Valorie rolled over looking at the clock next to her bed. It was six thirty in the morning. She needed to get up and get ready for work. She’d only slept a few hours.
She got out of bed and grabbed some clothes for showering. Drying off with a soft towel felt good on her overly sensitive skin. She wanted Liam with her whole being. How was she going to handle being just friends? She had no choice. A friendship meant more to her than sex. She had terrible luck with men and relationships. He was out of her league anyways.
After getting dressed, she put on her make-up and fixed her hair. Once she was ready for work, she opened her bedroom door peeking out into the living room.
Opening the door even further, she stepped through the doorway. His bedding was neatly stacked up in a pile on the couch. Liam wasn’t in the apartment. On the table, there were electronics and wires lying in a pile with a computer and monitor set up next to it.
Different areas around the apartment building were on the screen, it appeared to be live and recording. In one of the cameras, Valorie watched Liam walk under it, as it appeared to be near her apartment.
Valorie waited to greet Liam as he came into the apartment. Something was lying near the door. Periodically, she would get newsletters or mail from the office. When she reached down to pick it up she froze. She couldn’t get her hands or feet to work. Staring up at her was a photo of her.
Valorie quickly looked behind her, around the apartment before leaning down and picking it up. She held back the scream trying to break out of her throat. What did I do to this person? Ugh. How, why, where was Liam when this person put that under the door.
Valorie’s heartbeat raced, nearly exploding. Gulping down breaths to prevent herself from screaming. Images of what could be flashed through her mind. She knew someone could break-in and rape or worse yet, kill her. All sorts of what-ifs were kicking around in her mind.
Thinking and knowing what could happen scared the hell out of her. Her fragile control shattered. Walking back into the kitchen she looked down at the monitor and watched Liam looking up into another working camera.
Liam was making sure nobody could get close to her. Then why was the picture stuffed under her door? Valorie grabbed her chest holding in the icy cold fear twisting her guts into a knot. Sitting down at the table, Valorie tried to remember where she was when this picture was taken. The outfit was the one she’d worn yesterday. It had to be the asshole in the elevator who took the picture. It had to be.
Valorie knew she needed to calm herself down. Putting on the teapot full of water onto the stove, she turned on the burner. Keeping herself busy setting up the cup with a teabag and honey. Doing the dishes and wiping down the counters kept her mind occupied as she tried to calm down her nerves.
She would have to show Liam the picture. Then hopefully he could help her figure it out who and where exactly it had been taken. She prided herself on being a strong woman, now though Valorie felt weak. Looking over at the table she glanced again at the picture. Knowing she was obsessing over the dumb thing, she grabbed it and flipped it over. “It’s too frickin early to deal with this.”
After pouring the hot water for her tea, she stirred it around before holding onto it for added warmth to her shaky hands. Freshness of the herbal tea helped settle down her stomach.
The apartment door opened, startling her, spilling the hot tea onto the floor. “Shit.”
“Sorry,” Liam yelled from the living room.
Setting the cup down on the counter, she grabbed a rag and cleaned up her mess. Afterwards, she peaked around the corner to find him stringing a thin wire above the door. “What are you doing?”
Liam jumped at Valorie’s voice. “Hey, don’t do that, woman.” He scowled.
“You deserve it, mister, you scared me when you came in.” She laughed.
“Well...” He put his tools down onto the carpet. He strode with a purpose toward the woman of his dreams.
“Wait. Hold up, Liam. No, you don’t.” She tried to run from him.
He reached out and grabbed her by the waist, crushing her to him. He couldn’t help himself, he pressed his lips to hers. He wanted her intimately. The beast in him rising close to the surface, confusion settled in. He let Valorie go so quickly it had her stumbling backwards. He reached out and caught her. “Whoa, I’m sorry.”
“No I’m the sorry one. I guess I’m just a little shocked is all.” Valorie held her hand over her mouth. Her eyes glazed with passion.
His lips burned in the aftermath. His jeans suddenly becoming too tight as his male counterpart hardened quickly. Taking a deep breath, trying to get his mind in the right place, he said, “You know, Valorie, your courage and determination impresses the hell out of me.”
“What brought that on?”
“I don’t know. It’s just when I think about everything that has happened to you these past few months with this creep doing all this to you. You don’t show your fear and stay at home afraid for your life.” Liam questioned his own behavior toward her more. He couldn’t figure out why he had such a strong reaction to her this soon after finding her again.
