Page 74 of Falling for my Brother's Best Friend

Twenty-Three

Savannah

Two weeks into Liam’s experiment and I’ve meditated every morning. Liam’s been joining me because Denver is usually asleep. I’ve also written in my journal every day since I received it, and I give Liam props—I enjoy these quiet moments to myself late at night with only my thoughts. Somehow, writing down my worries about the things I can’t control frees my mind.

I’m interrupted by a knock on my door, and I roll over on my bed. “Come in.”

The door creaks open and Liam fills the space, holding a jar filled with multi-colored papers. He must be getting ready to go to bed, because he’s in the track shorts and T-shirt I’ve seen him wear the mornings he doesn’t go for a run.

“Hey,” I say.

“Week three, are you ready?” He waggles his eyebrows.

I sit up on the bed, crossing my legs, as eager as a child staring at all the presents Christmas morning but being told they have to take pictures first.

“May I?” He nods toward the bed.

I slide up toward the pillows and pat the space. “Of course. Technically, it’s yours.”

“Which reminds me, I’m going over to your house tomorrow. I’m gonna talk to the contractor.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

I grimace a bit. “I’m sorry, I’m overstaying my welcome, aren’t I?”

He’s shaking his head before I can finish my sentence. “You’re welcome to be here as long as you need, but I want you to be here because you want to be here, not because you have to be here.”

I sit back, the giddiness of getting another present from Liam fading. “We should talk.”

He holds up his hand. “I didn’t come here for a talk. I understand the reasons why you think we wouldn’t work out, but if I’m honest, I’m finding it hard to keep them forefront in my mind.”

I nod because a large part of me feels the same way. Especially after the charity motorcycle ride. But then I’ll remember Nina and the way other women look at him as though they’ve had him. As though they know how he makes love—or as is more likely in his case, how he fucks.

“Regardless, I do want you here, and I don’t want to talk about us. We said we wouldn’t do that. This process is about you. I’m going to see the contractor tomorrow because it’s ludicrous that it’s taking so long. He’s screwing you around.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No. Let me scare him a little.” He grins and flexes a bicep.

I laugh. “You like playing bodyguard, huh?”

“More than I care to admit.” He runs a hand through his hair, and the sudden urge to kiss him makes my lips tingle. He peers at me from the side.

“Liam,” I scold, but he’s quick to recover.

“This is step three. You take a piece of paper out of this jar every day and you have to do the task.”

“And if I don’t do it?”

“I’ll spank you.” He waits for my reaction. Truth is, my body is red hot at the prospect and I’m sure my face gives away that I find the notion a little exciting. “Jesus, don’t look like that.”

“Like what?”

He blows out a breath. “Like you’re about to turn over and ask me to get started.”

“I was not.”

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