“This isn’t happening.” I started to back out of the room but Seph’s hand stopped me.
“He’s here all the time we are. He knows Jackson and Vanessa. He’s going to be spending time with us.”
I spun around. “Who’s idea was it for you to join us on Victoria’s hen party?”
Seph chuckled. “Not mine. I can wash my hands of that one. I think you need to say hello. No point causing an atmosphere.”
“I think it’s better if I just avoid him.”
Liam Rosehill turned around, a glass of what looked like water in his hand. He alighted from the chair. He nodded at Seph and then at me, the look in his eyes changing to that similar to a dog when it spies the pesky cat from next door. Plus a bit of extra hatred.
That night had proven that neither of us were good with uncomfortable situations.
“Hi.” Liam strode over.
I’d forgotten how tall he was. On stage – because I may have looked at one or two videos of him performing – he seemed large just because of his presence but in person, he towered, a couple of inches bigger than Seph who was hardly short.
I wished I had my heels on.
“How’s your day been?” Seph was purposely oblivious to the atmosphere. “Probably better than Max’s – he’s now got a proper shiner.”
Liam nodded. “Saw him a couple of minutes ago with Victoria. She looked like she was about to make it a matching set.”
“Standard.” Seph looked at me. “You’ve met Sophie before, haven’t you?”
Liam looked at me, his gaze lasting a little too long. “Once.”
Once too many.
“I’m going to head off and take a dip in the springs.” I looked at Seph, still feeling Liam’s gaze on me. “Can you check Max is still alive?”
Seph laughed and shook his head. “I’ll get some peace if Vic’s subjecting him to some torture. See you later.”
“Good to see you again, Liam.” It wasn’t, but it was the polite thing to say. I turned and started to walk away, keeping my focus on the pool that was fed by the spring just outside my room and how lush it would feel on my poor, untouched skin.
I jumped as something unwelcome was placed on my now touched skin. A hand. The scent of half-familiar cologne hit me.
Scents always did.
“Wait.”
I turned around.
His eyes concealed whatever he was thinking, unreadable. I pushed my chin forward and tried not to think about how he’d made me feel for all of about twenty seconds.
“I have somewhere I’d rather be.” I kept my voice low and managed a smile, one that was about as real as a thirty pound note. I tried not to look at his eyes, which could hypnotise and instead concentrated on the irritability I was now feeling.
He was the man I would’ve broken my self-imposed ban on. The man who had somehow affected my chemistry so that I couldn’t think straight.
And he’d thrown it back in my face.
“I don’t want to make things awkward.”
“Keep your distance and you won’t.”
“Sophie…”
I smiled and walked away.
