Page 3 of Love in the Net (Blue Ridge Buffaloes #2)

Liam’s truck pulls up to the curb outside my house, and I don’t know whether to feel nervous or exhilarated. Probably both. Mostly both.

“Definitely both,” I whisper to myself, my cheek burning from the ice arena kiss.

I smooth my palms over my brand new dress, a pretty pink wrap dress that hugs my hips and is perfect for a first date. Yes, Poppy said that, but I could’ve said the same.

Waffles pants with his nose practically against the front door, blissfully unaware of the emotional chaos inside me. He’s just excited for what he probably assumes is an adventure.

When Liam steps out of the truck, it’s like the whole world shrinks down to just him. He’s wearing a dark gray sweater that hugs his broad shoulders in the most unfair way and a pair of jeans that look like they were made just for him.

He sees me watching from the window, and he smiles. I gasp and back up, as if I’ll hide and refuse to answer the door when he knocks. He actually rings the doorbell, and Waffles barks a greeting.

I pull open the door, and Liam’s smile only widens as Waffles rushes him. “Hey, bud,” he says to the canine without taking his eyes from me. They burn with male desire, and my brain blitzes that it’s for me. “You look incredible,” he says.

“Thank you.” I reach for Waffles’s collar and pull him back. “Come on, you,” I tell the dog. “You’re not coming.” I manage to get my dog inside, and I step out into the autumn evening, where Liam immediately takes my hand.

“You’re gorgeous.” He lifts my hand to his lips, that low, steady, sexy voice making my blood hum in my veins.

I climb into his truck, and Liam chuckles as he shuts my door, then rounds the hood to slide into the driver’s seat.

“So,” I say, trying to sound casual as he pulls away from the curb. “Where are we headed?”

“You’ll see,” he says, glancing over at me with a hint of a smile.

I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re not going to tell me?”

“Nope.”

“Not even a hint?”

“It’s my favorite place,” he says, his grin widening just a fraction.

“That’s so not fair.” I huff, crossing my arms in mock annoyance. “If this turns out to be a kidnapping, I’m warning you—Waffles is trained to call nine-one-one if I’m not home by midnight.”

Liam bursts out laughing, a magical sound I want to hear plenty more times in my life. He reaches over and takes my hand again, no question about it—and I find I don’t need one.

The drive takes us out of the town center and into the quieter, wooded outskirts of Blue Ridge. The scenery is breathtaking—golden leaves shimmering in the waning light, the gentle curve of the road winding through the forest. It’s the kind of night that feels like it belongs in a storybook.

When Liam finally pulls into a long, gravel driveway, my breath catches. A house—or rather, a mansion —comes into view, a gorgeous cabin-style home with wide windows that glow warmly against the cool night. It’s elegant but cozy, nestled among the trees like it’s been there forever.

All at once, I know where we are, and it’s not a restaurant.

“This is your house,” I say.

“Yeah,” he says, glancing at me like he’s nervous about my reaction. “I wanted something quiet. Away from the noise.”

“It’s beautiful,” I say sincerely. “Like, ridiculously beautiful. You live here alone?”

“Just me and the dogs,” he says, pulling the truck into the attached garage. “They keep me company.”

As if on cue, Bear and Scout appear at the door connecting the garage to the house, their tails wagging furiously. The moment Liam opens the door, they barrel into the garage, greeting him with enthusiastic barks and licks.

“I should’ve brought Waffles,” I say.

“Next time.” Liam gives me a flirty look and nods me into the house. “I have to go on the road in a few days, so I hate leaving the doggos alone when I’m here.”

Oh, right. He travels a lot during hockey season.

I squeeze past him and go inside, and the interior of his house is just as stunning as the outside.

High ceilings with exposed wooden beams, a stone fireplace crackling in the living room, and plush furniture that manages to be both stylish and inviting.

The whole place smells faintly of cedar and something warm I can’t quite place; maybe cinnamon?

“Wow,” I say, turning to him. “This is—honestly, I’m having a hard time not being jealous right now.”

He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck like he’s a little embarrassed. “I don’t spend as much time here as I’d like, but it’s home.”

“It definitely feels like home,” I say, my gaze landing on the framed photos lining the mantel.

Most of them are of Bear and Scout, though there’s one of Liam in his hockey gear with his team, and another of him as a kid, grinning with a hockey stick in hand and his arm around another boy close to his age.

I turn to him and close the distance between us. “You can never come to my house.”

He grins at me. “Don’t be ridiculous. Our next date is dinner at your place.” He leads me into the kitchen where he starts pulling containers out of a couple of paper bags. “I got Chinese food. I hope that’s okay.”

“Did you talk to my half-sister?” I tease. “Chinese food is my love language.” I let Liam serve me beef and broccoli and all the snow pea chicken that will fit on my plate, and then we sit down at his big oak table.

“So, a dog bakery,” he says, plenty of questions there.

“Is that a question?” I use my chopsticks to pick up a piece of beef. “Are you asking me why I opened a dog bakery?”

Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “Yes, Claire-Bear, I’m asking you why you opened a dog bakery.”

“I used to be a vet tech,” I say while he fills his mouth with orange chicken. “I love dogs and cats, and I love baking. So I combined the two.” I say it like it’s no big deal, but I am proud of what I’ve done.

