Page 39 of The Wolf's Surrogate

Chapter 12 - Anita

Three days after grabbing the rest of my things from my apartment, I was sitting on the couch with a crochet project in my hands that Memphis was helping me with. And by help, I meant that he was batting at the ball of yarn every time it moved. Extra effort went into making sure he didn’t shred it to pieces as Liam walked through the front door.

The way he smiled at me gave me butterflies. It was like we were playing house, the way I was always on the couch every afternoon when he came home. I had my feet kicked up and I was wearing my favorite yoga pants with a baggy orange knit sweater over a black tank top. Seamlessly painted toenails in red rouge made me feel like I’d been to the spa recently.

Mostly the shower made me feel that way. I couldn’t believe the size of the thing, how it just was sowide. Hot water was so plentiful here that I hardly missed my studio at all. I’d nearly forgotten about it entirely until Liam approached the couch, leaned against the back of it, and hovered over me.

“Landlord info,” he repeated for the third time today. “I need it.”

I sighed. “Sorry, I keep getting distracted.” I patted Memphis on the head. “This one keeps stealing my things.”

“Tell him to cut it out.”

“Youtell him.”

Liam chuckled while reaching over me to pet Memphis. My poor tabby hissed and swatted Liam like he was under attack.

I frowned. “You are being so rude to our host, mister.”

“It’s okay. I never get along with cats.”

A low growl resonated through the air. I stared at Memphis, trying to figure out how he was making that sound.

Until I realized it was coming from Liam.

One look at him made the sound stop. He and Memphis were stuck in a staring match that made Memphis puff up and back into the armrest of the couch right by my elbow. I scratched his chin, trying to get him to chill out.

“It’s just so weird. He usually likes people,” I whispered. “He never puffs like that unless there’s dogs around.”

Liam blanched as he stared at me. After a second, he burst into laughter, holding his gut with his head tipped back like I’d told him the best joke he’d ever heard. I tried to figure out what was so funny, but Memphis ended up hissing again and disappearing from the couch.

I sighed as I sat up to grab the balls of yarn that rolled to the carpet. As I stretched my arm under the coffee table, I slid from the couch and landed on my side on the ground. Liam was on the ground with me within seconds.

“Ani, you are the clumsiest girl I’ve ever met,” he said while pushing the coffee table away from me. I just stayed on the ground, staring with utter defeat at the balls of yarn now tangled up. “Aw, stop pouting. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“I’m always tripping over my own feet. I’m always falling over. I’m the worst with balance. And I’m just so awkward.”

He took my hands, hauled me to my feet, and steadied me by holding my hips. That was the nice thing about temporarily living with a tank of a man like Liam. He was strong enough to lift me without so much as a grunt. I didn’t have to do much except clean up after myself.

Even then, he insisted I sit down while he took over the chores. The guy was a modern house husband who workedandcleaned. I didn’t understand how we had never met before the surrogate clinic introduced us.

I rested my hands lightly on his chest. “How is it we’ve been in the same town for two years without running into each other?”

“I’ve only been in town for a few months, actually.”

“Really? Where did you come from?”

He tilted his head to the right. “Here and there.”

“Come on, Liam. You can drop the vague backstory. I told you I was in foster care. I’m not going to hide anything from you.”

Except maybe my feelings for you.

If he noticed the way my eyes widened, he didn’t say anything. That was a relief considering I had no idea how to put into words justwhathe made me feel precisely. Was it the smoldering stare? The way his biceps bulged when he pulled me under his wing to embrace me?

I don’t have feelings, I thought.And whatever feelings I do have are based on the fact that he’s super hot.

There was also the fact that he cared—and that he had no qualms about showing that care. It was so unlike the men I’d encountered growing up. Most guys were obsessed with their masculine image remaining intact, usually through some kind of violence. But Liam didn’t thrive on dishing out pain.

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