Enticing Liam (Big Sky Royal 2)
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime. You’re always welcome here, Liam. And thanks for the help with the security issue. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” I say, echoing his sentiment. “I’m happy to help. I’d better get back.”
* * *
I feel lighter since talking things out with Zack, and when I return to the lake house, I’m eager to find Ellie and kiss the fuck out of her.
But first, I have to check in with my guys.
I walk into HQ and find Baxter sitting at the video feed table with Aaron, the kid I fired weeks ago.
“What’s going on?”
“I just came by because I forgot a jacket here,” Aaron says. “Baxter and I were just shooting the shit.”
“All right, well, have a good one.”
I move to walk away, but Aaron stops me.
“Wait. Liam, I want to apologize. I know better than to fall asleep on the job. You took me on here, and I messed up the opportunity. I’m truly sorry. I’d like to prove to you that I can do better.”
“I’m going to check on something outside,” Baxter says and excuses himself from the room. I know that it was most likely Baxter who gave Aaron the idea of this speech.
“I need to know that I can trust you. We’re not just dealing with an average security job here, man. We’re protecting lives.”
“I know.” He swallows hard and looks at me with hopeful eyes. “I understand that totally, and I know I can do a good job here, Liam.”
I nod once. “You can have your job back—on a probationary basis. One mess up, and you’re out.”
His face lights up as if I just told him he won a million dollars. “Yes! Thank you. When is my first shift?”
“Tomorrow night. Be here at six.”
“Yes, sir.”
He hurries out of the building, and Baxter comes back in.
“Must have hired him back, huh?”
“I did. I hope I don’t regret it.”
“Me, too. I’m the one who encouraged him to ask you.”
“You just gave up Hawaii money,” I remind him, making him wince.
“I know. But the kid needs to eat. I think he’ll pull his head out of his ass.”
“I hope so. Where’s Eleanor?”
“In the boathouse.”
I nod and move to the door.
“Hey, boss?”
“Yeah?” I turn back to Baxter.
“Be careful there, okay?”
I narrow my eyes. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing. Just be careful.”
I leave without another word and walk down to the boathouse. So, Baxter figured it out. It doesn’t surprise me since the man’s as smart as they come.
He’s also discreet.
I key in the code to the door of the boathouse and walk inside without knocking.
Not that she’d be able to hear me if I did. She has the music blaring through the apartment, and I can’t help but smile at her music choice.
I didn’t take her for a Neil Diamond fan. As Sweet Caroline blasts through the building, I climb the stairs and come to a stop.
There, in the kitchen, Ellie dances around the island, wearing a little sleeveless sundress. She’s chopping vegetables and tossing them into a bowl as she sings along to the song.
“So good! So good!” She does a little spin and then shoves her hand into an oven mitt and opens the door, only to have smoke billowing out around her. “Oh, blast it! Bollocks. I followed the directions to the letter.”
She pulls out a pan and sets it on the counter, then opens the window above the sink. What used to be in the pan, I have no idea.
It’s a black brick now.
Ellie lowers her head to her hands and kneads her temples.
“Now, I have to start over. He won’t want to eat burned pork chops.”
“No, he probably won’t.”
Her head whips up at my voice, and she scrunches up her nose adorably.
“Surprise?” She shrugs her shoulders. “I tried to make you dinner, but it seems to have backfired. The salad should still be good unless it spontaneously combusts there on the counter, which really wouldn’t surprise me at this point.”
“What were you making?”
“Pork chops with apple compote and salad. Oh, and scalloped potatoes. Shite! The potatoes!”
She whirls back to the oven and groans.
“They didn’t survive either. Looks like it’s just salad.”
“I could order a pizza, and we can have both.”
She smiles over at me, and I feel it all the way to my toes.
“It’s a date.”
Chapter 13
~Ellie~
I wish I was part feline, because I want to purr when Liam touches me like this. His hands are over my shirt, cupping my breasts.
“Just take the bloody thing off,” I breathe, tipping my head back to give him easier access to my neck.
“We’re out in the open,” he reminds me, but doesn’t stop touching me. “But I’m damn grateful for this blind spot.”
I smile and then bite my lip when Liam’s lips close around my earlobe.
I was out here under the pergola on the dock, reading and minding my own business, when Liam came out to look for me. It’s become routine now. If he can’t find me in my flat, I’m usually here in this little corner that’s hidden from the prying security cameras.