SimplyIrresistible (11 page)

Tiana laughed. “You’re supposed to say I’m stunning even if
I am jumpy.”

“Not necessary, you have a mirror.”

“Thank you.” She looked away, uncomfortable with the honest
compliment.

Had no one ever told her that she was gorgeous? Careful not
to crowd her, he led the way to the back of the house. He stopped to wipe his
boots then held the door to the mudroom for her.

Tiana scuffled on the welcome mat and edged past him. “I
love the terra cotta floor.”

“Guess you liked the kitchen too, same tiles.”

She crouched and ran a hand over the smooth surface.
“Sealed?”

“No idea, I could ask the installer.”

“Please do…if it’s not too much bother.”

He shook his head and pulled out his phone.

“Oh, I didn’t mean right now. Please don’t bother him at
home on Friday night.”

“Too late.” He put the phone on speaker. “Hi, pal. How was
your day?”

“Same old, same old. How’s Eastwood Square coming?”

“On schedule, it’s seventy percent leased pre-occupancy—if
no one reneges.”

“Still good then.” Kyle echoed Liam’s own thoughts. “No
problems with Benton’s Westside project?”

Liam caught the instant concern edging his brother’s
question. “The usual red tape, subcontractors dragging their feet, but we’re on
it and there’s plenty of room before penalties are factor.”

“Good. Any particular reason you put me on speaker?”

“You’re talking to me and our new neighbor, the very
beautiful Tiana Barbour.” Liam angled the phone so she could see the display.
“My little brother Kyle refinished the kitchen floor last year.”

“You’re shittin’ me,” Kyle scoffed.

Tiana cleared her throat. “The beautiful part is strictly
Liam exaggerating, but I am your new neighbor.”

For a few seconds silence filled the air. Finally Kyle said,
“Sorry, ma’am.”

“Your terra cotta floor is beautiful. Do you happen to
remember what you used to seal the tile?”

“Thanks, it came out better than I expected. There’s an open
gallon of the sealer in the workshop. You’re welcome to try some and see how it
works for you.”

“Thank you, that’s very generous. Do you mind if I ask a few
more questions?”

Liam handed her the phone. “Have at it. I’m going to clean
up and start the grill.”

“No problem,” Kyle agreed. “First I’ve got one for you. What
did you do with my real brother?”

Tiana’s gaze flew to Liam’s, tangled and caught. Her cheeks
blushed a delightful pink. “Um, he’s still listening.”

“Fine, let me know when he leaves.”

A grin tugged the corner of Liam’s mouth as he strolled out
of the room. He was tempted to hang out in the kitchen to hear what she asked,
but he needed a shower.

Tiana thanked Kyle again for the DIY tips and the sealer
before ending the call. Late-summer sunshine filtered through the trees,
brightening the backyard with shafts of pale gold. For a second she lost
herself in the landscape’s beauty. When she turned she ran right into Liam’s
hard chest for the second time. It seemed unfair such a big man moved so
silently. Unprepared for the force of the impact or his presence she teetered.

He wrapped his long fingers around her upper arms, holding
her firmly in place.

Liam’s touch caused her muscles, still buttery from her
earlier orgasm, to melt. Memories of his masterful caresses in the barn sent
flutters of erotic pleasure through her core. His still-damp hair was slicked
back from his rugged face. A trace of fresh sandalwood, perhaps from his soap,
clung to his skin. The evidence of his recent shower made it impossible for her
to stop imagining him naked. Her hyperawareness of him and the instant flare of
desire were delightful surprises. Only old fears and residual caution kept her
from shedding her clothes and begging him to fuck her.

The heat coursing up her neck had to be darkening her
cheeks. She decided to blame the sun for her blush if Liam said anything.
Unfortunately, he always seemed to know when she lied. She went with
distraction. “Kyle is the career college student brother, right?”

“Yes.” His hands slid down her arms, setting off another
tingling chain reaction.

She swallowed to relieve the sudden dryness in her throat.
“What’s he studying?”

“Business and law. Don’t ask me why. He’s already
brilliant.”

“A genius who does floors in his spare time?”

Liam’s eyes crinkled. “True.”

“Where’s he going to school?”

“Stanford.”

“That’s close to Cam at Berkeley.”

“You remembered.”

“I remember nearly everything you say.” Tiana clamped her
teeth too late to hold back another too-revealing admission.

“Good, paying attention will make compliance easier for
you,” he drawled.

“This isn’t the club.”

“No, more’s the pity, though I’m looking forward to tomorrow
night.” His voice deepened with wicked intentions. “Tonight, we’re having
dinner.” He turned her toward the refrigerator. “I’ll do the manly stuff like
starting the grill. You can bring me the salmon and the corn.”

Still flustered by his effect on her, she managed to follow
orders. She delivered the fish and foil-wrapped ears to him. “Are you certain I
didn’t ruin tonight’s plans?”

“Absolutely not, what made you ask?”

“Lynda prepared three fillets for dinner.”

“I hoped you’d stay.”

So he hadn’t been totally certain. She smiled at his
admission. “Good answer.”

