by Skye Turner
His brows raise at my statement. “Too loud? I’m in a rock band, Clove.” He chuckles again.
He’s still here. Why is he still here? I try to organize my thoughts. Finally, I remember how to speak. “I know that. Sorry I bothered you though. I’ll turn it down.”
He looks at me again with a slight smile on his face. “Who says you’re bothering me?”
My mouth drops open in shock. “What?”
He laughs outright. “What, what?”
I rub my forehead. He’s giving me a headache. “What are you doing? Why are you being nice to me?”
His brows raise again and his face loses the cocky smile. He frowns. “I’m not doing anything, Clove. I was just talking to you. I didn’t realize that was such a big deal. I wasn’t aware of the fact that I was being a dick to you all the time.”
My brain is trying so hard to follow this line of conversation, but I am simply at a loss. I stare at him and plant my hands on the counter as I take in his face. God, he’s gorgeous.
Shaking my head to clear it, I compose my thoughts. When I can form a sentence, I speak. “You never talk to me. You haven’t talked to me for years, so what the hell are you doing? I’m not in the mood for a mind fuck.”
Did I just say that out loud?
Apparently, my words have shocked him too. His face registers his surprise before he laughs again. “I know that. Now it’s my turn to apologize. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I stopped talking to you. I just remember we were friendly and then we weren’t. I’m not sure what happened.” I flinch. He sees it and his face changes again. “I’m not trying to mind fuck you, Clove. I swear. I’m just trying to have a conversation,” he lifts his hands in exasperation, “and I don’t know why it’s so difficult to talk to you when I can talk to any other woman on the planet and have no issues.”
I slap the counter in my anger. He jumps. “Are you serious? You really don’t remember!” I hit the counter again and I feel the burn of tears in my eyes. “No, I’m not doing this!” I mutter, “Unfuckingbelievable!”
I can see on his face that he really doesn’t remember. Awesome. Knife to the gut. Just awesome.
He asks, “Remember what, Clove?
The oven timer goes off and I turn my back to him to take my brownie bites out. After I set them on the rack to cool, I turn the oven temperature down for my tart shells. Without turning around, I say flatly, “Nothing! Apparently, nothing. Forget it, Liam.”
I don’t hear him cross the kitchen, but the next thing I know he’s touching my arm. He says quietly, “Clove. What happened? What am I not remembering?” I can hear the confusion in his voice. But, I don’t care. My heart feels like it’s in a vice and I do not want to do this.
As I shrug my shoulders, he lets go of my bicep. I step around him and put some distance between us. Looking up, I see his blue eyes. They are full of questions.
Shaking my head, I say while staring at him, “Nothing.”
He crosses the kitchen and before I can move, he’s in my space. I’m backed against the kitchen table. “Bullshit! Tell me!”
My face loses all color and my heart starts racing. He wants to know. Fine, I’ll tell him and then he can leave me alone. Staring up at him, I try to hold my ground. He’s not moving. Fine! “You want to know?! Fine. I’ll tell you. The party. My graduation party, right after I moved out to L.A. What do you remember about that night, Liam?” I spit it at him.
His brow creases and his eyes darken as he tries to remember that night. After a bit, he says, “We were leaving for a tour. You moved into Jude’s and were starting culinary school. It was a great party. Everyone was drunk. We talked that night. I think we danced some.” He stops as he thinks back. “Did something happen that night, Clove?” He sounds perplexed.
I laugh harshly and shove him. He takes a step back. I shove him again. Once there’s a tiny bit of space between us and he’s not touching me anymore, I say, “Ha! Yes, something happened that night, Liam. We hung out all night. You were drinking and I was drinking, but I wasn’t drunk. We went to my room…”
His eyes go wide at my declaration. He shakes his head, “What? We did?”
Laughing again with no humor, I mutter, “Yeah, we did. You kissed me. In the kitchen the other night wasn’t the first time you kissed me, Liam.” He shakes his head again and grabs the back of his neck. He wanted to know, so he’s going to know. Asshole! “We had a heavy make-out session. Then our clothes were off. Granted, I wasn’t as experienced as you, but I wasn’t a virgin either.”
