10. Liam
When I gotout of the shower, I was cooled down enough to sit and talk with Emily.
But when I got to the living room, I found her curled up on the couch, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling as she slept.
Instead of waking her, I pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa and covered her small body, letting my fingers linger against the bare skin of her arms.
She really was perfect.
I was fecking in love with this girl, and she was going to leave me.
I couldn’t stay in the room with her and just stare at that beautiful face, so I headed back out of the apartment without leaving a note.
If she needed me, I had my phone. And it’s not like her brother wasn’t around somewhere.
But I needed to get my head on straight.
I told her I loved her, and she said she didn’t know what it was, but that was bullshit.
I saw it in the way she looked at me.
The way our bodies connected when we made love.
This was more than just some fling; it was real.
But now she was really fecking leaving.
I didn’t realize where I had walked until I was standing in front of Trinity College’s Parliament Square, with its high walls surrounding it, making it somewhat of an oasis in the middle of the busy city.
I’d always find tourists mingling with the college kids at this place, no one batting an eye at the large man staring up at one of the towers like he’d just discovered the key to happiness.
And maybe I finally had.
Now, I was eager to see if I could get everything in place before then.
When I got back to the apartment, Michael and Emily were nowhere to be found.
I wasn’t gone for that long, but panic rose in my throat as I scoured the place. I finally found her in Michael’s bedroom, her bag half-packed.
I stopped just in the doorway. “What are you doing?”
“I”m just getting some of my stuff together. I figured maybe I could even spend the last few days in a hotel if you didn’t want me here.”
I slowly walked closer. “What makes you say that, mo ghra?”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “Well, you didn’t exactly have the best reaction when I told you about school…”
I sighed, shaking my head. “No, I didn’t, and I’m sorry. But can we talk about this? Maybe go for a walk and get some fresh air.”
She sighed, looking out the window before nodding. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
For two people who were supposed to be having a conversation, we didn’t say a word as we left the apartment and headed down the busy cobblestone streets.
She was probably waiting for me to say something, but I wasn’t ready yet. I had a plan and knew we were just around the corner.
“You haven’t gotten to see much of the city since you’ve been here,” I said, walking in step with her on the crowded sidewalk.
She shook her head, a blush creeping on her cheeks. “No, I really haven’t.”
“Most tourists come and love the Trinity College library. I think they even filmed some famous movies here,” I said, turning toward campus.
“I think I’ve heard of it, and yeah, that would be a great place to visit.”
She eyed me skeptically as we walked the cobblestone path toward Parliament Square.
“I did some searching on my phone with their admissions department. Americans can apply for transfer here. They have a lot of the same degrees as they do in America, too.”
She blinked slowly, looking up at the grand architecture. “Huh, I guess I never thought about that.”
“Would you like to stay here in Dublin and go to Trinity?” I finally asked, holding my breath as I stopped and turned toward her.
“Are you serious?”
Her eyes widened as they locked with mine.
I grabbed her hands, running my fingers over the emerald ring she still wore on her finger.
“I told you this was as real as you want it to be, and I want this to be real. I want you to stay here with me. I want to come home every day from practice and see you studying for your classes. Or have dinner with you every night. And to wake up with you beside me each morning. I want it all, Emily.”
I took another step closer, our toes now pressed together. “I meant it when I said I love you and I want you to stay here with me. What do you say, Emily? Should we make this real? Will you stay here with me? Keep this ring and marry me?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as her bottom lip quivered.
I sucked in a breath, waiting for her reply.
Finally, she nodded, the tears now springing freely from her eyes as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Yes, Liam, yes to all.”
I laughed, wrapping my arms around her waist and swinging her around before finally setting her down.
Then I leaned in, sealing my words with a kiss.
She whispered into my mouth. “And I love you, too, Liam. For real.”
“Then let’s get the rest of our lives started, mo ghra. For real.”