More Than Scars (33 page)

I moved even closer. My body was now flush to his. I tried to hide my surprise at the marvelous feel of him. I knew he wanted me. I knew this without a doubt. All the physical signs pointed to yes. Without looking completely up…my eyes only on his chest, I ran my hands up his neck and into his hair. My fingers gripped and I wet my lips. His body responded and my resolve was weakening.

“You want me,” I whispered.

“Yes,” he sighed. His hands gripped the edge of the desk, and then gripped at my hips.

I lifted up on my toes, my lips were close to his ear. “Do you want me Liam?”

“Yes,” he growled.

Conscience hit me…I couldn’t…but his arms tightening around me and his warm body surrounding mine was a lot to take in.

“Then please, let me see your face,” I whispered.

He tensed, and then groaned. “Don’t, please don’t do that to me. You of all people.” His voice sounded tortured. “Just take me for who I am…who you have come to know…”

“Then trust that I will still…”

“Nerissa…”

“It’s just a scratch,” I murmured.

He stiffened again. Oh, that was great. I just called his mauling a scratch…great job Nerissa!

“A scratch?”

“It’s all I will see,” I whispered. “If I can get past the fact I am looking in your eyes.”

His arms contracted.

“I just want to see you.”

He let out a sigh and his arms fell away.

I bit my lip. “See? I suck at being the seductress,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”

I turned to leave quickly because I was dying of mortification. What the hell did I think I was doing?

I had just turned and took two steps when I was stopped short by a force. Something was about my waist! It tightened and I was slammed backwards into his chest. My breath left my chest! Had he just used his tie to snag me?

His strong arms wrapped around my body and held me tighter to him. “Close your eyes,” he demanded. I obeyed and was turned abruptly in his arms and lifted against his chest. My hands dove into his hair, as one of his hands tugged mine and as his breath met mine, he stopped.

“You want to see me? Nerissa, you are the only one who really sees me,” he whispered.

A throat clearing at the door had Liam’s body stiffening but he did not release me.

My head dropped to his chest and he held me there protectively. I wanted to melt into his touch. I loved this side of him.

“Yes Stewart?”

Shock ran through me at the greeting.

“I am sorry for the interruption sir,” he sighed, sounding sincere. “Dr. Linda wishes to speak to you before she leaves.”

I wanted to bark that she could just leave, but bit my tongue.

“I will be a bit,” Liam said softly. He cleared his throat.

“Yes sir,” Stewart agreed.

“And next time you come to my office, please knock,” he said sternly.

“I did sir but I think you were otherwise occupied,” Stewart said respectfully but there was a chuckle in his voice.

I blushed and stifled a laugh. I am sure Liam felt my struggle.

Liam cleared his throat again and gave me a squeeze. “Give us ten minutes and then send her in.”

“Yes sir…Miss Meadows,” Stewart said in farewell and closed the door behind him.

I frowned. I didn’t want that woman near him! But I was even more peeved over another matter. “Stewart has been here the entire time,” I murmured against his shirt.

“Um, I may have lied.”

“Why?” I tried to push away but his arms held fast.

“I wanted to see you!”

I rolled my eyes. “You could have told me you needed to talk about the girls,” I argued.

“That wouldn’t have required your presence.”

I blushed. Well, what do you say to that kind of logic? He wanted to see me! “Next time just say you want to see me,” I whispered. “I would prefer that.”

“Well…I guess your presence was a blessing in twofold,” he said gently. “I needed Dr. Linda to see you too.” His hand ran down my arm eliciting a shiver. “She’s too
handsy,’ he teased.

I laughed.
“Liar! You were just denying even seeing it!” I smiled, tugging the tie away from my waist and setting it around my neck. “But she is too handsy…and if I am to get a point a cross to her-this is mine.” I looked down at the royal blue tie lying against my gray tee. “Can I have this?”

He was quiet for a moment and then his hand reached out to touch the tie. He tugged the two ends gently and then tied a perfect Windsor knot for me…loosely around my neck. “You can have anything of mine you want,” he said huskily.

I held my breath as he stepped back and began pulling his jacket back on. He straightened it back onto his impossibly broad shoulders. It made me feel so small next to him. I again felt that possession. It was uncalled for but he was mine! I set a hand to his chest and pushed back lightly. He responded to my prompt and resumed his seat on the edge of the desk. My gaze was level with his throat now.

“Anything?”

I watched his throat as he struggled to swallow. “Anything.”

I stepped forward my heart doing flip flops in my chest. I thought of what Ian said about Liam accepting that girls would want him for his money long before they would want him for himself…his draw, his body. It broke my heart. It was also ridiculous! “How do I know I can have anything?” I studied the rise and fall of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed hard again. My eyes rose to the strong chin…the mouth that fell open slightly and was now becoming familiar. I fought the urge to look any further.

“Just like the tie Nerissa…you claim it.”

I watched his lips form the words and smiled. My hands moved to rest on the desk on either side of his hips. “In that case, this is mine too.” I leaned forward and touched my mouth very tenderly to his.
Just a gentle touch of two mouths. Not the taking that had almost happened moments before. It did the same thing to my body though and apparently, I observed, it did the same to Liam’s too.

I broke away quickly and ran-yes I ran- to the door, just in time to open it to Dr. Linda.

I gave her a sweet smile and adjusted the tie around my neck. “Have a lovely afternoon,” I called to both as I skipped out, ponytail swinging.

