She knew what he was asking. Although she still had a difficult time wrapping her head around it, her heart already knew the answer. “I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page.”
“Good. Now, do you think you can schedule me in for a little vacation away in August, or should I start planning a kidnapping now?”
“I’ll see what I can do. I don’t want you to get in trouble for breaking the law. It wouldn’t be good for your image.”
Matt’s lips formed the same who-turned-up-the-heat smile he was known for, and Liv briefly wondered how many women had been on the receiving end of that smile and simply handed over their phone numbers.
I don’t want to know.
There was one thing, though, that she did want to know but had avoided asking. Now seemed like a good time to bring it up.
“Matt, I need to ask you something.”
“You can ask me anything.”
“Last month, a bunch of the magazines had pictures of you with a woman and a little girl.” She didn’t want him to think she wasted her time reading magazines like the Star Insider. “All the captions claimed the two of you were romantically involved. One even claimed the little girl was your daughter.”
“Yeah, I know the ones you’re talking about. Evie and I were never together. She’s my cousin’s fiancée. The little girl’s name is Reagan, and she’s not my daughter. Her parents passed away recently, and Adam is her guardian.”
Something similar to relief washed over her. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized how much the photos and the possibility that Matt had gone from being in a relationship with someone to spending time with her had bothered her.
“They’re going to visit sometime this summer, so you’ll meet them. And you’ll also meet my brother in July. He and his girlfriend are attending a wedding in town.”
“Your brother and his girlfriend are going to a wedding in Orchard Harbor?” Who could either of them possibly know in her corner of the world? “Do you know whose it is?”
Matt shook his head. “I only know the bride was one of Brianna’s sorority sisters and that the wedding is taking place at an estate owned by friends of the bride and groom.”
It really was a small world. “I think I’ve met the bride and groom. We’re catering a wedding in July that’s being held at an estate on Windy Bluff Lane. Blake and Gina are friends with the owners, Raymond and Erin Thatcher.”
“Is this the one for the clients who booked you at the last minute?”
Wow, he had a good memory. “Yep.”
Overall, the day had gone as Matt planned. The fans at Smugglers’ Cove had been a bit of an annoyance, but Liv hadn’t complained about the interruption. Her questions about their relationship, though, had blindsided him. Since the beginning, he’d assumed they’d been on the same page and that she realized he considered her more than just a summer fling while he was in town. In hindsight, he should’ve known better. He’d never told anyone how he felt about Orchard Harbor, and sometimes several months separated his visits. It’d been only natural for Liv to assume he didn’t plan to stick around for long. Hopefully, they’d gotten that cleared up, because even if he didn’t feel at home in town, since Liv was here, he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. He’d been wrong before, but his intuition kept telling Matt that their relationship was special and not like the ones he’d had in the past. He didn’t want to risk it by returning to Florida or anywhere else.
After securing the boat for the night, Matt climbed back up to the upper deck where he’d left Liv stargazing.
Scooping her up, he sat her on his lap. “See anything good?”
“I found the Little Dipper, but that’s it.”
“That’s better than I usually do. I’ve never been good at finding constellations.” Matt trailed his fingertips across her cheek and then down her neck, his eyes never leaving hers.
“It helps if you look in the right direction.”
“I’m looking at exactly what I want.”
“Oh, that was smooth, my friend.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m not being honest.” Right now, tasting her was the only thing he could focus on.
“That could be true.” Liv pressed her palm against his cheek before sliding it around to the back of his neck, sending a ripple of need through his body.
Matt had desired women before, but he’d never wanted to kiss one the way he did now.
Before he made the first move, Liv covered his mouth just as the final rope holding him back snapped.
She brushed her lips back and forth against his, each pass sending his pulse higher.
