“I am. Are you prepared for it?” she asked, and he suddenly burst into laughter that surprised her. She hadn’t even so much as seen him smile before, and here he was laughing… at her.
His smile was wide and his whole face seemed to change when he laughed. His shoulders shook too. “Am I prepared?” he asked and laughed some more. As attractive as he looked when he laughed, Isabel couldn’t ignore the fact that he was laughing at her.
“Sure, why not? I could use an extra pair of hands around the house, braid Sophie’s hair, nag her to finish her homework and whatnot. It’s hard work for a man like me to care for a little girl. She needs a woman’s touch,” Liam said and slapped his knee.
Isabel felt her neck burning. She knew this was what the deal was. This was why he had placed the ad. It was obvious. He needed a wife who would care for his daughter. A glorified nanny. But for some strange reason, it instantly made Isabel angry, even a little jealous. She was hoping that he would also say that he needed the loving touch of a wife. That he found Isabel attractive. That he was lonely and he wanted her to fill the void.
But Liam Mayer said no such thing, and instead stood up from his chair and clapped his hands. Like it was all settled.
“Why don’t you start off with the dinner, I have to get back to my horses.” He said and walked past her to place the glass back on the counter.
Isabel glared at him, still hoping that he would miraculously display a softer side.
“What about the wedding?” she blurted out before she could stop herself. She needed concrete evidence that he wasn’t suddenly going to change his mind. A wedding, what she had come here for, would bind him to contract.
Liam looked at her with his usual steely narrowed gaze. His eyes dropped to her breasts and then he looked up at her face again.
“Not so fast, dear girl,” he said and Isabel suddenly felt like a small child. She licked her lips and he smiled again. “You have to prove yourself,” he added.
“Prove myself as what?” she asked, but she knew what he was about to say. Liam Mayer didn’t strike her as a man who was a gambler, as someone who was willing to take his chances.
“Prove yourself to be the wife that I need,” he said, and she raised her chin again. If there was anything that Isabel liked, it was a good challenge.
“If you insist,” Isabel said and shrugged her shoulders. Two can play that game, she thought. If Liam was going to be difficult, she would play hard to get too. He needed her. That was evident. He needed a woman to take care of the house and care for Sophie. And Isabel was determined to prove to him that she was the perfect woman for the job.
She had expected a wedding this evening, to be in the arms of a husband by this time. What she was getting instead was a test. And Isabel was up to the task.
Chapter Five
The next time Isabel saw Liam was when it was already dark outside.
She had spent the past hour, chopping vegetables and making a thick creamy soup with whatever ingredients she could find in the cupboards in the kitchen. She was also baking bread. Dinner rolls, rather, which her own father had taught her how to bake when she was a small girl.
Sophie had come downstairs sometime after her father had left the house, curious to know what had transpired.
The two of them bonded instantly. Sophie hung from the edge of the counter, watching Isabel cook with wide, curious eyes. She claimed she had finished her homework for the next day. She spoke incessantly, filling Isabel in on all the friends she had in her school. She didn’t talk much about her father and she didn’t mention her mother either.
“This smells delicious,” Sophie said with a smile as Isabel plopped thin slices of butter into the boiling soup.
“I can’t remember the last time we had a dinner like this,” she added and Isabel looked up.
“What do you usually have?” she asked. Sophie shrugged her shoulders.
“Instant noodles or ham sandwiches. Daddy isn’t a good cook,” she said and giggled, still watching Isabel closely as she stirred the broth.
“We should go together and shop for some more ingredients. Maybe we can roast a chicken tomorrow,” Isabel suggested and the little girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Can you bake a cake?” she asked.
Isabel nodded. “And cookies, buns, and cupcakes. We need the ingredients, that’s all.” She wiped some of the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Isabel…” Sophie began, watching Isabel with so much interest.
