Page 4 of The Science of Attraction

CHAPTERTWO

Jules

The guy standingin the doorway was in his mid to late thirties. He wore snug stonewashed jeans torn artfully at the knees, and a damp button-down shirt whose rolled sleeves exposed a myriad of tattoos over lean-muscled forearms. A pair of heavy biker boots and stylish round sunglasses with a light blue/grey tint completed the edgy style that had an almost dangerous bent. He appeared not the slightest bit uncomfortable having walked in on an obviously heated discussion, merely... bemused.

“I’m Liam Skelton,” he addressed the silence as if his name explained everything. “I can wait in the car if you need some time.”

The name tickled something in my brain, but I couldn’t put the pieces together.

“Liam. Of course.” My mother sprang to her feet. “Loose Goose Rehab, right?”

Shit.This was my father’s private rehab guru.

“That’s right.” Liam added a devastating smile and, oh lordy.

My mother rounded the table, wiping her hands down her apron before grasping one of Liam’s. “Come in. Come in. We weren’t expecting you until later.”

Liam shook her hand, apologising. “I wasn’t sure I could find you, so I gave myself plenty of time.”

As they exchanged pleasantries, I took the opportunity to study him a little closer. He was certainly eye-catching—striking rather than stereotypically hot—and... intriguing, especially with that hipster style moustache and beard with its decidedly Van Dyck leanings, framing a very nice pair of lips. Then there was all that damp glossy blond hair, the earrings—a silver stud in one and a long drop of polished jade in the other—a rainbow friendship band around his wrist, and a large animal tooth of some description on a black leather cord around his neck. The man looked like he’d taken a wrong turn on his way to an impossibly hip rock concert, sending my normally dormant bisexual libido into overdrive along the way.

I took another look at that rainbow friendship band, added it to the rest of the puzzle, and mentally groaned. Just fucking great.

My father cast a critical eye over his new therapist, undoubtedly saw what I saw—rainbow friendship band included—and gave an audible grunt of disapproval. He’d been less than excited about paying for seven weeks with a private rehabilitation specialist, but my mother had overruled him. It was either that or drive to Christchurch and back every week. Faced with those two options, my father grudgingly relented, but as I watched him now, I could see those red-neck flags rallying in his bigoted brain. I could only hope he treated Liam the same as he did our out-and-proud vet. Spencer was the best there was and my father wasn’t stupid. He knew Spencer was bi; he just pretended he wasn’t.

I shot him a warning glare then stood to shake Liam’s hand. “I’m Julian but everyone calls me Jules. I should’ve recognised your name, sorry.”

Liam clasped my hand in a firm grip, his eyes locking on mine. “No problem. I did a bit of research before I came. You’ve got an impressive property here. Must keep you busy.”

“Thanks. And it... um... yeah, it certainly does,” I stumbled, feeling my cheeks heat once again under that relentless hazel scrutiny.

Liam’s mouth quirked up at the corners like he found me amusing, and it was enough to snap the embarrassing hold he had on my attention. My father’s stern expression conveyed he wasn’t even remotely mollified by Liam’s compliment, so I let him be and introduced Marty next, who also made no attempt to hide the fact he was equally unimpressed.

“You apparently come highly recommended.” Marty looked Liam up and down like he didn’t believe it for a second. “I just hope you can live up to the hype.”

Oh boy.

My father grumbled something in his slurred speech that sounded like he didn’t need “any scrappy city boy telling him nothing” and I was about to apologise to Liam for his rudeness when my mother fired a sharp elbow into her husband’s side.

“Ignore him, Liam. Paddy will behave.”

Liam turned to my father, his expression softening. “I get it, Mister Lane. Recovering from a big stroke like yours is a tough assignment. No one who hasn’t experienced it will ever truly understand, including me. Our work together is going to push you to your limits, I won’t sugar-coat it, but you seem like a strong-willed, independent man, and those are precisely the traits you’re going to need. A little or a lot of frustration is part of the deal. I won’t judge you on that.”

My mother nodded approvingly. “His medical team said you were the best, and that’s exactly what we need. I just hope those skills of yours come with a truckload of patience.”

Liam’s mouth turned up in a killer smile. “Well, I haven’t been arrested... yet.”

She burst into laughter, the clear sound of it made more startling by months of absence. Even my father shot her a surprised look, the thin set to his lips just getting thinner.

Liam took it all in stride like he was maybe used to a tough crowd. I was kind of impressed.

“Jules?” Mum’s voice snapped me out of my fugue.

Liam’s lips twitched in amusement, which I knew because I was stupidly gawping at them... again. “Yes, Mum?”

My mother gave a put-upon sigh that took me back to my teenage years. “I asked if you would show Liam his cottage before you head back to the woolshed.” She turned to Liam. “Feel free to take a look around. Usual farm rules apply. If you open a gate, close it. Don’t stray too far until you get your bearings. And the river is cold enough to freeze your nuts off or so I’ve heard it said.” She grinned cheekily.

Liam snorted. “Duly noted.”

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