Destined To Be A Dad (Welcome To Destiny Book 9) (14 page)

Looking up and finding him watching her with a slow, sexy smile set off a wave of need and desire inside her. She reached for the bottom edge of her shirt, but he gripped her hands, stopping her.

“Let me.”

Lifting her hands high over her head, she kept them there as he eased off her top. Once it was gone, she lowered her arms, but he had his fingers in her hair.

“Can you please take this down?” he asked. “I love it when it’s loose and flowing over your shoulders.”

With the removal of a few pins, it was done. He found the simple elastic waistband of her skirt and slid it easily over her legs until it pooled at her feet, pausing to leave an openmouthed kiss on the scrap of lace that rode high on her hips before he eased her panties from her body as well.

“Hey, you’ve got a scar of your own.” His fingers lightly traced the thin line that ran low on her abdomen.

Sending a silent thank-you for years of yoga classes, she still constricted her stomach muscles and tried not to squirm under his close inspection. “Yes, but mine’s only fifteen years old.”

He looked up, understanding in his eyes. “You had Casey via cesarean?”

She nodded. “I was quite a bit tinier back then, and she was just over nine pounds when she was born.”

Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Liam leaned in and placed his lips over the faded blemish, leaving a trail of kisses that brought tears to her eyes.

When he dropped his head lower, his mouth and tongue loving her where she throbbed, she tunneled her fingers into his hair, holding him there as she spiraled up and out of control. When she came, she cried out.

He rose, swearing under his breath, both of them reaching behind her to unhook her bra. Their hands tangled before she brushed him away to pull the straps from her shoulders. Raw, naked desire filled his gaze, causing her breasts to tingle, her nipples to harden all over again.

He yanked her into his arms, and they were finally skin to skin, as their mouths came together in heated, devouring kisses. Grabbing at his waist, her fingers fumbled with the edge of his jeans. She managed to get the top button undone, but it wasn’t enough, especially when she could feel the hard length of him pressing against her belly.

Missy gasped, tearing her mouth from his. “Jeans. Off. Now.”

“Hmm, where has my proper little English lass gone?” Liam teased.

“She’s right here. Wanting desperately to make love to you.”

A low growl filled his chest as he stepped back, ridding himself of his jeans and boxer briefs at the same time. His body was perfection and she wanted to feel him against her desperately. She reached out to touch him, but he took her hand, bringing her around to the side of the bed. With his free hand, he yanked back the dark blue comforter, sending rose petals flying in the air, and Missy couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.

Seconds later, he had her flat on her back, pinned beneath his hard body as he kissed her, his hands roaming over her, reigniting her arousal all over again. She cupped him in her hand, loving his moan as she caressed him while he, in turn, lavished attention on her breasts with his lips, his fingers slicking across the most sensitive part of her.

“Ah, you are so wet,” he rasped against her throat. “Wet for me.”

“Yes, thanks to you.
Liam, please...
”

He rolled away from her then, reaching for the drawer on the bedside table. She debated telling him that wasn’t necessary. She was on birth control and her last steady relationship had ended three years ago. She was healthy, but she had no idea when he’d last been physically intimate with someone.

He sat back on his knees, put on the protection and then moved between her open legs. “It’s been a while...since I’ve done this. I’m not going to last long this first time.”

“It’s been a while for me, too,” she confessed, thrilled at his words. Then she caught what he’d said. “First time?”

“Oh, yeah.” He grinned, but then his smile slipped a bit as he looked down at her, an unspoken question in his gaze.

“It’s been a few years,” she said.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

She wrapped her hands around his waist, pulling him closer until she felt him right where she wanted him. “You won’t.”

Still, he went slowly, a tremble coursing over his muscles as he eased inside. She was tight, but arching her body, she opened, making room for him as she rose up to meet his kiss.

When he was finally deep inside her, he broke free from her mouth, tucking his head next to hers, his lips at her neck. “You...okay?” His words were guttural and strained.

She tightened her hold on him. “I’m wonderful.”

“Ah, Missy...”

Proving it, she rocked her hips, urging him to move as well, and he did. He reached one hand beneath her, cupping her backside as he lifted her, giving her more and more, meeting her thrusts with his own until her entire body tightened and she clung to him and shattered.

He followed, repeating her name again and again as he found his own release before covering her body with his. Joy filled her. She’d gotten what she’d wanted, but everything was now changed.

* * *

She was in love. And scared to death.

