Chapter 7

 

I woke up with a bad taste in my mouth and a throbbing headache. I sat up with a soft groan and squinted blearily at my surroundings. The bright sunlight flooding through the window was hell on my headache. The bedroom was decorated in greys and blues and I was pretty sure the large piece of artwork on the wall to my left was worth more than an entire year of my salary. The room was dominated by the king size bed I was currently lying in, and there was a sitting area with two wing chairs situated in front of a gas fireplace.

I turned my head, groaning at the pain, and stared at the alarm clock. It was just after nine and I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was almost certain that I was in Liam Knight’s bedroom. A glass of water and a bottle of Advil sat on the nightstand and I shook out four of them, gulping them down with the glass of water before collapsing back on the bed again. I threw my arm over my eyes to block out the relentless light and tried to collect my thoughts.

I had drunk way too much last night. I couldn’t even remember the last time I was that drunk. I was never going out with Allie and Russ again. They were too much of a bad influence on me. I would never have did what I –

I sat up straight in the bed and stared out the window at the bright blue lake beyond it.

“Fuck me.” I whispered as the night came flooding back to me. The things I had said and did to my goddamn boss! What the hell was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. That was the problem. I had gotten drunk and made a fool of myself in front of my boss. Or, more accurately, on my boss. I stared down at myself and breathed a sigh of relief. Although I was shoeless, I was at least still wearing my dress.

I threw back the covers and staggered my way to the door, praying like hell it was a bathroom. It was, quite frankly, a spectacular bathroom. A shower with multiple shower heads loomed to my left and the biggest bathtub I had ever seen was in the far end of the room. The sky light above it let in direct beams of warm sunlight. I stumbled to the double-sink vanity and stared at myself in the mirror.

Sweet Jesus. My hair was a tangled mess around my face and my eye makeup had smudged and smeared. I looked like a chubby raccoon. A huge pillow crease crossed my left cheek, and the flecks of white dotted across my chin were a good indication that I had been drooling in my sleep.

“Sexy.” I muttered. I hung my head and rubbed my aching forehead. A toothbrush, still in its plastic wrapping, was sitting on the counter. I opened it and squirted toothpaste onto it before quickly brushing my teeth.

I shut the bathroom door firmly, looked longingly at the tub for a moment, and then moved to the shower. I started it up and ran my hand under the hot spray of water that came shooting out of the showerheads. I stripped and climbed into the shower, dipping my head directly under the hot water. It felt amazing and I let it bead down my naked body for nearly ten minutes before I grabbed the soap.

Half an hour later, squeaky clean and wrapped in the bathrobe I found hanging on the back of the bathroom door, I went searching for my boss. I peeked into the open door next to Liam’s bedroom and discovered a guest room. The bed was rumpled, the covers thrown back, and I guessed that he had slept there last night.

I wandered down the hallway, trailing my hand along the railing until I got to the staircase. I leaned over the railing and peered down. The house had an open concept, and from my vantage point I could see into the living room and the large kitchen. The walls were made of logs and there were so many windows, the entire house was lit with a warm, bright glow. The large floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room area revealed Liam’s car parked on a long, winding driveway. Beyond the driveway was nothing but trees.

I was in the mother of all log cabins. The cabin was decorated in dark, warm colours without a hint of a woman’s touch. Still, it had a decidedly cozy feel to it. I imagined in the winter it would be amazing to curl up on the couch in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and a good book. I took one last glance at the gleaming, modern kitchen before continuing down the hallway.

A third door revealed another bathroom, smaller with a shower only, and I continued to the last door. It was slightly ajar and I could hear soft grunts coming from within it. I cocked my head, listening intently. What was he doing in there?

I pushed the door open. Liam, wearing just a pair of shorts, was rhythmically lifting a bar full of weights over his head. His eyes were closed and I stared unabashedly at his half-naked body. My suspicions about his body had been 100% correct. The man looked like he had been carved out of stone. The muscles in his arms bulged as he lifted the weights over his head. His chest rippled, and I studied his six pack with more than a little passing interest. He had a light dusting of hair covering his upper body and I licked my lips as I stared at his treasure trail.

