

# Synopsis

Maci strives for one thing in life--anonymity. With her writing career in full bloom, all she wants is to work in peace while concealing her true identity from the public. Though readers love the science fiction worlds she creates, Maci knows that gender stereotypes could damage her career if she is exposed as a woman.

Liam is the envy of all gamers as the lead developer for nZone Studios. Over time, he builds walls around himself, keeping people at arm's length who only gravitate to him for his material possessions rather than who he is as a person.

With thick barriers around their hearts and their past looming in the shadows, Liam and Maci challenge each other by slowly peeling away their protective layers and seeing each other for who they really are. It doesn't take long after their chance meeting at a coffee shop for them to become one another's game changer.

Note: If a strong, quirky heroine makes you roll your eyes, If you hate sexy heroes who would rather lose a game than the woman of their dreams, if fast-moving relationships and hot sex aren't your thing, if you can't stand when humor is used to cover up life's awkward moments, if cliffhangers anger you beyond comprehension... this series is not your cup of tea. This contemporary romance novel is the first book in the Playing Games series and contains adult situations meant for ages 18+.

Find out more on Rene's website at

<http://renefolsom.com/playing-games>

Copyright (C) 2014 Rene Folsom

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission from the authors, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Editing Services Provided by:

Cynthia Shepp - www.CynthiaShepp.com

Cover Created by Phycel Designs

www.Phycel.com

A special thanks to ML--

thanks for keeping me in line and making sure my gaming references are spot on.

# Table of Contents

Synopsis

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Thanks for Reading

Books by Rene

# Prologue

Maci: Anonymity

As soon as the door to my pod slid closed, I knew we were finally alone. The sound of his footsteps nearing me increased, seeming to fill the small space with an electrical charge that coursed through my body and down to my core.

Sciron, the small planet I once called home, was now fraught with evil--faces of my own species taken over by a demonic spirit I could only describe as foul and cruel continued to riddle my thoughts like diseased vines weaving their way through my sensitive soul. The sight of many other alien life forms taken in as slaves nearly had my hearts breaking into shards. Watching my own kind being so cruel had me thankful I'd joined this team of voyagers, and I sighed with relief that our foraging trip went as planned. I was all too eager to get the hell out of dodge and away from this galaxy as soon as possible.

Despite the planet's decline, the time spent on Sciron's surface was one of excitement and adventure, which seemed to increase the already edgy sexual tension between Captain Evans and myself.

Grazing his fingertip on my bare shoulder, he traced the line of my strap. My flesh tingled and beaded with chills at his touch. His lips inched close to my ear and his breath feathered over my skin as he whispered, "You okay?"

My hearts picked up pace, their frantic beating filling the silence of the room with an even rhythm. I turned to him, well aware his breathing had increased in my presence.

"I'll be just fine once your lips are touching mine, Captain." I tried desperately to sound confident as I put the moves on the human male who was considered my boss. Regardless of how rare interspecies relationships were, I couldn't ignore our attraction anymore. Scirons and humans were very close in both looks and intelligence, and as long as you didn't count the slight neurological and biological differences, our pairing made perfect sense.

His broad hand came up to cup my cheek. "You know that's not what I meant, Fidorah."

I sighed at the sound of my name from his lips. Oh, what this human did to me was beyond comprehension. He made me feel things I never knew were possible, and he still had yet to kiss me.

I nodded, never allowing my eyes to leave his--orange against blue--like a planetary sunset I'd once experienced light-years away. "I'm fine, really. I just can't take this anymore," I said with a waver to my voice, gesturing between our bodies like it would somehow reinforce the connection.

His answering grin let me know he was in agreement, clearly just as tuned into me as I was to him.

Bowing his head, he said, "I've been waiting for so long to do this." Without another breath, he placed his lips against mine in a scorching embrace. It didn't take long for my insides to melt from his touch, while he traced his fingertips up my body and began unzipping the vintage vinyl top that hugged my curves like a second skin.

The slow removal of our clothing was such delicious torture. My body craved his touch more than stars needed light, and I knew as soon as he touched me in my most sensitive areas, I would be done for.

"Oh, Evans," I whimpered while he carried my light, feral body over to my small bunk. Laying me down against the plush surface, he hovered over me and palmed my face with his broad hand, gazing into my eyes as if seeing me was more important than his next breath.

"So beautiful," he mumbled against my lips before thrusting his warm tongue inside my mouth, hot tangling with cold--such a delicious combination of conflicting sensations that gracefully described our odd pairing.

In one swift, gentle move, Captain Evans filled me, making me cry out, coating the room with sounds of pure ecstasy. I'd never had a human make me feel so alive, so at peace with myself and my lot in life. As he made love to me, I knew this was where I belonged--here, in his arms, beneath his powerful body, and under his full control.

It didn't take long before my body began to tremble, an overwhelmingly warm feeling tightening inside me, screaming for relief. The urge to burst from the inside out continued to swell deep in my abdomen as I focused on the motion of him pushing and pulling over and over again. My breaths came out in ragged, short bursts while my hearts felt like they would pound from my chest. I didn't know a man could cause these kinds of feelings in me, and the sensations were too overpowering for words to describe.

Looking deep into my eyes, Evans made a few more quick thrusts of his hips, sending me over the edge into a free fall, as if my body was floating in space with no tethers or attachments to keep me held down. I cried out, my mouth forming some incoherent form of his name, as he made me climax around him. It didn't take long for him to follow suit, the sight of him coming inside me taking my breath away.

Once the captain made me writhe with desire and both our bodies were sated, I couldn't seem to get enough of him. Lying in my tiny bunk, nestled away in the corner of my pod on his rather large cargo ship, I stared at his gorgeous form and willed for this moment to never end.

With our faces eerily close together, Evans cracked one eye open and smiled.

"What?" he asked, wondering why I had been examining his features so diligently.

"What happens now, Captain? What happens with... well, with us?" I asked, worried this little intimate time we'd spent together would soon come to an end.

Adjusting his torso, he held his arm out and invited me to snuggle into the nook against his chest. After I was finally situated and oh so comfortable, his body rumbled with the vibration of his deep, sexy voice.

"Well, the way I see it, we have no other choice. We have the entire universe ahead of us, Fidorah. And I'd love nothing more than to spend every moment with you in the stars."

The End.

As I typed that last little phrase, making my manuscript nearly one hundred and thirty thousand words, a nervous feeling abruptly enveloped me and my breathing became more rapid. This final scene that wrapped up the end of my book was by far the steamiest piece of material I had ever written, and the possibility that Science Fiction readers would hate me for it was not to be ignored.

Considering I chose anonymity with regards to my literary identity, this particular scene was bound to stir up some rumors. I had to face facts--male authors usually didn't tap into the realm of romance or sexual scenes without some sort of backlash from readers, yet it was also not common for female authors to have such astounding success in the Sci-Fi genre as I have had. I would've been an idiot to ignore the possibility of what this ending would mean for my reputation.

Selecting the entire scene, my finger hovered over the delete button, and I seriously weighed my options. Indecision bounced around in my head, making me dizzy. Before I made a huge mistake, I saved my document and closed down the word processor, my heart beating frantically at the realization I was being so bold.

Of course, my editor, Samantha, would never allow me to make a game-changing mistake if she felt it was just too much for my readers to handle. She would ultimately step up to put me in my place if she thought I was committing career-suicide with my words.

The thought still didn't stop the frantic feeling of anxiety and adrenaline pumping through my veins as I attached the document and emailed my latest story in the Celestial Series to Sam.

It never failed... Typing The End and pressing the bloody publish button were two tasks I never took lightly. My mind would always dream up some reason to freak the fuck out.

# Chapter One

Maci: Smell the Coffee

Pushing my way through the doors of my favorite coffee shop, I sighed in disbelief. The joint was packed tighter than a barrel of monkeys, and the fact that my favorite place to write was now becoming a noisy circus didn't improve my mood.

Well, I'm here now. Might as well knock out a few thousand words.

My hair blew into my face as more people piled in, the air from the open door whooshing around my head in a frenzy and drowning out the smell of fresh coffee I so enjoyed.

As if it had a shiny, bright beacon calling for my attention, I spotted a small booth to the far side of the shop. Nearly leaping over other patrons, I darted toward the table and unloaded my laptop case and belongings in a sloppy heap of a mess. The plastic bag from the bookstore I'd just left made a seemingly permanent impression in my arm.

New books were always worth a few injuries though.

Blowing my hair from my face with a huff, I scanned my surroundings, worried to leave my things unattended while I got in line for a mocha, yet I also didn't want to lose my table by taking them with me. The place was loud with a constant hum of voices, all trying to outdo each other in volume. A cackling laughter came from someone a few tables over, causing my eyes to become intimate with the back of my sockets as each new, annoying giggle from her grated on my nerves.

"Maci," Ramon yelled from behind the counter. "You sit--I'll bring your usual," he added with a smile and a slight head bob before turning away. I was happy Ramon's little coffee shop was doing so well, but damn if it didn't irritate the shiz outta me that I had to share my sanctuary with a bunch of other people in this city. I always considered this place to be my haven--my writing cave of sorts. I'd written so many amazing scenes in this little cafe, and I wasn't usually known for sharing what I considered to be my space.

I needed to take a few breaths and calm myself. I knew I was just annoyed by the early deadlines my publisher forced on me almost immediately after finishing my book last week. If I could only find some time to write, I wouldn't be quite so bothered by every little thing around me.

"Ahh, a mocha for the lovely Maci," Ramon said as he set it in front of me with a flourish. "So good to see your beautiful face every day."

"Thank you, Ramon. I hate to be such a bother when you're so busy," I responded with a wave of my hand, gesturing to the throng of people throughout the place. The smell of the fresh mocha hit my nose at that precise moment, causing my eyes to flutter shut and my mind to wander--at least until Ramon spoke again.

"Anything for you. I put some coupons in the local paper and all these people have come to check us out. Isn't it wonderful?" he asked with obvious excitement bubbling in his light Italian accent.

"So very wonderful. Now that you've gotten their attention, I'm sure they'll be lifetime customers just like me," I said with honesty. Regardless of how put out I felt, I knew this meant a lot for his business.

"Oh, I hope so," he said with a clap of his hands. "You enjoy. Just get my attention when you're ready for another."

"Thanks. Will do." As he walked away with pep in his step, I chuckled and took a sip of my coffee.

Oh, that's good.

My eyes nearly rolled into the back of my head with pure bliss, and it was all I could do not to moan out loud. Ramon knew how to make a damn good mocha.

Craving to get started, I shoved my earbuds into my ears before pulling my MacBook from my case and bringing it to life, impatiently strumming my fingers on the tabletop. Needing to get back into the groove after neglecting to write all weekend, I let the music fill my ears and tune out all the noise around me as I read over the last chapter I feverishly wrote in the middle of the night on Friday. As soon as I dove in, ideas began to flow and, before I knew it, I had written nearly three thousand words without so much as looking up from my screen.

It felt so good to write again after ignoring the voices in my head over the past several days. They needed their time in the limelight.

Taking another sip of my mocha, I realized it was long gone. All I had to do was look in Ramon's direction and hold my cup in the air. Without hesitation, he began making another for me. I was beyond thankful for his faithfulness, never forgetting us little people during his new rush of coupon fame.

He brought it in a flash of silence, clearly needing to get back behind the counter.

Taking a much-needed break from the tiny words on my screen, I looked around and noticed the place hadn't died down one little bit. Each table was occupied, and more people were coming and going by the minute. That must've been one hell of a coupon he advertised to cause this much of a traffic jam.

Before I could pull my eyes away from the door, a tall, thin man walked in wearing average clothes--a pair of surprisingly well-fitted jeans and a tee that said "Eat. Sleep. Game." across the chest. Not that I was one to judge the appearance of others, but he definitely didn't seem like the gamer type I would normally be attracted to. The confidence he so easily wore--cocky and entitled--was the first thing that made me realize he was probably one of those wannabe gamers... a poser of the nerd variety.

Such a pity, I thought, and brought my attention back to my writing.

"Yeah, that's not happening, Thad... I don't need a reason..."

A loud, booming voice broke my focus and nearly had me gripping my hair with frustration. He was loud enough to overpower the music flooding through my earbuds. Looking back up over my laptop, I noticed the cocky geek boy talking on his cell, oblivious to the fact he was being extremely rude to those around him.

"Dude, you're not listening to me. I don't need a date."

Silencing his gob for a few seconds, he grabbed his coffee from the barista and scanned the room, his eyes landing on the chair across from where I sat.

I was shaking my head before he even had a chance to ask. He looked put out at first, but then took a few more steps in my direction and flashed a pretty-boy smile.

"Hang on, Thad," he barked before pointing with one of the fingers he used to hold his cup. Reluctantly, I pulled the buds from my ears and scowled in hopes of silently getting my point across. "Mind if I sit with you? There's nowhere else to sit, and I'm waiting for someone."

I hesitated. Was I really mean enough to tell him he had to stand when I was clearly not using the chair? Then again, he was obviously unaware of how utterly annoying his loud conversation had been.

Deciding I wasn't a cruel person, I extended my hand out, gesturing for him to sit, while never allowing the irritated expression to leave my face.

One nod of his head was all the thanks I got as he plopped in the chair and continued the loud argument on his cell phone. Irritation continued to thrum through my veins.

"Again, who cares if I go stag? The event wouldn't even be happening if it weren't for me. Who's to say I must take a date? Okay, look... I'll find a date on my own. No... I don't need you setting me up with anyone. All the women you come up with are nothing but mon--" He cut himself off, glancing at me and the frustrated facial expression that must've been burning holes into the side of his pretty little head. "Look, Thad, just come pick me up at Ramon's Cafe on the south side of town once you're done."

By the time he hung up his phone, I was seething. With my arms crossed over my chest and my foot tapping loudly on the floor, I was clearly irritated with the useless intrusion.

"I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your important phone call?" I asked, sarcasm seeping through every word that spilled from my mouth.

"Nope, not at all. I was about to hang up on him anyway," he said with a laugh.

Oh, so the cocky geek thinks he's funny?

His answer infuriated me. The least he could've done was apologize for being rude. He was lucky his phone didn't end up in the trashcan--or the toilet--that'd be even better.

My eyes narrowed, but he just continued to look at me with humor in his stare. The depth of his striking, blue eyes disarmed me a bit. I wasn't expecting them to look so... so... blue... and seemingly familiar. I internally scolded myself at the stupid thought.

"Well, if you don't mind, I have work to do," I retorted, clearing my head with a shake and bringing my gaze back to my computer. He persisted to stare at me with a slight smirk outlining his features.

"What kind of work do you do?" he asked. Seriously, the man wasn't getting the hint.

"I'm sorry, Mr....?"

"Liam."

"Mr. Liam."

"No, just Liam."

"Okay, well, Liam..." I put an extra snarky emphasis on his name to prove to him I wasn't a dummy. "I apologize for being rude, but my work is none of your business."

"Fair enough," he said with a nod. Again, those damn eyes seemed to capture me. They were a breathtaking mix of the sky and ocean--so deep and crisp. I almost had the urge to ask where I had seen him before. No, that'd make him think I was interested, and I wasn't. Really, I wasn't. "So..." His voice brought me out of my obvious ogling and back to reality.

Cocky geek. You must remember he's a cocky geek.

"So?" I said, lifting my brow and pretending to be unaffected.

"Well, my name is Liam. And yours is?" He extended his hand out to me.

"Busy," I barked back while grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Busy. Okay, busy. Nice to meet you, busy. Come here often, busy?" he joked, only it wasn't funny.

"Maci," Ramon hollered as he approached the table. Cocky geek raised his brows in surprise--aware he now knew my name and therefore beat me at my own game of evasion. "I see you've met Liam, my other lifelong customer."

"Yes, we're getting acquainted. Thank you, Ramon," I said kindly, not wanting him to sense our tension and feel the need to choose sides. Liam just stared at me with a smug grin on his face, and I wasn't sure whether I wanted to smack it off him or ask him to come closer so I could feel those dimples for myself.

"Would you like more?" Ramon asked, pointing to my nearly empty cup.

"No thanks. I need to be going soon anyway," I responded with a smile before looking back at Liam.

"Very good, I'll just put it all on your tab."

"Thank you, Ramon."

"Have a lovely day, Maci," he yelled as he walked away.

"Maci. Now, was that so hard?" Liam asked, making me scowl in return.

I didn't say anything as I closed my laptop and stowed it in my bag. I needed to find a new, less-distracting writing hole, and I needed to do it soon, before this man looked at me with those beautiful, familiar eyes again.

"So, Maci," he hissed, accentuating my name like I did his. "How would you like to go to a very stuffy, black-tie charity function with me next weekend?"

Shocked, I stopped my fumbling and stared at the man like he had horns growing from his head. Flipping an errant lock of hair from my face, I gawked at him and squeaked, "Excuse me?"

"A charity event. It'll probably be less boring if you come along. What do you say?"

"I say you're on crack if you think I'll make a good date to your swanky event." I couldn't believe he was seriously asking me. This had to be some prank. I'd been nothing but snarky and condescending to him. No way he'd want me on his arm all night.

"So, is that a yes?" he asked, standing along with me like a true gentleman.

"No, Liam. I'm sorry, but that's a big no," I said, attempting to squeeze my way around him and toward the door. My laptop case nearly knocked over the chair he was sitting in. Just as I dodged around it, the bag of books I purchased clattered to the floor.

Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I willed the color of embarrassment to leave my cheeks as Liam picked up the books and held them out to me. A slight nod was all the thanks I could manage as I took it from him and began bolting for the exit.

And, of course, he followed me.

"Will you at least think about it? You have almost two weeks. I come to this coffee shop almost every day. So, we ca--"

"Wait," I said, interrupting his babbling as I swung around to face him. "How come I've never seen you in here?"

"Because you usually have your nose stuck so far up that computer, one would think it was using your memory instead of its own RAM," he replied with a chuckle.

"Thank you for reminding me why I said no." With that, I turned on my heel and walked out.

# Chapter Two

Liam: Distractions

I couldn't contain my laughter as I watched her walk away. Christ. Why did women have to be so infuriating? Regardless of how much she seemed to loathe me, I found her snarky attitude to be... entertaining. Not to mention her looks. She was simply captivating.

"Maci, wait up!" I yelled as I ran after her on the sidewalk. She chanced a glance over her shoulder, but never stopped walking, seeming to pick up her pace at the sound of my voice. I must've lost my mind. I never chased women, and it came as no surprise she was running for the hills. Most women only saw me as a paycheck, once they knew who I was. And Ms. Maci had no idea.

Her long, blonde hair flowed behind her in waves with each large step she took, accentuating the subtle strands of bright colors she had mixed in, yet her stride was no match for mine. Catching up to her, I said, "I just wanted to apologize. I'm not usually a dick. You just had the word no written across your forehead before I even got a word in. I found it... different."

"Apology accepted. But I'm still not going anywhere with you," she said without even looking in my direction.

A whistle from the curb caught my attention before I heard the yelling, causing me to stop mid-step. "Dude, what are you doing? We gotta go," Thad yelled while gripping the roll bars and standing upright in the driver's seat of my Jeep Wrangler, tapping at his watch with impatience.

I smiled at the sight of the new golden snitch hanging on my rearview mirror.

Turning back to face Maci, I was surprised to see she was gone. Whipping my head around and scanning the area, I managed to catch sight of her retreating form into a set of glass doors leading into an office building--her colorful hair a dead giveaway.

"Pembroke Publishing," I whispered while reading the sign on the door. There was no need to memorize the familiar name, and I suddenly wondered if she'd be able to set up a meeting with my favorite Sci-Fi author they represented. They were a small publishing house, catering mostly to Indies who needed some help and advice when it came to getting their work out there.

"Seriously, Liam," Thad shouted again. "I can't stay parked here, and we have a raid scheduled. Come. On."

Rolling my eyes, I walked to the driver's side and pushed him out of my way. "Fine, but I'm driving my own goddamned car."

"Thank you, Thad, for getting it detailed for me. Oh, no problem, Liam. It was my pleasure," Thad mocked, pretending to be all butt-hurt I didn't bow down and kiss his feet.

"You're such a whiny brat. You wouldn't've had to get it detailed if you didn't spill your fucking Mountain Dew all over the seats," I reminded him as my engine roared to life, and I pulled away from the curb. Flicking the golden snitch, I asked, "Where'd you get this?"

"Some cute redhead at the detail shop was selling them. Said she made it herself. I thought it'd be a perfect addition to your nerd-mobile here." He paused before his grin widened, and he added, "Plus, it was easier to get her number after buying something from her."

I chuckled. "Well, thank you for that then."

*****

While mindless gaming before bed seemed to calm my thoughts, I'd had little success sleeping last night. What was it about that Maci chick? Yeah, she was cute, especially with her casual attire and colorful hair. But that sort of thing didn't usually keep my mind so overwhelmed.

Was it that she didn't like me? Maybe. I always seemed to attract women who thought my job was cool and my money even cooler. They tended to cake their personalities with false pretenses--shaping themselves into women they thought I would want to keep around rather than being themselves.

As the lead game developer of nZone Studios, I had a knack for attracting women who felt the need to use me in one way or another. Whether it be a status within the gaming community or, hell, even a way to get their foot in the door as a tester--they all seemed to have an ulterior motive, one that never involved me specifically, but rather my rank on the totem pole.

With that in mind, Maci's take-no-shit attitude toward me had my interest piqued. She--

"Mr. Allen... Mr. Allen?"

"Earth to Liam..."

"What?" Looking up, I noticed several eyes staring at me, probably waiting for some sort of response to whatever they'd been going on about. I knew this pitch meeting wasn't going to be a good idea this morning.

Thad looked at me, shrugged, and said, "Dude, what planet are you on?"

"Krypton," I said, my voice filled with sarcasm. "Ahh, my bad. I just have a lot on my plate." It wasn't entirely untrue. "It sounds like a great idea, but I'll want to look over these figures a bit later. Email this information to me and I'll analyze it tomorrow before giving you the green light," I instructed, tapping my pen on the papers in front of me before standing, effectively dismissing everyone.

"Sure thing," chimed Sky, one of our most brilliant developers. She usually kept to herself and still managed to blow all the others out of the water with her ideas.

Once everyone cleared the room, I walked over to the window overlooking the skyline, Thad noisily approaching me from behind.

"What the hell is up with you today?" he asked.

"Ahh, nothing. My mind is just a bit preoccupied." Deciding I wanted to change the subject, I added, "So where are we going for lunch?"

"Actually, I can't. I have a meeting with the ad execs."

"That's right."

"You gotta stop being a fucking pussy. I'm not sure who slipped estrogen in your sippy cup, but you're causing a scene. Man up," Thad lectured before turning and walking out.

To others, it would seem like he was being coldhearted and mean, when in reality, that was him being his unusually sensitive self.

He was right though, I was causing a scene. Even if this female was getting into my head and making herself feel right at home, there was no reason it should've affected how I performed at work.

We all had a part in the games we played, and I was about to lose a life if I didn't--for lack of better words--man up.

"Mr. Allen," a female voice sounded through the phone's intercom.

"Yeah, Danni."

"Mr. Kroger is on line three, says it's urgent."

And, back to work...

*****

My heart thrummed in my chest as I entered the Pembroke Publishing office and approached the receptionist's desk. Why I thought dropping in on the woman I'd just met yesterday would be a good idea was beyond me. I must've been seriously losing my mind.

"Good afternoon, and welcome to Pembroke Publishing. Can I help you?" the stocky woman asked while pushing her glasses up on her nose.

"Yes, I was hoping I could speak with Maci?" The fact I didn't know her last name wasn't lost on me. If she didn't think I was a stalker, her office mates likely would.

"I'm sorry. Miss Layne isn't in the office right now. Would you like to leave a message for her?" she asked, eyeing me warily.

"No, that's okay," I responded and attempted to flash a charming grin. It probably came across as creepy-looking instead. "Do you know where I might be able to find her?"

"I'm sorry, but I cannot give out any information about our... ahh, employees," she said, stuttering and eyeballing me up and down. I guess today wasn't the best of days for casual wear. I'd probably be taken way more seriously in a suit. But I loathed suits.

"Okay, thank you. Sorry to be of trouble," I mumbled, backing away and turning for the door. The receptionist just kept one skeptical eye on me, never responding as I walked out.

Employee, huh? Why would a publishing company allow their employees to come and go on a whim? Maybe she was an editor and chose to work in the coffee shop instead of a stuffy office? Now there was a new mystery to solve with the enigmatic Maci Layne.

Since the coffee shop was only a block away, it seemed like second nature for me to grab a cup while in the area. It was also a rather obvious excuse to see if she were there. The place wasn't quite as packed today, but still busier than usual, especially in the late afternoon.

It didn't take me but a second to spot her. She sat closer to the window this time, her colorful hair falling forward, framing her face in waves as she stared at her screen and furrowed her brow in concentration. A small pout formed on her lips, drawing me to them with an odd sense of fascination.

Inching over to the counter and never taking my eyes off her, I said, "Hey, Ramon. Can I get my usual and whatever Maci is having?"

"Sure thing," he said, while busying himself with the order. "She's having the same as you today--two vanilla iced lattes coming up."

Gathering the iced coffees, I slowly inched my way toward her table, taking each step with careful consideration as if I were about to spook a baby deer. She hadn't noticed my approach--all the better.

Sliding my way into the booth across from her, I cleared my throat and said, "What? Are you stalking me now?"

"Oh, balls," she responded with a sigh, yanking the buds out of her ears and pulling away from her computer screen in annoyance. I knew my sense of humor was that of a goldfish, but I was still hoping she'd laugh... even a little.

"C'mon. It was just a joke. Here," I said, sliding the iced latte in her direction. "Whatcha working on so hard?"

"Again, it's none of your concern," she huffed, nearly slamming the lid of her laptop shut to glare at me. "What is it you want, Liam?"

Man. The sound of my name on her tongue seemed to work its way through me, catching me off guard, even laced with anger. I was definitely not one to get all gooey about this kind of thing, but my attention was still drawn to those pouty lips that were now curling around a straw to take a sip of the latte I'd bought for her.

Lifting one eyebrow in suspicion, Maci silently seemed to prompt me to answer her.

"I just wanted some coffee. After all, this place is on my way to and from work, and Ramon makes the best damn iced lattes in town," I said with a wink while placing the straw against my lip and sucking.

As she eyed me up and down, I could tell she was wondering who in their right mind would hire some punk who came to work in jeans and t-shirts every day.

"So, no ploy to get me to go out with you?" she asked, her defensive tone faltering slightly.

"Nope," I answered, making a popping sound with the P. "Just good coffee and good conversation," I added while holding my cup in the air, a half-assed cheers of sorts. "You were so cute when I interrupted your work yesterday, I thought it'd be great midafternoon entertainment to come say hello again."

Folding her arms across her chest, which made it difficult for me to not notice her bust accentuated in the tank top she was wearing, she sat back in her chair and stared at me.

"What?"

"I just can't seem to figure you out," she said, lightly grazing her teeth across her lower lip. "It's not every day a gamer geek has the guts to approach a woman with such confidence," she added, pointing to my shirt.

Looking down, I grinned at the colorful design that said, "GTA made me do it."

"Ahh, so you're a Grand Theft Auto fan?" There was definitely more to this girl than met the eye if she knew what GTA stood for.

"Not particularly." Her answer was cut short as an idea seemed to flicker across her face. "Hey, Liam, I have a proposition for you."

# Chapter Three

Maci: For the Sake of Research

My stomach knotted up as I remembered the advice my publisher not so kindly gave me earlier that morning...

"Maci, you need to get out and live life more. Your writing, while brilliant, is becoming too stale and one-sided. Go out and have some fun. Consider it research."

Camille had stuck by me ever since I first got started, allowing me all sorts of freedom most other authors didn't have while under a publisher's wing. However, I had it in my right mind to tell her to stick her advice where the sun doesn't shine. The fact that my editor, and best friend, Samantha, agreed with Camille had me thinking twice about the notion.

Embrace a social life--for research. I internally groaned at the thought.

Now here I was, sitting in front of this infuriating man, and something drew me to him that I couldn't put my finger on. Even though I had only met him yesterday, part of me seemed very familiar with him... or maybe just his type. The fact that his appearance didn't quite match up with the cocky, holier-than-thou attitude piqued my interest. My curiosity was going to get the better of me in this situation, I was certain.

"A proposition?" he asked, quirking his brow with what seemed like mock interest. "This should be... fun. What do you have in mind?"

I rolled my eyes at his response before sucking in a ragged breath and steeling my nerves.

"When is this charity event of yours?" I asked, my voice a little too high pitched, making me inwardly cringe at the sound.

A cocky grin crossed his face and, of course, I noticed the dimples. The fucker pulled all kinds of mixed emotions from me, and the thought that any man had an effect on me just drove me plumb crazy.

"Next Saturday," he said with quiet skepticism. Leaning on his elbows and inching into my personal space, he stared at me with amusement sparkling in his eyes and said, "What? Have you changed your mind about me, Ms. Layne?"

Adamantly shaking my head, I began to regret the offer that was about to spill from my lips. Wait, what did he just call me?

"How the hell do you know my last name?" I seethed. Maybe this was a huge mistake. This guy didn't sound trustworthy enough for me to even waste my time on.

With an infuriatingly sexy smile, he backed away and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's on the credit card you've got there on the table," he explained with a curt nod of his head.

Ahh, yes. I was paying my tab today, like I did every Tuesday.

Embarrassment flushed through me as I realized my imagination got the best of me. Damn him. The exasperating bastard got me on that one.

Without waiting for me to respond, he said, "So, you have changed your mind about me." This time, it wasn't a question.

I had to wipe the look of bewilderment and fascination off my face as I attempted a half scowl, struggling with all my might to keep up the hard-ass look I was oh so famous for.

"You're definitely not that talented in mind control, Liam. I just need to get out on the town and make a few connections if..." I paused, thinking of some sort of excuse on the fly. I didn't want to reveal who I was to him because just one quick Google search would change his attitude toward me entirely. "If I want to get the promotion I have my eyes set on, I need to start making some networking connections. A charity function sounds like a good start."