So scared, Missy tiptoed around Liam’s bedroom, getting dressed with the hope of not waking him after an incredible night. She hadn’t planned on sleeping over, but whenever she mentioned going back to the boathouse he’d kiss her, and before she knew it they were making passionate love again.

At some point, he’d gotten out of bed, extinguished the candles and lanterns and gone downstairs to make sure the fire was out as well. He’d come back with her phone, the two-way radio and a crystal decanter of ice water and glasses, smiling indulgently as she’d checked to see if she had any text messages from their daughter, which of course she didn’t.

She’d then clicked on the email button, noticing her inbox was full to bursting, but Liam had relieved her of her phone and proceeded to make her forget about anything outside the cozy confines of his bedroom, time and time again.

So thoughtful, so loving, so—

No. She had to put a stop to her crazy and out-of-control emotions before she started to believe what she felt meant anything.

It didn’t. It couldn’t.

The last month had been a world of make-believe for her and for Casey. Missy had put their lives on hold because of the amazing truth she’d found out, but in a week the fantasy was coming to an end. She would go back to her life, Liam would go back to his and somehow they’d find a way to make it work for their daughter’s sake.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

His rough, sleep-filled voice stilled her hands as she attempted to make order of her messy hair.

“Getting dressed,” she said, stating the obvious before glancing his way in time to watch him roll onto his back. The sheets tightened across his lower half, highlighting his washboard abs and an impressive morning erection that reminded her of all the wonderful things they’d done last night.

“Why?” he asked, rubbing at his eyes.

She blinked and forced herself to look away. “I should head back to the boathouse. Someone might—”

He dropped his hand, his gaze focused now. “Casey won’t be back for another day and a half.”

“Your mother?”

“She usually doesn’t show up this early uninvited.”

Missy waved at the bright sunshine pouring in through the windows. “It’s almost nine o’clock.”

“Why are you running away when we have so much to talk about?”

His question caused her heart to race. “We do?”

“Of course.” He yawned and pushed into a sitting position, stopping suddenly when things got a bit uncomfortable, she guessed, but then he bent one knee and tugged the sheet back over his lap. “We need to make plans. For the future. For getting you and Casey in Destiny on a permanent basis.”

Shocked filled her. “What?”

“I know this is kind of sudden, but I want you here, both of you.” He leaned forward. “You said you were here on a work visa. How long is that good for? And Casey is half American. We’ll need to find out how we can get her dual citizenship. You said your company has offices in LA, but you do most of your design work from home and you can travel whenever you need to. Casey loves it here and I know she’ll be happy—”

“Wait just a bloody minute!” Missy held up a hand, cutting him off. How could he make assumptions like that? “I can’t just up and move to America! My home, my career, my mother—despite our current relationship—are back in London. My
life
is in London. So is Casey’s with her friends and her school.”

“She has friends and school here. Family, too, and her father. I’m just trying to figure out a plan—”

“Blast it, it’s like nothing has changed.” Missy reeled from his words. “You’re doing the same thing you did years ago. Making plans based on your needs and wants. You’ve always had that luxury, but that’s not how being a parent works.”

She paced the area at the end of his bed. “If it was just me...if I only had myself to think about, I might be temp—” She cut off her words, refusing to allow her emotions to get in the way. “I can’t uproot my life, and my daughter’s, because you and I rekindled a teenage passion into one night of great sex.”

* * *

One night? Liam had just experienced the most amazing night with the woman he loved—the only woman he’d ever truly loved—and she was calling what they shared a fling?

Being with her had been a dream come true, every moment of it, and long after she’d fallen asleep in his arms in the wee hours of the morning, he’d started—well, making plans.

The last thing he’d expected was this reaction or for her to throw his immature behavior from sixteen years ago back in his face. This wasn’t like then. He wasn’t the same person. He had responsibilities that went far beyond himself or even his family.

“Missy, I’m the CEO and president of my family’s company. I can’t just move to another continent—”

“Exactly. No one is asking you to. Or telling you to, for that matter.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Really?” She folded her arms across her chest. “That’s what it sounds like to me.”

He opened his mouth to set her straight on a few things—most importantly, how he felt about her and their daughter—but the two-way radio on the bedside table chirped, and then Nolan’s voice came over the airwaves.

“Liam? Come in, Liam. You there?”

Damn! This was the last thing he needed right now. Leaning back, he grabbed the radio, pressing the receive button. “Yeah, I’m here. What’s up?”

“Casey’s missing.”

Missy’s gasp filled the air, and Liam’s stomach fell to his feet. He reached for her with his free hand, but she shook her head and stayed where she was, panic now etched on her face.

