A Not-So-Innocent Seduction by Janice Maynard

face was flushed and damp, and for the first time, she looked tired. Suddenly, Liam remembered that she had been ill. Working his way to the front of the stage, he handed her a bottle of water.
    “Drink something,” he said quietly. “You may have overdone it tonight.”
    When she had emptied the bottle, he held up his arms and lifted her down from the stage onto the plank flooring.
    “Thank you,” she said, not meeting his eyes.
    When Zoe would have moved away, he stopped her by the mere expedient of keeping his arms looped around her waist. “Take a breath, sunshine. You were a big hit.”
    She rested her head on his shoulder. “Great audience.”
    He heard fatigue in her voice alongside the satisfaction of a job well done. “You ready to go home?” The words slipped out before he had a chance to censor them. The Silver Beeches was his home, not Zoe’s.
    She didn’t call him out on his faux pas. “More than ready. But it was a great night.”
    Dylan walked them out to the car. “You were a hit, Zoe. I hope you’ll plan to do this again. But I only accept a freebie once. I’d have to pay you from now on.”
    “You couldn’t afford me,” she said, laughing. Liam couldn’t see the mischief in her eyes, because it was dark now. The only illumination came from the multicolored lights strung along the roofline of the Silver Dollar.
    Liam helped Zoe into the car and turned to his brother, lowering his voice. “Call me in the morning. I need your advice about something.”
    Dylan snickered. “I say go for it.”
    Liam slugged his arm and slid into the driver’s seat. “Good night, Dylan.”
    Zoe leaned across his lap to add her goodbyes. Her breasts brushed his chest, and her hair tickled his chin. “Thanks for letting me sing.”
    Dylan leaned on the window. “My pleasure. You kids get on home now. It’s late.”
    “You’re so full of it.” Liam hit the up button on the window, causing his smart-ass brother to jump back with a curse.
    Zoe giggled, straightening and returning to her own seat as Liam exited the parking lot with a flurry of gravel. “That was mean. But funny.”
    “My brother is a merciless tease. Be glad he likes you.”
    “He likes everybody, it seems. The bar was packed tonight. And I think he knew everyone there.”
    “That’s Dylan.”
    Conversation lagged abruptly. Liam drove with an occasional surreptitious glance at the slightly rumpled and definitely weary angel occupying the passenger seat of his car. Near the top of the mountain there was a pull-off where the teenagers liked to park and make out. The idea had definite appeal. But what he wanted to do with and to Zoe required far more privacy.
    He still hadn’t decided what to do about Gary’s latest revelation. There could be a hundred reasons why Zoe was hiding large amounts of cash in the panel door of her van. Unfortunately, a lot of them were worrisome.
    Back at the hotel, Liam handed his keys to the valet and helped Zoe out of the car. It occurred to him that they could take a walk as they had the night before. But she had expended a lot of energy onstage, and she probably intended to have an early night.
    He wanted to talk to her, to convince her they belonged together, even if for only this moment in time. And if she agreed to make love to him, he had to seek answers that would make him feel better about having her in his hotel and in his bed. Every time he had tried before, she shut him out. Bracing himself for the disappointment of a quick good-night as a prelude to her disappearance, he walked beside her into the lobby, carrying her guitar case.
    Making an excuse to go to his office would save him the awkwardness of riding up on the elevator with her, but he couldn’t bring himself to walk away. On the top floor, the door opened, and they both stepped into the quiet hallway.
    Zoe held out her hand for the instrument. “Thanks for going with me tonight.”
    To hell with this . He set the case on the floor and