Chapter 85 No Regrets
Mia’s POV
I set the empty tray aside and leaned back against the headboard, watching Mia finish her coffee. I took my time, not wanting to rush the moment. My eyes stayed on her as she rested beneath the thin sheet, noticing how little it covered. I was aware of every bit of her bare skin. The way I looked at her was not casual at all. I wanted to remember her exactly like this.
I reached out, caught the edge of the sheet, and tugged it just slightly lower over her shoulder.
“You know,” I murmured, my voice low and steady, “I think I like you here even more than last night.”
She arched a brow, clearly trying to hide the way her pulse jumped. “Because I’m naked beneath the sheets?”
“Because you’re mine,” I said simply.
The certainty in my own voice surprised even me. I was not teasing. I was not trying to provoke her. It was just the truth, spoken softly but without doubt.
I leaned in and brushed my lips over her shoulder, slow and unhurried. I let the kiss linger, warm and deliberate. As my mouth moved up the side of her neck, the sheet slipped lower, and I found the spot just below her ear that made her fingers curl into the mattress.
“Liam,” she breathed, her voice half warning and half invitation.
I smiled against her skin. “You keep saying my name like that, baby, and we are definitely not leaving on time.”
Before she could answer, my hands slid along her back and guided her into my lap. She gasped softly as she straddled me, her knees settling on either side of my hips. Her palms pressed to my chest, like she needed the contact as much as I did.
I kissed her again, slower than before. There was no urgency this time. The heat built gradually, rich and deep, like I wanted to savor every second of her. This was nothing like the rush of the night before. This was something I wanted to stay inside.
One of my hands slipped into her hair, tilting her head just enough to deepen the kiss. The other traced slow circles along her spine, and I felt her shiver beneath my touch. She leaned into me, and the world outside the room ceased to exist.
“Mia,” I murmured between kisses, resting my forehead against hers. “Tell me you don’t regret this.”
She did not hesitate. “Not for a second.”
Something darkened inside me at that. My grip tightened slightly as I kissed her again, more insistent now. My hands moved over her like I was relearning her body, like I never wanted to forget the way she felt. Heat bloomed low in my stomach, my heart pounding in time with hers as everything else faded away.
Time blurred. The sunlight shifted, painting the tangled sheets and warm skin in gold. When we finally slowed, we lay wrapped together, her cheek resting over my heartbeat, my fingers drifting lazily through her hair.
We stayed quiet for a long moment. We did not need words. Everything that mattered had already been said in touch and breath.
Eventually, reality crept back in.
“We should go,” she murmured, though the reluctance in her voice mirrored my own.
I sighed and kissed the top of her head. “Yeah. We should.”
Getting dressed took longer than it should have. I brushed an imaginary speck from her dress just to touch her again. She fixed my collar and held my gaze a second too long. Neither of us was ready to let go of what we had built in that room.
When we stepped outside, the ocean breeze still smelled of salt and warmth, but it felt different now. Less like a promise and more like a memory already slipping away.
The drive back was quiet. Our hands stayed linked over the console as we stared ahead, lost in our thoughts. I glanced at her once, caught between wanting to stay right there forever and knowing what waited for us in the city.
As the skyline rose into view, I felt her tension. Our escape had been ours alone. The city was louder.
, full of eyes that would see us differently.
I brushed my thumb over her knuckles. “Hey,” I said softly. “We’ll figure it out. Whatever comes next, we’ll figure it out.”
She smiled faintly, but I could tell she was wondering how long the magic would survive once reality fully set in.
I pulled up in front of her apartment and turned off the engine. The streetlight cast a soft glow over her face, and it tightened something deep in my chest.
Before she could open the door, I spoke. “I have something to ask you.”
She turned toward me, her eyes wide. “What is it?”
I took a second to just look at her, to take in the way the light caught her eyes. Then I smiled, suddenly feeling younger than I had in a long time.
“Will you be my date to the prom?” I asked, trying to sound casual even though my heart was already beating faster.
She blinked, clearly surprised, then laughed softly. “The prom? Don’t you think it’s still a little early to ask me?” she said, amusement dancing in her eyes.
“Yeah, I know,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. “It is early. But I just wanted to ask you now.” I met her gaze, my voice turning more serious. “I want to know that no matter what happens between now and then, you’ll be my date.”
Her smile slowly softened, and I watched her cheeks turn pink. “Of course I would love to,” she said, her voice warm and certain. “Besides, you’re my boyfriend. Do you really think I’d go with anyone else?”
Relief and happiness rushed through me all at once, and I could not stop the grin spreading across my face. Hearing her say yes, hearing the confidence in her voice, made it feel real. Like something I wanted to hold on to.
“I just wanted to hear you say it,” I said quietly, reaching for her hand.
And in that moment, prom did not feel far away at all. It felt like something we were already looking forward to together.
I grinned, warmth spreading through me. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”
I stepped out of the car and opened her door, taking her hand as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Instead of letting go, I pulled her into me.
The hug was tight and grounding, my chin resting against the top of her head. I did not want to release her yet. “I don’t want this day to end,” I murmured. “But I guess I can’t stop the clock. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye, babe. I love you.”
The words came easily. Naturally. Like they had always belonged to her.
Before she could answer, I kissed her slowly, wanting her to remember it long after I drove away. When I finally stepped back, I gave her one last smile before returning to the car.
In the mirror, I watched her standing there as I pulled away, my heart pounding hard enough to make me wonder if it was trying to follow her inside.