Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
He was so fucked, and it wasn’t even the good kind of fucked.
“Seth,” Liam called again, but his voice sounded a little closer this time. Seth turned to find him just past the open doorway to the back room. Liam was flushed and glaring at the floor. “Could you…could you come help me move some pottery?”
“Sure,” Seth easily replied.
Liam was mostly healed from his attack. The bruises were largely gone from his face, though there was some darkness around one eye. Unfortunately, his ribs were still tender, forcing him to rely on Seth for heavier things. His injured pride combined with the growing strain between them was only making the big man testier.
Seth dropped the duster he was using behind the counter as he walked to the storeroom. He got on the other side of the enormous pot Liam indicated, and they very carefully carried it across the open space. The thing was gorgeous with its swirls of colors. It would look amazing on someone’s patio with maybe a type of palm tree inside of it.
A smile curled on Seth’s lips as he caught the thought. Before Liam, he’d never given a second thought to plants. He appreciated them, but that was about the extent of it.
“I’m sorry,” Liam murmured.
“Don’t.”
“But—”
Seth shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans to keep from reaching for Liam. He wanted to put a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder, to grab his wrist and reassure him that everything was okay, but he didn’t trust himself. “We’re spending almost as much time apologizing as we are snapping at each other. I know you don’t mean it. You know I don’t. We’re both stressed. We were sure we’d have this settled already.”
“That’s not the only thing,” Liam said.
Seth met Liam’s gaze and immediately regretted it when he clearly saw the desire burning there. Clearing his throat, Seth dropped his eyes to the floor. “Yeah. I know.” He took a deep breath and released it, but his voice didn’t sound any steadier when he continued. “Let’s get this loan shark thing settled. Then…you know…we’ll be thinking more clearly.”
He didn’t have a clue as to what he was saying. Would they be thinking more clearly, and could they pursue something physical without hurting each other? Would they be thinking clearly enough to walk away from each other still as friends or at least acquaintances?
His dick was voting for the first option.
And to his surprise, it wasn’t the only body part that was starting to want something more with Liam. Only, his brain was holding up the plan and shaking it like the damn thing was the answer to everything in life. It might have been at one time, but it sure as hell didn’t feel that way any longer.
“Yeah, I know you’re right,” Liam said with a rush. He shoved one hand through his hair and scratched his scalp for a second, leaving Seth to wrangle his wild libido back into its pen after catching sight of Liam’s wonderful biceps straining his shirt. “I think it’s worse today because Geoffrey and Sven are home from their honeymoon. Rowe called to ask if I’ve talked to him. I hate putting him in a position of hiding this from my brother.”
“When are you telling him?”
Liam shrugged. “Geoffrey texted and invited me over to dinner this Saturday night. I guess I’ll tell him, then. I…I was just hoping to have some kind of real information to tell him, like we found out who Gerald owes money to or even how much he owed.”
A bell rang through the store announcing someone’s arrival. Liam sighed, his shoulders slumping.
“You want me to get it?” Seth offered. He was getting pretty good at talking to the customers. There had been a few times where Liam had been busy ringing up people that he’d taken orders.
“No, I’ve got it. It helps.”
Seth understood. Talking to shoppers helped to take Liam’s mind off his other worries. It also didn’t hurt that every sale took a little more pressure off him financially. Or so Seth hoped.
Liam returned to the front of the store while Seth moved over to the worktable to try to figure out what the hell Liam planned to work on next. He wanted to make sure the man had everything he might need close at hand. But he didn’t get far when Liam’s tense, angry voice reached him.
“I told you Gerald isn’t here. I have no idea where he is,” Liam growled.
They’re back!
Seth pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and opened the camera app as he stepped into the front of the shop again. Liam was standing behind the counter, his hands balled into fists in front of him. As he walked around a display of ferns on a table, he lifted the phone to snap several clear pictures of the two men standing in the middle of the display area, glaring at Liam. The third man—possibly Bill—was missing.