Chapter 11

“I think you like me,” Kieran whispered. “Yeah, I think you do.”

“What do you mean exactly?” Liam’s desire was no match for all of his old, rusty defense mechanisms.

Kieran took a step back. His face turned upside down. “Oh shit,” he mumbled uneasily. “Never mind. My bad. So sorry. I read this all wrong. Forget it.” He quickly walked away, leaving Liam speechless and hating himself.

It’s now or never. Say something, you big idiot.

“Kieran…wait.”

At the sound of his name, Kieran quietly spun around. “Yeah?”

“How old are you?” Liam had to know.

Kieran frowned. “Twenty.”

Way too young. Time to walk away.

“I’m forty-four.”

“I know,” Kieran said with a smile. “I read your questionnaire.” He tongued his lip ring for a brief moment. “But you don’t look like it.”

Liam sighed. “Listen, I’m—”

“Kieran?” Skyler called out from the front desk.

“Coming.” But instead of returning to the front, Kieran took a step closer to Liam. “So, do you wanna do something with me?”