Her savings was dwindling. Her plan of constructing a massive solar grid was beyond reach at this point. She was not sure what she was going to do once Liam left at the end of the week. His bereavement time was up, and he was dipping into his vacation days now. He would leave, and she would need a place to live.
Staying at her parents’ place was certainly an option, but not one she would consider. The auction for the orange grove was in two weeks, so she just had to find a place to live until the paperwork was signed and she was given the all-clear to move in. She scheduled a walk-through of the property with her realtor for the following morning.
After her Skype appointments were finished, she looked at the realtor’s website at the many photographs of the run-down, yet still promising property. Dreams of her independence distracted her from the gnawing ache that came when she thought of Liam leaving in two days.
Chapter Two
The Things We Don’t Say
Liam came back to the hotel well after dark, utterly spent from the day. He collapsed face-first on the bed, not even protesting the babying when she took off his shoes for him. She removed his socks, and he did not hold back the gratuitous moans of pleasure when she began rubbing his bare feet. “Oh, I missed you.”
“What? Did no one rub your feet over there?” She ached for him, but was not sure what the protocol was on how soon to wait for a good make-out after the death of a loved one.
When she rolled him over to take off his shirt, she saw the exhaustion on his face that could not be denied. Slowly and delicately, she worked his shirt off.
Molly could not help herself. She massaged his calves as he groaned, then moved to his thighs, relaxing him more thoroughly than he had been in days. She swallowed as she salivated for the kisses and caresses they had been abstaining from so they could both heal properly.
After a half-hour massage, Molly went into the bathroom and turned on the large Jacuzzi bathtub, filling it with hot water.
She went to the bed where Liam’s hand was on his chest. “Did you want to take a bath? It might relax you.”
He palmed his own heartbeat, amazed at the thudding. “Relax me? You’re worried about me being relaxed after that?” He reached out, missing her hand on the first try and grabbing it on the second. “You are exactly what I needed tonight. Thank you. Can you wake me when the tub’s ready? I’m beat.”
“Sure.” Molly got out fresh boxer briefs for him to change into after his soak and laid them on the sink. She watched his chest move up and down until the tub filled, and then gently kissed him awake. She led him into the bathroom, turning her head as he unbuckled his pants.
She made to leave, but Liam caught her wrist. “Stay,” he begged. “It’s been too long a day without you.”
Molly swallowed hard, nodding as she sat on the lid of the toilet, keeping her eyes averted until after he completely disrobed and relaxed into the warmth. “Do you want to tell me about your evening?”
He opened his eyes and frowned at her lack of nudity. “Aren’t you getting in?”
“No. The bath is for you.”
“I’ve got news for you, Moll. Men don’t generally take baths unless there’s promise of a naked woman.”
Molly shifted uncomfortably. “My bruises still haven’t faded all the way on my ribs. You’re leaving in a couple days. I don’t want you to remember me all banged up like that. It’s a legitimate concern, Liam. I want the first time you see me naked to be a good thing, not a horror show.”
“Your body, your call.” He relaxed into the bubbles. “This is nice. Thanks.”
“Of course.” Molly turned off the overhead light and flicked on the floor illumination so he could really let go of his day. She sat on the edge of the tub, flirting with her daring. “How was your evening with your family?”
Liam traced the slope of her wrist as he spoke, the romantic light endearing him to her. “It was good. Man, do those kids know how to wrestle. Kinda proud of Warren for teaching them so well. Though, that could’ve been Jess, to be fair. She’s always been pretty scrappy.”
“Taught by the best.”
“You know that’s right.” He kissed her palm, not sure how he got so lucky as to be loved by someone like her. “Jess and I nailed down a week for me to go visit her and the kids upstate in February. Does the second week work for you? That’s when the kids have their break.”
Molly looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. “What are you talking about? Did she say she wanted me there? I’m sure she was hoping to spend time with her brother.”
Liam observed the way her face glowed in the low light. “She insisted you come. What’s your excuse now?”
“I… Liam, we haven’t talked about what’s going to happen after you leave.”
“And we don’t need to. I’ve had a long day, and I don’t have it in me to make it through that conversation.”
Shame instantly flooded Molly. “You’re right. I’m so sorry. That was insensitive.”
He turned on the jets and sighed as one hit a knot on his lower back. “We’ve got the walkthrough tomorrow for the orange grove property. That’s exciting.”
Molly nodded. “If you don’t feel up for it, you don’t have to come.”
“I’m up for it. Never owned property before. Lived in dorms, then shared apartments. Been living out of a suitcase for the past… too long.”
He often made comments that confused Molly. The one about him being a homeowner creased her brow, but she said nothing. They were not to talk about serious things tonight, so she wrote it off as yet another slip of the tongue. “Any chance you might get assigned to one team?” she asked. “That might be easier on you than being shuffled around as they need you. Traveling that much sounds brutal.”
“It never bothered me until I met you and realized that wasn’t what I wanted.”
“Then what do you want?” she asked, trying not to look down into the water as the bubbles began to disperse in the hot water.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want you.”
