Liam froze behind me, his body going rigid. I pushed on. “But then I met you. When I’m with you…I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like the colors of the world seem brighter. I see things I would’ve missed before.”
I turned my head so that I could meet his gaze. “You make this life so much more beautiful.”
Liam took my mouth in a hard kiss. When he pulled away, his eyes were blazing. “I’m pretty sure you should be the one writing love songs.”
I giggled, and Liam groaned. He grew hard inside me again. My eyes widened. “Really? So soon?”
Liam grinned. “I’m pretty much insatiable around you.”
* * *
The morning rushat the Kettle was insane. Summer was officially upon us. The tourists had descended, and we were a popular stop on their way into town. Jensen had even put Liam to work grabbing orders of baked goods and passing them out to customers.
It was hilarious to see their double-takes as Liam served them. One middle-aged woman even stopped him, saying, “Has anyone ever told you, you’re the spitting image of Liam Fairchild?”
Liam had shrugged. “I get that a lot.”
Jensen and I had dissolved into laughter. As busy as we were, as heavy as the threat was that lay in wait, I loved this day. Working alongside two of my favorite people in the world, the energy of tourists who were excited to experience the beauty that was Sutter Lake, it invaded my system and gave my blood a happy buzz.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jensen’s voice boomed from the front of the shop.
I stuck my head out of the kitchen to see Bridgette hovering in front of the bakery case. She straightened invisible wrinkles in her skirt. “Come on, you weren’t really serious about banning me, were you? You make the best chai latte in town.”
Jensen’s hands went to her hips. “You should have thought of that before you were such a raving you know what.”
I fought my giggle at Jensen’s attempt to keep it clean around a shop full of families. Bridgette’s eyes narrowed on me. “This is your fault. I bet you’ve been crying to Jensen, trying to get her to ban me for months.”
I straightened, taking a step forward. “Actually, I find you rather amusing. If you weren’t so disruptive to our customers, I’d ask you to stay.”
The red on Bridgette’s cheeks deepened. “You’re the one who’s amusing. This whole town laughs at you behind your back. At how weird you are. Like a mangy, skittish cat.”
I didn’t want the jab about my weirdness to hit home. I tried to deflect it, but it was still a glancing blow. I knew people occasionally thought I was odd. I’d always decided that strange was better than letting someone close enough to hurt me. That wasn’t who I was anymore, but I still had love for the girl who’d had to keep her distance from others to protect herself, to keep her shields up while she took the time to heal—until she was strong enough to let people in again.
I took a deep breath. “Bridgette, you use words like weapons. One of these days, all those vicious arrows you’ve slung are going to come back to you ten-fold. I hope you’re prepared for that.” I believed it. Karma was a powerful thing, and I was sure Bridgette would get hers.
Bridgette sneered. “You’re the one who should be careful about what’s coming for you. Just you wait.” And with that, she turned on her heel and left. I sighed. Clearly, Bridgette was not done bringing me into her drama.
Liam turned to Jensen and me. “What is wrong with that girl?”
Jensen shook her head. “Not enough cuddles as a child? Daddy didn’t buy her the pony she wanted for her eighth birthday?”
Liam chuckled and crossed to give me a kiss. “I was really tempted to throw a muffin at her head, but it seemed like you had it handled. You okay?”
I grinned at the mental image of Bridgette being pelted with a marionberry muffin. “Thanks for not stepping in.”
I knew it was hard for Liam. It was in his nature to come between me and anything that might cause me pain. So, it meant even more that he supported me while I fought my battles but didn’t try to fight them for me. Liam knew that I had spent years under someone’s thumb, every last second of my life seemingly under that person’s control. Liam empowered me to be stronger so that I could stand on my own, knowing that he’d always be there whenever I called.
I pressed my mouth to his and whispered against his lips, “I love you.”
Jensen cleared her throat. “Okay, lovebirds, this is cute and all, but I could really use some help over here.”
I looked up to see a long line of customers waiting to be served. My cheeks heated. “Sorry about that. What can I do?”
Jensen grinned at me. “We’re running low on just about everything. Will you grab napkins, to-go cups, and the other essentials from the pantry?”
“No problem. I’ll be back in a few.” I started for the back of the shop.
Jensen handed a customer her change. “Come on, lover boy. Start plating some treats.”