Leaning forward on my elbows and mimicking what he had done moments before, I eyed him squarely and said, "Make no mistake, this is not a date. This is just an arrangement. You get out of your requirement to find a girl to take to the event, and I start making a few connections with wealthy or important people. That's it."

"Hmm..." he buzzed while tapping his long, strong finger on his lips. Well, that's not supposed to be distracting. Not in the slightest.

"What is it that you do, exactly?" he asked, and this time I knew I couldn't brush him off like I had before. The staff at Pembroke Publishing knew of my need to keep my identity a secret, so our steady fallback story was as good as any--foolproof. I almost chuckled at the thought that this man was probably no fool. Infuriating, yes... but not a fool. "I work as a file clerk for Pembroke Publishing, but I'm up for a promotion to be a literary agent."

His brow furrowed, as if he were confused with my answer and didn't believe me. However, he must've chosen not to press the issue because, the next thing I knew, he reached his hand out toward me and said, "Deal."

With a sly smile, I slid my hand across his to shake and solidify our agreement. And wouldn't you know it... my maddening female hormones completely betrayed me as our palms came in contact, skin on skin, making the sudden sensation of warmth all too inviting. Gasping, I quickly retracted my hand, hiding my dazed look as best I could, pissed I let a man make me feel so out of control with just a simple touch.

Attempting to recover from my obvious gawking, I grabbed a napkin and swiftly scribbled my number across the unstable paper surface, nearly ripping it beneath my ballpoint pen's frantic movements. My hand shook and even the thought he could see what he did to my nerves made mortification coat my cheeks in bright red. This was so not me. I was never one to react so strongly to someone--anyone--especially an infuriatingly handsome geek boy.

"Here's my number. Just call or text with the details sometime next week." I avoided his gaze as I slid the napkin across the table in his direction. A mixture of embarrassment, irritation, and all-consuming lust had my head swimming. The need to bolt was eating away at me, and I hurriedly began packing my things into my bag.

He didn't move or respond, which had me peeking up at him through my lashes to see what had caused his sudden silence. Piercing, blue eyes stared at me with pure hunger, his pupils dilated to big, black orbs surrounded by a brilliant ring of sapphire.

Without breaking eye contact, Liam lifted his phone and unlocked the screen with a smooth swipe of his long middle finger. The separation of our staring contest was brief as he deftly moved his thumb over the slick touchscreen. Moments later, my phone buzzed in my pocket, making me jump with the sudden vibration over my sensitive skin.

"Well, aren't you going to get that?" he asked as he set his phone flat on the table, causing me to narrow my eyes at him in an attempted scowl. My concentration was swiftly broken when he smirked at me, showing his cute dimples again.

I shook my head in disgust with myself that I let this man get to me so easily. Fishing my phone from my jeans pocket, I looked at the one new text message.

Looking forward to our DATE, beautiful Maci.

I peered up at him in surprise, my eyes probably looking too wide for my face, and watched him wink at me before sliding from the booth and walking out the door.

*****

"Guess what I have?" Sam chanted, her cheerful voice emanating happiness through the phone. Even though I couldn't see her, I could just imagine the cute little half smirk on her face as she dangled some sort of imaginary item in front of me like the tease that she was.

Not many authors became besties with their editors. So, I was more than grateful she put up with my shit. The fact I had to put up with hers though was an entirely different kind of struggle. She was a pain in my ass, and I loved her for it.

"What?" Would she just tell me already?

"I finished the edits. Document should be in your inbox any second now." She paused for a moment, and just as I was about to thank her, she added, "You're fucking brilliant, by the way."

"Brilliant? Why?" I was speechless. Sam always praised me, but very rarely did she build my self-esteem up so high, and with dirty words to boot. Most of her compliments were said in a joking manner, showing how close we were as friends and colleagues.

"You built the characters up to a whole new level," she explained. "I could feel their angst, their adventures, and their love. It was just... brilliant. I have no words for how much I loved this book. It's your best yet."

Her approval had me beaming from ear to ear. I was smiling so hard, I thought my face would crack with the strain. Yet, I couldn't help it. Her opinion mattered most out of everyone.

With a light chuckle, I said, "So I guess I don't have to go on that date this weekend after all." I didn't dare admit I couldn't keep my thoughts from straying to the day I met the bastard.

"Ooh, Maci. What date?" she prodded with a teasing, singsong tone. Her excitement could almost be felt through the phone. I rolled my eyes.

"It's nothing. You and Cam telling me I had to get out more and live life in order to improve my writing seemed to make me lose my head momentarily, and I sort of agreed to go out with someone." I bit my lip at the realization that I still wanted to go--not just out of necessity--I actually wanted to.

"Well, just because your head doubled in size when I said I liked your book just now doesn't mean you're off the hook, Mace. I think it'd be great for you to get out and meet new people."

"Ugh." I groaned. "Meeting new people is way overrated. But, I can't really cancel on him anyway. That'd just be low, even for a social leper like me."

"So, who is this guy?"

"Just some guy I met at the coffee shop around the corner," I said with a shrug, sure she could see right through my tone.

"That's all you've got for me? I need to know details. Name, looks, the whole shebang!" she demanded excitedly.

"Did you just use the word shebang?" I asked with a cough as I stifled my laugh.

"Damn skippy. Now quit stalling and tell me--" Her words were cut off as a mumbling sound ensued over the line. "Shit. I gotta go. We'll pick this conversation up later." Before I could protest, she hung up.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed with a new text while still in my hand. I thought it would've been Sam apologizing for hanging up so quickly, but when I saw the sender's name, my heart leapt into my throat.

# Chapter Four

Liam: Got Game

After fighting the urge to text her for damn near a week, I couldn't hold back any longer. A woman I barely knew had managed to weasel her way into my thoughts, and I was beyond eager to talk to her, text her... hell, any sort of interaction with her would suffice. She hadn't been showing up at the coffee shop, which drove me mad with curiosity.

"Here goes nothing," I mumbled as I held my breath and pressed the send button.

Liam: Saturday. Would you like to grab dinner before we schmooze with the yuppies?

Maci: What do you have in mind?

Liam: There's a really good Italian restaurant in Ybor City. Since the event will be at the hotel just around the corner, I think it'll be a great place to grab some grub.

Maci: Hmm, you mean the nice place across from Coyote Ugly? That better not have any underlining meanings.

Liam: Hah! Never. But yes, the place across from CU. You game?

Maci: I'm always up for a good game. ;)

Liam: Challenge accepted, beautiful. So, dinner?

Maci: Sure.

Liam: Okay, I can swing by around seven. Text me your address.

I probably had the dumbest look on my face as I read the address she sent. It was the publishing house, not a residence. Meaning, she didn't want me to pick her up at her place.

Liam: Work? On a Saturday?

Maci: Yes.

Liam: Sounds like a plan. See you Saturday at seven.

Maci: See ya.

Scratching my head, I had to remind myself this was only a business deal to her. It wasn't a date. If I had to be honest, the last thing I wanted was to get involved with some high maintenance chick.

Yet I knew, deep down, this was going to be a challenge. Just texting her made me smile, which was pretty uncommon for me.

Without warning, a hard slap landed square on the back of my head, making me jump up in defense, my guard up and immediately reverting to my black-belt instincts.

"What the hell are you thinking about so hard, dude?" Thad asked, dodging my approach and plopping down on the plush couch in the lounge.

"You motherfucker," I seethed as I rubbed the back of my head to quell the pain.

"Seriously, I can smell your gears grinding, you haven't played online in nearly a week, and your fucking shirt is on backwards," he said while pointing in my direction. "What gives?"

Looking down, I noticed my Optimus Prime shirt was perfectly situated on my chest. Thad's laughter confirmed just how much of a douche he was.

"I hate you," I said in a near whisper while glaring at my so-called friend.

"But I'm right. Something's eating at you."

I glowered at him while he sat in front of me, his pale skin in stark contrast to the black couch as he stretched his arms out and stared me down.

"Nothing's wrong. I've just been busy," I said noncommittally, completely dismissing him and storming out of the lounge toward my office, deciding I needed to bury myself into work and forget about the rainbow-haired beauty from the coffee shop.

*****

It being Friday night and all, Thad nearly begged me to go out with him and some chick he'd landed a date with. Why the man couldn't grow up and go on his own was beyond me. It was like he constantly needed a wingman to back him up every step of the way.

He was never going to get laid that way, so I told him to stop being a pussy and go without me. I'd bet my left testicle he ended up canceling on the girl.

As for myself, I was fighting the idea that I was actually nervous. Starting a game of Assassin's Creed, I continued to contemplate why my mind had been so jumbled over the past week and a half. I'd never really been the type to get so bent out of shape over spending time with a girl. Most of the guys I hung out with, who just so happened to be my gaming buddies or coworkers, never really bothered with chicks. If they did, they didn't talk about it. Most of the time, you could tell how nervous chicks made them.

But me? Naw. It wasn't the norm for me to freak the fuck out over a chick.

So, why was my mind completely obsessed with her? I barely knew the woman, only that she seemed to put on a good act at hating me for no particular reason. Maybe I wanted to give her some reason to like me, or at least tolerate my presence without a slew of snarky remarks.

Resolve settled over me as I scaled the side of a building and hopped from rooftop to rooftop in the game. Well, one thing was certain--once she would learn my true identity tomorrow night, her tune would likely change. Usually, once a chick figured out my status or the number padding my bank account, they couldn't seem to get enough of me. It was exhausting.

Then again, I typically dated chicks who were involved in the gaming community in some way. So, once they heard my name, recognition would immediately spike in their gold-digging core.

Maci--she was different. She wasn't some sassy gamer girl or nerd groupie. I'd be lucky if she recognized my company name, let alone who I was on the totem pole. Well, I'd know soon enough.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as I killed a few guards. I'd almost been discovered.

My cell phone ringing brought me back to the here and now. Without pausing, I absentmindedly answered. "Allen."

"Uh, may I please speak to Liam?" Her voice had me jamming my finger against the pause button and my stomach quivering like it was filled with jumping beans.

Fuck, how the hell does she do this to me?

"Hey, Maci. It's Liam," I said a bit too excitedly. Man, I sounded like a total nub, my voice cracking like an adolescent teen.

"Oh, hello. Okay, so... what should I wear tomorrow? I know I probably should have asked earlier. Is it going to be super fancy?" It was amazing to hear her voice. I was beginning to believe I had dreamed her.

"Shit. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It's black tie. Does that help?" If she didn't have a dress for this, I wouldn't mind buying one for her. But she'd probably think I was a total creep if I even dared to offer. So, I kept my trap shut.

"Yep, that's perfect." She paused, and I wondered what else I could possibly say to keep her on the line. I usually hated talking on the phone but, suddenly, I wanted to keep hearing her voice. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," she added and waited for me to respond.

"I can't wait," I said honestly, stunned at how brazen I was being with her. The whole two times I'd spoken to her, I'd wondered where my damn courage had come from. She definitely pulled things out of me I didn't even realize I had.

Like balls?

"Bye, Liam," she whispered and hung up. Staring at the screen, I internally scolded myself for seizing up and not saying more to her.

It didn't take but five minutes back at my game for me to succumb and die a horrible death, my character slumped over like a drunkard, all because thoughts of Maci were consuming my brain. Paying attention to a stupid game was just not in the cards tonight.

*****

"Why can't we just ride together?" Thad whined. He'd postponed his date from last night, inviting her instead to the charity event tonight as his plus one.

"Because, you need to take the fucking girl out on your own. Plus, I have a date and I'd prefer you weren't tagging along," I answered as I straightened my tie.

"Wait, you got a date?" he asked, sounding a little too surprised.

"Of course, dipshit. You told me I had to. And since you're the mistress of marketing, I was under the assumption I didn't have a choice." I felt silly standing in my room arguing with a damn suit on, the thin tie tucked neatly beneath the jacket feeling like a noose around my neck. "Now, go pick up your girl. I'll see you there."

With a defeated and almost comically scared-shitless look on his face, he backed out and left my apartment.

At seven on the dot, I pulled up to the curb in front of the office building that held Pembroke Publishing. The downtown streets of Tampa weren't extremely busy, but I knew that wouldn't be the case once we headed into Ybor City.

There she was, waiting for me. For the first time in my life, a woman took my breath away, and it was all I could do not to just sit in the car and stare at her, mouth agape, like a fish out of water.

Climbing out of my black Audi, I hurriedly made my way around the car to her. She stood on the sidewalk in a sleek, black dress that hugged every curve perfectly. One shoulder bare, the other was adorned with a small, black strap encrusted with rhinestones. A delectable slit had my eyes skimming up her body, giving me little hints of skin beneath the separation of fabric and making my mouth water at the sight. With her hair pinned up on her head, I couldn't even tell she had rainbow-colored strands--she hid it so well--which made me frown slightly at the loss of her... well... her.

"What are you staring at?" she said in a humorous voice, not a hint of anger in her tone.

Meeting her eyes, I cleared my throat and said, "You mean who am I staring at, not what. Because I'm not at all ashamed to say that my eyes have landed upon the most beautiful woman in this city."

"Oh," she breathed, eyeing me skeptically with that all-too-sexy smirk on her face. "Liam's got game."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips as I opened the Audi door for her and said, "You have no idea."

# Chapter Five

Maci: Normalcy is Boring

The sight of Liam in a suit was a shocker, to put it mildly. The man could seriously clean up, the slight scruff on his face becoming that much more adorable, now that I realized he left it like that on purpose. I found myself actually looking forward to this evening and getting to know this man who was eyeing me from head to toe--or toe to head since his gaze was trailing up the slit in my dress.

I guess all that fuss Sam went through to make me presentable was paying off. Not sure what I would have done without her. The only thing on my body I was responsible for was my damn hair.

I flashed him a genuine smile as he opened my car door and couldn't help but sigh as I sat my ass in the luxuriously comfortable seat. The car hugged me like it was specifically made for me--a feature I totally didn't expect.

Settling next to me, he cocked an eyebrow and asked, "You ready?"

"Definitely," I assured him with a nod. "I'm starving."

Since the publishing company's office was smack in downtown Tampa, the view was breathtaking, as usual. The lights of the buildings shimmered on the water's surface like diamonds as we drove along the bay's waterways and channels.

Once the water was no longer in view and we began heading toward the restaurant in Ybor, I glanced over at Liam and examined his profile. Dim bursts of illumination lit his face as we passed by streetlamps, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was about this guy that had me so conflicted. One moment, I wanted to scoff at his arrogance, and the next, I wanted to make him smile just so I could see the cute little dimples prominent on his cheeks.

My apparent ogling didn't go unnoticed as he glanced at me, smirked, and said, "Are you just returning the favor?"

"What favor?" I asked, confused with this joke he seemed to think was funny.

"You're staring," he said, stating the obvious.

"Yes, I am. I didn't realize it was a favor though. I'm guessing you're so full of yourself, you like to be gawked at?" I snapped back, still continuing to grin like a fool at my unusually quick wit.

"Actually, I don't mind you staring, but anyone else would probably unnerve me." His answer puzzled me because I wasn't sure why my eyes mattered more than anyone else's did, especially to a man I didn't know.

Before I could come up with a retort, he pulled the car into a spot right in front of the restaurant, easily parking parallel to the curb between two other vehicles.

"Rock star," I mumbled.

"What?"

"Rock star," I said louder as I pointed to the curb. "Rock-star parking? Not exactly common to get this great of a spot in Ybor, especially on a Saturday evening during the dinner rush."

His grin told me he already knew what I meant and didn't need the novel-length explanation I so easily provided. I rolled my eyes at the thought he was just fucking with me. Infuriating man.

Once settled in the fancy restaurant, I attempted to ignore how close we sat together as I glanced over the menu and grasped at any thoughts I could possibly use to stem conversation. I probably had nothing in common with this man, so the challenge to get to know him was necessary.

"So, what charity is tonight's event for?" I asked. The subject was better than the awkward silence between us.

As soon as the charity was brought up, his face brightened and he looked like such a joyful little child when he took a breath to speak.

"Ahh, you might like this, seeing as you're in publishing. My company is sponsoring this literacy campaign--sort of a way to engage young children in the essential area of literacy and hopefully solidifying a brighter future for them. Tonight's gala will not only raise money toward the campaign, but will also showcase some of the poems and writings we've received from children all over the world."

The pride in his tone didn't go unnoticed, and I was suddenly unable to speak beyond the lump in my throat, the cause obviously being near and dear to my heart. I also wondered what he meant by his company, but seeing the type of car he drove and the cocky attitude he so easily broadcasted when I first met him, it wouldn't be surprising if the man had money.

Clearing my throat, I finally found my voice and said, "That sounds amazing, Liam."

His smile was dazzling as he bowed his head and nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty amazing. The teams hired to organize these events really go all out too. So, tonight should be tons of fun."

I suddenly felt really hot and stifled the urge to fan myself with the damn menu. This man was beginning to dazzle me, which was not what I wanted out of this arrangement.

Placing his long arm on the back of my chair, Liam brushed his thumb over my bare shoulder farthest from him and leaned in close, causing my skin to prickle in awareness. "Maci?" he breathed, my name a sweet caress on his lips.

The waiter clearing his throat had Liam pulling back and me breathing a sigh of relief. Even though my body craved to be close to him, my mind kept screaming not a date, the sound ringing through my head like a cheerleader with a bullhorn.

In a matter of seconds, too quickly for me to catch on to what was happening, Liam ordered a bottle of wine along with our food, never giving me the chance to speak up.

"Did you just order for me?" I whispered, my hushed voice coming out harsh as the waiter scurried away.

"I did. If you don't like what I ordered, you're more than welcome to get something else. But, I at least want you to try their veal. I'm pretty certain you'll love the Scaloppine al Marsala."

"I do like veal, but I also like ordering for myself. I'm a big girl, you know," I pointed out to him in a quiet tone, so as not to get all fired up in the middle of a fancy restaurant.

"It'll be worth it, just this once," he said with an exasperating smirk as he draped his arm behind me again and leaned closer.

"Not a date, remember?" I reminded him with a light touch to his chest to push him away. While the contact was intended to push him away, I wanted nothing more than to grab his tie and pull him closer. His familiar scent consumed me and filled my mind with utter confusion. What this man was doing to me made me feel way too exposed.

"I can't help it," he admitted, his breath tickling my ear and neck as he spoke. "With that dress, those heels, your--"

"Your wine, sir?" the waiter interrupted. Liam's scowl had me thoroughly amused, and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips.

"Thank you," Liam mumbled as the man poured our glasses and set the wine into an ice bucket next to the table.

Without hesitation, I picked up my glass and sipped the liquid. A fruity, light, flavorful, invigorating taste flooded my mouth, and I nearly groaned with the feel of it gliding down my throat. My eyes fluttered shut as I enjoyed the zesty feel against my palate with nice fruit flavors and a clean finish.

When I finally opened my eyelids with a lazy lift, I noticed Liam studying me intently. A half smirk was all I could manage as I got lost in his eyes. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad. He could be infuriatingly cocky, but I knew I could hold my own and give him a taste of his own medicine when necessary.

"Good?" he asked, fingering the stem of his glass and drawing my attention to his strong hands. They looked well kept, almost boyish in their softness, but manly in their size and strength.

I nodded mutely, nibbling at my lip before finally finding my voice and whispering, "Amazing."

The rest of dinner went just as I had hoped. The food was mouthwatering and Liam was a perfect gentleman, making me wonder how long it would take for the shit to hit the fan. No date was this perfect.

No... not a date. No non-date was this perfect.

While we both evaded the topic of family and talked about our jobs--my fake job as a file clerk, of course--I noticed he was also being somewhat vague with his answers, making me wonder what he was hiding. It couldn't be too bad, right? After all, I was about to go to a charity event where his employees or coworkers were bound to be. Maybe he was just a private person and wasn't used to talking about himself, a complete one-eighty from the cocky geek I'd first met almost two weeks ago.

The hotel the event would be held at was only two blocks away, so I was surprised when Liam wanted to drive rather than walk. Shrugging and not questioning his motives, I clambered into the car and settled back, sighing with the way the seat seemed to hug me. I appeared to be falling in love with this damn car.

Just when I thought Liam would start the engine, he let the keys dangle in the ignition and leaned over to me instead. My breath hitched as he reached across my body and grabbed the seatbelt, buckling it in place with a loud click.

Never backing away and hovering his face precariously close to mine, he said, "Safety first, beautiful Maci."

"For two blocks?" I scoffed, trying to deny my inner delight at his closeness.

"For two blocks," he affirmed just as his eyes began roaming over my body, landing on the slit that parted all the way up my left leg to mid-thigh. Extending his hand out, he traced a finger along my leg, right between the parted fabric.

"Non-date, Sir Liam," I chided, reminding him of our agreement. Even though I turned him down verbally, I didn't bother flinching or pushing him away. I honestly enjoyed his touch, like he was caressing a fragile item with adoration. But I needed to keep my wits about me if I planned to make it through the night with dry panties.

His fingers lingered on my skin just a bit longer, sending a chill through me at the thought of him lifting my dress and moving even higher.

"Liam," I whispered, breathless and desperate for him to either increase his hold on my self-control or stop punishing me with such delicious torment.

"Right. Non-date," he agreed as he retracted his hand. "I just can't seem to act normal around you, Maci."

Well, that statement seemed to send a whole new thrill through me, because it meant he wasn't used to moving in on a girl so quickly and vigorously. I didn't care much for players, so his masked confession had a grin spreading on my face before I realized it was happening.

"What's so funny?" he asked, peeking over at me while pulling into traffic and making an immediate left.

"You. You said you can't act normal around me, but I think normal is utterly boring." His dimples made their appearance at my words, and I delighted in the fact that I could make him smile.

God, I'd barely wanted to come on this stupid non-date tonight, yet now I realized I was having a great time with him. I would be the first to admit I was wrong. Well, at least to myself. No need to admit it out loud and ruin our fun banter.

A little too soon for my liking--because I was honestly enjoying the comfy ride--we were pulling up to the Hilton, where several valets stood waiting to get their hands on the keys to this beautiful car.

"I've never ridden in an Audi before," I admitted to him as we climbed out and made our way toward the lobby doors. "I think I'm in love."

His laughter was mesmerizing as he guided my hand to rest in the crook of his elbow and said, "Just wait until you drive it." When he finished off that stunning sentence with a wink, I lethargically walked next to him, nearly paralyzed at what he was insinuating.

"You mean I can drive it?" I gasped. Stunned didn't even begin to cover how I felt at that statement. He didn't know me from Eve, other than our rather informative dinner date... ahh... non-date. His trust was likely misled somehow. There was no reason for him to trust me.

"Sure... someday." He smiled as if there was a hidden meaning behind his words, and I rolled my eyes at his demure, evasive answer.

When we walked into the main conference room, I saw the place had been transformed into a beautiful display. Blue lights gave the room a muted underwater glow. A makeshift stage was at the head of the room, and a few round tables were speckled between what looked like ingeniously comfortable chairs and loveseats. Track lighting lit up one large wall with a slew of handwritten papers pinned neatly for everyone to see.

Confusion began to muddle my brain as I noticed the huge, green nZone logo projected on the far wall behind the stage. What did this event have to do with the gaming company that seemed to adorn at least half my video game collection?

Then it dawned on me... nZone was the sponsor for this charity.

"William Allen," a familiar, booming voice echoed around us, causing Liam to squeeze the hand I had resting in the crook of his arm as if it were an involuntary reaction to the person approaching us--a man I loathed down to my core. "Long time no see," the large man said as he shook hands with Liam.

Liam... William. William Allen.

Suddenly, it clicked and everything fell into place. The geeky gamer t-shirts. The cocky, holier-than-thou attitude. The gamer jokes and innuendos. The wealth.

I was clutching the arm of THE William Allen--lead gaming developer and co-owner of nZone Studios--all while the bane of my existence stood in front of us. I could only hope the man wouldn't make a scene.

Looking up at his face, I noticed him assessing me, maybe trying to gauge my reaction. Was this why he'd been so vague at dinner? Did he not want me to know who he was? Or did he want to see if I'd recognize the name?

My first knee-jerk reaction was usually the right thing to do, so I decided to feign nonchalance and pretend I hadn't connected the dots.

# Chapter Six

Liam: Draw Your Shields

Examining her face as we listened to one of my biggest corporate enemies rattle on about his latest new business venture, I didn't see any spark of recognition or shock. Her expression remained stoic, impassive, like she hadn't even heard the loud man say my full name.

Well, I was glad. This was my attempt to possibly get someone to like me for me, and not my status with the company. Then again, she'd probably figure things out by the end of the night. It wasn't like the rest of my employees attending were in on the mission.

In order to get the bear of a man to shut up for a second, I interrupted him. "Big Jim, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Maci Layne. Maci, this is Jim Celeste, owner of Celeste Entertainment Group."

Big Jim's eyes swept greedily over Maci, causing her to tighten her hold on my arm before she opened her mouth and said, "Nice to meet you." Her words lacked conviction as she clutched my arm tighter with both hands this time and began to fidget her fingers.

"Well, aren't you a hot little number?" Jim sneered, inching closer and reaching his hand out to greet her--a hand she refused to take. Before I could even think of defending her, or backing away and pretending slime like him didn't even exist, she spoke.

"Hot enough to char meatheads like you." Venom seeped through her tone, making me wonder if she knew just what a piece of work this man was.

A sinister laugh left his chunky lips. "I don't doubt that, Ms. Layne. Pretty things like you are usually only around for one thing..."

"Watch yourself, Jim," I said with a deathly sneer. "You can talk shit to me all you want, but you will respect a lady."

"Oh, so she's a lady and not one of your--?"

"Enough!" I barked, pissed this man was even standing in front of me. Who the hell had invited him anyway?

As if I summoned them, two of nZone's security guards approached us, immediately speaking with fat-ass Jim and working up the balls to escort him to the exit without anyone noticing. Responding to their interference, I calmly led Maci to the front of the room.

"Fucking waste of skin," Maci muttered under her breath while letting go of me and crossing her arms over her chest. If it weren't for her cute little outburst, the loss of contact would have made me anxious.

"He really is. I'm sorry he spoke to you that way. Just know you can't believe a word he says," I assured her.

"Oh, I know," she responded, catching me off guard.

"You know? You mean, you know who he is?"

She nodded as I led her by the small of her back to a loveseat right in front of the stage. Taking a seat, she drew in a long, ragged breath before she spoke.

"He's the asshole who promised to donate a percentage of proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project for each war game that his company sold, but then backed out after the fucking game made him a millionaire," she seethed in a low voice. Quieting her tone even more, she leaned into me and added, "Someone should show that fat ass what being permanently wounded is really like."

I couldn't help but laugh. I tried so hard not to, but her anger and hate for a man I despised was just so endearing that it made the chuckle leave my lips before I could stop it.

"It's not funny," she whispered harshly while backhanding me on my chest.

"No." I had to clear my throat of laughter just to continue speaking. "No, it's not funny. You just hit the nail on the motherfucking head, Maci. I loathe that man. Not even sure who the hell invited him tonight."

"Why do you hate him? Other than his Slimer-like qualities," she asked.

"Well, of course, he's a total douche for the whole war game fiasco and, of course, he's my mortal enemy. But, a few years back, the man actually wrote a bad check at one of these charity events just so he could get recognition. Needless to say, once it bounced, we yanked his name off the donor list so fast and banned him from ever attempting to donate again."

"God. He's such a pussball," she said, still whispering as she huffed and slumped back against the plush seating of the small couch.

"Let's not talk about him anymore and try to relax this evening, okay?" The hope in her eyes suddenly came back to life just as a waiter approached us, asking for our drink orders.

"Drinks?" Maci asked, her eyebrow rising to one side in question.

"Yes. We always have cocktails while enjoying the entertainment." Her answering smile and change of posture didn't go unnoticed as I asked, "So, what would you like?"

"Jack and coke, please?"

I nodded my head and, while never taking my eyes off Maci, held two fingers up to the waiter, signaling I would like the same.

"You're very arrogant, Mr. Allen," she said with a smirk. Ahh, so she did hear my name. I guessed it still didn't ring any bells with her though. Either that or she wasn't giving anything away. Couldn't put anything past her. "But I'm beginning to think it's just an act."

"An act?" I questioned, settling back and placing my arm around her while people mingled about in hushed tones.

"Yeah. You put on this cocky front to keep people away. To protect yourself. Your arrogance is like your own personal Hylian shield of sorts." Her intuitive voice faltered as she shrugged her shoulders and added, "I guess."

"One thing I've learned in life is people aren't usually what they seem," I muttered. Her Legend of Zelda reference surprised me, and I found it a bit too ironic that this woman was definitely not just a pretty face. There was apparently more to her than met the eye.

"I guess I'm beginning to see that," she replied with confidence, her beautiful, green eyes boring into my soul and making me feel a bit too exposed all of a sudden. I needed to change the subject. The last thing I wanted was to be the topic of conversation. Thankfully, the waiter chose that moment to bring our drinks, effectively breaking the discussion.

Twirling a blonde curl through my fingers, I asked, "Where'd all the colors go?"

"Oh," she gasped self-consciously, bringing a hand up to pat the twisted thingy she had perfectly poised on the back of her head. "I figured since this was a fancy event, I should hide the whole radical rainbow going on back there."

"Shame," I breathed, inching closer. "I like the color."

Turning toward my face, she studied me for a moment before an evil grin crossed her delicate features, triggering a flutter of nerves to congregate deep in my stomach. What was she up to? Without saying a word, she reached behind her head and pulled at something, causing waves of colorful hair to come cascading down around her shoulders. The fruity smell that filled the air around us was intoxicating, and it was all I could do not to blatantly sniff her.

She looked even more radiant with her hair down, the curls accentuating the energy in her eyes, as she held out a lone hairpin for me to take.

"There," she said, pride evident in her voice. Placing the pin in my suit pocket, I brought my hand up and gently touched the side of her face with my fingers, worried she'd suddenly come to her senses and scream at me to stay away from her.