Her eyes were closed as she scolded him. “You’re being difficult on purpose. What sort of job do you want?”
“I like the medical field, and you know I love being courtside at the games, but travel season is rough. I wasn’t kidding about not wanting to leave you in two days.”
Molly traced from his chin to his collarbone. “See, I thought you were serious when you said you didn’t want to have this conversation tonight. I don’t want to think about you leaving until the very last second. I don’t think I could take it right now.”
“Fair enough.” He continued to trace the lines in her palm in languid slow sweeps. “Molly?”
“Yes,” she breathed. “Whatever you want, the answer’s yes.”
“If I promise to be really gentle and not hurt your ribs, can we make out in the bed?”
Molly stood abruptly and reached for the towel, holding it open for him and turning her head to the side, blushing. Once the towel was secured around his waist, she glanced over at him, smiling at the lust in his eyes. She had been waiting for that look. She despised the pity or concern he often took in her injuries with, and refused to make out in the bed with him until they were on equal terms.
Liam took her hand and laid her on the bed without bothering to change into more than his boxer briefs. How he wanted to ravish her, to make her arch and moan for him, but he knew her injuries were too much for mattress acrobatics. Instead of attacking her with all the lust in his body, he started with her lips, gently working them at the slow pace that made them both forget the rest of the world. It was the most she could do, what with all her injuries, but the simple connection offered significant healing powers on both ends, heating and soothing in their sore spots that needed extra care. Liam tangled his legs through hers and ended their night together by making up for lost time.
Chapter Three
Dream Building
Liam had more questions than she thought imaginable for the realtor
the next morning. Molly had plenty of her own, of course, but as soon as one of hers was answered, Liam chimed in another from his lengthy list.
The house was not a palace, but it was slightly bigger than her parents’ colonial. Liam inspected every nook and cranny, even calling his dad at one point to ask a few questions about the plumbing. Mr. DiNatali was tired of dealing with death and funerals and, as much as he loved his grandchildren, a full house. At the first detection of uncertainty in Liam’s voice, he hopped into his car and drove over.
Mr. DiNatali had bags under his eyes, but he was focused on the task at hand. When Molly began to apologize profusely for Liam making him come out, the older man shook his head. “No, no. I need to do something. Sitting around the house all day feeling… this? I’m better when I have a project to work on. Thank you for rescuing me from yet another person with a casserole.” He turned to Liam. “When I die, don’t tell anyone. It’ll save you from eighteen tuna casseroles and people coming over just to tell you about their lost loved one, and how they can relate.”
Liam chuckled and showed his father around the property, bringing up questions Molly did not think to ask. They inspected the pipes, did a furnace check, tested the plumbing from all angles, and looked for mold in all the usual and unusual places. The realtor was patient as the inspection went on for nearly two hours.
Molly was more concerned about the soil and the trees than the interior of the house. She retested the pH levels, frowning at the long turnaround time it would take for the soil to be up to snuff on the back few acres.
While Mr. DiNatali was looking at the aged washer and dryer, Liam took Molly into the house. They went through each room, and he asked her in detail what she thought the space would look like when she was moved in. There were five bedrooms, a massive den with a fireplace, and a separate living room. There was a mud room that led to the greenhouse, and a spacious kitchen with separate dining room. Though the walls needed the paper peeled off, and the carpet and some of the wood flooring needed to be replaced, the damage was minimal and no problems were structural. The upstairs bathroom needed to be gutted, though. The tub and shower were so broken down and speckled with cracks, they would need replacing.
“What do you think about knocking down this wall and making it one big bathroom? I mean, did you have your heart set on five bedrooms?”
Molly tried to picture what Liam was saying. “Well, of course not. I’ll use two rooms, tops. But is this a load-bearing wall? And that sounds expensive. There’s a bathroom downstairs. It’s smaller, but it works alright. Fancy stuff like knocking down walls and making dream bathrooms can wait until the grid gets built, which is going to take a few years. Big time home renovations are light-years away. I can’t even think that far in advance.”
“The realtor said no one else has come to look at the property, except contractors who want to give a low-ball offer and turn it into a strip mall. The family’s son doesn’t want to do that. He doesn’t want to own the place, but he won’t see his family’s work demolished, either.” Liam’s grin could not be contained. “Odds are looking pretty good, Moll.”
She held a cautious finger up. “Don’t jinx me.”
He led her by the hand to the master bedroom, looking inside like a kid ready to dive headfirst into the candy store. “So, this is our bedroom.”
“Liam, you’ll be traveling with whatever team you’re working for. Crashing here occasionally doesn’t make it ‘our bedroom’.”
“Humor me.” He squeezed her fingers and walked into the empty expanse with her. “You’ll need a new bedroom set. King-sized bed for when I’m in town and stay over?”
“Sure.” Molly threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Since we’re being ridiculous and talking about things that aren’t real. Yes, king-sized bed. Why not? Let’s paint two walls a dark red, and make two an off-white. Sound good?”
“Sounds very good.” His glee was uncontained that she was playing along, his smile boyish. “What else?”
