And why didn’t she have an angry glare forhim?
“Hey, Maya,” I called out, purposely interrupting whatever that smarmy Coffee Guy was saying.
Yes, I was being ridiculous.Yes, it was petty.And yet I couldn’t seem to stop myself.I wanted her attention on me.
“Nana wants me to help you clean those scratches,” I explained when she turned to face me.“We don’t want them getting infected.”
Maya fixed me with a glacial stare, her eyes flashing with the same intriguing anger as before.“That won’t be necessary.”Dismissing me, she turned back to Coffee Guy with a smile once again gracing her lips.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend, babe?”Stepping closer, I wrapped an arm around Maya and reached out with the other for a handshake.“Liam Bishop.How do you know Maya?”
Coffee Guy glanced between us, his lip curling into an amused smirk.“Oh, I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”He gave an amused smile, shook his head, and stood, coffee in hand.“I’d better get to work.Thanks again for shovelling us out, Maya.I owe you one.Later, Liam.”With a two-fingered wave, he sauntered out of the store.
Maya let out an annoyed huff and pushed me away.“What thehellwas that?Babe?Who said you could call me babe?”
“What?”I chuckled, feigning innocence.“You said you didn’t want me calling you Pipsqueak, so I figured I’d try something else.”I grinned, revelling in the way her cheeks flushed.“I wanted to meet your friend.”And to stake a claim like a caveman, apparently.
Maya crossed her arms over her chest, the seconds ticking by in uncomfortable silence as she examined me.
“So, first aid,” I said finally to break the tension.“Where should we do this?Bathroom?Right here behind the counter?Take me to your bedroom and have your way with me?” I muttered the last part under my breath, but Maya still picked up on it.
“Like that’ll ever happen.”She scoffed.“Besides, I don’t need first aid.It’s a couple of tiny scratches.I’ll be fine.”
“I’m afraid I must insist.”I patted the first-aid kit.“Nana was adamant.”That wasn’t precisely what happened, but Maya didn’t need to know I’d raced down here the instant Greg suggested her cat scratches needed looking after.
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.“You can’t be serious.”
“Dead serious, Pipsqueak.”I wiggled the kit.“Cat scratch fever is no laughing matter.”From what I had heard about it, cat scratch fever was horrible—but I didn’t have a clue how to prevent it.Cleaning and bandaging wounds was usually a good idea, though.“So, where do you want to do this?”
“You’re sure there’s no chance you’ll drop this and leave?”
I shook my head.“Afraid not, Pipsqueak.”
She rolled her eyes.“Ugh, fine.Hold on.”Pulling a marker and a piece of paper from a drawer, she scrawled a message.“And I thought I told you not to call me Pipsqueak?It’s like you want me to grab a box cutter and peel the flesh from your bones or something.”She locked the front door and taped the note to the glass.“Okay, I’m ready.Let’s get this over with.”
Maya pushed past me, heading to the stockroom without so much as a backward glance.I chuckled and followed, once again savouring the way her ass filled out those leggings.
“What did you put on the door?”
She stopped at the workstation, eyebrow raised.“Back in fifteen minutes.I normally wouldn’t bother locking the door if I’m stepping away for a moment, but I don’t want any customers walking in while you’re using your first aid skills on me.”Without warning, she ripped her shirt over her head and shoved her leggings down, letting them pool at her feet.
My jaw dropped, and the first aid kit clattered to the floor.Maya’s answering laughter was pure music, not that it really registered thanks to how her legs held me in thrall.Creamy smooth skin.Juicy, well-proportioned, delicately dimpled thighs with a hint of muscle.They wereby farthe sexiest legs I had ever seen.
How would they feel wrapped around me?
“Liam?You alright?It looks like you’re having trouble breathing.”She smirked.“It’s not quite the violent end I had in mind, but I suppose stunning you into a stupor with my pale legs is a decent second choice.That’s your punishment for calling me Pipsqueak again.”
“Huh?What?”I shook my head, shoving aside my increasingly inappropriate thoughts.“Yeah.Sorry.I’m fine.”I waited a beat before adding, “If I’d known there would be stripping involved, I’d have stocked up on singles.”
“Haha.Hilarious,” she deadpanned.“How else would you get at the cat scratches?”
I stared at her dumbly, realizing I hadn’t thought that far ahead.I’d jumped at the chance to spend time with her with no plan in place.When I saw her smiling at that damn Coffee Guy, an uncomfortable knot of something that felt an awful lot like jealousy in my gut forced me to act.Thank god I’d taken a first aid course in the past, or this would have been a complete disaster.
I must have taken too long to answer because Maya sighed.“Okay … how about youcome closerandclean the woundsbefore someone knocks on the door?”
“Yeah.Yes.Definitely.”
Clenching my fists to stop my hands from shaking, I dropped to my knees and shuffled across the room.The need to touch her nearly overpowered my self-control.Which was crazy.I barely knew this woman.
