The moment Liam’s lips touched hers, Lorelei knew she was lost to him. He’d been so sure of himself. Not that she needed saving but having a man who valued himself was a nice change of pace from the needy guys she’d dated in the past year, and he was miles above her ex who had manipulated her then cheated on her.

The day was getting better, mainly because they weren’t being held by deranged idiots. She looked for Liam, but he wasn’t in the interview tent the police department had set up, nor was he at the station. All bank employees were fingerprinted and asked additional questions as a precaution. They were sure there wasn’t an inside connection with this group, but they had to be positive. It was all part of working at a bank.

The sun had dipped low by the time she arrived home. She’d exchanged numbers with Megan, hoping the girl would be okay. Megan had gone to the bank to open her first savings account. She’d wanted to go alone because as she said, she’d depended on her parents too much and needed to grow up. Lorelei thought she’d done a lot of growing up in the last few hours.

When Megan’s dad arrived, she broke down and cried on his shoulder. Lorelei told him and then her mom how brave Megan had been. They’d looked shocked.

She wished Liam had texted, but he must have been busy doing something somewhere. Before the sun went down she’d been fine, but after it was dark out, she felt shut off from the rest of the world.

Fear raced over her nerves, making her flinch at every noise. Maybe she should call a friend and have them come over. They could watch TV, maybe eat some popcorn. As she went for her phone, it buzzed, and she yelped before laughing and picking it up. She saw the text from Liam and her heart leapt. Hey, how are you doing tonight? Just checking in.

How could he sound so calm? She was freaking out, and he sounded like what happened had been an everyday occurrence. She typed in her reply with shaky fingers. It’s dark out and I’m alone. I was fine before the sun went down. I guess I’m fine now, just jumping at every noise.

She hit send before she could change the words. Telling Liam she was nervous may have been too needy. What if he thought she was too much trouble?

Want me to stop by? The question only made her slow for a few seconds. Then she hit the Yes in the center bar of her screen before she had time to think. She didn’t want to admit that she wasn’t really that scared.

His reply came back fast. Give me your address.

She typed in her address and smiled when he said he was headed out and didn’t live far away. She checked her reflection in the mirror then picked up a little around her house. Ten minutes passed then another five. She was about to give up when there was a sharp knock on her front door. Before she opened the door, she peeked out the side window and saw Liam standing there, a small smile on his lips. She pulled the door open wide, her breath heavier than it should be.

“Hey,” Liam said.

“I feel a little ridiculous having you come over. I’m safe.”

His lips thinned and he shook his head. “I’m glad you asked.”

She glanced around his shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

“Not really, I just wanted to see you.”

“Oh.” She was staring at him and knew she should do something, but she wasn’t sure what. Then she remembered she should ask him in. Her face heated and she blew out a breath. “Um, come in.”

His lips twisted up into a deeper smile and her heart warmed. He stepped in and she took a long sniff as he passed by. He smelled good, like spice and the outdoors and man. Her muscles squeezed as desire filled her.

Liam glanced around her main room before turning his gaze on her. “I poked around the back yard and the front. No one has been in your flowerbeds, no footprints close to the house.”

She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. “How long were you out there?”

He shrugged. “Five minutes, maybe eight. I just wanted to be thorough. You need new locks on your windows though.”

She blinked, wondering if she’d heard him correctly. “New locks?”

He moved to the kitchen and pushed back the curtains. She watched in horror as he lifted the window without touching the lock.

She moved close, pushing the window closed before opening it. “I thought it was locked.”

“It should be, but it’s not. I just need to install a new locking mechanism. For now, I have some wood dowels in my truck bed, those should block the window so no one can open it.”

She bit her lower lip and then looked at the other windows in the kitchen. “The house is old. I never even thought to check the locks.”

“Few do, unless you plan on entering a location without the owner’s permission.”

She glanced at the windows, a little fear tickling her senses. “Are there more…like this, I mean?”

“We can check.”

His gaze stayed on her, unwavering, making her feel a little unsteady. She wanted to lean in and wrap her arms around his waist and hold him close.

