Full Circle (7 page)

They walked to the front door, and he showed her inside before closing the door behind him, unsettled by the tone of her last comment. Why would she assume he had invited her in for no other reason than seduction?

“I have a lot of respect for you, Elisa. You know that, don’t you?”

Her face took on the wary expression of a child who had been told not to talk to strangers. He hated that she didn’t trust him any more than that.

“You’ve been very nice, yes,” she said.

“It’s okay to be friends, then? You don’t need to have one hand on the mace if I ask you to come in so I can show off my new place.”

He grinned at her and she blushed, seemingly embarrassed at her show of paranoia. “Of course it’s okay.”

But she didn’t budge from the foyer. She fidgeted and looked so uncomfortable that he couldn’t stop himself from asking the question.

“What is it about me that bothers you so much?”

He dropped his keys into his pocket. Her face twisted with uncertainty. “You don’t bother me.”

“You’ve been acting weird since the second I walked into the clinic. Have I done something wrong, or do you regret what happened between us?”

She stared at him, and he didn’t break away from her gaze. Suddenly his house was very warm.

She swallowed. “That…was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter.”

“Thanks a lot.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m not sure that I do. Did that night mean anything to you? Or were you killing time while you and Brett took a ‘break’?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Don’t say that like I’m some kind of whore. You’re the only one I’ve been with besides him. Of course it meant something to me.”

Liam fought to hide his shock. “You haven’t been with anyone since college?”

Based on Brett’s tales of how…
willing
she used to be, that part of her personality, much like the rest of it, had done a complete one-eighty.

“I’ve dated,” she informed him, her tone sharp. “Several guys, as a matter of fact. Just because I didn’t sleep with them doesn’t mean we didn’t do…things. And trust me, it wasn’t worth it.”

Uh-huh. She may have dated a lot of men, but it didn’t sound like any of them had been worth ten seconds of her time.

He took a step forward, sensing a long-standing tension in her that he very much wanted to release. He may permanently ruin their delicate friendship, but she was leaving soon anyway. What did he have to lose?

“So you haven’t met anyone who knows how to touch you.”

Her lashes fluttered as he stepped toward her again, shrinking the gap between them until her ragged breathing was the only thing standing in the way of a kiss.

“I suppose not.” She pressed her lips together and stuck her nose in the air, but she could no longer hide the fact that her aloof façade was slipping away. Her gaze skirted his.

Liam took her hand and led her into the living room, thankful his moving van had arrived on time so they could make good use of his couch.

“Sit down, Elisa. That’s about to change.”

Chapter Five

Kissing was a bad idea. Kissing was the kind of thing that led to touching, that led to groping, that led to getting naked and doing things that had severe consequences.

So when Liam wrapped his fingers around hers, Elisa expected to jump a mile. She expected to be mad or frightened or frustrated, all of the things she usually felt when a man put the moves on her and invaded her personal space. Instead she wanted to pull him closer as though he could protect her from ever feeling pain again.

She sat next to him. Neither of them spoke. She looked down at their entwined hands and then up into his blue eyes. He was going to kiss her in about three seconds, and despite her fear of all things sexual, she wasn’t going to stop him. She wouldn’t show him yet again how her abusive ex and the loss of her child still affected her. That would lead to more of his questions. She could only hope this moment didn’t backfire.

He brushed his free hand over her cheek and she closed her eyes, her chin dropping in a half-nod. Every inch of her skin waited on pins and needles. Her claim that she’d done “things” on other dates had been a bit of an exaggeration—she just wanted to avoid discussing her relationship problems. So many years had passed since she’d touched a man, but Liam was gentle. He wouldn’t pressure her for sex. She could trust him.

She released his hand and draped her arms around his neck. He held either side of her waist lightly and moved closer. She closed her eyes so she wouldn’t see the moment his lips were about to touch hers—instinct would force her to pull away, and that was the last thing she wanted right now. So she sat, blindly, feeling only the slight motion of his head where her hands rested until suddenly, his warm mouth swept softly over hers and every muscle in her body failed.