“What was your life in New York like? Was it magical?” Sophie asked, looking up at her with wide eyes. Isabel sighed and opened her mouth to say something, but Liam came into the house right then and interrupted them.
“Daddy!” Sophie shrieked, distracted, and jumped into her father’s arms. He hugged her tightly and lifted her up onto his shoulders.
“Doesn’t it smell lovely?” she asked, rubbing her father’s cheeks affectionately.
Liam looked over to Isabel, who was now pouring the soup into three deep bowls. She had already arranged the dinner rolls on plates. And she tried to suppress a smile as she glanced at him. He looked pleasantly surprised.
“It does, indeed,” he said and lifted Sophie off his shoulders and onto the floor.
“Let’s sit down,” Isabel said as she placed the plates on the small four-seater table. She was careful to place the bowl and plate for Liam at the head of the table and the other two on either side.
“Isabel said she can bake cakes and cookies too. And cupcakes. I’ve never eaten a cupcake. Only seen them on TV.” Sophie was talking excitedly as she sat down at the table and carefully tucked a napkin into the collar of her blouse.
Isabel stood behind her chair as Liam sat down, and she followed next.
Sophie was quick to dig into the food. She made loud slurping sounds as she ate and smiled widely at them both. “See daddy, I told you,” Sophie said and Liam shot her an angry look.
Isabel’s brows raised and she looked at them both quizzically. “Told him what?” she asked Sophie. Her spoon was poised over her bowl of soup. But Sophie wasn’t going to answer, not after the look her father had thrown at her.
“We don’t talk at the table, Isabel,” Liam said as he dipped his own spoon into the soup and slurped it off. She saw his tongue peep out when he did and noticed the way his mouth moved. His lips were covered with the liquid and it shone under the bright light of the lamp hanging on top of the table. He didn’t bother to look at her as he ate, and Isabel proceeded to eat in silence. Sophie was still happy, giggling and enjoying her food exaggeratedly.
Isabel was itching to talk. She couldn’t remember the last time she had remained silent in the company of others for this long.
More importantly, she didn’t know anything about this small family she was sharing her dinner with. Who she had cooked for. She was supposed to marry him and be a mother to Sophie, yet she knew nothing about them. Whatever she could see, she knew. The rest was a mystery.
“I need more supplies for the meals,” she said after several minutes of silence. She could see that Liam was almost done with his dinner. Sophie was nearly done as well, while Isabel wasn’t even halfway there. She couldn’t eat because of the way her stomach was turning. She was hugely attracted to him, but afraid and curious at the same time. Her mind was swimming with mixed emotions.
Liam grunted in response. Then he stood up. “Tuck Sophie into bed when she has finished her dinner. Then go upstairs to the bedroom. Sophie will show you,” he said, wiping his mouth with the napkin. Isabel stared up at him in shock. What was he even talking about? Were they supposed to share a bedroom?
“What’s the matter? You look surprised, Isabel. You said you wanted to prove yourself, didn’t you?” he asked and another one of his defiant grins began to spread over his face.
Isabel raised her chin and met his eyes, even though her throat was closing in. “Of course,” she said with a weak smile.
“What’s for dessert?” Sophie asked, interrupting their conversation. The little girl obviously had no idea that Isabel’s mind was about to give out. That she nearly fainted from the way Liam was looking at her.
Chapter Six
The bedroom was small. It was neat, like the rest of the house, but it was bare of everything other than the essentials. It didn’t seem like Liam had made any special arrangements for greeting his new bride.
Isabel had helped Sophie brush her teeth, then change into her night clothes and eventually tucked her into her big four-poster bed. Sophie’s room was fit for a princess. It appeared that Liam had pulled out all the stops necessary to make his daughter’s room comfortable and modern.
His own bedroom remained stuck in the nineteenth century, Isabel had never seen anything like it. There were barely any lights in the bedroom. His mirror was old and silver polish was chipping from its sides. She couldn’t see any of his clothes. There were no carpets and only a thin lace curtain hung from the window, the room’s only embellishment.
