Page 84 of Fix Them Up
Liam frowned. ‘Body double? Is that like… sexual –’
I laughed. ‘No. I can concentrate better when someone is working beside me. I suppose it’s like I mimic them.’
‘Right. And you miss Willa, being up here?’
‘This is the longest we’ve not seen each other’ – I racked my brain – ‘probably since uni.’
‘Wow.’
‘Yup.’
‘I haven’t seen my mates in six months.’
‘Oh my god.’ I shake my head. ‘You should text them and arrange something! One of you is probably waiting for the other to do it first. Typical men.’
Liam shrugged. ‘Never thought about it, I suppose.’ We fell silent as we flitted through traffic and headed to the house.
Liam broke the silence. ‘Why not just have what you want?’ Liam’s eyes flickered between mine and the traffic ahead. ‘It’s your life.’
He made it sound so simple.
‘I need to be sensible,’ I said. ‘I’m not living there. It’s just to make sure that I make a bit of profit. Whoever buys it will probably hate the designs anyway.’ I shrugged. ‘It’s better this way.’
Liam frowned. ‘They’d have no choice but to love it.’
I gave a small smile. ‘Thanks. But it’s pointless anyway.’
Liam swerved into a road on the left. My hands hit the dash. I swear I felt the tyres lift off the tarmac.
‘Liam! What the hell?’ I turned to find a manic grin on his face.
Liam’s smile widened. ‘I know the perfect thing to cheer you up.’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Heath Antiques smelt as dank and dark as it looked. In the old converted mill, spindle-back chairs were stacked up to the ceiling next to rows of buffed Chesterfield sofas. Mid-century coffee tables were next to Victorian bureaus. It was dark, but when light did appear, it burst from murky skylights that hadn’t been cleaned in years. Everywhere I looked, there was another token from the past – a gaudy neon sign or a dining table with swear words etched into the wood. I was in heaven. Liam was right.
My miserable haze was gone the moment I stepped inside.
‘Let’s pick out this dresser you keep harping on about,’ Liam said, his lips twitching. He raised a finger and bopped it on my nose. ‘And you are going to haggle.’
My mouth fell open. ‘I can’t. And I thought you said it was “impractical”,’ I said, impersonating Liam’s stupid voice.
Liam’s eyes twinkled. ‘Firstly, I don’t sound like that. Secondly, itisimpractical. But for you, I will add a glass top, so it doesn’t get damaged. And thirdly…’ He stepped forward, his steel-capped boots meeting mine. His gaze simmered with determination. ‘You are going to haggle.’
I crossed my arms. ‘You’d do that?’
‘Make you haggle? Jesus, Red, the guy who runs this place is a softie. He’ll probably give you anything for free once he sees you in those jeans.’
‘What – no, I mean fit the glass on top –’ I glanced down at my outfit. Not particularly sexy, I didn’t think.
‘Of course.’ Liam pulled me closer.
He was so touchy-feely at the moment, and I kind of loved it. Most guys I’d dated in the past were against physical touch until I was in their bed.
Liam’s hands caressed down my arms and grazed along my waist. ‘I meant what I said.’ His thumb grazed my jaw. ‘Anything you want, you can have.’
‘Anything, huh?’ I grinned, looking up to find him staring down at me. He had a soft look on his usually hard features.
