Chapter 14

Liza had been in a quandary when Wade offered to drive her home.

She'd wanted to refuse because it had been bad enough having him charm her over a delicious dinner of green Thai chicken curry, slow-cooked garam masala beef, and exquisite peppered calamari.

But she'd wanted to get home fast so she could spend time with her Cindy before sister went to bed so she'd agreed. And was now ruing her impulsive decision as he walked her to the front door.

Politeness demanded she invite him in for a coffee.

Self-preservation demanded she get rid of him ASAP.

‘Thanks for dinner and driving me home,' she said, juggling her handbag from one arm to the other, hoping he'd get the hint.

‘My pleasure.' He stilled her arm with a light touch on the forearm. ‘Not going to invite me in?'

She admired his bluntness. But she hated being put on the spot.

‘I don't think that's a good idea.'

His hand travelled up her arm in a slow caress before resting on her shoulder. ‘Why? Scared we'll have a repeat of that night at the hotel?'

‘No. I just have a lot of work to do before my meeting with Danni tomorrow so—'

He kissed her, a stealth kiss that caught her completely off guard.

Her hands braced against his chest, ready to push him away as he backed her up against the front door.

But then his tongue touched her bottom lip, stroked it with exquisite precision, and she clung to him instead. Responded to his commanding mouth, deepening the kiss to sublimely erotic, craving more.

When his arms slid around her waist and pulled her flush against him, her body zinged with remembrance. How it felt to be pressed against his erection, how he'd masterfully seduced her with a skill that left her breathless, weightless, floating, as he kissed like a guy who couldn't get enough. The feeling was entirely mutual.

When Wade kissed her, when he touched her, she forgot about responsibilities. She forgot about the stress of losing her money and Cindy's security. She forgot about the long list of doctor's appointments and physiotherapy sessions and hydrotherapy at a new pool next week. She forgot about finding a replacement carer for when Shar went on vacation next.

She existed purely in the moment, revelling in this incredibly sexy guy's desire for her.

As the blood fizzed in her veins and her muscles melted, she wanted more than this kiss.

She wanted him. Naked. Again. The thrill of skin to skin. The excitement of exploring each other's bodies. The release that left her boneless and mindless.

Until a massive reality check in the form of her buzzing phone switched to silent vibrated against her hip.

Shar probably wanted to head home and Liza had momentarily forgotten her responsibilities, indulging in a pointless kiss that could lead nowhere.

Regret tempered her passion as she eased away. The last thing she needed was for Wade to think something was wrong and want to talk, or demand answers she wasn't prepared to give.

‘I warned you I wouldn't give up,' he said, cupping her cheek in a tender moment before stepping away.

‘You should,' she said, but her words fell on deaf ears as he shot her one, last wicked grin before strolling down her path like a guy who had all the time in the world to woo the woman he wanted.

An hour later, Liza had bathed Cindy, assisted with her stretches, and helped her painstakingly make a batch of choc-chip muffins.

Every task took double the time with Cindy's clawed elbow and hand but that never stopped her sister from trying anything. At nineteen, her sister planned on opening a digital store selling printable products and had spent countless hours over the last year researching meticulously what that entailed. Liza's admiration knew no bounds and whenever she felt her patience fraying she tried to put herself in Cindy's shoes.

Being a carer over the years had been tough, but imagine being on the receiving end. Being dependent on others for activities of daily living that everyone took for granted. Needing help with bathing and dressing, cooking, and cleaning. Not to mention the never-ending rounds of therapy and medical interventions.

Liza had it easy compared to her sister and Cindy's amazing resilience and zest for life drove her to be a better person every day.

‘Were you talking to someone outside?'

The spatula in Liza's hand froze in mid-air, dropping a big globule of muffin mix into the baking tin involuntarily.

‘No one important,' she said, concentrating on filling the tin while Cindy popped choc chips into her mouth and chewed slowly.

‘Sounded like a guy.' Cindy finished chewing and started making smooching noises.

Uh-oh. Shar had said they'd been busy in the kitchen when she'd arrived home but what if Cindy had seen that kiss?

‘You should have a boyfriend,' Cindy said, her wobbly grin endearing. ‘A proper one this time, not like those loser sports guys.'

Liza loved that about Cindy, her insightfulness. Most people saw the wheelchair and her physical disfigurement and assumed she was brain-damaged too. While some with cerebral palsy did suffer a degree of brain injury, Cindy had been lucky that way and she often made pronouncements that would've shocked most scholars.

‘I'm too busy with my new job to date, sweetie.'

A half-truth, because the guy who wanted to date her happened to work alongside her. It could be convenient…if she lost her mind.

No, having Wade practically invite himself in sixty minutes ago reinforced she was doing the right thing in keeping things between them platonic. She didn't want to let him into her life, into Cindy's life, when there was no future.

While Cindy never talked about their folks abandoning them, it would've hurt. The last thing she needed was Cindy bonding with Wade only to have him head back to London.

She wouldn't do that to herself—or Cindy.

‘I have a boyfriend.'

Liza smiled, having been alerted to Cindy's latest crush via Shar. ‘You do?'

Cindy nodded. ‘Liam Hemsworth. He's hot.'

‘Personally, I prefer Chris.'

‘No way.' Cindy popped another choc chip in her mouth. ‘Though I guess that would work out well. They're brothers, we're sisters. Perfect.'

Liza laughed as she opened the oven door and popped the muffins inside. ‘Tell you what. You do another ten hamstring stretches and I'll watch The Hunger Games with you again for the umpteenth time.'

‘Deal.'

As Cindy manoeuvred her wheelchair into the next room, Liza pondered her sister's observation.

You should have a boyfriend.

While she didn't need the complication, for a second she allowed herself to fantasise what it would be like having Wade fill the role.