My Secret Life

“No. Her sister, Katie.”

“I’m listening.”

Liam glanced over his shoulder to see how close the nearest fan was sitting and lowered his voice. “I hooked up with her at the masquerade party.”

“Hooked up as in—”

“Yeah.”

Tony whistled and slugged him lightly on the upper arm. “You dog. Who knew you had it in you?”

Liam glowered. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Balancing his hot dog on one knee, Tony held up a palm. “Nothing, dude. Settle.”

Agitation had him shifting in his seat. “The deal is, I can’t get her out of my head.”

“That’s not a bad thing.”

“Of course it is. I can’t concentrate on work.”

“You’ve never really felt this way about a woman before?” “No.”

“How many girlfriends have you had?”

Liam shrugged. “I don’t know. Six, seven. But none of them ever messed with my head like this.” Other than Arianna, and that was a whole different kind of head game.

“That’s because—since I’ve known you anyway—you’ve always picked career-driven women who complemented your lifestyle. You’ve never been out with one who made your question your priorities.”

“Exactly.”

“Maybe that’s the problem.”

“I’m not following you.”

“Katie Winfield, this woman you hooked up with at the party, she’s different.”

Liam nodded.

“Totally not right for you. Impulsive, I’m guessing. Adventuresome.”

“Yes, yes.” Impatiently, he tapped his fingertips on the back of the seat in front of him. “What’s your point?”

“For the first time in your life you’ve found a woman who makes you feel totally alive.”

He wanted to deny it, but it was true.

“Compared to her,” Tony went on, “work seems dull and pointless.”

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Got bad news for you, buddy boy.” Tony grinned. “There’s only one way to beat this thing.”

“How’s that?”

“Embrace it.”

Liam didn’t like the direction this conversation was headed. “What do you mean, embrace it?”

“You’ve been working nonstop since you were what? Sixteen?”

“Yeah.”

“And all this time, you’ve been keeping your emotions in check.”

“What’s your point?”

“It was bound to happen.”

Frustration had him fisting his hand around his beer. “What was bound to happen?”

“You gotta have a little fun at some point. Kick up your heels. Let your libido run wild.”

“You think so? You think if I embrace this feeling and go with it, have a good time with this woman, it will eventually pass and then I can get back to work?”