Brandon sighed and raised his eyebrows as he looked at Liam. “Yeah, well, he has that effect on people sometimes. Go finish telling him how much you hate him outside.”

I started to say no when Liam looked directly into my eyes. “Kennedy,” he said in a tone that left no room for discussion—and to my horror, I followed him outside without another look at Mr. Smooth Talker.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Did you have fun throwing that temper tantrum?”

My mouth popped open again as my eyes widened. “Are you fucking kidding me? Who the hell do you think you are? Liam, I haven’t even spent half a day with you between last year and Wednesday, you can’t just come in and act like you have any say in my life! And the fact that you think you can makes you look not only overly confident, but fucking creepy! You do. Not. Know. Me.”

“I beg to differ,” his deep voice rumbled. His cocky smile had vanished as soon as we’d stepped outside, but the way his eyes were boring into mine made it clear he would do the last five minutes over again if given the chance.

“What if I wanted to do something with that guy? What if I wanted to do something with any guy? You can’t stop me! You can’t just shove yourself into every conversation I have with a member of the opposite sex.”

“Kira didn’t seem to mind.”

“Kira’s delusional and wants us to be together!”

Liam stepped close—too close. I stumbled back a step, but he put his hand around my waist and pulled me close enough that our chests were touching. “Tell me honestly: Did you want to go out with him tonight?” I immediately opened my mouth to respond, but he spoke before I could. “Honestly, Moon.”

I stood there staring into his captivating eyes for a few seconds as I tried to figure out what to say. At that moment, I couldn’t even remember what he’d asked. All I could think of was the way his smell was putting me in a daze, and how familiar it felt being pressed up against him—and it shouldn’t have.

“Moon,” he prompted again, and I shook my head as if to clear it.

“No. I wouldn’t have gone out with him.”

“So I helped you, then.”

Placing my hands on his chest, I put the slightest pressure there and whispered, “Please let me go.”

Liam immediately released me, but I didn’t move more than a couple feet from him.

When I spoke, the anger and shock were gone from my voice, and I hated that I sounded disappointed. Because although it may have come across to Liam as being disappointed in him, I knew it was because I was somewhat upset that he’d actually let go of me. “Just because I would have said no, you did not have the right to answer for me. Liam, we don’t know each other. The way you acted in there . . .” I trailed off as I tried to find the right words. “It was too much . . . it was too much for me. All it did was confirm why I do not want to have anything to do with you.”

Liam nodded a few times, but the intensity in his eyes never died. “I know, Kennedy.”

I stared at him for a moment longer, then turned to go back inside without saying another word. I couldn’t figure out how to say good-bye, or how to ask him to leave me alone when all I wanted was to be held by him again. A few feet from the door, Liam’s voice had me stopping abruptly.

“He’s married.”

Turning around, I looked back at him with my face pinched in confusion. “What?”

“Jeff.” Liam gestured to the doors behind me. “The guy who was talking to you. He’s married.”

My head jerked back, and I turned to look at the windowed doors like Mr. ST would be standing right there. “No, he—he doesn’t wear a ring.”

Liam huffed out a laugh when I was facing him again, and studied me for a few seconds before admitting, “It bothers me that you even checked, because I know that means a part of you was interested. But he is, in fact, married. I was actually there when he and his wife came in and signed up. And every weekend when I’m here sparring with my dad, they’re here together—and the wedding ring is back on. He always hits on the girls working the drink station.”

“You’re serious?”

He shot me a sympathetic smile, which quickly fell. “Like I was on Wednesday, I’m going to be completely honest with you. If you still want me to leave after, I will. A good friend of mine is having a party this weekend, and I was coming in here to ask if you and Kira wanted to come with me. When I heard Jeff, I just . . . well, I took it too far. I know. But I don’t like the guy, and didn’t like the way he was looking at you. The party isn’t even tonight, and before you say anything, I’m not going to ask you to go somewhere with me tonight.” Liam glanced at his watch and took a step back. “I only came over here to talk to you two, but now I have to get back to work. Talk to Kira, and if you want to go, let your uncle know. He’ll get ahold of me.”

I just nodded and took another step toward the doors of the gym, but once again, he stopped me.

“Kennedy.” When I looked back at him, I was surprised to find him looking unsure of himself. “Kira’s not the only one.” With that, he turned and got into his car and drove off; and I just stood there trying to figure out what he meant.

It wasn’t until I was almost back to the drink station that I remembered what I’d said to Liam. “Kira’s delusional and wants us to be together!”

As much as his parting words had my lips curving up into a smile, I knew that all they really meant was that I had to keep reminding Liam that nothing would come of us.

June 5

Liam

I’D MADE IT back to work quickly, the entire time wondering why I hadn’t been able to leave Kennedy without that last confession. As if I hadn’t pissed her off enough in the minutes before, I knew those last words were going to make her avoid me if I ever saw her again.

I knew I needed to tell Eli I’d tried, but doubted that the girls would go anywhere with me, though at that moment, I couldn’t figure out a good enough reason for why they would’ve said no. Instead of heading right to his office, I stepped into mine and bit back a groan as soon as I was inside.

Leaving the door open, I took the few steps over to my desk and looked at the woman waiting for me in my chair.

“Aren’t you going to shut the door?” she asked, her voice sultry as she ran a finger along the top of her low-cut shirt.

“No. Not today, Cecily.”

Her eyes widened and she blinked rapidly a few times before cracking a smile and laughing. “Funny.”

“I’m serious, I need you to go.”

Cecily’s face fell again; this time when she tried to cover it, there was worry in her eyes. “If you’re having a rough day, I can always help you out. You should know that by now.”

Stepping back to the door, I gestured toward the hall outside my office. “You need to go.”

“What is your deal the past week?” she asked, her tone harsh as she pushed away from the desk and stood to walk over to me. “I haven’t heard from you at all, and now that I’m here waiting for you, you’re just going to send me away like a damn dog?”

I didn’t say anything, because there was nothing to say. Normally telling her to leave wouldn’t have been an issue, but it was obvious she knew things between us had ended if she was getting mad.