Page 60 of It's Not All Fake

“They’re beautiful,” I admit, breathless. “But this… it’s too much.” I shake my head, disbelieving all of this. I still have no idea what this means to him. Is this a gift for his fake girlfriend to wear around town? A gift in exchange for sex?

“It’s not,” he reassures me quickly.

“Why?” I turn to face him. I can’t help blurting out the dreaded question—asking for him to explain himself.

The fairytale may crash around me right now. I’ve asked him to pull the curtain aside and I may find a disappointing answer, but I can’t go along with the fantasy and accept this insane gift if it means I’m indebted to him somehow.

I’ve been down that road before—Lucas’ gifts were attempts to manipulate me—and I won’t do it again.

Liam’s eyebrows crease, but his gaze is soft. “I told you I would get you something real.”

I remember now, he promised me a new necklace after the last one left my neck red and itchy.

“But why?” The thought hits me—this could be pity. The motherless girl with a hole in her heart. He wants to take care of me, to fix things for me—a drive to protect developed early on with his mother. “I told you, I just wanted real talk,” I remind him.

Liam looks at me with a hint of amusement. “If you haven’t noticed, Chloe, it’s become very real between us.”

I feel heat flash across my cheeks, thinking of him inside of me.

“I don’t expect anything in return, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he assures me, as if he’s reading my mind.

Yet, doubts linger. Is it pity then? I can see he senses my unease.

He exhales, frustration tightening his jaw. And I’m frustrated with myself too.

Why can’t I just accept the damn gift?

“Chloe, I bought you the necklaces because I can’t stop thinking about you,” he confesses. “You’re the first woman to get under my skin in a long time—maybe ever, with your Jedi mind tricks and all,” he tries to make a slight joke, softening the moment, but I’m almost too overwhelmed to react.

Liam gently cups my cheek. “I can’t get enough of you,” he whispers earnestly, his beautiful eyes searching mine for a response.

I’ve heard enough.

Without saying a word, I reach my hands behind his neck and pull him into a kiss, rising up on my tiptoes. He returns the kiss eagerly, tasting of mint. We communicate everything through this one act, and I crave more of it.

He suddenly lifts me up and sets me on the bathroom counter. My body immediately responds, parting my legs for him to step between them. His kisses are intense, almost as if fueled by my questioning him earlier, until he abruptly stops and pulls away to look at me. We both gasp for air.

I don't know why he stopped, but he's studying me with an expectant look on his face, as if waiting for me to say something.

"Don't stop," I whisper, barely able to speak. "I want you too."

A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth before he reaches for the knot at the top of my towel. Slowly, he loosens it until the towel falls away, leaving me completely exposed to him.

His gaze slowly roams over my body while mine remains fixed on him. I trust him completely in this moment. He reaches out and traces his thumb along my bottom lip. His warm brown eyes are filled with desire and a knowing of me that I can’t explain.

His fingers thread into my hair at the nape of my neck as he pulls me into another kiss.

This time, it's gentle and tender, sending warmth through me. As our bodies press closer together, I feel his own towel drop to the floor beneath us.

He takes hold of my hips and pulls me closer to him, the strength of his movement causing me to catch my breath and intensifying my arousal. Our tongues intertwine as he positions himself at my entrance.

I’m ready to receive him again and he does so slowly, stretching me in the most delicious way.

A gasp escapes my lips, breaking our kiss. I cling onto him, overcome with pleasure. He starts to establish a rhythm, thrusting shallowly into me.

Liam's gaze is fixed on mine, watching me surrender to him. His eyes convey a mixture of passion and tenderness that allows me to completely relax in his embrace.

This is not just a physical connection—I can feel myself falling hard for him—and the way he looks at me tells me that it's more than just sex for him too.

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