“Simple truth.”

Liar, you scare me and you push my on-switch like no one
else ever has, but there’s nothing simple about you
.
“What else can
I do to help?”

“The garlic bread is already warming. There’s plenty of
cookies for dessert. You can set the table and search the fridge for coleslaw.”

Tiana arranged two places on the glass-topped table across
from the grill and returned for the salad. She removed the plastic wrap from a fiesta-red
bowl filled with creamy slaw and topped with chopped peanuts. Lucky for her the
nuts were on top. Coleslaw wasn’t something she normally worried about eating.

She placed the salad between the place settings. “What would
you like to drink?”

“Water. There’s usually a pitcher ready.”

The oven dinged. She found a basket and lined it with a
clean dishtowel to keep the bread warm and plated chocolate chip cookies.

“Dinner.” Liam transferred grilled fillets and wrapped corn
to their plates. “Thanks for helping.” He held her chair and scooted her in
close. After taking his seat, he offered her the salad bowl.

She shook her head. “No thank you. I’m allergic to peanuts.”

Liam didn’t laugh or berate her. He simply asked, “How
allergic?”

Unprepared for a serious question, she unclenched hands she
didn’t remember fisting and blinked. “There’s an EpiPen in the glove box of my
truck.”

The added attraction of anaphylaxis is always so
exciting, as if I didn’t already come with enough baggage
.

“Gotcha, no PB&J sandwiches for you. No problem, I hate
peanut butter myself. The stuff makes me gag.”

“Really? I’ve hardly ever had them and I still crave
peanuts. I’d love to have a big spoonful of Jif.” She tried to lighten the
mood.

He just cocked one eyebrow and waited.

His patient understanding made her wish she had fewer
issues. “You’re taking all this amazingly well. Most people freak out when they
learn how dangerous an allergic reaction can be.”

“I’ve freaked out plenty. Years of practice made me calmer.
Cam is allergic to dairy products. Same deal, he has to carry an EpiPen.”

“That had to be scary when he was little.” She squeezed his
hand in sympathy.

“Terrifying. Our folks handled the worst part. He was two
when they died. By then Kyle, Ben and I knew the drill. Lynda came on board
shortly after that. She was a brick, still is. Other kids were the most
dangerous, because they don’t understand the consequences. We hardly let him
out of our sight until he started school and then I wanted to lurk outside his
classroom.” He turned his compelling gaze on her. “So who gave you a hard time
about your allergy?”

How does he know this stuff?

“You tensed when I offered you salad,” he answered her
unspoken question.

“My ex-fiancé.” Her fingers started to curl into fists
again. She forced herself to smooth her napkin.

Liam raised an eyebrow again, a silent demand for more
information.

Her history with Richard definitely wasn’t suitable dinner
conversation. So she chose a different truth to share. “My mother drank. She
was excellent at hiding just how inebriated she was. Aside from servants and
the immediate family, no one suspected she had a problem. Those of us who knew
about her drinking, including me, helped cover her lapses. However, pretending
she was sober and actually being sober were two very different things for
Mother. One evening, she shared her favorite peanut butter cookies with me. The
housekeeper found me turning blue. I was five.”

“You’re lucky to have survived.” His rich voice was sharp
with anger on her behalf.

His understanding poured over her heart like a balm. “Mother
disappeared the next day. Now I understand she’d gone to a private treatment
facility. Then all I knew was I’d been sick and my mother disappeared. She
never came back. For months I thought I’d killed her somehow. Years later Aunt
Tilly explained she’d accidently taken an overdose of her sleeping pills.” She
shook her head with a small, wry smile. “So that’s my sad story. Poor little
rich girl managed to grow up despite a peanut allergy and an irrational
love-hate relationship to alcoholics.”

“What else?” Liam prodded.

“That’s enough, trust me.”

“You’re right, but you left out your ex.” He took her hand
and laced his fingers with hers. “Tell me.”

He made her feel safe and he made her yearn for impossible
dreams, but she wasn’t going to dump every bit of her miserable past on him in
one evening. “That’s plenty about me. It’s definitely your turn.”

“Fair enough. What do you want to know?”

She tore a piece of garlic bread. “Why are you still
single?”

“Right for the jugular.” Liam set down his knife and fork.
“When our folks died, I became the head of the family and in some ways an
instant father. The uncle designated to be our guardian died in the same plane
crash. A custody battle erupted and I was fighting for our lives. Contracts and
commitments dried up faster than dew on a hot morning. The first few years were
damn tough. I have no regrets, but I didn’t have the interest, time or energy
for a serious romantic relationship. To tell the truth, I’d looked forward to
the boys growing up and leaving home. Now that they’re actually gone, the house
is kind of lonely.”

Tiana squeezed his hand and tried not to read too much into
his admission. Smoking chemistry plus loneliness didn’t necessarily add up to
love and commitment. Besides, she wasn’t ready for anything serious. Was she?

