Page 27 of Look My Way
I’m again pulled away from my thoughts of him when I almost put a hole in the back of my hand. He’s such a damn distraction. The best kind. Someone I don’t think I’d ever mind bleeding a little for. Adjusting my safety glasses, I go back to work, andwhen it’s time for a break, I sit in my truck and read one of my new books.
My eyes linger over every word when I reach the spicy scenes. One man wraps his fingers tightly around the other’s neck, at his request, as he’s about to come, taking me back to the scene he was watching on his phone. Is this what he wants for himself, and is this his way of asking me for it?
I picked up one book from his shelf to look it over and he gave me several more that all had the same kinks. Then he came closer to the window, tracing my silhouette and inviting me in more. I told him he’d always get to choose with me, and he will. Whatever he wants. It helps that so far I want all the same things.
Five chapters later, I close the book and head to my last job for the day. Hours pass as I stay busy hammering and cutting wood, and as the sun begins to fade, I wrap up for the day and find a stopping point. I’ll need to finish all this by tomorrow afternoon so I’ll be able to take my time at Liam’s house on Monday. He always answers whatever I ask, never leaving out any details and beaming with joy as he says what he must have been bottling up for too long.
If I asked him what possessed him to write a Daddy-boy relationship in four different books, would he be honest then too? Would he use more than his words when answering?
I toss my tool belt into the back of my truck and lift up my phone, checking the tracking tag I slapped on Daniel’s car before I got back in mine yesterday. He’s been to the station, patrolling the interstate, and to Liam’s house. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. I’m about to set my phone down, but then I see the dot moving to a new location. A restaurant. Looks like he’s picking up food.
My eyes bounce between my phone screen and the road as I pass through Liam’s neighborhood, circling his house more thanonce and smiling at the bare windows. No new curtains or blinds yet. If he checked in the shed out back, he’d find them. I guess he hasn’t been out there in a while, or maybe he subconsciously wants them to stay gone. We can’t have more nights like yesterday if they don’t.
Pacing in front of the large bay window in the living room, Liam sips from a mug and occasionally checks his phone. He briefly glances out the window and then straight ahead, going still. What’s he looking at?
Stepping forward slowly, he sets his drink down on the mahogany coffee table and moves into the kitchen. I stop the truck when I can see him again, shifting the gear into park. His head tilts, hands sliding over the counter. He sees the recipe box is in the wrong spot again. As his fingers slowly lift to the windowsill, I reach for my binoculars to see his lips twitching as he opens the top and closes it before returning it to the center.
My lips pull into a grin, and when Daniel is back on the road driving again, I track him while I watch Liam, not leaving until he’s turning into the street I’m on. He’s not late again like I was hoping he’d be. I’ll see what I can do about that tomorrow. Tomorrow, Monday, and the rest of the damn week.
Fourteen
Liam
“Have you been moving my recipe box?” I ask as Daniel steps into his striped pajama pants. His brows lift and he moves toward the bed, sitting on the edge as he reaches for the lotion on the nightstand.
“Why would I do that? You know I was never good at reading that chicken scratch writing of yours. About as good as I am at frying an egg in a pan.” Lifting his left foot up to rest on the opposite knee, he begins to massage in the lotion.
“Was just wondering.”
“You’re probably moving it and forgetting. You’ve been taking your medicine like you’re supposed to, right?”
“Yes,” I bark out, plugging my phone into the charger. “And I haven’t moved it either. You’ve been bringing dinner home most days, so I haven’t needed to look in there in over a week.”
He pauses and then sets his foot down, switching sides. “I don’t know then, baby. You sure it’s actually being moved, or is your tired brain just telling you it is? You’re probably working yourself to the bone with that tight deadline of yours.”
Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I plop down on my side and shove myself against the headboard over the covers. “It’s not anything I’m not used to, and I’m really close to being done.”
“That’s good.” He smiles back at me and slides himself under the blanket. “Maybe once you’re done, you can take a long break, and I can see if I can get some time off with you.”
“Yeah. That actually sounds nice.” I glance his way and rest my hand on his, scooting closer. Nothing. No tingles or buzzing, only skin touching skin, with zero impact or effect on my body. I did have a long writing day and didn’t get a nap like I usually try to. “We could even visit my sister or parents,” I say hopefully.
Tension appears between his brows, and his eyes don’t blink for a long time. “Baby . . .” he says in this condescending tone as he pulls his fingers from under mine. “You know that’s not a good idea. You think they’d really want you there when they’ve made zero effort to stop by or make any kind of contact since last year?”
My chest caves and I move both hands into my lap, clawing at the material of my pants. “Yeah, you’re right. I know you are.” I try to believe what we’re both saying but then Zavier’s words enter my head.
They seem to be okay with talking to your boyfriend. I’d maybe try paying them a surprise visit.
The one way to find out is by taking him up on his offer and going to visit my family with him. If it doesn’t go well, then we can leave and . . . and I’ll have Zavier there. That idea puts me at ease and makes taking the risk less scary. How can a man I hardly know put me more at ease than one who’s been kissingme goodnight for the last five years? I don’t know, but I want to find out.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, baby.” Daniel reaches for me, and I press my back to the headboard to prevent myself from pulling away. His arm wraps around my shoulders and he tugs me to him, guiding my head to his chest. Fingers stroke my hair, and his other hand rests on my inner thigh. “I only want to protect you. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“The only way for me to do that is to help you see what you won’t see on your own. You don’t need those people in your life, not when you have someone who actually wants to be here.”
“Yeah,” I say, my skin growing tight when he slides his fingers up my shorts.
“I love you so much, baby. So, so much.” Hand sliding higher, he reaches into my underwear and rubs over my cock. My stomach clenches, but no matter how much he strokes me, I don’t grow hard.
