Page 2 of Not That Impossible

Ray had left his friend at their table and was at the bar, ordering drinks.

Adam saw me and headed over. I’m going to make his day, I thought, grinned, and pointed at the bar.

Adam glanced in the direction I was pointing, stopped dead, then turned on his heel and all but ran over there, sending me a distracted thumbs-up.

I crossed my arms over my chest and settled in to enjoy the show.

Ray wasn’t the most observant guy in the world. Adam had to damn near mount him before Ray even noticed him standing there. He turned crossly to Adam, who was doing a great job of crowding him, his head tipped back as he gazed up wonderingly into Adam’s beautiful face, and—

Liam Nash was staring at me.

I felt his attention like a punch to the sternum. Unfortunately for me, I’d just taken a sip of water, and I choked on it.

When had Liam…?

So much for Ray being unobservant. Liam was here, and I hadn’t noticed?

He was sitting in the restaurant area, a few tables behind Ray’s. He’d positioned himself with his back to the wall, food was waiting on the table, and the chair opposite him was empty. I had a straight shot across the room, all the way into his stern, steely, beautiful blue-grey eyes.

I knew the colour well, even though the lighting in the pub was dim and made them look dark. I also knew the stern, steely, impatient expression well. That was his default expression when looking at me.

He watched me choke on my drink without any visible emotion, but I felt the disapproval wash over me nonetheless. Holding his gaze, refusing to be cowed, I wiped the back of my wrist over my wet chin and mouth, and—wait.

What was that?

His expression flickered. Just for a split second, but…it flickered. No one else would notice. I’m an expert on Liam Nash.Inoticed. His gaze had dropped, and bounced back up.

I straightened.

Liam scowled.

I blinked at him.

He looked like he really, really wanted to break eye contact.

Liam Nash would try to stare down a bear, though, let alone me.

Well. I wasn’t going to look away first. I loved looking at Liam and I rarely got the chance. We didn’t exactly run in the same social circles, and he’d moved away from Chipping Fairford a couple of years ago to one of the smaller villages.

I slouched down on the padded bench seat, stretched out my legs, and admired the view.

Liam Nash was a solid man. He was big, six feet one or two inches tall, making him about an inch shorter than my six-three. He’d played rugby up until his mid-twenties, and it showed.

You could really wrestle a man like that.

Just…throw yourself on him and not worry about hurting him or crushing him. You could get him on the ground and roll around a bit. You’d both be thrashing. Panting and heaving against each other’s straining bodies. Fighting for dominance. Limbs entwining. Thrusting. And…

Okay, I had to stop turning myself on. I could hear my own breathing.

Liam’s cheeks had turned red and his scowl had turned murderous. He looked like maybe he’d come over here and tell me off in a minute.

I wouldn’thateit.

I mean, I’d rather he came over here and did something else entirely, but I’d take a telling off. Happily.

I’d sit there and nod my head, and let him rant a bit like he usually did.

Then I’d say, “Sorry, Detective Chief Inspector Nash,” go home, and probably manage to get about three steps into my hall before I came in my sweatpants.

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