of accomplishments over the years, but this one ranked in her top five.

  Charlee took a sip from her almost empty glass, thinking about how she’d made a fool of herself. The moment they left Richardson’s building, she had screamed her excitement and leaped into Bradley’s arms. Well, maybe she hadn’t exactly leaped, but she had definitely pounced on him, hugging him so tight that they both almost toppled over. But for the first time in a long time, she wished she had a significant other to share the news with.

  When Liam and her were dating, she could call him anytime about anything. He might not have like her putting work before him, but he was always there to support and encourage her. Even times when all she wanted to do was vent. That was when his limited talking came in handy and all he did was listen.

  What would he say if she called now and shared the news with him?

  “Char—lee,” Bradley said her name as if testing it out on his tongue. “Charlee is an interesting name. Are you named after someone?”

  Charlee glanced at him and smiled. “Yeah, it’s a cross between my mother and father’s first name. My mother name was Charlotte.”

  Bradley nodded. “And when you add Kingslee you get Charlee. Clever. A beautiful name for a stunning woman.” He pushed a stray curl out of her face.

  The move was so intimate. A little too intimate, but she wouldn’t read too much into it. They’d gotten a bit too comfortable, even flirted some over the last couple of hours. Bradley might’ve been feeling a little bolder considering the number of drinks he’d had.

  For the most part, he was a nice guy. He’d done some harmless flirting over the years and they didn’t have any issues until about six to eight months ago, after he moved to the executive floor at Fenlon. Charlee had made the mistake of going to dinner with him, and he took it as more than two executive co-workers hanging out. After he tried to kiss her, she made it clear that they could never be more than friends. Besides, she didn’t date co-workers.

  Tonight though…

  Wait. Nope, I’m not going there.

  Charlee wasn’t sure if it was her sex drought or that second glass of wine, but her body yearned for some male companionship. Too bad Bradley wasn’t the man she wanted. Now that she and Liam had kissed and called a truce, no other man would do.

  “All right. I think it’s time for me to call it a night,” she said, and brought the glass of wine to her lips, taking a hefty swig.

  “Your father mentioned that you were lonely.”

  Charlee gagged when the wine slid down her throat wrong, and she coughed, trying to clear her airway. “What?” she croaked.

  Bradley stood, concern on his face and he gently patted her back. “You okay?”

  She nodded and coughed again. “I’m fine. I don’t know why my father told you that, but… Why were you two even discussing my personal life?”

  “We weren’t really, at least not initially. He asked was I dating. I told him no. Then he started talking about young people today, always putting their career before personal relationships. He mentioned you weren’t dating, but that you were—”

  “I like you, Bradley. You’re a nice guy, but like I’ve told you before, I’m not interested in you that way.”

  Still standing, he lowered his voice. “So you’ve said, which is too bad. We’d be great together.” When he leaned within inches of her mouth, she pushed against his chest.

  Charlee moved off the bar stool. “I think we ought to call it an evening. I have a feeling you’re at your limit as far as drinks.”

  “Wait, don’t go. I’m sorry. I misjudged this evening. I thought…” he swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck, still holding a drink in his other hand. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. Since neither of us have eaten, why don’t we head to the restaurant and get some dinner.”

  “I have plans for this evening.” She really didn’t, but she’d make some as soon as she got back to her room. Even if those plans only included ordering room service. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He gently grabbed hold of her elbow to keep her from walking away. “Come on. Just dinner. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

  “Sorry, but I…” Her words stalled in her throat, and she blinked several times to figure out if she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.

  Either I’ve had one too many glasses of wine, or one of my fantasies have come true, Charlee thought as Liam stood near the entrance to the bar. Shock and excitement warred within her as she stared in disbelief, hoping her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. Intense dark eyes. Full sexy beard. A body that looked as if he worked out twice a day, seven days a week.

  Then he moved further into the space with a confident swagger.

  Yep. It was him.

  Her heart kicked inside her chest. He wasn’t just a figment of her imagination.

  Goodness. He was one sexy man in the untucked, white button-down shirt. The top three buttons were undone, showing smooth chestnut skin and his sleeves were rolled up past his wrists, muscular forearms on full display. Khakis molded over his powerful thighs and cover his long legs.

&nbs
p; He looked so good. Too good to be strolling into a bar alone. No doubt he caught the attention of every available woman in the place.

