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Harper
Why am I really saying no? I consider as I watch Liam search through baby clothes. He is having too much fun on this shopping trip. I thought he’d run for the hills and again this man surprises me.
“What is it, sweetheart?” The endearment bursts through another barrier.
“I can’t keep fighting off your advances. We have to come to some middle ground here.”
His sinister smile makes me ache. “I told you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You told me. Now make it stop.”
“There’s only one way.” He places a handful of decorated onesies in my basket. Then stops in front of me. “Say yes.”
“I can’t," I whisper. And I can’t tell him I’m scared shitless of the feelings I’m feeling. I can’t say I want to throw caution to the wind, scream yes, and experience a new type of normal with him. I can’t because it is insane to meet a man, fall in love, and marry him after two days. I can’t!
“But you can. Just say the word.” His confidence should hold a patent.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Who is actually certain of anything in life? Nothing is what it seems. Nothing is what we expect. All you have is your word and your actions. That’s it.” He slips a hand around my waist, pulling me closer and this time I don’t push him away. “I promise you, I may seem brash, but I don’t take this lightly. I’ve never proposed marriage to a woman before. I’ve never really given it a lot of thought except to know that my wife will have to be a very exceptional woman.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I’m known to drive people mad.” He shrugs dismissively.
“Oh really, who would have ever thought that?” I chuckle.
“I know.” He jokes, and I step closer.
“Harper.”
“Uh huh.”
“Can I kiss you?” His finger caresses the side of my face, and my eyes slide closed.
“In the middle of Target?”
“Anywhere, Harper, I’d kiss you anywhere.”
Liam’s words are like a blinding white light. I can’t see anything but him, and I can’t look away from the raging need reflecting in his eyes. Then his lips cover mine. Soft kisses at first. Not pecks. Not deep. But enough to feel the warmth from his nearness and the heat from his tongue when I open my mouth to him.
He’s probing, stroking, giving, taking. His scent filling my nose, and I taste the citrus sweet tea from lunch. And it’s better than I imagined.
Can he feel my heart beating wildly? Can he feel his kiss transforming the dynamic between us? Can I let go long enough to accept that maybe, just maybe Liam is serious about wanting me as much as I’m starting to want…desire…need him?
Liam pulls back resting his forehead on mine. Our breathing in sync, ragged, strained. “Please, Harper.”
“What if I’m not who you think I am?” My voice cracks and I pray I’m the woman who makes him happy. Because my foolish heart is falling fast.
“What if I know I’ll be better, we’ll be better, together?”
His emphasis on “know” shimmies from my confused brain and settles in my heart. I feel it warm, throbbing, and it’s cementing this complicated, arrogant, protective man to me, and I’m willing to take a chance on us.
“Yes, Liam. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Chapter 8
Liam
