Owen was grinning as he rode the elevator down. He’d stopped by the main offices this morning to meet with Mr. Hanover, and the conversation went great. There was a lot of potential for work both now and once he got his contractor’s license and went independent. Liv truly had hooked him up.

Her name brought a goofy smile to his face, and the thought of her drove the blood from his head and into his lower extremities.

That would have to wait. He was heading back to the worksite to finish up his day and then he could relive the memories. Or maybe see if she wanted to spend more time getting to know each other before her vengeance-wedding.

As he stepped into the lobby, he saw her at the far end, near the main entrance. He lifted his hand to wave, but she was already turning away. She tugged the man she was without the door, not giving Owen another glance.

Jealousy spiked through him. He didn’t have the right to react like that. A few quick flings with the woman didn’t meant anything.

But it did. There was a connection between him and Liv. He’d felt it that night at the club, when she broke away to talk to him. As if they’d known each other for years.

That was ridiculous. He needed to head back to the site, ignore what he’d just seen, and not jump to any conclusions about either her company or his feelings.

When he walked outside, he intended to cut a straight line to his truck. His feet had other ideas, and he found himself moving to catch up with Liv and her company.

No. Wrong. He forced himself to head to his truck, get in, and drive to the construction site.

He dove back into work, but couldn’t find his focus. He only caught about a quarter of what anyone said. If putting Liv out of his head wasn’t an option, he only knew one other thing to try—spending more time with her.

Logic argued that didn’t make any sense. He didn’t have the right to be jealous about her hanging with another guy, given his outside-of-work relationship with Liv didn’t extend beyond fucking.

Since that was the case, he needed to change that relationship. Spend some time getting to know her. Actually getting to know her this time, rather than letting her gorgeous figure and sweet scent distract him.

It wasn’t as though he could approach her in the office. She was the boss, and neither one of them needed those kinds of rumors flying. He’d love to take her out to dinner. Spoil her.

But in a town this small, the odds of someone seeing them, and talking, were too high.

They needed someplace private, and he had an idea. He dialed Liv’s assistant, and whispered a small prayer that this worked.

* * *

The phone rang as Liv walked into her small house. Dumping her bag, and kicking off her shoes, she pulled out her phone from her pants pocket.

Owen was calling. Her chest tightened, and she couldn’t help the shy smile that teased her mouth.

“Hey,” her voice was soft, and she walked over to her sofa and perched herself on the arm. “What’s up?”

“I’m in front of your house.”

Liv blinked, confused.

“How do you know where I live?” A mild panic started in the pit of her stomach. There were so many half-truths floating around that she didn’t know whether she was coming or going.

“I might have sweet talked your assistant into giving me your address to drop off a very important document from one of our suppliers.”

Relief flooded through her, and she chuckled. “Okay. I suppose you need to come in and drop that document off to me now, right?”

“Of course. Am I invited?”

“Sure” As soon as Liv hung up, she darted a look around her house. Was there anything incriminating here that would tell him her secret? Photos.

She practically sprinted over to the mantelpiece and threw three photos of her family into a drawer, shutting it with a slam. “Sorry, mom. I’ll get you back out later.”

Owen’s knock sounded a moment later and she took a few seconds to herself to relax before walking over to the door and throwing it open.

Owen stood with a bunch of flowers, a bag of take-out, and a bottle of something red. Liv smiled, stepping back from the door and letting him enter.

“I hope you haven’t eaten yet.” He stood looking around, and she closed the door behind him. “I’m starving and I don’t like eating alone.”

“Nope. It’s great timing. I was thinking about throwing something in the microwave.”

“I see I’ve found myself an experienced chef, then.”

Liv laughed. “Yeah, as long as it can be heated up or I have explicit—but very easy—instructions, I’m fantastic.”

Owen dropped his goodies on the small dining room table and turned to face her. “I thought we could chat.” It looked like he wanted to say more, but nothing followed.

Nerves ate at Liv. Would he mention the man he saw her with at the office earlier? She wrung her hands together and knew she looked uncomfortable.

Unable to stand the silence, she walked to the table and looked inside the food bag. “Chinese food. One of my favorites.” She went over to the open kitchen and pulled out a couple of plates. Then filled up a vase with water. “If you’ve bought me kung-pao chicken, I might have to marry you.”