  But at the moment, he only had eyes for her.

  Charlee held his gaze until his eyes narrowed and he glanced from her to Bradley, and then back at her. She pulled her arm out of Bradley’s light grasp. The last thing she wanted was for Liam to get the wrong impression.

  As he approached, an idea formed in her head.

  The moment he was close enough, Charlee ran one of her hands up his torso. “I’ve been waiting for you. What took you so long?” she asked, staring into his eyes, hoping he’d play along.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Liam stared down into Charlee’s mischievous eyes wondering what she was up to, but at the moment, he didn’t care. Shocked didn’t begin to express how stunned he was to see her.

  “Got caught up. You missed me?” he asked in response to her question, his hand landing on her narrow waist. Clearly, he had responded correctly if her sensual smile was any indication. Her hands inched up his chest, and she looped her arms around his neck, bringing her face close to his.

  “I’ve missed you more than you know,” she whispered, then surprised the hell out of him when her soft, red lips covered his. The kiss was slow, thoughtful, and oh so damn sweet. She caught him on the wrong day if she thought she could kiss him like this and not get something started.

  His self-control and common sense when it came to her was shot, gone, non-existent. The days of fighting his feelings—over. After being around lovey-dovey couples for all of his life and even more so the last few days, he was reminded that they’d all taken a chance on love. They had opened themselves up to potential heartbreak to be with the one they loved.

  Liam had another chance, and he planned to take it.

  He was tired of fighting his feelings for Charlee, and had intended to let her know how he felt once he returned to Cincinnati. Little did he know that he’d run into the source of his unsettled thoughts and sleepless nights.

  He tightened his hold on her, deepening the kiss as their tongues tangled to a familiar beat. He missed her more than he cared to admit. Not just since he’d seen her the week before, he craved everything they once shared, including her hypnotic kisses.

  When he walked in and saw her sitting at the bar, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. It took him a few minutes to realize that it was really her. In New York. At his hotel. Only a few feet from him. What he didn’t know was why she was there.

  Again, at the moment, it didn’t matter. This was a helleva way to say hello.

  Someone nearby cleared their throat, reminding Liam where they were. He slowly lifted his head. “Maybe we can finish that a little later,” he said to Charlee. Normally, he wasn’t big on public displays of affection. Yet, when it came to her, he rarely acted like himself. Why should this instance be any different?

  “We can definitely do that.” Charlee ran her finger over his bottom lip just as he started to swipe his tongue across it. They both smiled, and she proceeded to wipe lipstick from his mouth.

  Once she was finished, Liam thanked her and reluctantly pulled his gaze from hers and finally took a good look at the man she’d been with. With a glass of liquor in his hand, the guy studied him, probably thinking the same thing as Liam. He seemed familiar. While they were close in height and build, he appeared to be a few years older than Liam who had recently turned thirty-two.

  “Let me introduce you to my co-worker.” Charlee repositioned herself, looping her arm through Liam’s, holding on tight as if afraid he’d move away. “This is Bradley Handler, one of the executives at Fenlon.”

  So that’s why the guy looked familiar. Liam must have seen him at their office at some point.

  “Bradley and I met with a client earlier and decided to have a celebratory drink. Oh, and Bradley, this is Liam Jenkins.”

  Liam shook his hand before returning his attention to Charlee. “So, what are you celebrating?”

  Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I just—”

  “This amazing woman just closed a huge deal for Fenlon,” Bradley spoke over Charlee, looking at her like a proud lover. “Those guys didn’t stand a chance. Beauty and brains. A lethal combination.”

  Liam ignored the sudden bout of jealousy creeping through him and smiled down at Charlee who was looking at him shyly. That expression was new. The woman didn’t have a shy bone in her body.

  “Congratulations, sweetheart.” He tipped her chin up with the pad of his finger and brushed his lips over hers, taking full advantage of their charade that felt real to him. Liam didn’t have to look at her co-worker. The heat from Bradley’s stare burned through him. “We should head out and do some celebrating. I can’t wait to hear the details.”

  Again, he must’ve said the right thing if Charlee’s full-blown grin was any indication.

  “I guess these were the plans you were talking about,” Bradley said dryly to Charlee, finishing off his drink before plunking the empty glass onto the bar. “Are you guys…together?”