It was either my imagination playing a sick joke on me, or she seemed to enjoy my touch--her eyes fluttering shut and her face leaning toward my hand as if she craved more.

And I sure as hell wanted to give her more.

Just as I thought about growing a pair and making my move, the lights began to dim and the master of ceremonies took the stage.

# Chapter Seven

Maci: Fool's Paradise

Thank cripes the event was starting, because I was about to break my number-one rule and screw around with my arrangement. So much for keeping a level head.

I didn't know what I was thinking taking my hair down for him. It was probably a complete disaster now--the combination of hairspray and the position of my French twist not doing me any favors. Without drawing too much attention, I started to run my fingers through it in hopes I'd tame it a little.

With a gentle touch, Liam grabbed my wrist to stop my fidgeting. Infuriatingly slow, he brushed a soft kiss against my knuckles before placing my hand on my lap with a pat. "Stop," he whispered. "It looks beautiful."

I avoided his stare, too uncomfortable with his comment to look his way. Pretending to pay attention to the master of ceremonies, I tried to calm the loud voices in my head--warring with me at how delicious this man was turning out to be.

The core benefit for this particular charity was one of the best literacy campaigns I'd encountered so far, and I was immediately sold on donating... excited actually. I wanted to use my author name though in order to publicly show my support to the literary community, so I would have to be stealthy about it and make sure Liam stayed in the dark.

As several comedians took the stage to entertain us and the waiter kept bringing us drinks, I began to feel the alcohol warming my insides--that and the endorphins of laughing so hard had me on cloud nine while I sat next to this cute man and watched his smile broaden. The sight of Liam's Adam's apple bobbing while he stared at the entertainers and chuckled was mesmerizing. I'd never wanted to press my mouth to a man's neck more than I did in that instance, just to feel the vibration of his laughter beneath my lips.

The liquid courage was also beginning to get to me in other ways, and I found myself glancing around to find a restroom sign. Before my eyes could roam the entire room, they landed on my friend Sky sitting a few seats away, grinning at me like a fool. Her presence there shouldn't have startled me. After all, I knew she worked for nZone. I just hadn't let myself think about it much, Liam obviously sucking up all my brain cells. With a jerk of her chin, she gestured toward the exit and mouthed, "Bathroom."

I nodded. Leaning toward Liam, I ignored his invigorating scent and whispered into his ear, "I'll be right back."

When he looked at me, a worried expression crossed his features. Smoothing his concern with a smile, I winked and mouthed, "Right back."

I could tell he was watching me intently as I stood and made my way toward Sky. I didn't need to look back to see he was still staring, and the fact he couldn't keep his eyes off me made me feel confident in this otherwise too-fancy dress and heels.

As soon as the doors to the bathroom closed behind us, Sky turned to face me and said, "So you and William Allen, huh? Do you remember him from the New Year's party? Cause I know you two haven't been seeing each other since then--I would've found out by now if you had."

Party? What the hell was she talking ab--? "Oh, damn. I totally forgot about that party." The holiday bash she invited me to almost a year and a half ago was hosted by one of the nZone Studios executives, and I rocked the place with my masquerade dress, clandestinely decked out as the Black Cat. Little did she know, I did hook up with someone there, but damned if I knew who. Not only was the night mostly an alcohol-induced blur of gaming and wagering fun, but we never once removed our masks.

A look of horror must've crossed my face as I realized the dude I bumped uglies with that night just might be here, and I wouldn't have the slightest clue who he was.

Smoothing my face and pretending to be unaffected, I found my voice and responded, "Nah. Well, not that I know of anyway. I never learned anyone's name that night, only costumes. I didn't meet him until a few weeks ago at Ramon's Cafe."

"Well, just be careful," Sky warned as she headed toward the nearest stall. Locking herself in with a click, she continued. "He's not really known for more than one night of happy fun time."

I felt funny talking about this through the bathroom stalls, our voices echoing louder than I was comfortable with, but my urge to relieve myself took over. "Don't worry. This isn't anything more than a business deal. He just needed to get his friend to stop bugging him about a date, and I thought it'd be a good cause." She didn't need to know how much the man was really getting under my skin. No one needed to know.

As soon as I stepped from my stall, I found her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, examining me with a half smirk. "It looked way more serious than that from where I sat, Maci."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be silly." Washing my hands, I contemplated how much I wanted to tell my gaming buddy. We usually didn't talk about guys. Most of our conversations were riddled with strategy and techniques of the video variety. "I actually didn't know who he was until we walked in here tonight."

Her burst of laughter startled me, and I studied her as she fluffed her black tutu-like skirt. The way she wore her boots, laced all the way up to her skinny knees, had me jealous of her easy style. "How could you not know who he was?"

"He only introduced himself to me as Liam. Until tonight, I didn't even know his last name." I felt like a fool now that I had a moment away from him to think straight.

"Well, he probably did that on purpose. It's okay though... he's a cool guy. Just a bit of a player from what I can tell. I've never seen him with the same girl twice." Tossing her paper towel into the trash, she held the door open and waited for me.

"I need to freshen up. I'll be out in a minute."

With a nod and a shake to her head, obviously laughing at me, she walked out.

The silence of the bathroom had my ears ringing slightly until I heard a low thumping of music coming from the main room. The last comedian must've been done with his set.

Looking in the mirror, I examined the messy mop on my head and silently wished I hadn't taken out my French twist. My hair was a fucking mess.

"Oh well," I said with a sigh, realizing there was nothing much I could do with it now, especially since Liam still held my hairpin hostage.

Making my way out into the hall, I turned toward the conference room doors and ran into a wall of suited perfection.

"Fuck, Liam," I whispered rather forcefully. "You can't sneak up on someone like that."

Without saying a word to me, he tugged on my hand and pulled me into a small alcove just off the main hallway to the event's entrance. My body collided with his, heat against heat, as he spun me around rather forcefully.

As he pressed me against the wall, his fingers dug into one hip while his other hand grazed my cheek ever so gently. With his lips hovering mere centimeters from my own, he muttered, "Please, Maci."

Closing my eyes, I dragged in a ragged breath, worried my voice wouldn't work at the moment. He was seriously robbing my brain of all sensible thought. My stomach fluttered like a schoolgirl's on prom night, and I couldn't help but wonder what the hell it was about this man that made me react so strongly.

"Please what?" I asked, knowing full well what he wanted, but needing to hear him say it. C'mon, Liam. Say it. Because God knows I would totally give into the man if he could just tell me exactly what it was he wanted.

Tilting my chin up, forcing me to open my eyes and meet his gaze, he whispered, "Let me kiss you."

The familiarity in his eyes seemed to do me in, depriving me of oxygen, and making my knees knock with nerves beneath his touch. He stared at me, his eyes darting back and forth between mine like he was trying to search for something, some sort of answer to all my unspoken secrets.

"Non-date, remember?" I said without conviction, my hands pressed against the wall beneath my backside, aching to touch every inch of him. Hope sprang forth as the look in his eyes seemed to tell me how he couldn't give a damn about my non-date comment.

"Right," he responded just before diving in and claiming my mouth. I couldn't help but be thankful he chose to ignore me as his warm lips enveloped mine. The kiss was soft, sweet, and very passionate. It wasn't ravenous and animalistic like I had expected. The gentleness in his touch caught me off guard and made me crave him that much more.

Opening my lips for him, I explored him with my tongue--feeling him, tasting him, needing him. With his hands pressing against my back to deepen our embrace, a sudden memory flooded my mind unbidden.

I abruptly realized why this man was so familiar to me.

Gasping, I yanked my lips away from his and stared into his deep, blue eyes, desperately pleading for him to say nothing, or say everything, or... no, nothing. I didn't want him to bring it up. Or did I? God, my mind was so tangled. My body seemed to be suffering from confusion as well, as I craved to touch him again all while my mind screamed to run.

I could feel the exasperating tears begin to sting the back of my eyes as I examined his stare. His lack of recognition nearly had me doubling over in disappointment. Yet, why should he recognize me? It was silly. It wasn't like I'd been any more than another notch on his headboard that night. There was no reason the man should bother to remember me.

Turning away, I willed myself not to get emotional. No reason for it, really. He didn't mean anything to me, the same way I didn't mean anything to him that night.

Then why do you remember his touch, his taste, his... Stop! I internally scolded.

"Maci?" His hand landing on my shoulder had me jerking away before I could think of my reaction hurting him.

"We better get back," I mumbled, rounding the corner of the alcove and making my way toward the double doors. He didn't bother to say a word as he followed behind me, opening the door for me to pass.

God, what a fool I've turned out to be.

# Chapter Eight

Liam: No N00bs Allowed

Her refusal Saturday night still had my mind reeling. One minute, I could've sworn she was into me, the next, she totally snubbed my advances and remained distant for the rest of the evening.

I thought we had a connection, an odd familiarity between us that somehow drew us together, like magnets. Yet, the moment I made my move, igniting the smoldering embers between us, she snuffed out the flame, causing smoke to suffocate my resolve.

Women. So infuriating.

"Dude, you're not going to believe this," Thad boomed as he barreled through my office door. Monday mornings at the office were usually pretty dead--our gaming developers hung over by sleepless nights in front of their consoles. We hardly had an issue with our employees partying too hard, but their love of the game often had them wishing Monday didn't come so soon.

"Don't you ever knock?" I scolded, never turning in my chair to face him.

"Take the knot out of your panties and listen to me. You'll never guess who donated at the gala Saturday night." His enthusiastic attitude definitely didn't fit my mood, and I was already losing my patience. He'd be smart not to make me guess anything.

Looking over my shoulder, I stared at my friend, willing him to continue without me actually having to attempt any guesses. After settling in the chair across from my desk, he seemed to meet my bored gaze and finally got the hint.

"M.L. Thomas."

Yeah, that got my attention. Swiveling around in my chair, I braced myself with both hands on my desk and said, "Wait, M.L. Thomas was there? Who invited him? And why didn't anyone tell me he was actually there?"

"Who the fuck knows? He probably didn't want anyone to know. You know he never shows his face in public," Thad guessed.

"How do you even know it was him then?" The fact I could've been in the same room as my favorite Sci-Fi author and no one told me had impatience coiling in my stomach.

"Well, I guess we don't know for sure, but whoever was there left a check for five grand with his name on it made out to the foundation directly. He even left a note."

"What did it say?" The fact that I had to prompt him for answers through this conversation was exhausting.

"I dunno. Something about being honored to contribute to such a worthy cause. I'll tell ya... the chicks running the charity are fucking stoked. Having his name on the donor list means quite a bit of publicity for them. They're hoping some other authors follow suit."

I took a moment to think... hard... trying to remember if I had seen anyone I didn't know who might've fit the bill. There were quite a few people I didn't know at the gala, but none that really stood out.

My mind flitted back to Maci. Maybe she invited him? It made sense considering she worked for Pembroke Publishing and he was their star author. But, she didn't even know what the event was for until dinner. Nah, that had to have been just a coincidence.

"I'll be back in a bit," I said to Thad, ignoring the confused look that crossed his face as I bolted for the door.

"Don't forget about that developer's meeting at three, numbnuts," Thad hollered behind me. It was only ten in the morning anyway. It wasn't like it was uncommon for me to go out on a coffee break midmorning. Not sure why he was getting all bent out of shape. Unless--

Abruptly turning, I nearly ran into Thad as he followed behind me. "Oh, I meant to ask, how'd you make out with that redhead?"

"Well, if you'd been acting normal and actually got online over the weekend, you'd know," he spat back.

"Quit whining and tell me."

"Eh, nothing to tell," he said with a shrug, never meeting my eyes. Yeah, that usually meant he pussed out and didn't have the guts to admit it.

"One of these days, you're going to need to follow your own advice and man up," I said, pointing at him as I walked in the opposite direction. "I have to go meet someone really quick, but we can talk about this later, right?"

"Whatever. Just go."

He didn't have to tell me twice.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers shaking as I texted Maci. Part of me was anxious about seeing her again and asking her why she practically ran from me, but most of my nerves stemmed from the fact that I was so damn close to meeting my favorite author. If only I'd known he was there.

Liam: Ramon's in five?

Maci: Already here.

Liam: ALLONS-Y!

Knowing she was already there had me quickening my pace. I chose to walk the few blocks there so I could think, yet all my mind could focus on was seeing her again.

On the way to the coffee shop, I thought about what I was going to say to her. I couldn't just come out and ask her if she knew M.L. Thomas, could I? No, then she would think I was only after her for one thing, and that was far from the truth.

No, I needed to play it cool.

Approaching the cafe, my eyes roamed the side of the building, as if searching for something--and then I saw her. The vision of her through the large window seemed to suck the oxygen right from my lungs. There was no reason a woman should ever have this sort of effect on me, yet there she was, stealing my air and shit.

For the love of Pete, I needed to get control of myself.

Her presence disarmed me--her image reflecting off the glass and making the colors of her hair even more vibrant. Like a creeper, I stood staring a moment too long.

What was it about this chick that had me acting like such a n00b?

My hand rubbed at the back of my head, as if that would give me some answers. I had to keep remembering how standoffish she seemed to be at the end of the night on Saturday. She obviously wanted to keep her distance--just another mystery with the beautiful and enigmatic Maci Layne.

# Chapter Nine

Maci: Keep Him in the Dark

Staring at my reflection in the blank screen of my laptop, my mind went wild with thought.

His sudden need to see me had hope bubbling in my veins. Did it finally click in that geeky brain of his? Did he finally remember who I was? The Phantom of the Opera character I did the nasty with, all decked out black and white that New Year's Eve, would've figured it out. Hell, I bet his memory would click into place if I squeezed myself into that Black Cat dress again, mask and all.

Maybe keeping him in the dark was the way to go. It would give me a chance to start over. It was probably for the best that he didn't remember what a slut I was that night. I definitely didn't regret what we did--it was the best sex I'd had in a long time. But regardless of the connection I thought we shared together, it was probably nothing more than a decent lay to him. So, why not start fresh?

Before my wishy-washy brain could think any further on the subject, a tall, thin man sat in front of me, two iced lattes in his hands, with a t-shirt that said, I'm not insane... my mother had me tested. I smiled at the Sheldon Cooper reference as I closed my laptop to give him my full attention. One thing I thoroughly enjoyed about seeing Liam was his choice of geeky apparel.

"Nice shirt," I said, pointing to his chest as I reached for my new latte.

"Thanks. You too," he replied with a laugh, making that sexy Adam's apple bob in his throat again. I looked down at the Atari emblem scrawled across my chest and a knowing grin caressed my face. I totally forgot I was wearing this shirt, but I was now glad my subconscious chose it. Bonus points.

An awkward silence settled between us, the noise from the other patrons in the cafe seeming to roar louder in my ears. He just sat there, studying me, and making me feel a bit uncomfortable in my own skin.

"So, did you need something?" I asked in an attempt to brew some sort of conversation.

"Not really," he responded with a shrug. "I've just been wondering why you bugged out on me Saturday night."

"I didn't--"

"Don't say you didn't, because you clearly got spooked for some reason."

"Liam, I told you several times, it wasn't supposed to be a date. I wanted to go and try to make some connections... get my name out there. I wasn't going to meet any new people by sucking face with you in the hall." The lie came out like it was second nature, and I suddenly hated myself for it. I wanted so badly to tell him what a dumbass he was for not noticing me--not recognizing he had kissed me before well over a year ago. The fucker made love to me and still couldn't get it through his thick skull.

He nodded, his cockiness suddenly deflated as he dropped his gaze to the table. One of his long fingers traced through the condensation his drink left on the surface, hypnotic circles entrancing me. "Hopefully you got what you wanted out of the evening?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I only met a few people. If anything, it was at least nice to get out for once."

"Seems you knew one of my employees, Sky," he said evasively. It wasn't a question and his demeanor almost seemed accusatory.

"Yes, I've known Sky for several years now. Although, I didn't know what company you worked for or who would be the host of the charity event, so I was pretty surprised to see her." I paused, assessing his reaction. Nothing... not even eye contact. "Why?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and sitting back in the small booth.

"I'm just trying to figure you out," he said, finally lifting his blue eyes to meet mine. "The charity received a rather large donation from a noteworthy author--Pembroke Publishing's star author, actually. And I was just curious if you had planned to be there with me for that reason." His tone was no longer accusatory, but instead took on a sad quality, as if me using him to that extent would be a major disappointment.

And I was stunned silent. What could I say? I was the one who donated? I was the, quote, noteworthy author? No. My people at Pembroke, the exception being Sky, were the only ones who knew me. I couldn't break that--not after the hard work I'd accomplished at keeping my anonymity.

"You knew he was there, didn't you?" Even though it was a question, his voice didn't hint to it and again took on a more accusatory tone.

"Actually, no. I'm only assuming you mean M.L. Thomas, who tends to shy away from the public eye." I kept my answer vague, already sick of the lies and deceit, yet knowing my attempts to keep my identity a secret were very important--very real.

Liam seemed to visibly relax with that bit of information, and I couldn't quite put my finger on why he was acting so strange.

"He's one of my favorite authors. When my ad executive told me he was on the donors' list, I kinda freaked," he admitted with a chuckle.

The fact he kept referring to my pen name as a male persona didn't surprise me. Why so many people chose to judge an author's gender based on their genre was beyond me. I was a bit surprised that Liam hadn't put the pieces together yet. He seemed to be smarter than the average goon, and I wouldn't have put it past him to connect the dots at some point. If he ever did find out, he'd probably hate me for keeping him in the dark. Yet, I also didn't want him to know because, other than Sam and Celeste, I'd never met a true fan of my work.

My silence and pensiveness didn't go unnoticed. Reaching out to me, he grazed his finger along my knuckles and asked, "You okay?"

With a forced smile, I nodded, never letting him know his compliment got to me.

"So, now that our non-date is behind us, any chance we can go on a real date?"

I couldn't help the laughter that seemed to burst from my lips.

"Oh," he moaned, grabbing his chest as if my laughter injured his heart. "You wound me."

"I didn't mean to..." I responded as I continued to laugh, waving my hand in front of my face to hopefully pretend that my laughter was no big deal. Only that made me laugh even more.

"I really didn't think the idea of a real date was that funny," he said, grinning at me like I was the fool I seemed to act like.

"It's not that. I just... I was so stressed before you came in here. Worried you were pissed at me," I explained while wiping a tear from my eye, being careful not to smear my eyeliner. Thank Christ for waterproof mascara.

"So, is that a yes?" he prompted, leaning forward on his elbows and giving me a crooked eyebrow look, impatiently waiting for my answer.

"God, Liam. I'm not really the dating type. I'm such a homebody. I'd rather spend time at home with a controller in my hand and a bag of Twizzlers to keep me company."

"Deal," he blurted out, nearly making me jump at how abruptly his mood had changed. Easing his way out of the booth, he held his hand out and said, "Let's go."

"What? But... go where?" I stuttered. I wasn't usually at a loss for words, but he just seemed to turn my brain to mush with his emotional cartwheels.

"We'll go to your place... or mine... wherever we can shut off the rest of the world and just play. We'll even stop and pick up a bag of Twizzlers if you want."

"Oh no," I said, shaking my head in refusal. Not only was it about time for me to leave, but I wasn't certain I could be alone with this man right now, for more reasons than one. "I'm not going home with you. Plus, don't you have work?"

"Being the boss has its perks," he said with a wink while squaring off his stance in front of me. A couple holding hands eased their way around him, suddenly making me realize we weren't alone.

"Well, I have work to do and a lunch meeting. I can't just play hooky."

"Fair enough," he hummed, tapping his long index finger against his lips, thoroughly distracting me from this infuriating conversation. Pushing his way onto the bench seat and settling next to me, he draped his arm behind me and said, "I got it. There's going to be a midnight showing of Back to the Future at the student center on campus tonight. Now, no one in their right mind would refuse a date with the DeLorean and Marty McFly."

"Shit, Liam," I huffed.

"What?" he asked, a look of shock crossing his face.

"You've nailed down my weaknesses, but I haven't figured out yours yet." Chancing a look at his eyes, I was unexpectedly lost in a sea of blue. I concentrated on the air coursing through my lungs as he traced a finger along my cheek, trying with all my might to ignore the way he took my breath away with just a simple touch.

"I thought it was obvious," he whispered.

My lips burned with the need for him to kiss me again, but the mental war deep in my brain screamed for him to back off.

Pushing at his chest, I couldn't help but laugh as I forced him to back away until he stood from the booth. "Okay, Casanova. Save it for tonight. I'll text you my address."

"I knew you'd cave," he said jokingly, pointing at me with fingers from both hands.

"Yeah, okay," I responded while rolling my eyes skyward. "You'd better scram before I change my mind."

Bending over and leaning on the table, he hovered over me and said, "No one can resist Doc Brown." Winking, he grabbed his iced latte and sauntered out the door, the bells chiming overhead causing chills to pepper my skin.

My face nearly split in two with the stupid grin--all because of him.

# Chapter Ten

Liam: Burgers and Billiards, Baby!

"What do you mean--you can't make it tonight? You haven't been on a raid in two weeks, dipshit," Thad scolded, spittle spewing from his mouth as he followed me around the parking garage like a lost puppy dog. "What has gotten into you anyway? You never used to bail on our Monday night raids, yo."

"Chill your beans, Thad. I have plans," I said, never slowing as I approached my Jeep. My phone was nearing nuclear in my pocket with the knowledge that it stored Maci's address. The fact that she wanted to grab a bite to eat beforehand had me hurrying to get home so I could shit, shower, and shave. Not like I would nix the whole stupid shirts or anything, but it was rare for me to make second dates, so my need to impress was putting pressure on the situation.

"Holy shit. You're ditching me for a girl," he deadpanned.

"If you'd get laid for once, you'd know that they're totally worth it," I said as I grabbed the roll bars and hopped up into the cab of the Jeep.

"You're such an asswipe. Thanks for the reminder of what a loser I am." With that, Thad turned and hauled ass to his own mean machine. The only cool thing about the dude was his truck. Well, that and his loyalty to the game.

"Fuck," I whispered. I guess I'd have to make it up to him later somehow.

*****

Once out of the shower, I toweled off my hair and noticed the green light blinking on my phone. Nearly tripping over my shoes to get to the confounded thing, it wasn't lost on me that I was acting like a teenage boy. At least I didn't have anyone around to witness my excitement over a simple text message.

Maci: Please say things will be casual.

Liam: Burgers and billiards, baby.

Maci: Think the Audi will be offended if I wear jeans?

Liam: Actually, I was thinking way more casual than the Audi. But it might not be kind to your hair.

Maci: Oh?

Liam: Just bring something to put those pretty colors up, just in case. ;)

Maci: 10-4

Liam: See you in 30.

Smiling at how easy she was to please, I hurried to my closet to try and find my favorite Back to the Future t-shirt. Knowing we were going to see the movie, I couldn't resist the chance to wear it. Even men had to accessorize.

While bolting out the door, I called Thad, worried I had pushed him too far.

"Yeah," his disembodied voice answered, sounding bored and entirely drained of any enthusiasm.

"Hey, dude, I just called to apologize. I didn't mean to be a douche earlier," I said with sincerity, double-timing it to my Jeep. "This chick... well, I don't know how to explain it other than she's... different."

"Yeah, I get it. No need to go all mushy on me," he replied.

"You sure you're not pissed at me for bailing?"

"Oh, I'm still pissed at you," he said with a pause. "But I get it."

"Word. So, are we good?"

"Yeah, we're tight."

With no more than a few accepting grunts between us, we hung up, and I made my way toward Maci's condo.

Turned out, she lived in a much nicer area than I would've anticipated. Not that I pegged her for a pauper, but her job title didn't exactly scream money. So the fact she lived in a rather nice condo in a ritzy area of Tampa led me to believe she wasn't at all what she seemed.

Well, when didn't this woman throw me a few curveballs? She was always chock-full of mysteries, and I couldn't wait to find out all her dirty little secrets.

Pulling through the roundabout in front of the building, I immediately spotted her already waiting for me. Before I could put the damn thing in park and come around to help her up, she was hoisting herself into the seat next to me. She practically leapt into the cab wearing a tight black tank top with a Ms. Marvel lightning bolt on the chest. Seriously, the woman had me adoring her even more simply with the fact that she seemed to like her comics. Not to mention her breasts very closely resembled Ms. Marvel's and the shirt was so fitting in more ways than one.

It was just one impeccable shocker after another.

"Hah! I just love reading the different shirts you wear each time I see you," she blurted out while grabbing her belt buckle and strapping herself in. "But a flux capacitor tee when we're going to see Back to the Future is just perfect in so many ways."

"I'm beginning to enjoy all your shirts too, Ms. Marvel," I said with a wink as I put the car in drive. From the corner of my eye, I watched as she looked down at her shirt, grazing her fingers over the lightning bolt on her chest, and I couldn't help but wish it were my hands caressing her in that way.

As we picked up speed, her hair whipped around her face in a torrent of waves and the laugh that left her lips pierced the sound of the wind around us. "You weren't joking when you said it wouldn't be hairdo friendly," she said with a voice a little louder than normal, but not quite a shout.

"Want me to put the top up?" I asked, worried she might not like the wind in her face quite like I did.

"No, it's fucking fantastic. Such a beautiful night for this." Her answering smile let me know she was being sincere and truly enjoyed the breeze in her hair as we headed toward campus. "How are we going to hang with the college crowd without student IDs anyway?"

"Ahh, you forget. I'm considered a god among the gamers at the university. Getting into the student center won't be an issue. Is it cool if we eat somewhere else though? I don't really want to deal with food court crowds."

"Sounds good."

As we pulled into the sports bar parking lot, Maci lifted her brow in a questioning manner. "I told you, burgers and billiards, baby," I clarified with a smile as I climbed out and swiftly walked around to help her down. The lift on my Jeep Wrangler was fairly high, the thirty-seven inch tires being the perfect fit for such a suspension, yet it wasn't so high that she couldn't get down herself. Still, it was reason enough for me to get my hands on her, even if it was for just a moment.

Placing my hands on her hips, I gently coaxed her down until her front was flush with mine. She braced her hands on my shoulders as I increased my hold and slowly glided her body down until her feet grazed the ground. Her fingers dug into my biceps, my grip on her never easing as I held her firmly, one hand on the small of her back and the other at the center, just below her shoulder blades. I could feel the wispy tendrils of her hair tickling my knuckles as our embrace softened, our bodies pressed together so invitingly, and I had to bite back the groan that was fighting its way up my throat.

Damn. I definitely didn't want our embrace to end. Feeling her softness against my body had all kinds of delicious thoughts riddling my mind.

Her beautiful, green eyes were so inviting, so trusting, that I knew I had to keep control of myself--earn her trust.

Regretfully, I let her go.

"No purse?" I asked, only now realizing she didn't have one anywhere in the cab. Since my Jeep was rather open, I didn't want her to leave it behind.

"Nope. What do I need a purse for? I was planning on making you pay anyway," she said with a light slap to the center of my chest. Her laughter was contagious as she grabbed my hand and began leading the way toward the restaurant's entrance. "I have pockets. I'm not usually the girly type who carries a suitcase around wherever I go."

"All the better. I never understood why women carry so much with them all the time."

As soon as we were seated, an awkward silence enveloped us. We were usually so good at conversing with each other, even if it was snarky banter. Yet, now my tongue was completely tied, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what to say.

I was surprised that she was ready to order almost immediately. Usually chicks took forever to make up their minds about anything. I couldn't help but laugh at her as she greedily licked her lips after handing the man our menus.

"What's so funny?"

I shook my head, continuing to chuckle at the growing confusion on her face. "It's just nice to hear a woman order real food. Usually chicks order shit suitable for a rabbit, so the fact you just ordered a half-pound burger makes me second guess all my assumptions about females."

"Well, you better learn really quickly that I'm not like other women," she said with a fierceness that told me she meant business. "I'm no damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armor to come rescue her. I can hold my own, even if that means I have to scarf down half a cow to prove it."

The confident grin she wore had me wanting to reach out and snatch her up into my arms. I itched to touch her, just for the sake of making sure she was real, to make some sort of physical connection.

Instead, I chose words, ones I hoped would be somewhat of a compliment. "I'm so glad you're not like other women." Her answering smile, almost shy-like in quality, confirmed she took it as flattery.

Dinner was rather informative, and I learned even more about the creature who seemed to fascinate me at every turn. The worst part was learning about her family. Turns out, she was the only one left after losing both her parents and her older brother in a horrific car accident several years back. The despair evident in her eyes told me now was not the time to pry. I could only hope I would have the chance in the near future to learn everything there was to know about this amazing woman.

I was hesitant when she asked about my family. Truth be told, I just never had the desire to think or speak of them. They were never there for me growing up, and now that I had made a life for myself, not to mention the current padding in my bank account, they suddenly no longer treated me like a burden and became the loving family I'd always wanted. Only now, I couldn't give two fucks.

I tried to keep the venom from my voice as I spoke about my nonexistent parents. In truth, Thad's parents were more of a mom and dad than my parents would ever be, and I made sure she knew just how much love I felt for them. Letting her know I still had that bond, regardless of the fact it wasn't with my biological parents, made the look of pity melt away from her features.

As she sucked down the last of her cherry coke, I asked, "You ready?"

"Always," she answered, reaching up and taking my outstretched hand. It might've seemed corny, but I felt like I was walking on clouds as we left hand in hand. Not only was she turning the heads of everyone around, but also, she was with me--and didn't seem to be afraid to let everyone know it either.

# Chapter Eleven

Maci: Fatalities

The evening was going great so far, and we weren't even halfway through the date yet.

Date.

Even though I gave him shit in the beginning, I was rather enamored that I was on a date with William Allen. While I tried desperately not to be that chick--the type to turn into a gooey fangirl at the mere sight of her idol--I still couldn't help myself.

William Allen.

Yet, if his evasiveness when we first met was any indication, he didn't want to be liked for the role he played in the gaming community. So, as I continued to fall for the cocky geek I met in the coffee shop, I made a solitary pact with myself that I would never treat him differently than any other schmuck I chose to date.

Only time would tell if he actually deserved the non-special, Maci treatment.