He holds his hands out to stop me. “Wait! Stop. I did not have sex with you! Did I have sex with you, Clove? FUCK!! I would remember if I had sex with you.”
I laugh again and try to stop from crying. “Ha, no Liam. We did not have sex. I sucked your dick and you pleasured me, but no, we did not have sex. You passed out!”
He looks sick. His face loses all color and he grabs the closest chair and sits down. He looks at me with stricken eyes. He whispers, “Oh my God. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t remember that. I would never have… I wouldn’t have treated you… Oh my God. No wonder you hate me.”
I smile sadly. “Yeah, awesome night… And then you walked out of my bedroom with a skank on your arm the next morning! So, now you know. Can you leave me alone now?” I turn and walk back to the island where I start cutting up more fruit. The wooden spoon I dropped is still lying on the floor.
I don’t hear anything. He doesn’t leave. After five minutes, my back is hurting from holding it so straight. I turn and glare at him. He’s staring at me.
What? Why is he staring at me? Why is he still in here? What the hell does he want? God, go away, Liam. I cannot be in the same room with you. You steal all the air. I feel like I’m in a mine field. Dear God, just go away!
He’s still staring at me. It’s unnerving. I snap out, “What? Why the hell are you staring at me?”
After a minute he says, “Can you put that knife down?”
WHAT? What knife? What the hell is he talking about? Oh, the knife in my hand. Does he think I’m going to stab him?!
I slam it down on the island and turn around expecting to lash out at him. I don’t know what he’s doing, but he needs to go away. He’s got me so tightly strung up, I’m about to explode.
When did he move? He’s in front of me again. I look up. What is that look on his face for?
He takes a step forward, I take one back. He stalks me. What the hell is he doing?
I squeak out, “What are you doing?” I take another step away as he advances. I hit the cabinets. One more step and his legs are lined up with mine. I swallow.
He watches the motion and then looks into my eyes. I’m sure I look like an idiot, but I don’t know what he’s doing. My eyes are wide and confused.
He breathes in and leans down. I lean back.
“Do you hate me?” he softly murmurs.
I am trying to think and I can’t. I shake my head as I try to clear the fog. “What?”
He repeats, “Do. You. Hate. Me?”
I think about it for a minute. Do I hate him? No, I don’t think I do. I want him. I’ve wanted him forever and I hate that. I hate that he’s the man I want and he’s no good for me. I hate that he can and will sleep with anything that shows interest. I hate that he makes me feel like a simpering fool. I hate that when he’s around, I feel like a twelve year old with a crush on her brother’s friend. I hate so many things about him. But, no, I don’t hate him.
I don’t answer. I can’t. I shake my head, no.
He smiles and leans in closer. I can’t lean back any farther. He whispers again, “No? You don’t hate me?”
I can’t breathe. He’s too close. I can’t think either. Five minutes ago I wanted to slap him and now I’m having to force myself not to touch him. If this is a mind fuck, he’s an expert. I shake my head again.
He says, “Say it.”
I whisper, “I don’t hate you.”
He whispers,
“Good.” Then, he’s kissing me. His hands cradle my hips and his mouth moves sensuously against mine. Back and forth. He licks the seam of my mouth, asking for entrance and I moan and open for him.
What are you doing, you idiot? Stop! Stop kissing him. Fight this! Pull against him, dammit!
Fuck it, I don’t want to fight it. If he’s the devil, then I’m jumping straight into the fires of Hell.
He groans and deepens the kiss. My hands find his neck and squeeze it as I hold on for dear life. I’m kneading his taunt neck as he squeezes my hips and kisses the breath right out of me.
I press closer to him and our bodies are flush together. His hands cup my butt and he lifts me up and sits me on the counter top. This gives him better access. He never moves his hands from my hips and I yearn for them to move over my body.
Moving my hands from his neck, I trail them down his chest and moan as I feel the ridges of muscle underneath his shirt. He moans and kisses me harder. I suck on his tongue and feel his ridged length against my core through both of our jeans.
