Chapter Twenty-Six
Evie
Liam’s grin was easy and confident, but there was something tender in the way his fingers laced through mine. I’d led him to my bedroom and tried to push away every ounce of worry pulsing through me.
“You ready?” I whispered, asking myself more than him.
The warmth of his touch sent a ripple through me as a mix of anticipation and vulnerability I wasn’t sure how to navigate.
“I’m ready for whatever you’ve got,” he said, his voice low, teasing, but with an edge of sincerity that made my stomach flip.
The air in the room felt charged. Whatever we’d been balancing for months finally exploded into emotion we couldn’t keep in.
We needed this.
I needed this.
The spark in Liam’s eyes made my heart squeeze and heat pool in my belly.
“I’ve got you, Evie. I always will.” His fingers traced along my jaws, moving to cup the back of my head.
His lips brushed mine softly but with hunger.His kiss was slow and deliberate as if he wanted to memorize the moment just like me. Liam’s rough and strong hands framed my face as our kisses intensified with every passing second.
A little moan escaped as his tongue parted my lips, but he stopped.
“Evie,” he murmured, his voice a mix of a question and a promise, his forehead resting gently against mine.
I smiled, my hands finding his shoulders, steadying myself against the pull he had on me.
“You don’t have to be so careful,” I teased. “I won’t break.”
His laugh rumbled low in his chest, and the sound sent a shiver racing through me. It was like that was the permission he needed.
Liam’s hand slipped to the small of my back as he pulled me closer. “But I’m not going to rush this. Not with you.”
I blinked up at him, the sincerity in his gaze stealing my breath.
“You’re making it really hard to keep my head on straight, you know that?”
“Good.” He smirked. “You’ve been in my head since the day we met, so it’s only fair.”
The heat in his gaze was impossible to ignore, and I leaned into him, pressing my lips to his again. The kiss deepened, his hands finding their way to my waist, and I felt like I was being pulled into a whirlwind I never wanted to end.
His breathing changed as my fingers slid under his shirt, his hardness pressing into me as I sucked on my bottom lip as he stepped back.
“Liam,” I whispered, breaking away just enough to look into his eyes. “This... this feels different. Like it’s—”
“Right,” he finished for me.
I nodded and smiled as he placed kisses along my neck as his fingers worked the button of my pants. I shimmied out of my clothes as his thumb traced lazy circles against my bare hip, his gaze unwavering as his eyes fell along my body.
“Not fair,” I teased as his smile only grew.
I traced my fingers along his shirt, landing on the button to his jeans, and quickly unbuttoned them as he kissed me again, pulling me close.
The air between us felt frenzied and full of need as he peppered me with kisses, and my hands ran along his bare skin. The kisses made my lips numb as I stepped back and took him in. The definition of his body, from his strong forearms to his barreled chest and narrowed hips, was even more toned than I imagined. His gaze caught mine as I blushed, and he cupped my breasts with his hands, gently kissing and licking as he helped me back onto the bed.
The room felt smaller somehow. The air between us charged with something I couldn’t quite name but didn’t want to escape from. His body hovered over me as his lips ran along my neck, down to my breasts, lower to my belly as my fingers slid across his skin.
“Don’t stop,” I murmured.
Liam’s laugh was low and full of heat, his hands gentle as they nudged my knees open.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
I giggled as he brought his mouth back to mine, feeling the length of him along my thighs drove me wild with need. Wriggling my body with each kiss only made him kiss me harder until, finally, I couldn’t stand it.
He slid into me quickly and confidently, making my world explode. Each movement with his hips and mine created a desire that spoke to so much more than just sex.
Our bodies, heated with need, worked in a rhythm as I wrapped my legs around him. He let out a low growl as my eyes flicked open to see him studying me. I thought I might explode with every tickle and tease until it finally happened. His fingers slid between us, his mouth on mine, his thrusts harder and faster.
“Liam,” I moaned as our worlds collided with such powerful emotions, my body rippled with each breath.
He kissed me softly, brushing my hair to the side as he smiled at me, and I knew we weren’t finished.
Liam scooped me up and started again, and I knew I was in heaven.
Over and Over.
It wasn’t until I lay on my stomach that the soft sheets cooled my skin as Liam's warm hands rested gently on my shoulders.
“You’ve been working too hard,” Liam said softly.
I laughed into the pillow. “Says the guy who runs an entire lodge and has a ton of animals to keep track of and is starting his own cider business.”
“Hey, delegating is a skill,” he teased, his hands pressing slightly deeper into my shoulders. His thumbs found a knot just below my neck, and I couldn’t stop the small sigh that escaped me.
“Not bad,” I murmured, my words muffled by the pillow. “Maybe you’ve missed your calling. You really are a man of many talents.”
His hands moved lower, tracing over sore muscles from a week of bending, lifting, and all the countless other things my job as a farrier required. His touch was strong and deliberate, but there was a tenderness in the way his fingers worked over my back like he was paying attention to every little detail.
“Seriously,” I said, my voice softer now. “Where did you learn to do this?”
“Would you believe me if I said YouTube?” he quipped, his thumbs digging into another knot that relaxed my entire body.