“Liam…” she exhaled.
“Don’t tease me. I’ll be honest with you, I can’t take much more of your sexy body wiggling around mine,” he grabbed her and pulled her body against his showing her the proof. Her eyes widened but the half smile she gave him made his inside animal want to claim her and it was overwhelming. He kissed the tip of her nose then quickly turned away. He’d started something he shouldn’t have.
“Oh, come on now. I bet you have a choice of women?”
“Nope, that I don’t.” Swallowing seemed difficult; he needed to get his mind off her sensual body.
“Well, I’m just plain, old, Valorie, so I know you can do better than me.”
The wildness rose again, this time beyond Liam’s control, he spun around, the animal taking charge, in a blur he grabbed her around the waist slamming her against his hard body. His groin responded savagely against hers.
Her eyes widened in surprise. Her lips moved but no sounds came out.
Liam growled, “You’re beautiful, sexy as hell, so much so that I want to take you in there right now and make you mine.” He pointed to her bedroom. “Now’s not the time though and I never want to hear you ever degrade yourself to me again.” Wanting to kiss her, he pulled back by stepping away from her. He loved her enough to give her the respect she deserved.
Valorie felt flattered by his comment, but confused at his actions, Valorie wondered what she’d done to make him so angry. Liam didn’t appear to be a man who lost control easily. It’d been a long time since they knew each other, people did change, sometimes not for the better.
His brows creased together, his eyes flashing in anger. He wasn’t looking at her but toward the kitchen table. He strode purposely toward his object of interest. “What the hell is this?” He waved the picture at her.
Bile rose in Valorie’s throat. She walked to his side. “I found it over there by the door.” She pointed.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this right away when I walked into the apartment?” his voice cold and lashing.
She licked her lower lip, managing to quell her anger. “Calm down. I’m sorry, I wanted—”
He rushed over to her, grabbing her arm, his grip strong but not bruising he was still gentle with her. He held up the picture. “Valorie, you have to take this shit seriously. Someone is stalking you. This proves, to me, he’s been following you and knows where you live.”
Sheer black fright swept through her. “Why?” She swallowed in fear.
The question lingered between them. “Are you sure there is no one in this building who might have had any contact with you?”
“What do you mean?” she replied in a small frightened voice. Valorie normally didn’t cower easily. The unknown was taking her control away and she didn’t like it.
“Come over here.” He led her to her couch. “Sit down.” Valorie sat down, Liam immediately sat next to her. He stroked her damp curls from her face.
“I have to go to work today.”
His expression stilled and grew serious. “Can you call in?”
Shaking her head, she said, “I have a huge project that I need to finish today. The contractors and builders are waiting. The office building is on a deadline and it’s set for January to begin the build.”
“Alright, wait until I finish here, I need to make sure these video cameras are all working before we leave.” He got up and walked over to the table picking up more wires.
“We, what do you mean?” She leaned back on the couch.
“I’m going to work with you.” He wouldn’t look at her as he twisted a wire in his hand.
“Wait, you don’t have to do that. I’m fine at work.” Valorie’s irritation grew. She couldn’t bring this man in with her. Nobody who was female would get any work done.
“Until I know you’re safe, I’m going to be your constant shadow.”
Valorie leaned back. “Liam, this is crazy. I’m not sure who or why this is happening.”
He gathered her into his arms. It felt good with him holding her. All the years they hadn’t seen each other faded away. This was Liam, her best friend. She let go of the tears she’d been holding in.
“Hey, don’t cry.” He rubbed her back.
“I’m sorry…” She tried to quiet her sobs, her breath hitching as she tried to force the tears to stop.
“There’s no need to apologize. As far as you bothering me, this is what I do for a living, sunshine. I protect people so stop worrying about me or my time. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Can I ask you a question that has been driving me insane?” She couldn’t look him in the eyes. She rested her cheek on his chest. His cologne, a unique blend of fresh air and musk, tickled her nose. The scent of him was intoxicating, turning her libido on overdrive.
“Ask away,” he purred.
“Well, every day while we were in college together you sat up in those bleachers reading a book waiting for something? What were you there for?”
“You.”
His simple answer surprised her. “I need to confess something.” She leaned back and looked up into his blue eyes. “I looked forward to seeing you each morning as well. If you didn’t come, my day was always messed up.”
“Seriously?” He gave her a sidelong glance.
