26. Whispers of Healing
Chapter 26
Whispers of Healing
Hannah
T he quiet creak of floorboards beneath our feet feels deafening in the hushed darkness as Liam and I climb the stairs. My heart pounds against my ribs, a mix of anticipation and lingering nerves making my palms damp. At the top landing, I pause, turning to face him.
“I need to check on Cam,” I whisper, not wanting to break the delicate silence. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
Liam’s eyes soften with understanding as he leans down to brush his lips against mine in a feather-light kiss. “Take your time.” His voice is low and warm, sending a shiver down my spine before he continues down the hall toward my bedroom.
I watch him go for a moment, drinking in the broad expanse of his shoulders, the confident set of his stride. Even after all these years, he still moves with that same purpose that first drew me to him in high school. Back then, I thought I knew what love was. Now I understand it’s so much deeper, richer, more complex than my teenage self could have imagined.
Shaking off the memories, I pad quietly to Cam’s door and ease it open. The soft glow of the lamp by his bed spills across his sleeping form, peaceful in a way I rarely saw when we lived with Charlie. His face is relaxed, one arm thrown carelessly above his head, book open on his chest where it fell forward when he fell asleep, while gentle snores escape his slightly parted lips.
My beautiful, brave boy.
This old house may be falling apart—though we’re slowly fixing it, making it a home—but there’s more love and peace within these walls than Charlie’s mansion ever held. Here, Cam can just be a kid—playing video games, joining baseball practice, making friends without walking on eggshells. Here, we’re finally free to breathe.
I adjust his blanket where it’s slipped down, resisting the urge to smooth back his dark hair—so like his father’s. His real father .
Liam may not have raised him, but that connection was there from the start, visible in more than just their matching eyes and stubborn chins. It’s in the way they both light up talking about cars, their shared competitive streak, even the way they scrunch their noses when concentrating.
“Sweet dreams, sweetie,” I whisper before turning off his lamp and quietly stepping away, closing his door behind me.
My feet carry me down the hall to my bedroom almost of their own accord. I pause in the doorway, my breath catching at the sight before me. Liam stands at the window, his powerful frame silhouetted against the star-studded sky. The moonlight paints silver highlights in his dark hair, catching on the strong line of his jaw. He’s lost in thought, tension visible in the set of his shoulders.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask softly, not wanting to startle him.
He turns, and the raw heat in his gaze steals my breath. “You.”
That single word, loaded with meaning and desire, breaks something loose inside me. I cross the room in quick steps as he turns to face me fully. We come together like magnets snapping into place, his hands cupping my face as our lips crash together in a kiss that sets my blood on fire.
There’s nothing gentle about this kiss. It’s all desperate need and burning passion. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, claiming me thoroughly as I clutch at his shoulders. Every brush of his lips, every stroke of his tongue speaks of possession, of coming home. I melt into him, surrendering to the intensity between us.
When we finally break apart, we’re both panting. I can feel his heart thundering against my palm where it rests on his chest.
“I need you,” I whisper against his lips. “Need to feel you.”
“I’m yours.” His voice is rough with emotion as his thumbs stroke my cheeks. “Always have been, always will be. No one else.”
My hands tremble slightly as I reach for the buttons of his shirt. He lets me work them free one by one, his heated gaze never leaving my face. When I push the fabric from his shoulders, revealing the muscled planes of his chest, my mouth goes dry. He’s beautiful and strong and scarred just like me. He didn’t get his scars the way I did, but he has them nonetheless.
His hands find the hem of my sweater, pausing as his eyes search mine for permission. At my nod, he slowly draws it up and over my head, leaving me in just my bra. The cool air pebbles my skin, but it’s his intense stare that makes me shiver.
We undress each other with reverent touches, each revealed inch of skin celebrated with gentle caresses. When I stand before him completely naked, vulnerability washes over me. Charlie’s voice whispers poisonous words in my head about stretch marks and imperfections. I start to cross my arms over my chest, but Liam catches my wrists.
“Don’t hide from me.” His voice is firm but gentle as he draws my arms back to my sides. “You’re beautiful. Perfect.”
Before I can protest, he leans down and places a tender kiss directly over my heart. “So beautiful,” he murmurs against my skin before taking my nipple into his mouth.
The wet heat of his tongue sends jolts of pleasure straight to my core. He lavishes attention on first one breast then the other, alternating between gentle suction and teasing nips until I’m gasping and squirming.
“Liam.” I moan, tangling my fingers in his hair.
He guides me backward until my legs hit the edge of the bed. “Lie back for me, sweetheart.”
I do as he asks, scooting up toward the pillows as he follows me onto the mattress. His powerful body covers mine, skin against skin, but he holds himself up on his forearms to keep from crushing me. The position brings our faces close together, his dark eyes burning into mine with an intensity that makes my heart stutter.
