Page 13 of Persuading Liam

I nod and fight back my arguments. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Text me if you think of anything else you need.”

“I will,” I promise.

“Good, I’m going to shower and then I’ll run to the store. You okay out here?”

I motion to my laptop currently being used as a TV and Steven holding the blanket down on my feet. “I’m good for now.”

He assesses the situation with a thoroughness that makes me shiver. I get the feeling there isn’t much he misses, and I start to understand why he doesn’t like messes. They probably clutter up his brain. “You need ice water.”

Before I can answer, he’s at the sink, filling a glass with ice and filtered water from his special jug.

“Drink all of this,” he demands, handing me the glass. “Fluids help you flush out all the bacteria.”

I grin as I take it from him. “Are you a medical professional?”

“Let’s say yes for the sake of avoiding an argument while you’re sick. How’s that sound?”

I shrug and take a sip of the water which I’ll never admit, tastes amazing. “Sounds good, Dr. Sutton.”

He shakes his head but I catch a small smile before he turns to go to the bathroom and I sit there perfectly still while he’s in the shower imagining the soap sliding across his perfect washboard abs.

“Must be the fever,” I tell Steven, who just looks at me with his ‘mother do not bother me right now’ face.

It’s definitely the fever.

8

LIAM

“When are we going to meet Marley?” Gus asks when I get to work that afternoon. She’s behind the bar, sorting beer into the cooler with an efficiency I don’t quite understand.

I feel my face crinkle in confusion. “What do you mean? How should I know?”

She lifts a shoulder, “I don’t know, I kind of thought you’d introduce us to your roomie.”

“Gus, we’re not a couple. I’m not going to bring her over here like she’s my girlfriend. If she comes in on her own, I’ll introduce you.” I don’t mention that I spent the entire morning making sure she feels okay because Gus will see something in it that isn’t there. Marley is sick. I want her to feel better—end of story.

She puts up her hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop bugging you about her. I’m just so curious. She’s the one restarting the Paintbrush Post, right?”

I must give her a questioning look because she answers easily.

“Briar told me last night when we went out for drinks that she met her the day she got into town. She mentioned that she’s really pretty and cool.”

“Then Briar should date her,” I answer, not letting on that my mind went right back to those tiny shorts and tank top and colorful pancake batter.

“Oh my God, Liam, you are impossible,” she sighs, shaking her head.

“I like it that way,” I tell her and head back to the office to meet with my brothers.

“There he is,” Elliot announces. “For once I’m not the last one here.”

“I had to run to the store this morning, sorry I’m late.”

“One minute is not late,” Max points out.

“Yes it is,” Elliot argues back. “If it were me, you’d consider it late.”

---