It had seemed simple enough. I’d let part of the house to a roommate, make a bit of extra cash for my mum, who refused to take any money from me, so I had to come up with a harebrained scheme of sharing her house with a renter to get her to accept help. She’d moved into an assisted living village, one where she could still be independent, but also have care if needed. Her Parkinson’s was progressing, but she was hanging on to her independence for as long as she could. I’d offered to get her in-home help, but she’d decided she preferred the social atmosphere of a community, and so far her updates had proven she’d chosen well.
I was also lying about what I was charging for rent to my new tenant. I was giving my mother quadruple what I was charging, simply explaining that was the cost of rent these days, and she was happy to have the cash. It was easier that way, for both of us, but I hadn’t expected Liora Webster to be my new tenant.
Why hadn’t I asked more questions? My mate had told me about a lass moving back to town, she’d been here before, and I hadn’t much questioned it. I was rarely home as it was, so it didn’t much matter to me who moved in.
I could kick myself now for not having asked for more details.
This woman was a walking disaster. She’d singlehandedly exploded my relationship with Avery, which, at the time, I had thought was going well. Dating in a small town was hard enough, so I’d been actively trying to make things work with Avery, until she’d come home one day slinging accusations about me being in love with her good friend, Liora.
I mean, hell, I wasn’t blind. Of course, Liora was stunning. But I was never one to look outside my relationship for excitement. Being accused of cheating had stung me to my core, not to mention having to live with the false accusation long after Avery had broken up with me and moved out of Loren Brae. That’s the thing about rumors, they stick to you like a cobweb, and years later I was caught, still trying to untangle myself from them.
And now sexy Liora was here? Living with me?
Bloody hell, this was not going to look good.
“You can’t stay here,” I said, rubbing my hand across my chin, as I studied the gorgeous chaotic mess of a woman standing in the middle of the room, gaping at me, an acorn on the floor between us. I didn’t even want to know what she was doing with the acorn. If I asked, it would be some long-winded confusing explanation that would end up annoying me even further. As I recalled, it had always been like that with Liora.She’d always been involved in some mess or another, and many a night Avery and I had stayed up late with her, talking her through whatever mess she’d landed herself in that week.
Which was certainly not the energy I needed in my life.
No, what I needed, right now, was for her to leave.
Liora sucked in a breath, and despite my frustration with the situation, I couldn’t help but notice how the deep inhale made her generous breasts rise. Tearing my eyes away from her lush body, I looked around the room.
Several boxes lay open, books and photographs scattered about, and a lacy bra in vibrant pink hung from the doorknob to the bedroom. Images of my hands cupping Liora’s breasts flooded my mind, that soft pink mouth of hers hot on mine, and I swallowed, pushing the thoughts away.
It had been far too long since I’d been with a woman.
That was all.
This desire certainly had nothing to do with Liora and must have everything to do with the fact that I’d been in a dry spell of all dry spells. After Avery and I had broken it off, I’d dated lightly, until I’d fallen into another relationship with a sweet woman who was a teacher two towns over. Liz had been nice enough, but nice didn’t carry a relationship, and it had fizzled out in a natural and comfortable way for the both of us. We’d parted amicably about a year ago, and I hadn’t seen or heard from her since.
And suddenly my desire for a woman’s touch had to come roaring back when Liora of all people stood in the middle of my house, nervously chewing on her full lower lip.
I wanted to be the one to bite into her lip.
Shocked at my thoughts, I scowled down at the acorn.
“What… is that?” I pointed at the acorn, since Liora didn’t seem inclined to address my statement about her needing to leave.
“That is an acorn,” Liora said, carefully. She slanted a look up at me. Her eyes were the light blue of summer sky just after the sunset fades. Soft and searching, framed by spiky dark lashes.
“I’m aware that it’s an acorn. Why is it in the middle of the floor?” I asked.
I’d feltsomething, when I’d walked through the door.
I hadn’t meant to intrude, but the door to her wing was wide open, and I wasn’t used to having a roommate yet. So I’d just walked in without knocking, and I’d felt something weird. Like a rush of energy across my skin. Maybe it had been my senses trying to warn me that Liora was here.
Or maybe she was up to something.
Something … unusual.
Loren Brae was steeped in magick. It was impossible to live here and not be aware of that. But I’d worked as a forester most of my life, and when I immersed in the forest, it was hard to ignore the things I would hear and see. There was more to this world than I could ever possibly understand, so I always made sure to stay on the good side of whatever magickal folk roamed our woods.
“Um, decorating?” Liora suggested, and I made a rude noise.
“You can’t stay here,” I reiterated, in case she hadn’t heard me the first time.
“You don’t want me to stay?” Liora looked up at me, her expression crestfallen, her soulful blue eyes watering.