“You have amazing eyes.” Lorelei reached out and put her hand on his arm. She felt him vibrating under her touch and then he stepped closer, his gaze going a little dark as his brows bunched.

She wondered if he was about to kiss her and she leaned in. His lips twitched just before he moved and brushed his mouth over hers. The move was small, no tongue. Nothing deep, just the sweet press of lips and the soft touch of his hand between her shoulder blades. He was drawing her closer, and she had no reason to stay away.

Their bodies pressed together, her breasts against the hard planes of his chest and it felt amazing, but he still hadn’t taken the kiss deeper. She wanted more, but Liam ended the kiss and lifted his head.

His hand cupped her face and his thumb ran over her lips. Neither of them spoke as he studied her face.

Hot desire filled her, and she wished for a moment that this man was the dangerous type who took liberties. Of course, he wasn’t, and that’s what made him more special. She was safe with him. Desire grew deeper and she wanted him to push her against the wall and hike her leg up, instead he stepped away. His shoulders squared, and he held his head in a way that told her this man was a model in control.

She lifted a brow then reached out. Liam grabbed her hand and lifted it to his mouth, kissing each finger before he lowered her hand. He didn’t let go. Instead he held onto her and then drew her closer before wrapping her arm around his back.

She kept her hand where he left it while he reached up and cupped her cheeks.

“You’re so beautiful.”

The snort she let out was automatic. He frowned, his brows pinching together. She put her hand on his chest, letting her fingers press against his muscles, wondering how he would look naked.

He cleared his throat and took a tiny step back. “Let me look at the rest of your house. I don’t want you to be at risk.”

“Um, sure.”

She wanted to touch and taste him, but he was being all business now. Liam moved away, and she missed the feel of his body next to hers. They went from room to room, checking her windows. He found three more locks he needed to fix. As a temporary measure, he blocked the window from rising with wood he slipped into place.

“That’s just short-term. I need to figure out a fix that will work long term.”

She stared at the windows, wondering how this could even be fixed. “What were you thinking?”

“I think we can find a simple solution before I resort to anything drastic,” he said.

“Drastic?”

He shrugged and then chuckled. “You know, bars on the window or something like that.”

“Oh God, I won’t live in a house with bars on the window.”

He pulled her closer and hesitated before kissing her again. She liked the feel of her body up against his. The man was freaking strong. He had the type of body she fantasized about when she needed inspiration. She wasn’t sure what Liam did for a living but being some sort of badass was obvious.

Their lips brushed together, and she moaned. This time his tongue swiped out and brushed against her lips. She opened and tilted her head so he could take the kiss deeper. She shivered as his tongue slid in and rubbed against hers. It was sexy and turned her on even more.

Heat shot to her center as her nipples grew hard. No question, she’d sleep with this guy if he asked.

But Liam didn’t ask, instead he ended the kiss and took a step back. His control was impressive because his eyes were very dark with lust and his cheeks were pink.

“I’ll be back to fix those windows.”

She wrapped one arm over her waist, holding herself tight. “When?”

His lips twisted to the right and pinched together. The look was adorable, and she wondered if he’d be insulted if he knew she thought he was cute.

“I have a, um, demanding job. It may not seem that way, but sometimes I’m gone for days with no notice. I don’t want to give you a date then have you get upset if I don’t answer a call or text.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she wondered if this was where he started spreading the BS. Was he married? Did he think she’d be some sort of side chick? He must have read her look because he reached out and cupped her cheek.

“I’m not trying to ditch you or lie, or any of the other things you’re thinking. I want to see you again, but I—I can’t get into why I can’t tell you more. I just need you to say you trust that I’m not one of those jerks who tries to take advantage of women. I swear, if I’m able to answer your text, I will. It’s just sometimes, I can’t.”

She studied him a little closer. He’d been in control when everyone else had been freaking out. Liam had carried a woman up ten flights of stairs without any difficulties. This man didn’t look military with the super short hair, but she was sure he wasn’t a cop.

“I will tell you what I can when I can,” Liam said.

“Okay, I’ll trust you. I’ve been burned before, but I’ll trust you.”

His lips twitched up. “Thank you, and I do want to take you out soon.”

“I’d like that.”

