Surrendering To His Mrs. Right (Soul Food Diner) (13 page)

“I’ve got us tickets to the hottest DJ showdown in LA,” he said.

“Sounds like fun.” Though the idea of partying with a bunch of strangers didn’t do it for her, she smiled.

“I slept
through the flight to make sure I was ready to party the night away.” Brenda had probably put him to good use his last night there.

“I’m going to need a nap when we get in otherwise I won’t make it to midnight.” Lisa had been non-stop the last few days.

“Then we better get hopping. We’re meeting the gang out front.” Liam wrapped his arm around her. “You and I have solo dinner plans before.”

Tim stepped toward the exit. “Any other bags?”

“Just the carryon.” Liam kissed her temple. “These are for you.” In his hand were a bag of Swedish Berries.

He could be sweet sometimes. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, baby girl.” He darted his gaze over at Tim before settling it on her. “Look at you dressed up fine to come get me.”

The only problem was when she’d picked out what to wear she was thinking of Tim and not Liam. What did that say about her? She
…was …confused.

“I was sure you liked your women with less clothing on.”

“Seems she’s got your number.” Tim piped in.

The two locked stares.

“Sometimes taking it off can be fun.” Liam grinned broadly as he goaded his brother.

Shit was Liam ever trying to pick fight with Tim. “You a
in't getting my clothes off. For all I know you’ve got the nasties down there.”

Tim laughed.

“Um, Indy you just called my cock ‘down there.’ That’s it, you’re never allowed to hang out with Tim again.”

“Whatev, Mr. Stick-my-dick-wherever-whoever.” There was no way he would tell her who she could be friends with. “I don’t want to be vulgar in public.”

“That’s my baby girl. Be your dirty little vulgar self.”

Liam didn’t want her to go there. She liked Tim and wouldn’t stand by while Liam mocked him
, no matter how inferior to the man he felt. Tim was a class act and deserved respect. Truth was, Liam’s stabs at his brother only made him look like a fool.

“You can be such an asshole.” She picked up the pace to the car. “I’m not in the mood for your childish crap.”

“Now you’ve upset her,” Tim said.

The smile vanished from
Liam’s face. He finally got how little she felt like listening to a Tim bashing session.

“Stay out of it, bro.” He waved his brother off. “Indy, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I just flew halfway around the country on a redeye to ring in the New Year with my best friend and you’re totally giving me attitude.” Liam stopped next to the car
and blocked the door.

“You didn’t have to, Liam.”

“Of course I didn’t. I wanted to.”

“Where
’s Brenda?”

“With her p
eeps. What’s with the interrogation?”

“One question do
esn’t add up to being grilled.”

“Are you even happy I came back?”

“I don’t know yet.” She turned from him.

Liam put his bag in the trunk and she pulled the seat forward so he could get in the back. Indy sat up front
with her arms crossed. Nothing felt right at the moment. Tim felt far away and Liam didn’t belong in this picture. Why had she cowered over at Lisa’s place the last few days rather than spending time with Tim? Fear. But of what exactly? She couldn’t put her finger on it. Long ago, she’d lost Liam. There never really been a chance for her with him. He was the kind of man that had his fun and moved on. She, on the other hand, she wanted kids and a home. The thrill of taming Liam beckoned her as if it were a real possibility. So did the hope of him wanting her too. Though she knew it would never happen. He’d be forty, still drinking and fucking his life away. A brilliant, sought after architect that no one wanted to speak to. A madman possibly. By then she would be settled down and still wondering what it would be like to be fucked senseless by him.

“Are you going to drive by
Mom or Dad’s places to say hi?” Tim asked Liam.

Those words were sure to set Liam off. If he could manage it, he
would never speak to the individuals that had conceived him. He had his father’s guilt Jeep, the bitterness in his heart, and it kept him cold through to the bone.

“Not today I’m not.” Liam leaned his head back. “I’m not in the mood to deal with Dad and his latest knocked up teenage girlfriend. Nor Mom and her boy toy.”

She’d been shocked when Liam had said he was glad the last one had lost the baby. Despite the fact that the affair had been the one to break up the family, his words were cruel. He carried such hate for his parents. It wasn’t hard to imagine how he’d treat her if he felt she’d betrayed him.

Silence filled the space with a suffocating stillness. Tim’s eyes remained focused on the road. Not once since the glance in the airport had he looked at her.

* * * *

Indy waited as Liam opened the door to his Jeep for her. It was weird. Liam was behaving strange
ly, and she wished she could go back to how things had been between them before. Her wanting him and him ignoring her. That sounded utterly awful for her to say.

Geoffrey’s Malibu was a nice spot with a view of the ocean.

The maître d’ gestured them in and asked for the reservation name. They had a special New Year’s Menu, decorations and a dance floor. It would seem he’d put some effort into planning this evening.

Liam smiled and
slipped his arm around her waist. For a second she froze.

He looked perplexed. “Are you sure everything
’s all right?”

All day he’d been asking her that. With a nod, she followed him to the booth the maitre d’ directed them to.

Liam motioned for her to take a seat. Candles lit the cozy space. She slid in, and he slipped in next to her.

“Tonight’s menu is preset. Dinner will be served shortly. Your waiter will bring your drinks out momentarily.”

Liam smelled of his smooth cologne—the one he wore when on the prowl for sex. In the distance the sun was setting in a beautiful array of pinks and blues.

“You look beautiful tonight.” Liam’s gaze met hers.

Those weren’t words he used with her
. You’re hot. I’d bang you
was more what she’d expect him to say. But the truth was, she wasn’t that hot to him, and he wouldn’t bang her. Nor did she want to be banged.

