“I think that should do it,” he said, swiping his greasy hands along the bottom of his T-shirt. Then he frowned, looking over at the not quite setting sun. “I don’t know if you should drive on it though. I don’t like the idea of you being out on a spare when it gets dark.”
I couldn’t hold back a giggle. Who knew he was such a worrywart? “Liam, we probably have another two or three hours of sunlight. It’s still September, for God’s sake. My house is less than twenty minutes away. I’ll be fine.”
He scowled. “I want to follow you home.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to go to the bar.”
He rolled his eyes. “That was just me feeling sorry for myself. Now I have a task to complete. So go on and start the car and I’ll be right behind you. Make sure you keep your speed under forty with that spare.”
I wanted to argue with him some more—he was being truly silly—but I also didn’t want to say goodbye just yet. That unnamed thing was still humming in the air between us and I was afraid if we went our separate ways right now it would fade into nothingness.
“Okay,” I said. “It’s a pretty straight shot to my place.”
He nodded, then gestured for me to get inside. I noted that he waited for me to buckle my seatbelt and start the engine before he got into his own car.
There was an unmistakable sense of anticipation humming along in my chest as I drove to my house. I had the strongest feeling that something was going to happen tonight. It was similar to standing on the edge of a diving board, just waiting for the right moment to jump, knowing that no matter what happened, staying on the board was not possible.
I parked in the driveway, Liam pulling his sleek SUV to the curb in front of the house. We both climbed out of our vehicles and I watched as he walked toward me across the patch of grass, late afternoon light glinting on his golden hair.
“Nice place,” he said, eying the duplex. It was a comfortable little house in a nice neighborhood. Andy had bought the entire building, insisting that real estate was a good investment and it had nothing to do with me. But I was pretty sure the rent I paidhim was well under market value. I had tried to complain about it once and his response had been to call his accountant, right there in front of me, and have him explain, over speaker phone, exactly how much money Andy had made since waking up that morning. Smarmy little ass.
“Thanks for the escort,” I told Liam. “And thanks again for fixing the tire. I really appreciate it.”
He stopped a few feet away from me and it somehow felt too far. “Don’t drive on that spare for long,” he said. “Do you have a regular mechanic? I know it’s not a pleasant way to spend a Saturday, but you really should have it taken care of tomorrow.”
“I’ll take it in to the dealership,” I assured him, and he nodded.
We stood like that for a long moment, just watching each other. Tension had settled between us again, something expectant and needy in the air. That thrum of anticipation still buzzed in my chest. I wanted Liam to close the gap between us. I wanted him to touch me.
I wanted something extraordinary to happen.
“Can I buy you dinner?” I finally blurted out, surprising myself. Liam barely reacted though, his eyes fixed on my face, gaze so intense I finally had to shift on my feet to prevent a full-body shudder of desire to pass over me.
“Dinner would be great,” he murmured.
I ran my sweaty palms down over my skirt. “What do you feel like?”
A hint of a smile tugged on his mouth. “You’re the Austin restaurant expert, right? Just take me somewhere you love. I’m sure I’ll love it too.”
“Okay,” I said, my mind fixing on the perfect spot. “How do you feel about tacos? Because I know a place that does the best fish tacos you’ll ever eat.” I caught his smile growing. “What?” I asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
Liam shrugged. “You’re cute when you get all excited about food.”
I looked down at my outfit. A pale-yellow peasant skirt that hit me mid knee and a light green blouse that I liked to think brought out the color in my eyes. I didn’t have to dress up all that much to teach third grade. Right now, though, I felt a little bit frumpy. Not really ready for dinner with the hottest man I’d ever seen.
“Do you mind if I just run in and change?”
“Not at all.” He smirked at me. “I’d love to see your place.”
Color flooded my cheeks, for more than one reason. The thought of Liam O’Conner in my space, mere feet away from the bed where I’d lain and thought of him a hundred times before, made my stomach feel funny.
It also reminded me of the fact Liam had never seen where I lived in high school. As much time as we spent together, that was one boundary I never wanted to cross. I shuddered to think what a guy like him, a guy with such a loving family and comfortable home, would think of the trailer where Andy and I lived with our mother on those occasions she was around. The trailer was dirty and constantly smelled like her cheap booze and cigarettes, but at least it was something. More often than not, mom would take off to God only knew where, leaving us to be shuffled around between the couches of whatever family members could be bothered to take us, until we were old enough for her to just leave us alone.
Not that ten was actually old enough.
Those days are long behind you,I reminded myself as I inserted the key into the front door lock. Now I lived in a comfortable, cozy house that I’d been able to decorate all myself. I had a little garden in the backyard where I planted flowers and a few vegetables and herbs when I was feeling ambitious. I had pictures of good friends and happy memories on my walls. It wassmall, but it was a home, a real home. And I was damn proud of it.
“Wow,” Liam said, stepping into the entryway behind me. He chuckled softly. “Yeah, this is definitely your house.”
