Page 64 of Lost in You (The Monroes 3)

“Hi.” Her smile widened as she stepped inside and caught sight of Brock. “Do I need to come back later?”

“I already got what I came here for,” Brock stated as he headed toward the door. “I’m done.”

“He means to say he pounded pancakes and finished off my bacon,” Liam countered. “He’s using me for my cooking.”

“So am I.” Macy laughed, throwing Liam a sassy grin. Damn, she was gorgeous when she wasn’t so on guard. He wanted her just like this. Relaxed. Not a worry in the world.

The way she smiled at Brock and the easy banter between them warmed Liam.

The idea hit him hard. “Brock, you don’t have to work until this afternoon, right?”

Brock nodded.

“Then stick around and maybe you’ll learn something,” Liam added.

Macy’s face lit up. “Yes, stay. If nothing else, you’ll get entertainment from watching me test his patience.”

Oh, she tested him all right. Liam brushed past her, needing even the slightest bit of contact. But he had to keep things in perspective. Nobody knew what was going on between Macy and him. Well, maybe they suspected something, but he wasn’t about to add fuel to the proverbial fire.

“I don’t know,” Brock muttered.

Liam rested his hands on the edge of the island. “You want to impress the girls? Then it starts right here. Trust me.”

Macy lifted her brows, crossed her arms over her chest, and smiled. He didn’t know what had her in this mood, but she seemed different than last night. Maybe the emotional turn they’d taken had her wanting to trust him more.

But on the coattails of her trusting him, he knew she’d want the same in return. There was too much pain in his past, too much that didn’t relate to her. He didn’t want to expose himself in that way. He wanted her to feel safe, to feel . . . what? Loved? That wasn’t something he could venture into right now. If ever.

“So, you’re staying, right?” Macy asked Brock.

Liam glanced at his nephew. No matter that the teen only came to live with Zach a year ago—he was family. They were all family with deeper bonds than most who had the same DNA. Brock fit in like the perfect puzzle piece they hadn’t known they were missing.

“Sure, I’ll stay.”

Macy reached over and wrapped her arm around Brock. “This will be so fun.”

Liam didn’t know if Brock actually wanted to stick around or if he was giving in to the pressure. Either way, Liam wouldn’t have this morning go any other way. He wanted Macy here to take the edge off the intensity of their relationship. Did they have a relationship?

Yeah. They did. Whether he wanted to put a label on it or not, they had a relationship. Even if they were only intimate a short time, there was a bond they were building.

“Let me clean the counter real quick.” Liam shot Macy a wink, and on cue she bit that lip. Yeah, there was no forgetting what had happened here last night. He just hoped he could control himself if she put that damn apron back on.

* * *

Macy stared down at the mess that was mac ’n cheese bites. “Well, they’re not burnt, so that’s a plus.”

Liam set another pan of freshly baked bites on the island. “And they’d be better with the bacon crumbles on top, but someone ate all the bacon I had.”

Brock grabbed one of the cooled bites and popped it into his mouth. “Yeah, bacon would be amazing on these things.”

Macy wrinkled her nose. “Are they good? Just tell me they’re edible because I think my dad would love something like this.”

Brock reached for another. “I know I’ll be at the party if you have these.”

Macy picked one up, stared at the elbow noodles pressed together by various kinds of melted cheeses and butter and some seasonings Liam swore would make this the best appetizer she’d ever tasted. But he’d let her do it all. She’d seriously done this.

“If you’re not going to eat that, I will.” Brock started to reach across the island, but Macy pulled his hand back.

“You’ve eaten the entire time we’ve been here,” Macy scolded. “This one is mine.”

---