Following the Rules

Chapter 20

I knew exactly where I was when I woke up in Liam's bed. There had been many times in the past when I'd stayed over at Toni's place or with one of her friends and I woke up freaking out. I hadn't known where I was. That had happened to me a few times in my own apartment.

There was something familiar about Liam's scent, the feel of his silk sheets, of his arms around me and the ticking of the clock. I looked at the roman numerals to see the time.

Fuck.

I really didn't want to leave.

Duty calls, I guess.

Knowing that waking him up would only make leaving that much harder, I started to wiggle out from underneath him.

His arms tightened around me. "Don't you fucking dare sneak out on me."

I groaned, falling back against the bed. "I have to go to work."

"I haven't made you breakfast yet." He objected.

"Another time."

His teeth grazed my ear while one of his hands worked it's way up my inner thigh. "Are you going to say no to this too?"

We hadn't done anything last night, just talked and slept. I was so ready for him and I dreaded knowing I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it until the next time I saw him.

Removing his hand from my thigh, he used it to cup my chin. He worked his tongue into my mouth, kissing me deeply.

I enjoyed the caress of his tongue and the feel of his lips until I knew it was time to go. "Drive me to work?"

He nodded, pressing one last kiss to my lips before climbing out of bed.

After getting dressed, I went into the kitchen to find a snack while he searched for his keys. I'd just finished making peanut butter toast when the front door opened. I stilled, mid bite, as someone stepped into the apartment.

Moss green eyes locked with mine. He sighed, acknowledging me reluctantly. "Kaylee."

My lips spread into a wide grin around the toast still in my mouth. "It's always a pleasure, Brad."

"That's officer Cooper to you." He said firmly. To make a point, he gestured to the uniform he wore, lingering over the handcuffs on his belt.

"Dad," Liam asked curiously as he left the bedroom, keys in hand. "What are you doing here?"

Brad straightened, forcing a smile when he faced his son. "Thought I'd ask if you'd like to get lunch while I'm on break."

"Yeah, sure," he said wrapping his arm around my waist. "I'm going to drop Kaylee off at work, then I'll meet you at the grill."

Brad nodded, his gaze pausing cautiously on me as he turned back around. "I wish I knew whatever it is you see in her."

"Dad." Liam said sharply.

The three of us exited the apartment together. Liam opened the passenger side door for me, kissing my cheek before walking around to the other side of the vehicle.

"It's a shame your dad will probably never like me," I said chewing on one of my nails.

He sent a sly smile my way as he started the car. "He thinks you're a bad influence on me."

I gave him a bewildered look. "Has he met you?"

He laughed, taking a squeezing my hand. "Can I pick you up after work?"

I chewed my lip to hide my smile. "No. I have to go back to Toni's. I left every--fucking--thing there. My phone, my car, my clothes."

He nodded, pulling up to a drive through. He ordered me a coffee, my favorite.

There's those fucking fuzzy feelings again. Pesty motherfuckers.

"Thanks," I said when he handed me the coffee.

He drove me to work, kissed me long and hard as I was attempting to get out of the car, then promised to see me soon before driving off. I watched after him, inhaling the amazing brew of steaming coffee.

That guy was going to be my undoing.

Shaking my head of those thoughts and fucking feelings, I walked into work. Jeanie was already behind the front desk, flipping through the pages of a new science fiction book. I swear she brought a new one to work every fucking week.

"Miss me?" I asked.

Without taking her attention away from the book, she raised one of her hands and flipped me off.

"Missed you too."

"Kaylee!" The boss yelled from one of the back rooms. "You're late again."

"Only by two minutes this time."

"No excuses! Get to work."

So I did.

Jeanie sent one a customer into my room before I had even settled in. She was nice enough, at least. Some chick fresh out of high school that wanted a butterfly on her hip. Reminded me of Toni, except my best friend was absolutely fucking terrified of needles and refused to the moon and back that she would never let me or anyone else give her a tattoo.

It was nearing dinner time, I was cleaning up my space after having sketched out some designs for a customer, when Toni walked in. I was surprised to see her. Not because I wasn't expecting us to make up, just that she usually waited for me to come to her.

"Hey."

She smiled nervously, twisting her hands together. "Hello."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

She glanced over her shoulder into the lobby, then back to me. "We were wondering if you'd like to have dinner with us. Pizza. As a peace offering."

"Pizza?"

She nodded.

"I'm fucking in love." I heard Sawyer say rather loudly from the other room.

Toni and I gave each other a strange look before Sawyer bounced into the room. He was literally fucking bouncing with excitement. His eyes trailed the sketches and pictures on the walls of my space, then he looked at me.

He gestured around him. "Are these yours?"

"Yep."

He walked right past both of us to examine one of them, then another, and another.

"So.. dinner?" Toni asked.

"Oh, yeah," he turned around to face us. "I'm sorry I was an asshole. Will you come over, have pizza with us and watch a movie?"

There was no hesitation on my part when pizza was involved.