Wednesday April 29 – 7:00 pm
Liam sat on his sofa jotting down idea after idea. He would meet with Mr. Black again soon and he needed to have this list of questions finished before that happened. It looked as if he would never be finished as the questions just kept coming.
Why me? Not one of the others?
Not at home - why here?
Birthday - significance?
What's in it for Oliver?
Why no explanation? Did he know I would refuse?
Why the drugs? Distraction? Numb the pain?
Why abandon me?
Time of year - look up position of moon.
His stomach rumbled, echoing the frustration he was feeling. His anger was growing the more he dealt with the issues of the case. He remembered the resentment he felt after being told that his friend had passed on the curse to him. But that feeling didn't even come close to the rage he felt now that he knew Oliver did it as a part of some demented plan…that Oliver had selected him and cursed him intentionally.
Hoping to relax a bit and ease his mind before continuing, he fixed himself a glass of butterbeer and switched on the wireless. Butterbeer, he decided, was the one virtue in England. The music was certainly different here, but it was a distraction he needed. He picked up his quill and glanced at his notes again. Out of habit he began scribbling a picture off to the side. His mind was on Oliver and the events of the attack, and he found himself sketching the tattoo forever etched in his skin
Merlin…now I KNOW I'm obsessing. There has to be something better to draw!
With a sigh he tried to empty his mind and just allow a picture to come to him; a shadowy figure at first, but then increasing in detail. Eyes…then a nose…lips. A few long strokes of hair framed the face. Roarke…
"This is ridiculous," he said to the empty room. Tossing the notepad on the table, he stood up and stretched his arms. His stomach rumbled at him again, demanding attention. Hunger, and the fact that there was nothing apart from a few stale crackers to eat in the house, gave him the perfect excuse to get some air. There was an excellent Muggle sushi bar a few blocks away. He changed out of his robes and into some jeans and a t-shirt and headed out of the flat.
There was a damp stickiness to the night that warned Liam it would rain soon. Liam felt a pang of homesickness for hot sun and clear skies.. He quickened his pace to the small restaurant and darted inside with the first flash of distant lightning, deciding to get the food to go.
He placed his order and sat down at a near by table to wait for it to be prepared. The woman had offered him a small glass of water as a courtesy, which he gulped down and nearly belched out loud. It was only then that he noticed the couple sitting at the table in the back of the room.
Liam blinked. It couldn't be? But it was. It was Roarke, looking as fine as ever. But who in the name of Merlin was that wacker she was with? Liam couldn't see the man's face, but he could hear his annoyingly loud voice as he joked and laughed. Roarke laughed back and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. Liam clenched his jaw tight and decided that he disliked the man, whoever he was.
Then the laughter stopped as Roarke's eyes found Liam's face. He held her gaze without blinking. The man sitting with her noticed that she was no longer giving him attention and turned around to look at Liam. Liam's eyes darted to the man's puzzled face and then settled back on Roarke.
Roarke leaned in and whispered something to her companion before leaving the table and coming over to where Liam sat.
"Hi."
"Hi. Who's he?" Liam asked, getting right to the point.
She looked over her shoulder quickly. "Just a friend of mine."
"Hum," Liam hummed raising his eyebrows.
Roarke's face suddenly grew fierce. "And why are you so interested?"
Liam returned her gaze evenly. "I'm not." He lied.
Roarke cocked her eyebrow. "Really? In that case I'll just go back to my dinner. It was lovely seeing you."
She started to turn, but Liam quickly stood and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Wait a second." She paused and glanced down at the hand lingering on her arm. Liam dropped it the moment she looked back up. The intensity of her eyes made Liam suddenly nervous. "I just wanted to tell you that – that I really enjoyed talking to you at Easter."
"Oh," she replied a little stunned. "If that's true, then why haven't I heard from you since?"
Liam took a deep breath, unsure of the answer to her question. He had asked himself that same question over a hundred times during the previous week. There were some very logical reasons for not going to see her, but right now he couldn't think of any.
"Sorry," a man said from behind Roarke. "Is everything all right?"
