He skips toward me, stops and my laughter gets to a level of insanity when he gives me a crooked grin and curtsies before spinning on his feet and falling dramatically onto the floor next to Molly—who is smiling a crooked grin of her own at him.
“Princess, please stop trying to make that ugly troll pretty and tell me where I go to get to the ball! I have to meet the prince before midnight!” Nate takes one thick hand and throws it over his forehead in a dramatic fashion that would give the best actors a run for their money.
“Troll!” Axel yells and kicks out his foot to jab his son in the hip. “I’ll show you a troll!”
I watch in fascination as the two very manly men wrestle on the floor, not for one second caring that they’re both dressed for a day of drag.
I’m shaken from my thoughts of the morning madness when the doorbell rings. My brow furrows and I switch gears from the kitchen to go answer the door. The only people that would be coming over would be Dani, Cohen, Chance or maybe Nate—after last night he’s called a few times to make sure I’m okay. Given that I just got off the phone with Dani, I’m sure it isn’t her. Chance would call first and since I know he’s going through some personal stuff after the issues Dani had before Owen was born, I know it isn’t him. Chance only comes over when he needs someone to talk to, and lately he hasn’t been happy when I push for him to go see someone over the depression he’s fallen into.
I pull the door open and stop dead.
Liam.
“Miss me, Megs?”
My jaw drops when he shoulders his way into my house and I turn to snap at him when I catch a whiff of pizza.
“What—”
My words die when he leans down and gives me a hasty kiss.
“Pizza.”
That’s all he says. He holds up the five boxes of pizza in his hands and turns to walk through the house. He knows where the kitchen is; he came with Dani, Cohen and the rest of the crew when Molly had her fifth birthday party a few months ago. He didn’t say much, but I felt his eyes on me every second that he was there.
“You can’t be here,” I snap.
He looks over from where he’s putting the pizzas down on the counter and rolls his eyes. “Baby, I’ve been inside you.”
He did not just say that.
“You did not just say that, Liam Beckett.” My face heats, but not with embarrassment, oh no, he’s got me about as angry as I’ve ever been.
“It’s the truth,” he says raising one dark brow in a manner that makes me think he’s just daring me to give him a fight.
“My daughter is here, Liam.”
“You don’t call me Lee like everyone else, why?” He questions, while ignoring me.
“You can’t be here,” I say again, my voice wavering with panic. Molly has never seen me with a man. Well, she has, but never one on one like this. Alone in her home. Mainly because I’ve never been on a date much less slept with someone since Jack died. She isn’t ready for this.
“I told you last night no more games. Knew you wouldn’t make it easy for me, baby, but this right here,” he stopped to point between him and me, “this is me not letting go. I’ll give you last night, even though I don’t like it, I was on shift and you needed some time, space. You didn’t need me breathing down your neck making sure you were okay. Nate did the calling, kept me in the loop. Cost me, staying away from you when every inch of my body was screaming to come and make sure you were okay. Gave you the day and now I’m here. With pizza,” he adds as almost an afterthought.
“With pizza,” I parrot.
He nods his head and my anger grows.
“With pizza!” I shriek.
“Pizza!” I hear screamed from the other side of my small ranch house and close my eyes in prayer.
Please, please.
Maybe she’ll forget she heard that and not come in here.
Maybe . . .
Not.
“Pizza! Yay!” Molly comes bounding in the room and skids to a halt when she sees Liam standing with one hip against the island. “Hi,” she says with a huge smile.
Liam smiles his knee-melting smile and pushes off the counter. I hold my breath when he walks the few steps over to Molly and drops to her level and holds out his hand. “Hi,” he says softly, his smile getting even bigger and even more knee-melting when Molly places her small hand in his.
“You came Lee,” she sighs. Even my daughter is easily charmed by that smile.
Wait. What? He came?
“Yeah, little lady, I did. Told you I would,” he strangely responds.