Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Athena
He kisses me as if I’m the only thing in the world that matters. I feel that. Right now, at this moment, I sense that I’m the only thing on his mind. I’m all he wants.
I melt into his embrace. His arms circle me. One hand glides down my back to the waistband of my jeans. I feel his fingers tap against me before his hand curls into a fist.
He’s fighting it. He’s fighting his desire to touch my skin.
I don’t have that much self-control. I skim both of my hands over the front of his button-down shirt. My lips never leave his. Our kisses deepen with each second that passes.
My fingers start on a button on his shirt.
I want to see more of him. I’m craving the touch of his skin. Just as I undo the button, the jarring sound of a cell phone ringing draws him a step back.
I know it’s not mine. I silenced it earlier. Work can wait until tomorrow.
Liam stares at my mouth as the phone rings inside the pocket of his pants. It stops but immediately starts again.
“Should you answer that?” I skim my fingers over my lips.
He shakes his head before he nods. “Dammit. Let me check who it is.”
Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he holds it in front of him. “Rhys.”
I’d ask who that is, but I can tell by his furrowed brow that it’s someone who matters to him.
“You need to get that, don’t you?”
“Athena.” My name comes out like a plea between heaving breaths. “I’m sorry.”
I rub a hand over my eyes, silently cursing his phone. “It’s fine.”
“Give me two minutes,” he says before he turns to walk away.
The sound of a door shutting behind him sets me on a path to the sofa. I plop down on my ass, hoping that once Liam reappears, we’ll pick up right where we left off.
It’s been twenty-three minutes since Liam disappeared down the hallway.
I’ve responded to six Wild Lilac emails. I sent a text message to Jeremy asking when he can meet me for lunch so I can pick his brain about my advertising plans for the upcoming holiday season, and I saved a recipe for a southwest chicken salad to the notes on my phone.
I’ll pick up everything I need to cook it and then go to Jeremy and Linny’s house. Their kitchen looks like it belongs on the Food Network.
Mine consists of a hotplate, a small refrigerator, and a pair of mismatched plates with some utensils I found in a drawer when I moved in.
I love cooking, so for now, I’ll take advantage of the open door policy at my brother and sister-in-law’s brownstone.
I still feel at home there.
The sound of a soft knock on Liam’s apartment door almost sends me off the edge of the sofa.
Startled, I twist around.
Whoever is on the other side, knocks again.
Smoothing a hand over my hair, I push to my feet, willing Liam to end his call and get out here.
Two more knocks fill the silence.
Should I see who it is?
I glance down the hallway, but the closed doesn’t open. All I hear is the faint sound of Liam’s voice.
Another knock from the apartment door draws me even closer to it. It could be a neighbor in distress, or maybe it’s that ten-year-old girl Liam gave flowers to.
It can’t hurt to open it, right?
I listen to my inner voice of reason and swing open the door.
“Hey, it’s you.” Darcy, the woman from the pirate -themed restaurant, shoots me a smile. “Athena, right?”
I step back when she pushes her way past me. “Can I help you?”
“You can’t.” She circles a finger in the air in front of my face. “Wolf can.”
My gaze catches on a brown paper shopping bag in her hand.
“I’m here to drop off some of his things.” With a bite of her bottom lip, she goes on. “He left them at my place. I thought tonight would be a perfect night to bring them over.”
Walking away from the open apartment door, I fetch my purse and jacket before I head right back in the same direction. “He’s on the phone.”
She nods as if that’s not news to her. “It figures. I’ll make myself comfortable while I wait for him.”
Running away isn’t something I do, but I need fresh air. Whatever’s in that bag in Darcy’s hand is part of the relationship they once shared.
I don’t need to hang around and watch the exchange of memories.
“I’ll tell Wolf you had somewhere else to be.” Her voice is laced with amusement. “It was good to see you again.”
I can’t say the same, so I exit the apartment and close the door behind me, leaving Liam and one of his ex-girlfriends behind.