Whish. Whish. Whish.

What the hell is that noise?

My eyes open slowly to the morning light shining through the windows and start to close when I hear voices from the living room. I groan while climbing off the air mattress. I throw on some sweats and grab the baseball bat leaning against the wall next to the door and tiptoe down the hallway, ready to bludgeon the intruder that woke me up. When I’m halfway down the hall leading toward the living room, I drop the bat with a groan, already regretting allowing them to furnish my house.

“What the fuck are you doing here so early?” I ask without thinking when I get to the living room.

“Language, Liam,” my mom scolds, looking up from the spot she’s sweeping. I didn’t even know I had a broom. The bristles against the wood floor make the sound that woke me up.

My sister, Olivia, is bouncing in excitement. She could be my twin. When we were young, people always asked if we were twins, but we’re not. We’re just close in age. Her dark brown hair is in a pile on top of her head and today she’s wearing a black Southern Charm Interiors t-shirt and old jeans with holes in the knees. I could easily convince myself that she’s still my kid sister following me around the neighborhood. “Your furniture is being delivered today.”

Furniture delivery. That explains why they’re here. When I moved back here with nothing, my mom and sister insisted on letting them pick everything for me since they own an interior decorating business together, so I decided to let them do it. It would be less work for me, and they had the hook up with vendors, so I probably wouldn’t spend as much as I would if I just went to a store and bought stuff on my own. They are complete opposites, but work well together and are best friends. Totally not fun for Dad or me when they gang up on us and manage to get whatever they want.

My mom, Katie, is all elegant and classy compared to my sister. She is also wearing their company shirt, but hers is a pressed button-up with the company’s monogram sewn on the pocket. There’s not a wrinkle in sight, even her white Keds are spotless. As different as they are, their interior styles match perfectly. I know they’ve been very successful since my sister joined the company, buying in as a partner.

I hold out my hand to my sister. “So did you clear out my bank account?”

She grins wickedly, pulling my credit card from her back pocket. “I wanted to, but mom didn’t let me.”

I grab Olivia, putting her in a headlock against my chest, and rub a noogie into her head. She squirms and tries slapping me with her arms. I laugh and rub her head harder. My mom walked away and into the kitchen, completely ignoring us even though Olivia is yelling at her to make me stop. I finally relent but give her a kiss on the head before releasing her. Olivia slaps my chest and tries kicking my shins, but I’m an expert at avoiding her futile attacks.

I sling an arm around Olivia’s shoulder, walking into the kitchen with her. I lean over and kiss my mom on the cheek. Olivia pries herself from my side to chat with Mom. When they start naming everything they bought, I tune them out. I’m just excited for the bed, I’m tired of sleeping on an air mattress. Stretching the kinks out of my neck, I start to gain coherent thought.

“Wait,” I say raising my hands. “Stop.”

They stop talking to look over at me. “What is it, honey?” my mom asks in a patient tone and with a serene smile on her face, while my sister is scowling at me for interrupting her monologue.

“How did you get into my house?”

“We copied one of your keys,” my sister says nonchalantly before turning back toward my mom and their conversation. I’m staring in disbelief since they think stealing my keys and making a copy is acceptable.

My eyes dart around the room as if the answer will be written on the walls. “Uh, why? And when? And, again, why so early?”

“We needed it for deliveries and emergencies,” my sister says slowly as if speaking to her toddler. “We got it the other day when you were over grilling with Dad. It’s not that early, either. Tanner woke Josh and me up at six-thirty this morning.”

“This isn’t an emergency.” I silently count to ten while suppressing a frustrated groan.

Olivia rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry about it. After this, we will only use it for emergencies. Are you trying to hide something? Please tell me you didn’t bring a girl back here when you only have an air mattress?”

I glare at her. I won’t even validate her questions with a response. I would never bring a woman home to an air mattress. I did want to move home to be closer to my family, but still want to feel like I have a space that is my own. Sighing and shaking my head, I let it go—they mean well. And even though I’m grumpy, I did really miss my family. The visits were never enough. When my nephew, Tanner, didn’t recognize me and couldn’t remember my name, I was crushed. I remember standing there holding a toy when he informed me from behind his mom’s legs that he couldn’t talk to strangers. My sister tried to tell me that unless he sees me all the time it’s easy for him to forget. He did warm up quickly to me that afternoon, but it was on that flight home that I started looking at job listings.

“Just go get us some coffee and breakfast, Liam. There’s a cute little shop around the corner,” my mom says, pointing toward my front door.

“I’m getting kicked out of my own place?”

“It’s better this way, honey,” my mom says as she pats my cheek. “Our clients usually aren’t home when we’re working on a space.”

“Whatever,” I grumble, walking to my room to get dressed.

* * *

A grin breaks out on my face the second I walk into the coffee shop. Large chalkboard signs hang from the ceiling. On two of the boards are different coffees and drinks, but the daily specials board shows two simple words that make me a happy man. Cinnamon. Rolls.

I can smell the cinnamon wafting out from the back. I lean around the customers in line trying to get my eyes on one of the cinnamon rolls. Who doesn’t love cinnamon sugar with soft, warm bread, and vanilla icing? My mouth waters, as I anticipate sinking my teeth into that doughy goodness. Thoughts of heavenly cinnamon rolls are interrupted when the brunette in front of me catches my eye.

Savannah. Her long, brown hair is in waves down her back, stopping in the middle. She’s wearing a purple top with dark jeans. Her ass is high and tight, accentuated by the heels on her feet. I almost groa staring at her ass. I want to sink my teeth into that as much as I do a cinnamon roll. Savannah has popped into my mind a few times over the past few days since I saw her at the gym. I’ve been back to Raise the Bar a few times, but I haven’t seen her again.

I’m happy Hudson showed me that gym because it’s great. After our beers the other night, I know James isn’t an asshole. He’s just a quiet and reserved guy. We sparred a few times in the gym since that night, and I hope to get to know him better. Hudson and James invited me to join some of the classes they teach to kids in the area who have been getting in trouble. I hope I see Savannah when I start teaching kickboxing next week.

The line barely inches forward. I look up at the counter and see the young boy standing at the register. He has pimples all over his bright red face and his hand is shaking as he’s trying to get orders into the system. There’s a girl standing next to him trying to be patient as she explains different buttons on the register. He must be new, but I don’t think he’s paying attention to his training. His face gets brighter each time he looks at the girl training him. Poor kid has got a bad crush.

I look back to Savannah. She’s reading something on a small tablet that she’s balancing on her palm, biting her full bottom lip. I hold back another groan.

“Hi,” I say. She doesn’t turn around or acknowledge me. I’m not sure if she heard me, she’s concentrating so hard on the screen in front of her. I lean down slightly, so she’ll hear me. Right before I open my mouth to greet her again, a word on her tablet jumps out at me. I hesitate before I say anything and look at the screen. I know it’s rude to spy, but the word makes me too curious. Cock.

My eyes widen as I read the page.

His massive, thick cock glistens at the tip.

‘Hold your tits together,’ Cade demands. His voice is raspy and sexy. My thighs get even wetter from the sound of his voice, my pussy spilling juices onto the bed.

I hold my breasts together. He plays with my nipples using the tip of his cock. I moan.

Savannah turns the page before I can read any further. I should say something before she notices me hovering over her. I open my mouth to speak. “That’s an interesting book you’re reading.”