“How long did I sleep?” Raine yawned as she glanced out the darkened windows and stretched, then eyed her pillow consideringly.

“Four hours.”

“Oh, wow…” She struggled to sit up.

Chuckling, Liam set the tea aside, wrapped his arms around her, and helped her. The blankets dropped, revealing her plump, soft breasts. The cool air beaded her nipples, and he fought the urge to lay her back and take them in his mouth.

When she reached for the blanket to cover herself, he shook his head. “Stop. I like you bare. Have a sip of your tea, then let’s head downstairs.” She leaned out for the mug, and he shook his head. “Let me.”

With only the slimmest of hesitations, she nodded.

He smiled faintly, then blew on the steaming brew before lifting it toward her lips. “If it’s too hot, I expect you to tell me.”

“Yes, Sir,” she said softly, letting her gaze fall to her lap.

Oh, sleep had made her soft and a bit mellow. She’d needed it. He liked it.

A pleased smile curled his mouth as he put the china to her lips. She sipped once, twice, then moaned.

“How is it, then?” He brushed the hair from her sleep-soft face. Everything about her drew him—innocent blue eyes, rosy cheeks, graceful shoulders…glorious breasts.

“It’s sweet. A little foreign and fruity. I don’t usually drink tea, but I like that.”

“Excellent.”

About half the cup later, he set it aside on the saucer, then helped her to her feet. She stretched again, every lovely inch of her bare. Liam nuzzled her neck, hands on her hips, fighting the urge to cover her body with his, and get reacquainted with the feel of her cunt gripping his cock and her fingernails in his shoulders. But she wasn’t ready. Hell, at the moment, she was still half asleep. And he shouldn’t give her the impression that he’d swept her infidelity under the carpet by making love to her now. Nor should he distract her from answering the question she’d put off before her nap.

“Come on then, lass. My belly thinks my throat’s been cut, and I love your cooking. The kitchen is well stocked,” he said to entice her.

That perked her up. “I’d like to cook for you.” She looked around the room, then headed toward the closet. “I didn’t have time to pack any clothes. You got a robe in there?”

Before she reached the door, he hooked an arm around her waist and hauled her back against him. “Not so fast. As I said earlier, I like you bare.”

She stiffened. “I’m supposed to cook...naked?”

“Indeed. It’s a sight I’ve looked forward to.” He sent her a lascivious lift of his brow.

“But—”

“I’ll give you an apron if you’re expecting splattering grease or boiling water.”

“But—”

“Stop.” Liam sighed at her protests. Did the woman not understand the meaning of the word submissive? “The caretakers have gone. No one will see you but me.” She hesitated for another long moment. “What now?”

“Um...my feet are cold.”

Was that all? “Easy enough.” He strode to his suitcase and pulled out a pair of socks. “Sit on the bed.”

She did, watching him with those eyes. He slipped the large men’s tube socks on her feet. They hardly fit, but they’d keep her warm.

She stood and moved toward the door. No way he could miss the socks flopping with every step.

Liam laughed. “That’s a fetching look on you, lass.”

Raine turned to him and propped her hands on her hips. “Do you want arsenic with your dinner?”

He sent her a measuring stare. So the kitten didn’t always have her hackles up and her claws out. Liam grinned. He liked this side of her. A pity he wouldn’t see it much until they’d worked through her issues. “Absolutely not.”

“Then no more making fun of me.” She stuck out her tongue.

“My lips are zipped. Now come on, you, before I find other uses for that tongue.” He swatted her backside gently.

Raine made the kitchen her own in about five minutes flat. She came alive in this room, content as she explored the large walk-in cooler for meat and produce, then took stock of the pots and pans in the cupboards. He sat on a high stool, adjusted his aching cock to lie more comfortably, and enjoyed the show as she moved and bent to her task…and added a bit of wriggle for his delight. The saucy minx.

“I know we never got the chance to grab a bag for you before we left. Did we leave behind anything you need? Glasses? Birth control tablets? Any other medicines? I should have asked sooner.” With her back to him, she stilled completely. “What is it?”

She didn’t answer, and he jumped off his stool and approached her, dread coiling in his belly as a sudden thought occurred to him. “Raine? You are on the pill, right?”

Absolute silence.

“Talk to me. Since you reeked of Hammer’s seed this morning, it’s obvious he didn’t use a condom, but tell me that you’re protected.”

Raine turned around, her eyes wide and terrified. “No. Last night, he told me to get on the pill today and I...” She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh god. I was so stupid. I thought...” She shook her head. “But I was wrong, and I fuc...really messed up in so many ways.” Her shoulders dropped and her gaze followed. “It seems I always have to ask you to forgive me, and I’m sure you’re going to get tired of it. If you want me to go, I’ll find a way down the mountain and out of your hair. I really am so sorry.” She huddled as if waiting for a blow.

A pang hit his chest as fury fired his belly. Another selfish act Hammer had so fucking thoughtlessly committed. True, Raine had said yes to the bastard, but he could have done the proper thing and protected her. The consequences, especially for Raine, could be far reaching.

Liam took the stricken girl in his arms and rocked her gently, while his anger with Hammer multiplied. What the fuck was wrong with the prick that he could be so careless with the woman he supposedly loved? Hammer had gone at her wee body both drunk and gloveless, knowing she had no way to prevent conceiving? It was beyond Liam’s comprehension. And if Raine ended up pregnant, Liam knew all too well that Hammer would run a fucking mile.

Fresh resentment raged within him. He struggled to contain his wrath, but he did for Raine’s sake, concentrating on what the shell-shocked woman needed. Christ!