I also tried my best to push our past out of my mind. He obviously didn't remember our masquerade rendezvous--hell, why should he? It was well over a year ago, and we were both masked and somewhat inebriated. But it still hurt to know it wasn't memorable enough--I wasn't memorable enough--to spark some sort of recollection, especially when he kissed me. So, if he didn't remember, I was damned sure going to try and forget.

Aside from our lapse in judgment at said party, I couldn't help but wonder what he would say if he knew who I really was--not that I ever planned to tell him. I could count on one hand the amount of people who knew the real me. I would be a liar if I said I wasn't afraid of the rejection I would face if those around me knew I was a best-selling Science Fiction author. Everyone was way too critical and often chose to spout off with unheeded advice. The reproach was not just something I didn't want, but was something I definitely didn't need in order to be successful in the publishing industry.

But the question rattling through my brain was--would he be as starstruck by me as I was by him? Would he still consider me one of his choice authors if he knew I wasn't a man? Doubtful, but the idea had a smile playing on my lips as the wind blew rainbow strands of hair in my face. I felt so devious holding onto this secret, and the fact that he mentioned I was his favorite had me beyond giddy. And to top it off, we were on our way to see a movie that I simply adored, so it was likely my grin would remain permanent throughout the night.

He wasn't kidding when he said the gamers at the university considered him a deity of sorts. Hell, they were damn near ready to roll out the red carpet for us once they saw him walk through the doors of the arcade lounge.

Once the gamer geeks left us alone, Liam eyed me sideways and smiled at me in a way I could only describe as deceptive and evil--in a very playful Liam sort of way.

"What?" I asked, backing up a few steps and feigning fear.

"You up for a challenge?" Just as the words spilled from his lips, his eyes darted toward a wall of classic arcade games.

"Oh, hell yeah," I breathed, leading the way toward the wooden box with the words Mortal Kombat splayed along the top. The vintage cabinet was beautiful, and I couldn't help but touch my fingers against the large, yellow dragon adorning the sides. "Won't be much of a challenge though. I'll kick your pansy ass in this game," I nearly whispered.

Biting my lip to hide my smile, I watched with unabashed interest as Liam's long fingers slid a few coins into the slots and began a game. "Ladies first," he said, gesturing toward the controls. It didn't take me long to choose Scorpion so I could lasso his ass for the undeniable fatalities that were in his near future.

"Not gonna go with Sonya, huh?" he blurted out as he did the predictable and chose Sub-Zero.

Rolling my eyes, I didn't look at him as I spoke with a bit of a bite in my tone and said, "Why, so you can stare at her tits while you attempt to kick her ass? Plus, why do I automatically have to be the girl? Is it because I should like the pretty green color of her too-tight outfit?"

"No reason. I just wasn't expecting you to choose Scorpion is all," he said with a shrug as the game began.

Jerking my body as I dodged his first freeze blast, I said, "You better learn really quick that I don't care for gender stereotypes, Liam."

Failing at dodging my kunai, he sighed and laughed. "Point taken."

It didn't take long before the command to finish him blasted through the speakers, and I ripped his spinal cord clean through his frigid body.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, and I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore.

"You totally deserved that."

Without saying another word, I continued to show him who was boss. After the third round and another epic fatality, he threw his hands up and said, "Okay, Maci. You done showing off?"

Crossing my arms over my chest, I gave him an I-told-you-so smile and nodded. However, it was then that I realized we'd attracted an audience.

I was suddenly worried he'd be pissed that I showed him up in what was supposed to be his territory. These kids looked up to him, and there I stood, holding his balls in a metaphorical vice. The smirk that tilted up on half his face told me he wasn't mad... at least not horribly upset with me.

Leaning close, a little too close, he whispered in my ear. "I think these guys like watching you from behind while you play." Before I could respond, Liam grabbed my ass, squeezed once, and winked before offering me his hand and adding, "Let's go."

As soon as we made it into the hall, out of geekdom earshot, I laid into him. "Did you seriously just grab my ass?"

"I had to even the score somehow and also show them all you were off limits. Their gawking was very distracting," he said with a shrug, never letting go of my hand as I tried to tug it free.

"Well, you don't get to grope me just to prove a point, Liam." I wasn't really as upset as I was sounding. Having his hand on me was exciting. But a habit like that could give him the wrong impression, and I'd be damned if I let a guy get away with pawing me in public like I was some piece of ass he had to stake claim to.

Using my hand, he pulled me closer and threw his arm around my shoulder like it was second nature for us to be connected. "I know, and I'm sorry. Their eyes were practically glued to your ass though. I was just giving them something to look at," he said with a holier-than-thou smirk. "Hell, even the one chick there was nearly undressing you with her stare."

Smacking his chest, I pushed him away and said, "Next time, grab yourself. I'm sure they'll get an eyeful then." But the smile on my face betrayed me and turned into a full-blown laugh that echoed off the marbled floors as we made our way toward the stairs leading to the theater.

Deciding we still had plenty of time before the midnight showing, I took a few steps and turned abruptly so he was now one step below, making him eye level with me. My stomach jumped with nerves when I noticed just how alone we really were. Not many students were wandering the halls at the moment and the fact we were isolated made me feel bold.

Grabbing both his hands, I guided them around my waist until his palms rested just at the small of my back. I wouldn't need to get on my tiptoes for what I had planned, which made me feel like I was in control.

"Maci, wh--?" My fingers over his lips abruptly cut off his words.

"Shh," I hissed. "No talking. Not right now."

Letting my touch trail down his mouth, I felt the softness of his lips with the pads of my fingers. He lightly pecked and nipped at one before I pulled them away and stared into his striking, blue eyes.

While attempting a seductive touch, I laced my fingers behind his neck and pressed my chest to his, feeling his warmth against me. I couldn't help it as my breath quickened and my heart began to beat frantically. I was sure he'd be able to feel it thrumming through my body, an obvious sign that he had some sort of effect on me in the most delicious way.

Before I could close the distance and kiss the adorable geek of a man in front of me, he brought one of his hands up and grasped my fingers, gently placing them on his chest, over his heart, so I could feel the rumbling staccato beneath my touch.

"I've walked on many planets and floated through the heavens... yet you're the only one in the universe who can make my hearts move." His voice, just a mere whisper, radiated through my soul as he spoke the all-too familiar words I wrote so long ago.

The man just quoted my first book.

# Chapter Twelve

Liam: Great Scott

At first, I felt silly for letting the words spill from my mouth. Even if she'd read M.L. Thomas' books, there was no way she'd remember the words verbatim like I did. The way she stared into my eyes, with nothing but pure shock, led me to believe I'd overstepped my boundaries.

Then, one single word spilled from her lips, making me realize just how amazing this woman was.

"Celestial," she whispered, pegging the name of the book I pulled the quote from and completely recognizing the reference. It wasn't until a single drop of moisture pooled in the corner of her eye that I grasped just how much she understood--unspoken knowledge clear in the depths of her distant gaze.

I knew enough about Maci to know she wouldn't be entirely comfortable with this display of emotion, so I did what any man would do in my situation--I kissed her.

If I thought her name felt great on my lips, her mouth was pure ecstasy. She tasted even better than she looked, which was saying a lot considering she was smoking hot. I'd never thought a woman could bring me to my knees before, but I was damn near collapsing at the feel of her warm lips against mine.

Standing on the steps of the stairwell, her hand still splayed out on my chest, we kissed. Our tongues touched as our breathing quickened. A soft moan emanating from her had me straining for control not to take her right here on these cold, marble stairs.

Pressing her soft body against mine, I tangled my fingers through her hair and continued to ravish her with my lips. There was only one other time I'd ever been kissed like this, and I honestly never thought I'd experience such passion again. She entranced me, not just with her kiss--everything about this woman had me inspired... mesmerized.

She was spunky. She was sexy. She was independent. She was passionate. She was smart. And, right here--right now in this stairwell--she was mine.

Nipping at her bottom lip ever so lightly, I finally pulled away and managed to suck in a ragged breath, catching any little bit of oxygen I could muster after that incredible kiss.

Bringing her fingers to her mouth, she touched the moisture on her swollen lips and whispered, "Great Scott."

I couldn't help the laughter that exploded from me at her quick wit. "Yeah, let's get to the theater before things get too heavy," I added with a wink and a light peck to her nose.

The theater was a bit chilly, which meant I inadvertently got to appreciate the view, at least until the lights went down. The thing I loved about seeing flicks at the campus union was the lack of ads. We were able to jump into the opening credits right away, the vibration from the surround sound giving me exciting chills.

Maci didn't waste any time grabbing my hand and lacing her fingers with mine, the act warming me and making me smile at how easily affectionate I could be with her. She made me feel... comfortable.

Since the stadium seating was only about half full, I felt like we had a bit of privacy--enjoying one of our favorite films without the constant racket of other moviegoers. Of course, there was the occasional laughter during the funny parts, which made the scenes even more enjoyable--at least to me.

As Doc Brown opened up his door, a crazy helmet littered with wires covering his head, I looked over at Maci and marveled at her smile. The lights from the screen shone in her eyes, making them look like glittery orbs, her grin obvious as her lids squinted shut.

A burst of her laughter had me chuckling as well, not only because the scene was funny, but because I was completely enraptured by how amazingly gorgeous she was--her expression carefree and overjoyed.

I must've gotten completely lost in her beauty, because before I had a chance to tear my gaze away, she glanced over at me, biting her lip when she realized I was staring. There was no sense in hiding my attraction. Being bold, I leaned over and whispered, "I love watching you laugh." I finished my compliment with a light peck on her cheek that sent a thrilling sensation over my lips.

Damn, this girl was going to be the end of my self-control.

*****

Once we got to the Jeep, I made sure to help her back up, fully aware she could do it herself, but wanting to enjoy the view for a moment.

And that was when I saw it.

As she climbed into the cab of the Jeep, I caught sight of a small Batman tattoo, just a simple black batman symbol that was seated perfectly on the small of her back.

I'd seen that tattoo before. I'd remember that ink anywhere... and especially on an ass like hers. How could I have not noticed before?

She's the one.

# Chapter Thirteen

Maci: My Escape

Not sure what his problem was, but Liam hightailed it as soon as he dropped me in front of my building. I was lucky he didn't make me jump and roll. Hell, I even invited the man up, certain he would take the bait. But, nope. He feigned some sort of thing he had to do at home, leaving me to wrack my brain and try to figure out what the hell spooked him.

Maybe he was trying to pay me back for how I acted at the charity function. After all, I did kinda flip shit that night and, if he weren't my ride, I likely would've walked out. He didn't seem like the vindictive type though, so I was probably making something out of nothing.

Making my way up to my apartment, I thought of what I'd done to make him spaz and take off. He was pretty clear of his intentions all evening, especially during the movie. Yet, the ride home was excruciatingly silent. Maybe he was afraid his Jeep would turn into a pumpkin if he didn't make it home in time.

Stripping down to nothing but my tee and panties, I curled up on my couch with my favorite blanket--the one my grams made. Fingering the frayed fabric along the edge, I wished I could talk to her. But it was late. Tomorrow, I'd be sure to spend several more hours with her than usual. She was my comfort zone.

As I slugged my way to bed, dragging the blanket with me, a text pinged through on my phone, and I was surprised to see it was Liam.

Liam: Sorry to bail so quickly. Lunch tomorrow?

Maci: Yeah, what up with that? No can do on lunch. I'll be busy most of the day tomorrow.

Liam: Then lunch sometime later this week?

Maci: Lunches are out. Got any other game plans, Mr. Allen?

Liam: Why not lunch?

Maci: I have other obligations, and you're being nosy.

Liam: Okay. Guess I'll just see you at Ramon's sometime. Nite.

Well, hmm. That was a bit abrupt. But I wasn't going to trade my lunch dates for anything in the world, so he could pout all he wanted.

Sleep didn't come easy that night. I seemed to be hyperaware of the wind patterns my fan blades made as the breeze from them hit my body, illusions of colors flitting behind my eyelids.

Usually, my sleep deprivation was due to characters who didn't know how to shut the hell up. But this time, it was my own mind warring with itself...

...over some silly man.

*****

The next day, I skipped my coffee run and went straight to the nursing home. With my sleepless night lingering in my bones, you'd think coffee would be the most important item on the agenda. But nothing was as important as seeing my grams, especially when my mind was such a clusterfuck over some guy.

The pungent smell of cleansers and old people wafted through the air, waking me up like a slap to the face as I made my way down the hall, the heels of my boots echoing off the sterile walls.

Peeking my head through the door, I made sure she was up before making a single noise. With it being nine in the morning, I knew she would be awake. She was always an earlier riser, which was the opposite of my very nature.

She sat by the window, staring out into the garden with that blank look on her face, one that told me she'd had a rough morning so far. I didn't even have to say a word before she sensed my presence, turning in her chair and nearly leaping out of it to greet me.

"Oh, thank the Lord you're here," she said, her desperation turning her voice into a near sob as she reached her arms out for me. She may not remember my name, but she'd never forget my face. Her heart never forgot me.

"I'm here, Grams," I assured her as she held me tight. Because of the Alzheimer's riddling her memory, our daily visits always started out with this desperation of sorts. It was the norm. I was sure her mind constantly played tricks on her, making her believe I hadn't been there in forever, leaving her alone in this world. In reality, she was my daily dose of love I so badly needed in life. I made sure she knew it too--even if I had to repeat myself every three minutes, she would know love. "I love these big hugs you give me every day."

"I'm just so glad you're here." Her hold on me increased before she finally eased back, never letting me go while she settled down into her chair again.

Her hands still clasped in mine, I sat across from her and said, "I just thought I'd come spend the day with you, maybe get some of my work done while we hang out together. Is that okay?"

A quick nod of her head and a vacant smile was good enough of an answer for me as we finally released each other and settled back in our chairs. She wouldn't remember why I was here a few minutes later, just that she was glad I came. She never minded seeing my face around, but that wouldn't slow the questions from rolling out of her mind.

A few minutes had passed while I sat there just looking out the window with her, and I anticipated a question coming soon. She was always full of them, but the inquiry that came out of her mouth was still a bit unexpected.

"What's wrong, Deni?" It wasn't the name that threw me off. She often called me by her daughter's name--my stepmom. I can only assume because Denise was the one who took care of her for so many years until she passed along with my father and brother. Didn't matter that I wasn't blood related, she was still my grams.

What threw me about this particular question was her concern. She could tell something was bothering me. Oh, how she could read my emotions so well, even when it was hard for her to piece the past few minutes together.

She wouldn't remember my answer, but it helped me to know she was always a great listener--allowing me to speak my mind whenever I needed to, nodding and encouraging at all the right times.

Her hand reaching out to touch mine told me she was still waiting for my answer, still in the present, at least for a moment.

"I... well, I met this guy. And to put it simply, I like him. But, we actually have a past--a past he doesn't seem to remember. Granted, it was almost a year and a half ago, but still." Glancing up at her, I looked her straight in the eye and asked, "Am I really that forgettable?"

"Oh, honey. Don't be so hard on him. He'll come around, I'm sure." She opened her mouth to say something more, but quickly clamped it shut, her stare magnetized to the window and the garden beyond. Only about a minute passed before she turned back to me, our hands still bonded together, and asked, "Is something wrong?"

I just smiled, knowing our deep talk had passed. I didn't begrudge her for it. No, just the opposite. She let me get things off my chest that I wouldn't normally talk about with anyone else for fear they'd press for further information.

With the smile still plastered on my face, I patted her hand and said, "No, Grams. Everything is perfect while I'm here with you." Pulling my grip from hers, I opened my laptop and asked, "Would you like me to read something to you that I'm working on? It's not finished yet, but it will help me get back in the groove."

She didn't know it, but my grams had heard all of my stories. Even though she couldn't keep up with the storyline, she still enjoyed every second of it. The look on her face told me just how much she loved being read to, especially since she could no longer read to herself.

"I would love to hear it," she said, this time with a genuine smile that reached her eyes.

Settling back in the uncomfortable chair, I placed my laptop on my thighs and began to read, opening up a whole new world for my grams.

# Chapter Fourteen

Liam: Bat Signal

My reaction last week must've pissed Maci off, because I hadn't seen or heard from her but once since. My texts and calls went unanswered and the rebuff was obvious, yet I still couldn't seem to come to terms with the fact that things could end so abruptly without us even so much as talking.

Exactly a week after I noticed the Batman tattoo, she was rushing out of Ramon's just as I was arriving. She said she had a lunch meeting, but I didn't buy it, especially since she was dressed in tattered jeans, which were pretty damn sexy, and a white shirt with Spiderman's eyes just below her cleavage. The small scrap of fabric hugged every curve of her body perfectly. It was hardly business meeting attire. Hell, the way she dressed was a lot like myself, laid back and giving zero fucks about what others thought.

I had to admit, my ego was slightly hurt at the brushoff she was giving me. Clearly, I was delusional to think we'd had some sort of connection. I wanted so badly to just storm off, my taste for an iced latte suddenly vanishing with the sight of her retreating form. But my ego had different plans, and I had to forge on as if nothing was affecting me.

Making small talk with Ramon as I ordered both coffee and a deli sandwich, I asked, "So, Maci doesn't seem to stick around for lunch often, huh? Not a fan of your delicious wraps?"

"Ahh, she sometimes takes a lunch to go. But for the most part, she eats somewhere else," he said, looking toward the door where she had left like he was worried to talk about her behind her back. "She's a good kid."

I just nodded, wondering where Maci ran off to for lunch every day. I could've just asked her, but would she tell me? She seemed pretty tight-lipped about anything personal, and I had a strong feeling this particular daily rendezvous was pretty private.

It would totally suck if she was seeing someone else, and I was just a mistake she wished she'd never gotten mixed up with. Her distance over the past week made me wonder--and led me to believe I should consider that as a possibility.

No chick as hot, smart, and fun as her would be on the market, especially for a geek like me. I knew she was too good for me, but I'd be stupid if I gave up without a fight, especially after the night I shared with The Black Cat so long ago.

Scarfing down my sandwich, I hightailed it back to the office, eager to get back to work. We were testing a new game in development today, and I was not in the mood to just watch. Usually, my job was to oversee the developers and testers, but damn if I didn't want to get my hands busy and play myself from time to time.

I missed the days when I was just a lowly tester. Even when forced to play the shitty games that never made it past the first stage of development, my job was still loads of fun. Not that I didn't enjoy my job now... I did. I just sometimes wished I could avoid all the corporate bullshit and have some fun for once. Life had somehow become a maze of meetings, figures, and babysitting, so today would be the perfect day to let my hair down and join the testers.

"Ho--ly--shit. Is that a smile I see on your ugly mug?" Thad bellowed as I walked into his office.

"I'm testing today," I informed him in a don't-you-argue-with-me tone of voice. Of course, the lackey didn't fucking listen to anything I said.

"No, you have that run-in with the web programmers at two, remember? Testing starts in a half hour, so there's no way you can do both." Again, the man was not listening.

"Postpone it, or do it yourself. I can give you all my notes. But I'm testing today," I said, standing my ground with my arms folded across my chest. Thad stood, eyeing me sideways.

"Well, you're the boss. I'll just postpone the team. You're obviously in a mood, and I'll be damned if I miss this alpha-testing session on Sky's latest idea if you're going to be in on it." Shaking his head, he scratched the back of his neck and stared at me before speaking again. "What the hell is up with you lately, huh?"

"Later. Right now, I need to game."

"Fair 'nuff."

I thought my words would be enough to dismiss him but, instead, Thad stayed up my ass until I settled myself into a chair with a controller in my hand.

God, it felt good to get my hands on this newest game idea. The graphics were in basic form, but I could just see how the pieces were coming together.

Noticing my character couldn't grab certain items with his left hand, I paused and took a few notes, letting the developers know of the glitch, then continued playing, Thad peeking over my shoulder to see what I wrote.

"Yeah, the other testers are catching a few minor things like that too, but overall, the development of this game is wicked," he said, never distracting me from my current mission as I crept through the swampy grasslands in search of my next item.

"Definitely have a winner with this one." I asked Thad to jot down a few suggestions I had that may help the developers smooth out the graphics and easily completed my mission. "The only major suggestion I have is they need to make this a bit more of a challenge. It's a tad too easy right now, and seasoned gamers will get bored."

Just as I shut off the console, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Thad got up, carrying my notes with him, and headed to the lounge where all the testers gathered after their trial sessions. Checking the one incoming text, I was floored to finally hear from her.

Maci: I guess we need to talk. Tonight? Your place?

Scratching my head in every literal sense of the phrase, I stood there and contemplated how to respond. Of course I wanted to talk. But my place?

"Dude. You coming?" Thad hollered through the doorway.

"Be right there," I mumbled and quickly texted her back.

Liam: Yep. I get home around six.

Maci: I'll bring pizza around eight.

Liam: 10-4.

Sending another text with my address and apartment number, I sauntered to the lounge with utter confusion filling my brain. She switched from cold to warm so quickly that it made my head spin. Now that I'd gotten some of my frustrations out by immersing myself in gaming, she managed to seep right in and muddle everything up again.

Thank Christ I'd taken detailed notes, otherwise I'd be utterly useless in this little powwow session with the developers.

It was nearing five by the time we dispersed from the lounge and, of course, Thad could tell something was eating me.

"What has your panties in a wad now?" he asked, nearly slamming the door to my office.

"I hate talking to you about chick issues, Thad. Why do you continue to push the subject?" I barked. I knew this shit wasn't his fault, but damn it if the dude didn't have any sort of experience in how to deal with women.

"Tough shit. When your moods start coming to work with you, you lose the privilege of shutting me out," he said rather forcefully while never moving from his spot in front of my door. "What gives, Liam? Does this chick make you this miserable all the fucking time?"

Shaking my head, I inaudibly let him know that wasn't the case with a slight wince. Of course she didn't make me miserable. Did she? No. When we were together, we were great.

"I saw her for the first time today since our date last week," I blurted out.

"And? That bothers you why?" he asked in confusion.

"She's the chick I fucked at the company New Year's masquerade almost two years ago. Only I didn't know it until last week when I got a glimpse of her tattoo."

"Hah! No shit. Wait... you're serious? You mean to tell me you've been practically dating this girl for several weeks and didn't know you'd slept with her before?" Taking a seat on the couch across from me, he stared at my nonresponsive face. "How does that even happen?"

"You know how. We never took off our masks. It was so long ago, I never even considered running into her again. Plus, Sky wouldn't spill the beans about who she was. I tried to pry without giving too many details," I explained, placing my elbows on my knees and pulling at my hair in frustration. "I don't think she knows. I don't think she recognizes me at all, if she even remembers the night. We were both lightly drinking. I don't think she intended for it to be more than a one-night stand."

"So, what's the problem? Now you guys have something else in common. I don't get what the issue is."

"When I saw the tat and realized it was her, I kinda freaked. Not because I didn't want it to be her, but because I had no fucking clue what to say. I mean, how the hell do you even approach a conversation like that? Oh, hey, you may not remember me, but I'm the Phantom geek you randomly boinked at that stupid party I didn't even want to host, let alone go to," I mocked. "Yeah, that'd go over well."

"I don't think you have any other choice but to have that awkward conversation. Either that or pretend it never happened. But you walking around like a fucking zombie over this chick is stupid."

He had a point. And yeah, maybe I could just pretend it never happened. After all, she didn't need to know I thought of her almost every time I jerked off since that fateful night. Hell, no one needed to know that shit.

"She texted me earlier, right as I finished testing. Said she wants to talk," I said with air quotes. "At my place. Tonight."

"Fuck, man. Talking sucks. I'm sorry. That probably means she's got some other dude stashed away somewhere. Either that or she realized what an a-hole you are," he added with a chuckle.

"Pot, meet kettle," I said, sarcasm seeping from my voice.

"Hey, I don't have another dude on the side," he joked, earning a hearty eye roll from me. "You'll be fine. Just tell her. You'll get it off your chest and she'll either stick around or never want to see you again. Either way, you won't continue to be jerked around like this."

"Wow, the pain in the ass who never keeps a date actually makes some sense," I scoffed. "Thanks for listening. I guess I'll head home and hope for the best."

As we parted ways in the parking garage, Thad's voice echoed off the concrete surfaces as he hollered, "Hope you get a piece of that tonight, even if it means it's farewell tail."

"Thanks for securing my faith in humanity, numbnuts," I yelled back.

Tonight, I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and the wait nearly killed me.

# Chapter Fifteen

Maci: Coercion

Over the past week, I contemplated what I would say to him. My anger grew with each day that passed where he didn't remember me. I knew for a goddamned fact I wasn't that easy to forget. Hell, all it took was one kiss from him for me to remember. So, why was it so fucking hard for him to recollect such a strong night of passion?

I needed him to remember me. That night stuck with me for so long--ruined any and all dates I'd had since. The connection Liam and I had that night went far beyond just sex. Well, at least for me it did.

After all his text messages, asking to see me again, wanting to know if I was okay, I wondered how I would approach him. Yeah, I thought I could just let it go... keep him in the dark about our past. But it bothered me way too much to realize how disposable I was.

Then, seeing him at Ramon's finally cracked my shell. He looked so cute. I ached to touch him. Yet, my tenacity got the best of me. Hardheaded was putting it mildly, and I often scolded myself for being so stubborn.

God, he looked so good, wearing a dark blue t-shirt with a lone TARDIS in the center. My voice shook with the few words I managed to say, and I hauled ass out of there. How this man managed to beat down my confidence was beyond me, but I knew I had to do something, anything, to change the situation around.

I would make him remember me. Not with words. Oh, no. I would make him remember what it was like to make love to me.

With a plan forming in my head, I texted him. My heart hammered in my chest at the realization he could quite possibly turn me down. I really wouldn't blame him if he did. It wasn't like I was the easiest person to talk to over the past week. Hell, I pretty much blew him off. What he didn't know though was how much I had to say with no words on how to say it.

His response was almost immediate and had me smiling at the thought of seeing him again, this time... alone.

*****

I contemplated wearing my Black Cat mask, but that would give too much away. I wanted him to remember me for me, not my character that night.

Braiding my hair, I made sure the colorful streaks were showing, knowing he would like that. It felt good to present myself in order to impress a man and his tastes. I couldn't help but notice him eyeballing my Spiderman tee earlier that day, so I made sure to keep it on for our date. It was one of my shirts that left little to the imagination.

Parking in a visitor's spot, I pulled the visor mirror down and checked my makeup. I wasn't one who needed things to be perfect, but the chance to stall a little and calm my erratic heartbeat was something I needed to do.

Why I was nervous was beyond me. It wasn't like this would be our first time, and I always felt comfortable with him. But the risk that he would turn me away was something I feared. So the nerves never subsided as I pulled up to his condo, pizza and beer in hand.

The doorman was expecting me and allowed me to go right up, punching a code into the elevator keypad so I could go all the way up to the penthouse. Damn, this place was swanky. I mean, I remembered it being upscale when I was here for the party, but I thought that was just something he did for that night.

My nerves didn't seem to lessen any as I stared at my reflection in the elevator doors, my arms shaking with the weight of the pizza and six-pack--not because they were heavy, but because I was anxious as fuck. I could only hope I was doing the right thing.

The ping of the elevator signaling my arrival made me jump just before the doors slid open. Be brave. Be brave and have fun, I repeated to myself and held my breath as the panels slid aside, revealing his private foyer and double-entry doors, which were standing ajar, obviously waiting for me to come in.

Nearly walking on my tiptoes, I eased my way through the doors and looked around. The place was much bigger than I remembered--way too big for a bachelor.

"Liam?" I called out, setting the pizza and beer on the large bar in his kitchen area.

"Oh, hey." The sound of his voice and the surprise of his head popping up from the couch had a high-pitched screech bellowing from my throat before I could control myself.

"Mother of fuck, Liam!" I said with an attempt to catch my breath. I was thankful I'd set the food down already, or it would've likely become a floor decoration. "You really have a bad habit of sneaking up on people."

"Sorry. I didn't hear the elevator chime. Was just killing time playing Mario Kart," he said, holding up a red DS and snapping it shut as he rose from the couch. "You brought beer too? Score."

"Yeah. Hope Yuengling is cool," I said with a shrug. I really didn't know why, but I was feeling awfully self-conscious. It wasn't like me to feel like I wasn't being myself.

"For sure. So glad you didn't bring one of those girly light beers. It's like drinking piss water." The shriveled-nose look he gave me was cute.

"And you'd know what that tastes like?" I joked. He ignored my comment and made a show of pulling some paper plates and napkins down from a cabinet, plopping them on the top of the pizza box.

Scooping it all up, he gestured with his head toward the balcony and said, "It's a beautiful night to eat out on the terrace. You game?"

"You know I'm always game," I said with a nod, picking up the six-pack and following him out.

Man, he wasn't kidding. The view up here was just as breathtaking as I remembered it being nearly two years ago. The lights of downtown Tampa shimmered beneath us while a light breeze tousled small strands of my hair about my face.

Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath of fresh air, allowing the warm wind to engulf my senses. Upon opening them, I found Liam slowly approaching me, a look of caution evident on his face.

I wasn't sure what had gotten into me, but the smile on my face suddenly felt permanent. I felt happy, content, for the first time in so long. It was just the two of us on top of the world right now, and it felt so right--so perfect.

Setting the beer down on a nearby table, I contemplated whether to kiss him or not. Yeah, we'd kissed several times before, but now I was bound and determined to make the man remember me. I just had to embrace the challenge--balls to the walls--and make it happen.

Grabbing his Doctor Who shirt, making sure not to damage its beauty, I brought him close to me. Our lips nearly touching caused a flicker of warmth to run through me. I ached for him.

"Liam," I whispered.

"Maci," he responded back with a half smile.

"The pizza's getting cold," I said in a normal voice, lightly pushing at his chest and reaching for a bottle of beer.

"You're evil," he joked, laughing and accepting the now-open bottle of booze. Taking a swig, he shook his head and added, "So, so evil."

Our playful banter had the little flutters going wild in my stomach. Just his grin did that to me. When I first officially met the man, he was so cocky and entitled--missing the whole geeky nature I loved about men. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized I had just pegged him wrong... all wrong.