“What do you mean missing?” Liam asked.

“She and Abby got up early...took a couple of the ATVs to the ridge to watch the sunrise. According to Abby they had...words, and Casey told her she was going back.” Nolan’s voice broke, static marring his description. “Abby thought she meant the cabin, but by the time she returned, Casey still hadn’t shown up.”

“You’re out looking for her now.” It was a statement, not a question. Liam knew his brother well. “Where are you?”

“I’ve been doubling back on the three possible trails, but you know as well as I do how many offshoots they have. I haven’t found her. I’m thinking if she stayed on the main road, she’d be back to the house by now. Have you seen her this morning?”

Liam got out of bed, radio in hand as he reached for the clothes he’d tossed on a nearby chair at some point during the night, but Missy was already gone. His front door slammed as she raced outside, yelling their daughter’s name.

His heart froze when he heard nothing in response.

Chapter Thirteen

S
he had to be out here. Somewhere. It was almost noon, just after their self-imposed two-hour search deadline, and no one had found Casey.

Liam rode the all-terrain vehicle along the trails, moving slowly as he searched the dense forest. He could hear the company’s helicopter overhead and knew Bryant was doing what he could from the air, while Adam and his dad were on horseback, taking the less-used road from Adam’s property, with Fay staying behind just in case Casey somehow found her way there.

Nolan worked the trail that led farther up into the mountains, and Abby and the twins stayed at the cabin if she returned. His mom and Laurie had the formidable task of keeping Missy calm back at the main house. She’d only agreed to stay behind when Liam reminded her that Casey might get past him and make her way home.

Find my daughter.

Missy’s parting words this morning had cut deep. Liam had wanted to point out that Casey was
their
daughter, but the pain and fear in Missy’s eyes had held him back from saying or doing anything, other than laying a hard kiss on her mouth and promising to bring Casey home.

Concentrating on the search helped a little, but his mind still replayed the argument he and Missy had had this morning. Where had he gone wrong? He wanted them in his life, wanted them in Destiny. He’d been so sure Missy felt the same way. To hear her say differently tore at his heart.

After finishing a trek on a rarely used dead-end trail deep in the woods, he pulled to the side of the road and let the vehicle idle. Then he checked in with everyone at the twenty-minute interval they’d agreed on. Still nothing. His last transmission was to Missy, as he’d insisted no one contact her but him. He didn’t want a million voices coming at her with the same bleak news.

“Missy, it’s Liam.” He didn’t waste any words. “We’re still looking.”

A long pause filled the air, but the static told him she was there. “It’s been two hours,” she finally said. “Where could she be?”

He wished he knew.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Liam pressed the talk button. “We’ll find her.”

“She must be hurt. I keep trying her cell phone, but...she wouldn’t ignore my texts. She just wouldn’t. I can’t bear to think of her lying somewhere...alone.”

The heartbreak in Missy’s tone had Liam fisting his hand and jamming it into his thigh. Missing the mark, he hit the ATV’s kill switch instead, shutting the machine down. Dammit! As he blinked hard, the woods turned into watery shades of green and brown and silence enveloped him.

He swallowed a few times before he trusted himself to talk. “I think we should—”

A faint noise, a mechanical whine, carried on the breeze, stopping him cold. He lowered the radio and, concentrated on the sound, wanting to be sure. Yes, that was man-made. It had to be.

“Liam?” Missy’s voice came back. “Why did—”

“Give me a minute. I think I heard something.”

Missy’s gasp filled the air, but she remained silent. He climbed off the ATV and hurried to the side of the road he’d avoided, due to the soft mud and the steep decline into a gully.

No tracks, at least not at this end.

He stood still, straining to hear—yes, there it was again. Heading back up the way he’d just come, he walked farther into the woods, peering down into the dark undergrowth filled with fallen logs and shrubbery so thick the filtered sunlight bounced off it.

“Casey!” He called out. “Sweetie, can you hear me?”

Something—instinct, awareness, a father’s love—called to him now in a way that it hadn’t before. She was here, she was close.

He tried again. “Casey, where are you?”

Then he saw it—a rear wheel, spinning upside down in the greenery, the rest of the vehicle barely visible in the dense woods.

His heart vaulted into his throat. “Casey! It’s Dad! Are you okay? Can you answer me?”

A long moment passed and he searched for a way down to where the ATV lay, his boots catching and sliding in the sodden earth. Then a few feet away, a dark glove rose into a patch of sunlight, and stayed suspended there for a moment before it disappeared again.

