“It’s already weird.”
“Even more weird.”
“That’s possible?”
“It sure is. Look.” He glanced down at the cup in his grasp, as if that rewired the crossed neurons in his brain. “Is it weird that we’ve met here? Yes. Am I going to act scandalized after what we got up to last weekend? Absolutely not. It’s not in my nature, Eden. But I do apologize if this has you hyperventilating a little.”
She made a small gesture with her thumb and forefinger. “Just a little.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I promise, I don’t make a habit of bumping into Butterflies out in the real world. In fact, it’s only happened once before.”
“Oh, it’s happened before?”
“Yes. But not in public. At a very exclusive nightclub in the big city.”
“Thought as much.”
“She was very much employed there.”
“I figured.”
Liam – and it was already strange to knowhisname – stared into the distance before refocusing on her. “I pulled you over here because I figured it was better than us gasping at each other in front of a bunch of people.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to explain.”
“Oh. Good.”
Wasn’t it strange, though? That silence could fall between them, and it wasn’t… weird? Bizarre, maybe, but that didn’timply ill intent on the universe’s part. If anything, Eden was in the perfect position to make a graceful exit. She saved her face, and Liam didn’t come out looking like a creep when he was just out getting coffee.In my city, but that’s neither here nor there.The world worked in mysterious ways.
Much like how this silence didn’t perturb her. If anything, Eden welcomed it. She needed a bit of a reprieve after all of the emotions from the past two days.I sent the other guy a naughty pic of myself last night after jilling off to him. I mean…That was the state of her life right now.
“For what it’s worth,” Liam said, cutting into her thoughts, “and I realize I risk sounding like an idiot right now who really loves the taste of his own foot…”
Eden sat up. “Yeah?”
“I’m glad I bumped into you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since this weekend, Br – I mean, Eden.”
“Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like ‘Brim’ does, huh?”
“I think it suits you more.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because being with you was like playing in the Garden of Eden.”
From any other guy, that would have made her roll her eyes and gag, but there was something effortlessly endearing about a man who openly confessed he liked sharing women with other men.Boy, did I take advantage of that last weekend.The proof was in Eden’s bank account right now.
“Do you think you’re the first guy to say that to me?”
“Absolutely not. I would high-fiveanyguy to lay that one on you. Absolute poetry.”
That was it. That was what made Eden fall over laughing. What else was she supposed to do?
“I’m glad I can entertain you, Ms. Eden.”
She pushed herself back up, swiping her hair out of her face.Hair I paid way too much for.“I’m glad you can entertain me as well, Mr. Liam.”
What was that look in his eye? He was gonna shoot his shot, wasn’t he? “How about I entertain you sometime this weekend? A proper date between you and me. No islands have to know.”