Oh God, he tasted good. So good.

She sagged against him and his grip on her tightened, presumably so she wouldn’t fall over. His name escaped her throat. His lips were so soft and warm, she couldn’t tell where his ended and hers began…because she was kissing him back. She hadn’t meant to, hadn’t even tried, but she couldn’t stop. She moved with him, parting her lips more, brushing her fingers over his hair, feeling more and more like she would pass out from experiencing this level of pleasure.

Liam’s hand rested on the small of her back, drawing her closer with only the slightest pressure. An invitation, not a demand. His torso skimmed hers and she jumped.

She didn’t intend to, but he heard her sharp inhalation and broke the kiss long enough to give her time to object. Which she should have. But she couldn’t speak, couldn’t pull herself out of his arms and the seductive promise they offered—the chance to feel like a woman. The chance to be touched like a woman and discover that at some point during the years that had passed, her problem with making love had gone away on its own.

When she said nothing, he cradled her neck and traced the outline of her jaw. He brought his mouth to hers again, his fingers stroking her hair while his tongue—

No.

Finally, she found the strength to pull away. A kiss on the lips was enough. More than enough.

She tried to focus on him, but the room was spinning, probably a result of all the blood that had rushed south. “I’m sorry, Liam. I shouldn’t have done that. I—”

“Why not?”

She blinked a few times then saw the heat in his eyes and realized that her act of desperation had ignited something much more dangerous—passion.

Her heart raced, and his proximity threatened her precious self-control. A shiver of forbidden lust made its way down her spine, through her abdomen and between her legs.

She stiffened. “Because we already know it’s a bad idea to cross that line. And because we work together.”

And because the last time we did that, we made a baby.

The tension in his posture revealed his physical frustration, but his tone was kind. “You know, a few minutes ago you didn’t even want to come in here. And then you kissed me, and now you’re pushing me away. Is this the part where I try to read your mind?”

Now what was she supposed to say to that? She couldn’t tell him that he looked and tasted delicious, and that if she were a normal human being she would have no problem getting hot and sweaty with him. Nor could she explain why she
would
have a problem getting hot and sweaty with him.

Not wanting to think about her past, she focused on the much more pleasant image of Liam, who patiently waited for an answer. She struggled for an explanation.

“I—um…you’re a very attractive man. But I’m leaving town soon, and I don’t want to take advantage of you.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was honest, nonetheless.

He saw right through her attempt at nonchalance and pulled her against him again, the desire in his eyes setting her on fire.

“I didn’t mind,” he murmured, this time slipping his tongue into her mouth before she could stop him.

Something inside her curled into an exquisite knot of excitement, a feeling she hadn’t experienced since her heady and naïve teenage years. For a minute, she forgot about the consequences and let herself taste him, smell him, feel the sensation of a strong male body holding her.

If only.

She actually wanted to go to bed with him. The thought terrified her.

She pulled away again. “Liam—”

“Am I no good?”

Oh Lord. He was good. She had allowed herself the indulgence of running her fingers through his hair while they’d kissed, and now the sight of its mussed condition and his flushed face made her weak.

“No, you’re…great. I just—we can’t—”

He nodded. “You don’t have to explain. Besides, it’s ten o’clock. My time’s up.”

No, no, no. This wasn’t ending well at all. Kissing him was bad enough—kissing him and then leaving him upset with her was unacceptable. She followed him to his front door.

“It’s not you,” she blurted before he opened it for her. “I can’t sleep with anybody.”

He had turned to look at her, and now he stepped closer. “For the record, I only kissed you, but what do you mean by that?”

Her face flushed with regret. There she went, trusting him without considering the consequences. “I just can’t. It’s complicated.”

“Is it because of the miscarriage?”

She should have been offended by such a personal inquiry, but as she’d feared, talking with Liam still came as easily as writing in her own diary. She opened her mouth to say, “Of course not,” but closed it before the words came out. He had given her the perfect excuse to keep a safe distance between them.

