He lifted his free hand, cupping her chin, and lowered his head, brushing his lips against her own. Her eyes fell shut, her breath exhaled as her body went soft and pliant against him. He licked the seam of her mouth, and her lips opened, her tongue darting out to meet his own.
For someone who hadn’t acted as if they knew how to kiss, she wasted no time kissing him back. Her arms wound around his waist, and he lifted his other hand, cupping her face and moving her head the way he wanted.
She tasted like cinnamon and sugar and was the sweetest thing he’d ever had against his lips. The small kiss grew heated, her hold on him tightening, and he backed her up against the counter. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. What started as a small thing turned heated in mere seconds. The kiss was consuming and scrambled his thoughts with every small sound she made. She moaned against his mouth, her tongue tangling with his own, and when his body responded, he pulled away, taking a step back so she didn’t feel the evidence of it.
She blinked up at him, her eyes dazed, her lips kiss-swollen. The sudden smile she gave him and her blushing cheeks caused his own grin to form. Liam chose that moment to yell, “Clay, is that you?” from the other room. He kept his eyes on Daisy as he yelled back, “Yeah, I’m here, Liam.”
“Well, come in here when you get a minute.”
Daisy looked toward the bedroom. “Is Liam talking to you? Does he need something?”
“He is, and I’m not sure. He asked me to come see him.” She nodded and pulled away. He let her, missing the feel of her against his body, and turned on his heel when she looked away.
Liam was sitting up when he entered the bedroom. The old man nodded to the chair beside the bed and said, “Come sit a spell and tell me what’s been going on over at the stable.”
There wasn’t much to tell. No one had come in, but that wasn’t unusual. There wasn’t much need for rented wagons and buggies once the snow started falling.
“I hate your having to deal with all of it on your own,” Liam said. “I can try to find you some help until I get back on my feet.”
“There’s no need,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It's pretty quiet down there.”
Liam nodded and leaned back against the pillows. “My business partner, Lewis, died a few months ago. The two of us handled everything ourselves, so we never really hired any permanent help. You're showing up asking for work, saved me the trouble of trying to find someone.” Liam was quiet for a few minutes before tilting his head to one side. “I know you weren’t planning on staying in town for longer than you had to, but it would be nice to have another partner. I’m getting old, and I have no sons to give the business to when I’m dead. You interested?”
“Interested?”
Liam nodded. “Interested in helping me run the place and taking over when I’m gone.”
Clay sat back, shocked. Was he really offering him a partnership in the livery stable?
“You don’t have to give me an answer today, but if you don’t take it, then some random person will and profit from all my years of hard work.” Liam glanced at the door when Daisy dropped something before looking back at him. “Lewis had an old cabin not far from here, too. Needs work, but it's sitting empty unless someone has already claimed it.”
His heart skipped a beat. Most of his adult life, he'd dreamed of owning something, but never once did he think it would happen. He wasn’t sure why it was happening now. Nothing he'd ever done made him deserve anything like this. He was—nobody.
“Now you’re thinking too much.”
Clay looked up at Liam when he spoke.
“I can see everything going through your head. It’s plain as day on your face, so stop thinking you don’t deserve good things. Everybody does, but some never get the chance. I’m giving you one. All you have to do is take it.”
Chapter 9
Daisy couldn’t concentrate and almost burned her biscuits as a result, but it wasn't her fault. That kiss Clay gave her had rattled her brain. Just thinking about it made her grin so wide her mouth ached. She probably looked like a crazy person and was glad he was still in there with Liam.
She didn’t know what possessed him to kiss her again, but she was happy he had. For over a week now, she'd wondered why he’d kissed her the first time, then never mentioned it again, and had thought it was because he hadn't enjoyed it as much as she did. Now she knew differently. But what did it mean? Was he just kissing her because she was there, or was what Liam said true? Was Clay in love with her?
Her heart fluttered at the thought, and she wasn’t even sure why. Violet had been telling her for over a year that Clay was sweet on her, and she’d never believed her. Especially after seeing him and Veronica kissing before they left Silver Falls. But here she was, getting breath-stealing kisses from him so intense, it made her toes curl in her shoes and left her wondering if he’d do it again.
She plated up Liam’s supper and set it on the tray before carrying it to his door. Clay had been in there with him for hours, and she wondered what they’d been talking about for so long.
Both of them looked over at her when she stepped into the room, Liam’s face lighting with joy at seeing her. “You’re going to spoil me rotten, Daisy. I’ve not eaten this good since my wife died.”
“It’s nothing. I enjoy it,” she said. “I feel most at home in the kitchen.” She handed him his tray and waited until he started eating before turning to go. She caught Clay’s eye when she did. He was staring at her, and butterflies danced in her stomach when the corner of his mouth tilted in a little smile.
Clay stayed with Liam so long, she wasn’t sure he was going to come eat his own supper, but when he emerged, he looked deep in thought about something.
