SimplyIrresistible (6 page)

Her hand closed around the bowl, bringing the drink to her
lips in automatic obedience to his rumbled command. She swallowed green tea.
The hot liquid burned her tongue. She set it down carefully.

“Open.” Liam popped an ice cube into her mouth. “Suck. It’ll
help.”

Again, she followed his orders. The cold actually did soothe
the small injury. She wasn’t usually that stupid. She tried to use her head and
stay cautious, but the way he took charge and took care of her made him nearly
impossible to resist.

Before the ice on her tongue melted, their food arrived.

Liam fed her bites. She ate half of the exquisitely fresh
sushi roll and nudged the rest toward him. “Please have some. It’s delicious
and I’m past full.”

He polished off the remainder with smooth efficiency.

Tiana covered a yawn as they left the restaurant.

“Time for you to be in bed.”

“Don’t you want to go to the club?”

He helped her into his SUV. “We’ll go another night. The
Crucible will be there.”

After Liam fastened her safety belt, he leaned in and kissed
her. A trace of spicy wasabi, soy sauce and green tea melded with the addictive
flavor of alpha male that was all him. The brush of his mustache was a welcome
reminder of the other kisses they’d shared. He used his lips, tongue and teeth
to claim her without mercy. She softened for the primal plundering and fell
under his sensual spell.

He ended the kiss with a sharp nip on her lower lip. “Stay
put. I have to make a call and then we’ll go home.”

Rebellion required way too much energy. All Tiana wanted was
more of his intoxicating caresses and then some snuggling. In the meantime she
rested her head on the smooth leather of his comfortable seat and let the
sensual memory of his touch wash through her.

Liam must have used his remote, because the SUV’s locks clicked
while he was outside, placing his call.

A smile teased her lips at the protective gesture. Her heavy
eyelids drifted closed for a few moments. She jolted awake when the driver’s
door opened and sank back as Liam’s harsh features registered. Funny, Richard
had been so pretty and so cruel while this new Master looked harsh, even a bit
menacing, yet made her feel safe.

“Jacques is meeting us at your place.”

Her sappy glow vanished. Already knowing she wouldn’t like
the answer, she still asked, “Who is Jacques?”

“He handles security for Sterling Enterprises. Tonight he
has an extra assignment, making sure you wake up in one piece.” He started the
SUV and shifted into reverse.

His protectiveness charmed her, but that didn’t mean he
could take over her life. “I’m not helpless and I don’t need a rent-a-cop
babysitter.”

Liam stopped the vehicle, put the SUV back in park and
turned his attention on her. “First, Jacques is ex-military and an eminently
qualified professional. Second, his presence doesn’t make you a victim. He’ll
be there to keep you from becoming a crime statistic. Third, no one person, no
matter how tough they are can handle their own protection 24/7. Security
personnel are the smart choice when there is a clear and present threat.”

He’d kept his voice low and reasonable for the entire
mini-lecture. The part that really irritated her was that he was right. She’d
objected to his arranging for help without thinking it through. “Fine, but I
want to pay for his time.”

“He’s on salary.”

“Then I’ll pay you.”

“No.”

“No isn’t negotiating in good faith.” She crossed her arms.

He chuckled. “Some things are nonnegotiable. Think of no as
a Master’s safeword.”

* * * * *

The next morning, Liam hooked on his shades to filter the
glow from the summer sunrise and sipped his coffee while leaning against the
SUV. The morning dew still clung to the lawn. A soft breeze rustled the willow
leaves down by the creek. It was still too early even for the dragonflies.

A rare longing to share the peaceful beauty with Tiana made
him uneasy. It was much too soon to be missing her. The rare minute of quiet
shattered with a horse’s neigh, closely followed by the roar of the brush
cutter starting.

Cam emerged from the house. Tall and solid, his much-washed
jeans bagged around long legs while a faded black t-shirt with “Talk Nerdy to
Me” across the front in neat block letters covered his chest. Immaculate white
ear buds dangled from the neckline. His dark curls, still damp from the shower,
bounced as he ambled forward in scuffed shit-kickers. A huge duffle bag weighed
down one arm. His laptop case hung over the other shoulder.

