Until There Was You(48)

“Will that thing eat me?”

“Maybe. Come on in and let’s see.” He grinned. Stay cool, Posey, stay cool, she warned herself. Do not have an orgasm just because he’s here. But come on! The man was beautiful. His jaw was dark with five o’clock shadow, his black hair rumpled, that faint look of reserve on his face. Posey wondered what he’d do if she ripped his shirt open and licked his neck. Seemed like a good idea to her, that was for sure. Shilo licked his chops as if echoing his owner’s thoughts. “So,” she said, then cleared her throat. “Um…want the tour?”

“Sure.”

She led him through the house, careful not to touch him. Or look at him. Or have an orgasm. “So, this is my house. It used to be a church.” Her dog woofed approvingly.

“Yeah, I got that,” Liam said. He looked up at her vast ceilings. “Is that a catwalk?”

“Yep.”

“Can we go upstairs and see it?”

Upstairs. Where her bedroom was. “Sure,” she squeaked. “Shilo, stay.” Her dog obliged, collapsing to the floor for some personal grooming.

She followed Liam upstairs, trying hard not to reach out and touch his—

“Are you doing this work yourself?” he asked, gesturing at the half-finished floor, where her cats lay around like throw pillows. Meatball lifted his head, then resumed his nap.

“Um…I hired out for some things—electric and plumbing and stuff—but yeah, I did a lot myself. I’m good with a saw.” That’s great. Very hot. I’m sure he’s incredibly turned on.

“Is that a bell pull?” he asked.

“Oh, don’t touch that!” She gave him a shove, and he stumbled back, giving her a baffled look. “It doesn’t work. It’s a little…iffy. Um… When’s the movie?”

“Seven-thirty. You ready to go?”

“Yup.”

Unrequited lust made for crappy conversation. As they rode along in Liam’s car, Posey decided silence was better than making an idiot of herself. Besides, her brain churned with questions. Why was she here? Was this a date? Would he kiss her? What if he did in fact kiss her? Holy Elvis Presley, did he think they were going to have sex tonight? Where would Shilo and the triumvirate sleep? Was Liam Murphy hiding some deep, unspoken attraction for her? Did she have pajamas without holes or cartoon characters?

They got to the movie theater. Liam bought tickets, and Posey forced herself to go through the motions of polite conversation. Yes, she wanted popcorn. The large, please. Yes to Milk Duds. Yes to the ginger ale. Thanks.

She couldn’t stop the surreal feeling. It was like a dream…so odd, too unbelievable. There was Kylie Duchamps, an old classmate, staring openmouthed as her tween-age daughter texted. A woman Posey didn’t know was giving Liam the eye as he paid for their snacks.

“Hi, Mr. Murphy!” came a breathy voice. A girl about Nicole’s age blushed to the roots of her hair.

“Hi, Caroline,” he said easily, and the girl burst into giggles. Liam smiled and handed the popcorn to Posey.

“Thanks.” She dumped in the Milk Duds so they’d soften and ooze some chocolate onto the popcorn. And people thought she wasn’t a good cook.

“So, Mr. Murphy, can Nicole, like, come over sometime?” the giggler asked.

Kylie Duchamps appeared at Posey’s side. “Hi, there!” she said. She’d been a cheerleader in high school—in other words, not someone who’d ever spoken to Posey, other than to call her Anne Frank. “Is that Liam Murphy? I heard he was back! What’s he doing here?”

“I believe he’s here to see a movie,” Posey said.

“OMG! With you?”

“Yes.” There should be a law that no one over the age of fourteen could say OMG without a public stoning. Except Jon, of course.

“That’s… Wow.” Kylie had been one of the slutty, popular girls, so pretty and confident back then. Since then, Kylie had packed on a few extra pounds, her once-cute features looking rather piggy in her puffy face. Sometimes, life was fair. “Weird, huh?” Kylie added.

“What’s weird?”

“Ma-a-ah,” bleated the child, who was a mini-me version of her mother. “I don’t want to miss the previews! Come on!”

Kylie ignored her. “It’s just that it’s strange that he’s with you—Liam! Hi! Long time no see, stranger!” She threw herself at Liam and hugged him fiercely. “You look great! It’s so good to see you!”

“Ma, can we go?” whined Kylie’s daughter. “Come on!”

Liam gave Posey a rather amused look. “Do I know you?” he said to Kylie, disentangling himself from her tentacles.

“As if! Of course you do! We went to high school together? Duh!” Clearly Liam had a wormhole effect on the former cheerleader, because she reverted into the tortured Val-speak that she’d affected back then.

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Kylie Duchamps? Well, I’m married now. And a mother, if you can believe it!”

“Ma-a-ah! Come on!”

Liam nodded. “Nice to meet you. Cordelia, you all set?” He took her by the arm and led her away from Kylie and her irritable child.

“Sure you don’t want to catch up?” Posey said, trying to ignore the sweet, strong tingle Liam’s hand induced. This had to be a date. He was touching her. Right? Didn’t touching constitute intent? Also, he’d bought her all this food.