Shared Too by Lily Harlem Page A

and eloquent, able to hold her own in conversation. She also wasn’t scared of him, wasn’t in awe of him like so many people were.
    I rinsed the last bubbles off Liam’s back and touched my lips to the side of his neck.
    “There you go,” I said. “All clean.”
    “Mm, thanks, that was nice.” He uncurled his shoulders. “You ready to get out? I’m beat.”
    “Yes,” I said, standing. “Liam?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Do you think Quinn wanted to go to Hanrahan’s tonight because he knew Eve was going to be there?”
    Liam stepped out of the bath and grabbed a fluffy white towel. He rubbed it over his chest and back then wrapped it around his waist. “No.” He frowned from beneath his damp fringe. “I think he wanted to dance with you, Ariane. That’s what he said, that’s why we went.”
    I swallowed the last of my wine, unable to hold his stern gaze. “I know what he said.”
    “We don’t lie to one another.”
    “No, I know we don’t.” I paused. “I’m just tired. I guess my head got full of stuff from having a night somewhere new. It was like dipping into his world and we don’t usually do that.”
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    Liam draped a big, warm towel around my shoulders. “Perhaps there’s a reason for keeping his work separate if you get all jumpy about dipping into it.” I opened my mouth to argue I wasn’t jumpy and I should be able to dip into Quinn’s world, but when I looked into Liam’s face I saw the dark circles were back under his eyes. He really was beat and I didn’t want to worry him with my insecurities anymore.
    “Come on, let’s go to bed,” I said with a gentle smile. “It’s getting late.” Liam and I curled up under the duvet, our limbs tangled and my skin tingling from the hot bath. I rested my head in the crook of his shoulder and placed my hand on his chest. Let the small blond curls in the center of his sternum tickle my fingers. Within minutes his breathing turned slow and steady and his arm around my waist slackened.
    Sleep took him from me.
    I lay listening to the owl outside claiming its territory. My head was full of Quinn, Liam and the girls. The people in my life who I loved and could not live without.
    In my dream, the hooting owl switched to a chattering song thrush. As I blinked open my eyes, I realized the song thrush wasn’t in my dream, he was sitting just outside our bedroom window. It was morning.
    Liam was curled around me, snoring quietly. I stretched out my arm and a leg, hoping to find Quinn’s warm body in the bed but it was empty. He hadn’t come home. I glanced at the clock. Seven. There was still a chance. If he showed in the next hour he would have time for a shower and breakfast before going back for a day of clinics and ward rounds.
    Carefully I lifted Liam’s arm from my waist and shifted away from him. I wanted him to sleep as long as possible. Sliding to the edge of the bed, I quickly reached for my thick dressing gown and shoved my feet into slippers.
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    Betsy greeted me as I went down the stairs and I plucked her into my arms to stop her going and jumping all over Liam. “Come on, let’s get you a saucer of milk,” I whispered.
    At the sound of my footsteps and voice, the dogs wandered from the living room, stretching and yawning. I opened the kitchen door to let them outside. There was a light mist hanging over the stables and I could hardly make out the paddock through the fog.
    Quickly I shut the door. The kitchen was cozy and warm, the Aga on constantly this time of year.
    I flicked on the coffee machine and set about cracking an egg. I would have to nip to the coop for more if Quinn did show up.
    Quinn didn’t appear and, after I’d made Liam a late breakfast in bed, I spent the morning in my studio. It was a small room but wonderful and bright during the day owing to the enormous arched window that used to be a hay door. I’d sponged the cream walls with gold and the magnolia carpet, though thick and