“I don’t really like to talk about it,” she said. And that was the truth, even though she felt a twinge of guilt that he would interpret her oversimplified answer as
yes
—and she would let him.

“We won’t, then.” He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “Goodnight, Elisa.”

When she was safely in her car, she released a breath fraught with tension and leaned against the back of the seat. Liam had been nothing but kind to her, and he didn’t deserve to be deceived. But during that kiss her body had proven its unreliability, so appealing to the obvious gentleman in
him
was the only sure way to keep him at arm’s length.

Only then did it occur to her that Justin and Liam were getting along like they’d known each other forever. And Justin knew exactly when she’d lost her baby.

She would have to limit the guys’ opportunities to sit around and talk about her. She trusted Laura, but her brother would spill everything he knew if he thought there was a chance it would keep her in Windy Flats. Liam didn’t know anyone else in town yet, so if she wanted to keep him away from Justin then he’d have to spend time with…her.

So much for keeping her distance.

With a sigh, she drove away, recalling his asking if he was “good”. What he didn’t know, and what she wasn’t ready to admit, was that he made more than her body feel good. He brightened her soul, made her smile even when her thoughts were her only company. She had been living in the dark for so long. She’d spent so many years running from a harrowing past, a dark secret, and Liam felt like sunshine streaming through windows that had been boarded up for ages. Since Brett’s departure, no one had been able to break through her tightly constructed emotional walls.

What would be the consequences if she let Liam do exactly that?

“There you go, girl.” Liam administered the last shot and ran his hand over the soft coat of a two-year-old calico.

The cat’s owner, a pretty dark-haired woman who looked to be in her early twenties, smiled warmly. “Thank you so much, Dr. Barton. I found her roaming the street and I thought she might make good company since I live alone.”

Liam nodded, politely returning her smile. He was tempted to warn the girl it wasn’t wise to announce her solitary living arrangement to men she had just met, but he kept his mouth shut. She’d made it fairly obvious that she wanted him to know—and that the cat wasn’t the only one she thought would make good company.

Alexis Hunter was a dramatic combination of dark hair, blue eyes, and a body that someone her age would be proud to show off. She seemed nice, but Liam hadn’t yet managed to tear his thoughts away from the woman behind the reception desk and the way her lips had felt against his.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sure she’ll be a great companion. She’s had all her shots now, and she seems to be perfectly healthy and friendly. Please feel free to give me a call after she gives birth and we’ll find a place for those kittens.”

“Thanks.” Alexis wet her lips and smiled again, an unmistakable spark of interest in her eyes. “I just might do that.”

Before she could tell him what else she might do, Liam escorted Alexis and her cat to the door, then noted the empty waiting room and turned to Elisa’s desk. “Geez, you weren’t kidding about the—”

He stopped, since he was talking to the air. Her chair sat vacant, the generic screensaver on her computer swirling in a repetitive motion. Liam returned to the back of the clinic and saw that the restroom door was open and no one inside. Where else could she have gone?

“Elisa?”

He checked all the exam rooms, starting to worry until he peered into the kennel and found her there.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of an open cage, she cradled a beagle in her lap. She spoke softly and stroked its back, and both of them looked content as could be.

“Are you okay?”

Her head snapped up in surprise. “Oh. Yes, I’m fine. We’re never too busy this late on Fridays, so I like to come back here and give the animals some attention before they’re all alone for the weekend.”

Liam pinched his jaw closed to ensure his mouth didn’t hang open. He’d been under the impression that she hated her job and showed up for work each day strictly for the paycheck. Yet sitting there with that dog in her lap, she looked happier than he’d ever seen her.

He wished he could make her feel that way when she was with him.

Two weeks had passed since their moment of passion on his living room sofa. It had become apparent when they’d shown up at the clinic the next day that Elisa felt even more awkward working with him than she had before, which was strange seeing as they’d already slept together. This time it had been only a kiss, though Liam dreamed all the time of having a closer encounter.