Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Audrey
I stand on the balcony of Liam’s beach house in Carlsbad, my eyes fixed on the waves crashing against the shore. The salty breeze whips through my hair, and I can’t help but smile. There’s something about the ocean that always calms me and makes me feel grounded.
I hear the door open behind me, and I turn to see Liam walking in, his skin glistening with sweat from his run. He grins at me, and my heart does a little flip. How is it possible for someone to look so good after a workout?
“Enjoying the view?” he asks, walking over to join me on the balcony.
“I was,” I tease, “until you showed up and ruined it.”
He laughs, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “Ouch, babe. You wound me.”
I lean back into his embrace, relishing the feel of his strong arms. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”
We stand there for a moment, watching the waves together in comfortable silence. Then, Liam clears his throat. “So, I’ve been thinking . . .”
“Uh-oh,” I interrupt. “That’s never a good sign.”
He pinches my side playfully. “Hush, you. I’m trying to be serious here.”
I turn in his arms to face him, my eyebrow raised. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“I know this whole engagement thing started as a fake, but . . .” He pauses, looking down at the ring on my finger. “I don’t want it to be fake anymore.”
My heart skips a beat. “What are you saying, Liam?”
He takes a deep breath. “I’m saying I want you to move in with me. For real. I want to share meals with you, share my bed with you. I want to get to know you better, Audrey. I know we have the real thing here. You’re the woman of my dreams, the love of my life.”
I bite my lip, considering his words. “I don’t know, Liam. We both work, we’re both busy. And what if it doesn’t work out?”
He cups my face in his hands, his eyes intense. “That’s why I want you to keep your apartment. Until we’re both sure about this, about us. But I know it in my heart, in my soul that you’re the love of my life.”
I can’t help but smile. “You do, huh?”
He nods, his thumb stroking my cheek. “I do. So, what do you say? Will you move in with me, Audrey McCallister?”
I pretend to think about it for a moment, just to make him sweat. Then, I grin. “Okay, Liam Cohen. You’ve got yourself a roommate. But only if you share your bed with me.”
He whoops with joy, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around. I laugh, clinging to his shoulders. When he sets me back down, his eyes are sparkling with happiness.
“You won’t regret this, Audrey. I promise.”
I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Promises, promises.”
“Is that a challenge?” His breath tickles my ear. I tighten my grip around his neck, pulling him closer. Our lips meet again, this time more urgently, as if we’re trying to convey words that can’t be spoken.
I place my hands on the back of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. His eyes lock onto mine, a deep, intense gaze that I can stare into forever. “What if I’m challenging you to make me fall more in love with you?” My voice barely above the sound of the waves lapping the shore.
He doesn’t respond with words, but instead, leans in, capturing my lips in a kiss that steals my breath away. It’s a kiss that speaks volumes, a kiss that tells me he’s up for the challenge. His lips move against mine, soft yet firm, coaxing me to respond. And I do, meeting his passion with my own.
Our kiss deepens, becoming more urgent, more desperate. It’s as if we’re trying to convey feelings that can’t be put into words, emotions that run deeper than the ocean. His stubble scratches against my skin. His hands trace patterns on my back, igniting sparks that dance along my nerve endings.
As we stand there, lost in our own world, I can’t help but think about how far I’ve come. Not so long ago, I was afraid to open myself up to the possibility, afraid of love. Probably afraid to live too. But now, every kiss, every touch, every shared moment with him feels like a rebellion against that fear. It’s liberating, exhilarating, and terrifying all at once.
As we break apart, our foreheads resting against each other, I realize that I am no longer afraid—not of loving him, not of what the future holds—because for the first time in my life, I am truly, unabashedly, myself.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replies, the only thing that we hear is the sound of the waves.