“Oh my god, you knew,” I repeat helplessly. “The charade was useless.”
Liam smirks while sliding onto the stool beside me and biting heartily into a crunchy piece of toast.
“It was useless, but I appreciate it nonetheless,” he growls. “Your arrival was quite the addition to my weekend. I’m a single guy up in a cabin, alone on my own, so what man doesn’t appreciate a gorgeous girl showing up as a gift on his doorstep? The only thing that would have made it better is a bow in your hair to top off the “present” look.”
“A bow!” I giggle. “Like I’m a little girl with pigtails!”
Liam’s blue eyes flash.
“I love pigtails, sweetheart. If you want to wear your hair like that, absolutely be my guest. Long, knee-high socks too. I love that shit.”
I roll my eyes with amusement because it seems my man has a thing for role-play. He likes the young, innocent look, which evidently, I’m an expert at delivering naturally because of my age. But then I fix him with a stern look.
“But you do have daughters. You mentioned two? Where are they, and how did Rick know that they wouldn’t be here?”
“You know, I don’t know,” Liam muses while dousing his eggs in ketchup. “Maybe Rick wasn’t totally sure I’d be alone. But he took a guess because he knew I’d been babysitting my younger one, Ellie, for a week, and figured I’d retreated to the mountain for some R&R after a solid week of daddy duty. Of course, that fucker had every intention of destroying my peace and solitude. But it’s worth it, sweetheart. My balls were getting tight and my dick horny, and you were the perfect release.”
I roll my eyes again because my man is so dirty, and yet I love it. But I fix him with another look.
“So where are the girls?”
“With their moms,” Liam replies easily while downing a huge forkful of egg. “You’re not eating, sweetheart? I want you to eat because I’ve put you through the wringer these past twenty-four hours, and you know I’m going to put you through it again.”
I giggle because the truth is that I love to eat, and take a bite of the eggs. My lashes close as a look of bliss comes over my face.
“Oh mmmm, this is so good,” I moan with delight. “The eggs are so soft and fluffy, it’s unbelievable. Is this special ketchup too?”
Liam grins while nodding.
“Yeah, I add buttermilk to the eggs to give them that light as air texture, and the ketchup is from a special’s farmer’s market that they hold around these parts. You get the best shit around here,” he adds. “From purple Japanese sweet potatoes to free-range eggs with blue shells.”
I stare at him.
“Oh wow, what weird colors. But do they taste different?”
Liam thinks for a moment.
“Well, the purple sweet potatoes are about the same, but the eggs have a really intense, golden yolk that adds a punch of flavor. We’re not eating them now, but I’ll get some for you,” he promises. “You’ll love it.”
I flush because we’re not supposed to communicate after our weekend rendezvous is over, and yet Liam’s acting like we’re going to have a long-term relationship. Well, maybe not a relationship per se, but at least something that extends beyond the next twenty-four hours. My heart judders as I flush hotly again, but then the voice in my head speaks.
You’re a paid companion, Avalon, it reminds me. You can’t have expectations beyond the here and now. Just enjoy this time for what it’s worth, but don’t get any crazy expectations into your head.
Of course, my conscience is right, and I force myself to re-set. I can’t expect anything more than hot sex and a couple of passionate kisses because I was literally gifted to this man by his friend. Hell, for all I know he could be a sex fiend!
Liam’s definitely a sex fiend, the voice in my head says ruefully. You have firsthand knowledge of that.
Those words and true and I flush again hotly while stealing a look at the handsome mountain man beneath my lashes. He smirks at me again while placing a big hand on my bare thigh.
“Feeling horny, sweetheart? If so, I’m ready to go back to bed if you are.”
I giggle helplessly.
“But I’ve only taken two bites of my eggs!”
He inclines his dark head.
“You’re right, eat more,” he says with a wink. “Because I’m going to have my way with you, and you won’t be leaving that bed for hours once we get started.”