I want him to touch me. I want to touch him.
My hands glide under his shirt and his abs contract as I feel his warm skin. As I trace the muscles with my fingers, he continues to kiss me. He breaks the kiss and moans my name, “Clove…” then his mouth is trailing down my throat. I have to hold onto his waist to steady myself. I feel like I’m going to melt into a puddle on the floor. My body is on fire. Every place his mouth touches is blazing hot and sends a pang straight to my girl parts.
I don’t even realize I’m moaning his name over and over. “Liam. Ohhhhhh, Liam.”
My throaty moans get his attention and he stops kissing my neck and collar bone where he’s pulled the neckline of my shirt aside. He looks at me. The blatant desire in his eyes makes me want to spontaneously combust. My face must mirror his, because he swoops back in and we are once again kissing feverishly. My hands are holding his head prisoner and his hands are still firmly planted on my hips.
We are so involved in making out, we miss the door opening until we hear a cough. Apparently it takes a few minutes for us to register the intrusion. Pulling apart, both of us breathing rapidly, we look towards the door and see… Dade and Cruz. Dade has a peculiar look on his face. I’m not sure what it means, but Cruz just looks like he’s hiding a smile. I think he was the one who coughed.
Liam lets go of my hips and steps back. He doesn’t turn around, but looks down. I look down too and my face explodes with heat. He is clearly aroused in a major way. He looks back up at me and my face burns even more. He smirks.
He looks over his shoulder. “Sup, guys?”
Cruz coughs to hide a laugh again and Dade’s eyes go wide. He crosses his arms and looks at both of us before calmly answering. “Sup, y’all. So… whatcha doing?”
I want to crawl up to my room and hide under the covers. Oh my God. My big brother just caught me making out with his bandmate. I feel like I’m sixteen. I shove against Liam and wriggle to get off of the counter. He helps me and I glance at him in embarrassment.
Shit. Fuck. Damn. What do I say? Do I say anything? Do I just play it off? Shit! My brother just caught me all over Liam. But he was kissing me. Like KISSING me. I don’t know what that was, but oh my God, I want more of it. That man is too damn tempting.
Focus, Clove. Think about the fact that your vagina is on fire for him later! Right now, focus on the fact that your brother just saw you with Liam.
Did he say, ‘Whatcha doing?” Is he pissed? Well, I am an adult, so if he’s pissed, he can just get over it. Ugh… I want to hide. Can’t hide! Shit. Put on your big girl panties, Clove. You can handle this.
Turning around, I look at Dade and Cruz. I gesture to the counters. “I’m prepping for tomorrow. Getting some treats ready to take to James Black. I have another interview with him.” I can feel Liam look at me.
Dade chuckles. I can’t tell if he’s pissed. Dammit!
Then he looks from me to Liam, “Really? Are the treats in Liam’s mouth?”
I cough and my head whips around to Liam in mortification.
He simply smirks and says to Dade, “I am a treat, don’t you know? But no, I came in and distracted her while she was working. My bad.”
Dade’s brows raise as he absorbs Liam’s comment. I look to Cruz and he winks at me.
What. The. Hell!?
Dade stares at Liam for a long time and then his stance relaxes. I see him nod slightly.
Liam looks at me and smiles.
I look from Cruz, to Dade, to Liam. I have no idea what just happened, but I need some air. My hormones are going crazy and standing this close to Liam after all that has me ready to jump him. Damn my brother’s intrusion. Yes, I need some air.
Smoothing my shirt down, I pat my hair, which is out of my clip and around my shoulders and I say to the room at large with a strained smile, “Excuse me, guys. I need to use the restroom.” Then leaving all three of them looking after me, I exit the kitchen, and race up the stairs as if the hounds of hell are pursuing me.
In a way they are… after that scene with Liam in the kitchen, I fear I’ve opened Pandora’s Box.
Chapter Eleven
Liam
Down boy. What the hell was that? It feels like my body is attached to a livewire. I can’t believe I’ve been naked with Clove before and I don’t remember it. According to her, she doesn’t hate me and she responds to me like a dream. I have to make it up to her.
