65

NORA

The noise of chatter cut off as soon as I shut the bathroom door behind me. I hadn’t really needed to go, I just needed some space from Emily’s stare-down and Liam’s proximity. What good was being so close to him when I couldn’t even touch him without earning a warning glare from his girlfriend?

I hadn’t even done anything, and she was already on alert with me.

I checked to make sure all the stalls were empty before I burst into tears. My reflection stared back at me—ruined mascara and all—urging me to make the right choice. 

Gunning for Liam was a lost cause and if I didn’t have it in me to go against Emily, I needed to tell Mark to cut the deal.

But as I ran my fingers through the curls in my hair, I realized that I couldn’t stop myself from wanting Liam. I mean, I would’ve stopped if he looked happy, but he barely said three words at the table. I knew he was a man of little words, but he was so different to me.

We had these banters, and we would laugh and give in to our feelings. He would answer my questions as he washed the suds out of my hair, he did not question my true intentions when he caught me sneaking from his side of the suite. And he knew my breakfast order.

It was pretty clear Liam liked me.

But then why was he with his ex-girlfriend?

I was in the middle of pondering these thoughts when the door cracked open and a familiar head poked inside. Why did the universe hate me so much?

“Can I come in?” Liam asked, a questioning brow raised.

I wiped my eyes, hoping to mask the fact that I'd been crying. “It's the ladies,” I answered after my failed attempt to dry my tears.

Liam shrugged, stepping into the dimly lit bathroom before locking the door behind him. He knew me well enough to know I wouldn't be bawling if there were people in there with me.

He stopped a few feet in front of me, hands in pockets as he eyed me with concern. “You've been crying,” he said.

I sniffled, rolling my eyes. “Thanks, Captain Obvious,”

I could feel my heart racing from our proximity and could feel the hairs on my body standing on end. I hated what this man did to my body sometimes.

He ignored my snarky remark. “Want to tell me what's wrong?”

“Really? You do know it’s not ideal for me to pour out my heart to you,” I waved my hands, gesturing to the bathroom and our closeness. “Least of all, while your girlfriend is out there,” the word tasted bitter in my mouth.

“I just want to help.”

“It's a little too late for that.”

“Why? Because you're with Mark? Because I don't see him here at all concerned about you. In fact, I don't even think he noticed at all.”

“Leave Mark out of this. He's done more for me than you ever have,” I bit back, hoping to keep Mark out of this as much as possible. He was only looking out for his brother.

“Really? Is that why you're shagging him? Cause you feel indebted?” Liam’s nostrils flared. He looked angrier than I'd ever seen him, but I didn't feel scared. In fact, I liked his anger. It showed that he cared.

But I also wasn't in the mood for this shit. This was all his fault.

“I can't do this,” With a resigned sigh, I made to walk past Liam, but his hand shot out to grab my biceps. His skin on mine felt so good, but I was annoyed, and I wanted to keep things this way. I glared at him, pretending his simple touch hadn't sent my emotions into overdrive.

He pulled away like my skin burned him, and lifted both his hands in surrender before running them through his hair and over his handsome tense face.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that,” he apologized with a grimace. “I just let my emotions get the best of me,”

I nodded in understanding, frowning when he declared that he should go. But just as he took a few tentative steps back, I stopped him with the one question that had been plaguing me.

“Why?” I kneaded my upper arm, pulling my lips into my mouth to keep them from quivering.

He stopped, turned his attention back to me, then shrugged to show how confused he was.

I shook my head. “I texted you, but you never said a word back. Why didn't you?”

He was silent for a bit and I thought he wasn't going to answer. But he did. “Because I'm an idiot and I don't know how to manage these things, I feel.”

My ears perked at his confession. Was this the moment I had been waiting for all these months? Did Liam love me?

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but thought about it. Just when I thought he was going to chicken out, he took three steps towards me, closing the space between us. I sucked in a deep breath as his aroma surrounded me.

My eyes trailed down his ocean blue ones and lingered on his lips, full and inviting, before drifting down to the sharp jawline and chiseled features that seemed to hold a perpetual hint of quiet intensity.

My breath hitched in my throat as his ragged breathing synchronized with mine, our faces inches apart, the air thick with tension as his eyes locked onto mine, burning with an unspoken desire. I felt his fingers brush strands of my hair behind my ear. Felt the prickle of my skin from where his touch had lingered.

“Do you see what you did to me?” his deep voice whispered in my ear. Everything else around us seemed to fall away. The only thing that existed in this room right now was Liam and me.

My eyes fell closed as his teeth sunk into my neck, biting softly and eliciting a small groan from me. How long had I dreamed of this? Desire curled in my belly, twisting and twisting until it trailed down to the wetness between my legs.

I felt his fingers ghost over my skin and pressed my body against his as they trailed lower, lingering on my hips. Then he lifted me and placed me atop the bathroom counter before whispering against my lips. “Tell me to stop,”

But I didn't. Because I wanted this as much as he did. And not even the fact that he had a girlfriend was enough to stop us.

I knew how selfish that sounded. But Liam was mine. He was always mine.

When our lips collided, it felt like the air was knocked out of my lungs in a good way. His soft lips moved against mine, teeth tugging, biting before his tongue gently coaxed my mouth open. His solid grip held my chin in place, tightening just enough to exert dominance.

A gasp escaped my throat, and he swallowed it, groaning into my mouth when I ran my hands through his hair. I tugged, and he groaned again, pulling away so we could catch our breaths.

“Liam,” I started to say, but he covered my mouth with another kiss. I melted into the feel of him against my flesh. My hips ground on the cold counter, seeking the friction I needed to release.

But just as I was about to, I don't know, beg him to take me into this public bathroom, banging on the door broke through that moment.

“This door’s been locked for like thirty minutes. I hope y'all ain't fuckin’ in there,”

My eyes went wide, my hand slapped on my mouth to keep the laughter in.