Page 22 of Lost in You (The Monroes 3)

“Wow, you go from wanting to kiss me to saying let’s get sweaty and leading me to your bedroom. You don’t waste time.”

Liam threw a glance over his shoulder. “Funny.”

With a slight shrug and wide smile, Macy replied, “I thought so.”

Damn it. Why did she have to make him feel? He didn’t want to feel. Didn’t want to find reasons to smile, to be drawn closer to her. She was everything he wasn’t and he refused to succumb to her sultry charms. At least if he was alone, he couldn’t get hurt.

“So why did you bring me in here?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Because I actually have things to do.”

The boxing gloves he’d discarded moments ago were on his bed. Liam picked them up and extended them. “Yeah, you’re going to let off some steam.”

She clutched the gloves to her chest, her eyes holding his. “By fighting?”

“By hitting the bag.” He motioned to the corner. “Trust me on this. You may want to lose the flannel.”

The red and black plaid flannel might have looked frumpy and boxy on some women, but Macy wore it like she’d had it custom made to fit those curves. A white tank peeked out, so he knew she had something on underneath.

After a moment of hesitating, she sat the gloves on the end of the bed and began unbuttoning her shirt. This was such a bad idea. Because Macy with her flannels, or even her T-shirts, was a mouthwatering sight. But Macy with her toned arms exposed, her fitted white tank with lacy pale pink bra straps peeking out and lying against smooth, bare shoulders, was something that would make any man weak in his knees. Liam sure as hell didn’t need any more help with being weak where she was concerned.

Macy focused on tying her flannel around her waist, then looked back up at him. “Now what?” she asked, her arms out to the side. “I’ve never done this before.”

Liam forced himself to get the gloves and concentrate on showing her how to put them on. Once they were secure, he gestured to the bag.

“Step on up.” He kept his unmarred side to her as he came in beside her. “Stay relaxed, don’t lock up your arms. Don’t try to move the bag, just literally punch it.”

She hesitated, staring at the bag as if it were going to retaliate.

“It won’t hit you back,” he said with a laugh.

Had he enjoyed himself this much when he lived in Savannah? Had he even wanted to have fun or be with someone else? The more Macy was near him, even if they were battling tension, the more he wanted to be near her. Friends would be fine, right? It wasn’t as if he could dodge her until he left town.

He’d left a message with the owner of Magnolias to find out if indeed the place was for sale. Although with Liam leaving on bad terms with his boss, perhaps his call would go ignored. But he’d been a top chef, bringing in more business than any chef before him, so Liam felt pretty confident. He also knew his boss’s anger had stemmed from fear of losing Liam, but at the time Liam had an obligation to fulfill.

Now, though, he might be able to transition back into his old lifestyle and find a replacement for the resort. There had to be a way. To honor his mother’s memory, to fulfill a dream they’d both had, he would find the loophole and jump through it.

Liam was just about to say something to Macy when her right arm shot out as she made contact. The hit didn’t budge the bag at all.

“Now what?” she asked, glancing over. “Nothing happened and I feel the same.”

Wow. She was trying at times. “What are you frustrated with? What are you stressed about? Pretend you’re hitting everything that takes up space in your mind and steals your happiness.”

Hello, Pot, I’m Kettle.

Who the hell was he to give emotional advice? He certainly was no motivational speaker. He was as messed up as they came. Liam had no clue how to help someone else.

And that was the crux of his problem. He wanted to fix things, wanted those he cared about to always be happy, to have everything they ever wanted. If they needed saving, even from themselves, he would find a way to help. Unfortunately, saving people didn’t always work for him. But damn it if he’d give up. Something was eating away at Macy, but he didn’t have a right to pry, though that was precisely what he wanted to do.

At this point, he could only show her what he did to relieve frustrations and pent-up emotions. And perhaps this little exercise would help get that tension from her body and help with the migraines. She just needed an outlet.

“I don’t have that much stress,” she mumbled.

Liam tipped his head, eyeing her in that silent way to let her know he didn’t believe her. “Fine. What about those secrets you’re keeping? That past you don’t want people to know about.”

In an instant she transformed from soft to hard. Her eyes narrowed, the muscle in her jaw clenched, shoulders stiffened.

“We all have that part we keep inside,” she defended.

Liam nodded in agreement. “All the more re

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