Enticing Liam (Big Sky Royal 2)

I blink rapidly, distraught at the thought of crying in front of him.

“Don’t turn on the tears.”

“I’m not.” I shake my head. “I won’t feel ashamed for wanting you.”

“I’m not shaming you.” His hand is gentle as he cups my cheek again. “And I’m not trying to treat you like a child. I’m trying to pace myself because I want to fuck you into the mattress.”

“You do?” I sound ridiculously hopeful, even to my own ears.

He smiles, a rare expression that would knock a woman on her bum from ten paces. “I’ll be fighting the urge to come in here and do exactly that all night. But we’ll get there. Anticipation, remember?”

“I hate your bloody anticipation.”

“That makes two of us.” He kisses my forehead and then my lips again before he stands. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He heads to the stairs.

“Liam?”

“Yeah?” He turns back expectantly.

“You know the code to the door. If you ever want to—”

“You’re killing me, Princess,” he mutters as he keeps walking to the door. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

I’m all smiles now, despite the sexual tension humming along every nerve ending. He wants me. He’s trying to be chivalrous.

* * *

“You’re leaving me?”

Nina laughs as she passes me a can of Coke from her fridge. I came over to the main house to have lunch with my brother and sister-in-law.

“Only for a couple of weeks,” Sebastian says. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Where are you going?”

“Africa,” Nina says. “I’m nervous. It’s my first time.”

“Oh, it’s lovely. You’ll enjoy it.”

I glance out the windows and see one of the patrol boats making its way to the dock.

“You know,” Nina says, “I’m surprised we haven’t had more paparazzi around. Especially with you here, Ellie.”

“No one knows I’m here,” I say and shrug. “Except the family. I’ve kept it pretty low-key. And I’m not expected at any functions until the state dinner next month.”

“We’ll be taking Charles and Nick with us,” Sebastian says. “That leaves just Liam and the ancillary staff for security here.”

“I’ll be fine. Honest. Absolutely no one knows I’m here.”

“Yet,” Nina says. “Because, eventually, someone will snap a picture of you and post it on social media.”

“I’ll stay close to home. I love it here. I’ll also stick close to Liam.”

In more ways than you know.

“See that you do,” Sebastian says, always the protective big brother.

“I won’t be naughty,” I say, lying through my teeth. “I hope you have fun in Africa.”

“Enjoy your downtime,” Nina says. “I’m sure the girls will check in on you so you won’t be lonely.”

“I’ll be fine. Wait. Will I have to cook for myself?”

Sebastian and Nina share a look. “Well, we can hire a chef to bring in your dinners if you want,” Nina says.

“All I need is groceries,” I tell them. “I can cook.”

“Since when?” Sebastian wants to know.

“I’ve spent many hours with Chef at the palace, and I took some private classes. I can cook just fine, thank you.”

“I didn’t know that,” Nina says. “We can certainly have groceries delivered. That’s not a problem.”

“Then it looks like I won’t die of starvation, I have this beautiful place to spend time in, and I’m well protected. Thank you for thinking of me.”

“We’re glad you’re here,” Nina says. “Enjoy it. Everyone needs a true vacation once in a while.”

“I plan to enjoy every minute of it,” I inform them. “When do you leave?”

“This evening,” Sebastian says.

“I’d better pack.” Nina hops off her stool.

“We have people—”

“To do that for me, I know,” Nina says, rolling her eyes. “But there are some things that I’d like to pick myself, thank you very much.”

She kisses him as she walks past on her way to their bedroom suite.

“You could come with us,” Sebastian offers.

“No.”

“You always loved Africa.”

“I do love it,” I concede. “But I’m on holiday, and it’s quite lovely. But thank you for asking. You and Nina will enjoy it, and I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t even know why you’re here,” he says, and it occurs to me that I haven’t explained what happened that made me come to Montana. So, I tell him the story. When I’m done, he’s frowning.

“He thought he could bully his way into our family?”

“He did. And he was dead wrong.”

“We really need to reinstate beheadings,” Sebastian mumbles.

“That might be extreme.”

“It’s kind,” he says. “Because I’d rather take him out and have him drawn and quartered. Beheading is too quick.”

“He didn’t rape me or anything.”

Sebastian’s eyes go ice-cold. “He would be dead if he had.”

“I know.”

He sighs. “You’re really going to be okay here?”

“Yes. I’m not a baby anymore, you know.”

“I know that. You’re just not usually a solitary person. You prefer the company of others.”

“Maybe that’s been my problem. Perhaps I need to be here alone for a while, do some thinking, get reacquainted with myself. Or…for the first time, rather.”