“Mmm,” Lexi hums curiously and takes a sip of her cider. “Explain.”
“I was engaged. Now I’m not,” Liam says easily. His eyes are on me, tracking my expression. “I’m going to talk about it with Calypso before the group.”
Lexi squints, desperate to ask a hundred more questions. I almost wish she would, but I refuse to put Liam on the spot like that.
“Next,” I command with impatience and point at Knox, who is sitting next to Lexi.
He nods and takes a swig of his beer, thinking it over. “Okay, never have I ever…”
Knox throws out skinny dipping, a much safer topic and one we all put a finger down for.
Instead of ganging up on me, Lexi and Vivi use their turns to pull as much information out of Liam as possible. The rest of the game is less surprising, though I learn some new things about Liam. One of his tattoos is a stick-and-poke he got at a party—the dice, which surprised me—and he’s gotten his balls waxed on a dare in college.Never again, he swore.
It’s a good night.
It always is with Liam… even with the lingering questions about his ex-fiancée.
My siblings and the crowds left thirty minutes ago, a few hours after the drone show. It was way better than fireworks, which Liam felt very strongly about.
Neither of us have made a move to leave yet. The low flames and moonlight drape us in a hazy intimacy that draws me closer. His phone is connected to the small speaker nearby, and Panic! At The Disco lyrics mix with the melody of the waves, far too ironic for my liking.
The taut string tying us together is burning hot tonight; it’s only a matter of time before one of us breaks. Whether that means ending the moment and going home, or letting our attraction take the front seat for once, is to be determined.
Liam clears his throat and places his hand on the blanket behind him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
For a few seconds, I don’t move my gaze. A part of me wants to play dumb, or even flat out tell himno.
“Yeah.” My eyes cut to him. “I want to talk about it.”
He nods. “I met Hannah in college, but we started dating during my master’s program. It was one of those things…” He trails off, trying to find the right words. “We were friends who really enjoyed each other’s company and it justhappened.”
I quietly wait, hoping he’ll tell me more. The moon and fire make the moment feel more intimate, like an invisible force between us and the rest of the world. Mixed with the cool, salty breeze, I find myself wanting to burrow into the comfort of his body; I slowly inch forward.
Liam continues, “I don’t want to undermine my relationship with Hannah, but I want to be honest.” Sobering a little, I lean back and nod for him to go on. “What she and I had was comfortable, stable. It wasniceand it wasn’t what I would have envisioned for myself. There wasn’t any passion or excitement for each other—barely any intimacy.”
“Is that what ruined the relationship?” I ask, tilting my head. He’s been extremely patient over the last month anda half, never having any expectations despite our first night together. That, most likely, won’t last forever.
He shakes his head emphatically. “We wanted different things.”
Twisting my lips to the side, I don’t say anything. That could be so many things, and I’m not sure I’m ready to find out. What if what Hannah wanted was closer to my desires? It’s easier to pretend there could be a future for us the longer we avoid those conversations.
“How long ago did you guys call it off?”
“About a year and a half ago.” He sounds emotionless while talking about it, like it’s a distant memory from childhood, not less than two years ago.
His eyes sparkle like the stars in the sky when he looks back at me. “You were the first—and last—woman I’ve been with since we ended the engagement.”
Thatsurprises me. He’s made comments about how I was the last person he’s been with, but this new information puts him in a better light. The intimacy truly wasn’t their main issue.
A strong wind picks up and the waves grow louder, coming in faster as they crash against the shore. A shiver runs down my body and I subconsciously rub my hands down my bare legs.
“Are you cold?” Liam asks. “Do you want to leave?”
Shaking my head, I bite my lip and let my gaze rove over his body. My earlier desire to cuddle up against him comes back tenfold. As someone who has never considered physical affection one of my love languages, the sentiment is usually easy enough to ignore.
At least until Liam pushes his hand further back on the blanket and leaves more space against his side. “Come here, honey.”
I scrunch my nose, more at the butterflies in my stomach than anything else, and stretch my legs towardhis. He tugs and settles them over his lap. The movement pulls my ass with it, and I almost fall backward, catching myself in time.