“I see you! I’ll be right there. Hang on!”

Liam reached for the closest tree branch, broke it into three pieces to form an arrow and laid it in the road. Racing back to his ATV, he grabbed a coil of rope and the emergency backpack, thumbing the button on the radio. “I found her!”

“Oh, Liam!” Relief flooded Missy’s voice. “Is she okay? Is she hurt?”

“I don’t know. I’m heading there now.”

“Did she call out to you?”

“She only responded with a wave when I yelled. Probably due to her helmet.” He prayed it was her gear that kept her silent. “Tell everyone I’m on the main trail, at the second fork from the mountain base. About two hundred yards in. I marked the spot on the road. There’s a steep ravine on the left. She’s down there.”

“Oh, my God.”

“Tell Nolan to take care of his kids, but send Adam and my dad this way in case I need help hauling her out of there.” He started back up the road. “Have Bryant land, but keep the helo live...we might need to get her medical care in a hurry.”

“Liam—”

“Do it, Missy. I have to sign off. I’ll need both hands to get to her.” He regretted his harsh tone, but he didn’t have time to spare. “Let me bring our daughter home.”

“Please, as soon as you can...call me back.”

He promised and then pocketed the radio. Reaching the marker he’d left, he easily spotted the overturned ATV this time. He slung the backpack over his shoulder, tied one end of the rope to a tree, tossed the rest into the foliage below and started downward.

“Hang on, Casey,” he yelled. “I’m coming.”

It seemed to take forever to get to her. He kept a running commentary so that she’d know he was there, but honestly it was probably more to keep himself from falling to pieces. Finally, he reached her. She was laid out flat on her back next to a fallen tree that completely blocked her from the road.

Kneeling, he almost lost it again when he saw her staring at him through the cracked shield of the helmet. “I know I’ve been asking this for the last twenty minutes,” he said, “but are you okay?”

She started to nod and then stopped, grimaced and mouthed something.

He lifted the shield, hating the tear tracks that stained her cheeks. “What is it, sweetie?”

“God, I’m a stupid wanker.” Her words came out in a rough whisper. “I’m okay, but I ache from my teeth to my toes.”

“Anywhere specific?” He leaned back, wondering what that fall must’ve been like and if she’d broken anything. “Any part of you that you can’t move?”

“Everything seems to be working, except my right arm hurts bloody awful. Is Mum furious?”

Liam noticed that Casey was cradling her arm against her chest, the protective glove missing. She had a long-sleeved jacket on, but he could see her wrist was swollen badly, with dark color marring her skin. “Not furious. Worried. Just like the rest of us. That’s some bruise you’ve got there.”

“It’s from an earlier tumble,” she said. “Before I got myself into this mess. How did you know where to find me?”

“We’ve been looking for you all morning. Abby told us you took off after the two of you drove up to the ridge for the sunrise.”

Casey’s mouth pressed into a hard line, her eyes going cold. “Is that all she told you?”

A feeling of dread came over Liam. “What else is there?”

“We argued, got into a tussle.” His daughter’s words came out cool and collected, but he heard anger in her tone. “I landed hard against the rocks, banged up my wrist, but not before I landed a solid right hook to that pretty face.”

Surprised filled him, but now wasn’t the time to go into details of whatever had been brewing between the two girls. “Why don’t you tell me about that later? I want to concentrate on getting you out of here.”

“Come to my rescue again, huh?” Casey offered a half-hearted smile. “Bit more trouble than a blister this time.”

Leaning in close, Liam brushed away a new tear from her cheek. “I’ll always come to your rescue, sweetie. You’re my daughter. That’s what dads do.”

Her eyes widened. “You...you truly believe that? Even without the test results?”

Now wasn’t the time to reveal that he had the results or how badly he’d screwed things up this morning with his plans for the future. Thank goodness he still had a week to convince Missy the three of them belonged together.

“Yes, I believe that.” He reached for her uninjured hand, his heart skipping a beat when she clung to him. “I knew from the beginning. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear to you. I love you, Casey. You’re my daughter and I love you.”

* * *

Every time the doctor touched Casey’s arm, she winced despite the pain medication she’d been given and Missy’s heart broke a bit more.

“As I suspected, you’ve got a couple of hairline fractures in the radius bone, located just above your wrist.” The doctor laid Casey’s arm gently back down on the gurney. “We’re going to put you in a fiberglass cast.”

“Really?” Casey asked. “For how long?”

