Page 23 of Masquerade

“You and your coworker are very obliging.” He reached for another chunk of bread, mopping up the pasta juices. “Which came first, researcher or librarian?”

“They’re a natural fit.”

“Like Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect,” he offered.

“Is this a test?” She forked up another mouthful. “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? Comedy science fiction is a long way from romance.”

“My father had some influence on my reading habits.” Recalling his father catapulted him back to his estrangement with Niall.

“Niall said he died suddenly a few years ago.” She touched his forearm in simple condolence. “I’m sorry.”

He stared at her while a shutter box of memories flashed through his head. Niall’s quick trip home for the funeral. Selina at Liam’s side. Discovering Selina’s deception. His father’s empty bank accounts. Niall on the phone asking if he needed help with their father’s estate. Niall offering to come home. Liam had been determined his brother would get his chance to live his dream free of debt.

Liam had locked his grief away. “Where do you live when you’re not with Anna?”

Her body stiffened in instinctive withdrawal.

Sweet Mary and Joseph—Liam cursed himself. He was a class-A bastard. He’d lost the capacity to accept sympathy. “I’m sorry. I miss him.”

The tension drained from her body as she processed his apology. She was kinder than him, another part of her allure. He patronised one or two restaurants, yet neither of his regulars would tease him about a new companion.

“I didn’t mean to push.”

Liam believed her. Some quality of sincerity in the softness of her voice reached him in a way not even the condolences of close friends and family had done. Would life have been different if he’d had her warmth to bury himself in when everything else had been a lie? Could he have told her the sordid, sorry truth he hadn’t told anyone other than the forensic accountant?

“I have a cottage out of Sydney where I hide from prying eyes. I write.” Colour rose up her throat. She was annoyed with herself for letting that snippet of information slip. How interesting. “I mean, where I write the research reports.”

“You’re good.” He took another sip of wine. “I was pissed off that first day. But you’re clear, concise and your analysis is first class. I was impressed by the breadth of the cases you presented.” Liam could see he’d surprised her and thought,what the hell. “Telling George Anna’s your sister impressed me as well. Will wearing the contact lenses be a problem?”

She drummed her fingers on the table, then smiled ruefully. “Anna doesn’t need contact lenses.”

He plucked the glasses off her nose and held them up to the light. “Plain glass.”

“Anna’s theory is people notice glasses; they don’t notice resemblances.”

“She’s given a lot of thought to your privacy.” He hadn’t tumbled to that earlier.

“Part of my disguise.”

“Why do you need a disguise?” he asked.

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