Page 105 of Falling for my Brother's Best Friend

Thirty-Three

Liam

Saturday is pretty busy at the shop, so I end up having to go in for a while. I told Denver yesterday he needed to sleep somewhere else tonight, and he stops by at one point to let me know that he’s going to Brooklyn’s.

When we’re finally closed, I come home, and again, Savannah’s in the kitchen. She smiles at me over her shoulder from where she is at the stove.

“In the kitchen two nights in a row?”

She laughs. “Well, you said whatever we’re doing tonight is my last task, so I figured a celebration and a thank you are in order.”

I snag her chin to kiss her, and I slide my tongue into her hot mouth, spurring her to turn around and wrap her arms around my neck. I don’t want to draw the kiss to a close, but I’m also starving after missing lunch. That’s mostly because I couldn’t eat because of how nervous I am over what I’m about to do.

“I have some really good news,” she says as she stirs whatever she’s cooking. Savannah knows her way around a kitchen. I’ve been eating her cooking since before Mr. and Mrs. Bailey passed away.

I slide up on the counter, grabbing a cracker and cheese she has set out. “What’s that?”

“My house is ready. I went over there today, and everything is finished.”

“Really?” That sucks. “That’s awesome.”

She turns off the burner and sets a timer on the microwave, then she comes to stand between my legs. Her hands run up my thighs. “I know. I’m not sure I’ll like sleeping by myself anymore, but it does allow us to have more freedom from Denver.”

I place my hands on either side of her face and stare into her eyes. “How about Denver moves into your house and you move in here?”

She laughs.

I wasn’t joking.

“Funny you say that. When Austin came to the office, he suggested Phoenix and Denver move into my place.”

“He is your older brother, and you should always listen to your elders.”

“Can you imagine if I always listened to Grandma Dori? She’s the eldest of the elders.” She shakes her head. “It’s only been a few weeks for us. Moving in together permanently seems to be rushing it.”

I jump down from the counter and grab her hand. “How much longer before dinner?”

She checks the microwave. “Twenty minutes.”

“Good. Come with me.”

“Where? What about the oven?”

I tug on her arm. “It’s fine. We’ll only be in the barn. Set the timer on your phone.”

“Barn?” Her eyes light up as if I told her N’Sync is outside waiting to do a private concert for her.

“Yeah, but hey, if you don’t want to know…”

“Oh no.” She takes off her apron and tosses it on the counter, heading toward the back door. “Let’s go.”

I open the door for her and laugh. The sound locks in my throat. The more I try to swallow, the drier my mouth gets from the anxiety hijacking my body. She’s shared so much with me. I owe her this.

We walk along the brick path, and I think that this must be what a person feels like when they’re going to go bungee jumping or skydiving. With every step I take, an impending doom bears down on my shoulders. Once she sees this, she’ll never be able to unsee it. What will she think of me? That I suck? That all of it should be kept in the barn and never see the light of day? My biggest fear is that she’ll think I’m weak. I’ll no longer be Liam Kelly, the tattoo artist, the one who finishes the Bailey twin’s fights. This will change her view of me. As my hand rests on the doorknob, I take one last deep breath.

“Hey.” She stops me before I turn the knob. Her warm hand lands on my chest and she rises up on her tiptoes. “If you’re not comfortable with this, you don’t have to do it. You don’t have to show me. It’s okay.”

“Why do you say that?”

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