Atonement(10)

“Liam and I attended EAA in Bellevue. It was interesting to say the least but nothing I would really like to discuss in detail at the end of the day. High school…is pretty much all the same, don’t you think? Once you enter the ‘real’ world and attend university, you just discover it is more of the same except with a hell of a lot more sex, drugs and alcohol into the mix,” he explained with bored detachment.

“You and Liam? Is he your younger brother?” I inquired out loud.

Before he could answer, his doorbell rang and he stood. “That’s him right now if I hazard a guess. Why don’t you two just meet one another? Describing Liam to anyone who doesn’t already know him is…hard.”

My stomach lurched as my heart began to beat with an intensity I hadn’t imagined was possible. What the hell had I gotten myself into now?





Chapter Four





WILLIAM “LIAM” VAN der Meer was like a force of nature, a hurricane of energy and destruction no one could stop. Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way. He breezed in to Colin’s condo like he owned the place. His tie had been removed and he’d undone the first few buttons of his dress shirt.

The man was sex on a stick with his brown hair interspersed with subtle blond streaks, killer sky blue eyes and a body made for sin. It was obvious he worked out and although he was tall and built, he was definitely more Alexander Skarsgård fused with Ian Somerhalder. Obviously unlike us two slackers, he had a high-powered job and decided a trip to his brother’s would be the best way to unwind.

They both walked into the patio area and took seats cater-corner to me. “Liam, I would like you to meet my traveling partner to Europe, Deirdre Bardot. Deirdre, this is my wayward older brother, Liam.”

I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.” I licked my lips self-consciously. “I am definitely thinking he should not be introduced to Caitlyn as she would tear you alive.”

Liam and Colin exchanged cryptic glances before his brother managed to give me some attention again. “Actually, I am familiar with Caitlyn Bardot though I can’t say I know her personally. We have met one another at various functions when all the top businesses in Washington State decide to hold the annual pow-wow.”

“Oh?”

“I guess my brother didn’t tell you.” Liam winked lasciviously. Although I found him very sexually attractive, I quickly realized Colin was more of my type. I liked his quiet nature and although he wasn’t as aggressively handsome as his brother, he possessed a wholesome quality about him Liam officially lacked. “I am one of the founders of uConnect—heard of ‘em?”

“I’d have to be dead not to.” I swigged from my beer just as Colin handed one to Liam. “You’re giving Facebook a run for their money.”

“Well, we don’t plan to take the company public and to be honest, we want to be the perfect combination of Facebook and Klout. Friends and business associates can connect with one another, chat, form groups but at the same time, someone who is part of uConnect receives a score on how influential they are on certain topics, subjects, and areas of expertise. It will be the perfect tool for everything: friends, business connections, dating—you name it, we want to do it,” he explained in an excited manner.

I nodded my head in an almost absent-minded way. I wanted to hear more about Liam’s company and I wanted to spend more time in Colin’s presence but I felt myself growing tired. Without meaning to, I openly yawned as they began to discuss a subject I had very little interest in.

Colin looked over at me and smiled before he whispered something to his brother.

“Come on, you. We have a lot to discuss and it is more than obvious it isn’t going to be discussed tonight. Why don’t you go lay down in the guest bedroom. I will show you where everything is,” he explained as he stood and guided me out of the patio area.

“What about Liam? I don’t want him to feel put out. He seems like he really wants to talk to you—”

“Listen, there was an ulterior motive for me buying into this building. Liam is just a few floors up on the thirty-seventh floor. Believe me, the man never gets too drunk he can’t wander back to his place. Lay down, rest and when I get rid of him, we can talk for a while, okay?”

I nodded my head and allowed him to walk me to a very nice and open guest bedroom which was completely equipped for all my needs. The bedroom nestled in the corner of the condo and was quite a distance from the master bedroom but both contained walk-in bathrooms and closets.