God, he wished this would never end.
Not just the fact that the sexual stimulation was exhilarating, but the fact that she was giving him such loving and intimate attention.
A knock sounded on the suite door.
“Ah, fuck. Room service,” he said.
She slipped from his cock and popped up from under the covers.
“Great. I’m starved.”
Then it dawned on him. She was doing this to avoid talking. Because she knew he’d try to convince her to stay with him. To reconsider their divorce. And after last night, she couldn’t convince him she didn’t have feelings for him. At least, sexually.
* * *
Liam got out of bed and grabbed one of the hotel robes from the bedroom closet then went to get the door. A young woman with a room service trolley smiled when he opened it.
“Your breakfast, sir.” She rolled the cart in and continued to the dining room, then set the table for them.
He signed the check, with a generous tip, and sent her on her way.
Abi appeared in the doorway wearing jeans and a soft, sky-blue sweater that draped nicely over her curves. He loved her in that color. It brought out the blue in her eyes.
“Oh, that’s a lovely table,” she said.
He glanced at it and realized she was right. From the glittering, stemmed juice glasses to the crystal vase of sunny bright, fresh flowers on the center of the table, the woman had done a nice job making it an inviting setting.
Abi walked to the table and leaned toward the flowers to breathe in their scent. Yellow roses, purple bearded irises, and hot pink asters. Right from the colors to the choice of flowers, they were perfect for Abi. The smile on her face set his heart alight. The bouquet could have been made to order for her.
And he wished he had thought to do just that.
She stood up, staring wistfully at the flowers, then she turned to him and sighed.
“You know, I didn’t realize how late it is.” She picked up one of the covered plates. “I think I’ll take my breakfast back to my room. I have some things I have to do before the wedding and—”
But he stepped in front of her as she started to walk in the direction of the connecting door.
“I don’t think so.”
* * *
When faced with Liam’s broad chest, Abi knew her escape plan had failed miserably. He was not going to let her slip away without talking about this.
She frowned as he took the plate from her and set it back on the table.
“Sit,” he commanded.
She sank into the chair he pulled out for her.
“Liam, please. This is my brother’s wedding day. I’m not up to a conversation like this.”
He sat down across from her. “You mean a conversation about why I found you waiting in my bed naked? It wasn’t me who started this sequence of events, now was it? I think you owe me the courtesy of discussing it.”
She pursed her lips, not wanting to admit that she’d thought she was in Del’s bed. Yet knowing she couldn’t let Liam think she’d been after him. Oh, God, she didn’t want to hurt him, but she didn’t want to encourage him, either.
At her long hesitation, he said, “Abi, I did my best to give you space. I wasn’t even going to come to the wedding because I didn’t want to make it awkward for you, but Kurt specifically asked me to come.”
“He did?” She shouldn’t be surprised. Kurt had always thought Liam was perfect for her.
“I agreed, but I arranged a room on a different floor, so you wouldn’t accidentally bump into me.” A half grin spread across his face. “Yet bump into you I did.” His smile grew wicked. “Several times, in fact.”
Her cheeks heated.
“And all because you climbed into my bed.” He reached out and took her hand. He held it tenderly, stroking the back lightly with his thumb. “My love, you know I would love nothing more than to reconcile with you.”
“Liam, please…” she said, shaking her head. She didn’t want to have this conversation with him again.
“Why won’t you believe me when I tell you I love you?” The sincerity in his warm, brown eyes unnerved her.
She bit her lip, fighting back the swell of emotion that would have her eyes filling with moisture all too soon.
“There are so many reasons.” She squeezed his hand. “I think you believe you love me, but as I’ve told you so many times, it’s just a sense of obligation. You asked me to marry you because I was pregnant with your child, then after I lost the baby…”
But he was already shaking his head. “I told you then and I’ll tell you now, I married you because I was in love with you. The baby was just a wonderful bonus.”
“We’d only known each other a few months. We were both infatuated with each other, but true love?” She shook her head. “That takes longer. What you feel for me is a sense of obligation. Maybe a need to ensure you don’t fail at something so important to you. Love and family.” She drew her hand away. “But, Liam, you have to let me go.”
* * *
Liam had heard this from her countless times before, and he couldn’t seem to break her out of her tidy little belief system that explained why she couldn’t be with him. He knew he’d hurt her after she’d lost the baby. By withdrawing into himself. By grieving so deeply he hadn’t been able to help her with her own grief.
He’d do anything … anything … to make it up to her.
But she wouldn’t give him the chance.
“So why did you climb into my bed last night?”
He already knew the answer. She’d meant to be with another man. And he was sure that man was Del.
But he had to hear her say it.
She stared down at her hands, her teeth nibbling at her lower lip in that adorable
