to put the horrible thoughts aside.
“First, I wasn’t safe in my apartment and now I’m not safe outside it, either.”
“This wasn’t your fault,” Liam said, softly stroking her hair. “You and the car were just trying to occupy the same space at the same time.”
“I’ve had a streak of bad luck,” she said. “This book I’m reading called The Secrets of Self-Determination says that there is no such thing as bad luck. That we create every situation that we find ourselves in. But I don’t believe that. There was the burglary. Why did that guy choose my place? The people downstairs have a much nicer television. And I’ve had a terrible time finding a job. And I didn’t make that big brick fall off the roof of my building.”
“What brick?” Liam asked.
“It happened a few days ago. I was leaving for an interview and this brick came flying out of the sky and nearly hit me on the head. It looked exactly like one of the bricks from my building so I called the landlord to tell him he had some serious safety issues.”
“Was there a problem?”
“No,” Ellie said, frowning. “He found a few bricks on the roof but he figured that there were kids playing up there. They sometimes crawl up the back porches.” She smiled weakly. “Maybe I should take that bath. That might calm me down.”
“Do you want anything?” Liam asked. “I could make you a cup of tea.”
“That would be nice,” she said.
She wandered into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the old claw-footed tub. But suddenly she felt too exhausted to move. Though she’d only known Liam for ten days, he’d already become such a presence in her life. If she’d been alone on the street… If he hadn’t called out… If he weren’t here now to make her feel safe and secure… “My white knight,” she murmured, reaching over to turn on the water.
As the tub slowly began to fill, Ellie slipped out of her wet shoes and damp socks. Then she tugged her sweater over her head. The grimy water hadn’t reached the cotton camisole she wore underneath, but the damp still had seeped into her bones. Ellie rubbed her forearms as she stared into the tub.
“Here’s your tea.”
She glanced up at Liam who watched her from the bathroom door. “Thanks.”
“I’m not much of a tea drinker so I didn’t make it the regular way. I just nuked the water and stuck in a tea bag. I hope it’s all right.”
She took a sip of the lemony brew and it immediately began to warm her. “It’s perfect.” Ellie sucked in a deep breath then looked at him, fixing her gaze on his. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Do you think that car was trying to hit me?”
An uneasy look flitted across Liam’s handsome face before he hid it behind a warm smile. “Why would someone want to run you over?”
“I—I don’t know. I’m just—” Ellie waved her hand, then set the mug down beside the tub. She stood and nervously refolded a bath towel and hung it on the rack.
Liam came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Ellie tipped her head back and sighed as he softly massaged the tension from her neck. His touch felt so good, strong and sure. She moaned softly and focused on the warmth of his fingers as they skimmed across her shoulders and back. But when he pushed aside the strap of her camisole and pressed his mouth to her shoulder, she froze, her breath caught in her throat.
Then, as if all the fear had been suddenly washed away, Ellie turned to face him. She stared up into his eyes, with their indescribable mix of gold and green. Her gaze drifted down to his mouth and she remembered every kiss they’d shared, how exciting and exhilarating it had all been. She wanted that again, something sweet and soft to occupy her thoughts.
Ellie pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. But a brief kiss wasn’t enough and she decided she wanted more. Hesitantly she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her, her
“First, I wasn’t safe in my apartment and now I’m not safe outside it, either.”
“This wasn’t your fault,” Liam said, softly stroking her hair. “You and the car were just trying to occupy the same space at the same time.”
“I’ve had a streak of bad luck,” she said. “This book I’m reading called The Secrets of Self-Determination says that there is no such thing as bad luck. That we create every situation that we find ourselves in. But I don’t believe that. There was the burglary. Why did that guy choose my place? The people downstairs have a much nicer television. And I’ve had a terrible time finding a job. And I didn’t make that big brick fall off the roof of my building.”
“What brick?” Liam asked.
“It happened a few days ago. I was leaving for an interview and this brick came flying out of the sky and nearly hit me on the head. It looked exactly like one of the bricks from my building so I called the landlord to tell him he had some serious safety issues.”
“Was there a problem?”
“No,” Ellie said, frowning. “He found a few bricks on the roof but he figured that there were kids playing up there. They sometimes crawl up the back porches.” She smiled weakly. “Maybe I should take that bath. That might calm me down.”
“Do you want anything?” Liam asked. “I could make you a cup of tea.”
“That would be nice,” she said.
She wandered into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the old claw-footed tub. But suddenly she felt too exhausted to move. Though she’d only known Liam for ten days, he’d already become such a presence in her life. If she’d been alone on the street… If he hadn’t called out… If he weren’t here now to make her feel safe and secure… “My white knight,” she murmured, reaching over to turn on the water.
As the tub slowly began to fill, Ellie slipped out of her wet shoes and damp socks. Then she tugged her sweater over her head. The grimy water hadn’t reached the cotton camisole she wore underneath, but the damp still had seeped into her bones. Ellie rubbed her forearms as she stared into the tub.
“Here’s your tea.”
She glanced up at Liam who watched her from the bathroom door. “Thanks.”
“I’m not much of a tea drinker so I didn’t make it the regular way. I just nuked the water and stuck in a tea bag. I hope it’s all right.”
She took a sip of the lemony brew and it immediately began to warm her. “It’s perfect.” Ellie sucked in a deep breath then looked at him, fixing her gaze on his. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Do you think that car was trying to hit me?”
An uneasy look flitted across Liam’s handsome face before he hid it behind a warm smile. “Why would someone want to run you over?”
“I—I don’t know. I’m just—” Ellie waved her hand, then set the mug down beside the tub. She stood and nervously refolded a bath towel and hung it on the rack.
Liam came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Ellie tipped her head back and sighed as he softly massaged the tension from her neck. His touch felt so good, strong and sure. She moaned softly and focused on the warmth of his fingers as they skimmed across her shoulders and back. But when he pushed aside the strap of her camisole and pressed his mouth to her shoulder, she froze, her breath caught in her throat.
Then, as if all the fear had been suddenly washed away, Ellie turned to face him. She stared up into his eyes, with their indescribable mix of gold and green. Her gaze drifted down to his mouth and she remembered every kiss they’d shared, how exciting and exhilarating it had all been. She wanted that again, something sweet and soft to occupy her thoughts.
Ellie pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. But a brief kiss wasn’t enough and she decided she wanted more. Hesitantly she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her, her
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