Liam
“Wow!”Thewordspilledout the instant Maya opened the door.“You look just … wow,” I said, bending to kiss her cheek when I’d finally gathered my wits.“Amazing.”
Dark jeans skimmed over curvy thighs, smooth skin peeked through the straps of her bra, and loose caramel waves of hair practically begged to be wrapped around my fist.I desperately wanted to tilt her head back and kiss the hell out of her.
She was always gorgeous, but tonight?Tonight she might actually kill me.And judging by the situation in my pants, it would be death by priapism.I tried to force myself to think unsexy thoughts, because there’s no more humiliating way to die than by a relentless hard-on, but even recalling Mr.and Mrs.Patterson’s conversation about how they like the kinky stuff wasn’t cutting it.
“Thanks.”Maya stepped aside to let me in, her eyes raking over me in appreciation.“You look pretty good yourself.”
“So, have you decided which Alan Rickman masterpiece we’ll be watching this evening?I have one request: can it not beLove, Actually?I did some research, and apparently it’s more of a holiday movie, so I figured we should save that for Christmas.”
“Deal,” she agreed without hesitation.“I hate that Alan Rickman plays a scumbag husband in that movie.It’s hard to reconcile that with how much I admire him.”Maya tilted her head, a thoughtful frown playing on her lips.“Although I suppose it’s a testament to his acting skills that I hate the character so much.”She laughed.“I wouldn’t want to get stuck in a daydream where I hate the man who…” She trailed off, her expression softening as she looked away.Changing the subject, she asked, “Can I get you a drink before we get started?”
Was about to tell me why Alan Rickman is so important to her?But why did she stop?
“I’d love a drink.Anything’s fine, as long as it’s not your special drink from the other night.I’m not sure my stomach is strong enough to keep that down.I wouldn’t say no to a beer if you had one.”With any luck, a beer would be enough to calm my nerves.My stomach was in knots over how much I wanted Maya to like me.
She groaned, shaking her head as she walked to the fridge.“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“I doubt it,” I said with a laugh.“Pretty sure inventing that drink is more embarrassing than the state Kai and I found you in the next morning.”
Grimacing, she handed me the bottle.“Ugh.Don’t remind me.”She flicked off the overhead lights, leaving a single lamp on to illuminate the room.“Would you believe I rarely drink?I was completely out of control that night.”
Maya settled onto the tiny loveseat, set a bowl of cheese balls on the coffee table, and patted the spot next to her.“Come on.Let’s get this over with.”
I froze.Thatdidn’t sound good.“Are you sure you want to do this?”Her jaw dropped, and she shook her head, but I continued, “I didn’t put you on the spot by asking in front of your friends, did I?No hard feelings if you want to call this off right now.”No hard feelings, but it was distinctly possible I’d cry myself to sleep on my lumpy mattress at the B&B if she told me I’d pressured her into this date.That’s the last thing I wanted.
“What?No, no.I’m sorry.That came out wrong.”Her smile was shy, tentative.“I’m nervous, but I want to do this.Really.”
Relief flooded my veins.“Thank god.Because I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”I took a slow sip of my beer and forced my heart to resume a normal pace before joining her on the couch, swallowing hard when I understood how close we would be sitting.“What’s the first movie on the agenda?”
She grabbed the remote and queued up the movie, but I couldn’t focus on anything with the heat of our legs burning between us.What I wouldn’t give to wrap my arms around her right now.
“We’ll only have time for one tonight.”She smirked before continuing in a bizarre, yet somehow still adorable, old-fashioned radio announcer voice.“Buckle up and get ready to be blown away by Alan Rickman’s portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1991 classic film,Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.”
“I can’t wait.”I grinned to hide my little white lie.Sure, I was interested in watching it, but I couldn’t shake the certainty that sitting this close to Maya in a dimly lit room would put my willpower to the test.
twenty-six
I do it for you
Liam
“Holyshit,thatwasa long movie.”I stretched my aching muscles, loosening the tension that had built up over the last two hours spent forcing myself to stay on my end of the couch with sheer grit and determination.“I admit, Alan Rickman was incredible, but what the hell was up with that Robin Hood?He didn’t even have a British accent.”
Maya burst out laughing.“Honestly?Alan Rickman is the best part of that movie.I usually skip through scenes he’s not in, but the rest of it?Mediocre at best.And don’t get me started on the soundtrack.Ugh, talk about an earworm.”
I chuckled.“And that’s the one you started with?You’re trying to torture me, aren’t you?Admit it.”
“Death by early nineties romance?”She grinned, all mischief.“Sounds diabolical.I love it.”
I clutched my chest.“You wound me.”
She snorted—then froze, her eyes widening in horror as she flushed red.
I blinked slowly as I struggled to contain my laughter.Her reaction was typical Maya, and I loved it.“Was that a snort?”
She scrunched up her face and glanced away.“Would you believe me if I said no?”
