Page 16 of A Taste of Trouble

“I know, but…” Liv was going to have to take matters into her own hands. “Do you know what I want?”

“What's that?”

Leaning in, Liv crooked her finger, motioning him closer. What the hell. Here goes nothing. She eyed her last chance for fun with a seductive glance. “I think you should go to work.”

His smile faded.

“And when you're done, come back here, where I'll be waiting for you—”

Liv tumbled forward as someone bumped into her walking out of her building. She pressed into Jake, chest to stomach. He was so tall, so warm. Although his smile had faded, it was replaced with desire, the heat of his stare causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

“You were saying…”

Liv shook off her fumble. Focus! This is not sexy.

She regrouped and stepped back. “I…” Screw it. So much for being sexy.

Liv questioned her game. Her heart pounded. The seconds ticked; they felt like hours. She wanted to have fun with Jake, and during his silence, she realized just how disappointed she would be if she never saw him again.

“Have dinner with me,” he said again.

He wanted to take it slow. A little romance first. She might as well enjoy the journey to rumpled clothing and sweaty sheets. But his detour just didn't equate with the man she'd thought he was.

“Maybe I was mistaken when I painted you with the love 'em and leave 'em brush.” Maybe the womanizer persona was all an act.

He groaned. “We can still have fun. Dinner is fun. Movies are a blast.”

“Just let me…” She fiddled in her bag and pulled out her ringing phone. She recognized the number right away. “I have to get this. Hold your thought. Hello.”

“Liv? It's Teresa.” Her financial planner from the bank. “I'm sorry to bother you, but I have some bad news.” She paused. A pause was never good. “I couldn't get the loan for you.”

Liv's heart sank. Her cushion. The money she didn't necessarily need—which was why she waited so long to apply for it in the first place—but wanted as a security blanket, nonetheless, had been denied.

“Teresa, I don't understand. I thought it was just a matter of paperwork.”

“I'm sorry, Liv. I thought so, too. I did everything I could. I even tried to pull a few strings, but…it wasn't enough.”

“Oh…” Tears stung her eyes but she refused to let them fall. “Thank you for letting me know.”

“See you soon, Liv. I'm so sorry.”

Liv nodded even though Teresa couldn't see her gesture. She pressed her finger on the red button and ended her call.

“Liv?” Jake's deep voice sounded so far away. “Is everything all right?”

She nodded.

“I have to go.” The moment she took her mind off the bakery… She should have known better. Her plan to leave relationships and men to the side was the right move. Always.

“Liv, wait,” Jake called after her.

“Forget what I said.” She didn't even turn around as she raced to the revolving door. “I…I don't have time for this.”

Liv took the quick elevator ride up to her condo. It was fine. This was just a little blip in her plan. And a major reminder of the fact that she needed to focus.

Walking into her sacred space, she threw her keys on the side table, threw her jacket on the floor, and kicked her shoes, somewhere. Her need for order didn't apply in her own home. Nobody was here to see it. It was the one place where she could be herself with no worry about who was watching, what people were thinking, or what people wanted her to be.

Liv answered to no one and made her own decisions. A man wasn't necessary to make her life complete. She didn't need a man to rely on for shelter, food, money. Achieving that all on her own made it that much sweeter.

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