“I never hated you.”His dark brows arched in outrage.
Lilian huffed and threw herself onto the couch beside him, eager to chase the expression away.“I know that now,” she said, “but—”
You don’t find me attractive.I acted like a fool in front of you.The list went on and on.
A man like Hawk, who was all about sports and business, and who was practical, smart, and ambitious, couldn’t possibly like a girl like her.She lived on her parents’ farm.In a barndominium.In the middle of nowhere.She was tied to a dying business.And a mother who was—
“Hey.”
The brush of Hawk’s fingers against her cheek snapped the spiraling thoughts off.He leaned in and kissed her again, slow but intent, as if trying to prove those unspoken words wrong.
“No buts,” he said when they pulled apart.His nose brushed against her own and lingered there.Their swollen lips still only inches apart.“I likeyou,Lilian Brody.Is that so hard to believe?”
Yes.The single word, even unspoken, was a hard cut against her heart.Even though she understood Hawk’s reasoning for keeping things hidden at the faire, it still hurt.The first guy to show her interest in years, and she couldn’t tell people about it.Couldn’t hold his hand or kiss him in public.Not yet.
But you can drink his coffee.You can laugh.You can be together,a quiet voice reminded her.They’d been flirting at the faire for weeks now, and no one had said anything.Hawk seemed all right with that.
There is something here.She knew that and was terrified she was going to fuck it up by wanting too much too fast.
Looking into Hawk’s eyes, she could see the desire there.But more than that, there was longing.He saw something in her.
“Can you… tell me another reason why you’re helping me?”she asked.
Amusement tilted his lips.“You mean with your business or here?”
“Both?”
His hand still held hers.A steady presence that kept her grounded.It gave a reassuring squeeze, as if he knew exactly why she was asking this question.“You want another one of my reasons?All right.”He pulled back and pretended to take her in and think about it.Silence stretched as he hummed, his eyes roaming up and down her body.Finally, he met her eyes and said, “You are one of the most creative people I’ve ever met.”
Lilian tilted her head at that.“Me?You’ve met Margo, right?She’s the creative genius behind everything.”
Hawk frowned before she could even finish.“She’s an artist, but you’re a business owner.Those are two different approaches to creativity.Look at what you did on Saturday with the flowers.That was… well, it was genius.And you saw how much interest it generated.”
“Yeah.”Hearing him refer to her idea as genius knocked the air from her lungs.Over the last couple of weeks, hell, the last couple of years, of knowing Hawk Carlisle, she knew he didn’t hand out compliments lightly.Even to people he liked.
Hawk didn’t stop there.“And your idea for the bookshop at the faire—no one has ever thought of that before.”
“There’s probably a reason for that,” Lilian admitted, grimacing.
“Stop doing that,” Hawk said firmly.“I already told you, if I didn’t think it was a good idea, I wouldn’t be helping you, right?Creativity is what drives change.And change is good.Everyone and everything needs it to get better, to improve.Even me.”
She frowned at that.“Even you?”
“Come on, don’t make me say it.”He gave a self-deprecating smile.
But Lilian just stared at him, unmoving.
The silence stretched.Finally, Hawk rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.“Fine.You might’ve had a point the other night at the party.I’ve thought about it.And I could be… a little more approachable when I talk to the other vendors.”
“Oh.”She beamed, feeling somehow lighter.“Youarea softie.”
“No,” Hawk growled.“No, I’m not.I don’t like making mistakes that cost money.If our vendors do good business, then so does the faire.”
“That’s very practical of you,” she teased, unable to stop smiling.
“Practical?”he drawled, pulling her closer.“Practical is reminding you that I didn’t come over here to admit that you were right.I came here to kiss you.”
Her stomach flipped at the low cadence of his voice.“You already kissed me today.You mentioned wanting to do more earlier today.Why don’t you show me?”
