“Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest you did. It’s just—”
“That some people really suck.”
I laugh at that, everything in my body relaxing, because I think he gets it. “Yeah.”
“How did you get into pet grooming and dog walking?”
I settle against the pillow. “I’ve always loved animals. We had a lot of pets growing up. Everything from goldfish, to hamsters, to sheep and llamas.”
“Llama, no shit?” I nod. “Did you grow up on a farm or something?”
“Yeah, I did actually. I grew up on a vegetable farm and we had lots of animals.”
“Sounds fun.”
“It was,” I say with a smile, remembering the happier times. “I started doing work with one of the local vets, just helping him out and dog walking, and it blossomed into coming here and continuing it. Someday I want to open my own business. I would have done it already but—” I stiffen and catch myself before telling him about my ex. We don’t know each other well enough, and honestly, I’m not about to drag him into my dark history.
He stares at me for a second, and I really hope he doesn’t push the issue. “So someday you hope to do that?”
“Yeah, down the road when the time is right. Most of my focus goes into Gavin right now. When he’s older, I’ll have more time.” He frowns and looks down. “What?” I ask.
“It’s a lot, huh, raising a boy on your own?” He shifts the ice, and his fingers brush my ankle. My God, how can such an innocent touch arouse me so much? I must be far more desperate for a man in my bed than I realized.
“It’s a lot, but we manage.”
He goes quiet again, like he’s trying to puzzle something out. “You have no family at all, Harper?”
“I have some relatives out east, but I don’t ever see them. I wouldn’t even know them if I tripped on them in the street.”
“That’s not right. Everyone needs someone. My sisters make me nuts, but I’d be lost without them.”
“I love that so much. I’m okay, though,” I say, my voice a little wobbly as his fingers deliberately trace circles over my calves.
“I know you are, but you’re always taking care of others, whether it be Gavin, or all those animals at the store. I guess my question is, who’s taking care of you?”
I wet my lips and his gaze drops. Despite the ice on my leg, my body grows hot as need flashes in his eyes.
“I…I take care of me.”
“I was thinking, maybe for tonight, I could take care of you.” The softness in his voice, the gentleness hidden right there, just below the lust, does the weirdest things to my insides. I realize this guy is a rule breaker, a rebel, but right now in this moment, I’m not sure I care about any of that. If we were talking long term sure, but what is going on between us is lust, pure and simple attraction.
“You are taking care of me,” I say even though I’m sure he’s talking about something else entirely, and I should just nod and let him get on with taking care of me in ways I’m sure I’ve never been taken care of before.
“I’m taking care of your ankle, but I was thinking I could take care of the rest of you too.”
Okay, I’m not going to play games and have him spell it out for me. I know what he wants, and dammit, I want it too. To hell with the consequences. “I…I think I’d like that.”
He leans toward me, brushes his hand over my face, the back of his fingers warm against my skin, and a quiver goes through me, settling deep between my legs. “Is this a good idea, Liam?” I ask as one stupid brain cell rings in warning, refusing to let me abandon common sense—regardless of the fact that I want this, agreed to this—and live in pure bliss here.
“No,” he says frankly, and it makes me chuckle.
“Look at you. As honest as Gavin.” He arches a brow and I add, “It’s not a bad thing, Liam. I really could use some honesty in my life.”
He considers that for a moment, and then gives a slow nod. “How about this? How about we have tonight.” His gaze moves over my face, no doubt finding concern and lust mixing. “Tomorrow, I go back to being nothing other than Gavin’s big brother, but tonight—”
“Tonight, you’ll be my big daddy.”
A smile spreads across his handsome face. “Big daddy?”
Omg did I really just say that. I put my hand on my cheek, which is warm from lust. “My girlfriend, Emma. The one I mentioned earlier, she suggested you be my big daddy. It’s silly.”
“Maybe, but something tells me you’ve been giving it thought.”
I bite my lip and squeak out, “Yup.”
“My God, I like you,” he says with a laugh.
“I like you too.”
“What’s not to like,” he teases, living up to his big ego. His smile falls, and he lightly runs his fingers down my arm.
“I have to make one thing perfectly clear. I’m not looking for anything more. I can’t. Been down a bad road and won’t go down it again, Liam. It’s not that I think you’re looking for more, but—”
“Can I take you to my bed, Harper?” he asks, his words letting me know we’re on the same page here. Relief moves through me to know we only want one thing from each other. At least, I think the rush of blood in my veins is relief. Jeez, it has to be. I’m not going to open myself, or Gavin, up to any more hurt.
“Yes, please,” I say, my voice a low, hushed whisper.
He picks me up, and I almost pinch myself. Is this really happening? Lifting me like I weigh no more than his hockey stick, he carries me up the stairs, and
