Walking into her room, I placed her purse down on the dressing table. About to walk back to the bathroom to take a shower, I found myself standing at the side of the bed, looking down at Thalia, my brother’s girl, who was asleep on top of the covers. I felt as though I’d been punched in the gut. She was beautiful with her dark brown hair splayed out over the pillow, a sprinkling of freckles over her button nose, her slim build and long, long legs. My dick started to harden. She wasn’t even wearing makeup. Before I could stop myself my hand was reaching out to touch her cheek. I pulled back at the last minute.
Fuck, I needed to get out of there pretty quick. I took a deep breath and started for the bathroom door, but stopped and turned back to have one last, unobserved, look at her. I hadn’t been expecting to react to her the way I had. I needed to keep my distance from her while she was here. She was my brother’s, and I was engaged. Fuck, I was so screwed.
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Chapter 11
Thalia
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Startled, I jerked awake suddenly; convinced I’d heard a door shut close by. Sitting up on the bed, I looked towards the bathroom door, which was closed, but I noticed my purse on the dressing table to the side. Had Liam brought it up for me and left it there? Had he stayed and watched me sleep? Why did that thought make me feel uncomfortable?
I threw myself back on the pillows and closed my eyes. My thoughts drifted back to Liam’s brother, Jack. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to meeting him. He intrigued me – like a puzzle that needed to be solved. With a quick glance at my watch, I realized there was an hour before dinner. I needed a quick shower, because I felt uncomfortable after traveling and then sleeping in my clothes. About to climb from the bed, I heard the shower go on. Jack was in there.
My travel bag was on the floor so I climbed from the bed to retrieve it and placed it on top of the bed to make it easier to unpack. Luckily my dresses weren’t too creased as I’d rolled them when I’d put them in. After meeting Liam’s mom and the look she’d given me when she’d met me, I decided to wear the cream lacy dress, which came above my knee, with my matching cream ballerina pumps. I knew I looked good in this outfit, as Callie had made me try it on for her when I’d arrived home after having lunch with Liam.
The shower switched off. I hope he doesn’t stay there all night, I thought as I glanced at the closed door. I heard the door open and shut. I didn’t hear a lock though. Did he leave the door unlocked? I smiled. What a pity; I might have gotten one hell of a view.
The bathroom door opened easily when I tried it, so I slowly peeped inside, and to my relief the room was empty. I quickly ran to the other door and locked it, then went back and locked the door to my room.
The shower was wonderful. The water pressure was amazing and not only cleansed me, but massaged my aching muscles. Which I had to say, I didn’t know were aching until the shower got to work on them.
With the towel wrapped around my body, I blow dried my hair and applied a light application of makeup, which I only wore for special occasions. Well tonight I would be looked over by Liam’s father and his brother so I wanted to look my best. Not sure I’d call it a special occasion though!
My dress zipped up the back and boy what a sweat it was to fasten the damn thing.
Someone was knocking on my door; I was just about to ask who it was, when I heard Liam calling my name. I quickly opened the door, grabbed his arm and yanked him inside. He looked stunned to say the least.
I presented my back to him. “Will you zip me up? I’ve been messing with this for five minutes. I’m going to need another shower at this rate.”
He laughed, seeming to hesitate as he struggled with the zipper. “What are you doing back there?”
“Admiring your underwear or lack of it,” he answered.
I’d forgotten I only had a thong on and a delicate cream lace bra. “Stop ogling the goods and get the zipper up, before your mother comes looking for us.”
He chuckled, managing to get the zipper fastened, and turned me around to face him.
“Listen, Jack will be at dinner and he can be a pain, okay? So if he starts, or the parents start on him, just try to ignore him or them for that matter.”
“Surely he can’t be that bad?” I gave him a quizzical look.
“Usually it’s only Mom and Dad in the dining room, and occasionally, if I’m home, I’d eat with them, but most of the time I’d eat in the kitchen with Jack, which is where he prefers to eat. They can’t have a go at him that way.”
“Liam, I thought you said he was the golden boy. If that’s the case, why would your parents have a go at him?”
“That I don’t know. He’s done everything they’ve asked of him and still it doesn’t seem to be enough. But for some reason they leave me alone and I rarely do what they ask. Let’s go and get this over with.”