Chapter Twelve #2
“You’re not outside and the air-conditioning is on,” he states, but I ignore him.
It’s nice and cool in the house, which is why he can see everything through the material. I practice my dance techniques so I stay fresh and ready for the fall. Wearing clothes that fit like a second skin is the most comfortable when stretching and working on my form.
When I catch him staring, I grin with an eyebrow popped. “Don’t look if it bothers you so much.”
He smirks, shakes his head, and finishes eating.
Grabbing some oatmeal from the pantry, I make it the old-fashioned way on the stove. I halfway wonder if I should cook some for Sophie too because she didn’t feel well this morning and stayed home from work.
While it’s simmering, I open the fridge and take out some bacon.
Liam stands and places his empty bowl in the sink, then rinses it.
I’m trying my best to ignore him, though it’s impossible when his gaze burns a hole through my temple.
Realizing I need a pan too, I try to reach around him to grab one but fail miserably.
“Mads,” he says, his voice cracking as he stands beside me.
“What’s up?” I glance at him, noticing the fire in his eyes—the look that gives away how he feels.
Though things have been iffy between us, he’s his old self right now—the man who kissed me on my birthday and who watched me so intently as I danced.
Right now, my Liam is standing beside me, close enough to touch.
Turning around, I search his face for answers, but he says nothing. Instead, he carefully pulls me toward him and my heart races at the serious way he’s looking at me.
Liam’s fingertips brush my cheek and my eyes flutter closed as I melt into his gentle touch.
Before I can whisper a word, his mouth presses to mine, devouring me as I wrap my arms around his neck.
A moan escapes me as he kisses me softly, then rough and hard.
I want more of him. I want all of him. He presses me against the island, dragging his lips across my skin, and his erection pushes against my stomach.
Liam pulls away slightly to catch his breath, but I greedily pull him back to me.
Moments later, he breaks us apart and rests his forehead on mine. “I’m so sorry,” he rasps. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
“For what?” I ask, wanting this to continue even though I’m at war with myself. Liam’s known for these spontaneous moments of affection when it’s convenient for him, and sadly, I live for them even when they don’t go any further.
He pushes away, creating mere inches between us, and when I look up, there’s turmoil in his eyes.
Softly, he grips my chin and studies my face as if he’s memorizing the way I look right now.
His lips paint across mine again, but this time, he slows his pace.
Something about the way he’s touching me feels so final, like a goodbye.
The sinking feeling nearly drags me under, and I have so many questions, ones I doubt he’d ever answer.
Liam retreats one last time, leaving me longing for more.
When I open my mouth to say something—to ask him what in the hell that was—he stops me by putting a finger over my lips. The intense stare between us is so hot that it’ll burn us alive if we don’t blink soon.
Finally, he swallows. “I have to leave, Mads. I have to pick up a fugitive in Nevada, but we’ll talk when I get back in a couple of days. Okay?”
Nodding, I’m unsure how to respond. I’m a little wary that he’s going back after all this time away. That kiss—whatever it was—has stunned me into silence. Then his lips crash into mine one last time, and he lingers before pushing away.
Following him into the living room, I watch as he grabs his bag, then call out to him before he leaves. “Be careful, Hulk.”
Liam winks and gives me one last look over his shoulder before walking out the door.
My breasts rise and fall, my heart pounds unsteady in my chest, and my lips are swollen. I’m left wondering what the fuck just happened, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s done that to me.
I’m not myself for the rest of the day, and Sophie eventually comes downstairs and notices. While she tries to pull me back to reality, it’s impossible because I’m left floating on cloud nine, wondering what Liam wants to discuss.
Two days come and go, and my head is still spinning.
“You sick or something?” Sophie asks as she comes down the stairs. I’ve only been waiting for her and Mason for the past hour.
“Are you? Miss ‘I had sex all morning and didn’t mind keeping my younger sister waiting,’” I say and watch her cheeks flush.
Mason’s still upstairs getting ready, but she knows damn well I’d call him out too.
Lennon’s housewarming party is today, and we should’ve left thirty minutes ago to arrive before everyone else does.
Our parents are in town, and while I’m happy to visit with them, I’m more excited to see Liam.