I laughed, a real, full laugh that made my shoulders shake.
“But mostly, I just pay attention. You’ve been running yourself ragged, Evie. Somebody has to make sure you’re taken care of.”
The sincerity in his tone hit me like a warm wave. I turned my face to the side again, looking up at him. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, the playful energy between us softened into something deeper.
“You don’t have to take care of me, you know,” I said quietly. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”
He smiled, his hands still moving gently along my back. “I know you have. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. But just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you have to.”
I swallowed hard, his words settling in my chest like a comforting weight. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead, I let my eyes drift closed again, letting myself soak in the moment.
Liam’s hands moved to my lower back, his touch careful, almost reverent.
“You’re tense down here,” he said, his voice low.
“Occupational hazard,” I muttered, my lips curving into a small smile. “You try lifting hooves all day and see how your back feels.”
“I think I’ll leave that to the expert,” he said, his fingers working out a particularly stubborn knot. “But if it means I get to do this afterward, maybe I’ll reconsider.”
I laughed softly, the sound fading into a contented sigh as his hands continued their magic. There was something so intimate with how he touched me—not just physically, but emotionally. It wasn’t about fixing me or rescuing me. It was about being there, about showing up and making me feel like I wasn’t carrying the weight of the world alone.
Liam leaned down, kissing my bare shoulder, and my heart swelled. For the first time in a long time, I let myself feel safe, cared for, and—dare I say it—loved.
The afternoon light spilled through the curtains, golden and warm. The glow over Liam’s broad shoulders highlighted his muscles as he leaned against the headboard with a lazy smile. The sheets were tangled around our legs from laughing and teasing, the kind of fun that left my cheeks flushed and my heart lighter than it had felt in years.
I rolled onto my stomach, propping myself up on my elbows.
“I can’t believe we’ve been in bed all afternoon.”
“I can,” Liam said, smirking. “Best use of a day I’ve had in ages.”
“Stop.” I swatted at him. “You’re incorrigible.”
He laughed, and just as I was about to tease him back, the unmistakable rumble of a school bus echoed from down the street.
“Oh no,” I whispered, my eyes widening in horror.
“What?” Liam asked, sitting up a little straighter.
The sheet fell from his gorgeous, naked body, but even that couldn’t distract me.
“The bus!” I shrieked, scrambling to the edge of the bed. “Hayden’s bus! I have to get outside!”
In my rush, I kicked free of the sheets but fell flat on my face, with the sheet tangling around my ankles.
“Liam.” I squealed and tumbled off the bed with another shriek, landing in an undignified heap on the floor. The sheets twisted tighter with every move as I looked up at the ceiling.
Liam leaned over, his grin full of amusement. “You okay down there, Captain Chaos?”
“Not helping.” I laughed, wriggling and trying to free myself.
“Hold on,” he said, hopping out of bed. “Let me—”
But before I could warn him, he stepped on the trailing sheet and lost his footing, collapsing right on top of me.
“Liam,” I yelped, laughing and groaning at the same time as his full weight pinned me to the floor.
“Alright, this is... not my smoothest moment,” he muttered, his face inches from mine.
I tried to push him up, which only caused the sheets to tighten even more.
“The bus is literally right outside.” My giggles worsened as I scrambled under him. “This is not how I want him to learn about the birds and the bees.”
“I’m trying!” he protested, his laughter erupting as he attempted to untangle himself. “You’re like a human flytrap right now.”
“You’re the one who fell on me,” I muttered, trying to gain some composure.
With one final effort, we managed to untangle ourselves enough for me to stand, throw on some undergarments, and breathe.
My hair was wild, my bra askew, and I was positive I looked like I’d just lost a wrestling match with a tumbleweed.
“You look great,” Liam said, his voice laced with amusement.
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” I shot back, grabbing the first sweatshirt I could find to pull on.
As I stumbled into my jeans, hopping on one foot to get them on, Liam stood there watching, his arms crossed and a ridiculous grin on his face.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just enjoying the show.”
“You’re trouble,” I muttered, yanking my hair into a quick ponytail.
“Is that an upgrade from impossible?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I teased. “Now, move! I need to get outside.”
By the time I burst through the front door, Hayden was halfway down the bus steps, his face lighting up as he saw me.
“Mom,” he called, running toward me, his backpack bouncing behind him. “Guess what we did in science today?”
“Tell me,” I said, kneeling to hug him, my heart racing from the mad dash.
Behind me, I heard the door creak open. Glancing back, I saw Liam leaning against the frame, looking utterly unbothered by the chaos.
“Made it just in time,” he said, smirking.
I shot him a look, my cheeks still flushed. “Barely.”
“Hey, if this is the level of entertainment I can expect, I might stick around more often,” he teased, his grin widening.
“You’re a menace,” I muttered, but my smile betrayed me.
“Maybe,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “But admit it—you’d miss me if I weren’t.”
As Hayden launched into an enthusiastic explanation about his science project, I couldn’t help but think he might be right.
For all the chaos, for all the tangles and near-disasters, life with Liam had a way of making everything feel a little brighter.