Chapter Liam
LIAM
Three days. She waits three days before responding to my text. Seventy-two hours of somehow avoiding me at every turn. Four thousand three hundred and twenty minutes of me getting irritated for absolutely no reason at my brother and my best friend as I wait in purgatory.
Look, it’s not like I thought we’d spend every waking moment together.
I knew Taryn would want her own life. She hangs out with the girls, volunteers at a local food bank, and spends a ridiculous amount of time in study groups.
I had no plans to interfere in that. I have my own shit to do.
But, this is the first time that I’ve felt uneasy about her absence.
Her avoidance. I realize the space shouldn’t bother me so much.
But fuck. It does. She saw a side of me that most people never see.
A side I rarely allow to make an appearance.
I may have scared her beyond what I can fix.
I still text her multiple times a day. I gave her space on Sunday, deciding against returning her call.
But I reached out on Monday. And on Tuesday.
And again first thing this morning because I’m stalkerish enough to know her first class isn’t until this afternoon.
Now, she’s the one ignoring me. I tried to lighten things with inappropriate comments about picking up where we left off.
About what I want to do to her later—in graphic detail.
I regret not finishing what we started in her TV room.
If I had it to do over, I’d have slammed the door in her asshole ex’s face and then taken her up to her bedroom.
She may not think it would mean anything but I’d just have to prove her wrong.
I have no idea how she feels about that now. My last text was a picture sent at sunrise, the first daffodil that had pushed its way up through the thawing earth, outside my living room window.
Me: Bright spot of beauty in an otherwise gray world. Thought of you.
I figured she’d like that. It makes me sound like a pussy, but I hoped it would balance out all the flirty texts that obviously aren’t working for me. I did think of her when I woke up today. That was about an hour ago. Her response, when it finally comes, shocks me.
My beauty: Do you want me to be a lawyer?
I must stare at that text for ten minutes before I answer her.
No mention of Sam. No mention of how sex with me “doesn’t have to mean anything.
” No response to any of my other asinine text messages.
Not even a “good morning.” Do I want her to be a lawyer?
I have no idea what that has to do with anything.
Why do I give a shit if she’s a lawyer? She can be a lawyer, teacher, doctor, or hell, a fucking astronaut for all I care. She’s certainly smart enough.
Me: I want you to be whatever you want to be. I just want you to be my wife as well.
There. Maybe we can finally be done with trying to circumvent the fact that this marriage is happening.
My beauty: You’ll support me going to law school? Practicing law?
Jesus. What is this about?
Me: The University of Chicago has a top law program. Better than Stanford.
My beauty: Probably equal to Stanford. Not better. But I can apply there.
Okay? Has this been bothering her? I thought she wanted to go to California. The whole part about becoming a lawyer didn’t even register with me.
Me: I wish you would. We can go check out the campus together if you want.
Three dots bounce and stop, repeatedly, for a full minute.
My beauty: Thank you, Liam.
All that typing and that’s it? Oh, hell no. I’m finally onto something with this girl and I’m not letting it go.
Me: Why don’t you come over and we can talk about it? I’d like to see you.
My beauty: I just got out of the shower, so I need a little time. I can come by later.
Me: The idea of you not dressed is okay with me. Maybe I’ll come there. Help you dry off.
Seems I can’t help myself.
My beauty: As much as I like the idea of that, I’ll stop by in about an hour.
As much as she likes the idea of that? I shift in my seat. I’m getting hard. Fuck.
Me: You’d like that, huh? You have no idea how much I like hearing that.
My beauty: Maybe you can show me later.
Holy. Fuck. Wait a minute…
Me: Did someone steal your phone?
My beauty: LOL. No. It’s me. Been reevaluating things, that’s all.
My mouth has gone dry.
Me: Get your pretty ass over here so we can reevaluate together.
My beauty: See you soon.
I head to work out so that I can get some of this adrenaline out of my system. I already hit the weights when I woke up today, but if I don’t work off some of this energy, I might maul her when she finally walks through the door.