“I’ve ordered from you online,” he says. “I think my brother’s come in. He babysits Bear and Scout when I’m on the road.”

I nod and finish my bite of snow peas and chicken. “Did you grow up here?”

He shakes his head, swallows, and says, “Upstate New York.”

“Warmer here.”

“Most of the time.” He reaches over and steals my last piece of broccoli.

“Hey.”

He grins and pops it into his mouth. “Tell me about the store. Do you make all the treats yourself?”

“Yes,” I say, a hint of pride starting to creep through me. “All the recipes are mine. Tried and true. I love it, even if it’s a little challenging from time to time.”

“Challenging because…”

“It’s only me,” I say. “I own the business, and it’s all I’ve got.” I shrug one shoulder, deciding to leave out the part where my dad remarried when I was fourteen, left Blue Ridge with his new wife and step-daughter, and I lived with my aunt until I graduated from high school.

“No family?” he asks.

“My aunt lives here,” I say. “And my half-sister came back.”

Liam watches me for a moment, and I drop my eyes to my food and push it around my plate with my chopsticks. “No parents?”

“My mom passed away when I was young,” I say. “My dad remarried and moved. He lives in Florida now.” I look up and meet his beautiful eyes. “You?”

“Mine are still in New York,” he says. “My only brother—younger than me—moved here when I joined the Buffaloes. He sort of acts like my assistant and my manager.”

“And your dog-sitter.”

Liam grins. “That too.” He finishes his food. “Well, I think you’re brave. Taking a risk on opening a dog treat bakery can’t have been easy.”

“Neither is standing in front of a goal with pucks flying at your face,” I say, grinning.

He chuckles again, the sound low and warm. “Fair point.” He gets up and takes our plates over to the sink. “I love playing hockey. The only thing that gets a little tiring is all the traveling.”

My insecurity deepens as the reality of his career hits me like a slap to the face. Could I really handle being with someone who’s gone half the year? Someone whose life is so different from mine?

“You okay?” he asks, his brows furrowing as he returns to the table, takes my hands, and guides me to my feet.

“Yeah.” I force a smile and sink into his warm embrace. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

I hesitate, not sure how much to share. But something about Liam makes me want to be honest. “About how different our lives are,” I say. “I mean, you’re this big-time professional athlete, and I’m just…the other day I tried a new recipe for dog muffins with a yogurt frosting.”

He grins at me. “Bear would love that.”

“Liam.” I push against his chest, but his grip on me tightens so I can’t get away.

“You’re not ‘just’ anything,” he says, his voice firm now. “You’re incredible, Claire. You have this passion and drive that most people only dream of. And you’re funny and kind and—” He cuts himself off, running a hand through his hair before settling it on my waist again. “I like you.”

His words make my pulse accelerate in the best possible way, but they don’t erase my doubts. “It’s hard for me to imagine how this would work, you know? With you traveling so much.”

“We’ll figure it out,” he says, his gaze steady. “If it’s worth it, you figure it out. And I think you’re worth it.”

His gaze locks on mine, and the air between us seems to thrum with a magnetic pull, as if the whole world has narrowed to just the two of us.

My heart pounds so loudly I wonder if he can hear it.

His hand moves to cradle the side of my face, his thumb brushing my cheek with a tenderness that sends goosebumps racing down my arms.

“Claire, tell me to stop,” he murmurs, his voice low, gravelly, and impossibly sexy.

But stopping is the last thing I want.

I shake my head slightly, a silent invitation, and that’s all it takes.

Liam closes the distance between us in one fluid motion, his lips capturing mine with a heat that steals my breath.

His kiss is firm and deliberate, like he’s been holding back for far too long and simply can’t anymore.

The world tilts on its axis, and I grip the front of his sweater to steady myself, the soft fabric bunching in my fists.

His other hand slides to my lower back, pulling me flush against him, and suddenly, I’m drowning in him—his warmth, his scent, the sheer presence of him. It’s overwhelming in the best way, like stepping into a bonfire and finding it doesn’t burn but ignites something deep inside me instead.

The kiss deepens as my hands slide up from his chest to his shoulders, then to the back of his neck, where my fingers tangle in his hair. He groans, the sound reverberating through me, and his arm tightens around my waist, anchoring me to him like he’s afraid I’ll slip away.

But I’m not going anywhere. Not when this kiss is unraveling me in ways I didn’t know were possible.

His mouth moves against mine with a mix of passion and control, like he’s savoring every second, every sensation, and it makes my knees go weak.

If his strong arms weren’t holding me up, I’m pretty sure I’d melt into a puddle at his feet.

When we finally break apart, both of us are breathing heavily, our foreheads resting together as we try to catch our breath. His gray eyes are molten, smoldering with a heat that makes my stomach flip over itself.

“Claire,” he murmurs, his voice rough and unsteady. His thumb brushes along my jawline, his touch achingly tender in contrast to the intensity of the kiss we just shared.

I bite my lip to keep from grinning like an idiot, but it’s no use. I’ve just been kissed by Liam O’Brien, and it was everything I didn’t know I needed. And judging by the way he’s looking at me, his hands still resting on my waist like he’s unwilling to let go, this is only the beginning.