Both Liam and Roarke jumped. "Tarquin, I would like you to meet…an acquaintance of my father's – Liam Zetter. Liam, this is Tarquin Noyes. He was captain of my Quidditch team when I was at Hogwarts."
Liam reluctantly shook the man's hand. "Nice to meet you," the man said with a smile. Liam only nodded and looked back at Roarke.
"I'm sorry that I interrupted your dinner," Liam said, looking into her eyes intensely. "I'll send an owl…in a few days."
She nodded and Liam turned to grab up his food that was now ready and waiting for him. He exited the restaurant without looking back.
He had gone only a few blocks down when he heard Roarke call his name from behind. He stopped and slowly turned to face her.
"I can't believe you would just leave like that!"
"Like what? You're on a date. Did you want me to stay and make things even more uncomfortable?"
"No, I just thought that you might like to settle things a bit more."
"What's to settle? You have a boyfriend and it's not me."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Sure could have fooled me."
"Oh, this is ridiculous! I have known Tarquin since I was a little girl. He is Malcolm's best friend. He just wanted to have dinner to talk about something that has been bothering him lately. It was entirely platonic. What I find interesting, however, is you jumping to the conclusion that I am involved with him AND," she said pointing an accusatory finger, "the fact that you are jealous!"
"Jealous?" Liam said incredulously.
"Yes!" Roarke's expression was triumphant.
There was a rumble of thunder overhead. "You want to know what I find interesting?" Liam asked, with a note of challenge in his tone. " I find it interesting that out of all the restaurants in London you could have met at, you find the one closest to my apartment. Were you hoping that I might walk by and see the two of you?"
"I never even considered such a thing. Besides, you don't own this section of London, you know. I can come here if I want to. Just because you live here doesn't mean I have to avoid this place."
Liam laughed as more thunder sounded through the thick air. "Look, I don't want to argue. I just needed to get my mind off of the trial. So, I came out here for some air and something to eat. I certainly didn't think I'd run into you and that we would end up fighting again. I just don't need…"
"Another problem," she finished, echoing his comment from their first and only date.
Liam took a deep breath. "No, that's not…right."
"That's what you said."
"No…"
"Yes, you said…"
"But that's not what I meant. I meant that it was a problem trying to keep it a secret that I know you." He looked into her gray eyes, hoping she would understand how sorry he was for ever implying that she was a problem.
"But then…I still don't understand. Thanks to that dinner invitation from my mother, that's all water under the bridge now, isn't it? You made it clear to my whole family that we did, in fact, know each other. Why avoid me now?"
"I'm not avoiding you! I just…that is to say, I…I just didn't know what to say," he admitted as the first drop of rain fell on his face.
She looked down at the ground. "I thought that after Easter…things would be…that – that you might…"
"I've been wanting to talk to you," he said truthfully. "I just wasn't sure you wanted to talk to me."
"Really? Because I thought the same thing about you."
Liam looked at her in confusion. "I thought you didn't want to deal with telling your father about me."
"I didn't really, but if you knew my parents better, you would understand my reasoning."
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Meaning that you're embarrassed to admit how you feel about me?"
"No! Meaning that my parents lead a second life as matchmaking old biddies. Meaning that if one of us kids even mentions having a date with someone, they jump to the conclusion that we are getting married. For months now my brother has put up with my parents prodding him to get back together with his last girlfriend. They don't give up! And I wasn't going to put myself through that. Especially if there wasn't going to be anything between us."
Liam didn't quite understand her last comment. "But there is something between us."
"Is there?" she asked honestly.
He leaned forward. "Don't tell me you don't feel it. I don't think you would be out here in the rain if you didn't." Another thunderclap sounded as the rain picked up. Liam waited for her to respond, but it never came. "You'd better get back to your friend," he warned.
Roarke shook her head. "I told Tarquin to go on without me. We were nearly finished anyway."
There was a moment of understanding as Liam realized she had chosen to be with him over her friend. Suddenly, he felt very guilty for thinking rude things about Tarquin Noyes. A few seconds passed as Liam just looked down at her, the rain splattering all around her face and hair. "We'd better get in before we're soaked through!" He grabbed her hand as they darted down the street to his building.