I liked that he chose to be the Phantom for the New Year's masque.

I liked that he wore geeky t-shirts to work and everywhere in between.

I liked that he read Sci-Fi.

I liked that he killed time by playing Mario games.

I liked that he didn't flaunt his money, though the apartment was a tad highbrow.

And most of all, I liked how I felt when I was around him.

The fizzing noise was loud in our quiet space in the clouds as I popped the top off my bottle of beer and nearly began to guzzle. I had to calm myself down somehow, and Yuengling always did the trick.

We ate in silence, just enjoying the beautiful weather and view of the city. Everyone looked so busy, so rushed, as headlights and taillights sped through the streets like tiny little ants frantic to get to their destination. It felt so good to just sit for once and relax. No one relying on me. No one needing me to do something for them, get something for them, be something for them. I was just me. And he was just him. And we were just here--for now, anyway. Soon, I would complicate things by trying to get the numbskull to remember the special night we shared so long ago. And he would remember, or my name wasn't Maci Layne.

"Hey, Liam," I said, breaking the silence. He looked over at me with a relaxed, serene look on his face. "How would you like to play a little game?"

His eyebrow quirked up at the mention of playing me again, and I could almost see a bit of hesitation in his eyes. "Wouldn't you rather talk? Wasn't that the whole reason for this beer bribery anyway?"

"Nah," I said with a small wave of my hand. "This was just to get you to invite me up here so I can kick your ass in a little PvP action. Plus, we can talk while we play if you want. I know that makes me feel a bit more comfortable at least."

"Okay," he agreed, sitting up and turning so he was facing me. "What'd you have in mind?"

"I name the game, you name the stakes."

"Oh, we're going to wager then?" he asked, running his fingers through his hair and hiding his blush. I figured this whole gambling ploy would be another way for him to remember that night. Was he actually blushing? "I'm not really sure of what to bet on."

"How about... us?" I said, pushing the hints as far as I dared to.

"Us? What do you mean exactly?"

Getting up from the chaise, I slowly made my way the few steps to him and stopped, forcing him to look up at me. Trying hard to make sure my voice didn't shake, I asked, "What do you want, Liam?"

Snaking his hands around me, he settled his palms on the small of my back and whispered, "You."

"Is that your wager?"

"I'm not going to sleep with you over a bet, Maci," he said more sternly this time. My heart dropped. He had no problem sleeping with The Black Cat over a bet. But when it was me... really me... he didn't want to have anything to do with it.

Attempting to deflect his refusal, I mustered up a weak joke. "It's not like you have a chance of winning anyway, Mr. Allen. So you might as well stop being such a paragon. Try being a renegade for once."

With a sigh, he stood face to face with me--well, more like face to chest with his height. Pulling at my braid, he forced me to meet his eyes. "And if you win?"

"If I win, you get to buy me coffee for a whole month," I said, more chipper than before to hopefully lighten the mood.

A loud laugh thundered from his chest before he asked, "Is that it? Hell, I could buy you coffee for a whole year if you want."

"I just want a month," I affirmed while wrapping my arms around his skinny waist and beaming up at him.

"Very well," he said, grabbing one of my hands and leading me into his game room. The place was huge, with a sixty-inch flat panel and surround sound. In the center were several plush, black couches that sat in a semi-circle, all facing the large screen.

Continuing to drag me along, he led me over to a huge wall of shelves filled with every game you could possibly imagine. My panties were creaming up at just the sight of it all, the memories coming back to me from when I was last here. I'd remembered he had a lot when I was here for the party, but things were dark and I was a tad drunk, so now I was able to really, truly take it all in and enjoy this man's privileged life as a gamer.

"Pick your poison," he prompted, letting go of my hand so I could browse the titles. But I didn't need to search for the one I wanted because I was certain he would have it.

"I already know which game I want to play," I said, turning my back on the wall of wonder and winking at the awkward, adorable man standing in front of me. "Seven."

# Chapter Sixteen

Liam: Deadly Games

My laugh could've been heard from fucking China, and I couldn't help it one little bit.

Wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes, I tried to figure out what her plan was. She had to have known why this was so comical to me. The stern look on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest told me she completely understood and didn't think it was funny. "Maci, I know you're aware that my company developed that game. I know Seven inside and out. Hell, I even know what little glitches and quirks it has. Are you purposefully trying to lose this bet?"

"What makes you so sure I'm going to lose? You'd be surprised how big of a motivator free coffee is for me, Liam." Dropping her arms, she took a few steps and approached me. Standing on her tippy toes, she traced a single finger over the stubble on my cheek as she whispered, "And I will win."

"You keep distracting me like that and you just might."

"Superpowers aside," she said as she walked past me, patting me once on my ass and approaching the cabinet that held my controllers. "The sooner we start this, the sooner you will be calling me master."

Her confidence was probably the sexiest thing about her, and I suddenly felt the dire need to win this bet. Yeah, the angel on my right kept telling me how wrong it was to play this charade with her again, especially after the New Year's party. But the devil on my left threatened to pummel the angel's ass and told him to shut the hell up, 'cause getting some Maci love was just too good to pass up on.

I was torn. I wanted her, so badly. But not because of a bet. Not again.

Grabbing the game off my shelf, I brushed the devil aside and came to the conclusion that I would let her win.

Without asking, she grabbed my controller, the only controller I ever use for this particular console, and tossed it in my direction. Considering it was separate from the slew of other controllers may have tipped her off, but I still couldn't help but wonder if she'd made the connection that I was the one she challenged that fateful New Year's Eve.

One thing I loved about her gaming selection was the sound. This particular game had some really graphic sounds that were bitchin' on the surround-sound system in this room. Made me thankful I didn't have any immediate neighbors. The unit below me was used for storage.

While I got everything turned on and set up, she walked to the far wall and dialed down the lights, allowing the glow of the flat screen to illuminate the room. If I thought she looked good in direct light, she looked even more phenomenal with the luminosity of my game gleaming in her eyes and reflecting off her radiant skin.

I watched her every move as we sat next to each other in front of the screen, her eyes aglow with amazement. Yeah, I couldn't help but be a tad proud of my setup in here.

As soon as the sound of Seven's intro chimed through the speakers, Maci elbowed me and said, "Get ready to have your balls handed to you."

"Hah. I'm not sure how to shit-talk with a girl," I said as I waited for her to pick her sin.

"You know how I feel about gender stereotyping. Just treat me like one of the guys."

I couldn't help but notice this was a trend of hers--echoing comments she'd made in the past. She really didn't like being treated differently for being a beautiful woman.

"Yeah, not happening. I'm a total asshole to my guy friends."

"And you're an asshole for picking lust too. You seriously want me to jump your bones, huh? Even in the game?" I couldn't help but laugh at the conversation playing out. The game was based on the seven deadly sins, and she didn't bat an eye when she chose sloth.

"I love the power that the lust character holds. Lust is all about loss of control, so surrounding my opponent with chaotic winds, disorienting them from their true path in the game, is a pretty powerful weapon. What the hell do you plan to do with sloth anyway?"

"Guess you'll have to wait and see," she said as our characters dropped onto different areas of the course. "What gave you the idea of building a game around the seven deadly sins anyway?"

Running through a rundown neighborhood, I spotted my first checkpoint as I answered her question. "One of our developers was obsessed with The Divine Comedy. So, after about eight different sucky pitches, he finally came up with something gold."

Before she could respond, I watched her raise her gun to her head, and--

"Fuck!" she cursed.

"Wrath is around somewhere. Fight it, I'm right behind you." Within seconds, I saw him. Wrath had the ability to manipulate the minds of other characters so they would eventually take their own life--the ultimate expression of hatred directed inwardly.

Thankfully, he didn't see me coming as I used him for target practice. I was just in time too. Maci's character dropped her weapon.

"Man, he snuck up on me. Thanks. But why not let him take me out? You would've won," she asked as she picked her weapon back up and followed me into an abandoned church.

"But what fun would that be if you succumbed minutes after starting and I wasn't even the one to take you out?" I answered with a laugh.

"It'll suck for you when I win then. That was your only chance of survival."

"We've leveled up, but so have the other four," I said while peeking around a corner. "There's a hole down at the end of this corridor that leads to an underground area. C'mon."

Several minutes passed as we made our way through the belly of the underground city. Having her next to me, absorbed just as much as I was in one of my favorite games, made me realize just how much I wanted Maci--not just to fuck her again, though that was beyond amazing, from what I recalled. No, I wanted nights like this to last forever. Relaxing in front of the console, playing games and talking shit. It was perfection to me.

Suddenly, my character felt a little weak, and I noticed it was hard for me to take each additional step. There was Maci's character, sloth, pointing at me.

"Why are you pulling that shit on me? Thought we were going to try and defeat these fuckers together?"

"Not you, numbnuts. Behind you," she warned.

With sluggish movements, I turned my character around to see gluttony. He stood, his limbs slack and his body nearly incapacitated. I may have been feeling the effects of sloth's power, but gluttony was getting the brunt of it.

Unable to lift my gun, I made my character take several steps back in the hopes my strength would increase the further I got away from the central point of her power.

"You gonna shoot the fucker or just stand there looking pretty?" she asked.

"You've got me nearly paralyzed. Just give me a sec." As soon as my character stood by hers, narrowly avoiding the path her powers were taking, I regained mobility in my arms and raised my gun. I cringed as soon as I shot the bastard, his fat splattering all over the walls of the short alleyway we stood in. "Damn, we sure as hell made this shit graphic," I grumbled.

Maci let out an audible sigh as we leveled up. "That was close. I almost didn't see him."

"And yet, you saved me. Thought you said I wouldn't survive."

"Guess I have a soft spot for the cocky geeks," she said with a wink as our characters ran through a flooded section of the underground.

"Cocky geek? You mean me?"

Nodding, she poked her head into a saloon and directed me to follow. "When I first met you, you were a cocky son of a bitch wearing a gaming shirt. Hence your nickname."

"Heh. And now?" I asked, wondering if she still thought I was cocky.

"Now what? You're still a cocky geek, but definitely one I'm beginning to tolerate."

I could tell she was joking, but I still wondered why she found me to be cocky. Then again, I was more confident than any of my buddies when it came to talking to girls. Maybe she just assumed because I was wearing a gaming shirt that I would be a stereotypically insecure nerd?

Two more sins were slaughtered over the next hour, leaving jealousy as the only one to defeat other than us. We hadn't talked about anything of importance, and now I wondered if this whole game tactic was a way for her to avoid talking to me at all. It wasn't like I needed to gab my heart out like a teenage girl or anything, but I really did want to know why she'd been so distant. I also wanted, no needed, to know if she knew who I really was.

Surprisingly, jealousy was easy to take out--almost too easy. This game was built to be much more of a challenge than it was for us tonight. Then again, I'd never teamed up with anyone while playing Seven before. I bet none of the computer characters knew what to do with two sins attacking them simultaneously.

"And then there were two," I muttered, wondering how we were going to finish this.

"Hey, Liam?" Maci said as her character tapped mine on the shoulder to get my attention. Within seconds, my character was paralyzed. I knew this was it, and since she pulled her power before I did, there was nothing I could do but hope it started affecting her too with her close proximity to me.

Then, she did the unexpected. Bringing her gun up to her own head, she looked me straight in the eye--well, her character did--and pulled the trigger. "You win."

"Fuck, Maci! What did you do that for?" I nearly screamed while staring at the screen, watching the finale--my character cheering on his own accord because he defeated all the other sins. "You had it won. Why would you puss out like that?"

"Because I wanted to," she said, her voice growing husky. Glancing beside me, I watched in shock as she leaned over, crawling onto her hands and knees like a lioness in heat.

Lightbulb. Duh, Liam. She lost on purpose.

Forcing me back, she climbed on top of me, her lips mere inches from mine. Her cute braid flopped to the side of our heads as she settled above me, pinning me to the couch. God, she was perfect, other than the fact she just threw the fucking game.

"You do realize you didn't have to throw in the towel just to get in my pants, right?" I joked, only she probably knew just how serious I was. "Don't we need to talk abo--?"

"Shh," she shushed against my lips, her warm breath tickling me in the most delicious way. "No talking."

"Then what--?" This time, her lips cut me off with a feverish kiss, our teeth nearly clashing together with the force behind it.

Breaking away, she took a deep breath. "Take me to bed," she demanded between pants.

She definitely didn't have to tell me twice.

# Chapter Seventeen

Maci: Tetris

Liam's strength surprised the hell out of me as he picked me up in one quick movement and began stalking toward his room, my legs and arms wrapped around him in a death grip.

How girls could continue to kiss while some guy carried their heavy asses around was beyond me. I just held on for dear life and tried not to squeal like a ninny. Instead, I felt my growing smile graze against the cotton of his shirt. Regardless of whether he could see it or not, I was sure he knew I was grinning. I was also hoping I'd jog his memory by being with him in this familiar place.

I managed to get a growl from him as my teeth scraped on the lobe of his ear, the feel of his power beneath me growing with each step he took. Meaning for it to be a seductive whisper, I said, "God, I need this."

"Need what?" he questioned, lightly setting me on my feet next to the bed and looking down into my eyes. The room was dark, except for the soft illumination coming from his killer Tetris lamp above his bed. So, I was thankful to be able to see his face as I responded.

"You."

His answering smile filled my soul with warmth, causing me to close the distance and kiss him more passionately than I had ever kissed a man before. My fingers involuntarily tangled in his hair, pulling him down to meet my lips with fervor.

"I think gaming has got to be the sexiest foreplay I've ever experienced," he muttered between pecks.

Biting his bottom lip, I hissed a breath between my teeth and added, "Especially when I kick your ass every time."

"For shiz," he mumbled, never distancing his lips from mine. The feel of his breath tangling with mine was a new sensation I couldn't seem to get enough of.

Gripping me around my waist, Liam lifted me from my feet in another passionate embrace, allowing me a moment to kick my Converses off as I deepened the kiss. Our tongues tangled together, warring with each other for dominance. He should've known better by now that I would always win the battle.

God, I wanted him... and my vigorous actions should've been enough to prove my need for this geek of a man--should have being the optimal words.

"Maci," he said, gasping for air as he pulled away and stared me down, his face barely discernable in the dim light. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"What's up with you, Liam?" I questioned, wondering why he continually insisted on turning me down. "I practically throw myself at you and you're still pushing me away?" The man seriously didn't know who the fuck was standing in front of him. I wanted so badly to blurt out that I was both The Black Cat and his favorite Sci-Fi author... but I knew that would only give me the instant gratification I needed. No. I needed the cocky geek to want me for who I was in real life, not for the fictional roles I played.

"It's not that, and you know it," he spat out, shaking his head as he stared down at my shoes littering his floor. "It's just--"

Placing my hand over his mouth, I cut him off, not caring what had him all wound up like a virgin about to do the nasty for the first time. "Shut up," I demanded. Tucking my other hand in the waist of his jeans, I pulled him against me. "I've wanted to get in these pants for over a week now. So please, just stop blubbering and kiss me."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered with a grin, lowering his head toward me once more, our lips meeting in a soft tangle of passion. The feel of his strong hands pressing against the small of my back felt heavenly, channeling his power to my core and making me feel more confident as I arched and pushed my front against his chest.

Inching my fingers beneath his shirt, I lifted, reveling in the feel of his warmth beneath my touch. God, it felt good to put my hands on a man like this again. I'd obviously gone way too long without this kind of intimacy. The change of pace was both invigorating and frightening.

Gliding my hands up the strong muscles in his back, I pulled away and silently asked for his permission, staring into his eyes, the blue barely discernible in the dim lighting. Lifting his arms, he allowed me to raise the shirt over his head, revealing the skinny, yet defined body beneath. It wasn't like he didn't have muscles. They were there, and they were perfect for him. His skin was dark with the reflection of light from his dim lamp, the toned muscles he had casting shadowed patterns across the surface.

Tossing the shirt to the floor, I reached for his chest, digging my fingernails lightly into his flesh and following with a kiss. His body trembled ever so slightly beneath my lips, making me realize I affected him just as much as he did me.

Pulling at my braid, Liam tilted my head back and placed a light peck on my nose before saying, "Your turn."

His pout was almost comical as I backed away and removed myself from his arms. But, his lower lip didn't stick out for long as he realized what I was doing.

Crossing my arms around my torso, I took my time to wrap my fingers securely around the hem of my shirt. I made sure his eyes were on me, hunger clear in their depths. With a painstakingly slow pace, I began to lift the scrap of fabric from my body. You could tell the action was pure torture for the man as he stared at me with a stupid grin on his face.

He thought he knew what was coming, but the surprise was yet to be revealed. And I just loved surprising people. Clearing the last little bit of cloth from my head, I looked him straight in the eye while he stared at my boobs, shock and awe on his face clear with the fact that I wasn't wearing a bra. The shirt I'd just removed had one of those comfortable, built-in bras that I absolutely loved. Best. Invention. Ever.

The light sound of my shirt hitting the floor went straight to my core. This was really happening. I was internally doing a little booty dance, my stomach entangled with all kinds of little flutters due to the excitement that I'd finally get to sleep with him again. On the outside though, I knew I had to keep my cool or I'd scare the guy off.

With slow, measured footsteps, I closed the distance between us and pressed my bare chest to his, skin on skin. Heat immediately enveloped my nakedness, coating me with warmth to counteract the chill from the air-conditioned room.

I thought he'd wrap his arms around me, or maybe grab my boobs and cop a feel. Instead, he brought both hands to either side of my face, cradling my jaw in his hands, his touch having a much more intimate feel than I was expecting. His blue eyes were like glaciers--my reflection clear in their depths.

"So beautiful," he whispered, the sentiment catching me a bit off guard. He'd told me I was beautiful before, but the gravity of his words seemed to mean so much more this time--in this vulnerable state. Normal Maci would retort with some sort of joke, covering up my discomfort with humor that would be totally inappropriate in the moment. But this man disarmed me, making me feel like he actually meant the words spilling from his lips.

And what an amazing set of lips they were. I couldn't help myself. I just had to answer his compliment with a kiss.

With an overwhelming amount of desire building, I reached for him, wrapping my hands behind his neck, pulling at his short hair with desperate fingers. The force was overpowering, my strength surprising me as our mouths collided. Liam sucked in a ragged breath as our teeth clashed together, yet his struggle to pull away was downright useless. My hold on him was powerful and totally necessary.

Our noses butted against each other as we struggled for control. His hands, the ones that just skillfully played each button on his gaming controller with expertise, were both clutching at my ass as if letting go would cause me to disappear. I was so worked up and ready, I could just imagine myself trying to climb him like a tree.

I wasn't being graceful or ladylike--far from it. Instead, I was grinding every part of my body against his, willing to give him all of myself... worm my way inside him if I could. Actually, scratch that. I wanted the man inside me, and I wanted it now.

Never allowing our lips to break free, I reached behind me and grabbed one of his hands, forcing him to touch me, tease me, anything to ease the ache building in my breasts. He didn't fight me either. His thumb grazed my nipple, nearly making me cry out. I could just imagine how wonderful it would feel if he played me as passionately as he played his video games.

My fingers dug into the strong, flexing muscles of his back, earning me a few delicious groans as he continued to play tug-of-war with my tongue. His kisses were so amazingly yummy, and I couldn't help but bite that bottom lip of his a few times just to let him know how turned on I was. I could feel my panties getting wetter and was close to demanding he touch me more.

Without prompting him to do so, he took his sweet time and glided his fingers up the side of my bare torso. My body quivered at the feel of his warm hands trailing a path up my side, creeping ever so slowly to their destination. His fingertips teased the sensitive skin on the side of my breast, causing electric jolts to cascade through my entire body. Cupping my flesh with his large hands, Liam feathered his fingers over my nipple, the feel of his touch making me break away from his lips and gasp, pushing my breasts further into his hands.

Throwing my head back, I couldn't help but moan, my voice filling the void in the quiet room. "Oh, God," I cried out, needing him to know that his touch was driving me mad. My fingers were clutching his biceps, holding on for dear life as he paid close attention to both my breasts, flicking his thumbs over the sensitive buds and making me feel tingles all the way to my toes.

Lowering his head, Liam brought his mouth to me. The anticipation of his lips closing around my nipple had my knees nearly buckling, so when he finally did make contact, I thought for sure I'd lose my balance.

He hummed his satisfaction against my most-sensitive area, the vibration of his voice adding to the intense feeling. Every inch of my skin was perceptive to his touch, and the feel of his palms braced against my back went straight to my core.

Continuing to devour me, my nipple buried deep in his mouth and his tongue causing all kinds of crazy feelings, he increased his hold on me and guided me to lie back on the bed. I let him, completely trusting this man would never let me fall. He was so gentle, yet vigorous in his touch. The conflicting sensations seemed to mesh perfectly as I gave up full control and let him pleasure me.

Licking the sensitive nub before pulling away, cool air flickering over me with the loss of his mouth, Liam kissed a trail from one breast to the other and said, "You. Taste. Absolutely. Amazing." His voice came out in a broken staccato as he spoke between each kiss, each word taking on all new meaning as he complimented me.

"More," I demanded, lacing my fingers in his dark hair and pushing out my chest, wrapping one of my jean-clad legs around his waist to bring him even closer than before.

He didn't hesitate--taking my other nipple in his mouth with such delicious torture, I was sure I'd explode without him even touching me farther down. Oh, just the thought of him touching me down there had my hips bucking wildly. My body began to tremble, needing to feel every sensation possible.

Trailing my fingernails down his back, I snaked my hands around his waist and to his front, twisting them between our bodies so I could start working at the button of his jeans. I wanted to feel his power between my fingers, make him feel just as good as he did me. He lifted his hips slightly, allowing me the room I needed to do the deed.

My fingers fumbled with the button, and I couldn't seem to get the goddamn thing undone. I was actually beginning to forget about the feel of his mouth on my nipple as I struggled to release him from his jean confines, frustration overpowering all other sensations as I tugged hard.

"Fuck, Liam. Get these things off," I demanded, throwing my arms to the side in defeat, my limbs lightly bouncing on the plush surface of his bed. I felt his growing smile as he chuckled against my breast, obviously thinking my little hissy fit was funny. "It's not funny. I can't get them undone!"

Pulling his lips from my nipple, he pressed his body to mine and brought his hand to my face, brushing a stray hair from my eyes. His smile was infectious as he stared at me, laughing more and saying, "A little impatient, are we?"

"Hell yeah, I am. You're driving me nuts, and I haven't even gotten the chance to touch you yet," I pouted. He responded to my tirade with a kiss to my forehead.

"Okay, scoot up onto the bed a little," he instructed, backing off me a bit to give me some room. I would've complained at the loss of him if I weren't so eager to see him in the buff. I may have slept with the man before, but my memory was a bit fuzzy. Too bad I couldn't tell him how antsy I was to have a quick refresher.

Still in my jeans, I pushed myself up and scooted back, lying back down and gazing at him expectantly. I needed this--needed him.

Instead of doing what I wanted and removing his jeans, he crept toward me on the bed and lowered himself to my waist, placing a soft kiss on my belly and making me giggle. Yep, I said giggle--like a fucking schoolgirl. It didn't take long for me to figure out what he was doing as his long, strong fingers wrapped inside the waistline of my pants. Without struggle, the man popped the button and began to lower the zipper in one fell swoop, revealing the tiny, pink bow on the front of my black, satin panties.

His lips landed on my stomach again, this time lower, touching the hypersensitive skin just above the line of my bikinis. After teasing me with a few more scruffy pecks and making me writhe beneath his tormenting touch, he inched his fingers between my hipbones and jeans and began to tug. I didn't argue, or bother to pout that he still had his damn pants on. Instead, I lifted my hips, allowing Liam to skillfully undress me. The man sure did know how to drive me wild.

The feel of my pants being removed, his fingers grazing down my legs at a deliciously measured pace, had shivers running over my skin like ripples of water right before a storm. Pulling the last bit of heavy jeans from my ankles, I suddenly felt a bit self-conscious as I lay there with nothing but a scrap of cloth covering my crotch. When he didn't say or do anything after I heard my pants hit the floor, I looked up, wondering where he had gone.

My gaze followed my bare legs to the edge of the bed where my calves hung half off the side. There he stood, hands on hips in a powerful, superhero stance, as he stared down at me, shadows covering most of his face and making it hard for me to see his expression. I wanted so badly for him to speak, to know what he was thinking.

After a few more moments of silence, my heavy breathing the only noise in the room, I began to fidget and considered covering myself. The fact I was now the center of attention made me feel uncomfortable in so many ways, and I knew I had to take a little control of the situation before I wimped out and ran.

"Liam?" I questioned, needing to hear his voice, for him to say or do something.

"Yes," he answered, as if he had to affirm it was really him standing there staring at me like a creeper. But I knew him--I knew he wasn't a creep or a weirdo. I just needed him to take action instead of continuing to gawk.

Propping myself up on my elbows and crossing my legs, I smirked and said, "You're still clothed." There, show confidence, no matter how uncomfortable you actually feel.

"Yes, I am." His voice was gruff, filled with some sort of unnamed emotion I couldn't pinpoint. "Is this a problem?"

"Well, I'd like for you not to be, especially considering I'm sitting here damn near in the nude," I affirmed. Jesus, did I have to spell it out for the man?

Leaning over me, Liam placed both his hands near mine on the bed. His face was so close to mine, I could feel his breath coming out in short bursts of air. "What's the matter? You don't like to be admired?"

"Not unless I can admire in return. Tit for tat, Mr. Allen." Reaching for his waistline, I cupped my fingers into his jeans and tugged lightly. "Now strip."

He broadened that cocky smile at my words, placing a light kiss to my cheek before backing away and saying, "Yes, ma'am."

I couldn't seem to take my eyes off his, our gazes intertwined in some sort of supernatural trance, as he worked at the button of his jeans and let them fall to the floor. Maybe it was the author in me, but I immediately began to burn his actions to memory, the intensity of the moment searing my soul as words began to flow in my mind. I prayed to the literary gods that I could hold onto this burst of inspiration, sure as shit I'd forget the verbose imagery by sunrise. In any other instance, I would've scrambled for my phone, jotting down the scene that came so freely so I could use it at some point in the future.

But now was not the time for writing. Now was the time to--

Interrupting my thought process, my gaze lowered down the man's body and to his length, which was sans underwear. Yeah, now was the time to get a taste of my own Liam lollypop. A wide smirk crossed my face at the thought.

Reaching for me, Liam wasted no time with looping his fingers beneath the fabric of my panties and tugging lightly, inching them down my hips and legs with a newfound energy, before tossing them over his shoulder to land haphazardly on the floor. His room was going to look like a clothes explosion happened--all part of the buildup to great sex, I supposed. You'd know it was going to be boring if the clothes were neatly folded somewhere.

At a painfully slow pace, he glided his fingers up both my legs, barely touching my skin and causing a feathering of sparks to flutter over my body. And, of course, I was immediately thankful I had shaved that morning, causing the sensation to be even more delectable with the feel of his soft touch.

Trailing up the length of my torso, he climbed onto the bed and hovered over me, a hand coming to a stop at my breast. I could feel his hardness pressing into my hip and wanted so badly to touch it, feel his power in my grasp.

With his thumb tracing light circles around my nipple, Liam lowered his lips to mine, touching our mouths together once... twice... three times, before moving to my neck. I couldn't help but sigh as his tongue teased a spot behind my ear, making me tremble beneath him.

While enjoying the feel of his kisses, my eyes still closed, I blindly reached between us and searched for him. I could both feel and hear his hissing intake of breath as I finally grasped his length in my hand. His hips bucked, thrusting against me, while his mouth continued to torture every sensitive spot I had on my neck.

Lifting his head, his jaw slack, Liam looked at me with a lust-filled gaze as I rolled my thumb over the head of his dick, knowing that would surely drive him wild.

With my other hand, I pushed at his chest, forcing him to turn over and lie back against the plush, gray surface of his bed. His bed was unmade when we came in, the thick comforter gathered up toward the bottom. The gray sheets were a shade lighter than the dark gray cover, and I was thankful we weren't mussing up his otherwise-pristine living space. 'Cause things were about to get fun up in here.

Placing another light kiss to his lips, I didn't waste any time making my way down his body, stopping for a moment to enjoy the light dash of hair that adorned the center of his chest. Just as I reached my destination, I peeked up to his face. There he was, gazing down at me with sex-filled eyes. I couldn't help but watch his reaction as I wrapped my lips around his cock and sank down deep.

Without fail, Liam's head fell back, his eyes closing and a gasp leaving his lips. With that, I knew he enjoyed my mouth on him just as much as I'd hoped he would, and I picked up the pace.

His skin was soft and silky, yet hard, all in the same lick of my tongue. Even though I enjoyed pleasuring a man this way, Liam's reactions made it that much more pleasurable for me. Just the light touch of his hand in my hair, guiding me, asking me for more, was enough to let me know I was doing it right. The light gasps and moans leaving his chest and the spasms of his muscles beneath my touch had me on cloud nine. It almost made me wonder what he would be like once I rode him again.

Even though I'd had sex with the man before, alcohol was unfortunately involved, muddling my memory a bit more than I'd care to admit. I remembered his kiss more than anything--that breathtaking moment when our lips first touched.

I remembered going down on him before, but it definitely wasn't as intense as this experience. Now, he seemed more perceptive--like he was enjoying it so much more than he ever did before. Again, alcohol fogged everything... obviously even his memory of me was a bit too foggy. I thought for sure he'd remember my tongue against him like this.

Releasing his shaft from my mouth, I crawled my way back up his body and straddled his hips. God, my insides were aching for him. I needed relief--the foreplay between us lasting way too fucking long for me to be patient.

As if we were on the same wavelength and he could read my mind like Professor X, Liam held a small foil packet up between his fingers, gesturing for me to take it. Of course, the cocky grin I was beginning to love graced his face, and it was all I could do not to laugh. Instead, I responded with a sly smile of my own as I snatched the condom from his grasp.

