Page 94 of He Loves Me Knot
Because she needed to pay Callum back. And soon.
I don’t want to owe him anything else.
ChapterTwenty-Three
“Outta the way!”Granny called, her ATV bouncing on the path.
Liddy jumped off the dirt path, dodging toward a tree as a four-by-four with Granny and Kyle went roaring past them. Granny was in control, to no one’s surprise, and one of Liddy’s cousins hooted at the sight.
Liddy grinned. Much as she hadn’t expected to enjoy this, especially considering that a bumpy jungle path might further aggravate her pain level from the past few days, being around family members she hadn’t seen in years made this place feel like home.
They didn’t have to be in Nashville for that. Wherever her family was, she was home. Whether it was in London when they came to visit her or Quinn’s fancy estate for Christmas.
Granny pulled to a stop and dismounted, taking her helmet off. “Who’s next?” she called out.
The tour operators laughed and high-fived her.
“I think I want to grow up to be Granny,” Hunter whispered beside Liddy.
“Don’t let her hear you. She’ll get a bigger ego than she already has,” Elle said, relaxing back into Quinn’s arms. Her eyes scanned the group that waited for their turn on the vehicles. “Liddy, you and Callum going?”
Liddy stiffened. “I’m not sure?—”
“The correct answer would be yes.” Granny tossed the helmet toward her.
Liddy caught it, the sound of her hands smacking against the plastic cap echoing around her. She didn’t dare look for Callum. “Really, Gran?—”
“Liddy, Liddy, Liddy . . .” Granny started chanting, orchestrating with pumped fists toward her cousins who soon joined in.
Liddy rolled her eyes as the Costa Rican tour operator extended his hand, inviting her toward the vehicle. “Granny . . .” she tried, shaking her head. But Granny and her cousins were too loud for her to be heard. She threw her palms up, then went toward the operator.
Her cousins cheered, then Granny turned toward Callum and started, “Hot rod, hot rod, hot rod . . .”
God, this is so embarrassing.
Callum handed his beer to Aiden, then winked at Granny. He seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood as he sauntered toward Liddy. Unexpectedly, he swept her off her feet and carried her onto the ATV, setting her down on the passenger seat behind the main operator seat.
He’s so smooth. Fucking charmer.
That only seemed to goad Granny further.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss . . .”
Callum quirked a brow and turned toward Liddy. She gave him a hard look. “We don’t have to.”
He leaned toward her, setting both hands on either side of her face as he closed the distance between them. “We’re a happy couple, remember?”
She almost glared at him, then raised her hands to his jaw. He lowered his lips to hers with firm but gentle pressure, and she closed her eyes.
I hate that I love the way he tastes.
Her body almost instinctively curled into his as he slipped his arm around her waist to a chorus of hooting and hollering. His breath was warm against her mouth, the barest hint of his tongue sliding against her lip like a promise.
He pulled back, then set his forehead against hers. “Good girl.”
Asshole.“Don’t good girl me,” she gritted through her teeth, managing a smile despite the surge of anger coursing through her.
The tour operator was by their side, though, giving Callum instructions as she settled back into the seat. Her cheeks burned and the warm pool of desire that had ignited in her core at that kiss only made her more furious. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt betrayed by her body, though, and it wouldn’t be the last.