“Because I wanted to teach you responsibility,” he pointed out. Katya rolled her eyes.
“I'm sure that was the only reason. Vieve, I didn't know you were coming this weekend, it's good to see you again,” she said, leaning in and giving the other girl a quick hug.
“Yes. My mother called and told me about it. Sounded like fun, so I dragged Brie into the car and drove down. Been a long time since all of us were here, together,” she pointed out. “We only got here about an hour ago, I came straight over.”
“I know! Is Brie here, too?” Katya asked, glancing around.
“No, she didn't feel up to a party,” Vieve explained. Wulf snorted.
“She's pouting,” he corrected his sister. Katya raised her eyebrows. “Because I found out she took off from school in the middle of the semester,” he added.
“Oh boy. And I'm sure you handled that with delicacy and grace,” Katya sighed.
“Her grades are already in the toilet – she can't afford to be running around on the beach for two goddamn weeks. I want her back in class, now.”
“Please!” Ms. Stone raised her voice. “Can we not discuss this here?”
There was a brief awkward moment, and Katya felt guilty for engaging in such a private conversation. She desperately tried to think of something to say, but then was saved.
“Hello, hello, who is this?” Liam asked, appearing at her side and turning his magnetic smile on Vieve.
“Genevieve,” she introduced herself.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, then he turned and looked at Wulf's mom, taking her hand in his. “Wulfric, you didn't tell me both your sisters would be coming today, or that they were so gorgeous.”
Laughter from all the women.
“Think very carefully about how you behave over the next few minutes,” Wulf warned him.
“I'm sorry you haven't met our little sister yet,” Vieve explained as Liam turned and shook her hand, as well. “She's catching up on her beauty sleep.”
Wulf snorted.
“She's lazy. There's a difference.”
“You dealt with that the entire time you were growing up? You poor, poor thing,” Liam sighed dramatically, making Vieve laugh again.
“He's not as bad as he pretends to be,” she tittered.
“Yes, he is,” Wulf and Liam responded at the same time.
Katya was about to join in with the witty banter when Liam shocked her by coiling his arm around her waist. The move wasn't lost on anyone – least of all Wulf.
In another lifetime, the move wouldn't have bothered her all that much. She would've teased him and he would've flirted with her and they would've gone about their day. But too much had transpired between them since those days and now it just wasn't okay, regardless of whatever happened behind closed doors between them.
Also, the tension between him and Wulf was palpable. It was like the air was vibrating with it. Maybe leaving them alone in the same house had been tempting fate – they never could stand to be around each other too much. Maybe they'd reached their limit.
When Liam's arm grew tighter, pulling her closer, she knew she had to do something. She laughed at something Vieve was saying and tried to pull away. He held tight. Katya held onto her smile, gritting her teeth while laying her hand over the one Liam had on her hip. She dug her fingernails into his skin, causing him to pull back, but he just used the move to his advantage and he grabbed her hand, linking their fingers together.
This is my fault. One steamy kiss, and suddenly he thinks all his forgiven. Never again will I ever eat raw cookie dough, goddammit.
“Oh, wow, I totally forgot the napkins!” she suddenly gasped. “C'mon, help me carry them.”
She all but dragged Liam through a back door into the garage. The whole way she tried to yank her hand loose, but he clung to her like glue. When they were finally standing next to her father's work bench, she jerked herself free of him.
“You should've told me you wanted to get me alone,” he teased, stepping close to her. She put her hands on his chest.
“That's not what I want,” she said sharply. “What are you doing? That's my family out there.”
“What do you mean?” Liam seemed genuinely concerned.
“You can't just do that, come up to me and hold me and grab my hands. That's not how this works,” she informed him. He frowned.
“Let me get this straight – we can kiss and you can make out with me whenever you want, but I can't hold your hand?”
“Um ...”
Wow, it sounds really shitty when he puts it like that … but then again, he was a pretty shitty person to you.
“We've been having a fun time, right?” he asked, laying a hand over one of hers. “I thought things were better between us.”
“Better does not mean you just get to touch me any old time you feel like it, Liam. Not like that,” she informed him. His frown devolved into a glare and he stepped away from her.
“You know, I've really been trying, Katya,” he told her. She nodded.
“I know. I do, and I appreciate it.”
“Really? Cause I'm getting some pretty big goddamned mixed signals.”
“Hey, I told you what it would take for me to spend time with either of you again. I said there would be no sex, repeatedly. I wasn't the one shoving my tongue down someone's throat in that pantry, Liam. If it's too much for you, I'll understand if you want to walk away,” she assured him.
No, I won't. Because after everything you did to me, I'm still here.
“No. No, that's not what I want,” he sighed, raking his hands through his hair. “It's just … this is hard for me, angel cake. Really, really hard. I'm in uncharted waters. I've never … I'm trying to change, okay? But you gotta grade me on a curve. I'm gonna fuck up and make mistakes. Just trust that I'm trying.”
Awww, okay, maybe he's not so shitty.
“I get that. I do, Liam.”
“Then you're more gullible than I thought.”
Katya groaned as Wulf walked into the garage, shutting the door behind him.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Liam snapped.
“I think we both know exactly what I'm talking about,” Wulf replied. Liam instantly bristled and Katya could see that this time, he wasn't just going to let things go.
“Guys,” she moved so she was standing between them. “C'mon. We've been having a pretty okay weekend, for the most part. Let's just keep rolling with it and -”
“No,” Liam's voice was serious, stern. He stood up to his full height, head and shoulders taller than Katya, and at least two inches over Wulf. “I have been 'rolling with it', and taking the jabs, and kissing ass.”
Katya gasped, a little shocked at how upset he sounded, and a lot angry at the things that were coming out of his mouth. Wulf didn't look at all surprised, though. He looked … amused.
“Okay. Okay, well, I'm going to let all that roll off me, because we are at my parents' house and we are not going to make a scene,” she hissed at him.
“No, no, I think we can talk like adults,” Wulf interjected. “I want to hear what Eden's got on his mind.”
“Oh you would love that, wouldn't you,” Liam snapped. “Looking like the good guy while I throw a fit.”