  “Yes,” Liam and Charlee said in unison.

  Liam eased out of her hold and wrapped his arm around her waist, a wave of possessiveness engulfing him. Though they hadn’t actually talked about a reconciliation, he knew their feelings were in sync. No way could she kiss him the way she had if there wasn’t something between them.

  “Thanks for keeping my lady company. I can take it from here.”

  Bradley buttoned his suit jacket, his gaze steady on Charlee as he nodded. “Apparently, you’re not as lonely as your father made you out to be.”

  Charlee stiffened against Liam. “You know what, Bradley? I don’t appreciate the two of you discussing me…about anything. My father doesn’t know everything about me. I’ll be sure to let him know that too when I see him. As for you, I’m still not interested.”

  “Have a good night, Bradley,” Liam said. “I know we will.”

  *

  Charlee was glad Liam led her out of the bar. Otherwise, she might have hauled off and smacked that smug look off of Bradley’s face. He could’ve kept his last comment to himself instead of acting like an ass and attempting to embarrass her.

  So much for trying to let him down easy. Had she known their friendly banter or flirtatious comments would lead to him showing his true self, she would’ve skipped the celebratory drinks. And how dare her father discuss her personal life with anybody, especially some guy she worked with. He was definitely going to hear from her. She might call tonight to set him straight instead of waiting until she returned to Cincinnati. Even if she had been lonely lately, that was nobody’s business but hers.

  “You care to tell me what all of that was about back there?” Liam slowed down once they got outside. The covered area in front of the hotel where guests were catching taxis and looking for their Uber drivers was more crowded than it had been earlier.

  Liam tugged on her hand. “Let’s step over here.”

  They moved a distance away from the entrance. He stood in front of her, his wide shoulders blocking her view of all the activity going on around them. It was as if he was shielding her while she got her emotions under control.

  Charlee didn’t speak right away, feeling a little foolish for using him to get away from Bradley.

  The jerk.

  She released a sigh, more frustrated with herself than Bradley. She couldn’t be mad at him, at least not totally. It was her fault she chose to give him any of her time, confusing their relationship by being too friendly. More than anything, she was angry that he and her father had discussions about her. It was bad enough her dad somehow knew she’d been a little lonely lately, but how could he betray her by saying something to Bradley?

  Liam squeezed her hand. “Talk to me.”

  She hesitated, but then said. “Thank you for what you did back there. I appreciate you playing along.”

  “Why did you need me to play along?”

  “Bradle
y was getting a little…friendly, trying to talk me into going to dinner with him. I tried letting him down nicely, not wanting things to be weird when we return to the office. Now that I know he and my father have been talking about me behind my back, I’m done with nice. I am so pissed at my dad. How could he tell some guy I work with that I’m lonely?” she choked out, humiliation clogging her throat.

  She didn’t embarrass easily, but her personal life was a sensitive subject. It was the one area that she didn’t have a good grasp on and kept getting wrong. Ask her anything about construction equipment, business finance, or how to manage a large staff, and she could tell you anything you needed to know. Ask her about her favorite hobby, the latest R & B songs, or how to keep a man, and she wouldn’t have an answer.

  “Why would Kingslee assume something like that? You’re the most energetic, fun-loving, outgoing person I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if men were banging on your door for a chance to go out with you. So how exactly did your father come to this conclusion? Are you lonely?”

  Charlee swallowed the sob that was creeping up her throat and lowered her gaze. No one wanted to admit that outside of their job, they didn’t have much of a life. There had been a time when she’d been alone, but hadn’t felt lonely. Lately, though, something had been missing in her life. Her career wasn’t as fulfilling as it used to be which was one of the reasons why she wanted the CEO position. She hoped that the new challenges would fill the void.

  “Look at me,” Liam said.

  Charlee met his gaze and wasn’t sure exactly what he saw in her eyes, but without a word, he gathered her into his strong arms. He placed a kiss against her temple and held her without saying a word.

  Charlee soaked up the comfort he provided, but she didn’t want his pity. She loved him, would always love him. Yet, she wanted him to see her like he used to. Like the confident, courageous, outgoing woman he had once fallen in love with. The woman she was when they were a couple.

  With one last squeeze, he slowly released her and folded his arms across his broad chest. Let’s get back to Bradley. You were using me to get a rise out of the guy, huh?”