Read Unplugged for Free Online

wanted to go to the park!” Ella protests. “And you were asleep.”
    “ Why didn’t you tell anyone before taking her? I woke up and she was gone!” Cerys half-shouts at me.
    “ Whoa. Okay. Everyone was asleep; I thought I’d help out.”
    “ What if something happened to her?”
    “ Like what? We’re five minutes from the house. I think you’re over-reacting.”
    “ Someone like you doesn’t know how to look after a child.”
    “ What do you mean someone like me?” She’s pissing me off now and I wish I’d stayed out of her life.
    “ It’s not like you know what to do with them. When was the last time you looked after a kid?”
    “ I took her to the playground! What did you think I was going to do? Take her to my drug dealer or leave her with a groupie? For fuck’s sake!” I stomp away, across the grass.
    “ Don’t swear around my daughter!” she yells after me.
    I stop. “At least I took her to the park!”
    “ What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “ Ella says her dad doesn’t.”
    “ That has nothing to do with you!”
    She ’s right. I’ve no idea why I said it. “Fine! I’ll keep away from you both! I just wanted to help.” I continue away from them, muttering expletives under my breath.
    Back at the house, I storm around, unable to believe my peaceful family Christmas has led to practically being accused of child abduction. Screw this.
    Following terse exchanges with my parents and sister who are leaving for work, I grab my car keys and leave the house. If I see Cerys again in the mood I’m in, I’ll say something that will really piss her off. If she’s staying all fucking Christmas, I need to keep the peace. I could choose to be obnoxious enough to make her leave, but even I’m not that bad.
    I drive to Whitesands Bay and walk along the coastal path, watching the churning, grey sea below, comparing it to the crystal blue I left behind in Malibu. Maybe I should’ve stayed and tried to sort things out with Honey instead of coming back to the familiar that’s not so familiar anymore.
    Deciding it ’s too cold to sit on a nearby bench for long, and that I’m too tired to do much else, I go home. Maybe I’ll go to the pub tonight. Or go and stay at Dylan’s country place until Christmas Eve because I’m not sure I can put up with a week of this before Christmas Day arrives.
    When I get home, Ella is in her prime spot in front of the TV and Cerys is asleep on the sofa. Her pale skin and dark-rimmed eyes evidence her hungover state. I did have sympathy for her; but not after the mouthful, she gave me earlier. Looks like it’s siesta time in the house.
    I flop onto the useless single bed and stare at the ceiling, playing the conversation last night through my mind. Is that why she was pissy with me this morning? Is this because of what she said last night? I smirk to myself. My little sister’s friend fantasised about me. I get less chicks in Team Liam so I’m not as blasé about attention as Jem and Dylan. There’s something cute about being elevated to hero status by someone who knows me.
    Then I picture her naked.
    I struggle to remove the image and focus back on the pissed off Cerys who annoyed me. This works for about a minute until a different image of her last night, so close I almost felt her lips on my face. I bet she tastes amazing; she smells incredible. How would her skin feel? An image of Cerys naked in my bed inevitably returns.
    This is not good.
    I drift to sleep with the fantasies morphing into the kind of dreams that are too real. When I wake up several hours later, my body’s already made the decision. If this woman lets me get my hands on her, I won’t be able to say no.
    Illicit, exciting , and maybe a mistake. If Honey can do it, so can I.

 
     
    CHAPTER 6
     
     
    LIAM
     
    I sleep into the early afternoon and wake to a growling stomach and a need to back off from Cerys before my overactive imagination causes problems. This includes getting out of the