He reaches forward, taking my hand—risky but grateful. He gives it a gentle squeeze before letting go, a soft, closed-lip smile on his face. I shake my head in denial, and he mirrors me, shaking his for an entirely different reason—admitting defeat.
He's been here before.
"No," I say, finding Ruthie again. "There has to be—"
"Wait!" Her body language flips as she sits up straight, her eyes full of hope. Liam and I both freeze, waiting for her to finish. "Will you do it, Tess?"
I stay frozen, her words washing over me. My throat tightens with emotion, but a quiet relief loosens in my chest. "Me?" I question.
Ruthie nods vigorously, and I feel Liam's eyes on me. I meet his gaze—jaw tight, throat moving up and down. I think at first he might be upset that she asked, but when the corners of his lips turn up, I know the flare in his nostrils isn't sadness or anger. It's pride.
And that same rush of relief.
"Are… are you sure?" I ask her.
She stands eagerly. "Yes! It'd be so fun. Plus, we'd totally kick Kenzie and her mom's snooty butts."
"Roo…" Liam warns.
I laugh, but tears threaten to fall. I'm not great at soccer, but I'm athletic enough. And no, I don't really have the mental space to deal with these… snooty moms as Ruthie called them. But this? I can make time for this.
I clear my throat, choking them back. "Well, in that case… hell yeah," I say, my voice much steadier than I feel.
Ruthie giggles, her eyes darting to Liam, and my hand flies to my mouth. "I mean, yes." I chuckle too. "Yes, of course." I dare to look over, but when I do, Liam's nothing but smiles.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Ruthie cheers, running over to me and throwing her arms around my waist.
I squeeze her back as Liam stands. He pats Ruthie on the back, then bends down to kiss the top of her head. "You don't have to do this," Liam whispers.
Jo flies to mind—my phone going off, insurance calls, her birth date flashing like a warning sign. But then I glance down and see Ruthie still smiling against me, and I know right away that I'll figure everything out.
"Of course I'm sure."
He locks eyes with me, his head shifting back and forth in blissful disbelief, his expression dripping with intensity. "Thank you," he grinds out.
I offer Liam a smile, then run my hand through Ruthie's hair. "Anything for you two."
The hot water cascades down my back, steam fogging the glass around me. But that's not why I feel all warm inside.
Ruthie asked me to play with her in her soccer game. Of course, I'd love to have a chance to kick some mean-soccer-mom-ass, but more than that, I'm just happy that she felt comfortable asking. And that she wants me there in the first place.
When Liam and I started giving in to this pull between us, Ruthie was always my main concern—my job caring for her, how it could affect her, our relationship. And yes, we share a connection and have a bond that grows stronger every day, but this… this feels bigger. Deeper. Less surface-level and more life-changing.
At least, to me.
Now, just a few hours later, here I am—pumping soap from my vanilla cupcake body wash as I continue picturing Liam's reaction. His face was bright, but his eyes were dark, coated with passion I've seen from him before—with Ruthie, on the field… between my legs.
Holy shit.
It's the way he looks at things he…
"Tessa?"
My name bounces off the glass, affecting me instantly. My nipples peak, my skin buzzing beneath my fingertips, and my heartbeat suddenly hammers in my chest.
"Liam?" I ask, my voice breathy as I subconsciously continue washing myself. "What are you doing?"
"Can I come in?"
