Page 19 of So Bad It Must Be Good

He faced her, eyes wide, discomfort written all over his face. Maybe she was doing this drunken-hookup thing all wrong. Maybe there was a protocol she was failing at?

She cleared her throat, holding the blanket tightly at her chin. Something from last night filtered back to her. Something about not being afraid anymore, and that seemed right. Yes, she had made a mistake, she’d failed, but now it was time to own up to it and deal with the consequences.

She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore. She wouldn’t let anyone put her in that shrinking spot, including herself. “I should apologize.”

“No, it’s—”

“I was drunk and I can’t imagine how annoying. And you were kind enough to bring me here and . . .” She clutched the blanket tighter. “Well, I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I appear to be practically naked, so.”

Liam made something like a choking sound. “We didn’t . . .” He cleared his throat. “You just had vomit all over your dress. You . . . you . . . I mean, we, uh . . . came inside and you took a shower and I, uh . . . washed your dress. You were . . . You did it yourself, that is. I wasn’t involved in the . . .” He swallowed. “I had to help a little with the T-shirt, but, um, I mean, I didn’t . . .”

“So we didn’t sleep together?”

“Oh God, no. No. No.”

“Well, you don’t have to be that emphatic,” she muttered, feeling foolish that his flat and horrified denial poked at her pride.

“You puked all over my bushes.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight off the embarrassment with bravery, but it seemed to be impossible. She could feel the hot flush creep up her neck and into her cheeks. She was probably as red as a tomato.

“It happens to the best of us,” he said as if trying to make her feel better. “I just meant, it’s not really the best foreplay.”

Something about Liam Patrick saying “foreplay” did nothing to erase the heat in her cheeks. She forced herself to open her eyes, forced herself to be brave. “I am sorry for all the trouble I must have put you through.”

His mouth curved a little at that, a nonverbal acceptance of her apology. But something about his mouth tugged at a memory. Something about . . . soft lips? “Did we . . . kiss?” she asked, against her better judgment. “I mean, before the puking.”

“No. No, definitely not.”

“Are you sure? Because . . .” He raised an eyebrow at her and she wilted. Okay, so apparently kissing her was his worst nightmare. But she remembered . . . something. Or had she dreamed it?

“Because what?”

She sighed, pressing a hand to her temple as she held the blanket to her chest with the other. “Can I have my clothes? I want to go home.”

“Of course. Follow me.” He picked up his knife and wood and set it on an end table she wondered if he’d made himself. Again, she squinted at the wood, but she couldn’t make out the shape.

So she turned, following him back to the hallway, the blanket trailing behind her. It reminded her of playing queens and princesses with Dinah when they were little girls, which reminded her of Gallagher’s, which somehow reminded her of how she’d gotten here.

Liam led her to a little mudroom that was filled almost completely by a washer and dryer. He leaned down to pull her clothes out of the dryer. She tried not to wince. Her dress was probably ruined if he’d put it through the machine.

Still, it was a small price to pay.

Don’t be a coward, Kayla. Be brave. Go after what you want. She’d wanted to be a princess as a little girl, or a queen, but mostly she’d pretended to be the lady’s maid while Dinah had been the leader. But Kayla had always secretly wished a handsome prince would sweep her off her feet.

Liam handed over her rumpled clothes. She took them, caught in that piercing blue gaze. He had never been the prince in her imagination. Any flittering thoughts to the contrary were clearly her hangover talking.

She’d only ever had a crush on Aiden. She was supposed to have gone out with Aiden. Maybe Liam wasn’t quite as dour as she’d always thought him, but that didn’t change what she was after.

“Can you, uh, not tell your brother?” she asked, not sure why her chest contracted painfully at the words.

Something moved through his expression, an emotion Kayla didn’t know how to analyze, but he gave a sharp nod.

“Consider it our secret.”

* * *

Liam loaded his toolbox and tool belt into the back of his truck. He’d told Kayla to meet him out here once she was dressed and ready to go. He’d drive her home and that would be that.

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