So it wasn’t much, but it was his and he was proud of it.
“I’ll, uh, go get something more appropriate on,” Liam said.
Fix’s eyes were a flash bomb of that same desire—there one minute, burning hot, then extinguished the next second with polite respect. “Absolutely. I dropped in on you unannounced, so take all the time you need.”
Liam dithered on the spot, his feet not wanting to move away from the man. It was downright humiliating.
“Is there a problem?” Fix asked, and Liam jumped in place, shaking his head.
“No…I just…” He trailed off, because what? What was he about to say that wasn’t completely dumb and pointless?
Fix’s expression softened slightly, and he smiled at Liam before jerking his chin toward the door.
“Go get dressed,” he said, and Liam’s knees went weak. His body turned against his will, half of it heading to the door, the other half glued to the scuffed flooring.
He looked like he was about to trip over his own feet and he needed a save…quick.
“My scarf tried to murder me in my sleep and I left it on the bed,” he word-vomited mid-flail, instead of admitting he was torn between obeying the man and refusal to leave his presence.
The result was less than smooth. Especially for someone who made a living out of being smooth. In more ways than one.
Fix immediately went stiff-backed, shoulders squaring.
It was hot as hell.
He didn’t ask him to repeat it, he just acted, moving past him. King went crazy with barking again, seeing Fix invading their territory further. Liam tried to hush and calm him, only to watch Fix slow as he reached the open bedroom door.
He looked back at Liam. “Is that the only curse in here?”
“That’s the one that matters,” Liam said. “I can handle the others.”
“You can…” Fix trailed off, clouds passing over his face before he shook his head. “Liam, be honest with me. You have multiple curses on you at the moment?”
His voice and gaze said he already knew, in whatever cursebreaker way he had, what the answer was. There was some censure there too. Disappointment at his lie that Liam didn’t know how to handle. It made him want to tug at him for forgiveness.
Liam flushed, rubbing his ankle with his other foot. “Yes.”
“How many?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Liam lifted his chin, fighting his need to gain Fix’s approval. “Like I said, I can handle them.”
Fix didn’t look happy about that, and Liam’s insides squirmed.
“You didn’t find another cursebreaker, did you?” Fix asked.
“I…”
“The truth, Liam. Please.” He said it in that tone of voice again, and Liam folded like paper.
“No,” he whispered, looking down at his bare feet.
He heard footsteps, and then a pair of scuffed boots entered his line of sight. The scent of pine and something sweet tickled his nostrils, and warmth from Fix’s large body caressed his skin, making it prickle.
His gaze drifted upward and caught on Fix’s, blue eyes already staring so intently at him like he was the only thing in the world. He couldn’t look away.
He felt hypersensitive, the way he usually only felt when he’d pushed himself to the edge of control and he wanted to strip everything from his body so he could justfeel.
He clutched the edges of his robe with shaky fingers so he wouldn’t be tempted to drop it to the ground…