“I really thought I was self-centered and involved in my own personal dramas that I didn’t consider you or how important you were in my life, until I lost you.”
He pulled her back into his chest, his arms tightening.
Valorie couldn’t believe he was so strong but at the same time gentle. They stood that way for a few more minutes before he set her away from him. “Come on now, let me get this camera installed and you need to get to work.”
She missed his warmth. Sitting down on the kitchen chair, she stared at his hands working the wires. “You know, Liam, when those guys pushed you that day in the library, I was so shocked I just stood there.”
“It was a long time ago. I’ve forgotten most of it, you should too.” He reached up and fastened the camera to the top of her cupboard. She knew where it was but nobody would see it up there.
“I’ve tried for years to figure out why Matt hated you as much as he did. I never did figure it out. How about you?”
Liam finished up the install, a few grunts and moans and a “damn it,” before he turned to her. “Don’t know and don’t care. He was a selfish bastard. Last I heard was he got married, had a few kids, and gained a couple hundred pounds. He’s not the hot football quarterback any longer.”
“Would you tell me about your illness?” She’d already gotten ready for work and waited patiently for him to finish the install of the security system. She used caution and didn’t realize what she’d even asked. “Hey no worries, I’m sorry I have no right to know any details.”
“You still talk too much. Great at speaking, horrible at listening.” He turned and winked.
She closed her mouth, the thought she had simply left as fast as it appeared. “I’m sorry it has always been one of my faults.” She giggled. “I’m all ears. Can you share anything?”
“It was a really long time ago, I forgot most of it. Besides I really hate talking about it.” He yawned.
Instantly feeling the guilt, he hadn’t gotten much sleep.
He grinned then kept going with other cameras and hooking wires to them. He mumbled, “Well let me see, I know you were expelled from school for punching Matt. You know I never blamed you for those clowns. Those guys were pieces of shit. You deserved so much better than that frickin’ loser. To be honest, the real reason I dropped out was I had just found out my leukemia was back; that day I’d come into the library for research material on the kind I had and if anything else could be done to make the process easier to handle.”
His answer surprised her. “So you didn’t drop out because of Matt and his friends?” She held her hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry you were so sick? That was the reason?”
“I was tired of college and it had gotten too hard to study because I spent most of the time at the doctors and chemo treatments. My dad was on a mission to find a cure. He was a match with bone marrow, we decided it was best for me to concentrate on my health and the cure. Not too long after that, I found out there was nothing my medical doctors were able to do. I went on an experimental trial. It was a long three years.” He sat down next to her. “But, I heard you yelling at Matt and I also saw you punch him. That’s my girl.” He gently touched her cheek with the back of his hand and leaned in and kissed her lips.
She hated the unwelcomed blush that crept into her cheeks; she hated the fact he’d heard her lose control and hit someone.
“Come on, sweetheart, don’t be embarrassed, it’s just me.” His deep laugh was warm and rich.
“Well you know…” she paused.
“Come on, Valorie, just spit it out.”
She cleared her throat. “Okay well, what would it hurt? When I saw you were injured, I lost it. Yelling at Matt that day felt good.” His gentle laugh rippled through the air.
“Matt got mad, he told me to shut up. He said you were a crybaby who was going to run home and suck your mama’s boob. Eddie had pushed Matt around and teased him that I was in love with you, and I’d been cheating on him.” She leaned in and stole another kiss. She whispered, “Matt was furious, he grabbed my arm and it pissed me off so I punched him. But, you know I must admit, he wasn’t wrong.”
“You were?” he asked and she nodded. “They suspended me until the investigation was over and I missed too many days and barely passed the classes I was in. Most of them I had to retake or my grade point average was too low to keep my scholarship.”
His brows drew together in an angry frown. “I can’t believe you actually stood up to those guys? If I’d known any of that I would have stayed there and tried to protect you.”
“As sick as you were, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. I barely got away with my pride.” She bit her lip to stifle a grin. “When I punched Matt, I actually broke my hand.” She pointed to her left hand. “Had a cast and all. My father was so angry at the school for suspending me that he went in and threatened the school. He knew it was the boys’ fault and not mine. In front of the Dean, he patted me on the back congratulating me on a great jab to the guy’s nose. No matter what, my Dad always had my back and filed charges against each of the boys. When the school still wouldn’t readmit me, my dad rallied until he’d brought the school up on charges of overlooking hazing and bullying which had been a problem for years.” She started to laugh and it was contagious causing him to laugh with her.
