Chapter Sixty-Two
I stared at Liam. Had I heard him correctly?
‘Me?’ I croaked.
‘You,’ he said quietly. Liam was still holding my hands. He gave them a gentle squeeze. ‘You look horrified. I thought you were coming across as jealous, but maybe I got it wrong.’
My mouth quirked, and I squeezed his hands back.
‘I was jealous,’ I whispered. ‘Very jealous.’
‘Really?’ said Liam, his face brightening.
‘Yes,’ I admitted. ‘But… I can’t quite believe you’re interested in the likes of me.’
‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ he said, looking baffled.
‘Well, because… because… you can have anyone. Plus, you’re totally out of my league.’
‘Don’t say that,’ he said, releasing one of my hands.
He put his index finger to my lips. He’d done that once before.
Last time I’d wanted to kiss it. This time I did.
He immediately pressed it to his lips. ‘You’re beautiful, Jen,’ he said, returning both his hands to mine.
‘You are the one out of my league. I’ve been terrified of showing you my feelings, and for so many reasons – the biggest one being the obvious.
That you’re recently widowed. I don’t want tongues wagging.
I’m happy to go along at a snail’s pace in this relationship – for that is what I want this to be.
So you set the pace. You say how slow or fast you want things to go.
But honestly, when that so-called psychic described you and then told me to stop faffing about, she really put the wind up me.
I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. ’
‘Are you sure she wasn’t describing Miss Big Tits?’ I kidded.
Liam laughed.
‘Women like that make me run in the opposite direction. I’m drawn to you not simply because you’re gorgeous, but also because you’re smart, strong, funny and – don’t be offended – a tiny bit weird.’
‘Weird?’ I gasped.
He pulled a face.
‘All that nonsense about sprinkling your husband’s ashes in the local park.’
‘Ah,’ I said. ‘I can explain-’
‘You don’t need to,’ he assured. ‘I don’t care if you stashed Peter’s ashes in your airing cupboard or scattered him at sea.
All I care about is you. You’re special.
You don’t have to dazzle a room. You don’t have to be loud or bold or anything that you’re not.
I see you. And I’ve been looking for you.
And then I found you!’ He pulled my hands to his chest. ‘You’re in here, Jen.
From the moment I first saw you, you landed right here.
’ Liam touched his heart. ‘When I accidentally stumbled upon you at your husband’s wake, I would go so far as to say it was love at first sight.
Don’t ask me to explain it, because I can’t.
All I knew was that it was rotten timing. ’
‘Careful,’ I joked. ‘If you keep talking like that, I might start to think you’re serious.’
‘Never more so,’ he affirmed. ‘But, hey. Enough. I’ve put all my cards on the table. But other than admitting jealousy over Victoria, you haven’t told me how you truly feel.’
I smiled at him. And not just any old smile. An adoring one. A loving one. This gorgeous man had just poured his heart out to me, and here he was panicking that he’d frightened me off. Really?
‘Did your psychic not tell you how I feel about you?’ I teased.
‘She didn’t,’ he admitted. ‘She simply told me to get a wiggle on before you upped and left, never to be seen again.’
‘My house is on the market,’ I confessed. ‘But, as yet, I have no buyer, nor any idea where to move to. But I now have a sneaking suspicion that I won’t be going any further than Danderbury.’
‘Nice place,’ he said, mock serious. ‘I can personally recommend it.
My smile broadened.
‘And if you think I’m the one for you-’
‘I do,’ he nodded.
‘Then prove it,’ I asserted. ‘Because I’m not as confident as you seem to think, and whilst your declaration was lovely, I always believe action speaks louder than words.’
‘Is that so?’ he said softly.
‘Indeed,’ I murmured, shifting my weight so that I was now the one leaning into him. ‘You see… I need actual proof.’
His mouth was inches from mine.
‘Would you like me to kiss you?’ he whispered.
‘I think that’s a very good starting point.’