Once inside, they shook off some of the rain and headed to his flat. As soon as they entered, Liam hurriedly picked up a few stray articles of clothing strewn about. "The place is a mess. I really wasn't expecting company or I would have…er…"
"It's okay. I've seen worse. You forget I have a brother."
Liam smiled, wondering what they should say or do next. "Do you want to sit down?" he asked suddenly.
Roarke shivered. "I'm soaked. I'll ruin the furniture."
"Not likely. Besides, I don't own this stuff."
"Do you have a towel?" she asked.
Liam rolled his eyes. "God! What kind of a host am I! Of course I have a towel. Let me er…that is, would you like a robe to wear while your clothes dry?" He bit his tongue the moment the words left his mouth.
Roarke gave a small chuckle. "Well, I can't just stand here naked, you know."
The very thought of Roarke standing naked in his flat left Liam feeling a bit dizzy. He signaled for her to follow him to the small bedroom so he could give her a clean robe and a towel. He showed her into the bathroom, remaining as calm and focused as was physically possible. Once the door to the toilet was shut, however, Liam took in a deep breath and forced his heart to calm down. He quickly tossed off his own wet clothes and changed into robes as well.
***
Roarke allowed herself a deep breath in the hopes that it would settle her heart. All she could think of was the way Liam had looked at her a few moments before. And when he admitted feeling that same something that she felt, she thought for certain her heart would leap right out of her chest. Why on earth did she mention being naked?
She looked at herself in the mirror and pushed her wet, stringy hair back behind her ears. Her fingers worked at the buttons on her blouse before shrugging it and her pants onto the floor. She paused for a moment to consider her reflection. Her bra was damp, but she didn't think it would be very decent or proper for her to go without it considering Liam was just on the other side of the door.
He was probably just as undressed as she was. Maybe more.
Trying to get her mind out of the gutter, Roarke called out, "I hope your food isn't ruined. Raw fish is one thing, but soggy fish is another."
"Don't worry about it. I kept it simple." His voice was muffled for a moment, as if he were pulling something over his head. Roarke did likewise and found herself draped in Liam's too big robe.
"The full moon is next week," he continued. "I was never big on sushi before I was bitten, but now it seems the most normal way to consume meat the way I crave it. I know that sounds…I dunno…animalistic of me, but I just…"
She understood this. There was an instinctive need for raw meat close to the full moon. "You don't need to explain, Liam. Daddy's the same way." She tugged at the shoulders, trying to make the robe fit her better, but it was useless. Giving up, she opened the door to find Liam staring back at her.
Then she realized what she had said. Daddy. The constant reminder that she knew much more about this curse than most people ever would know - not to mention the source of tension between them. However, she mentioned her father so casually that perhaps Liam wouldn't dwell on it.
She forced her eyes away from his before a blush rose to her cheeks. The only other thing to look at in the room was the bed – and that only made things worse. Thankfully, Liam must have realized how uncomfortable she was, for he led the way back into the living room, avoiding looking at her too closely.
She took a few steps and tripped over the hem of Liam's robes. She managed to catch herself before falling all the way to the floor, but Liam turned to help her regain her balance anyway. It was a friendly gesture, but for some reason the touch of Liam's hands on her arms sent goose pimples all over her body. He smiled simply and turned away from her.
Roarke looked around for something to focus a conversation on. There were notes and bits of parchment strewn everywhere. "You look," she gestured at the papers on the coffee table, "busy."
Liam opened his take away bag and went to the kitchen for a plate. "I am, but maybe you can help me."
"What are you working on?"
"My testimony. Mr. Black asked me to come up with a list of questions – any question I had about the attack. I could bounce ideas off of you, if you don't mind."
She looked down at a few of the notes, curious and anxious to know the whole story. She didn't want to invade his privacy, but she desperately wanted to know what happened to him. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I would love to help you. However…"
"What?" Liam asked, returning to her side.
"Well, it's just that I hardly know anything about the case. I don't know how helpful I would be."
He sat down on the over stuffed chair, much to Roarke's disappointment. "I suppose it would help if I told you about what happened." Liam said.