Exactly an hour later, Danny comes to our basement gym with a smile on his face to let me know she’s here. He and my brother have had to deal with my grumpy ass the last few days. I’m sure he’s delighted that there’s a chance Taryn and I will talk this out.
I reach for my shirt but decide against it. It may be petty to show her what she’s been missing, but I parade upstairs in just my joggers and sneakers. I won’t be winning any awards for subtlety. As if she knows my intent, my fiancée rakes her eyes over me before shaking her head with a smirk.
“I hoped we could talk.” Her voice is strong. She isn’t the timid girl I expected. There’s a fire in her eyes that I wasn’t counting on. She sounds determined.
“Okay.” I don’t know why, but I want her to come to me. Be the first to make a move. I cross my arms over my chest, flex a little in the process.
“Can you put a shirt on? Or do you want to have sex before we talk instead of after?”
I spin around at the choking noise. My brother stands in the space between our kitchen and living room, coughing harshly. He manages to gasp out, “Wrong pipe,” before hacking into his fist again.
Danny takes the orange juice from Ryan’s hand. Gives him a couple swift taps on the back. “Uh, we better leave these two alone.” He grins before steering my wheezing brother toward our game room. Yeah, I guess it’s best not to have an audience for this conversation.
I turn back toward Taryn. I tap my finger against my lips, frowning. “I’m not sure.” I tilt my head to the side as if I’m contemplating what to do next.
Confusion colors her cheeks. “Of what?”
“Whether I want to fuck you now or later.” My gruff voice holds no humor.
I may sound like an asshole, but my comment earns me a genuine smile.
Her face lights up and her eyes sparkle.
God damn. I can’t think straight when she’s looking at me like that.
She steals my breath. I’m sure I can’t hide that expression, because she laughs before sauntering over to put her arms around my neck.
“I like when we’re on the same side. When we have each other’s backs,” she whispers, repeating my words from the first time I kissed her.
She brushes her lips over mine lightly. “I can’t believe this, but I actually missed you.
Let me know what you decide. I know we need to talk, but I’m game either way. ”
This is not how I pictured this conversation going.
Am I really trying to decide if I should fuck her brains out before or after a very necessary, very serious conversation?
Why, yes. Yes, I am. This should be an easy decision, but she smells like temptation and her eyes promise mischief. The good kind. Fuck. I’m only human.
“It fucking took you long enough,” I growl before I fasten my mouth to hers. I thread a hand through the back of her hair so I can devour her. My other arm bands around her waist, not leaving any space between us. Jesus. I missed her taste.
Taryn groans into my mouth and clutches at my back.
She seems every bit as desperate as I am.
This only calls to the animal inside me that’s ready to pin her to my living room wall and fuck her raw.
I have this insane longing to own her and punish her at the same time.
I wrench my mouth from hers to nip at her neck.
The need to mark her is as surprising as it is overwhelming.
I’ve felt the desire to claim her before, but this feral hunger is an altogether new experience.
Jesus. Is this what three days of missing her does to me?
“Liam,” she whimpers as she tilts her head to provide better access. Fuck. She wants this too. Wants me. I move my hands to her delectable ass, so I can lift her to me. She moves in sync with my effort, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I attempt to move us to my bedroom, but stop halfway up the stairs because she isn’t close enough.
Hell, I don’t know if it’s even possible to get her close enough.
I press her into the wall, letting her ass rest slightly on the railing, as I rock against her.
Her hands move to grasp my hair in her fists so she can tilt my head to her liking.
Damn. I love when she takes what she wants.
Fucking love it. I cup her breast as I continue my rocking motion, my tongue plundering her mouth.
She pulls back to nip at my bottom lip. “Liam.” Her voice is husky. “Upstairs.” She tightens her legs around my waist.
Upstairs?
Right. Upstairs.
My bedroom.
I lift her again and carry her onward as she kisses my neck, sucking softly. Seems my little beauty wants to mark me as well.
She squeaks when I unceremoniously throw her on my bed and kick the door shut. Her heavy-lidded eyes watch my every motion as I lower my joggers and underwear in a fell swoop to stand before her, entirely naked. I have no game, but I don’t give a fuck. My composure has snapped.