I took a moment to cool my lust and collect my thoughts, and then cleared my throat loudly. His eyes popped open and the bar of weights paused mid-thrust.

“Hi.” I smiled half-heartedly.

“Good morning, Ms. Temple. How are you feeling?” He dropped the weights and grabbed a towel hanging off a rack of hand weights. He wiped the sweat from his face and chest as I looked away nervously.

“Um, fine. I have a headache.”

“Yes, I imagine you do.” He replied.

“Okay, well I should get going. I just wanted to say thank you for um, for everything.”

He picked up a smaller weight and began to lift it, curling his right arm up and down. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Oh no, that’s fine. I can take a cab.”

He raised one eyebrow at me as he continued to lift the weight. “I live a lengthy distance from the city, Ms. Temple. Do you have enough money for a cab?”

I flushed. “How far exactly?”

“Far enough.” He answered. “Just let me finish my workout and then I’ll drive you home. Make yourself comfortable downstairs.”

I blew my breath out and nodded before leaving the room. Feeling sick to my stomach, my head still throbbing, I walked downstairs and sat down on the couch. Last night the booze had filled me with confidence and a sexiness that I definitely didn’t feel now. I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. I needed to figure out what I was going to do after Mr. Knight drove me home and then fired my ass. I curled up on the couch and buried my face in one of the pillows. I was a complete moron.

When I woke up the second time, I was still lying on the couch and covered with a thick quilt. I sat up and rubbed my face. My headache had disappeared and I thought my stomach might not be as queasy.

“Feeling better?”

I gave a breathless scream and nearly fell off the couch. Liam, wearing a tight blue t-shirt and worn jeans, sat at a small desk tucked in the corner of the room. A laptop was sitting open on it, and I could see a few files from the office spread over the top of the mahogany desk.

“Uh, yes. I’m sorry.” I mumbled as I sat up and pushed the quilt down to my lap.

“Sorry for what?”

“Falling asleep. I – what time is it?”

“Just after twelve. I was about to make some lunch.” He swiveled in his chair and studied me carefully.

“Do you remember what happened last night, Ms. Temple?”

I hesitated and then quickly shook my head. “No, not really.”

I hated lying and wasn’t very good at it, but if it came down to keeping my job or being fired, I was determined to put in an Oscar-worthy performance.

I wondered if I was imagining the look of relief that crossed his face. “You did have quite a bit to drink.”

“Yeah, I don’t normally drink that much.” I replied.

“What do you remember?” He asked.

“Um…” My face flushed as I thought quickly. “I remember doing shots at the bar with Russ. I remember talking to you and Dick in the VIP room. After that, it’s pretty much a blur.”

I wondered if he could tell I was lying through my teeth. I took a deep breath and smiled widely at him. “I hope I didn’t do anything too embarrassing.”

“You didn’t. We talked and then you excused yourself to the bathroom to throw up. You nearly passed out in the bar, and I brought you back here and put you to bed.”

He hesitated. “I would have taken you back to your place but it was quite late and, considering the neighbourhood you live in, I didn’t want to risk my car being stolen.”

“It’s not that bad of a neighbourhood.” I protested weakly.

“Yes, so you keep saying.”

“You uh, have a lovely home, Mr. Knight.”

He sighed irritably. “Liam. How many times must I tell you to call me Liam?”

“Sorry.” I gave him another wide, nervous smile. “It was nice of you to let me use your room. You should have just dumped me on the couch or the guest room.”

He shrugged. “My bed is more comfortable and I thought it might be a good idea to have you close to a bathroom. In case you needed to vomit again.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. I tugged self-consciously at the collar of the bathrobe. “I had a shower and borrowed your bathrobe. I hope you don’t mind. I’ll take it with me and have it cleaned.”

He shrugged. “There’s no need for that. Are you hungry?”

“Not really. I am thirsty though. Could I trouble you for a glass of water?”

