Page 84 of Bound by Love
She grinned. “See, Stinky Cheese? I’ve still got it.”
“You sure do,” Brie said, slapping her ass again.
Brie looked over and noticed that Liam hadn’t even noticed the exchange, because he was so focused on entertaining the baby. Brie walked over, taking her back so he could join them.
Giving Liam a wink, she asked Lea, “So tell me your big news already, Lea. You’ve been so tight-lipped about it.”
“Well…you probably guessed it has to do with Liam and me,” Lea said, stepping out of the kitchen.
“Yeah, I kind of figured that,” Brie teased.
“Well…” Lea wiggled her fingers, showing off the ring on her left hand. “We’re getting married!”
Brie grabbed her hand and stared at the stone. It was a much simpler ring than she had expected, but she pretended to be surprised. “No way! I can’t believe you’re getting married, girl!”
Lea looked at Liam. “He just asked me out of the blue. I didn’t even see it coming.”
Brie gave her a one-armed hug. “I’m really happy for you, girlfriend.”
Lea squeezed her back and then walked over into Liam’s open arms. “When it’s right, it’s right. You just know it.”
Brie nodded, smiling at them both.
“I have another surprise for you,” Lea announced, beaming with excitement. “I want—” The sound of a pot boiling over caught Lea’s attention and she ran back to the kitchen. Brie glanced at Liam. “I love seeing Lea so happy.”
Liam stared at Lea, smiling with satisfaction. “She’s a special girl.”
“Oh, dang!” Lea cried from the kitchen. “I forgot the sherry.”
“Are you sure?” Liam asked, going into the kitchen to help her look.
“I really thought I bought it…”
“I’m sure the dish will taste fine without it,” Brie assured her. “Remember, I was coming for takeout. No need to impress me.”
“No,” Lea insisted. “It won’t be worth eating without it.” She turned off the burner and took the pan off the heat. “It won’t take me long to get it.”
“Don’t worry about it, pussy cat,” Liam told her. “It’ll be fine.”
But Lea already had her purse in her hand and was heading out the door. “Nope, everything needs to be perfect. Just give me fifteen minutes, or so. I’ll be right back.”
The apartment was uncomfortably quiet the instant Lea’s bubbly energy left the room. Brie looked at Liam and smiled, laughing nervously.
Liam sat down in the couch and indicated she should take a seat beside him. “So, have you heard any good jokes lately?”
She laughed, shaking her head as she bounced Hope on her lap. “Lea sure is full of them, isn’t she?”
Brie was surprised to hear a noise coming from the back of the apartment and glanced up to see another man who looked exactly like Liam. He was dressed the same, down to the clothes and shoes. The only difference were the pair of black leather gloves he wore.
Shaking her head as if she were seeing things, she stammered, “Wait…you…have a twin?”
“I do.”
Brie was stunned and just sat there, struggling to process what she was seeing. “Is Lea dating both of you? Was that what she was about to tell me?” She shook her head, laughing. “That’s such a Lea thing to do.”
“Actually, Lea has no idea I have a twin,” Liam told her with a charming smile.
Icy chills ran down her spine as the other man produced a bottle of Sherry from behind his back and smiled at her. Brie instinctively pressed Hope against her, glancing at the door.
