No Holds Barred(6)

And suddenly she was afraid. Afraid of the growing attraction, and terrified of the sexual pull she felt toward Liam. She hated the way her body reacted around him, now that Nathan had planted the erotic seed in her brain and made her wonder what it would be like to be with them both at the same time. Her fingers felt stiff as she filled her plate and took it to the table. Nathan didn’t seem to notice her discomfort and chatted easily with them both when the meal began.

She could do this, she told herself. Her wayward thoughts would be her little secret, and she’d stop them right now.

“Where are you stationed over there this time?” Nathan finally asked Liam.

“Kabul mostly. I’ll be running between there and Kandahar for the next couple months, maybe east to the mountains, we’ll see.”

Unpredictable places, and a dangerous route that seemed to be on the news every night. She didn’t like thinking of him over there in harm’s way. “What will you do there?” she asked, helping herself to some Greek salad.

“Private security work.” He shrugged. “I’ll be babysitting western businessmen, some VIPs. That kind of thing.”

She shook her head. “I’m so glad Nathan doesn’t do that sort of thing anymore. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“He’ll be okay.” Nathan reached for his wineglass. “He’s good. And he’s careful.”

Yeah, well, a lot of good and careful people still got killed over there, no matter how much training they had.

“I try to be,” Liam said with another shrug. “Right now the money’s too good for me to pass up. I’ve got the skills and the training, so I figure I might as well put them to use while I can. And let’s face it, we’re not all as lucky as Nate.” The laugh lines around his dark eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. “If I had someone like you, I wouldn’t be going overseas either.”

She blushed and smiled at the compliment, sensing a serious undercurrent to his words. A sincerity she’d never noticed when he’d teased or flirted with her in the past. And maybe a hint of loneliness too. It pulled at her. He deserved someone to treasure him, someone special and loving to come home to after being overseas.

His cheek creased with the hint of a grin. “Guess I’ll just have to get my fill of cuddling with you while I’m here.”

“Assuming it’s okay with me, you mean,” Nathan said in an amused tone. She knew he was completely used to Liam’s flirtatiousness.

“What, just because you’re engaged, you won’t share her with me anymore?”

Nathan sent her a sidelong look across the table. The heat in his eyes was unmistakable, as was the laughter dancing in them. “Maybe. That’s up to Cait, though.”

Her mouth went dry as his meaning hung in the air between them. Air that suddenly crackled with electric tension. “Sure,” she blurted, to cover the awkward pause. What else could she say?

Liam’s definition of “cuddling” translated to a casual arm around her from time to time, or maybe sharing a throw blanket together on the couch while they watched TV. Nothing remotely sexual. More than once in the past when Nathan worked nights, she’d fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie with Liam and woken to find her head on his shoulder. She hadn’t given it a second thought, and she knew it had never made him uncomfortable. He might be flirtatious, but when he touched her the contact was always perfectly innocent. Liam was just naturally affectionate, and he’d never made her feel weird by expressing it with her before.

But now it seemed awkward. Before she’d always seen him as just a buddy, Nathan’s best pal. Now it was different because she kept seeing him as a man. A sexy, virile man who might be interested in something much more than her friendship if given the chance. The thought both tantalized and alarmed her.

Her heart started a slow thud as warmth pooled between her thighs. She shifted on the chair, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. The helpless arousal she felt frightened her.

As though he sensed her wayward thoughts, Liam raised his wineglass to toast her and winked. “Looking forward to it.”

She forced herself to relax and pull in a breath. No big deal, she told herself. There was nothing wrong with her being attracted to Liam, so long as she didn’t act on it. No one had to know but her.

So why did it make her feel so damn guilty?



Nathan closed the bedroom door behind him and found Cait in the ensuite drawing a bath. She glanced at him briefly but didn’t say anything, so he leaned against the doorjamb and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You okay?”