“Thank you,” she said.

Tim had barely spoken to her all day after they’d picked up Liam. When she’d come downstairs dressed for dinner he’d complimented her and headed upstairs. She’d dressed up for going out with Liam and even that seemed off somehow.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Tim.” Shit. She hadn’t meant to say that.

Liam’s facial expression changed. “I knew this would happen. This entire time I’ve been trying to look out for you. I know how dreamy
-eyed you can be.”

“Not like that.” At least her thoughts hadn’t gone there yet. “It’s New Year’s Eve and he’s home alone.”

“Don’t feel sorry for Tim, Indy. This isn’t his thing. Socializing. Going out dancing. You thrive on the energy.”

Tim could dance. Maybe not clubbing but that wasn’t such a bad thing. Campus life wasn’t all glamorous. She had to force herself to go out to the frat parties and mingle but she’d had more than her fill o
f the same Q and A over and over again. Did Liam know her or did he have some kind of strange perception of her?

The waiter arrived with glasses filled with red liquid. “The wines have been chosen to accompany the meal.”

“Thank you.”

The last time she
’d wine she’d gotten out of hand.

Liam wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “How’s school
, my brilliant soon-to-be lawyer friend?”

“School itself is fine but I still hate Yale and I’m not big on the east coast. I’m west coast to the core. If I do a masters
, I’m not sticking around. And you?”

“The weather
’s harsh but Cornell is for me. I’m hoping to go on the abroad summer program or intern. I’m not even thinking past my degree yet. Though I should. My professor sent my latest project to a friend of his at one of the big firms in New York.”

“I’m happy for you.” She hugged him.

He squeezed her tight. “If it weren’t for you, Indy, I wouldn’t have been ready when football was no longer an option.”

“I just nudged you. That’s what friends do.” As she pulled back, he tucked her closer.

“I’ve missed you a lot.” He released her then sipped the wine. “Very nice.”

It didn’t matter
, she wasn’t touching the wine. No more than one drink tonight. She couldn’t risk saying or doing something she’d regret. Not when Liam was acting so strange.

Liam held Indy to his body
, bumping and grinding into her taut physique. It was nearing two AM and the trance bass had taken him over, setting the pace of his movements. He wanted to unite with her. Claim her. He thrust his crotch against her bottom, sure she could feel how hard he was. There were the small matters of his girlfriend and Indy’s virginity. The last thing he wanted was her to regret being with him. Maybe first thing in the morning? He could dump Brenda tonight and have Indy by the break of dawn.

Finding out she’d been hanging around with Tim
had unleashed an ugly side of him. Liam had been cruel to his best friend. The anger at the knowledge that she was spending time with his brother erupted. Hands on her hips, he rubbed his cock into her firm ass. She had to feel what touching her did to him. He would make sure she understood.

A girl clad in leather sauntered over to them. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with an interruption. Thankfully
, he didn’t recognize her.

“I’ve been watching the two of you all night. If you ever want a third in your bed call me.” She licked her lips and handed Indy a card. “You’re a hot couple. I would do you both.”

That was the thing, they weren’t a couple. “We are beautiful together.” Her warm brown skin against his pale white flesh.

Indy’s gaze met his in the reflective surface of the walls. Liam slid his hands over hips
then slipped them between her breasts. “I love how you feel in my arms.”

Indy pushed his hands off her and stepped back. “Enough, Liam.”

“Indy?” Crap. Which of his action had overstepped the line? “What’s wrong?”

“Let’s head home.” She crossed her arms.

He had gone too far or said something that annoyed her. “I’ll back off.” Usually she just told him what a moron he was being but today she was shutting him out. Even at the restaurant she’d felt distant.

She sighed. “I’ve gotten the partying thing out of my system. Let’s just call it a night.”

Liam nodded. “Sure.” Was it the celebration that was out of her system or her interest in him?

They went over to the crew and said their goodbyes. Indy stood by the exit
, wearing a long, blue suede skirt and a low-cut beige blouse.

He ushered her to his jeep. Not a word between them. “How are your grades?”

“In the top two percent of the class. Well on my way to being LA’s next infamous lawyer.”

“Sexy, smart and independent.” Liam smiled. “A triple threat. What else could a guy want?”

“Sex, as you so often point out?” She pushed her hair out of her face then placed the girl from the bar’s card in his cup holder. “I’m sure she’ll be more than willing to put out.”

“Is someone pressuring you for sex?” No way would his brother
. Saint Tim would probably hold off until they were married to pop her cherry. He gripped the steering wheel. The thought of his brother banging Indy made his blood boil.

“No.” She rolled her eyes. “Liam, no one will touch me with a ten-foot pole.”

“Stop fucking joking.”

“I’m not desirable because I haven’t let every guy that flatters me stick his prick in me and stab the box.”

“What the hell?” True, he didn’t really want sleep with a virgin. He’d thought she would’ve hooked up with someone by now. “Is that how you see sex?” That didn’t seem like a healthy attitude.

“Maybe it’s a byproduct of having you as
a best friend. You’re into some out there stuff.”

Ouch. All right
, he slept around a lot but the girls were more than willing to accommodate him. Guess that confirmed it, she was more into vanilla than spice. All the talk of the dom stuff had been to find out if she’d be into submitting to him.

“Do you love every girl you sleep with?”

He glanced over at her.

“Is any of what you say to them sincere when you
’re trying to get into their pants?”

He stared out
at the dark highway in front of him. At least he knew what she thought of him and his man-whore ways.