AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why are you making this harder than it has to be?”
“Making what harder?” I shout in frustration.
“Us.” He stares at me as if I’m the one being obtuse.
Us.
The word floats around my head. But it doesn’t fill me with hope or happiness. It fills me with rage.
“You can’t do this. You can’t barge in here after all this time and just expect something.”
“I don’t expect anything. I want to see where this can go – because there’s always been something between us, Lil. You know that.” He reaches out for my hand and pulls me down to sit with him.
My head screams in frustration and anger. “Yes, I do.” My words are soft, and I take a breath. “And you’re the biggest jerk of all for waiting all this time to tell me. I might have been a girl back then, but you broke my heart. You led me on and then bailed.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve said that. But we were young.” He picks up my hand and plants a kiss on my palm.
“Yes, I was – we were. And now you’ve got your pick and choice of whatever girl you want. I know how you operate. You’ve never had a girlfriend. That’s what Eric’s told me.”
“And he’s right. I’ve never had one.”
“Well, this isn’t just a game to me. You can’t just play hook up with me. I’m not doing that.” I shake my head and stand, confused and mixed up because of what we’ve just done – or what I let happen. Again.
I’m starting to regret Greece because at least without that, I’d always have the what-if notion of how Liam might come back into my life. Now I have the unsavoury story of just being another girl in the long line of his conquests.
I pace around the small apartment.
“I don’t want other girls, Lil. I want you. Only you.”
I shake my head.
“Look at me, Lil.” He stands and grabs me, holding my shoulders. “Look at me,” he growls, and it snaps my eyes to his. “All my life, I’ve had the world at my fingertips, at least according to my dad, and I thought I was happy until you walked into the middle of my rehearsal speech. Let me give you the world.”
“And what about Eric? He’ll never understand and might never forgive you.”
“You’re worth that risk, Lil. You really are.”
“But … he’s your best friend. He’s my brother. There’s too much at stake.” I protest. What he’s saying is crazy.
“And he’s married. I said it in my speech. I thought we’d conquer the world together. What if I got it wrong? What if the one I’m meant to conquer the world with was you all along, and I just couldn’t see it.” My heart thuds in my chest, drinking in his words as if I’ve been waiting for them for a lifetime because, in a way, I have.
But this is bigger than just us. “What if you’re wrong?” My head is telling me to hold back. There’s so much to lose. And I know my heart won’t be able to take it if I say yes to Liam Ford and he leaves.
“I’m not wrong. And you know it, deep down. All I need is for you to say yes. Yes, to me and to us. The rest we can figure out together.”
He holds my gaze, and I curse him because I can feel myself weakening.
“Liam—” I start to pull away, needing distance to think this through rationally, but he holds me tight and leans down to kiss me. An all-encompassing, tender kiss that brings tears to my closed eyes. How am I meant to fight the man I’ve loved forever?
The kiss ends, but Liam looks calm and happy like he knows the decision has been made.
“What about Eric?” I ask again.
“Leave Eric to me.”
“Liam, this is a huge risk.”
“No, it’s not. I know risk, and you are anything but that. Listen to that heart of yours for once in your life. Let me make you happy.” His hands caress my cheeks, and again, the threat of tears pierces my eyes.