“Good. I’ll let you get some sleep and I’ll call you when I have a solution for your window locks. I took a photo and I should be able to come up with something, but it might be a few days.”

She smiled and tried not to reach out and pull him close. Asking him to spend the night would be too much. They didn’t know each other and inviting him for a night of sex may be too…well, just too much.

He gave her another quick hug before he left, telling her to make sure and lock up after him. He didn’t have to tell her twice. After the robbery at the bank, it would take her a while before she felt comfortable leaving the door unlocked or the windows for that matter.

Thoughts of Liam filled her mind as she drifted off. She dreamt of him holding her close as he made love to her, but that fantasy morphed into terror as faceless men chased her, forcing her to climb stairs to escape. She never could get far enough in front of them and woke with a scream when one of them grabbed her ankles.

Her breath came in gasps, her eyes searching. Before going to bed she’d turned off all the lights then flipped them on again. She’d settled for sleeping with the kitchen light on and her closet light. With that much light, she could see around the room. Nothing was there.

After the nightmare, she felt the need for more lights. It was a little after four, way too early for her to be up, but she wasn’t going to go back to sleep after the terror-inducing dream. She got up and did her morning routine, brushing her teeth twice because fear had left a bad taste in her mouth and all over her.

When she picked her phone up off the table beside her bed, she saw a text from Liam. She smiled as she read over the words.

Just making sure you’re doing okay before I head in to work this morning. I have a packed schedule. But I want you to know I’ll be checking my phone when I can. I’ll text you tonight.

She took her phone into the kitchen and sighed as she stared at the screen. She wondered if he was up for the day. He’d sent the text ten minutes before, so she guessed he was. She typed out a reply and stared at it before pressing send.

Thank you for checking. I’m good. I did have a nightmare, but I know it’s just me working through what happened. I’m not really scared. I appreciate you stopping by yesterday. I feel much safer and I liked the kisses.

For a moment she thought about removing the part about the kisses, but she kept it in. She wanted him to know she liked the way he’d been with her. Having his body up against hers was as close to perfect as she’d ever felt. It was amazing being so close to him.

The darkness didn’t seem so dark knowing him. Not that she’d had to deal with too much, just the normal crap women went through growing up in the south where too many considered females property. She hoped Liam wasn’t like that. He hadn’t seemed like he was that type of jerk.

There wasn’t a reply from Liam, and she refused to obsess about it, at least that’s what she told herself. When he hadn’t answered by the time she made it to the bank, she shoved away the worry and focused on making the bank right. They couldn’t enter, but she had to be there to answer questions this morning, then she was headed to another branch to chat with customers and make them feel better, more secure. She got that people were worried. Heck, she was worried, but she knew the chance of another group of robbers coming in with guns blazing was small. There was the copycat effect, but the probabilities were minimal.

After a long chat with the police, she spent time talking to the bank manager and the assistant branch manager. The CEO of the company was flying in to do a review of their operation and of the robbery.

She headed to another branch close to lunch time and stopped at a sandwich shop for a bite of food. When she pulled out her phone, she saw a text from Liam.

I’m sorry you had a nightmare. You’re right, it’s probably just your mind working through what happened. I hope you sleep better tonight. It looks like I’ll be around on Friday. I could fix your windows and then maybe if you like, we could go out for dinner.

She hit Yes without thinking. Excitement filled her. She had a date with a hot guy in two days.

“Could I take your order?” someone asked. She lifted her head, realizing the woman at the register wanted her to order. She gave a half smile, embarrassed she hadn’t been paying attention, but she had a date with Liam, and that was all that mattered.

Work was weird, and she had to talk to a few too many people who were worried about the robbery, but she presented a calm, professional front even if at night she woke in a sweat as the nightmares intensified.

On Friday, Liam texted that he’d be there close to four. She replied that the time was perfect. She was supposed to get off at two, but her boss had her stay until almost three. She rushed home to shave and shower because she wanted to look perfect for Liam.

After she shaved, she washed and conditioned her hair, leaving the conditioner in for five minutes. As she waited, she realized she should have washed her hair first then conditioned while she shaved. When she stepped into her bedroom, she saw it was a little after three thirty. The shower had taken longer than she’d thought it would. She hoped he didn’t arrive early.