“I’m going to worship every inch of you.” He promises in a low voice that sends shivers racing down my spine. “Show you exactly how precious you are to me.”
True to his word, he starts a slow exploration of my body, mapping me with lips and tongue and gentle fingers. He traces the curve of my collarbone with kisses, nuzzles the sensitive spot behind my ear that makes me gasp. His hands stroke my sides as his mouth returns to my breasts, drawing deep moans from my throat as he sucks and nibbles.
I arch into his touch, desperate for more, but he maintains his maddeningly slow pace. He seems determined to memorize every freckle, every scar, every sensitive spot that makes me whimper. When his hand finally slides between my thighs, we both groan at how wet I am.
“Fuck, sweetheart.” His voice is strained as his fingers tease my entrance. “So ready for me.”
He strokes my clit with gentleness while continuing to lavish attention on my breasts. The dual sensations have me writhing beneath him, pleasure building steadily as he slowly works first one finger then two inside me. The stretch is delicious, his fingers thick and knowing exactly how to curl to hit that spot that makes stars explode behind my eyes.
Just as I’m about to tumble over the edge, he withdraws his fingers. I whine in protest, hips lifting to chase his touch.
His low chuckle vibrates against my breast. “Patience, sweetheart. Want to taste you first. Want you to come in my mouth.”
Before I can process his words, he’s sliding down my body, pressing open-mouthed kisses to my stomach, my hip bones, the insides of my thighs. The first swipe of his tongue against my core has me arching off the bed with a cry that I quickly muffle with my hand, mindful of Cam down the hall.
Liam takes his time here too, alternating between broad strokes of his tongue and focused attention on my clit. He seems to delight in drawing out my pleasure, bringing me to the edge only to back off and start again. By the time he finally lets me come, I’m a trembling mess, barely able to remember my own name.
I’m still shaking with aftershocks when I feel him moving up my body. The crinkle of a condom wrapper barely registers through my pleasure-hazed brain. Then he’s there, the blunt head of his cock pressing against my entrance as he captures my lips in a deep kiss.
He enters me slowly, letting me feel every thick inch as he stretches and fills me. The sensation is overwhelming—not just physically but emotionally. This is Liam, my first love, the father of my child, the man who’s stood by me through everything. He belongs here, belongs with me, in me, around me.
“Hannah,” he breathes against my lips once he’s fully seated. “My Hannah.”
I wrap my legs around his waist, drawing him even deeper as I cup his face in my hands. “Yours.”
He starts to move then, with slow, deep strokes that have me melting into him. Every thrust feels deliberate, like he’s trying to imprint himself on my very soul. His eyes never leave mine, holding me captive with the intensity of his gaze as he makes love to me.
Time loses all meaning as we move together. There’s only this—the slide of skin on skin, the perfect rhythm we create, the way he seems to read my body’s every need. He alternates between slow, grinding thrusts that have me gasping and harder, deeper strokes that make me cry out into his shoulder.
When I feel myself getting close again, I dig my nails into his back. “Please,” I whimper, not even sure what I’m begging for.
But Liam knows. He always knows. He shifts his angle slightly, hitting that perfect spot inside me while his thumb finds my clit. “Come for me, sweetheart. Want to feel you.”
The combination of his words, his touch, and the pure love shining in his eyes sends me spiraling. He captures my cry with his mouth, swallowing my moans as pleasure courses through me in waves. A few more deep thrusts and he follows me over, groaning my name against my lips as his hips stutter and still.
We lie tangled together afterward, trading soft kisses as our breathing slowly returns to normal. His weight on top of me feels grounding rather than crushing, and I run my fingers through his sweat-dampened hair as contentment settles deep in my bones.
“Stay,” I whisper when he starts to move. “Just… stay like this for a minute.”
He props himself up enough to look at me, his expression so tender it makes my heart ache. “I’ll stay as long as you want me.”
“Forever?” The word slips out before I can stop it, vulnerability making my voice shake.
His answering smile is bright enough to light up the darkness. “Forever sounds perfect to me.”
He kisses me again, soft and sweet, before carefully withdrawing and disposing of the condom. When he returns to bed, he gathers me close against his chest, one hand stroking up and down my spine. I press my ear over his heart, letting its steady rhythm soothe me.
We lie there in comfortable silence for a while, just breathing together. His fingers trace idle patterns on my skin while I listen to his heartbeat. After everything we’ve been through—all the pain and fear and uncertainty—this moment feels like coming home.
As I drift toward sleep, Liam’s heartbeat strong and steady beneath my ear, I silently thank whatever twist of fate brought him back into my life. Second chances don’t come often, but I’m going to grab onto this one with both hands and never let go.
