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I cooked dinner in the large kitchen, having all the space I needed to whip up one of my favorite meals. I wore his t-shirt as an apron as I tilted the hot pan and dished up the food onto the plates.
Liam walked in wearing sweatpants. “Smells good.” He sat at the bar and stared at me, watching me work the kitchen the way I used to before I left. His blue eyes were focused in their stare, watching every movement I made like it was fascinating.
I served him his plate and a glass of ice water.
“Thank you.” He grabbed his fork and immediately took a bite.
I stood across from him, pushing my food around before I took a bite. We never talked about the night I’d shown up on his doorstep with tears on my cheeks. When he didn’t ask me why I cried, I assumed he already knew why and didn’t want to hear about it. So, we’d spent the last month not talking about anything at all.
He didn’t seem to mind.
We ate quietly, exchanging subtle looks while the silence surrounded us.
He was an animal, so he ate his dinner in just a few bites.
I was a slow eater. That was probably why I didn’t eat much.
“I have an idea.” He pushed his plate away and rested his elbows on the counter.
“Yeah?”
“Live with me.” He let his words echo off the high ceilings, let them wrap around us both with heavy anticipation. With confidence in his gaze, he stared at me hard, as if he hoped his presence was enough to influence me. He sat in the spot where he’d been many times over the years, staring at me like I was the only person who mattered to him. He kissed the ground I walked on, treated me the way Hades treated Sofia, and that was what I wanted. He seemed to mean his apology, seemed to be a better man because of his mistake. Losing me made him love me more, made him obsessed with getting me back into his house.
There was nothing for me at the apartment. There was no special guy out there waiting to meet me. And Damien was officially an asshole who’d played me for a fool. I wouldn’t waste another moment thinking about him. “You don’t think it’s too soon?”
He shook his head. “I would have asked the first night if I’d thought you’d say yes.”
“But you haven’t asked me anything.” Like if I was still hung up on Damien, if he was the man I pictured when we were in bed together, if I was only there to use Liam to mask my pain like a drug.
He shrugged. “I want you as you are…even if you’re broken from someone else.”
Never thought Liam could be so romantic.
“I want you so much, I don’t care. I don’t give a damn if I’m a rebound.” He rose from the barstool and planted his hands against the island, his powerful arms visibly sculpted under the lights. He slowly made his way around the island and came toward me. “I’ll make you forget about him.” He stopped in front of me, staring at me so hard, I thought I might catch on fire. “Let me make you forget about him.”
Damien’s rejection had forced me to have a moment of self-reflection, to examine my ridiculous behavior, my irrational response when I couldn’t have what I wanted. I knew it was a type of love I’d never experienced before, where you lost your mind to insanity. It was powerful, crazy, beautiful…but it wasn’t real.
How could it be real if he didn’t feel the same way?
If I could go back in time, I would have changed my decision. I wouldn’t have gone to his place, wouldn’t have texted him and said I miss you. I would have held my head high and walked away. “I think you already have.”
His eyes darkened noticeably, like those words were pure joy to his ears. “Is that a yes?”
“Yeah.” I shouldn’t be with a man who cheated on me in the first place, but the perfect man didn’t exist. I wanted to be with someone who cared about me, who would fight for me rather than push me away.
He didn’t smile at my answer. “Then let’s take it a step further.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out my wedding ring. It was pristine and shiny, like it’d been cleaned since I left it behind. He grabbed my left hand, and without waiting for an answer, he slipped the ring onto my finger.
I didn’t say anything because I was still in shock. I didn’t fight him. I felt the weight on my left hand, felt the weight of my old life. I’d left him because I deserved more, and maybe I would say no if Damien hadn’t broken my heart. Maybe I would keep going and refuse to settle. But I did meet Damien…and he crushed all my dreams.