When he got closer, Liam lowered his chin to peer over his
sunglasses, bringing his little brother back into focus. “Sure you have
everything?”

“Yeah, I packed last night.” Cam’s sweet smile widened. For
a heartbeat or two Liam saw him as a five-year-old, who believed his big
brother could fix anything.

Liam narrowed his eyes, tried to imagine his baby brother as
a college man and drew a blank. He wanted to usher him back into the house,
tuck him into his bed and keep his overgrown ass safe at home for the next five
years. Hell, he was only seventeen, practically a baby. “You’re sure Berkeley
is the right school.”

“Quit fussing. The university is the best geek lab around.
When you were my age you were raising me and Kyle. It’s my turn to grow up.”

I think you just did
. Liam swallowed a sigh and
climbed into the SUV. From long habit he checked Cam’s seat belt was fastened
before he pushed his shades back down and started the engine.

A mile along the road, he slowed. He drove past the Bennett
place a couple times a day. No choice, unless he wanted to off-road it through
the brush and flatten one of his own fences. The property had been abandoned
for years, since Tilly died. Tiana had moved in and was making up for lost
time. He wondered if one of the workmen swarming around her house was the
stalker and took comfort from the fact his security team had her back.

“What are they building out back?” Cam asked.

“Maybe a stable.”

“Doesn’t make sense, there’s nothing wrong with the barn.”

“City folks.” Liam shrugged, not interested in discussing
their hot new neighbor with his baby brother.

The next time he checked, Cam had his ear buds plugged in,
head bobbing to a private beat.

Liam concentrated on keeping the SUV on the narrow mountain
road. They crossed the bridge at the outskirts of town and he slowed again.
Even this early folks were up and moving. Jenson’s Café, Salzer’s Feed and Seed
and Darrel’s Fuel Depot were all open for business. A water truck puttered
along, stopping to tend the flower baskets decorating Main Street.

A soft snore buzzed from Cam before they’d cleared Preston.
Liam moved into the HOV lane and set the cruise control to sixty-five. His
brother slept peacefully all the way to Sea-Tac’s departure lanes where Liam
pulled to a stop.

Cam woke with a smile. “Hey, we’re at the airport. Thanks
for the ride.”

“You’ve got plenty of time. I could buy you a mocha.”

“Got it covered, bro.”

Liam watched his baby brother saunter through the automatic
doors, looking like a responsible adult with a plane to catch. Just the other
day, he’d walked through the elementary school doors on his way to first grade.

Luckily, Liam had a full schedule and no time to wallow in
nostalgia. He zipped downtown. Peter Frango, esquire, attorney-at-law better
known as Pete had been Liam’s best friend since grade school. This morning they
were meeting to sign documents finalizing Sterling Enterprises’ newest project.

Pete knew his preferences well enough to handle the closing
alone, but the personal touch was important, especially on big-money deals.

The closing took longer than Liam had hoped. He rolled his
neck and stretched his back, easing the kinks before he climbed back into his
rig and headed for his own office.

He checked messages during a traffic stop, nothing from
Tiana. At the intersection he pulled onto a side street and parked. He returned
a call from Jacques and got an update on Tiana, including names and numbers for
Doug and Grant, who’d been assigned to protect her. Most of the calls could
wait, but he read a text from Cam and grinned until the realization his baby
brother was a college freshman hit hard.

He’d been two when their parents died. Liam showed him
pictures and told him about his wonderful mom and dad, but Cam had no memories
of his loving parents. Ben, four years older than Cam, had never wanted to talk
about their folks. Kyle had buried his nose in numbers and books about numbers
every chance he got—still did.

Liam had been responsible for the family since the summer
they’d lost their parents. While they were growing up, too often the boys
seemed more like sons than brothers. Now they were all adults. He was damn
proud of each one. He’d looked forward to the time when he could have some
adult fun without juggling schedules and worrying about the kids.
So why do
I feel like I lost my best friend?

Then he thought about Tiana. She was sweet and brave in
spite of being scared. She needed exactly what he could give her—strength and
guidance. The relationship wouldn’t last, it wasn’t meant to. Someday when she
regained her confidence, she would find a more permanent relationship with a
different kind of Master. And he would find another challenging submissive.

