Chapter 44 He Likes It When I Call Him “Honey” in Bed
“Are you okay?” Liam bent down, his fingers gently brushing her temple.
“I twisted my ankle.”
Before she could finish, he crouched down and examined it.
Her white high heels lay nearby as his hand closed around her ankle.
A wave of heat surged upward from her lower body, the tingling sensation sending colour rushing to her face.
“Did he hurt you?” Liam asked.
“No, I just twisted my ankle,” Emma murmured. “I thought it was over.”
“Over? He married into the Grant family just to take control of the house. Who knows what he’ll do once he gets his hands on it?” he chuckled.
“You knew all along? Ah… it hurts…” Her voice was soft enough to stir his desire.
He gently massaged her ankle as she gripped the chair arms tightly.
“It’s nothing serious. Get up and walk it off.”
He stood and took her hand.
…
The banquet lasted until ten o’clock.
Emma sat in her original seat in the hall, sipping red wine. In front of her was the steak Liam had personally grilled earlier at the carving station.
Meanwhile, Rosalind’s mother had pulled him into another room for a conversation.
“Emma.”
“Rosalind.”
“Why are you drinking alone?” Rosalind sneered.
Slightly tipsy, Emma murmured, “Waiting for him.”
Rosalind sat down beside her. Seeing the steak and two sets of cutlery on the table, she felt uneasy.
“Liam is talking to my mother about us,” she said.
“Oh.” Emma took a faint sip of wine.
“You’re beautiful, Emma.”
“Thanks.” Emma’s coolness irritated her.
“I hope you know your place.”
Ignoring her, Emma poured herself more red wine, then topped up Rosalind’s glass.
“How much do you want?” Rosalind pressed.
“How much do you think Liam is worth?” Emma asked with a smile. “A few million? Or tens of millions?”
“…”
Emma downed the wine in one gulp, her warm tongue licking the droplet from her lip.
Rosalind hadn’t expected Emma to have such a sharp tongue beneath her gentle looks.
“It was Liam who begged me to be with him,” Emma said naturally. “Money isn’t everything, Rosalind. If you want to win him over, you need something that actually captivates him. Relying on your parents or money won’t cut it.”
Rosalind was stunned.
“And you? What makes you worth his affection?” she asked.
“He likes it when I call him ‘honey’ in bed.”
Emma propped her chin in her hand, leaning back in her chair with a languid, seductive air.
“You filthy slut!” Rosalind flushed and stood up immediately. “How could Liam possibly be interested in someone like you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you should ask him.” Emma chuckled.
“If you want money, I can introduce you to other wealthy men.”
“That’s nice. Rich men are easy to find, but it’s hard to find someone who can actually satisfy me in bed.”
“You’re so disgusting…” Furious, Rosalind turned and strode away.
Emma exhaled in relief, poured herself another glass of red wine, and swirled it gently.
All of this was overheard by Liam, who was leaning against the doorframe.
As he chuckled, Rosalind ran straight into him.
“Liam…”
“Mhm.”
“You two…”
“Yes. What she said is true.”
“…”
Liam walked toward the hall and found that she was already asleep.
He took off his suit jacket and draped it over her before scooping her up into his arms.
Her eyes fluttered open, drowsy and unfocused, as she gazed at his sharp profile.
“Liam?”
“Mm.”
Hearing his voice, she nuzzled into his solid chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in the crook of his neck.
“When did you get here?” she asked.
“I’ve been here all along.” His deep voice was slightly hoarse.
“You heard everything I said?” she asked, dazed.
“Yes.”
She propped herself up, resting her hands on his shoulders, and lifted her head from his neck.
“So, what do you like about me?” she asked, staring intently at his face.
He carefully set her down.
“I like it when you call me ‘honey’ in bed…” he replied, his voice turning hoarse and uneven.
His hand settled at the nape of her neck as his other arm wrapped around her slender waist.
His mouth claimed hers, determined and unyielding, until her breath caught.
He deepened the kiss as he leaned down, stealing her breath and her balance with smooth, relentless intent.
She collapsed into his embrace and let out a soft moan.
Finally, he released her and traced her lips with his thumb.
Already dazed from his kisses and the alcohol, she fell asleep on the way home.
…
Liam stood by the bed in his underwear, hands planted on his hips, watching the drunken Emma sprawled on the mattress.
“My sweet kitten…” He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Glancing down at his obvious arousal, he turned and walked into the bathroom.
⸻
The next day:
Emma groaned and clutched her neck as she dragged her heavy head out of bed.
As the memory of what she had said the night before came flooding back, she exclaimed and covered her face with both hands.
Oh—no!
She scanned the room and realised Liam wasn’t there.
She picked up her phone, checked her messages, and saw one from Liam.
Liam: \[Good morning, Emma. I’ve got work to attend to. I’ve covered for you.\]
\[I’ll be back home tonight! The office needs to be disinfected.\]
What? He’s coming back tonight!
What should I do?
…
The CEO’s office had been thoroughly disinfected.
Yet Liam insisted on relocating to the conference room on the 29th floor.
“Mr. Hayes…” Ryan looked puzzled.
“Got nothing better to do?” Liam asked.
“Huh?”
“Get out.”
“Yes.”
Ryan hadn’t gone far before returning.
“Someone is downstairs seeking you, Mr. Hayes.”
“No appointments. I’m not seeing anyone.”
“You should make an exception this time.”
Liam hesitated for a moment before turning to look at Ryan.
“Have her come up,” he said.
“She wants you to come down,” Ryan said carefully.
“Remember who your boss is, Ryan,” Liam warned, finding the request absurd.
“It’s Miss Muse.”
“Who?” Liam looked sceptical.
“Ms. Muse.”