Page 22 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“I need to go now. It’s nice seeing you all,” I murmur, and before any of them can respond, I push my cart past them, hurrying toward the front door. The moment I step outside, the fresh air does little to calm my nerves. My chat with Liam has filled me with enough anger to finally excuse myself. Just as I think I’m free, the trio suddenly appears by my side.

“Let’s help you with your groceries.” Avery suddenly offers.

For Christ sake. “I can’t handle it.”

“We’re out here already,” Rachel adds with a smirk. “It’s been so long since we saw each other, and it would be unfair to refuse our help.”

Trapped again, I sigh and force a smile. “Sure, thanks,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

As the four of us walk toward the parking lot, Avery suddenly asks, “So, is the texter your boyfriend?”

Before I can respond, Maria cuts in, “I asked June, and she said Emma doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

Rachel gives me a mocking pity look. “I hope you find one soon, Emma. We wouldn’t want you to become an old, shriveled spinster.”

Avery jumps in again, “Maybe I can match you with one of my relatives. How about my cousin Tom? He’s single and just your age.”

Maria chimes in with a scathing remark, “Though she might be too old for him. Or too picky. Standards, you know?”

My hands clench into fists, and I’m about to let out a torrent of anger when a soft voice cuts through the air behind me.

“Honey.”

Maria looks puzzled and asks, “Is that man calling you?”

“Sweetheart.” The voice calls out again, louder this time.

I whirl around, my heart racing. There stands Liam, towering in the center of the walkway. His dark eyebrows are furrowed, and his chiseled jaw is set in a smile. His eyes are fixed on me like a predator locking onto its prey. I take a deep breath, ready to unleash my frustration, but before I can say anything, he hurries toward me, his eyes never leaving mine.

I stumble back a few steps, feeling helpless. All the thoughts in my head dissolve into nothing, replaced by confusing emotions triggered by the stormy gray dare in Liam’s eyes. He suddenly wraps his arms around me, pulling me against his solid frame. The scent of him—rugged, powerful, and intoxicating—overwhelms my senses. My heart flutters as he leans in and brushes his lips across mine.

All the thoughts in my head evaporate into emptiness. Oh God, how does he do this to me? He bends me back at the waist, pushing his right thigh between my legs, cradling my head in his hand, his fingers massaging my scalp as he swoops his tongue into my mouth.

I should resist, push him away, scream at him…but the only thing I can do is melt. A shudder runs through me, making my body jelly in his arms. His thigh rubs against my thighs as he kisses me.

I can feel the lightning sparkle between us, swallowing up all my anger into dark clouds and releasing them in torrents of pleasure. Our tongues tangle, and my legs grow weaker by the minute, so I wrap an arm around his waist to hold on. And just when everything else disappears around us, leaving him and only him, he breaks the kiss.

I’m still in shock when he raises his head and says, “I missed you, honey. Who knew shopping would take so long.”

I blink up at him in confusion for a second before he releases me. I stagger for a split second, grateful for the car behind me breaking my fall. Liam grins at me before turning to the other women, who are watching with their mouths open.

“Thank you for helping my girlfriend, ladies. I hope we meet again so Emma can properly introduce us.” He collects the grocery bags from their stunned hands.

He links his arm with mine, helping me force my unsteady legs toward the car. I can almost hear the collective gasp of disbelief from Maria, Rachel, and Avery as they turn around and hurry away, too.

As soon as we’re out of earshot, I pull away from Liam, my mind racing. “What did you just do?” I gasp, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion.

7

LIAM

The heat from the kiss still burns through me as I watch the three witches finally glide away, their shock bringing a satisfaction deep in my belly.

I straighten, a smile playing on my lips as I look at Emma, expecting to see relief and gratitude written all over her face. Instead, she's staring at me with thunderclouds brewing in her eyes.

“What did you just do?” she spits, her voice tight with barely controlled fury.

Confused, I blink. “Do? I just…covered for you. You should be thanking me.”

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