She was taking a dress off the hanger when she heard a knock on her front door. “Dang it.” The knock sounded again, and she jerked her hand back as she turned and elbowed the wall. “Shit.”

There wasn’t enough time to get dressed so she grabbed her robe and tugged it on, tying the front closed. She pulled the door open and found Liam, face flaming red.

He was so freaking cute she wanted to pull him close and kiss him. But she glanced down and realized how skimpy her robe actually was.

His gaze flicked away and then back to her, but his eyes stayed up, on hers, not dipping. “Sorry I’m early.”

“It’s fine. I got off work late. I wasn’t, well, I didn’t expect to answer the door like this. Trust me it wasn’t planned.”

He glanced away, his cheeks turning even redder. She felt bad, like maybe she’d misinterpreted his kisses the other night. What if Liam didn’t want to be in a relationship with her?

“Come on in,” she said and stepped aside.

He gave a short nod and stepped in her entry hall, but he looked almost terrified. She was about to say something when he glanced at her again, pure lust filling his gaze. They stared at each other for a long moment. She clutched her robe tighter before taking a step back.

“I’m going to get dressed. You can start working.”

Liam cleared his throat. “It shouldn’t take long. Eventually it would be better to replace your windows but that would cost a lot.”

She moved to leave but Liam placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her progress. Fire burned at the spot he touched. Her legs turned to jelly as she heated even more. She glanced back and swallowed over her excitement at the look on Liam’s face. He didn’t let his gaze dip, which she thought was very admirable, and sexy as hell.

The desire she saw made her turn to face him. She cupped his cheek before putting her hand behind his neck and pulling him close. He hesitated for a second then his lips were on hers, his tongue demanding. His hands found her back and pulled her close. His body was hard and delicious. The thin material of her robe wasn’t much to keep them separated and she could feel everything, every muscle, every inch of him.

Liam ended the kiss on an explosive breath and took a step back. His eyes wild with hunger for her.

“I need to stop.” Liam’s voice was harsh, and his eyes were dilated.

He was right. They didn’t need to keep kissing. If they kept at it, they wouldn’t go out and she wanted to get to know this man.

Liam wiped a hand over his face and his eyes went to the ceiling as he groaned. She took a step closer to him but didn’t touch.

“Liam.”

His gaze flew to her, the intensity almost frightening. “I want you too, but you’re right, I want to get to know you before we hit the bedroom.”

His lips thinned before he turned and stalked out to his truck. She watched him as he opened the toolbox on the back of his old truck. For a second, she thought he would leave, but he was grabbing items from the toolbox.

She shivered and headed to her bedroom. She dropped her robe then slid her dress over her head, letting the material fall gracefully into place. The dress wasn’t too revealing, but it looked nice on her, at least she thought so. She’d thought about wearing one of Gran’s dresses, but none of them were appropriate for a first date. It wasn’t the siren, overly sexed-up look some women went for, but it was her.

When she stepped into the kitchen where Liam was working on her window, he turned and stared at her, the hunger in his eyes growing.

“How is it going?” she asked, trying to play it cool though she felt anything but cool.

“Um, almost done. Just one more window to adjust and fix. Like I said, this is safe, but replacing the windows would be the best option. That would cost a lot though.”

She stared at the window he had fixed in the kitchen. It looked like he’d rigged it a little, but it wasn’t terrible. “If I saved for it, I could swing the cost before fall. I’ve been trying to save for a big trip to Europe and then one to Australia, but I could add in a savings plan for the windows.”

“That would be good.” Liam went back to work fixing the last two windows. She busied herself with setting up her coffee maker for the morning. After she finished filling the tank with water, she turned and found Liam watching her.

They would end up in bed tonight if his longing looks were any sign of how he felt.

“All done,” Liam said. “I need to wash my hands.”

“The bathroom is this way.”

Lorelei led him to the spare bathroom behind the kitchen and then went into her room to grab a light sweater and her purse. She couldn’t wait to find out more about Liam and then get to the good part of the night.