Tomorrow will bring new challenges, new steps forward in our journey together. But for now, I’m exactly where I belong—safe in the arms of the man I love, with our son sleeping peacefully down the hall.
For the first time in over a decade, I’m truly home.
The world still slumbers in darkness as I slowly drift into consciousness. Through half-lidded eyes, I study Liam’s sleeping form beside me, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. In the dim pre-dawn light filtering through my bedroom window, his features are softened, making him look younger—almost like the boy I fell in love with all those years ago.
My fingers itch to trace the strong line of his jaw, now covered in morning stubble, but I resist the urge to touch him. He needs his rest. Instead, I carefully slip out from under his arm and ease off the bed.
The floorboards creak softly under my feet as I retrieve my robe from the back of the door. The silk is cool against my bare skin as I wrap it around myself, tying the sash securely. With one last glance at Liam’s peaceful face, I pad quietly from the room.
Downstairs, the house is silent except for the gentle hum of the refrigerator and the faint ticking of the old wall clock in the kitchen. It’s barely 5 AM—Cam won’t need to be up for school for at least another couple of hours. The thought of Cam brings a smile to my face. Liam’s son. The paternity test results made it official, though I’d known the truth in my heart since he was a baby.
I go through the familiar motions of making coffee, finding comfort in the routine. The rich aroma fills the kitchen as the machine gurgles and drips. While I wait, I lean against the counter and let my mind wander.
So much has changed in such a short time. It wasn’t that long ago, I was still trapped in my marriage to Charlie, walking on eggshells and living in constant fear. Now here I am, divorced and free, with Liam back in my life and Cam finally knowing the truth about his father. Sometimes it feels like a dream—like I’ll wake up and find myself back in that nightmare.
The coffee maker beeps softly, pulling me from my thoughts. I pour a cup, doctoring it with just a splash of cream, and make my way to the back door. The screen door squeaks slightly as I push it open and step out onto the back porch.
A light mist hovers over the ground, ethereal in the predawn darkness. The air is cool but not cold, carrying the fresh scent of dew-dampened grass and early spring flowers. Without conscious thought, my feet carry me across the yard toward the massive old oak tree that’s stood sentinel over this property for generations.
The rough bark is familiar under my palm as I lean against the trunk. How many nights did Liam and I spend here as teenagers, stealing kisses and whispering dreams to each other under the cover of darkness? This tree holds so many memories—both sweet and bittersweet.
I take a sip of coffee and let my gaze drift over the misty field beyond my yard. The eastern sky is just beginning to lighten, the first hints of dawn painting the clouds in shades of pearl and lavender. Everything feels peaceful, full of possibility.
For the first time in years, I’m allowing myself to think about the future—to imagine what life could be like now that I’m free to choose my own path. The thought is both exhilarating and terrifying. After spending so long simply trying to survive each day, the concept of actually building a life feels almost foreign.
The sound of footsteps in the grass behind me makes my heart skip, but I recognize the cadence immediately. A smile tugs at my lips as strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.
“What are you doing out here so early?” Liam’s voice is rough with sleep, his breath warm against my ear.
I lean back against his chest, savoring his solid presence. “Just thinking.”
“Mm.” His hands stroke soothingly up and down my sides. “About what?”
Heat floods my cheeks as I remember some of our more passionate encounters against this very tree. “About how many times you held me right here and kissed me like your life depended on it when we were teenagers.”
His low chuckle vibrates through my back. “That’s not all we did against this tree.”
“No.” I agree, my own laugh joining his. “It’s not.”
He takes my coffee cup and sets it carefully on the ground before turning me to face him. My breath catches at the hungry look in his eyes. Even after all these years, he can still make my heart race with just a glance.
“Like this?” he murmurs, pressing me back against the trunk. His hands bracket my head as he leans in close, his body caging mine.
When his lips meet mine, it’s not the hesitant kisses of our youth. This is a man who knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. He kisses me deeply, thoroughly, pouring his entire soul into it. I melt into him, my hands sliding up his bare chest to lock behind his neck.
The bark is rough against my back through the thin silk of my robe, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is the heat of Liam’s mouth, the solid warmth of his body pressed against mine, the way his hands tangle in my hair. Everything else fades away until there’s nothing but this moment, nothing but us.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing heavily. Liam rests his forehead against mine, his thumbs stroking my cheeks.
“Was that all you were thinking about?” he asks softly.
I shake my head slightly, not pulling away. “No.”
“Care to tell me?”
I consider the question carefully, trying to put my jumbled thoughts into words. “That I want more nights like last night. More mornings waking up together. More family dinners with you and Cam.” I lift my head to meet his eyes in the dim light. “I want a real future with you, Liam. If… if that’s what you want too.”
