Chapter 5 #2
Yes. I filled my glass again and swallowed my shot as soon as I set the bottle down. “I believe it’s my turn. Save that question for later.”
For the next thirty minutes, we went back and forth, asking each other questions that spanned from simple things like how do you like your coffee all the way to embarrassing stories from our teenhood.
The questions blurred and I began opting for shots over answers, letting the liquor speak when words wouldn’t come.
By the final round, I was laughing too hard to answer properly.
My cheeks flushed from both the tequila and from how much I didn’t want the night to end.
I really, really liked spending time with Liam.
I pushed my glass away with a definitive shake of my head. “That’s it. Game over,” I declared, my voice a mix of amusement and resignation. “Any more and I’ll be a disaster.”
Liam raised his hands in surrender, his smile easy and warm. “Fair enough. You held your own longer than I expected.”
“Damn right I did,” I said, grinning, though my words slurred a little. I leaned back in my chair, the tequila’s hazy heat spreading through me, and watched Liam pour himself one last shot. He downed it with a smoothness that suggested he wasn’t nearly as affected as I was.
“Alright, champ,” he said again, breaking the silence as he stepped closer. “What’s next?”
I exhaled, the night air cooling my flushed cheeks. “It’s almost midnight, which means your time is just about up and I should probably head home.”
Liam nodded, his easygoing smile dimming only slightly. “Fair enough, but I’d never be able to live with myself if I put you in a car alone like this. Let me help you get home.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I insist. You’re a great girl. I want to make sure nothing bad happens to you.”
“All right,” I said, trying to sound a little put-off and defeated when really I loved how considerate Liam was.
I stood, wobbling a little, and he set his hand on my hip to steady me.
I bit my lip and begged the swarm of butterflies tearing up my insides to settle. “Who am I to argue with a gentleman?”
As we stepped outside, the crisp air bit at my skin.
It was refreshing but sobering. My mind raced with the realization that I was in my last moments with Liam.
Soon, he’d forget who I was, and even though it was probably a bad idea, I wanted every minute I could get with him.
Liam raised a hand to flag down a car, and within moments, we were tucked inside, the quiet hum of the engine filling the space between us.
The car ride was different from the bar’s lively energy—quieter, charged with something unspoken.
I stole a glance at Liam, who seemed content staring out the window, his profile outlined by the flickering lights passing by.
He didn’t press me for more conversation, and he didn’t try to fill the silence, which was surprisingly relaxing.
I rested my head on his shoulder and tried to commit his scent to memory. I closed my eyes, and before I knew it, the car had stopped, and I was home. Liam paid the driver before I could protest and I murmured, “Thanks,” while stepping onto the sidewalk.
He followed, standing close enough to feel his presence but not crowded, then asked, “Can I walk you up?”
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. “The rule still stands. I’m not sleeping with you.”
“Even if you changed your mind, I wouldn’t let you.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.” Though even as I mocked him, I could tell it was true.
Sadly, it had crossed my mind to invite him inside, but things would get awkward if I rushed him into bed and he forgot who I was mid-stroke.
I stuck my key in the lock and opened the door, the thought of us spending the night together a lingering battle I knew better than to let win.
“Scouts honor,” he replied, holding up two fingers, his expression mockingly serious.
My laugh came easily, cutting through any awkwardness. The moment stretched as we stood there, his tall frame towering over mine, his hands tucked back into his jacket pockets as though he were restraining himself.
“Well, good night,” I said, my hand resting on the doorknob, but just as I was about to step inside, something stopped me. I turned back, closed the space between us in a single breath, and kissed him.
It should have been soft, fleeting, and innocent, but instead, this kiss felt like its claws were sinking into my heart.
My fingers brushed the curve of Liam’s jaw, my lips pressing against his with a desperation I didn’t mean to show, and he kissed me back just as ravenous.
I wanted more than one night. I wanted to know what it would feel like to laugh with him again and to kiss him without the weight of magic pulling the strings.
But as I felt the threads of my spell unwinding, my heart sank. I knew this was all we would ever be. In less than a minute, Liam would forget me. The memory of the night would remain, but I would be erased from it like I’d never existed.
I pulled back and looked into his green eyes, committing every fleck of gold and every unspoken desire to memory. It was the last time I'd see him look at me like this.
“Thank you for tonight,” I said softly, my voice trembling despite the small smile I forced to my lips. “I really enjoyed it.”
“Me too,” Liam replied, his brow furrowing slightly. “Can I see you again?”
I cupped his cheek, my thumb brushing against the faint stubble as tears stung my eyes. I couldn’t answer him. Not truthfully.
“Goodbye, Liam,” I whispered, letting the weight of the words settle between us before stepping inside and closing the door. I leaned against it, my chest heavy and my heart aching. My fingers trembled as I pulled my phone from my purse to look at the time. 12:02.
The spell was done. My magic was gone for an entire year. I should have felt rejuvenated, like a flower finally kissed by the sun after too long in the shade.
But all I felt was regret.
The lingering ache refused to fade as I stared down at my phone. I scrolled to Dahlia’s name, my lips pressing into a thin line. My sister had meddled tonight—she had to have. It was the only explanation as to why my chest felt tight and for why Liam’s touch lingered like an ember refusing to die.
I hovered my thumb over the call button, hesitant to reach out this late. Whatever Dahlia had done to me, I wanted it undone. I needed this feeling gone before it consumed me.