Before he’d started the engine, Coldplay’s
Clocks
signaled an incoming call. The Sterling Falls School’s number displayed. Not
Tiana calling to chat. Liam hooked on his earpiece, hit answer and snapped his
seat belt. “Liam.”

“Hi there, Sid here. How are you doing?” The principal’s
cheerful tenor brought an instant image of his shiny pate, laugh-crinkled eyes
and thickening torso.

“I’m good, what’s up?”

“Well, I hate to bother you, but as you might remember the
best bid we had for a new roof was thirty thousand. The state approved fifteen
grand, the town and student body worked their butts off to raise another six.
We only have a few days left to guarantee the price. You’re our last hope.”

“I’ll drop off a check this afternoon.”

“Thanks, Liam, we appreciate it more than I tell you.”

“No problem, see you soon.” He kissed a mini-chunk of profit
from the new project goodbye before they’d broken ground. Regret wasn’t an
issue. The money went for a good cause. Kids needed to be dry to learn.

After the call from the principal Liam let his thoughts
drift back to Tiana. Guthrie hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said getting
involved with her wouldn’t be simple. Once committed, Liam didn’t run shy. He
looked forward to seeing her again, building on the foundation of trust he’d
already laid and keeping her out of trouble. From there he made the easy leap
to wondering what she was doing right now and wanting to hear her voice.

He quit mooning around and dialed Tiana’s cell. “Hi, I’m
headed your direction. I’ll be there in an hour. Is this a good time for me to
stop by to meet my new neighbor?”

“I appreciate the call. It’s a bit noisy here. Can you hold
on for a minute?” She sounded flustered and stilted.

The woman couldn’t lie for shit. For some reason that made
him grin. “Absolutely.”

He’d pulled off the highway onto the two-lane county road
leading to Sterling Falls by the time Tiana came back.

“Still there?”

“Yes.”

“Please understand, as I explained last night, I really need
to keep the kink out of my day-to-day life.”

“I’m not planning to strip you and cuff you to your front
porch,” he growled.

“Of course not, but—”

“There’s no but. This is a small community. We’re neighbors.
It would be weird if I didn’t stop by and introduce myself.”

“All right then,” she conceded with a lilt in her voice and
added, “no cuffs, no pet and definitely no Master/slave stuff.”

“Not a problem. You better watch your ‘Sirs’ too.”

She laughed—a lovely musical trill. “I’ll see you in
bit…neighbor.”

His next call was Jacques. “Any luck tracking Tiana’s
stalker?”

“Maybe. I caught a glimpse of a mud-splattered Jeep with
tinted windows. The driver’s window rolled down long enough for me catch a
glimpse. Best guess we’re dealing with a Caucasian male in his late twenties,
early thirties, with a medium build and light complexion, probably blond. His
plates were too smeared to read. My gut says it was the same guy who rammed her
and vandalized her ride. Pity I didn’t get enough info to run a make on him.”

The description almost fit Travis. Liam wasn’t ruling him
out, but he didn’t make sense. He hadn’t met Tiana before Wednesday or else he
was a much better actor than Liam gave him credit for. Plus, anonymous skulking
wasn’t his style. “He’ll fuck up and we’ll get him next time. Any luck on the
background?”

“It’s waiting in your email, you want the highlights?”

“No, I’m on my way into a meeting. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I’m here all day.”

Twenty-five minutes later, Liam had delivered the school’s
check to Sid, traveled the last couple of miles and turned into Tiana’s
driveway.

The construction crew was working on a frame next to the new
foundation. His gorgeous pet was talking to a guy in a hardhat. The man
gripping a clipboard and yelling back had to be Rob, her brother. Whatever they
were arguing about involved a lot of arm waving on her part.

Liam turned off his rig and took a minute to enjoy watching
Tiana. A dark braid swung between her shoulder blades with each energetic sweep
of her arm. A tight red t-shirt covered her torso, ending just above a pair of
hip-hugging white jeans, which cupped her perfect butt.

Once he left the SUV, the sound level jumped. The
compressor, nail guns and power saw blended into a mechanized roar. No wonder
she was using hand signals.