Page 34 of Southie
He stuck out because this was a place where you’d raise three kids with a loving wife, not a home for a young bachelor like him.
“You married or something?” I asked with a little more attitude than I should have.
Why would it matter if he is?
“No,” he replied, lifting his left hand and wiggling his long, thick fingers.
“And this is your home?” I asked, still a little skeptical. He had no ring, but maybe he just didn’t wear one. Mrs. Daugherty never mentioned he was when she talked about how much she wanted me to meet her grandson, however.
“Not what you were expecting?” he asked, shutting the truck off.
“No, not really.”
“I’m not your average guy, Camilla. You’ll learn that about me the more time you spend with me.”
Before I could respond, he exited the truck, slamming the door shut. When he opened my door, I apologized.
“I’m sorry if I offended you, Liam. It’s just this place seems like it’s for someone with a family, not a single guy. I wasn’t insinuating anything, just making an observation.”
“You didn’t offend me. To be honest, that’s the exact reaction I hoped for when anyone looked at this place.”
He shrugged. My brows pinched together. I wasn’t sure how to take his answer because it was confusing. Why would he want someone to think this was where a family lived and not him?
“Anyway, let’s head in. I’m sure you’re hungry and want to sit down after the morning you had, and we need to talk about why you’d do something so stupid to jeopardize your safety.That’swhy I’m pissed at you.”
He marched into the house and I followed, hot on his heels. Did this bastard just call me stupid? Who the hell did he think he was?
“Hey! Hey, asshole. Who the hell do you think you are, calling me stupid?”
We entered his kitchen from the garage, and I tossed my portfolio onto the granite top of the island, placing my camera bag on top of it.
He ignored my rant, walked to the large stainless-steel fridge, and yanked the door open. He pulled out two water bottles and slammed the door shut.
“Answer me! Who do you think you are, calling me stupid, you jackass?”
He opened the water bottles and placed one on the island in front of me. I stood glaring at him with my hand on my hip while he chugged his bottled water.
He slammed the empty bottle on top of the kitchen island, crushing it against the surface. “Let’s get one thing straight, Camilla,” he said, stalking towards me.
With each step he took forward, I moved backward until my body was flush against the kitchen counter, trapping me between the granite slab and his enormous body. He leaned forward, bulking arms on either side of me, his face inches from mine. His breath tickled my skin. With him so close, I couldn’t breathe or think. Should I be scared? Danger oozed from every part of him, yet there was no fear. Everything about him turned me on.
My heart pounded as if, at any moment, it would leap out of my chest. Not only was my heart beating uncontrollably, my chest rapidly rose and fell. My breathing increased. With my bottom lip pulled between my teeth, my body subconsciously pressed into him.
His scent, his dominance...everything about him was so intoxicating. My head swam with desire. The anguish from Mrs. Daugherty’s passing had been long forgotten and replaced with an undeniable hunger. No, I didn’t fear Liam Daugherty. I wanted him. I wanted him in the worst way. I desired him to do all those nasty things he’d done to me in my dreams. It took all the restraint I had in me not to reach out and run my hands down his body. To feel the hard planes of his chest and abs against my fingertips.
“I’m not calling you stupid, baby.”
This was at least the third or fourth time he had used the term of endearment and it had my knees buckling, forcing my hands to grip the kitchen counter.
He’d called me baby when he arrived at Mrs. Daugherty’s, but I ignored it then. We’d both been in shock at the situation, but him saying it now was a different story.
“I said what youdidwas stupid. There’s a big difference, Camilla.”
He trailed his rough fingers down my jawline, across my collarbone.
My eyes briefly closed.
His tongue moved over his lips, and I followed the motion, wishing it was moving across my skin.