God, please don’t let Dade hit me. Although I deserve it. Shit! Time to face the music.
As I turn back to Dade after watching Clove walk out of the kitchen, I’m not sure what I’m going to find. He’s also looking down the now empty hall. He turns back to me and just stares.
Is he mad?
Cruz breaks the silence as he pulls out a chair from the dining room table and plops into it. Dade and I both look at him. He says, “Sorry, I’m not leaving. Whatever is about to go down, I’m staying here to make sure neither one of you hurts the other.”
Dade chuckles. I look at him and he arches his brow. His eyes are the same as Clove’s. That’s weird. He still says nothing, just watches me.
I ask, “You going to hit me?”
He stares at me a bit longer and then inhales and looks away. He turns back, “Do I need to hit you?”
I shrug. “I dunno. I was just kissing your sister… Again…”
He nods, “Yeah, you were. Get that out of your system this time?”
I look at him incredulously. “What? Did I get it out of my system? Dude, are you serious?! I just kissed your sister! Again! In your house! And you’re asking me about it like I just satisfied my craving for crawfish!”
Dade, says, “Why does that piss you off? Thought it wasn’t happening again.”
I throw my hands up in the air and face him, “Yeah well, I changed my mind and she’s your sister! You don’t care that I just had my hands all over her and my tongue in her mouth?!”
He chuckles. “I didn’t say that.”
“Well, what the fuck are you saying? You don’t care that people kiss your sister? You do care? What the hell, dude?” My neck is tight and my head starts hurting.
I want to go after Clove. I need to talk to her. I look down the hall in the direction of the stairs.
Dade sees me looking down the hall. He chuckles again and when I whirl on him, with my eyes flashing, he laughs outright. “Calm down. What I’m saying is that I don’t care if you kiss my sister.” My jaw goes slack. “Liam, come on. Y’all have been dancing around each other for months. I didn’t know for sure if it would work out, but you are my friend and she’s my sister. I love you both. I gave you the opportunity to see if there was something there. If what we walked in on is any indication, then we were right, and something is.”
He wouldn’t be saying that if he knew how I’d treated her in the past. He’d for sure want to hit me then. But is he saying he wants me to pursue his sister. He knows me. Is he crazy?
/>
I ask him point blank, “You know me. You know exactly how I am, so are you telling me I can date Clove?”
I take him by surprise with that. I take me by surprise too.
Do I want to date Clove?
Yes, I think I do. Hell if I have the first clue about how to do that though…
Cruz is watching us raptly. Dade swallows. “I do know you. Which is why I trust you.” He asks me, “Do you want to date Clove?”
I’m in shock. He trusts me?! With his sister?! Without stopping to think it through, I nod. “Yes. I want to date Clove. I’m just not sure she’ll want to date me…”
Dade sighs, “Liam, she’s different as you know and she’s also sweet and a lot to handle. She’s a handful. Add in the fact that she’s also pregnant… I’m just saying make sure. I don’t want to see her get hurt here. Make sure this is something you really want and it’s not just you trying to win a challenge. If you break her heart, then I will hit you.”
Looking at him, I take it in, but I’ve already thought it all through and I know that I want to do this. I can do this. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but she can teach me.
I have to laugh at myself. A woman is going to teach me something.
As I make my decision, I nod at Dade. “I know all of this. I’ve been through it all in my head over and over. I’m not used to this, but I would never intentionally treat her badly. You know that, right?” He nods. “I want to see what’s going on here. And I know she’s a handful. I like that about her. Now, I just have to convince her to take a chance on me…” From the corner of my eye, I see Cruz smile.
Dade laughs and says, “Well, you can’t do that as long as you’re down here.”
I turn towards the stairs and realize for the first time ever, I’m nervous about a woman. But, it’s ok. I am nervous, but I’m also determined. Things mean more when you have to work for them.
Heading down the hall and up the stairs, I hear Dade call out, “Good luck, Liam.” He chuckles.
Yeah, luck is something I’m going to need a shit ton of. I don’t think my pretty face and sexy smirk are going to work for me this time.