Roarke looked at him in surprise. "I thought you said you weren't supposed to discuss it with anyone." She took a seat on the sofa across from him
"Well, you're not just anyone, Rory." Using that name changed the mood of the conversation. Roarke held her breath in anticipation of what he would say next. "You're…special."
She really didn't have a reply to that. She but her bottom lip and pulled her legs up against her chest. "So, what do you want to tell me?"
"Well," Liam took a deep breath. "How much do you already know?"
"That you were bitten by a friend. And I know there is something about a tattoo."
Liam laughed and took a bite of food. "Yeah, turns out I unknowingly joined a cult."
"What?" Roarke sat up a bit in surprise.
"Yeah. See – look." Liam pulled the collar of his robe open revealing a tattoo on his chest. He leaned forward slightly to give Roarke a better view. Roarke found that it took her some bit of effort to focus directly on the tattoo itself, rather than on how close she was to Liam's bare muscular chest. She squinted at the evenly spaced puncture scars surrounding the tattoo.
"Are those bite marks?"
Liam nodded. "Got me with his eye teeth right around the tattoo."
"My stars," she said quietly, contemplating what he must have gone through. Knowing a person is a werewolf is one thing. Seeing the actual wound is something else. It makes the situation so much more real. A shiver passed over her body. "Do you have a blanket?"
"Right behind you," Liam offered, taking another bite of food. Roarke pulled the blanket over her legs and settled into the couch more comfortably. "You know, you're the second person I've shown it to."
"Only two?"
"Yeah…well…" he shrugged, "unless you want to count the snooping Ministry people. Mr. Black said that they had a photo of it in their files when I showed it to him. And I have to say that a part of me expected him to mention it to your father."
Roarke shook her head. "Sirius wouldn't do that. Whatever you tell him as a client will be kept confidential, no matter how my father might fuss about it. They have very few secrets from each other, so I'm sure this is driving my father mad!"
Liam laughed. "How did those two end up friends anyway?"
"Dad and Sirius? They went to school together."
Liam looked stunned. "You mean…No! I thought your father was Sirius' teacher!"
"What? NO! Dad and Sirius were in the same year together at Hogwarts."
Liam just shook his head again looking befuddled and took another bite of food. Roarke wondered why he would think that her father was so much older than Sirius, but a sudden question popped into her head, changing her train of thought. "Will? I know this is completely off the topic, but why didn't you tell my family more?"
"More about what?"
"About us." Roarke said, bluntly. Liam looked up at her a bit startled. "You mentioned that we knew each other, but you didn't say anything else. I just wondered why."
He thought about it a moment. "In all honesty, I didn't think there was that much more to tell."
"Not much…?" Roarke stopped mid sentence and bravely decided to stop beating around the bush. "What about that kiss?"
Liam frowned. "Like I said, there wasn't anything to tell. After all, I never kissed you."
"But you wanted to," she smirked suggestively.
"And I suppose that you didn't want to kiss me?"
"The thought never crossed my
mind," she said.
"Not true! You wanted to kiss me after the last full moon!"
Her eyes went wide. "I did not! I was just here to help you!"
"Believe what you want, Rory, but I remember the way you looked at me that morning."
Her eyes squinted over at him. "And I remember how you backed me into a corner and drooled over me!" she teased.
"I never drooled!"
She laughed out right at him and fell back against the couch. "You most certainly did drool! I was stunned when you told me to go!"
"And why was that? Because I didn't kiss you?"
"Yes…I mean…NO!"
But it was too late. The damage was done and Liam was laughing triumphantly at her slip. "See! You admit it! You wanted me to kiss you!"
This wasn't how Roarke expected things to play out. He was supposed to admit it to her! She glared at him, grabbed a small pillow, and tossed it at him. It hit him on the chest and he groaned in false pain. "You've wounded me!"
Roarke slumped against the back of the sofa with a chuckle. She leaned onto her side and rested her head in her right hand. The mood of the room shifted as she caught the look in Liam's eyes. The smile on her lips slowly faded under his intense gaze. "What's wrong?" she asked tentatively.
"May I draw you?"
She blinked. "Draw me? Now?"
"Yes," he said maintaining his fierce focus.