The smile that spreads across his face is breathtaking. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted, sweetheart. You, me, Cam—a real family.” He cups my cheek, thumb stroking my skin. “We’ll take it as slow as you need. No pressure. I’m not going anywhere.”
Tears prick at my eyes as overwhelming love for this man fills my chest. He’s always known exactly what I need, even when I’m not sure myself. “Thank you for being so patient with me. For giving me time to heal.”
“Hey.” He tips my chin up when I try to look away. “You don’t need to thank me for that. You’re the strongest person I know, Hannah. Watching you reclaim your life, your happiness—it’s been incredible. I’m just grateful you’re letting me be part of it.”
A breeze rustles through the leaves above us, carrying the sweet scent of spring. The sky is lightening rapidly now, the first rays of sunlight beginning to burn away the morning mist. Standing here in Liam’s arms, I feel something inside me shift and settle into place.
The words rise up from my heart, pure and true. “I love you.”
His breath catches audibly, his arms tightening around me. The relief and joy that floods his expression makes my heart ache.
“You have no idea how good those words sound,” he murmurs, voice rough with emotion.
I cup his face in my hands, needing him to understand the depth of what I’m feeling. “I love you so much, Liam. I always have, even when I tried to convince myself I didn’t. Even when I was too scared to admit it.”
“I love you too, Hannah.” He presses his forehead to mine again. “God, I love you. We’re going to build an amazing life together—everything you’ve dreamed of and more. I promise.”
Our lips meet again, softer this time but no less passionate. His kisses taste like promises and hope, like all the possibilities stretching out before us. My heart feels so full it might burst.
The sound of a car door slamming in the distance reminds me that the world is waking up around us. Soon Cam will need to get ready for school, and Liam will have to head to the shop. But for now, I let myself linger in this perfect moment, memorizing every detail.
The rough bark at my back. The warmth of Liam’s hands on my waist. The way the rising sun paints everything in shades of gold. The taste of coffee and love on my lips. The feeling of absolute rightness settling in my bones.
This is what healing feels like. Not the absence of scars, but the presence of hope. Not forgetting the past, but believing in the future. Not being magically “fixed,” but choosing to move forward anyway.
The breeze picks up, making me shiver slightly in my thin robe. Liam immediately pulls me closer, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.
“We should head inside,” he says reluctantly. “You’re cold.”
I nod but make no move to leave his embrace. “Just a few more minutes?”
His smile is tender as he kisses my forehead. “Whatever you need, sweetheart. Always.”
We stand together in comfortable silence, watching the sun rise over the misty field. His heartbeat is steady under my cheek, a rhythm I want to fall asleep and wake up to for the rest of my life.
“What time is Cam’s baseball practice today?” Liam asks after a while.
“Four-thirty.” I smile at his obvious attempt to make plans to be there. “You don’t have to come to every practice, you know.”
“I want to.” His voice is firm. “I’ve missed so much already. I don’t want to miss anything else.”
My heart squeezes at the hint of regret in his tone. “That wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know.”
“Still.” His arms tighten around me. “I’m here now, and I want to be involved in everything. The good stuff and the hard stuff.”
“I know you do.” I lift my head to look at him. “And I love you for it. But you don’t have to make up for lost time all at once. We have the rest of our lives ahead of us.”
His eyes light up at that. “The rest of our lives, huh?”
Heat floods my cheeks as I realize what I implied, but I don’t take it back. “Yeah. If… if that’s what you want.”
“Sweetheart, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He kisses me again, deep and thorough, until I’m clutching his shoulders just to stay upright. When he pulls back, his eyes are dark with promise. “And I plan to spend every day showing you exactly how much I want that future with you.”
A shiver that has nothing to do with the morning chill runs down my spine. “Is that so?”
“Mm-hmm.” His lips trail down my neck, making my breath catch. “Starting right now.”
“Liam.” I try to sound stern but it comes out more like a moan. “We have to get Cam up for school soon.”
“We have time.” His hands slide lower, untying my robe. “Let me love you, Hannah. Please?”
As if I could ever resist him when he asks like that. As if I would want to.
I pull his mouth back to mine in answer, pouring all my love and need into the kiss. His hands slip inside my robe, calloused palms skimming over my bare skin, making me gasp.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips. “So perfect. Love you so much.”
The sun continues to rise, painting the world in shades of gold and promise. But I’m lost in Liam’s touch, in the love shining in his eyes, in the future stretching out before us.
This is healing. This is hope. This is love.
This is everything I never dared to dream I could have again.
And I’m never letting it go.
For the first time in years, I’m not just surviving.
I’m living.
I’m loving.
I’m healing.
And it feels like flying.