“Of course.” He stood and I followed him into the kitchen, trying not to drool at the sight of his ass in those tight jeans. He indicated for me to sit on a bar stool and I climbed up on it, cursing my short legs and trying to keep the robe closed as I sat on the padded seat.

I leaned against the island as he poured me a glass of water. I took it with a grateful smile and drank most of it in four large gulps. He refilled it and set it down in front of me.

I studied the kitchen as he pulled out eggs and different vegetables from the fridge. It was very modern looking with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The cupboards were a smooth, dark grey and the floor tile a gleaming white.

“Your home really is lovely.” I said tentatively. “I had no idea you lived in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere. I assumed you lived in, I don’t know, a penthouse downtown.”

He laughed. “Actually, up until a few years ago I did have a penthouse downtown. I hated it. I used to rent a cabin a few miles from here and when this plot of land went up for sale, I bought it. I had the house built as close to the lake as I could and I’ve been here ever since.”

“It’s very peaceful.” I replied.

“It is.” He agreed. “And private. I value my privacy.”

That didn’t surprise me. He was a bit of a mini-celebrity in our city, and the long hours he spent at the office and the numerous events he went to undoubtedly left him very little time to himself.

“Do you like omelettes?”

“Yes, but you don’t have to cook for me.” I replied.

“I don’t mind.”

We sat in silence as he cooked, adding cheese and vegetables to the eggs, before expertly flipping the omelettes. He slid them on to two plates, grabbed some silverware and indicated for me to follow him.

I hopped off the barstool and followed him through the living room to a set of French doors I hadn’t noticed earlier.

“Oh my God.” I breathed as I opened the doors.

“Do you like it?” He asked, as he stepped on to the patio and set our plates down on the glass patio table.

“It’s so beautiful.” I murmured.

“It is a nice view.” He agreed.

I sank down in the luxuriously soft patio chair, it was more comfortable than the furniture in my living room, and stared with delight at the lake. Liam had left just enough room for a patio and after that, it was nothing but sandy beach. The beach was only about twenty feet wide and I listened to the soft lapping of the lake in front of us. I breathed deeply of the clean air as Liam handed me my knife and fork.

I dug into the omelette as Liam did the same. It tasted delicious and I was suddenly ravenously hungry. I ate it quickly and then sat back with a small sigh, curling my legs up underneath me.

“Thank you. That was really good.” I smiled at him.

“You’re welcome.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. “So do you ever worry about flooding?”

He laughed. “Only you would wonder about that, Mae.”

“What? You’re pretty close to the water. If we get a lot of rain and the lake rises enough – you’ll be knee deep in lake water.”

He shrugged. “I suppose it could happen. If it does, I’ll just tear it down and rebuild. Perhaps a little further back though.”

I shook my head and he frowned at me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.” He insisted.

I shrugged. “I find it amusing that you would just tear it down and rebuild. You don’t even think about the cost.”

“No, I don’t.” He agreed nonchalantly.

He disappeared into the house and returned five minutes later with coffee for both of us. “Two sugars, one cream right?”

“That’s right. Thank you.” I sipped at the coffee. It tasted a hell of a lot better than the swill at work and I sighed happily.

“This coffee is amazing.”

“It should be. I pay enough for it.” He answered.

I took another sip of coffee as he stared at me.

“How did you become a PA?”

I shrugged. “I was looking for a job, saw the ad in the paper and applied. Ida hired me and the rest is history.”

“No, I meant why did you become a PA?”

“Why not?” I took another sip of the hot coffee. I was starting to feel uncomfortable. I hated talking about my life. It hadn’t exactly turned out like I planned and frankly, I was a little embarrassed by the debt, my less than impressive job, and my shit apartment. If Neil hadn’t broken up with me I’d probably be living in a nicer place and my student loans would be paid off. Of course, I had long decided that I was better off without that loser, no matter how broke I was.

He sighed impatiently. “Did you always want to be a PA?”

I laughed. “No, definitely not.”

“What did you want to do?”

“I wanted to be a nurse.”

“So why didn’t you go into nursing?”

Now it was my turn to sigh. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Why not?” He asked curiously.