Suddenly, Roarke was very conscience of her appearance. "You're joking. My hair is a mess…this robe is too big…"
"You're gorgeous," he said grabbing up his sketch pad and a pencil.
"Will! I look a fright!"
"Just trust me!"
She really didn't have much choice because he immediately went to work. Roarke had never sat for a portrait before, so she wasn't quite certain how to behave. "What should I do?"
"Just sit there – don't move." His eyes traveled over her body and face quickly taking in the general shape of things. He made a few fast marks on the page before stopping and looking directly into her eyes. "Relax," he suggested.
But she found that hard to do. His eyes were so focused and concentrated. It was as if he was seeing past her face – past her eyes – into a deeper part of her. Warmth spread through her body as she took in strong gaze.
She shifted slightly causing the robe to fall off her shoulder. Liam's eyes darted from Roarke's eyes the bare shoulder with a small smile. An unexpected something clicked in her brain as she realized how very naked she felt under his piercing stare. If one small shoulder could extract a smile, what would a whole leg do?
Leisurely she snaked one leg out from under the blanket making sure that the robe was out of the way as well. She favored him with a small smile and slowly tugged at the cover until nearly an entire leg was showing. Liam's eyes soon found their way down her body to the exposed leg. He cocked an eyebrow at her suggestively. She returned the look bravely.
The room was so still, but the air was thick with energy. Liam wasn't even touching her, yet there was something so intensely erotic about the way he was looking at her. It drove right into her soul – into her heart. It made her feel worshiped…feminine…sexy. It was so powerful that she didn't know how much longer she would be able to sit still. Her heart was racing and she knew it would only be a matter of time before a blush would give her away.
"Can I look?" she asked when she reached her breaking point.
"It's not finished."
She grew fidgety. "Please? Just a peek?"
"If you move, I'll lose the moment."
"'Moment'? Seems rather more like a 'while' to me." Roarke said with a smirk.
"Hold that expression! You're beautiful!"
Roarke felt her face go hot. He admitted to feeling something earlier. Was he experiencing the same thing she was? It was too much for her to take in. She sighed and tried to stay composed. Liam squinted and fussed over something on the page. It was a while longer before he stopped drawing and sat back.
"Are you done?" she asked eagerly.
"It needs a little more work, but you can see if it you like." Roarke nearly jumped over the coffee table to get a look. "Now hold on," he said pulling the sketch against his chest so she couldn't see it yet. "Let me remind you that this was done very quickly and that I still want to work on it a little. So don't expect a masterpiece."
"Will…just let me see it." She sat down on the arm of the chair and took hold of the sketch pad, turning it to get a good look.
It was beautiful. Roarke was utterly speechless. The figure in the picture was stunning. It was her face – her hair – but surely that wasn't her! She wasn't nearly as pretty as the picture. The eyes in the sketch were serious and determined. And even though the pose was a bit sexy, it looked natural and not at all out of the ordinary.
"That's not me," she muttered quietly.
"Yes it is." Liam reached a hand up and gently brushed a lock of her hair out of her face.
"I don't look like that."
"That's how I see you." His face turned up to look at hers and their eyes locked. He turned her face to him.
Roarke held her breath as she felt her body lean towards him. His hand rested on the back of her neck as he slowly began to pull her to him. She closed her eyes, knowing what was about to happen. His lips lightly touched hers just as her body lunged forward and she lost her balance. With a mighty screech she landed in his lap. Liam circled his arms around her, stopping her from falling to the floor.
"Are you all right?" he asked with a chuckle.
"That's twice now! I feel like a clumsy oaf tonight!" She twisted around to look at him.
"I don't mind." Their faces were very close. Liam brushed his nose against hers. "I don't mind at all."
Roarke tilted her chin up as Liam closed the distance between them. Their lips met gently, softly. The kiss was over much too quickly for Roarke's liking. Liam just looked into her eyes, keeping his nose next to hers. He moved his cheek against the side of her face and she heard him inhale sharply. When he pulled back again, Roarke thought his eyes looked darker, more focused. Soon, his eyes fell shut and he kissed her again. He dragged his mouth over hers slowly. Roarke settled into the kiss, welcoming the feel of his lips against hers. It was a long while before either of them pulled away.