“Really?” he spitted out. Gut wrenching laughter had him nearly bent over in half.
She nodded.
“Wow, I admire your father even more.” The warmth of his smile echoed in his voice.
“And, of course, I was daddy’s little girl.” She chuckled with happy memory.
“I need to confess something to you.” Liam held her hand briefly then let go. “I had fallen in love with you during that year in college. Does that make me creepy?”
“No it doesn’t. I thought you had a crush on me but when you left that day and didn’t say a word to me, I was angry. Once I thought rationally, instead of emotionally, I knew you had done what you thought was right for you. I grieved for you, sad I would never see you again.” A hot tear trickled down her cheek, Valorie quickly wiped at it with the back of her hand.
She took deep breathes until she was strong enough to raise her head, looking him in the eyes. Ashamed of her confession, she knew he never meant to hurt her.
“Valorie, I need for you to listen to me,” he spoke with quiet, but desperate firmness. “You did nothing. It was wrong of me for not sharing more with you at the time. I was sick, that was the truth. I’m sorry.” He reached for her, pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly to his body.
“I’m so sorry, Liam. I should have tried harder to find you. Please forgive me for being so selfish. I—I promise, I learned from my mistakes. I’m not like that a-anymore.” Her throat seemed to close up.
“Valorie, what can I say to convince you that you did nothing wrong?” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear.
“Seriously, I wish I had known you were so sick, I would have tried to help you through it.” Biting her lip, she pulled away from him. Conscious of where his warm flesh touched her, she stared at him with longing.
He pulled her roughly, almost violently to him.
She could feel his hard chest against her boobs. Her legs straddled one of his enormous, rock solid thighs.
“Woman, do you know you talk way too much.”
“No, I don’t.” She shook her head.
“There’s only one way to shut you up.” His lips slowly descended to meet hers.
She felt at her own eager response to the touch of his lips.
Leaving her mouth burning with fire, he moved his way to her neck, whispering, “Now that’s better.”
She couldn’t respond, his breath sent flames licking through her veins, his mouth finding hers once again. The kiss was like the soldering heat joining metal. As Liam continued his assault on her senses, Valorie felt a vibration coming from his hard chest. It became so distracting she pulled away slightly, breaking the mood they were presently in. “Are you purring?” she gasped in delight.
Awkwardly, he cleared his throat. The sound instantly gone.
She frowned, worried she had offended him in some way.
“Well—”
She held up her hand. “There’s no way. My tired brain must be messing with me. Sorry, I totally ruined that amazing kiss.” She felt her face heat up.
“No, I’m sorry, I should explain.”
Valorie shook her head. “Hey, no worries really, I’m not so smart with men.” Seeing the amusement in his eyes, she laughed. “Oh gosh, I’m an emotional mess, Liam. Let’s just stop where we’re at and refigure things. I need to get ready for work. Can you give me a few minutes?”
“I have a little left to do around here anyways. Go, get out of my view, woman, you’re just too distracting.”
The humor Liam created lightened the mood, Valorie felt whole again. She had one question she needed answered. “Liam?”
He turned facing her. “Yeah.”
“How did you make it through all of your illness? Why didn’t you tell your friends in college, maybe they would have understood?”
He shook his head. “Nah, baby doll, I had my family, they were my support system. I had you as my only friend in college, there was no way I was going to tell you.”
Valorie wanted to give him comfort, she stepped forward.
“Wait, just wanted you to know, you were my angel. As far as others, I had to go through five guys to figure out people didn’t care about me. There were even rumors going around from previous roommates I had an eating disorder.”
“I’m so sorry. It was the chemo treatments, wasn’t it?” She reached for his hand and frowned. All she got from him was a slight nod and he let her touch him briefly then he pulled away from her completely.
“Let’s forget all that, I have. It doesn’t matter anyways. I’m completely cured and I should not have to worry about this shit coming back. Now, move it, woman, let’s get you to work.” He tapped her on the butt.
It felt nice to have him in her life once again. In so many ways, he was still the same old Liam.
As she finished getting ready, she thought about what they talked about. Valorie knew she’d had been the lucky one, they had found each other again. Appreciating him more now than in college, putting those days behind her was a relief. The guilt had eaten away at her over the years, she didn’t realize how much until now.