“A cork board.”
“Don’t go crazy, now. You’re on a budget,” he kidded. “Seriously? That’s your dream bedroom? It’s got two red walls and a cork board?”
“I wasn’t finished. A giant cork board that stretches at least twelve feet wide and maybe ten feet tall. I can pin all my ideas to it. I always had to hide my projects at Kyle’s parents’ house. This way, they can be out in the open. Because, I mean, who’d see it? Just fictional you, and you wouldn’t care. Would you?”
“No, fictional me would get a kick out of seeing your brain mapped out on a wall like that. What else?”
Molly shrugged. “I don’t know. Honestly, I’ll be working outside on the grove most of the time. I won’t have time to care about knickknacks and wall colors and whatnot. So long as it has heat, water and the roof doesn’t leak, I’m good.”
“Man, you’re high maintenance,” he teased, lacing his fingers through hers. “Where are you staying until you move into your amazing farmhouse?”
Molly frowned. “I’m still not sure. Motels would eat the crap out of my savings, but the thought of going back home makes my stomach churn.”
Liam nodded. “Understandable. Do you have any friends you could stay with?”
Molly laughed derisively. “Oh, Liam. I forgot how little you know about me. Friends? No, honey. I don’t have close friends like that. I skipped ahead two grades and finished my Master’s when I was twenty-three. I was always hiding bruises, so I never spent much time out of the house. I have work friends, sure, but not let-me-crash-on-your-couch friends.”
“What about—”
Molly held up her hand to silence him. “It’s fine, Liam. I’ll figure it out. Really. I have options. Motel or parents’ house. If everything goes smoothly, it’ll only be a month or so. Maybe I’ll try to find a short-term roommate on Craigslist or something.”
Liam’s tone was clipped. “I think you can guess my opinion on that.”
Kissing him lightly on the mouth, Molly smiled sadly up at him. “Liam, sooner or later you’re going to have to accept that you’re leaving tomorrow. All these decisions are mine, and not something for you to concern yourself with.” She kissed him again. “You’re a good man, though. In a perfect world, things might be different.”
Liam gestured around the empty room, and then led her to the window. “Look outside, Molly. This is your perfect world. And whataya know? Here I am.”
Liam leaned down and kissed Molly, feeling her saying goodbye with every beat their lips were joined.
Chapter Four
The Last Kiss
The morning came too early. They kissed and spoke in hushed voices until the wee hours of the dawn, passing out for a quick catnap before the wake-up call sounded throughout the hotel room. They did not speak; there were no words. Liam simply pulled her body flush to his and began blessing every inch of it he was permitted to touch with his lips. He sucked on her navel, bringing her to life again for the last time before he was to board his plane.
“Next time we need to do this in a field. I can picture us getting good and dirty in the grass,” Liam breathed.
Without warning, Molly let out a loud sob.
Liam’s head popped up from her stomach. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Molly hid her face in her pillow, finally letting the tears she had been holding back pour out from her.
“Molly? Honey, what is it?” His heavy arm rested on her stomach, trying to communicate comfort in his overexcited state.
“How can you ask me that?” she wailed. “You’re leaving! You talk about the great times we can have together, but it’s not real. You have to leave in like, half an hour?” She glanced at the clock. “That can’t be right. I have to drop you off at the airport in half an hour, Liam! And you’re talking about the next time we’re together. This is our last day for who knows how long! Months? A year?”
Liam did his best to come out of his post-make-out haze with a smidgen of coherence. “Y
ou’re right. That was a stupid thing to say. Come here.” He crawled up near the pillow and drew her to his chest. He slowly rubbed her back until her tears tapered off. “Realistically, I can get away for a long weekend about every three months.”
Molly scoffed. “You’re honestly suggesting a long-distance relationship? A relationship based on a weekend every three months?”
“Are you suggesting we break it off?” When Molly was quiet, he continued to run his hands down her back. “I didn’t think so.” He stared up at the ceiling, wishing he could give her the words of comfort she needed. “I’ll make it back for the auction. That’s only two weeks away.”
“Long-distance relationships don’t have a high statistical success rate.”
“You and that brain.” He kissed her hair and hugged her as tight as her sore ribs would allow, knowing he would not be able to sleep that night without her curves pressed against him. “Let’s try it for a month. Can you give me that before you hop into bed with Doctor Hamilton?”
Molly laughed, despite herself. “Okay. We can try it. One month. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Chapter Five
Johnny’s Couch
Molly was no stranger to loneliness, but it never ate at her insides so voraciously until Liam got on the plane and left. She refused to lie in bed and cry. She also refused to stop talking, though she conversed with so few people now, it made little difference.
Though Liam was not thrilled with her choice in temporary roommates, there was precious little he could do about it. Molly lived just outside of town now, spending her days at work, and her nights on Johnny’s couch. They rarely saw each other. She was working from sun up until well after dark, trying to make up for lost funds. Johnny charged her nothing to stay with him, hoping this would help absolve him for how bad Kyle’s condition had gotten.
Unraveling Molly Page 14