Liv blinked. Did she really say that? She waited a beat or two, then turned to face him. He was right where she’d left him, but his face was relaxed, as was his stance. Liv managed to put one foot in front of the other and move toward the table again. First putting the plates down, then arranging the flowers in the vase.

“It looks like I’m going to get lucky then, doesn’t it?” His tone was easy and casual, but the tension was palpable between them.

“Sit. Let’s eat before our feast gets cold.” The electricity flowing between them—and whatever else was right alongside it—might make her choke on her food.

The food was great, and they made it through without awkward questions and even more awkward silences.

They were sitting on the sofa, glasses of wine half full, when the hard bit begun.

“Tell me about your family,” Owen said.

She darted a look at him and wondered whether he had an angle. Did he know?

She swallowed; she couldn’t carry on like this. After the wedding, she’d tell him everything. Her nerves couldn’t take much more and she abhorred lying to him. At last she answered the question, being as vague as possible.

“My parents are still alive, and I have a sister and an older brother.” She stopped short of telling him she was a twin. That would have been an easy giveaway.

Owen nodded, swirling the liquid in his glass. “Are you close?”

“To a degree.” She said quickly. It was a half-truth. Her family were as thick as thieves. But she needed to change the subject. “What about you?”

His knee was touching hers, and he was sitting way too close for it to be casual. Excitement built in her lower stomach and she wondered whether he would stay the night. Was it wrong that she wanted it more than anything?

“Nothing for me. Both parents are dead and I have no siblings. I have close friends but nowhere I truly feel settled.” It sounded like such a harsh thing, she momentarily forgot how loved up she was and looked directly at Owen’s face. He was being open with her and all she could do was lie. He glanced at her, his face emotionless.

She closed her eyes briefly. I am such a bitch. I need to tell him.

He carried on and she watched him through her lashes. “The Corps was my family for a while, but people move on. Things change.”

“Are you looking to settle down?” The question almost fell out of her mouth, but she didn’t regret her need to find out a little more.

“Yes.” The truth again.

“Has there been anyone special?” Liv was digging but she couldn’t help it.

There was still no way she could read him, so she gave up. At last he spoke. “Once. I thought she was the one. We made plans.” He momentarily looked off into the distance, somewhere else entirely, before holding her gaze once more. "It didn't work out. She wasn't as committed to me as I was to her."

Liv stayed quiet for long moments. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, living a lie wasn't good for me. Living with the negative shit takes a toll, unfortunately."

And with that simple admission the world collapsed around her. She was living the ultimate lie and dragging Owen into her personal drama. He didn't deserve it. Oxygen got harder to pull into her lungs and her Chinese food threatened to appear again.

“There’s so much I want to ask you, but I don’t know how.” His statement was out of the blue, but rang true to her ears. She wondered if he wanted to ask her about seeing Gabe at the office. This was it. She had to tell him, to share the big secret she’d been keeping from him.

Reaching over and taking his hand in hers. She put her own glass down, then took his and placed it next to hers on the floor. For long seconds they sat, watching each other. Owen’s blue eyes glistened under the fading lights of the evening, and she longed to reach over and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

Was it, though? Liv didn’t know anymore. Her tangled web of, what started off as innocent, lies had gained momentum. She was in deep. And what made it worse was Owen was becoming more important to her than her job, than the wedding, than keeping her brother from finding out. Owen was under her skin. She wouldn't allow herself to keep doing this.

“I need to tell you something,” Liv said, not able to hold back anymore. Not wanting to. “I haven’t been completely honest—”

His phone chimed, interrupting. “Shit.” He was pulling himself off the sofa, dropping her hand and walking toward the front door before she knew what was happening. “I have to go. I said I’d meet my buddy to play some basketball tonight. I completely forgot.” He spun on his heel right before he reached the door, and strode back towards her, still sitting in exactly the same place. He grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet so her breasts nudged his chest. Her head came to about his shoulder and she looked up to his face. “Gabe would like you. I need to introduce you two, soon.”

Doom hit her straight between the eyes and she was pretty sure any words that came out of her mouth now would implicate her further or make Owen wonder about her sanity. She stayed quiet, simply keeping it to a quick nod of her head.

Owen bent his head and took her mouth in a demanding kiss. She responded on auto-pilot and then he was pulling away and making his exit.

“Tonight was fun. We need to talk more.” They were his last words as he winked, sending her a killer smile. He shut her front door gently behind him as he left her alone with her thoughts and her guilt.

“Fuck.”

Yeah, that about summed it all up.