# Chapter Eighteen

Liam: Bonus Memories

God, she looked so fucking beautiful, her busty frame silhouetted by the only dim light in the room. I watched as she used those long fingers to gracefully cover my length with the rubber, wishing we didn't have to use it. I almost spoke aloud, asking her why we didn't use one during our tryst over a year ago, but I quickly swallowed the words, not wanting to ruin this moment we were sharing now.

Facts were facts--Maci didn't remember me. I would just consider that night a bonus memory in my mind and leave it at that. No reason to make her feel guilty over it. I just hoped tonight wasn't going to be the same--

Purging my head of those thoughts, I focused on her, reaching out and grabbing both tits in my hands as best I could, needing to feel her. She threw her head back, enjoying my touch, as she ground her hips back and forth, sliding along my shaft and making the condom wet with her juices. I wanted to be inside her, but since she was in control, I would be patient and let her move at her pace. Hell, I would wait all night long if it meant I could stare at her like this.

Scratch that. I couldn't wait. My patience flew out the window as soon as she started touching herself, her middle finger barely making contact with the space between her lower lips.

Flicking her eyes to mine, she watched me intently as she brought the finger up to her mouth and sucked, a small moan following shortly after.

That was it.

That did it for me.

Without asking for permission or giving her any sort of warning at all, I grabbed her hips and positioned myself beneath her, touching the head of my dick to her entrance in a silent plea. A small smile flicked over her features just before she began to descend, coating me with her warmth.

On the one hand, I wanted to enjoy every inch of her, savor each delectable moment. On the other, I wanted to thrust inside her so hard it'd make the neighbors hear her scream my name.

Using her hands to brace herself on my chest, her braid falling to one side of her beautiful face, she began to move. Though her stride was slow at first, it was still beyond amazing. The feel of her wrapped around every inch of me, rising until she was almost completely clear of me, then falling again till I filled her entirely... god, it was divine. The way her arms pressed her boobs together had me wishing I could bury my face between them, enjoying the soft feel and moving with the rhythm of her ride.

Placing my hands on her hips and wrapping my fingers around to grab her ass cheeks, I helped her set the pace and watched as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, as if she were enjoying this even a fraction as much as I was.

The feeling of my impending orgasm began to build too soon, and I knew I didn't want this to end so quickly. But she just felt so completely amazing, her slick heat covering every inch of me as her rhythm increased. I could feel myself starting to lose control with each little movement. It was apparent that I had to do something to make this last.

Using very little of my strength, I lifted her from me and began to move out from beneath her. She caught on quick, turning to the side as if she wanted to assess where I was headed.

Patting her lightly on the side of her ass, I said, "Hands and knees." I wasn't much for dirty talk, nor did I know the proper etiquette when instructing a chick to assume a position. I could've blurted out that I wanted to tap that ass from behind so I could keep the promise I'd made so long ago and enjoy that ink, but I figured most women would find it a bit offensive. Less was more when it came to men talking during sex, right?

Without hesitation or question, Maci rose up on her hands and knees just like I'd asked, wiggling her ass in front of me as she got into position. At first, I just sat there, on my knees, admiring the view--the sight of the Batman tattoo hypnotizing me. Her waist wasn't super skinny, but small enough so that it accentuated her perfectly grabable hips and round ass, as well as making the tat on the small of her back a very prominent focal point.

As if wondering what the holdup was, she flicked her braid over her shoulder and turned her head to look at me expectantly. In response, I palmed one of her cheeks, drawing little circles with my thumb on her soft skin, and whispered, "Just let me admire you for a minute." I saw her bite her lip hesitantly from the corner of my eye, but I still chose to focus solely on her body right then.

After only a few moments, Maci tilted her head to look at me again before saying my name. "Liam?" she asked, probably questioning whether I was going to actually fuck her again or just stare. "Please."

She didn't have to ask twice, I knew I was being a bit odd with my staring. She was just something to be cherished, this position bringing back the memory of the promise I'd made that night, and I so enjoyed soaking in all her beauty when I could.

Holding gently onto the curves of her hips, I positioned myself at her entrance and eased my way inside, a light groan escaping my chest at the feel of her. Attempting to take things slow, mimicking what she wanted when she was riding me, I took my time gliding in and out--each measured thrust in stark contrast to my pounding heart.

"Harder," she whispered, never turning her head to look back at me. Her request surprised me a bit. She wanted it harder? If she wanted more, I'd give her more.

In an attempt to fulfill her request, I slammed into her--hard--causing her to cry out as her entire body thrust forward. As soon as she regained purchase on the bed, her elbows taking the brunt of the force, I thrust again, this time noticing she was more prepared for my force.

Picking up the pace, I continued to crash into her, my pelvis hitting the soft cushion of her ass and filling the room with all kinds of delicious noises. Her moans were among them, each sound of her voice coming out disjointed as I continued my tirade.

I loved holding onto her hips, but the need to see her face right now was overpowering. Reaching out, I grabbed hold of her braid and wrapped it around my hand, tugging lightly to try and get her to lift her head. Her moans still muffled into the sheets, she kept her face down, not heeding my gentle warning.

Wrapping her hair around my fist once more, I pulled harder, forcing her to lift her face from the plush surface of the bed. I slowed my thrusts a bit, bending my body forward so my face could be close to hers.

Using her hair, I tilted her head to the side and murmured against her ear. "I want to see your face when you come." Jaw slack, heavy breaths, and lust-filled eyes, she quirked a small smile, letting me know she was enjoying this just as much as I was. A quick, hard tilt of my hips wiped that smirk right off her face as she cried out in response to my length filling her.

I never eased up--gripping her braid tight with one hand and steading her hips with the other, as I began a hard, steady rhythm. Having a woman on top, or even in the standard missionary style, shortened my longevity. But from this position, I could last quite a while, and planned on taking advantage of it for as long as I could.

The sounds coming from her were such delicious torture--evidence I was doing something right as I kept up a punishing rhythm. Letting go of the death grip I had on her hair, I slowed my pace and curved my body around hers, nuzzling my face in the crook of her neck and filling my nose with her delectable scent.

Reaching around to her front, I began toying with her clit, delighted when she twitched at the contact before beginning to move in rhythm with me. God, she felt amazing in every way possible. Her soft, warm skin pressed against my body felt so good, so right.

"Christ, you feel so good, Maci," I mumbled into her neck, continuing with this slower, agonizing pace as I played with her. I usually had no problem lasting as long as I wanted in this position, but this woman constantly surprised me, and I could already feel my impending orgasm growing anew. I wanted her to come first though... I needed her to. Needed to know she would be satisfied too. Damn, I should've gone down on her first.

Ahh, just the thought of tasting her again had the need to release swelling even more inside me. Slowing my pace even more, I started to remove my hand from her clit, figuring I could change things up a bit and be sure she got off before I did.

"Don't stop. God, please don't stop," she cried out, burying her face into the bed and pushing her ass back toward me. Hell yeah, she was enjoying it... and I wanted to see her unravel in my hands.

"You want this?" I asked, flicking her clit with my middle finger a few times and rocking into her, watching her, wanting to see her reaction to my teasing.

"Yes," she hissed, tossing her head back so her braid landed in the center of her back, accentuating the dip of her spine and curves of her waist. Doing as she requested and toying with her while I fucked her, I took my other hand and traced the line of her hair down her spine. Her skin was so soft, so beautiful--I wanted my lips all over every inch of her.

Finally, my hand landed right at the curve of her hip, bracing myself as I used my other hand to bring her to the brink. With each pump of my fingers and each thrust of my hips, her trembling increased, sounds of sex filling the room as she climbed higher and higher.

I was beginning to have doubts that I would continue to last if she came around me.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, her trembling became more of a quaking, each muscle in her body tensing as she tilted her face to the side and pressed her cheek to the mattress. Her mouth wide and eyes pressed shut, she came--whimpering moans escaping her throat as her channel tightened around me. I had to slow so I could absorb every jolt of pleasure that powered through her. Her body twitched and writhed beneath me, and the sight of her coming was simply amazing in every way.

I held onto her, slowly pumping in and out, as I watched her back rise and fall with heavy breaths. Making a meal of her exhaustion, Maci collapsed face-first onto the bed, causing me to pull out and enjoy the beautiful scenery before me.

Hovering over her, I nibbled on her ear and said, "Nu-uh. You can't give up on me. I'm not done with you yet."

# Chapter Nineteen

Maci: Lovers and Gamers

This man. He continually surprised me at every turn, and I loved it. He didn't seem like the dominant type, yet he could definitely take things over in bed.

With my muscles feeling like wet noodles after that insanely intense orgasm, I turned to face him and spread my legs--hopefully inviting him to keep playing me till he finished the game.

"You're a much better lover than you are a gamer, Mr. Allen," I said with a light lilt to my voice, quirking my brow in a mock challenge.

Crawling over my prone body, he pressed into me in one swift movement, hitting just the right spot to make me gasp. "Hey now, don't forget who won tonight," he whispered against my cheek as he began to move with a wickedly measured pace.

"Ahh," I moaned. Couldn't help it. He knew just how to hit all my buttons. "I think we both won something tonight." I cringed when the words left my mouth--the same words he muttered to me the first night we met--the night he didn't seem to remember.

He stopped moving, his hips abruptly pressing into me, and lifted his gaze to mine. Yet, he didn't say anything. Instead, he just stared at me. Had I just given myself up? Did he recognize those simple words from our encounter over a year ago? It would seem relevant that he'd remember my words more than he would my body. After all, my words were what seemed to captivate him in the fictional world... why not have them stick in his mind in the real world as well?

Wrapping my legs around him so my ankles crisscrossed over his ass, I tightened my hold and brought my lips to his. I had to break eye contact. The intensity of the situation was just too much for me to handle. Plus, the sex had been great until I opened my big mouth. The need for me to shut the hell up and kiss the man was real.

He didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss, pushing his tongue to play with mine while he continued to move inside me, sparking all new flutters to awaken in my gut. Even though I was so enjoying having him in my arms, I couldn't help the disappointment that kept crawling into my mind, spreading like a disease. I tried so hard to push it aside and just enjoy the moment, but it kept nagging at me.

I needed to decide. Either tell him and get it all out in the open, or deal with the fact he would never make the connection. I'd dropped enough hints, that was for damn sure.

A hard thrust brought me out of my internal melancholy state, transporting me back to the here and now and the fact I had a super-hot gamer geek fucking me. Scratch that. He wasn't fucking me anymore. This sensual movement of his hips and attention to my body was more romantic, more intimate than just a random lay.

Such a mixture of emotions bouncing around in my head... I needed to just forget about the past and feel the present.

Liam propped his strong arms on either side of my head as he increased his pace, his face showing a mixture of emotions that I couldn't quite pin down. Mostly, though, you could tell he was struggling for control, and the fact I could be the reason for his orgasm made me feel a bit more powerful.

I focused on the feel of his hardness gliding in and out of me, the motion so potent and intimate... it definitely continued to send waves of pleasure through me, like my past orgasm could start again with just a simple thrust of his hips. Digging my fingernails into his flexing biceps, I watched every movement he made, studying him.

His strong fingers grabbed my head, lacing into the loose strands around my face. In response, I brought one of my hands up and cupped his cheek, looking into his eyes a moment longer than a fly-by-night lover should. He stared back at me as his body continued to thrust into mine with gentle motions.

What caught me off guard the most in this moment was the overwhelming urge to admit to him how much he was getting to me. On one hand, I wanted to keep my mouth shut and just have some fun. On the other hand, I wanted so badly to tear the stone walls down that protected my heart, allowing him to devour my soul so I no longer had to feel so emotionally torn. Then again, such deep feelings were completely uncalled for so early on in a relationship, if that was even what this was. After all, Sky did warn me that the man was a player. It was possible I'd be old news by this time tomorrow.

"Maci," he growled, and I blinked at the sound of my name, focusing on him once again and the fact he was now close.

"Liam," I whispered in return, following it with a moan as his thrusts began to intensify, his length swelling even more inside me as his release grew closer.

With a few more quick stabs of his hips, Liam scrunched his eyes shut and let out a soft groan, pushing inside me and spilling himself into the latex of the condom. The weight of his body collapsing onto mine was comforting, like I could be his anchor at this overwhelming moment.

"Fuck," he whispered into my ear, still breathing heavily on top of me, pressing me into the plush mattress.

I nodded. I knew he couldn't see me, but he could definitely feel the motion of my head. Plus, I didn't think my voice would work quite yet without my silly mouth spilling something I'd regret tomorrow. So, I just bit my lip and nodded my agreement... Fuck.

Lifting most of his weight off me, Liam kissed me on the cheek and slowly pulled from me. While I wasn't a huge fan of condoms, they always felt really cool when a guy pulled a full one from you after sex, the balloon-like material filled with a bit of liquid sliding out easily. Sure as hell made clean up easier for us girls.

My body felt so relaxed, so lethargic, after Liam rolled completely off me and made his way to the bathroom. I wasn't sure if he wanted me to stay or go, but I was pretty damn sure I wouldn't be leaving voluntarily. At least, not now. My body would've likely screamed in protest if I bothered to move.

Suddenly, a naked Liam pulling covers over my body jolted me awake.

"Mind if I stay?" I mumbled, my words barely understandable through the hazy fog of sleep.

"I was hoping you would," he answered sweetly, pulling my back against his front as he held me.

A light moan was all I could manage before a heavy slumber took over my entire body.

*****

Blinking rapidly, my eyes tried to adjust and assess my surroundings. A Tetris lamp glowed above my head, and I remembered I was with Liam. God, the man was like a human furnace, wrapped around me so tightly you would've thought the damn heat was on in his apartment.

Sweat dripped between my breasts, coating my cleavage with a slick dew, and I made quick work of sliding out from beneath him to make my way to the bathroom. I had just enough light in the room to find my clothes strewn all over the place and grab my phone. Fumbling my way across the room, I hoped I wouldn't run into anything and wake him.

I nearly blinded myself as I flicked the bathroom light on and eased the door shut, squinting so hard to protect my eyes, I could barely see through the tiny slits. After allowing my vision to adjust, I was able to take in my surroundings. I had been in this bathroom once before, but obviously forgot how luxurious it was, especially for a bachelor. The windows that spanned the top of one wall told me it was still dark out, but sunrise was not far behind.

I knew the sunrise would be breathtaking out on the deck, so I hurriedly did my business and managed to freshen my mouth with some mouthwash and a finger full of toothpaste. That was perfect for the time being... it wasn't like the sunrise could smell the rank coming from my breath anyway. Refusing to put on dirty panties, I figured commando was good enough and made quick work of getting dressed.

Liam was still snoring soundly as I tiptoed through the room and made my way to his kitchen. Just outside his bedroom, I noticed another room I hadn't explored in this massive, too-large-for-one-man apartment. The door was cracked, so I decided it was safe to peek in and see what he had hiding.

I winced when the hinges creaked, worried I'd wake him with my uber-stealthy snooping abilities. Flicking the light on, I gasped. All my fears vanished as soon as I caught sight of what was inside.

The room was completely covered from floor to ceiling with books, except for the large windows spanning one wall. It was absolutely stunning. I'd never seen someone with such a large personal library. Hell, even I didn't have this impressive of a collection, and I was very well known as a hoarder of books in the most severe way. Liam's setup blew my measly bookshelves out of the water--times ten.

Still perched on the balls of my feet, I slowly stepped inside. Someone might have to send a search party after me. I could easily get lost for days in this room.

Running my fingers lightly along the spines of the books, I took it all in. The smell, the quiet atmosphere, the lighting... it was all so intoxicating.

Paying close attention to the various titles, I noticed they were in order by the author's last names. Damn, I never knew anyone who actually alphabetized their books.

Then, an idea hit me. Quickly scouring the shelves, I made my way toward the Ts, searching frantically.

"Tanner... Teasdale... Temple... Tennyson..." I whispered, scanning over all the different collections. "Ahh, Thomas. There we are." Picking up my novel, Celestial, I noticed it was a first edition and smiled. He'd been a fan for quite a while I'd guessed.

Suddenly, I had an idea. Glancing around the room, I peered over the desktop that sat in the center. The massive desk was like its own island, out in the middle of a beautiful sea of literature. On top was a small cup of pens and pencils. Score.

Grabbing all the books he had of mine, which were all the titles I currently had available to the public, I carried them over to the desk and took special care in signing each one. Who knew if he'd ever see them. Since he'd already read the books, he may never touch them again. But, if he ever did crack them open, I could only hope it would be an unexpected surprise.

Carefully placing all the books back on the shelf, I sighed and took the room in once more, looking around at the huge collection of books. Maybe someday he'd let me explore a bit more in here. For now, I wanted to get a cup of joe and sit out on the deck.

Thank cripes he had a Keurig. It didn't take long for me to step out onto the deck with a steaming cup of coffee in my hands just as the sun began to peek over the buildings on the horizon.

Tampa really was a beautiful city once you got past the rush of people blurring by. Taking the time to slow down and breathe for a second really put things into perspective.

While glancing out at the blend of oranges, pinks, and blues reflecting off the downtown skyline, I was able to appreciate just how lucky I was with my lot in life. I had the job of my dreams as an author, lived in a great city where I could visit my grams whenever I wanted, and friends to make it all worthwhile.

So, the feeling of emptiness and confliction right now really didn't jive well with the rest of my life. I constantly made decisions, both small and large, every single day. Why was it so hard for me to make up my mind about Liam?

Maybe I didn't have any answers because I didn't know what the questions were.

Did I like him? Hell yeah.

Did I want to be with him? For sure.

Did I need him to remember me--that he'd actually slept with me before? Kinda.

Did I want him to know the real me? Nope. Not yet anyway. That was way too big of a decision to make over a single cup of coffee.

Maybe I just needed time to think it over.

And then I realized I was so right. As I stared out at the sunrise, I tried so hard to remember the words rattling around in my brain that I wanted to make note of the night before. I knew I'd forget them by sunrise.

# Chapter Twenty

Liam: RIP Nintendo

Waking up to an empty bed shouldn't have surprised me, yet my stomach still leapt into my throat at the realization she was gone. She'd done it to me once before--what was stopping her from bedding and bailing again? Then again, I was hopeful for something different this time. It wasn't like we were drunken fools at a party again. Maybe this behavior was a habit of hers--things get serious, so she runs.

Dragging my defeated ass out of bed, I wondered how I could go from having such an amazing night to such a shitty morning. Ahh, yeah. Chicks.

The smell of coffee piqued my interest though, and after quickly taking a piss, I grabbed a pair of boxer briefs and nearly fell over putting them on as I made my way to the kitchen. Before I could make it to my Keurig, I spotted her out on the balcony.

"Holy shit," I whispered. I just automatically assumed she left, so the fact she was still here shocked me to my core. She looked simply beautiful as I spied on her from behind, the sunrise seeming to make her glow.

Tiptoeing out onto the balcony, I tried not to make a sound. She seemed lost in the moment, hunched over with her elbows on the railing, as the sky filled with light from the rising sun. My heart was still trying to catch up with the realization she had stayed, so I took a moment to just breathe before I finally spoke.

"Morning," I said, following with a nonchalant and rather fake yawn to try and fool her into thinking I wasn't stalking.

"Fuck!" she blurted out, leaning further over the railing than deemed necessary. Out of instinct, I lunged for her, grabbing her by the shoulders just in time to watch a hunk of something crash to the asphalt and splinter into a million pieces. "Oh, fuck. Oh, shit. I'm so sorry! You scared the shit out of me, and it slipped. I'm so fucking sorry!" she exclaimed while covering her eyes with both her hands like she wanted to disappear.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Did you take swear lessons from a sailor? And what was that?" I asked, pointing toward the parking lot below.

"That was your DS," she responded, never uncovering her eyes as she mumbled the answer.

Huh. My DS was now a splintered mess of plastic shards in my complex parking lot. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Feeling like she needed a bit of reassurance that I wasn't going to toss her over the railing after it, I rubbed her shoulders and said, "Well, I guess it's a good thing no one is up this early, or Mario might've given them one serious headache right about now."

Peeking through a few separated fingers, she looked at me wide-eyed and said, "You're not mad?"

"Nah," I assured, waving my hand in front of us like it was no big deal. "I can always get another."

Removing her hands from her eyes, she turned to me and punched me right in the chest. "You really need to stop sneaking up on people!"

"Ouch!" I feigned, rubbing the spot where she hit me like it hurt. She didn't hit me hard, but just enough for me to milk it. "You don't have to get all abusive."

The pout on her face was comical. Wrapping my arms around her, I placed a light kiss on her cheek to hopefully thaw away the worry and stress marring her beautiful features. It only took her a few seconds before she melded into me, snuggling her lips against my neck as I held her.

A few minutes passed before she finally spoke, breaking the silence between us. "I need to get going. I have some deadlines that are creeping up on me."

I nodded, my chin resting on her head as we stared out at the bright morning. "Yeah, I have to show my face at work this morning too. Maybe we can do lunch though?"

"Let's just say lunches are off the agenda indefinitely. But dinner or a late-night raid might be cool." Just as I was about to ask why lunch was a no-go, Maci pulled her phone out and read a text from someone named Sam that said, Call me when you've had your coffee and you're human again. "I guess I better head out. I'll text you a bit later," she said before placing a light peck on my lips and backing away.

"Good." I smiled. "I need time to figure out how you're going to repay me for that DS anyway," I said, hooking my thumb in the direction of the parking lot--better known as a DS graveyard now.

"Serves you right for sneaking up on a girl," she responded with a wink as she turned and walked back into the apartment. I followed, not saying another word as I gave her another quick kiss and watched her leave.

*****

After a mind-numbing morning of business meetings and everything that doesn't have to do with gaming, I still felt like I was on cloud nine when I entered the cafe in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. I hadn't heard from her all morning, and actually had Thad hold my phone for me so I wouldn't be tempted to text her, effectively smothering the shit out of the girl.

I just couldn't get her off my mind.

I needed to see her.

Accidentally, of course.

To my dismay, she wasn't at Ramon's. Word was, she had left in a hurry just before lunchtime. Lunch. She said she would never be available at that time of day, and curiosity was beginning to burn a hole in my brain.

Bummed I didn't get to see her, I dragged my defeated ass back to the office and happened to run into Sky just as she was leaving for lunch.

Oh... Sky!

"Greetings, Earthling," I said, darting into her path before she could bolt out of the door. She was like a damn lightning bug. Tiny and fast, disappearing before you knew which way she'd turned.

"Sup, boss?" she asked, huffing slightly in exhaustion. She must've been in a hurry.

"I see you're on your way out, so I'll make this quick. You've known Maci for a while, right?" I asked, fidgeting back and forth on my feet. I felt slightly slimy for even asking, and her reaction was well warranted.

"Oh no. No, you don't," she said in refusal, backing up a few steps and waving her hands in front of her as if she had to physically stop me. "I'm not spilling the beans on anything. You two can work shit out on your own. Don't involve the lowly muggle."

"It's not like that. I just... I wanted to meet up with her for coffee and since she takes off somewhere for lunch every day, I was wondering if you knew where I could find her to maybe accidentally bump into her?" My desperation must've been obvious, because Sky's defensive stance relaxed a bit.

"Why don't you text her?"

Rolling my eyes, I gave her an exasperated look as I said, "I don't want to come off as the desperate geek."

"Well, if the shoe fits, wear it. I don't think I should get involved." Her stance still stayed relaxed, but she crossed her arms over her small chest like it was her final decision. This girl didn't know how persuasive I could be.

"Okay," I said, closing my eyes and taking a preparatory breath. "I'm about to tell you something, but you can't breathe a word of it to anyone. Not even Maci."

"Hmm," she hummed in thought. "It's not like I talk to Maci on a regular basis, but if she asks, I won't lie."

"Deal." God, what was I getting myself into? I was either going to come out of this like a hero or a total douche for revealing one of Maci's secrets.

"Well? Spill," she prompted, tapping her foot, her arms still crossed in defense.

Taking another steadying breath, I had to take a few tries before the words would come out of my mouth. If this got back to Maci before I could tell her, I'd be up shit creek.

"I slept with Maci at the New Year's masquerade party the year before last, only I didn't know it was her until our date last week."

"Ha! I knew she hooked up with some shmuck that night, but you?" Sky giggled as she absorbed this information, and I couldn't help but crack a smile at how amused she was. "Does she know it was you? Because last I heard, she didn't know who she'd slept with that night. Wouldn't even give me any hints as to the costume or anything. How you two managed to bump uglies without ever exchanging pleasantries or revealing your faces must be a fucking superpower."

"I don't think she realizes it's me. If she does, she didn't let on at all."

"Well, how'd you figure it out? Usually men are totally dense to this sort of thing."

I blushed--actually blushed--at the thought of revealing this secret to her and hoped she already knew. "Ahh... she actually has this cute little Batman tattoo on the small of her back, and I noticed it while helping her into my Jeep last week. I kinda freaked out too. It just took me so off guard."

"Well, that explains why she's keeping you at arm's length. You can't fuck up with her. She rarely gives second chances, Liam."

"Yeah, well, that's why I want to actually tell her face to face. I don't want to embarrass her, but fuck, that night--"

Holding her hands up in defense, Sky abruptly stopped me mid-sentence. "Swallow your words. No need for hentai. I don't need to know the deets."

"Well, can you help me out? At least tell me what she's up to every day around lunchtime? If she has a boyfriend, I don't need to be getting in the way."

"First thing I can say is, it's not what you think. I'm not telling her secrets, but maybe you should head to the Manor Retirement Home and see for yourself."

My attention was abruptly caught by a voice buzzing by me, causing me to turn my head and see who flew by. "Hey, Romeo. Don't forget about your meeting at three," Thad hollered as he sprinted through the foyer to snag the elevator.

By the time I turned back to thank Sky, she had vanished. I swear she was harder to catch than a fucking Golden Snitch. I felt like an idiot standing there, scratching my head, and looking around for the blue-haired girl who no longer stood in front of me.

To hopefully save face, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and headed back out the revolving door, immediately looking up the retirement home. The place wasn't far from Maci's apartment, which might be another piece to the puzzle.

Maybe I could catch her there and see what was so important--

Stopping mid-thought and mid-step, I began an internal war in my head, arguing about the many ways it was completely wrong of me to invade her privacy. Showing up at an assisted living facility she frequented? Was I nuts? She probably had a very good, very intimate reason to keep this from me. Plus, it wasn't like we were an item. We only went out a handful of times and slept together twice for Christ's sake--not like I was keeping count or anything.

As I stood on the sidewalk, contemplating whether to get in my Jeep or head back into my office, people bustled by me. They had places to go, people to see, and there I stood, not knowing which way my legs should take me.

I at least needed to get my happy ass in my Jeep, if nothing more than to think. Quickening my step, I made my way into the parking garage and hopped in, starting the ignition and putting it in reverse before I could change my mind.

Common sense completely left me. Before I knew it, I was parking in front of the fancy retirement home and climbing out. My subconscious told me just what a mistake this was, but at this point, I didn't care. I could just ask a few questions and then leave, right?

Approaching the front desk, I eyed the residents and noticed this was definitely more of a community than it was a nursing home. The elderly seemed to be making their way around freely, some with walkers, some without. And my mind wandered to what family member Maci could possibly have in this place considering she said she lost her whole family in an accident.

"May I help you?" a young desk clerk asked with a cheerful smile.

"Ahh, yeah. I'm here to see Maci Layne, who's vising a family member?" I couldn't help the stutter that left my lips. After all, what would I do if they told me which room number? Just show up unannounced?

"Sure thing. Maci is having lunch with her grandmother out in the atrium," she said with a nod to her head in the right direction. "Could you please sign in here first, sir?"

Her grandmother. Maci never told me she had a surviving family member. Considering this grandmother was important enough to come see every day, you'd think she would've mentioned it. Absentmindedly, I signed my name on the lines and immediately began making my way to the atrium, as if a magnet started pulling me, forcing me toward her.

Before I rounded the corner, I could hear a hint of music--a song I hadn't heard in quite some time--being sung a cappella with the most breathtaking harmonies I'd ever heard. The notes and words of Somewhere Over the Rainbow lifted through the atrium and filled the space with a sense of peace.

Looking around, I tried to find the source of the melodic sounds filling my ears. It only took me a few moments before I spotted Maci facing an elderly woman with short, blonde hair. As they held hands across a small table, they stared at each other and continued to sing in perfect harmony, Maci keeping time with a slight nod of her head.

Her voice was simply... stunning. It wasn't until I saw the tears streaming down the old woman's face that I realized this was a rather intimate part of them both. This musical bond they shared was beyond words and clearly touched their hearts and everyone who had the pleasure of hearing them.

I suddenly knew I shouldn't be here. This was not something I should be intruding on. She probably had her reasons for not telling me about this personal part of her life, and I was a total asshole for being so forward and nosy.

As their song came to a close, I began to turn so I could get the hell out of dodge before Maci saw me. Suddenly, a large hand came down on my shoulder, halting me before I could get my first step in.

"William Allen. What a surprise," the big man said, and I knew immediately who had a hold on me.

"Big Jim," I said, turning to face him and praying with all my might that Maci didn't hear my name echo through the spacious walls of the atrium. What the fuck was he doing here?

Glancing in Maci's direction, my worst fear was realized.

The look of bewilderment and betrayal on her face told me all I needed to know.

# Chapter Twenty-One

Maci: Sacred Hideout

Seeing Liam in my sanctuary, my own personal space, didn't frighten me quite as much as seeing Big Jim's slimy hands on him. The sudden need to defend him, save him, overtook me, flooding my thoughts and wishing my grandmother wasn't sitting in front of me to see my rage toward her son.

"Grams, I see someone I'd like to say hello to. I'll be just a moment, okay?" I said with a fake smile as I quickly got up from my seat and made my way across the atrium. Looking at the nearby orderly, I tried to speak as quietly as possible and said, "Keep an eye on her for a few, I'll be right back."

I heard my Grams mutter something about being able to take care of herself, which was common for her to say if she thought someone was coddling her too much. At this point, I didn't care, knowing she'd forget in a mere few minutes, and swiftly made my way toward the two men invading my space.

My heart was hammering in my chest with adrenaline as I approached them, Liam's eyes wide with shock, while my eyes were filled with contempt for them both.

