Chapter 18 #2
“Good speech, by the way,” I add. “It was funny and sweet. Nate may have wanted to die a little, but he’ll get over it.”
Liam grins at me. “He knew what he was getting when he asked me.”
He makes a good point. If Nate thought he’d come away from that speech unscathed, he really should have asked Brody. Then again, I’m not sure Brody would have been up to the task. Between losing Heather and being a man of few words, Liam was the better choice. Even if he is love-averse.
Something I need to remind myself of.
He leans closer to me, murmuring in my ear, “Bridal party dance is up next.”
I hum with a soft laugh. “You don’t dance.”
“Making an exception tonight.”
My head snaps in his direction. I suppose I always knew he was going to need to dance when we all went up there, but he’s making it sound like he’s going to dance the night away.
“As best man I suppose you’re dancing with Maddie.” Maddie being Savanna’s maid of honor.
“Nope,” he says as the DJ asks for the rest of the bridal party to join on the dance floor. Liam stands to his full height, offering me his hand. “That’s Brody’s best man duty. I’d prefer to dance with you. If you’ll have me.”
I’m not sure my heart has ever raced like it is now.
Not once did it occur to me that I may dance with Liam tonight.
Not when he claims not to dance, and not when he’s taken on so many of the best man duties over Brody.
I just assumed he would dance with Maddie, and I would dance with Brody.
Leave it to him to ensure that didn’t happen.
Taking his hand, I push up from my chair, my teeth skimming over my bottom lip as he guides me out from around the table, toward the dance floor. My hand has never felt as delicate as it does in his larger one.
Actually, that’s how I feel as a whole. Delicate. Soft. Elegant.
And it’s all because Liam’s eyes haven’t left mine since he asked me if I’d have him.
The tenderness in the brown depths is overwhelming.
I know, in this moment, the only thing he sees is me.
The ballroom has disappeared. The people are gone.
It’s just him and me as he raises our hands and slips his free one around my waist to the small of my back.
I press my free hand against his chest and slide it up, until it’s sitting on his shoulder.
Leaning into him, he begins to move us slowly around the dance floor, leading me in a way I didn’t know he possessed.
It takes my breath away.
“Have I told you how stunning you look today?” he asks, his normally boisterous voice down to a whisper.
The smile already on my face widens, though it remains soft. “Once or twice.”
Any chance he’s gotten he’s told me. Which is completely like him.
What isn’t like him is how he hasn’t once whispered how he can’t wait to peel this dress off me.
This entire day has been Liam revealing a completely different side of him that I’ve never seen before.
I don’t know if anyone has ever seen it.
I love that he trusted me with his story.
Opening up to me is the biggest layer I’ve had the honor of peeling back when it comes to Liam.
I know that wasn’t easy for him, and I feel beyond privileged that he chose me.
Above his brothers and sisters at the fire station, above Nate who is his best friend, or Brody who I think would be the king of keeping secrets.
Not to mention Quinn, who I know he’s close with, and has family stuff of her own.
He chose me. He picked me.
How do I give that up? How do I give him up?
How do I get over what I know in my heart I feel for him?
I’ve fallen in love with Liam King.
“You two maybe wanna take it down a notch?”
Just like that, whatever spell we’ve been under snaps, releasing us from its hold. I jump at the sound of Nate’s voice at our side, blinking rapidly to clear my head of all the things swimming through it while Liam’s head snaps to the side to look at his best friend.
“We’re just dancing,” he defends, sounding like he’s battling within himself whether he should be guilty, or mad, at the sudden intrusion.
“Tell that to the aunts,” Savanna quips, subtly nodding her head to my right.
I follow her eyes to find all of my aunts standing at the side of the dance floor, practically salivating.
My face flames as they all smile and give a little wave when I meet each of their eyes.
As clear as day, I know they’re planning mine and Liam’s wedding.
Probably how many kids we’re going to have too, and what names we should use.
Liam is having none of it. “You wanted us to convince them, we’ve convinced them. Leave me to my date and go enjoy your bride, dude.”
Without another word, he’s using the guise of a spin to carry me away from them.
Then he pushes me away from his body to twirl me around, causing me to gasp and laugh in delight.
When he pulls me back to him and I crash into his body, he grins down at me, his hand sliding back around my waist to pull me tightly to him.
My stomach is swirling with butterflies as giggles pour out. “Where did you learn how to do that?”
“Luke may have shown us all a thing or two,” he confesses without shame. “Didn’t realize how handy it would be.”
“You never cease to surprise me.”
“Good. I strive for that.”
Glancing over his shoulder where Nate and Savanna are dancing, I bite down on my bottom lip. Liam and I were in our own world for what felt like seconds, but also eternity. How convincing did it look if Nate felt the need to say something?
“Do you think he suspects something?” I ask, curling my fingers into Liam’s shoulder.
“Not even a little bit.” Moving our hands that are locked together, he brings them to my chin to pull my attention away from Nate and back to him.
He’s so chill and relaxed that I can’t help but let out some of the tension in my shoulders.
“Had nothing to do with him and everything to do with your mom.”
My head rears back. “What?”
His eyes move to the side without turning his head and I follow the path they would take, to find my parents across the dance floor, moving at their own pace to the music.
They’ve been dancing through the entire song, so I’m not surprised to see them there, but I am surprised to see my mom is laser focused on Liam and me.
“Nate is completely consumed by Savanna. He’s hardly been able to look at anything but her all day,” he explains in a hushed whisper. “But your mom has been watching us since I came over to you at the table. And any time we’ve been anywhere near each other today.”
My eyebrows knit together. “How do you know that?”
“Because I’m Nate’s second. I’m trained to observe everything when he’s distracted.”
He’s so nonchalant about it. Like it’s the most natural thing in the entire world.
And for him, I suppose it is. But for me, it’s not.
For me it’s downright heart melting. To know that he looks after my brother in that way makes me want to burst into tears of joyful emotion and confess everything I feel for him.
Even though they aren’t at work, Liam has Nate’s back.
I swallow thickly, pushing down the urge to say things I won’t be able to take back. “You never stop looking out for him, do you?”
“Never.” Liam smiles, putting my hand up on his shoulder so he can use his now free one to brush his thumb across my cheek. “With one exception, I suppose.”
Me. He doesn’t need to say it. I know I’m the exception.
Tightening my arms around his neck, I pull myself closer, forcing him to drop his hand to wrap it around my waist. I press my face against the side of his neck, closing my eyes against the sting of tears.
Being the exception is the exact reason I have to give him up tomorrow.