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“I’m staff, hold the doors, please!” The voice was familiar and authoritative and I knew what Lucy had meant when she reiterated about E being pushy.
Liam slid between the men, extending his long arm and effectively reversing the mechanism for the doors. “Hurry up, E,” he laughed. “Can’t you run any faster in those heels?”
She was out of breath, but for good measure, she flashed her STAFF badge at our paid muscle and offered a tight smile.
“For your information,” E started in what I had learned was her haughty voice that seemed to only be reserved for Liam, “I can run quite well in these.” She kicked her left leg up, showcasing the impressive height of the heels in question.
Women were a complete marvel.
“I’m sure you could make use of them in other ways,” Liam suggested boldly.
E lifted her hand to smack him, but Liam anticipated it and was now holding her wrist. He smoothly shifted his hand so it was holding her own, entwining their fingers like a lover’s knot. E made no protest to pull away.
Apparently, I was simply an onlooker to this enemies-to-lovers flirt fest.
Liam pulled her a little closer and lowered his voice, mostly for the sake of the two men I guessed, though we could still hear the plea in his voice when he asked her to have dinner with him. It was amazing how he could sound simultaneously desperate, genial, and flirtatious.
“No can do,” E replied a little forcefully. “I have a date with Luce tonight. Pizza…” Liam opened his mouth no doubt to invite himself and me along, but she shut him down. “…for two,” she concluded.
Liam made a whining sound like a puppy that had been kicked. It was absolutely pathetic. I had honestly never seen him work so hard for the affections of a woman. It made me like E that much better.
Before he could suggest anything else, we had reached our floor. E peeled out and booked it to her room, Liam doing much the same.
“I guess I’ll just catch ya later then…” I voiced lamely. The sentiment was swallowed up by the dust they left in their wake.
E
“How impatient canyou be?” I admonished, answering my phone after the third attempted call.
“Well, why didn’t you pick up the first time?” Liam whined.
I set my bag down on the desk and kicked out of my stilettos. “You mean the third time?” I replied wryly. “You know I’d prefer to be behind closed doors when we talk. And besides, it’s so much fun to be mean to you while Jake and Luce are around.”
Liam and I had been hooking up if that wasn’t obvious, but we were playing up the charade that I couldn’t stand him. Which was a half-truth. I could standplentyof him, but I couldn’t have a repeat of what happened before.
We had been causally dating, barely even into a relationship when the tabloids branded me as an opportunist that tried to further her career by sleeping with one of the stars. Not only was it a personal hit (wine helped me a lot back then), but my career suffered also.
So how was this time different? Sadly, it wasn’t much. We were more careful this time, hoping that our enemies façade was enough to deter people on the surface. We knew we weren’t fooling our friends and family, and I hated that I had become a hypocrite and a liar.
Not my proudest moment. But I digress.
“If I didn’t know any better, youwerean actress ’cause damn, babe, you might be a little too good at being mean to me.” Liam was smiling, I could hear it in his voice. “The Ice Queen…you’re in a league of your own.”
“Are you finished?” I sighed. “I really do have plans with Lucy tonight and I don’t want to stand her up.” I placed my phone on speaker and began to unbutton my blouse, searching for a tank top in my suitcase.
“What if I make it worth your while?” he promised.
That was what I was afraid of. I knew he would—several times, in fact—but what kind of a sister would I be if I chose a dude over her?
When I didn’t answer right away, Liam started to hum the Jeopardy theme song. I bit my lip, knowing I’d just have to make it up to Lucy, predictably with food.
“Fine. Let me just change and call Lucy,” I conceded.
“Knew I’d persuade you,” he laughed huskily. “See you in a few.”
Shrugging the tank over my head, I pulled Lucy up in my contact favorites. Ring after ring came through and finally, I got her voicemail. That was weird; she usually picked up unless she was working. Perhaps her session went over or she couldn’t hear it ringing over the sounds on the con floor.
“Hey, Luce…I, uh, had a change of plans tonight,” I confessed, not admitting what said plans were, “but I promise I’ll make it up to you. Your choice, ok? I’m sorry…” And for good measure, I added, “Hope you have a good night. Love you.”