"Both of you, out front. Now," I ordered, grinding my teeth in every attempt to keep from yelling. I really didn't want to make a scene here and risk being asked not to return.

"I think I'll just stay right here, doll," Big Jim sneered.

"Don't call me doll and get your ass outside so we can talk without an audience," I muttered beneath my breath, attempting with every fiber of my being to control my anger and hatred for this man.

"I don't need to talk. You two go have a good time. I'll take care of Mom from here." Before I could argue with the man, he turned and stormed toward my grams.

"Ugh," I groaned, gritting my teeth as I watched the sly smile creep across Jim's face followed by a condescending and territorial wink. He knew damn well I couldn't do shit about it. It killed me to have zero control.

Grabbing the stunned Liam by the hand, I gently, but swiftly pulled him to the lawn area out front where we could talk. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins, heating me from the inside out. As soon as we cleared the doors to the outside world, he spoke... which was a huge mistake. Huge.

"Maci, I'm--"

"Stop. You don't get to speak first," I grumbled, dragging him to the small park area across the street so we could be fairly secluded from other residents. I wasn't really dragging him. The outward appearance would just be two people swiftly walking hand in hand. But he knew damn well he didn't have a choice. No man did when they were caught with their goddamned pants down.

As soon as we were alone, shrouded in trees and out of earshot, I stopped, throwing his hand free from mine like it was poisonous. I fisted my hands at my sides and turned to face him. I wanted to yell, not necessarily out of anger, but frustration and hurt. Instead of yelling though, my voice came out weak, nearly whispering over the surrounding city noise.

"You... this..." I stumbled, unable to get the words out. A tear threatened to fall from the corner of my eye, and I pushed it away before it could surface and show how truly fragile I was. The fact that my emotional weaknesses were completely on display made my anger boil even more. It was as if this man did everything in his power to make me feel when all I wanted to do was shut off my emotions for just a few goddamned moments.

"I'm sor--"

Putting my hand up in his face, I abruptly stopped the apology that was about to spew from his mouth. As if the barrier strengthened me, I finally found my voice. "I cannot believe you would show up here uninvited and unannounced. If I wanted you here, I would've asked you to come along. I mean, don't you see how fucked up this is?"

"Yeah, but--"

"Stop! I'm not done!" I yelled, my voice gradually increasing in volume as I waved my hand around like a crazy Italian lady, never allowing him to answer. "So, what? Did you think because we finally fucked that you could follow me here? Worried that I wasn't giving you all of my attention, so you just had to come see who Maci was shacking up with on her lunch break today?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn't let him, my voice getting louder and louder with each word. "No. You know what? Don't answer that. I don't really care what excuse you have. You invaded my privacy, Liam! I told you lunchtime was off limits, and I meant it. Was this some sort of payback for your fucking DS being shattered to bits?"

"Hush--"

"Don't tell me to hush!"

"You're acting crazy."

"Oh, I'm acting crazy? Who followed who?"

"People are staring!"

"I don't give a shit! You just walked in on something I wasn't ready to share with you yet! And you want me to quiet down?" Closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths, I finally managed to look at him, my vision blurring with unshed tears, and asked, "What is so goddamn important that you had to spoil this little bit of time I have with the one person who means the most to me?"

"Is it my turn now?" he asked, the face of shock long gone as a mask of anger enveloped his features.

"Have at it," I said with a nod, crossing my arms over my chest before giving him permission to finally speak.

"God, Maci," he rasped, running his fingers through his hair as he looked to the ground, and then back up at me. "You act like I purposefully came here to ruin your fucking day. I'm sorry for just showing up, okay? I honestly didn't mean to stalk you like some psycho asshole. I just... damn. I don't have a reasonable answer. You just walk around with such confidence, yet you're so goddamned closed off, I just don't know where I stand. One minute, you're amazingly affectionate and passionate, the next, you push me away like day-old garbage. How am I supposed to know when you'll open up to me, if ever?"

Turning my gaze away from his intense, blue eyes, I chewed on my bottom lip, contemplating what the fuck to say to that. On the one hand, I wanted to tell him to just give me time. On the other, I wanted him to just shut up and understand that I was who I was, flaws and all. Part of me kept my heart protected in this fortress, tucked away neatly high up on a shelf, so that I knew no one would come around and stomp all over it.

Instead, I took the pussy route. "I need you to respect my boundaries, Liam."

For some reason, that statement just agitated him even more. Turning away from me and pacing a few steps, he whipped back around, gathered me up in his arms, and said, "How's this for boundaries?" Before I could take a breath, his lips were on mine, kissing me so hard, so passionately, I thought for sure we'd end up humping here on the damn grass.

With his warm mouth pressed against mine, our tongues warring to push past both our boundaries, I completely lost my head and wrapped my hands behind his neck, pulling him to me. Just when I thought I could live like this forever and our embrace would never end, Liam grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me away, breaking our connection so abruptly, all my air went with it.

Gasping, I struggled to regain my balance as he backed away.

"I just wanted to get to know the Black Cat who rang in the New Year with me so long ago."

Leaving me tongue-tied, Liam turned on his heel and walked away.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

Liam: Knowledge is Power

I couldn't help but grumble and curse the whole way back to my Jeep. I knew I was in the wrong by infringing on her private life like that, but there was no way I'd put up with the damn lashing I got in return--especially since I tried numerous times to apologize.

I didn't bother to turn back and look at her as I walked away. I knew I had stunned her silent. Right now, she was probably freaking the fuck out that she hadn't recognized me before. Either that or she knew and didn't want me to remember, therefore freaking that I found her out. Whatever. She could stew on that for a while.

I had so many questions to ask her, but I was way too pissed to even attempt them at this time.

She told me she'd lost her entire family, so why hide this grandmother from me? What was so goddamn important that she felt the need to keep it a secret? It wasn't like family hadn't come up in conversation yet. I suddenly felt stupid for pouring my heart out to her about my fucked-up family life.

And what the hell was up with Jim Celeste being there? Was she related to the bastard? If so, she shouldn't have pretended not to know him at the gala.

The lies were just continually unraveling, and I was having a hard time figuring out which way was up as I rocketed my happy ass back to work, whipping into the parking garage like a bat out of hell.

Resting my head on my steering wheel, I took a deep breath to try and calm myself, but all I could think about was the deceit. I couldn't help but wonder what else she'd been hiding from me. Did I even know her at all?

It wasn't the fact she hid stuff from me--I mean, we were barely dating, if you wanted to even call it that--it was that she got mad as soon as I showed even a little interest in getting to know her better. And to think she'd been consorting with fucking Big Jim had my blood boiling over. Now that was something she should've shared with me, especially considering we talked about the asshat on multiple occasions. She knew he was my mortal enemy. Was that not important enough of a reason to mention she was related to him somehow?

My phone buzzing once in my pocket startled me, making me jump from my skin momentarily, and I considered ignoring it completely. If it was her, I didn't want to know. If it was work, I didn't want to know. Who else would even care enough to call or text?

Gritting my teeth, I pulled out my phone and answered my own internal question.

"Thad."

Hey, douche. Your meeting is in 30 minutes, and we need to powwow beforehand. Where the fuck are you?

I rolled my eyes. I knew he had people on his ass about things, but I wanted nothing more than to be left alone right now. I had to stop myself from throwing the phone across the parking lot and, instead, responded to his text.

In the garage. Be up there in five.

Laying my head back on the headrest with a thud, I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths. I needed to make sure I didn't show any emotion at work. Otherwise, these nerds wouldn't leave well enough alone and the questions would undoubtedly break my brain.

Moments later, I was startled again, this time by a loud banging noise, bringing my attention to the door leading inside the building.

There he stood, attempting to look all badass with his hands on his hips.

"Dickwad, quit sobbing over some chick and let's go," he shouted, his voice echoing off the barren concrete walls.

I made sure my groan was audible as I climbed out of my Jeep, stuffing my phone in my pocket, and languidly following my friend through the doors and into the air-conditioned building. My mood was getting worse by the second, but I knew I couldn't blow off this meeting.

As soon as the elevator doors slid closed with a ding, Thad turned to me.

"What the hell is up? You seriously need to tell me right now and get it out of your system before we get up there. Walk in the meeting with a scowl on your face and the bitches will think it's because of them."

"Bitches?" I questioned, wondering if I had the correct itinerary. I was supposed to be meeting with the web programmers about a serious overhaul we had planned on the site. "If my memory serves me right, they're dudes."

"Not anymore. If you would stop doodling hearts on your damn memos and actually read them, you'd know that we had to let the dudes go. Hired a new team. Two chicks. They're supposed to be way better and faster too, from what I've heard." Hitting me on my back, Thad got my attention before continuing his rant. "But if you walk in looking like you're out to get revenge for whoever just kicked the shit out of your puppy, then they're likely to take it personally--all chicks do."

"Way to pigeonhole a gender. Not all chicks are that unstable," I spat back. The thought of gender stereotyping immediately made me think of Maci and how she probably would've made a Thad-size dent in the metal walls of this elevator by now. The idea of his head being permanently imprinted in the surrounding surfaces made me laugh out loud.

"What's so fun--?"

A startling tremor cut off his words as the elevator came to a jolting stop and the lights went out. My heart began to pound, the lack of sound making the blood whoosh in my ears like rolling waves. Small spaces were definitely not my friend, and I could feel the tendrils of suffocation enveloping me with each passing second.

"Ahh, fuck," Thad cursed, punching all the buttons like a child. "We're gonna miss the meeting," he whined.

"That's what you're worried about? Heh." I hurriedly pulled my phone out, thinking I could call someone. "No signal." Just great.

In an attempt to calm myself and give the appearance that I was composed, I leaned back against the elevator wall, crossing my arms and my legs to get comfortable, giving zero fucks about missing a damn meeting. The walls felt like they were moving--closing in on us--inching us closer and closer to our impending deaths.

"And you're not?" he exclaimed, a little louder than necessary.

"Eh. I'd be more worried about what to do when I need to take a piss," I joked, figuring humor would be the only way for me to keep from flipping shit. I was only half serious about needing to pee. Maybe.

"Well, shit," he said, plopping down on the floor of the elevator--again, like a child. How could he be so calm when we were stuck in a damn floating box? "This sucks. While we're here, you gonna tell me why you have your panties all in a wad again today? You were on cloud fucking nine this morning."

"Long story," I said, leaning my head back against the wall and wishing I were home playing Seven. Who said men weren't nostalgic--even a little. The daydream seemed to calm my nerves a bit.

"Well, considering we're stuck in a five-by-five box that ain't moving, I've got time."

And, of course, my best friend had to remind me of the small confines that was now my own personal hell. Wiping my brow, I tried to clear my throat, the feeling of it closing in as well completely overwhelming me. "Could you stop reminding me of how small this space is?"

"Why?" he asked. "You got a problem with being trapped in here?"

Pulling at the collar of my shirt, I braced myself against the wall, trying desperately not to start banging on the door and screaming for help. "Why do you think I love driving the Jeep around? It's open--no walls or ceiling--perfect for a claustrophobic spaz like me." I could hear my breathing increase and imagined the air supply dwindling to nothing within a matter of minutes in such tight quarters.

"Shit, I had no idea. Anything I can do?" He actually sounded a bit sympathetic, like he knew poking fun or antagonizing me would only worsen the situation.

"Let's just talk about anything but where we're at right now," I said, panting, as I slid down the wall to my ass. "God, I knew I should've taken the stairs."

"Okay, stop whining. So what up with the chick--what's her name?" he asked, sliding a tad closer to me and making me tense up even more with his close proximity. Thank cripes the emergency lights were casting a dim glow around the enclosed space. Hearing him move without seeing him would just heighten my fears to the nth degree.

"Maci," I breathed.

"Yeah, that's it. So what's up with Maci?" Thad repeated, his stare boring into me as if he felt the need to figure me out.

"She broke my DS," I blurted out. It was the only truly negative thing I could think about her that didn't involve a long, drawn-out explanation.

"Holy fuck! And you're still on speaking terms with her? I'd lose my shit! Those things don't have external memory. All your shit is lost, right?" He was babbling. Believe it or not, it was actually calming me a bit.

"I actually let it slide. I really only played on it to kill time. Not like it's one of my main gaming systems," I justified. It was true though. I really didn't care too much. "But then I screwed up today."

Taking a deep breath, I told Thad the whole story--how everything went down earlier. It really did calm my nerves and, at one point, I'd totally forgotten I was confined in a small space.

"Well, fuck. Are you worried she is on Big Jim's side? What if she's some sort of spy or some shit?" Thad said, his extraordinary imagination taking over and consuming the entire situation with humor.

"Nah, she hates his guts. I can tell by how she talks about him. But she pretended not to know the fucker when we ran into him at the gala. That's what confuses the hell out of me. Why hide that shit?" Tingles went down my spine as I ran my fingers through my hair, my hand coming back damp with sweat. "I'm gonna be a fucking puddle on this floor if they don't get us out soon."

"You'll be fine, just calm your shit. This thing has air vents." Thad sat next to me, his arms dangling over his knees and his head bowed slightly. "So, the girl of your dreams might be related to your mortal enemy. Dude, that sucks."

"Tell me about it." I glanced at the time on my phone for the umpteenth time. "We've been in here for damn near an hour now."

Just as I made that nerve-wracking realization, the lights came back on, causing us both to squint, while the elevator came to life and began to move.

"Oh, thank Christ!" I exclaimed, standing on shaky legs as I nearly lunged for the doors, hoping they'd open any second now.

"Well, guess you got out of that damn meeting--again. You must have a secret superpower of averting the important shit," Thad said, standing next to me, almost as eager as I was to get out of this godforsaken box.

I leapt through the doors as soon as they slid open wide enough for my body to fit through, the rush of cold air an amazing feeling against my clammy skin. I finally felt free, at least until I collided with one of the receptionists in my haste to escape. Papers flew everywhere when we both crashed to the floor.

Fuck this day. I was going home--and taking the stairs from now on.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Maci: The Phantom

My heart rate increased each time the phone rang. It was the only sensation that kept me believing I was still alive, because the look on Liam's face as he walked away from me earlier today was enough to kill a girl. He looked so gutted--so hurt--even though he tried his damnedest to mask the pain.

Of course, I had every right to be pissed at him, but at the same time, I had to think about how hard it must've been for him to see me there with Big Jim. Correction... not with... I definitely wasn't there with the man. But unfortunately, I couldn't tell him to take a hike.

Sam's voicemail picking up had me pressing the end button and throwing the phone on my bed as if it were on fire. Where was the woman when I needed to talk to her?

I didn't know what the hell to say to the man. I wanted to call him, see him, talk to him... something. But words failed me, and I desperately wanted to talk to my friend first. Maybe she'd be able to tell me what the hell to do.

Words. All I needed were words. If I couldn't speak them out loud, I could write them. Maybe? Sure. I mean, I was an author--putting words on a screen was my specialty.

Pulling my laptop from my bag, I plopped down on the bed, mean machine in tow, and huffed out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered.

From: Maci

To: Liam

Date: Tuesday, June 24, 6:12 PM

Subject: Apology...

Liam --

I don't feel like I need to apologize for standing up for myself, but I am sorry for how I treated you.

...

Scratch that. Selecting the text, I pounded once on the delete button. Starting out with such a negative tone was not what I wanted. Repositioning myself with my computer on my lap, I huffed a strand of hair from my face and started over.

From: Maci

To: Liam

Date: Tuesday, June 24, 6:16 PM

Subject: Apology...

Liam --

I don't really know what to say right now other than I'm sorry for blowing up in your face. When I saw you there with Jim's hands on you, I nearly lost it. I didn't want to drag you into my personal problems, so I kept it from you, and for that, I'm sorry.

...

Pressing the delete button over and over and over again, the action making a rapid clicking noise, I erased the whole email. It sounded so stupid, so heartless. There was absolutely no feeling in my words. I didn't want this to be a simple apology letter. Instead, I needed my voice to be heard through the electronic communication--I needed him to feel my apology, not just see it written in black and white.

Instead of pouring my heart out in a stupid email, I decided I just needed to get his attention. And then, it hit me...

From: Maci

To: Liam

Date: Tuesday, June 24, 6:24 PM

Subject: I remember...

Liam --

In sleep he sang to me

In dreams he came

That voice which calls to me and speaks my name

And do I dream again for now I find

The Phantom of the Opera is there

Inside my mind

-- Maci

Before I could chicken out, I pressed the send button, the sound of the flying email whooshing away, causing my stomach to flutter. I could only hope my words would be well received.

Making me jump nearly three feet in the air, my phone began to buzz next to me. I suddenly felt a huge lump take up residence in my throat as I thought it was Liam responding so quickly to my mercy email. Sighing with relief, I was pleased to see it was just Sam.

"Samantha," I answered. Not giving her any time to speak, I continued to rant. "You should know by now that you have to be available on call every moment of every single fucking day of your life, just in case I have a goddamn meltdown."

"Well, hello to you too," she responded, chuckling a bit at my outburst. "So, what happened, crazy lady?"

"Liam happened. I can't believe I listened to you about letting my guard own and going out with the man. Everything is now so fucked up." Of course, accusing someone else of my inability to date normally was the only way I'd make sense of this situation.

"Oh, Lord. What did you do?" she asked, her tone becoming heavier and more serious, dashed with a pinch of pity for me.

"Wait. Why do you automatically think it's something I did?" She probably knew I was stalling, but I couldn't help myself.

"Spit it out, Maci."

"Ugh, fine." Flipping onto my back, my hair splayed over the bedspread like a colorful curtain, I spilled the entire story to my friend.

Just as I got to the part about the email, she asked, "Well, did he respond?"

I was so busy telling her about all that was messed up in my world, I forgot to keep an eagle eye on the damn laptop. All the blood rushed from my head as I sat up too quickly, the lightheaded feeling disorienting me for a moment before I finally focused on the screen.

"Holy shit, he did respond," I said in a near whisper.

"Well? What's it say?"

"Says for me to meet him at Ramon's tomorrow morning at ten. Shit. I have that meeting with you and Camille. Fuck." Rubbing my temples, I searched my brain for an answer. I wanted to hash shit out with Liam, but I couldn't blow off an important meeting. We were scheduled to discuss the publication dates and cover for the novel I'd finished just a few weeks ago. "What's happened to me? Normally, work would always come first. But my fucked-up girly brain actually wants to meet with a guy instead of dealing with my work obligations. This shit is changing me."

"Ha! You like him!" Sam exclaimed, causing me to pull the phone away and wince at the volume of her words. "In all seriousness though, he's your game changer. Don't worry about us. I'll tell Camille you're sick."

"Absolutely not. I'll just email him back and tell him I'm off limits till eleven."

"I think meeting with him is more important at this moment in time. We can reschedule the rendezvous with Camille," she assured. The offer was tempting, but I knew work would have to come first.

"Nope. I'm dying to see my new cover. Plus, Liam will understand." Responding to his email, I pressed the send button and added, "Besides, it's too late anyway. Already sent it."

"That's 'cause you're a stubborn pain in the ass," she chided.

"You still love me though," I joked, only we both knew how serious we were. I wasn't sure what I would do without Sam, and I knew she felt the same about me.

"Not even one little bit," she said back, but she couldn't hold her laughter in, effectively catching herself in her own fib.

"Uh huh. I'll rap with you later. I didn't get any writing done today and the hours are disappearing on me," I said while glancing at the clock. "Thanks for listening to my meltdown."

"Anytime. Go get your slack ass to work. I'll see you in the morning."

We said our goodbyes just in time for me to see another email come through from Liam, confirming eleven would work just fine.

Now if only I could clear my mind of all this fuckery and concentrate on the project at hand.

It wasn't long after I sat down at my desk that I was able to submerse myself in a fictional world with Fidorah and Captain Evans. These two were becoming my life preserver when the real world threatened to drown me. I could always rely on them to speak to me, filling my mind with futuristic romances and non-stop space action, leaving little room for the crap going on with me.

My stomach grumbling had me lifting my eyes to the clock, and I groaned when I saw it was nearing midnight. Did I seriously just write for damn near eight hours straight? The eleven thousand words I just wrote said so. I hadn't buried myself in my work that hard in so long. It felt good to submerse my mind in the story and get that much done.

Rising from my chair, I winced as my bones cracked, stretching my stiff muscles with a twist of my neck and tilt of my back. Ugh, I was lucky I didn't fuse myself to the damn seat.

My eyes suddenly felt heavy, tearing up as I thought of how late it had gotten. My stomach continued to protest at the lack of food, and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep with all its bitching.

With a sluggish gait, I dragged myself to the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar, washing it down quickly with a glass of milk.

"There. That should shut you up long enough for me to get some sleep," I said, thinking I was clearly losing my ever-loving mind as I talked to my damn stomach.

Foregoing all my usual hygiene practices, I didn't waste any time hauling my happy ass to bed. And wouldn't you know that Liam's face popped into my head as soon as I closed my eyes, making all new flutters overtake my insides and threaten to stir up the contents I'd just put in.

Who could sleep with William Allen on the brain?

*****

Stepping into the cafe, I scanned the booths for him, hoping he'd already be here. My meeting went well--very well--and the book was scheduled to release the following month. I found myself wanting to share my excitement with Liam, and then had to remind myself that he didn't know that side of me. The most important part of my life... and he was still in the dark.

Maybe this little chitchat today would have to be a bit more informative than I had planned. But, was I really ready to reveal such a huge secret? The real question had to be--did I know Liam well enough to share such a secret--something that could impact my entire life if it got out?

Before I could answer my own internal questions, I spotted him. He was sitting at the table where we first met, his back to the door. He looked kind of nervous as he ran his fingers through his hair and bounced his knee frantically under the table.

Pushing through the light crowd, I made my way toward him, worrying my fingers together as I got closer. He didn't catch sight of me until I sat down across from him, silently hoping he'd show me those dimples I thought were so incredibly cute.

First, he just stared at me, unblinking, as if he couldn't form any words. Then his gaze darted to my chest before a loud, bellowing laugh escaped his lips. I'd wanted him to smile, but did he have to laugh without me knowing what was so goddamned funny? I hated personal jokes.

"Nice shirt," he said, managing to spit out the words between chuckles. His laughter died down a bit, but he still had a hard time keeping a straight face, those beautiful dimples peeking through the scruff on his face.

Looking down, I reminded myself of the shirt I chose today, and laughter bubbled up in my throat as I realized the perfection of it.

Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them was written in kid-like letters across my chest, a stick figure of a boy getting pummeled with rocks finishing off the masterpiece.

"Wore it just for you," I said, lying through my teeth. I honestly didn't mean to wear it, just tossing a random shirt on as I left in a hurry this morning. But it was a bit too flawless to not take the blame. "Speaking of shirts, why are you all dressed up?"

Liam was sitting across from me with a pinstripe button-up shirt and black slacks--no tie or anything, but it was quite a bit dressier than his normal weekday attire.

"Stupid meetings this morning. Thad, my ad exec, thought it would be wise for me to wear something professional," he said, putting air quotes around the p-word.

I grimaced. "That sucks."

He only responded with a nod as Ramon came over to take our order.

We sat, a quiet awkwardness consuming us, as we waited for our caffeine fix. We'd never been uncomfortably silent before, and the idea we couldn't easily talk or banter with each other actually hurt my heart.

As soon as Ramon's barista brought our order and cleared the table next to us, I blurted out, "I'm sorry."

Liam's head snapped up, his blue eyes boring into mine, a curious frown on his face. With a scrunched brow, he asked, "For what?"

"Being so... so..." I stuttered.

"Bitchy?" he completed.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I gave him a silent warning. "I was going to say uptight."

"Okay, we'll go with your word," he agreed, a light smile on his infuriatingly handsome face. Cocky geek was back in full force, and damn if I didn't think it was hot. I wanted to lay into him--number one, for making me feel so out of sorts all the time, and number two, for infringing on my private life.

Finally, I found my strength. Only, I didn't chew him out quite like I thought I would. Instead, I spoke softly, clearly, so he'd hear every single word. "I want you to understand. That part of me, that woman who lives in that retirement home... she owns my heart. She's my sanctuary, my rock. I'd do anything in my power to protect her. Which is why I wasn't ready to introduce you yet. I need to do things on my own terms."

He nodded, his face sullen and distant, like he knew that was the insult it was meant to be. Actually, I didn't mean it as an insult, but it was the truth. "The thing is, Liam. I probably would've brought you there eventually. But that's my decision to make, not yours."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't even know what came over me. I just..." He trailed off, not finishing his sentence as he looked at anything but me. If he would just look into my eyes and speak for once, maybe we wouldn't be constantly acting like fucking yo-yo balls, bouncing back and forth.

"Why'd you show up there anyway? And how'd you even find me?" I questioned. I needed answers. I never, ever even let on to my whereabouts, or that I spent time with my grandmother at all. The only thing he knew was that I was unavailable for lunch.

"You're gonna think I'm a creep," he responded, still not looking at my face as he spoke.

"I already think you're a creep. Now start talking," I demanded. When he didn't say a word, I leaned closer to him, grabbing his hand to let him know I wasn't going to hit him... yet. "The worst that could happen is I deck you hard. You'll survive it though. So spill. What was so important you had to track me down during a time I specifically said was off limits?"

"I kinda asked around," he admitted. "I just needed to see what was so important during your lunches each day. I honestly thought I'd find you shacking up with someone else or some crazy lifestyle choice you wanted to keep hidden. I really didn't mean to intrude on something so private."

"Well, I wanted to know where the hell we were going with our relationship first before I introduced you to her. It's important to me that I don't disrupt her life unless absolutely necessary," I explained, squeezing his hand so he'd look at me again.

"So, she's your grandmother?"

I nodded. "She's my life right now."

"And that slime ball of a man--my mortal enemy--you're related to him?" he sneered. His hatred for the man would've been comical if it weren't for the fact I detested him even more.

"Not by blood, thank God. I wanted to tell you back at the charity gala, but considering we weren't really dating then, I didn't see it as something incredibly important to explain. Plus, the man acted like he didn't even know me, which is par for the course," I said, wishing I didn't have to talk about the asinine piece of garbage named Jim Celeste. "He's the only brother of my late mom's ex-husband, if you can even follow that. My mom married and soon divorced Jim's brother when I was only ten. It was a horrible year--one I wish I could forget. The only good thing that came out of that whole mess was my grams. She treated me as if I were blood long after everything went to shit."

"If you don't mind my asking, why is she in that home? Is she unable to care for herself?" he asked, looking at me with sympathetic eyes, and I wondered if he wished he had family to care for.

"Pfft," I huffed, rolling my eyes in annoyance. "She wouldn't be if it were up to me. Grams suffers from Alzheimer's, which is why I visit her religiously every single day. She needs that normalcy in order to remember me. I wanted to care for her, especially since she has her physical health about her and just needs supervision. I wanted to do that for her. Have her continue to live with me. But Jackass Jim is in charge of all the legal stuff and finances. Since I'm not blood--hell, I'm barely considered family--I have no say in what happens. The only reason he comes to see her is to keep up appearances. He never talks to her."

"Man, and I thought I had it rough being enemies with the guy. You actually have to be civil with him?" Liam said with a chuckle, and I was grateful for the distraction.

"Hah. I guess you're right. But it's not like he shows his face around there often," I said, trying to drop the subject. I didn't want to talk about my ex-uncle-in-law anymore. Just thinking about that relation gave me the heebie-jeebies. "So, William Allen... what was so goddamn important that you had to follow me around like a lost puppy dog?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and quirking my eyebrow in question. I meant it as a joke, but as soon as I saw the startled look that crossed his face, a look that said he might either run or puke, I knew something was up.

"Ahh, you're gonna laugh at me. Either that, or you'll get super pissed," he said, running his fingers along the side of his cup as he tried to stall.

"I promise I won't laugh." Of course, I couldn't really promise that. I'd laugh if he said something funny, that was for sure. And he'd already done enough to piss me off. Was this in retaliation for the damn DS?

"I just wanted to see my Black Cat," he said with a wink.

And there it was.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

Liam: Remove the Masks

Sitting across from me was the most beautiful, blushing woman I'd ever laid my eyes on--her cheeks turning a flushed shade of pink at my mention of her costume the night of the masquerade was so adorable.

"I didn't think you'd remember me," she whispered, barely speaking loud enough for me to hear over the bustle of customers behind me.

"It actually took me a minute, but as soon as I got a glimpse of your tattoo the night we went and saw Back to the Future, I knew." I didn't want to admit to her it freaked me out. But if she had any memory at all, she'd remember how weird I acted.

"You could've just told me that was what freaked you out that night. I thought I said something or did something wrong," she said while chewing on the edge of her thumb nervously. I could tell she still had more to say.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't think you would've remembered me either. I'm sort of a sissy when it comes to rejection," I admitted, hoping if I threw her a bone, she'd open up a bit more.

"Could've fooled me, Phantom. You've been hard to shake since we first re-met in here a few weeks ago," she said with a chuckle. Leaning in, she added, "And just so you realize just how memorable you are... I knew as soon as you kissed me at the charity gala. Plus, even if I was as slow as you, being at your place again would've tipped me off, right?"

Sitting back in her chair, she folded her arms over her chest and sported a satisfied smirk, almost as if she enjoyed one-upping me in this game of memory. I should've thought about the whole idea she was in my bedroom again--that alone would've been a major tip off, and I didn't even think of it.

Damn, she's right. I am slow.

Before I could say anything in my defense, she spoke again and said, "I kinda freaked too though. As the evening went on, I actually got pissed you didn't remember me. Seems a bit silly now that I think about it."

"Maci," I said, breathing her name in a hushed tone as I leaned in close. "You have no idea how much I've thought of you since that New Year's party. I haven't been able to get you off my mind."

Her answering smile was all I needed to know we were back in good standing with each other. Her grin was interrupted all too soon as she glanced at her phone and started to stand up.

"Crap, I have to go." My face must've looked pitiful when she passed by me. Touching my cheek, she leaned over and grazed her lips over mine once. "Would you like to come with me?"