Isabel smiled as she stood in the middle of the room, thinking about how peaceful it was to read Sophie a story. She had even watched the little girl’s face as she drifted off to sleep. Sophie held onto Isabel’s little finger as she read. She knew instantly that it was going to be very easy to fall in love with this charming young girl.
Now she was in Liam’s bedroom. Her two bags had been placed by the door and she looked at them with dread.
This was supposed to be their wedding night, but they weren’t even married yet. He had hinted earlier that he wanted to test her worthiness as his wife, even in bed!
Isabel gulped at the thought of that. She was twenty-four years old and still a virgin. She had only had one boyfriend in college and she had never felt comfortable enough with him to go all the way. And here she was, planning on losing her virginity to a man who she didn’t even know. A man who was testing her to make sure that she was marriage material.
Isabel slowly walked over to the window and, to her surprise, found Liam rocking on a chair on the front porch beneath her.
He had his cowboy hat on and he was smoking from a pipe. Again, something she had never seen. He looked like he was stuck in time. He had taken off his jacket, so she could see the faded checked shirt he was wearing, rolled up to his elbows.
He was looking out into the darkness, sitting under the only dim overhead lamp on the porch, rocking silently. Isabel watched him, for several minutes, wondering what it was about him that drew her to him. He barely spoke to her, refused to answer any of her questions, and didn’t seem to appreciate her or even want to marry her. And, yet, Isabel couldn’t help but feel excited.
He wanted her in his bedroom, which could only mean one thing. That he wanted her in his bed.
She quickly walked over to her suitcases and pulled out the red silk nightdress she had packed in the last moment. It looked out of place in her hands here, like it didn’t belong in the room. She slowly peeled her dress off her shoulders, took off her boots, and then slipped into the night dress.
When Isabel walked over to the mirror, she saw for herself what Liam would see. Pale pink complexion, a large red mouth, green eyes and thick brown corkscrew curls. Her nightdress clung to her body so that her breasts stuck out voluptuously. Her legs were long and smooth.
“Admiring yourself?” She heard his voice and blushed immediately. She hadn’t even sensed or heard him come in.
Liam was standing near the door with a grin on his face. When she turned to him, she noticed the way his gaze fell immediately to the rise of her chest. He looked away like he was embarrassed for the first time.
“I just wanted to change into my night clothes,” she said and ran her fingers through her hair.
Liam nodded his head and walked over to the bed. Wordlessly, he started unbuttoning his shirt. Isabel remained standing in front of the mirror, watching him in silence.
So this was how it was going to be. This was how she was going to lose her virginity. She took in a deep breath when his shirt came off and she saw his bare torso for the first time.
Liam may have been a decade older than her, but he had the body of a twenty-year-old athlete. His abs were chiseled, as if out of stone, and his body was as tanned as his face and neck were. She saw the way his muscles bulged and flexed when he flung his shirt to the floor. Isabel gulped again. The man of her dreams was standing before her.
“Isabel, you can back out now if you want to,” he said, interrupting her musing. She looked up at his face and found him staring at her. He was still trying to get her to change her mind. He was still testing her!
“I want to do this,” she said hoarsely, and he clenched his jaw.
“I needed to ask,” he said and took a few steps towards her. Isabel remained frozen to the spot. Was he not attracted to her? Was that what it was? Was that why he was trying to get her to change her mind? Her back tensed up and she lifted her chin to meet him as he came closer.
“Have you changed your mind, Liam?” she asked him in a near whisper.
“No, I’ve just made up my mind,” he said. Before she could process his words, he had grabbed her by her waist and pulled her close. His lips were on hers before she knew what he was even doing.
Chapter Seven
Liam was kissing her. She felt him use his tongue to part her lips. His hands were on her waist and he held her tightly. The feeling of having his tongue inside her mouth was overwhelming. He was strong, muscular, and naked from the waist up.