* * * * *

Saturday morning Tiana woke early and attacked the unpacking
with gusto. After she’d put away the photo albums, flattened and stacked the
last box, she did a short victory dance. The last of the milk went on her
breakfast cereal. She grabbed her purse and headed for town.

Every time she came to Sterling Falls the community charmed
her all over again. She parked in the grocery store’s lot, just off Main, left
the driver’s window down and simply enjoyed the sights.

A gay profusion of petunias and alyssums hung from each
whitewashed light pole adding the sweet scent of honey to the warm breeze.
Pedestrians strolled past to the post office or library, or any one of a
half-dozen small businesses. Everyone moved slower than they did in the big
city and spontaneous sidewalk conversations were common. The tension knotting
the fine muscles in her neck loosened.

Across the street a farmer maneuvered a wagon powered by a
team of Percherons closer to Salzer’s Feed and Seed’s loading dock. A dusty
pickup backed into the far end of the feed store. Liam climbed out of the
truck, hooked his sunglasses into the neck of his shirt and headed for the
Percherons’ driver. Before he reached the wagon, he paused and turned toward
her.

Tiana waved.

He looked straight through her, crossed to the farmer tying
off his team and shook his hand.

Her smile faltered before it had really started. She dropped
her arm and then she remembered how nearsighted Liam was. He simply hadn’t seen
her.

A nested row of shopping carts waited outside the market.
She took one and aimed it inside. Fragrance drew her to a floral display. She
promised herself a bouquet after she’d bought real groceries.

A circuit of the store failed to reveal a deli department.
She remembered Lynda mentioning a café with a great deli selection and took
heart. The frozen food shelves held a profusion of boxes with pictures of real
food. She read the product labels for nutritional information and instructions
without much enlightenment. After adding a few cans of lemonade in the cart,
she left the aisle.

Produce and dairy offered easy choices. The chicken she
found in the confusing poultry section had nothing in common with the tasty
roasted fowls she usually ate. Obviously the bird’s cold, pasty-looking,
pebbled carcass required cooking in the oven. Perhaps a rotisserie was needed
to achieve the appealing golden-brown finish. Reluctantly she put back the
chicken and added a package of hot dogs to the lonely lemonade. Not for the
first time she regretted her ignorance of the domestic arts. An adult woman
should be capable of making basic, healthy meals. Since she wasn’t she consoled
herself with a bouquet—shocking-pink lilies, baby’s breath and lacy ferns.

When she placed her pathetic selections on the checkout
counter the clerk, Sally according to her name tag, asked, “Find everything you
need?”

“Yes, thank you.”

The slim, thirtyish clerk tucked a wayward strand of glossy
brown hair behind her ear and rang up her items. “Is this your first visit to
Sterling Falls?”

“No, but I haven’t been here for years. I’m Tiana, Tilly
Bennett’s niece. She left me her farm.”

Sally’s eyes sparked with interest. “You’re building out
behind the house.”

“Yes, well, not me personally, but yes.”

“Is it going to be another house?”

Tiana shook her head. “A stable.”

“It’s a big stable when you already have a perfectly good
barn.”

“I plan to teach riding.” Tiana smiled brightly.

Sally nodded politely and finished bagging. “That’ll be
$34.60.”

Tiana handed her two twenties and accepted her change.

“Order out, Ricky,” the clerk called to a passing boy.

“Yes, Mom.”

“Come back real soon now. Rick junior will take out your
groceries, Miss Tiana.” Sally tried to smooth a shock of straight brown hair
away from her son’s eyes.

He grimaced, ducked and took off with the bag.

“If you have chores, weeding and such my brother Frank and I
are good workers.” Once outside the store the lanky Rick junior made his pitch
with a winsome grin.

“I’ll keep you in mind. Thanks for your help.” Tiana tipped
him a dollar. He pocketed the money and raced back to the store. If he’d been a
little older she might have hired him. He probably knew how to cook a chicken.

The blue lettering on Jenson’s Café and Bakery sign
beckoned. Her stomach rumbled with anticipation. The prospect of real food she
didn’t need to fix propelled her forward.

Pretty gingham curtains decorated the café’s windows. A bell
tinkled when she opened the door. A half-dozen curious faces instantly turned
her way. She tugged her features into what she hoped passed for an expression
of friendly interest. An older man she didn’t recognize nodded in her
direction. A pair of young mothers dispensed quick smiles and continued to pack
gear into two strollers. A young couple—a fabulous Amazonian blonde and a
brawny hunk—occupied a corner table.

The blonde’s attention flickered over Tiana for half a
second. The instant dismissal made Tiana regret not wearing something nicer
than everyday jeans and a plain, boring t-shirt, which had definitely seen
better days.

An older woman with a lacquered silver upsweep brushed past
in a swish of flowered silk and powdery fragrance. She murmured, “Pardon me.”

The small town’s residents were strangers to her. New arrivals
were apparently enough of a rarity to warrant curiosity.

A waitress bustled by with her order pad in hand. “Take a
seat anywhere, hon. Kitchen’s closed, but if you’re willing to settle for a
cold sandwich I’ll take care of you in a sec.”