Looking up into her gorgeous, green eyes, I needed to see if she sincerely wanted me to come or was just inviting me along because she felt bad. Oh, how I wished I could read minds. I saw nothing but hope staring back at me--whether she was hoping I'd say yes or no, I couldn't quite tell.

"You sure?" I asked. "I don't want to intrude."

"I'm sure," she said, another smile accentuating her cheeks. "Plus, you look really dapper today. Don't want to waste all that fancy in a coffee shop, right?"

"Damn, and I was just about to suggest I run home and change," I joked as I stood and followed her through the doors. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me through a throng of people and to a parking garage just around the corner, leading the way to her car.

*****

The smell of cleanser mixed with food assaulted my senses as we walked through the doors and past the front desk. I felt a little odd just walking in, like I was intruding in someone else's home, not to mention the large, soft-sided cooler Maci had me carrying. Hand in hand, Maci lead me down a hallway, and I suddenly felt overly nervous at the thought of meeting someone so important to her. I was even more freaked out that we might run into Big Jim.

"Don't worry. If he was here yesterday, we probably won't see him again for another week, at least," Maci said, squeezing my hand just before stopping in front of a door.

"How'd you know that's what I was thinking?"

"Because, you had a look of terror and anger on your face. You're quite readable, Mr. Allen," she said with a wink as she reached for the knob and began to turn.

Inside sat the elderly woman I saw her with the day before. She was well dressed and impeccably groomed, sitting with her back to us and staring out the window. Hearing us enter, she turned slowly until she caught sight of Maci.

"Oh, thank goodness you're finally here!" she exclaimed, moving faster than I thought her frail body should as she stood and began walking toward us, reaching her arms out toward Maci as if her life depended on touching her.

"I'm here, Grams. Always. And I brought a friend," Maci said, releasing my hand and allowing her grandmother to cling to her with such desperation, it made me wonder if they were mistreating her here. Pulling out of the old lady's arms, Maci held her elbow as she said, "Grams, I'd like you to meet Liam. Liam, this is my grandmother, Bernie."

Taking care, I held her hand in mine and brought it to my mouth. "Nice to finally meet you, Bernie. Maci has told me such good things."

"Oh, such a charmer," she said, finally smiling for the first time since we walked through the door.

"Here, Grams. Let's sit and chat for a bit. I brought one of your favorite lunches today," she said, leading her grandmother back to the chair she was sitting in when we first arrived. I totally didn't think about the cooler containing lunch and inwardly wondered if I should excuse myself so they could eat in peace, especially since I didn't bring anything for myself.

After getting Bernie situated, Maci reached across the bed and grabbed the remote, turning off the television. She then sat in the only other chair at the table and pressed a few buttons on the radio there. Within moments, the soft, crooning voice of Frank Sinatra filled the room, and her grandmother's face beamed with delight.

Standing back up, Maci silently offered me her seat, to which I shook my head in refusal.

"Liam, please sit," she demanded in a soft tone while reaching out to grab the cooler off my shoulder. I hesitated. No way was I going to take her seat. I'd feel even more out of place than I already did.

Without another word to me, Maci began singing Strangers in the Night along with Frank and Bernie, her voice so amazingly melodic, it was almost surreal. She busied herself with emptying the contents of the cooler, setting out three plates along with three sandwiches and several smaller containers in the center.

Completely caught off guard, I sat down like she told me to and stared at the food she was setting out. I finally found my voice as I tugged on her shirt to get her attention. "You planned this, didn't you?" I whispered.

She never lost her spot with the lyrics as she continued singing and nodded her head, smiling and swaying to the music while setting the last of the contents, three water bottles, on the table. She propped a small straw into one, no doubt to make it easier for her grandmother, and I noticed the sandwich she put out for her, what looked to be chicken salad, was cut into smaller bits. Along with the few containers of fruit, our lunch was complete and looked so incredibly good.

The song ended and another began just as Maci crawled her way onto my lap. "Hope you don't mind. There are only the two chairs in here. I can sit on the bed over there if I start to break you."

"I definitely don't mind," I affirmed, giving her a light peck on the cheek and wrapping one of my arms around her waist.

"This is so good," Bernie said, her mouth half full with food. "Oh, you didn't introduce me to your friend," she added, dabbing her face with a napkin as she started to stand.

"No need to get up, Grams," Maci placated, proceeding to repeat the same introduction as before. She'd told me on the way here to be prepared for this, but it was still a bit shocking to witness. It seemed the only thing the woman could remember were her Sinatra lyrics. She had those down to a science, singing along with Maci the whole time we ate.

When Maci saw her grandmother was done, she got up off my lap and helped Bernie stand. Joy lit up both their faces as they gently danced to the song Come Fly With Me.

I honestly wasn't one to get all sappy, but seeing how happy Maci made her grandmother had my eyes threatening to leak. You could tell they both cared for each other as if they were bonded by blood. The attention Maci so easily gave this woman was purely out of love. Even though I felt like an intruder, I was happy I got to see this side of her... and I couldn't deny that there was a part of me that was very, very close to falling for Maci Layne--hard and fast.

And I could already tell, the fall would either make or break a man like me.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

Maci: Blanket Forts

Knowing Grams had to get her nap soon, I took that opportunity to say my goodbyes, telling her I'd be back tomorrow to read to her. I didn't want to read any of my works in progress today since Liam was around, so we had a lot of catching up to do.

Liam was quiet as we walked to the parking lot. I wanted so badly to know what was on his mind, pick his brain a bit about the past two hours, and learn a little about what he was thinking--how he was mentally reacting to meeting my grandmother.

Threading my fingers through his, I gently squeezed as we walked. The small smile he flashed was very obviously a mask, a way for him to hide what he was really thinking... really feeling. I wanted to pry, but the one question I hated hearing the most from people was when they asked what was wrong with me. If I didn't hold my mouth just right, or react the way they expected, they would continually push me until there was actually something wrong. So, I kept my mouth shut and just let him process the whole experience in silence.

As soon as we approached my Civic, I turned him around, pushing him up against the passenger side with a bit of force that even surprised me. Pressing my body to his, I hugged him. It wasn't a sexual move. Instead, I wanted him to feel just how appreciative I was of him--of the fact that he was patient enough to sit there with me through the constant questions and confusing conversation my grandmother spat out.

With a bit of hesitation, Liam finally wrapped his arms around me and returned the embrace, burying his face into my hair.

"What's this all about?" he asked, his voice muffled against my neck.

"I'm just happy you got to meet her and grateful you were so patient with her--with me," I said, my cheek pressing tightly against his chest. I could hear each breath that inflated his lungs, each beat of his heart. Everything felt so real, yet the surreal feeling of being in his arms was extremely overwhelming at the same time.

"It was my pleasure," he said, his deep voice rumbling against my ear, sending a delicious vibration through my soul. A kiss to the top of my head had me backing away and raising my eyes to meet his. "I love seeing how happy you are with her," he added, his hand lightly brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"She does make me very happy," I admitted. Placing a soft kiss on his lips, once, twice, I finally pulled away completely and said, "Get in. Time to blow this joint."

Climbing in the car, I glanced at the clock on the dash and noticed it was half past two in the afternoon. With a devilish grin, I peered over at Liam and asked, "You need to be back at work?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. I kinda skipped out immediately after a few important meetings and still need to go over a few things before another testing session tomorrow. Why?" The suspicious look on his face was well warranted, especially if he noticed the menacing look in mine.

"I was just hoping you'd be up for some hump-day fun," I joked, biting my lip with worry he'd reject. I wasn't sure why I suddenly felt self-conscious with him. But it wasn't exactly like we'd started out on the right foot with the whole confidence and trust factor.

"Well, I'd love to take a rain check... or..." he said, trailing off as a thoughtful expression crossed his eyes. The look made my stomach flutter. The man really did get to me in the most delicious of ways.

"Or?" I questioned, prompting him to keep going with his thoughts. Anything to drag out time with him.

"You want to come check out nZone?" he asked, dipping his head a bit as he glanced over at me with a boyish expression, almost begging for me to say yes.

I probably had that oh-so-attractive deer in the headlights look, my head darting between looking at the road and his face. Was he serious? Did he really think I'd turn down an offer like that?

"Hell yeah!" I blurted out, mentally fist-bumping the air and trying my best to keep my excited ass straight on the road. No need for accidents, especially when it would keep me from seeing the Taj Mahal of the gaming world. "Wait. If you have work to do, you don't really have time to escort me around everywhere, do you?"

He shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. "I just have a few boring things to do, but nothing that'll take up too much time."

"Well, I have a bit of work to do myself. Maybe I should be responsible like you and get shit done," I said, turning onto the main drag where I knew nZone to be. I really didn't want to turn down his offer, but considering he had stuff to get done, I suddenly felt like I'd be nothing but a distraction. "It sucks being an adult."

"I hear that. Being responsible is for the birds. I'd love to pitch a blanket fort and play on a handheld 'till I go cross-eyed right now," he said with a laugh.

"Too bad I broke your DS. Fort gaming sounds like a blast right now." I laughed with him before realizing I didn't know exactly where I was supposed to be taking him. "Where are you parked?"

"In the parking garage up ahead. I walked to the cafe," he said, pointing to the parking garage entrance next to the nZone building. "Do you need to go into the office for your work or can it be done on your laptop?"

"I can do it anywhere. I'll probably go home." I shrugged, trying so hard not to show my disappointment. Sometimes, adults just wanted to forego the whole responsibility act and play games.

"Well, why don't you bring your laptop up to my office then? I'll give you a tour, then you can sit and work in peace while I get all the boring corporate shit out of the way."

Before I had a chance to answer, Liam reached over me and showed the parking attendant a badge of some sort, asking for a temporary pass for my car. Being swallowed by darkness, I followed his finger points as he directed me where to go.

"I didn't say yes, Liam," I said, bringing attention to the fact he was just assuming I'd stay.

"I know. If anything, I was figuring you could park long enough for us to make out a little," he answered with a wink, pointing me to a spot next to his Jeep. A light chest slap had him laughing.

"All men are the same. Just want to get in a chick's pants." An over-dramatic eye roll finished off the very true statement.

"There you go with the gender stereotypes again. I could say the same about women..." Trailing off, he turned to me with a serious look on his face, leaning in to make sure he had my full attention. Gripping the steering wheel, I tried desperately to control myself--and my hands. His hand reached out, cupping my cheek as he stared into my eyes. "Before I met you, I thought the only thing women wanted from me was money, or to get their foot in the door with my company."

The sadness in his eyes as he said those words made me realize just how true he thought them to be. How in the world could a woman want nothing more than money or a job from this magnificent geeky man?

I opened my mouth to say something, tell him he was more than just a walking bank account, but my words were cut off by his lips landing on mine, devouring me and all the jumbled thoughts swimming in my head.

He sure knew how to dazzle a girl.

# Chapter Twenty-Six

Liam: Corporate Teasers

God, she tasted amazing. I'd stay here all day lip-locked with the girl if I could, but after glancing at my watch, I knew I needed to get back upstairs before Thad sent a search party after me.

Pulling away, I was fascinated by the way her eyes lazily opened to look at me, her gaze filled with nothing but lust.

"You coming up?" I asked, hoping she'd say yes just so I could have her on my arm for a bit longer.

"You're such a fucking tease," she cursed in response. "Kiss a girl like that and then expect her to have her wits about her? Evil." She continued her rant while climbing out of her little sedan and grabbing her stuff from the backseat.

"So, I get to hold you hostage for a while?" I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my chest as I watched her attempt to act all ferocious, hiking her laptop case up on her shoulder while standing behind the car. She didn't answer. Instead, she stood there, tapping her foot. "Guess that's a yes," I said with another chuckle, the slam of the car door echoing off the barren walls of the garage.

She seemed to lose all the fight she had in her as I stepped closer and took her laptop case from her shoulder, offering to carry it. In all honesty, I expected her to freak out with some sort of squawk about how girls could carry shit too. But instead, I got one of the sweetest smiles. Damn woman was going to distract the hell out of me. Not sure why I thought it was a good idea to bring her into work.

Walking toward the elevator, I hesitated. I really didn't want a repeat of yesterday. At the same time, I didn't want to force her to climb twelve flights of stairs all because I was too much of a pussy to ride the elevator.

"You okay?" she asked, obviously noticing my reluctance.

"Yep," I said, popping the P and plastering a fake smile across my face, forcing myself to remain collected as I allowed her to step through the small opening and into the confined space. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat as the doors slid shut, trapping us inside.

I counted the floors, and the amount of breaths I took between each, focusing on nothing more than making it to our destination without becoming imprisoned again. Somewhere around the eighth floor, a soft, chilly hand touched my cheek, startling me from my uber-strong concentration.

"Breathe, Liam," she whispered, placing a gentle kiss to the opposite cheek. And I did. I focused on breathing... not just my own, but hers as well. The feel of her breath on my skin was intoxicating, and definitely a great way to ease my mind.

Before I knew it, we were stopping, the elevator coming to a jolting halt on the twelfth floor. I didn't waste any time ushering her out, all while noticing her eyes never left me. She was examining me, probably wondering what the hell got into me.

"You're claustrophobic," she whispered shortly after we entered the nZone lobby. Why the damn company executives had to insist on the top floor of this office building was beyond me.

"Just a little," I admitted, exhaling and attempting to slow my heart. "My friend and I managed to get our asses stuck in that damn elevator for more than an hour yesterday. I'm not quite over it yet."

She just nodded, obviously realizing I didn't want to talk about it... not yet anyway.

"Oh, speaking of my friend, I have to warn you about him. Thad works for me, and he's a bit of an asshole. Don't listen to a word he says," I warned, winking and finally feeling like myself again as we walked past the reception desk.

I took the time to introduce Maci to the girls up front, unsure of exactly what I should call her. I settled for friend, figuring it wouldn't be offensive or presumptuous. Considering we were sleeping together, friend was an understatement, and I learned soon after the introductions were over that Maci felt the same way.

"Friend?" she whispered as we walked away. "That's all I am to you? A friend?" She put air-quotes around the word friend and wrinkled her nose like it was a dirty thing to say.

I shrugged. What was I supposed to say? Sorry, I froze? I didn't want her to know just how much she intimidated me, so I tried to think of a quick-witted joke to throw back at her.

"Would you rather we be enemies? I call boss." My joke earned me a slap to the arm while we walked down the hallway to my office. Laughing, I pointed out several things to her along the way, showing her the boring meeting centers and the non-exciting corporate crap. "And later, I'll show you the game rooms where we do most of our testing," I said, pushing my office doors open for her to walk in.

Her pace was slow, taking each step with caution, as she took it all in. My office was one of the best, set in the corner of the building with nothing but windows spanning two of the four walls.

"Oh. My. God," she whispered, setting her things down on the couch against the nearest wall. "This view is absolutely breathtaking, Liam."

She wasn't exaggerating either. I considered my office to have the best view in all of Tampa. Looking out over in the distance, we were able to see the rest of the city with a hint of Hillsborough and McKay Bay in the distance.

"Well, feel free to enjoy it... and make yourself at home. I don't think this boring corporate stuff will take me long," I explained as I made my way over to a mini fridge in the corner and pulled out two waters.

Maci had made her way over toward one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, placing her hand on the glass and just staring out into the distance. With both bottles in my hands, I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, dangling the water in front of her and placing a soft kiss against her neck.

"Thanks," she whispered, taking one bottle from my hands and touching my arm with the other. "This'll be perfect."

"Perfect for what?" I asked, never lifting my lips from peppering kisses along her neck and jaw. I figured she meant perfect for us to get it on while no one was looking.

"Uh..." she stuttered. "Work. It'll be perfect for me to sit down and relax so I can get a little work done while you're busy."

"Mmmm," I muttered, pushing her hair aside so I could gain better access to her delectable neck.

Turning in my arms, Maci placed the cold water bottle against my cheek just long enough for me to jump back and hold in a squeal. Yeah, squealing like a ninny wouldn't be very manly of me, especially over some cold water.

"We're not going to get shit done if you keep that up, Mr. Allen," she scolded before pulling from my arms and walking over to where she set her things down.

I puffed out a ragged breath, adjusting myself a bit so I could calm the fuck down. "Yeah, but it'd be so much more fun than work," I joked.

Maci answered with a knowing smile before kicking her Converse shoes off and curling her legs beneath her. Settling into the plush couch, she grabbed her laptop and immediately began to tune me out. It made me wonder what was so fascinating on that screen of hers. She never really explained what kind of work she did, apart from a file clerk at the publishing house. Of course, I knew damn well she wasn't doing any filing sitting here in my office.

Sometimes I wish I had her discipline, because attempting to concentrate on work right now seemed damn near impossible.

Running my fingers through my hair, I decided a bit of music would drown out the pattering of her keyboard and hopefully make me forget she was here long enough to crunch some of these figures for an upcoming beta test.

Pairing my phone with the Bluetooth speaker system built into the room, I chose something soft, figuring she'd need a quiet atmosphere and I'd need the distraction.

Sliding my thumb over the touch screen, I finally found something appropriate and pressed play. A light crackle sounded through the speakers before the song finally began.

Maci's protest was nearly immediate.

"Oh, hell no."

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

Maci: Till the Fat Man Sings

Hearing the words to Mad World by Gary Jules suddenly fill the space around me had me leaping off the couch quicker than I could comprehend what I was doing. It wasn't that I didn't like the song, but Pandora had so kindly played it over and over again since its release, they obviously wanted to ensure I would be sick of it.

All around me are familiar faces...

Up from the couch I went.

Worn-out places, worn-out faces...

And by the time I reached Liam, he pressed pause.

"What's the matter with Mad World?" he questioned, startled at my sudden movement.

"Nothing's wrong with it other than it's been beat to death by a dead horse. Plus, Tears For Fears has always been my favorite. This office needs something a bit more upbeat," I blathered, snatching his phone from him before he could protest. His answering laugh told me he wasn't pissed about my outburst, so I decided to be a bit devious.

Let's see how far the man will let me go.

"What do you plan to put on then?" he asked, attempting to peek over my shoulder as I scrolled through his audio library.

And then I saw it. The fact he had Five Finger Death Punch on his phone told me he liked it, so he'd be cool with this, right?

Pressing the play button next to Lift Me Up, I figured I'd find out soon enough.

Liam didn't even let the beginning lyrics start before he grabbed his phone back and fumbled to press the stop button.

"Jesus H. Christ, Maci," he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Yeah, that can't happen. I'd get kicked out of my own office," he added with a nervous laugh. "Pick something a bit more office friendly?"

Pouting, I took the phone he was offering me and said, "Well, you're no fun."

"I know."

Feigning defeat, I settled on 3 Doors Down and told the phone to shuffle the entire Away From the Sun album, turning down the volume to a low hum. Needing to let Liam know I was cool with it and was just fucking with him, I set the phone on his large desk and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him to me for a soft, but quick, kiss.

I broke our connection, feeling devious again, and turned to walk back to the couch where my laptop sat. Suddenly, a hand landed on my ass with a hard slap, making me jump in surprise, thankful I was wearing jeans to protect my bum.

"Quit being a distraction and get to work," he demanded.

Rubbing the spot, I looked at Liam over my shoulder, letting him know with only my stare that I'd return the favor when he least expected it.

It was weird trying to write with Liam in the room. That seemed odd, considering I chose to write around complete strangers nearly every day in the coffee shop, but this was quite different.

I was still keeping this major secret from him, and I couldn't help the guilt that settled in the pit of my stomach when I thought of how much I was hiding. It also made me wonder just how much he was hiding from me. If I was keeping this big of a secret, wouldn't he be doing the same?

As much as I tried to focus on my writing, the novel I started to make headway on only last night, I couldn't seem to get into the groove. I kept peeking over to his desk, watching him. I wanted so badly to climb up on that hunk of wood... naked... and make him pay attention to me instead.

Childish, I know. But who hasn't had those fantasies of tossing everything on the floor and fucking hardcore on a huge desk like his?

After almost an hour of pretending to write, Liam's eyes finally caught me staring at him. I didn't bother to look away. I knew I'd been caught. Butterflies filled my stomach as he crooked his finger and motioned for me to come to him, a sly smile decorating his features.

I didn't hesitate. Upon his command, I rose from the couch, rubbing my sweaty palms on my jeans, and slowly walked to the front of his desk.

In an attempt to be sexy, I leaned forward, holding myself up on my elbows, and said, "You called, sir?"

"Come around," he demanded, his voice clipped. His eyes were a piercing shade of blue, matching the crisp sky through the windows behind him. With his stare hypnotizing me, I never tore my gaze away from his as I followed his order and rounded the desk, brushing my fingers over the smooth top along the way.

As soon as I was within arm's reach, he grabbed my hips, bringing me to his front and lifting me, placing me on the desk in a sitting position. Without my permission, not that he needed any, he lifted the t-shirt from my body, causing a crinkling sound beneath my ass as I squirmed.

"Liam, your papers," I pointed out, realizing I was sitting on the papers he'd been staring at for the past hour.

"Fuck the papers," he blurted, using his hands to spread my legs, no doubt to get closer, while he stared at my breasts. They just so happened to be conveniently eye level with him as he sat in his chair.

Wheeling closer to me, Liam wasted no time and buried his face in my cleavage.

The feel of his warm mouth against my skin had me involuntarily gasping. His strong hands snaked behind me, creeping up my back, toward the clasp of my bra. The feel of his fingers feathering against my skin gave me goose bumps, a tingling sensation heightening every touch, every kiss.

Tangling my fingers in his hair, I held his face against my chest, inviting him to remove my bra. I needed it gone sooner rather than later. The desire to have his mouth on more of me was beyond overwhelming.

As soon as I felt the release of the clasp, the elastic loosening from around me, Liam stood, coaxing me to lay down on the surface of his desk as he moved with me.

With feverish movements, his lips found mine, consuming me. One hand cradled the back of my head while the other found its way to my breast. I couldn't help the moans that filled his mouth as his fingers found my nipple, toying with it just enough to drive me absolutely mad.

Wanting him closer, I wrapped my legs around his waist, tightening until I felt his hard length press against the center of my jeans. God, the confounded material needed to go... immediately.

Suddenly, I was startled by a loud beeping noise before a disembodied voice spoke beside my head.

"Mr. Allen?" It was the receptionist. She was lucky her interruption was through the phone, because Liam did not look the least bit pleased.

"This better be important," he growled, looking at me with impatience.

Turned out, it was important--really important. So important, that they didn't want to discuss it in front of me and asked Liam to pick up the receiver. I blushed at the fact his staff knew I was in here and that they could probably assume what we were doing.

Holding my bra to my chest while he spoke, I waited for some sort of hint as to what I should do. Should I get dressed? Should I just wait it out?

His tone didn't sound too pleased, like he was trying everything in his power to get out of the responsibility being placed on his shoulders. The way it sounded, I knew I needed to get dressed and slowly began to refasten my bra, looking around for where he threw my shirt.

Thank cripes we weren't in the middle of a full-on fuck fest.

A sympathetic look filled his eyes as he hung up the phone, probably pleading for me to understand.

"It's okay, Liam. You have work to do, and I'm just a distraction," I said while sliding off the desk and trying not to muss up his papers.

"I'm so sorry. Maybe once I get all this cleared up, we can grab a bite to eat and possibly continue what we started?" he suggested, standing and placing a light kiss on my nose.

"Actually, I didn't get a lick of work done while sitting here. Turns out you're just as much of a distraction," I admitted, returning the whole cutesy nose peck. "I'm going to go home and bust out as much as I can. Hopefully, getting a chance to see you again without work as a distraction will be incentive enough to get it all done."

With a few more pleasantries exchanged between us, I left his office feeling frustrated and in need of some serious release.

I doubt the man had any idea how much he affected me.

*****

Walking into my condo, the place almost seemed foreign to me. I'd been spending so much time with Grams and Liam, my place was beginning to feel more like a hotel than a home.

Flicking on a light, I nearly leapt out of my skin when I saw someone sitting in the shadows at my table. I immediately knew who it was, and my skin crawled at the thought he was in my home.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Jim?" I sneered, regretting the fact I'd given him a key while my grams lived with me those few short years. Why I hadn't changed the locks was beyond me, and I internally scolded myself for my oversight.

"Nice to see you too, doll," he slithered, standing from his perch in the shadows and approaching me. Within a few steps, his evil face was illuminated.

"Don't call me doll. Now what the hell do you want?" I'd long since ditched my stuff by the door and now stood there, fists clenched tight, wondering whether I should be worried about my welfare. I suddenly wished I had Liam by my side, if nothing more than moral support as I dealt with the snotwad.

"Come. Sit down with me and we'll talk," he suggested, gesturing toward the table he just rose from.

"You're not staying long enough to sit. Now, spit it out."

"Very well. I need some information from you, and I'm hoping you'd be a good girl and help me out?" The sinister look on his face as he lifted his lips into a smile told me this wasn't going to be good.

"I'd rather stab my eye out with a fork than help you," I seethed, still not moving my defensive stance by the door.

"I had a feeling you'd react that way, which is why I came prepared." Lifting his meaty hand, he brandished a digital recorder I hadn't noticed he was holding before. My stomach dropped as I heard what came from the tiny speakers...

Gran, I just finished the very last chapter of this latest book in the Celestial series. I'd love to read it to you and get your opinion. You up for a little story time?

Always, my dear. I love hearing your stories.

"Stop!" I said, holding my hand up for him to shut the damn thing off. I made sure never to read when Big Jim was around. The fact that he now knew I was M.L. Thomas made my heart hammer in my ears. "How'd you get that?" Big Jim holding this sort of information would be detrimental to my anonymity. Surely, he wouldn't fuck me over by telling anyone, would he? I only ever read to Gran because I knew she wouldn't even remember long enough to spill my secret.

"I knew you were being a sneaky little thing, so I set up this recorder in Mom's plant. I knew you'd eventually say something that would be in my favor." The wicked snicker that left his chunky lips had my skin crawling. The man was seriously grotesque in every way.

"What do you want, Jim?" I asked, wondering why this was all coming to light.

"I want information, that is all," he said, holding his arms out as if it was no big deal. "Just a little bit of info and this all goes away," he added, waving the recorder up by his fat, slimy face.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I shivered, my gut telling me this was not going to be good. "If you're not going to tell me, then just get the hell out."

"I want what William Allen has."

# The End of Game Changer,

Book One in the Playing Games series.

Continue with Liam and Maci's story in Game On, book two in the Playing Games series.

Information can be found on Rene's website at www.renefolsom.com/playing-games.

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of Game On:

Game On (Playing Games #2)

Spending her days caring for her grandmother and her nights dreaming up new worlds to write about, Maci wants nothing more than to enjoy life alongside her new man, Liam. But after a wicked visit from the devil himself, she quickly learns that the hearts and flowers of her new relationship will have to wait.

Big Jim, Liam's sworn enemy, attempts to blackmail Maci in order to gain a leg up in the gaming industry. It's all she can do to keep her wits about her as she battles with right and wrong, knowing just how devastating it would be for Liam if she were to deceive him.

After going through hell and back, it's finally Game On as Liam and Maci team up to defeat the evil likes of Big Jim. With the walls of betrayal closing in on them, it doesn't take long to devise a game plan for conquering the enemy--but a solid strategy doesn't always mean it's game over.

Note: This contemporary romance novel is the second book in the Playing Games series and contains adult situations meant for ages 18+.

Find out more on Rene's website at <http://renefolsom.com/gameon>

--------

If you haven't read about Liam and Maci's little New Year's affair, check out The Wager, the prequel to Game Changer. Information can be found on Rene's website at www.renefolsom/playing-games.

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of the prequel:

The Wager (Playing Games #0.5)

You'd think the masks would come off once the ball drops at the New Year's masquerade but, tossing caution to the wind, Liam and Maci decide to have a bit of fun by continuing to keep their faces hidden from each other during a night full of games and passion.

Get to know these two game-playing lovers before they even know each other in The Wager, a prequel to the new novel in the Playing Games series, Game Changer.

Note: This contemporary romance novella is an optional read in the Playing Games series and contains adult situations meant for ages 18+.

Find out more on Rene's website at <http://renefolsom.com/thewager>.

# Thanks for Reading

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# More Books by Rene

Cornerstone Series

Shuttered Affections (Cornerstone #1) - FREE!

Exposed Affections (Cornerstone #2)

Playing Games Series

The Wager: A Game Changer Companion Novella

Game Changer (Playing Games #1) - FREE!

Game On (Playing Games #2)

The Break (Playing Games #2.5)

End Game (Playing Games #3) - coming soon

Roommate Romance Series

Heart You

Bind Me

Share You

Flatter Me

Promise You

Soul Seers Series

Voices of the Soul (Soul Seers #1)

Eyes of the Soul (Soul Seers #2)

Truths of the Soul (Soul Seers #3)

Blood of the Soul (Soul Seers #4)

Secrets of the Soul (Soul Seers #5)

Hearts of the Soul (Soul Seers #6)

Twisted Wolf Tale Series

Tempt: A Twisted Wolf Tale (Little Red Riding Hood)

Trust: A Twisted Wolf Tale (Beauty and the Beast)

Trapt: A Twisted Wolf Tale (Snow White)

Favorite Things Series

Favorite Things: Adventurous

Favorite Things: Bound

Favorite Things: Charming

Standalones

Every Thorn (A Romantic Thriller Short Story)

Have My Heart (A Romantic Short Story)

Red Hot Authors Collections

For Liberty: A Red Hot and BOOM! Story

Tempt: A Red Hot Treats Story

Trapt: A Red Hot Cajun Nights Story

Boxed Sets

Soul Seers Boxed Set

Roommate Romance Boxed Set

Wolf Tales with a Twist

Anthologies

Paranormal Anthology with a Twist

Stalkers: A Collection of Thriller Stories

Stardust: A Futuristic Romance Collection

All Our Love: A Collection of Stories that Speak to the Heart

Winter Kiss: A Holiday Romance Collection

Affairs of the Heart: 15 Complete Novels & Novellas

By Moonlight: 15 Complete Paranormal Novels & Novellas

# About Rene

Rene Folsom, author of paranormal romance and erotica, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and often has a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to writing, she is also a graphic artist who enjoys creating custom book covers for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality--otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the realistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret...

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