Isabel’s hands instinctually drifted to his chest, which was rock solid with a light dusting of fine blonde hair. She traced the muscles on his arms with her fingers as he kissed her. And then he suddenly stopped.
“Your dress needs to come off,” he said gruffly and took a few steps back. Isabel felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over her. He watched her, urging her to peel off her dress.
Slowly, Isabel reached for the thin straps of her dress. She only had to give them one tug and the silky material drifted off her body. She stood completely naked before him. His piercing blue eyes bore into her, and a soft smile spread on his face. He was watching her like he was admiring a work of art. He took his time; he wasn’t in a rush. She was his, his bride-to-be. It was his right to test her out. To make sure that he was going to be satisfied with her.
Isabel could feel the wetness between her legs grow. She had never been this aroused by a man who was simply looking at her.
“Lie down on the bed,” he said, and she bit down on her lip. He was still watching her as she walked slowly to the bed and sat down on the edge.
“Lie down. I want to taste you,” he said in the same guttural, low voice. Shivers ran down Isabel’s spine, but she did as she was told. There was no way she was going to disobey Liam. She hadn’t seen him completely naked yet, but already she wanted him inside her.
He followed her, as she swung her legs over and lay down, completely naked on the cold, tough mattress. No man had looked at her like this. So then why was she allowing him to? He didn’t even seem to like her. But she liked him. It was more than that. She was yearning for his touch again.
Liam stood over her. She looked up at him. When she was least expecting it, his hands drifted down. He caressed her, running his fingers gently down the length of her neck, between her bursting breasts, down her belly, over her navel, and then finally came to rest on the mound between her thighs.
“You’re a very brave girl, Isabel. Come here,” he muttered, and she felt her body shudder. His touch was warm and she could feel goosebumps appear on her flesh again. She remained quiet as he allowed his fingers to explore her legs next. Then he bent down, grabbing her waist again. He twisted her over to his side so that her legs dangled off the edge of the bed while he bent down in front of her. His face was level with her throbbing, wet center.
Isabel gasped when he brought his face closer. She could feel his breath on her skin. That same musky masculine scent of hi
m filled her senses. She wanted him inside of her. He licked her inside, right at the center so that she arched her back and gasped again.
“Settle down, now,” he said in a sudden, authoritative voice like he was calming one of his horses. Isabel bit down on her lip and tried to stay still.
He licked her again and then thrust his tongue into her. She felt his tongue inside her and moaned loudly. Liam’s hand reached over to cover her mouth as she arched her back again. He licked and thrust with his tongue. Isabel never knew that a man could ever make her feel so good. She could feel her juices flowing out, mingling with his mouth and his saliva. She had never been this honest and so open with a man before.
Isabel squirmed in her position, nearing the edge. She could feel the knots in her belly giving way. She was going to have her first orgasm even before she knew what was coming her way.
Liam suddenly raised his head, dragging his mouth away from her core. “Are you going to come for me, young lady?” he asked. Isabel had no other option but to nod her head. She wanted him inside of her… or at least his mouth inside of her. She wanted him to push her over the edge.
Instead, he gave her something else. He pushed his forefinger inside her, gently sliding in through her folds and her juices. Isabel moaned again, biting down on her lip to muffle it when she realized that Sophie was in the other room.
“Good girl,” he said softly as he pushed his finger in and then pulled out. He did this repeatedly with an increasing force. He was looking down at her. There was that same grin on his face. He was enjoying this control he had over her body, the fact that he could do with her as he pleased.
Isabel was going to come; she could feel it. He pushed into her deeper and deeper until, eventually, she arched her back, dragging her body up in the air. She moaned loudly and felt her toes curl up.
She orgasmed right into his hands and thought she heard Liam laugh as she came. Her body shook slightly, and after what felt like several minutes, she finally began to relax.
Doctor’s Fake Fiancée Page 55