“Minimum four weeks, maybe six. You’re young. You’ll heal nicely.”

That would put them almost at Halloween, and of course, she and Casey would be back in London long before that. Wondering if there might be an issue, Missy opened her mouth, but Casey spoke up first.

“Can I travel? I mean, this won’t stop me from flying, will it?”

Liam’s head jerked up at their daughter’s questions. Missy could see why. Casey sounded anxious, even eager to leave.

He sat on the other side of the room, having given up his spot at Casey’s bedside when the doctor came back with the X-rays.

Except for explaining to the staff, and the sheriff, who happened to be at the clinic, what happened today, Liam had remained silent as Missy spoke about Casey’s medical history and answered what seemed like a thousand questions.

“No, you should be fine,” the doctor said. “I’d recommend taking along a pillow to keep it elevated. Now, let’s get you fixed up, and yes, your mother can come with you.”

Casey nodded, her gaze straight ahead and her brows furrowed in a way that was so familiar, Missy realized it was the same expression Liam often used. In fact, he had the matching look on his face right now.

What was he thinking? Was he upset that the doctor hadn’t invited him along as well?

He’d been so calm when they arrived at the main house, Casey riding in front of him. Other than a quick hug and a fevered thank-you, they’d barely spoken to each other in the ensuing chaos.

Was it just this morning that she’d awoken in his arms?

“Mum? You ready?”

Missy started, realizing Casey and the doctor were waiting on her. “Yes. Of course.” She looked at Liam again and decided to say what the doctor hadn’t. “Do you want to—”

“I’ll stay here,” he said, cutting her off. “It’ll be too crowded. Besides, there’s paperwork to be taken care of.”

“I have health insurance.”

He got to his feet, something heartbreakingly haggard in his expression. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Liam—”

“Just take care of Casey, okay?” He walked over and laid a hand on their daughter’s leg, below her knee and far away from her injured wrist. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt even worse. You gave all of us quite a scare.”

“Well, thank you. For saving me.”

Liam gave a quick nod and then stepped away.

Missy was amazed at how they were acting toward each other. It was as if the closeness they’d found over the last five weeks had disappeared.

This was not the same man who’d had tears in his eyes when he spoke last night about knowing in his heart Casey was his daughter.

Or the one who’d passionately stated his case this morning for having her—both of them—move to Destiny. Now was not the time to talk about that, but they needed to soon. Missy hoped they’d find a chance. For everyone’s sake.

In less than an hour, Missy had the pain medication in her purse and Casey sported a bright pink cast on her right arm. Liam stood when they walked into the waiting area, but when they headed out to the parking lot, Casey switched sides so that it was Missy’s hand she held tight.

Missy could see her daughter was exhausted and still in pain. Getting her back to the boathouse and into bed was the best thing—

“Casey!”

The three of them stopped and turned. Casey’s grip tightened as Nathan Lawson jogged toward them. Missy glanced at Liam, not liking the way his eyes narrowed on the young man.

“What’s he doing?” Casey started to say, and then stopped and addressed the boy directly when he joined them. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard about your accident.”

Casey turned to her, rolling her eyes. “Bugger, this is a small town.”

“Actually, my mom works at the clinic. Are you okay?”

Casey waved her cast-covered arm at him and then winced.

“Ah, yeah, that was a stupid question.” Nathan’s gaze flew between Missy and Liam, but since her daughter hadn’t let go of her, Missy wasn’t going anywhere. Neither was Liam, from the stormy look on his face.

Quickly figuring out he wasn’t going to get her alone, Nathan continued, “Look, I’m happy we got things straight between us last night.”

“Last night?” Liam asked, before Missy could.

“Yes, sir. I knew Casey was up at your family’s cabin, but it seems her cell phone gets reception there. We texted and I explained about what she saw at school yesterday. Or what she thought she saw.”

“What Abby
told
me I was seeing,” Casey said, her words spoken with a bitter tone. “She’s your ex-girlfriend, she’s staying that way and she kissed you. Don’t worry, Nathan, everything’s fine.”

The boy didn’t look convinced, nor did he seem as if he wanted to leave, but Missy’s main concern was getting Casey home. “We should be heading back. Casey needs to rest.”

“Right, sure.” Nathan took a step back. “You’re probably not going to want to hang out or anything this weekend, but I’ll see you in school on Monday?”

“No, you won’t. I’m going home. To London.”

Shocked, Missy stared at her daughter. “Sweetie, we don’t leave until next Monday. That’s a week away.”