“Because it’s embarrassing.”

When he just stared at me expectantly, I curled up deeper into the chair and tugged at the collar of the bathrobe. “I went to nursing school. My parents didn’t have a lot of money so I took out student loans. I went through the schooling, graduated and got pretty lucky with finding a job right away. I wasn’t working at a hospital, they weren’t really hiring at the time, but I got a job working in a senior’s home.”

I stared moodily at the lake. “The first six months were fine. I really liked the residents of the home and I enjoyed my job - even the gross parts. And let me tell you – there were some really gross parts.”

“I can imagine.” He said dryly. “Go on.”

“There was a resident there. His name was Frank and he was such a sweet old man. He didn’t really have any family, at least I never saw anyone visiting him, but it didn’t seem to bother him much. I really liked him.”

I smiled. “He was such a flirt. I used to tell him he was a dirty old man and it would make him giggle like a girl.”

“Anyway, I was working the night shift. It was so damn cold that night. My car wouldn’t start and I almost didn’t make my shift. They were getting ready to call in a replacement when I finally got there. It was a quiet night and I was doing my rounds when there was a code red. It was coming from Frank’s room. I ran down there and Marcy, she was the other nurse on that night, was already in his room.”

I shivered a little. “Frank was thrashing on the bed. He was having a seizure. We called for the doctor even though Frank was already coming out of it. He – “ I swallowed and heard the dry click of my throat.

“He seemed okay at first. He smiled at me, told me I was so pretty and he loved me. I laughed and called him a dirty old man, and he laughed and then he just – just grabbed at my arm, his entire body arching off the bed and then he was dead. Just like that. I shouted at Marcy to start CPR and I gave him mouth-to-mouth but it was too late. He’d had a massive stroke and died instantly.”

“I’m sorry.” Liam said quietly.

I blinked back the tears. “I couldn’t go back after that. All that money spent, all the schooling, and one old man’s death finished me. Isn’t that the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“I tried a few times to go back to work. I even quit that job and tried working in a doctor’s office but I couldn’t do it. I had this stupid, irrational fear that the patients would die on me.”

I sighed heavily. “Like I said - ridiculous.”

“It isn’t.”

“I worked at a coffee shop for a while and actually really enjoyed it, but Neil – “

“Neil?”

“My ex-fiancé.”

He blinked at me in surprise but indicated for me to go on.

“Neil thought I should do something more with my life, and he was tired of shouldering the financial burden of my student loans. So, I applied for the job at Knight and Associates and two days after I started, Neil called off our engagement.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope!” I said cheerfully. “He said I was dragging him down. He was making a name for himself as a lawyer, and I didn’t fit his idea of a perfect wife.”

“Asshole.” He grunted.

I shrugged. “I don’t blame him. I had gained weight, I was swimming in debt, and I was working as a secretary. I was a different person from when we first started dating and besides, shame on me for not realizing how superficial he was.”

“That explains all the random bursts of crying.” He said.

I laughed. “Yeah, I was kind of a wreck when I first started working for you. Sorry about that. Thanks for not firing me.”

“You’re welcome. You’re much different than I thought you were.”

“How so?” I asked.

“I thought you were timid and a bit of a cry baby.” He said honestly.

“You should talk to my mother. She would love to hear me referred to as timid.”

He gave me a wry smile. “I figured out my mistake the first day you started as my PA. You do have a certain...”

“Strong but loveable personality?” I suggested.

“I was going to say ‘bossiness’.”

I laughed and we sat in silence for a few minutes before I shifted awkwardly in my seat. “I probably should get going. It looks like you have quite a bit of work to do.”

He nodded. “I do. If you want to grab your things, I’ll give you a ride home.”

I bit back my disappointment. What was I expecting him to say? No Mae, stay the day with me. You can take a swim in my giant tub while I work, and then I’ll cook you dinner and afterwards take you to my bed so you can fuck the bejesus out of me.

I snorted softly and Liam raised his eyebrow at me.

“Nothing.” I stood and gathered up my plate and silverware. “I’ll be ready to go in ten.”