I thought he’d have already been home by now, and I’m tempted to text him, but I’m giving him his space too so he can work out what he wants to discuss.
Before I can poke at Sophie more, Mason comes down the stairs wearing a shit-eating smirk.
“Guilty as ever,” I say, and all he does is shrug. The proud jerk.
She ignores me, per usual, but this time, I’m not kidding.
We need to go. Liam has been on my mind for two days straight.
I’ve replayed every scenario—every possible thing he could tell me—in my head.
What if he’s ready to confess his true feelings after all this time?
The way he kissed me was different from before. So I’m torn and growing antsy.
Finally, we get in the car and get to Lennon’s right on time. As soon as Hunter opens the door, I see him holding my favorite nephew and scoop him into my arms. Hunter frowns, but I ignore it. He can’t be stingy with a baby this cute.
Hunter and Lennon go back and forth, giving each other a hard time, and they have me laughing my ass off, but my attention is stolen when Lennon asks about Liam.
“So where’s the Hulk? He bail on us?” Lennon asks, crossing her arms. I’m trying not to eavesdrop or seem too eager for the answer, but I’ve been waiting for him to return all day.
“No, his flight got delayed. He said he’s coming right from the airport, though,” Mason says, and I feel my pulse throbbing in my ears. Lennon escorts us outside, and I smile when I see my parents playing with Allie.
“A new swing set?” I squeal. “Is there a baby swing for Aaron?”
“Of course!” Lennon answers.
I hold Aaron close to my body. “Wanna swing, cutie pie?”
Although he doesn’t answer, I take his coos as a yes.
After Lennon shows me how to buckle him, I play with the kids while chatting with my parents about the weather.
I’m trying to keep my mind busy but can’t help glancing toward the door for Liam.
Aaron’s so happy in his little infant swing.
It allows him to lie back and enjoy the warm breeze outside.
While I’m lost in my thoughts, I notice Sophie stalking across the plush grass toward me. When she gets close, she whispers only loud enough for me to hear, “So any idea where Liam is? Have you talked to him since he left?”
I search her face, and I wonder if she thinks I know more than I do, but I’m in the dark as much as she is. “He told me he had to pick up a fugitive in Nevada. We talked the morning he left, but that’s the last time. Why?”
She laughs, which confuses me. “What?”
“So you’re saying you haven’t spoken to him since before he left?”
“That’s right.”
With pursed lips, Sophie waits for me to continue, but I don’t have anything else to say.
“So…was your make-out session the first time you two locked lips or have you two been sneaking around for a while?” she blurts out but keeps her tone hushed.
My eyes go wide, and I open my mouth, then close it.
“Yeah, I saw you two.”
I try to hold back my reaction, but a small smile touches my lips as heat rushes to my cheeks.
“I never kiss and tell,” I state with a grin, which gives me away, but she witnessed it, so it’s not like I can deny anything.
“And no, I don’t know what it means. He said we’d talk about it once he got back. ”
Sophie squeezes my arm, and I can tell she’s overly excited, maybe more than I am. “How could you keep that from me?”
Not telling her makes me feel guilty, but it was better kept a secret because he’s so finicky.
“I’m not foolish enough to think it changes anything,” I say with a shrug as I try to bring my attention back to Aaron.
He’s sleeping so peacefully, and it’s adorable.
“Liam’s a player, and I finally broke through his hard shell, but that doesn’t mean he wants to settle down with me. ”
Sophie continues, “So Thursday morning was a goodbye kiss before he left?”
Now is as good a time as ever to discuss this, I suppose, because she’s not going to allow me to avoid the conversation. Though I leave out all the emotions behind the kiss and how confused I am inside, I give her the details of what happened.
“I walked around him in the kitchen to grab a pan, and then he just grabbed my arm and spun me around. He pulled me into his chest and kissed me. Like really kissed me. Then he said we’d talk when he gets back, and that’s the last I heard from him.”
“Oh my God, oh my God!” she whisper-squeals, which makes me laugh. “Well, from what I saw, it was very hot.”
I don’t want to talk about this anymore because the more I think about it, the more nervous I get about seeing Liam. Carefully, I pick up a sleeping Aaron and place him against my chest. “I better get him into his rocker so he can nap.”