Chapter 82 Mine
Liam’s POV
I was glad my parents were out of the country again. The house was quiet. No one to interrupt. No one to question why I was smiling like an idiot at nothing.
But peace? No. There was nothing peaceful about what was going through my mind right now.
Because every time I closed my eyes, I could see Mia in the soft glow of the evening, looking at me like the rest of the world did not exist. And then there was her voice. God, her voice. Low and almost teasing, a whisper that had taken root in my chest and refused to leave.
Don’t hold back tomorrow. The memory of how she had said it, slow and deliberate, with that spark in her eyes, was enough to send a rush of adrenaline tearing through me all over again.
I tossed my keys onto the counter, trying to shake it off, but it was useless. I could already picture tomorrow. Mia standing in my doorway, her hair catching the sunlight. The faint curve of her lips when she smiled at me.
The thought alone made my pulse race.
I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the kitchen. I had been on countless dates before, had heard plenty of flirtation in my time, but never had just one sentence unraveled me like this.
Being alone with Mia tomorrow was not just a plan. It was a temptation. A challenge. One I was not sure I had the willpower to walk away from.
The next day, I found myself pulling up to Mia’s apartment ten minutes earlier than planned. Not because I was in a rush, but because I simply could not wait another minute.
The morning sun was warm against the hood of my car, and the air smelled faintly of summer blooms. Still, nothing compared to what hit me when she finally stepped outside.
Mia was not wearing much makeup. She did not need to. There was a fresh glow about her that made my throat tighten the moment I saw her.
I stepped out of the car, telling myself it was just to open the passenger door for her, but the truth was I needed to see her closer.
“You look…” I paused, running a hand through my hair as if the gesture could buy me the right words. “Beautiful doesn’t even start to cover it.”
Her cheeks warmed instantly, and she laughed softly. “It’s just a dress, Liam.”
I tilted my head, my gaze never leaving hers. “No. It’s you.”
By the time I got into the car, my pulse was still unsteady. I started the engine, but my eyes found her again before I could shift into drive. “You ready?” I asked, my voice lower than I meant it to be.
She nodded, her lips curling into a smile that made me want to reach across and pull her closer. “Ready.”
And now, with her sitting right there, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from her, it was taking everything in me not to lean over and find out just how much she meant it.
After breakfast, Mia excused herself to change, still buzzing from my teasing. She disappeared into her room, and I stayed behind on the patio, sipping my coffee and watching the sunlight dance across the waves.
But the moment I heard the door to her room open, I turned, and the sight that greeted me hit me like a wave I never saw coming.
Mia stepped out barefoot, the sunlight spilling over her in warm, golden strokes. The red two piece swimsuit clung to her like it had been made just for her, because it had. I had picked it myself, imagining how stunning she would look in it, but reality had me momentarily forgetting how to breathe.
The top framed her perfectly, the straps dipping over her sun kissed shoulders, and the bottoms tied delicately at her hips, leaving just enough to my imagination. She had thrown on a sheer white cover up, but it was loose and barely hid anything when the breeze caught it, giving me maddening glimpses of smooth skin.
My grip tightened around the coffee mug. Mine. The thought came unbidden, raw, and far too possessive, but I did not bother to fight it.
“You…” My voice came out lower than intended, almost a growl. I cleared my throat, trying again. “You look…” I shook my head with a small, disbelieving laugh. “I’m going to be honest, Mia. I don’t think I will be able to let you out of my sight today.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color, and she bit her lip, pretending to adjust the tie at her hip just to have something to do with her hands. “You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I?” I took a slow step toward her, my eyes roaming over her like I was committing every detail to memory. “I picked that swimsuit for you, Mia, but I didn’t think it would look this good. And now…” My gaze sharpened, my tone dipping lower. “I’m just glad we’re in my private resort. Because if we were anywhere else, where other guys could see you like this, I would probably lose my mind.”
Her blush deepened instantly, and she laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re gorgeous,” I said without hesitation, my words warm and deliberate, like a promise.
Before she could respond, I reached out, my fingers brushing against the side of her waist where the thin cover up had shifted. The contact was brief but deliberate, and I felt her breath catch.
“You ready?” I asked, my voice dipping lower again, and Mia nodded.
As we walked toward the private stretch of sand below the beach house, I stayed close, so close that our arms brushed every few steps. Every time her fingers brushed against mine, a jolt ran up my spine.
I caught myself glancing at her from the corner of my eye more than once, watching the way the sunlight caught in her hair, the curve of her smile, the confident sway of her walk.
When we reached the water’s edge, she untied the cover up and let it slip from her shoulders, revealing the swimsuit in full.
I froze.
“God, Mia…” My voice was rough now, my gaze unapologetic and burning. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”
She laughed, tossing her hair back as she stepped into the waves. “Maybe.”
I followed, the cool water doing nothing to tame the heat that had settled low in my chest. When a playful wave hit us, forcing her to stumble forward into me, my hands went instinctively to her waist to steady her.
The spark was instant. Electric.
Neither of us moved right away. Her palms rested against my chest, feeling the steady beat of my heart. My fingers flexed slightly against her skin, and my eyes dropped to her lips before lifting back to meet her gaze.
“Careful,” I murmured, my breath warm against her cheek. “If you keep looking at me like that, I might not let you go all day.”
She smiled softly, her voice just as low. “Who said I want you to?” Her words ignited something in me, every part of my body coming alive at once.