Page 18 of Liam

He glanced at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. “No, it’s not that. I like being with you, Princess, and that’s the problem. I could spend all day talking to you, watching you work or even watching you read a book, and that isn’t how it should be. Apart from the fact you’re so far out of my league you’re practically on a different planet, I’m your personal protection, and the truth is, I want this to be way more personal than is sensible.”

“I am not out of your league, Liam. You are out of mine.”

Her words shocked him. “What in the hell?”

“It’s true, you have experienced life in ways I can never imagine, both good and bad I am sure. You have made love to a woman, had love from a woman. Defied the odds against enemy combatants that I could not envisage. It is you who is out of my league, not the other way around.”

Liam looked at her, dumbfounded by her words, both because she thought that and now because he couldn’t get the image of making love to her out of his head. He moved in his seat to make room for the growing bulge in his trousers. Thankfully, the waiter picked that moment to deliver their food, sparing him a few moments to think.

With the food in front of them, he watched her lift her fork and place a delicate piece of turbot into her mouth. He watched her chew and found the way she closed her eyes to enjoy her food as erotic as some women on a stripper’s pole.

“Fuck,” he growled.

Her eyes popped open at his expletive.

“Princess, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

“Why?”

“You make me crazy. I want to kiss you all the time, I want to bury myself inside you so bad I can hardly think straight, and now you think I’m out of your league. You’re everything I’m not. I’m not a hero, and I’m definitely not a prince. I’m a boy from the Eastend, a scrapper. I should be shot for even thinking the things I do about you. You should be running for the hills.”

“You make me feel safe.” Her words were simple but said quietly and with emotion in her voice. “You make me feel seen and as if I am not alone in this world.”

Liam shook his head. “You’re not alone.”

“I am. My family is all but lost to me. I have no real friends, and the ones I do have would stab me in the back at the chance to be in favour with my father.”

Liam’s chest constricted at her words, and he recognised the loneliness she hid so well from others. With her grace and kindness, she never let it show that her world was less than perfect.

“You have me, treacle. I’m your friend, and you have Mitch, Waggs, and Jack.”

“You are my personal protection, Liam, not my friend. And before you react, those are your words, not mine.”

She was right; he had said that, but it was becoming more evident by the second that he wanted more, and she needed more. Could he be friends with this woman without it falling into something more? The truth was he didn’t know, but he wanted to try, for her sake and his own. It may not be the smartest idea he’d ever had, but he was jumping anyway.

“I want to be your friend if you’ll have me?”

He watched the look of happiness spread over her face as she nodded. “I would like that very much.”

“Well, then let’s eat, friend.”

They ate and chatted and the more they did, the more he realised he’d been a fool because Taamira was intelligent, she was funny, and she was gracious. Every little thing she did seemed to make his dick twitch and that was very unfriend-like.

It was hard to regret it though because as they finished their meal with coffee and delicate little cakes that were barely bite sized, he realised he couldn’t remember a time when he’d enjoyed himself more. He would have to be careful not to let his growing affection for this woman show or cloud his judgement in any way.

“Ready to head up?”

“Yes, thank you, Liam. This is the best non-date date I have ever been on.”

Liam winked and smiled. “Me too, Princess.”

He pulled out her chair and turned to Mitch and Waggs, back in protection mode once more, not that he’d ever really left it. He still knew exactly who had entered the room and where they were seated, despite the fact he’d been having dinner with such a beautiful and engaging woman. It was just a part of who he was now.

As they left the restaurant and walked across the crowded lobby, he moved closer to Taamira. It was difficult to see all the potential threats as a large group were checking in and being very loud.

Just as they stepped up to the elevator, a man ran from the crowd towards them, a gun waving in his hand as he shouted, “Traitor.”

Liam was over Taamira in a second, flattening her to the ground, his body shielding her as he saw Mitch and Waggs tackle the man, taking him to the ground a few feet from where they now lay.