“Hello?” I hear Liam’s raspy voice call out.
“In the kitchen!”
Aarabelle sits in her highchair as I feed her dinner. She’s growing so fast. Already she’s eating cereal and a little baby food. Soon she’ll be crawling and I have no one to celebrate with. Her father will never see these milestones and it breaks me apart.
“You should really lock the door,” Liam huffs as he throws his coat over the chair.
“But then I’d have to get up to let you in,” I state matter-of-factly and go back to feeding the baby, trying to put aside my worries. The fact is . . . this is reality. I have to deal with it.
“Uh huh. Hey, Pumpkin,” his eyes alight as he crouches down by Aara. It’s adorable hearing grown men use a baby voice. It gets a little softer and higher pitched.
The corners of her mouth lift and she throws her arms in the air when he gets close. My heart sputters seeing how happy she gets seeing him. Liam kisses her head and she giggles.
“At least someone is happy to see me,” he says playfully.
“I’d be happy if you brought me a present,” I joke.
He laughs and goes into the pocket of his coat. “Just so happens I did, but since that’s the only way you’ll be nice, I’ll hold on to this until you’ve earned it.”
Practically leaping out of my chair, I rush over. “What is it?” I try to peer around his back as he holds the mystery item.
Liam’s lips curl as he sees how much I want this. I don’t even know what it is. Jeez, I’m an idiot. “Nope. We eat first, then maybe you’ll get it.”
“Watch, it’s a freaking Pez dispenser or something stupid.”
“Guess you’ll have to be nice to find out.” He shoves the item into his back pocket and I fight the urge to reach and get it. “How was work?”
We spend the next thirty minutes going over my day and Jackson’s return. Liam never mentioned that they spoke, but he’s surprised to hear he’s in Virginia. After we finish the pizza, Liam somehow convinces me we should watch a movie. I get Aarabelle to bed and come down to find him sprawled out on the couch.
“By all means, make yourself comfortable.”
Liam pulls his beanie higher on his forehead and his eyes glimmer with amusement. He sits up and puts the TV on. “I picked the movie.”
“What?” I ask with mock incredulity. “It’s my house. Why do you get to pick the movie?”
“Ummm, I’m the guest.” He shrugs as if this should be an obvious answer.
I groan and lean back. “What crappy, shoot-’em-up movie do I have to endure?”
“You’ll see. It’s a classic.” Liam wraps his arm around me and pulls me to his side.
I cuddle into his chest without thinking. After practically sleeping on top of him in the hospital, I have no qualms about cuddling. I miss cuddling and if he’s one of the rare men who enjoy it, I’m good with that. The selfish part of me likes him touching me. Yet I don’t want to like it. It’s wrong to enjoy another man’s arms around me so soon.
The movie begins and I want to tear my eyes out. “No!” I yell and sit up. “No. No, no, no. I’m not watching this horrible crap,” shaking my head vehemently, reaching for the remote.
“‘Friday After Next’ is Oscar-worthy.” Liam snatches the remote and tucks it in his pants.
“Are you serious? Did you just shove my remote in your pants?”
Liam sits there daring me to go get it. Infuriating man.
“Now, are you ready to watch the best movie ever?”
“I hate you.”
“I can live with that.” He pulls me back down and I seriously contemplate getting the remote. “One day you’ll realize how much you love me.”
“Doubtful.”
Maybe he’ll enjoy when he has to watch ‘Pitch Perfect’ on our next date. Date? Wait. I called this a date. This is just two friends snuggling and watching movies after dinner. Oh my God. Between the hospital, him calling, taking care of me, and all of the other things, it starts to click. No. He’s my friend and he doesn’t feel that way.
I don’t feel that way.
I mean, sure he’s good-looking, but he’s off limits. He’s Liam. The best man in our wedding. The man who helped move Aaron and I into our first home. Lines can’t be blurred. My body tenses and Liam notices.
“If you really hate this, we don’t have to watch,” he offers.
I look into his blue eyes and fear flutters in my stomach.
“No, I’m fine. Let’s watch.”
“Now, come get comfortable so I can school you on the top flight security of the world,” he says in his best movie imitation.
“Can I have my present?” I ask.
Liam reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a pack of gum. I give him my best resting bitch face and he laughs. “I never said what it was.”
“You really know how to woo a girl.”
“You’ll know when I’m actually trying, babe.”
He pulls me against his side and starts the movie. I pray he doesn’t sense the change in me. The tension rolls off me, but I try to relax and enjoy tonight.