Chapter 20
SHANE
I wake up at 5:00 a. m. and get ready for the day. I send a message to Mrs. Rosa to let her know that I will arrive at her house at 7:00 a. m. I don’t expect to see Liam at his mother’s house at that hour, so I also write to the contractor to meet me there so we can discuss the renovation of Rosa’s kitchen.
I put my phone aside and look at myself in the mirror. This morning I’ve chosen a dress that fits my figure perfectly. I feel good about myself, so I opt for natural makeup to disguise my slightly puffy eyes; luckily, the redness is fading. I let my hair down, which falls long and silky. Then I head to the kitchen to prepare a quick breakfast.
I pour myself a cup of coffee and some toast, but while I try to eat, I feel my stomach start to churn unexpectedly. I try to ignore it at first, but the sensation becomes more intense until I finally have to run to the bathroom and end up vomiting the little I had managed to eat.
I rinse my mouth, feeling weak and a bit dizzy. I decide it’s best not to force any more food for fear of getting sicker. I put away the leftovers of breakfast and prepare a glass of water to calm my upset stomach.
Despite everything, I know I have to push through the day. Luckily, today’s outfit is comfortable, and I leave home toward Rosa’s house, hoping to recover before my meeting with the contractor. The journey seems longer than usual, but I take a deep breath and focus on arriving on time and continuing with my responsibilities.
Upon arriving at the lovely residential complex, I park my car in front of Mrs. Rosa’s house. Suddenly, I feel nervous and anxious; my hands are shaking.
“This is stupid, Shane, it’s just the mother of the man who took your V card and whom you like more than you can admit,” I scold myself. I take a couple of deep breaths to calm down and get out of my car. I climb the small steps to the entrance and ring the doorbell.
With my purse hanging from my shoulder, I tightly clutch the folders in my hands against my chest. The tips of my toes move impatiently as the minutes it takes for someone to answer the door seem endless.
“I’m a professional, I can handle this. It’s nothing. I’m just going to walk in there and do my job. Then I’ll leave and only come back two more times, and that’s it.” As I have this conversation with myself, I hear the door open and look up suddenly.
“Good morning, Mrs. Rosa!” The smile that had been forming on my lips suddenly freezes, and the words stick in my throat as I find myself confronted with the image before me.
Liam Thomas appears at the door looking like an unattainable dream. Shirtless, his skin glimmers softly in the light filtering through the ajar door, every contour of his sculpted torso exuding irresistible vitality. He wears only a short, light pair of sleep shorts, comfortably sitting on his hips, revealing long, muscular legs as if an artist had sculpted them with meticulous attention.
His silky, tousled hair frames his face carelessly, as if he just woke up from a deep sleep. A faint gleam of light highlights the intensity of his eyes, those mysterious orbs that seem to hold secrets and unspoken promises. The combination of all this creates an almost hypnotic image; the air around him has an electrifying quality, as if time stood still in his presence.
Every detail is a feast for my senses: the way his skin shines, the way the shorts caress his figure, the stitching that accentuates his silhouette. I can’t help but remember the warmth of his skin against mine, that electrifying closeness that transformed the mundane into a moment charged with possibilities. It’s a moment of pure temptation, where the ordinary becomes magical, and the simple morning greeting acquires a new meaning.
If this is God giving me a sign, then I’m taking it; I don’t want to keep running away from what I want and desire. My racing heart agrees with me because it’s as crazy as I am at this moment.
“Shane?” His husky, sleep-roughened voice makes me shiver. I have to swallow hard to dissolve the knot in my throat. “What are you doing here?” he asks, and it’s clear he wasn’t expecting me. Destiny is definitely speaking to both of us.
“I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I texted your mother saying I would come early.”
Liam nods and steps aside for me to pass. I take a deep breath, enjoying his closeness as I walk beside him and hear how he closes the door behind me. I stand in the middle of the hallway, not knowing what to do, as I don’t see Mrs. Rosa anywhere.
“Why so tense, little wolf?” I shiver at the sound of his voice near my ear, his breath brushing against the edge of my skin. I bite my lower lip to keep from saying anything stupid that this man provokes in me.
“I’m not tense. I just thought Mrs. Rosa was going to come.”
“She’s… I’ll go call her. But first, I’d like to know why this beautiful little wolf escaped from me last night.”
I turn instinctively and bump directly into Liam’s bare chest, which causes my eyes to widen. My gaze stays fixed on him as I speak:
“It was pretty obvious why I left. I’m not anyone’s second option, nor do I intend to be another woman’s trauma.”
“And who says you’re the second option?” Liam steps closer, making me retreat. “In any case, you would be the first and only option. And you will be any woman’s trauma. You’re beautiful, little wolf.”