I knew what I was leaving behind. Liam’s hair would be slightly messy from my fingers, his dress shirt wrinkled,
his eyes a bit too bright and probably his cheeks flushed. Let her make of that what she would! It pleased me to no end!

I scurried quickly to the pool, completely forgetting that I wanted a day alone. I couldn’t be alone now. Not with my emotions running every which way. What had I just done?

It was times like these that I wished I hadn’t closed myself off to the benefit of a girlfriend. My mom had been my source of female companionship but I couldn’t talk to her about this…yet!

I got to the pool room and frowned at two maids standing outside…hoping for a glance of Ian no doubt! It sickened me. “Excuse me,” I sighed.

I pushed through the doors into the too warm and humid room that smelled of chlorine. It was also echoing with the laughs and squeals of two very happy children. I slid into a chair beside the pool and just watched them unnoticed for a bit.

Both had
floatees on, though they were soon to get lessons according to Brianne. This made me less anxious. Ian swam about them easily in the shallow end, seeming to enjoy himself greatly as well.

He eventually did look up and smiled. Amelia took this distraction as a chance to splash him in the face…so he was walking toward the edge, wiping water from his blue eyes and pushing his dark wet hair from his forehead.

He leaned his arms on the side and lifted his brows. “You change your mind?”

I tugged at Liam’s tie around my neck and shook my head.

His blues lit. “I was going to ask if it was a fashion statement but…what have you been up to Rissa?”

I set a finger to my lips and nodded toward the splashing girls. I got up from my spot and moved to the edge of the pool, kneeling down to his level. “I…I think I almost seduced your brother…or he seduced me or…Oh, I don’t know what happened,” I whispered.

Ian smiled, and in one swift motion, pulled himself out of the pool.

I jumped away, so as not to get soaked. I scurried to the table and tossed him a towel.

The girls protested from the pool that he was a quitter.

“You just stay on the shallow side. I’m right here watching you!” he barked back playfully, as he led me to sit down.

“What has you looking so flushed yet so forlorn?”

I worried my lip and looked at him with a helpless gaze. “In parting, I pressed my lips to his and said they were mine.” I dropped my face into my hands in mortification. “But it felt so right doing it!”

He barked out a laugh. “Whoa…whoa…hold up. Start from the beginning. I need to know how you got to the point where your farewell to my brother was a claiming of his lips,” he chuckled. “This is something we can work with.”

I
peaked up at him and giggled.

“I’m going to hear it later from him
Rissa. You want me to hear your side don’t you?”

I smiled. “Things may be looking up.” My heart skipped a beat. “Maybe all this misery has been worth it.”

Chapter 17 Birthdays and such

              I was terribly nervous as I walked the girls down to breakfast the next morning. For one thing, Logan Byrne would be at the breakfast table…and for another, I had placed my lips on Liam’s yesterday! My body still tingled from the memory and I wondered if his did too. Had I been too bold? Had I overstepped?

             
I felt this need to claim him though. That need was not gone. Though I had pretty much told him with my actions…I wasn’t sure if he really knew how I felt. Women could be fickle. Did he think I got possessive because another woman came into my household? It was so much more than that! So much more!

             
“Grandpa!” Brianne cried out as we reached the dining room. She was swept up quickly into a man’s arms.

             
Amelia stayed at my side, holding fast to my hand. I had a feeling she didn’t have that bond yet with her grandfather. I looked down at her and gave a reassuring smile. Her brown eyes still seemed unsure.

             
When Brianne was lowered to the ground, I got a full view of the patriarch of the family. He was tall like both of his sons. His hair had once been dark as well, but had a good majority of silver lining it now. The eyes that lifted to meet mine were a gentle brown and much like the ones I had seen in that first picture of Liam. In fact, there was no mistaking this was Liam Byrne’s Dad. I smiled.

             
“Hello Mr. Byrne,” I greeted gently. I ducked my head.

             
“None of that head bowing for me Miss Meadows,” he said in a pleasant voice. “And it’s Logan if you don’t mind. Mr Byrne makes me feel old.” He stepped forward and took both of my hands. 

             
I smiled up at him, surprised by the warm action. But should I be? I knew his sons didn’t I? The two of them had always been welcoming. “Then please call me Nerissa,” I spoke up when I found my voice.

             
He gave a nod and then stooped down to Amelia. “How are you sweetheart? Can Grandpa have a hug?”

Amelia peaked up at me.

“Amie,” I laughed.

“Al said I can’t unless you or Daddy or Uncle Ian…”

“Oh,” I said in surprise. “Amelia, this is your Grandpa Logan. Your Daddy and Uncle Ian’s Dad.”

Logan’s eyes softened. “It has been awhile since I’ve been around,” he admitted. “Who is Al and what does he say about people like me?”

Amelia pushed her face into my side. “Al is Rissa’s brother. He’s a peace man. He says we have on’y trust when Rissa Daddy or Uncle Ian say so.” She looked accusingly to Brianne.

Brianne giggled. “Amie you just forgot you know Grandpa!”

Amelia looked up at me.

I gave her a nod. “It’s okay.”

Logan grinned and tapped her nose. “You are a very smart girl though. I am very proud you listen to Nerissa and to the policeman.” He tilted his head and shrugged. “Can I have that hug now?”

She turned shyly to him and put her arms about his neck.

I saw genuine care as he hugged her back.

“I have to come back more often,” he sighed and glanced up at me. He stood with Amelia in his arms. “My sons run the business here so well I am not often needed. I pretty much am retired,” he admitted. “Liam…well, he’s a genius actually and Ian…well, he’s a PR man if ever there was one!”