Cupping Raine’s face, Liam made her meet his gaze. “It’s all right. We’ll figure this out together, one step at a time. But you’ve got to stop running for the damned exit every two minutes. I’m not leaving, and I’m not letting you go without a bloody good reason. We’ll get you seen by a doctor directly and get the birth control issue taken care of, as I’ll be damned if I’ll be wanting latex between us, either. But I’ll have you safe first. If there’s anything else to consider, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” She nodded, but he sensed her quietly falling apart. “Come on now, lass. It’s not the end of the world. Dry your tears and get this into your head: I’m not going anywhere. I will be here for you. I won’t pack up at the first sign of trouble. But I’m trusting you, too, Raine. After last night, that’s going to be hard, but let’s find common ground and focus on us.”

Liam brushed away a few stray tears and kissed her soundly. Raine eased back from his embrace and stared up at him. Part gravity, part wonder, as if she might actually believe him. “Thank you, Sir. Very much. You’re…amazing.”

“And I’m famished. Now feed me, woman. Those steaks look good!”

She sniffed back the rest of her tears. “Steaks coming up.”

It didn’t take long. The salad came out of the refrigerator and onto the table, as she pulled the toasty garlic bread from the broiler and the juicy fillets from the oven. Lovely asparagus emerged next with olive oil, bacon bits, and other goodness that smelled divine. She arranged everything on the table while he opened another bottle of wine.

As he poured two glasses, she smiled at him tentatively, gratefully. She’d obviously expected him to be furious with her that Hammer hadn’t worn a condom while she wasn’t on the pill. She’d expected him to leave her. Granted, she should have told Hammer to glove up. But Macen was a grown man who knew better, by god.

A bigger question circled in his head: Did she truly run away when she thought she made a situation worse...or because she feared someone else was going to leave her and she wanted to beat them to it?

Liam watched Raine, wondering how many people in the girl’s life had abandoned her to make her so skittish.

He’d planned a peaceful dinner, but now...now might be the time to keep digging for answers. It would likely put her off balance again, but if he’d be better equipped to help her later, he could sacrifice one harmonious meal.

Sauntering over to the refrigerator, he grabbed what he needed and set it on the counter behind him. Then he helped Raine into her chair. All the delicious food on the table was making his stomach growl.

“Everything looks wonderful, lovely. I hope you’re hungry.”

She nodded as he scooted her chair in. “I am. All the smells while I cooked got my appetite going.”

“Good to hear.” He grabbed her fork and her plate, lifting them away. She’d barely started sputtering at him before he set the jar of dill pickles down in front of her.

“What the—”

“You determine your own dinner, Raine. Now, what happened to you as a child?”

Mouth agape, she blinked up at him incredulously. She stared at the jar of pickles, then at her plate in his hand.

A million reactions crossed her face then. Anger right off the top. Consideration...with fuming undertones. She appeared to be weighing how much she hated pickles against the rumbling of her belly. Then some of the starch left her body, and he could almost guarantee that she was finally factoring in that she owed him, along with his vow to stay.

“You can put the pickles away. I’ll tell you.”

Chapter 11

Liam set the jar on the counter behind him. “I’ll determine if your answer is enough to put the pickles away.” He pulled up the chair beside her and leaned in. “I’m listening.”

She drew in a bracing breath. “Long story short, my home life sucked. My mother decided the grass really was greener elsewhere. My older brother thought boot camp would be better than life at the Kendall house. My much smarter older sister ran off to college the second she got a dazzling scholarship overseas, leaving me alone with a guy who would never win father-of-the-year awards. It wasn’t like I loved high school. And I hated being reminded everywhere that I wasn’t as good as my siblings. Since dear old dad wasn’t shy about telling me that I wasn’t worth the food he had to feed me, I made his miserable life better by taking a hike.” She grimaced, then gulped down half her wine. “God, every word of that was like ripping out my entrails and lighting them on fire.”

While he could have done without the snark, in reading between the lines, her explanation told him a great deal. Everyone she’d ever cared about had left her. “How old were you when your mother left?

“Nine.”

“And…?”

“And…before that, things hadn’t been rosy, but they hadn’t been terrible, either. My grandparents had died the year before, and she’d been really depressed. Then I woke up one morning and she was gone. Never called, never came home. Just packed a bag and walked out. To this day, I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Were you close to her, lass?”

Raine took a really long time answering. “I thought so.”

And the fact that her own mother had simply left without a word had blindsided her. “What about your father? Did he abuse you physically? Mentally?” Liam paused. “Sexually?”

“Gee, don’t want to pry me open all at once or anything?”

He raised a brow at her and started to open the jar of pickles. She winced.

“Sorry. Sarcasm is a reflex. I’ve used it to drive people off for a long time. Just...”

Liam set the jar aside again. “I’m a patient man, but I’ll warn you to watch your tone. Answer me now.”

“My dad didn’t...touch me like that.” She swallowed, looking down, face nervous. “He actually didn’t do much more than belittle everyone. At least that’s what I thought. My brother always had bruises, but he’d say that he’d gotten into fights after school. Then my sister started getting them after my brother had gone to boot camp. But she’d just tell me that cheerleading was tougher than it looked. When she left, too... I found out that I shouldn’t mess with Dad’s temper. I just never got good at holding my tongue.

“One night after we fought, I got a concussion and a broken wrist. He told the people at the ER that I’d fallen, but they didn’t believe him. He dragged me out, mad all over again. He said he wouldn’t go to jail for disciplining his stupidest, most willful...” She dissolved into silence, looking at her hands wringing in her lap. The sight tore at his heart. Then she shook her head. “You get the picture. I’m not hungry after all. Can I go back upstairs?”