Page 38 of Something Forever

“Because what?”

My cheeks flame. I press my lips together, not wanting to spill the truth I’ve been trying to ignore all day. When I suggested we go to Vegas this weekend, I knew what I was doing, but I really hoped Liam wouldn’t find out and read too much into it. It’s just another day, after all.

“It- my bir-day,” I mumble under my breath.

“What was that?”

“It’s my birthday,” I repeat.

He rears back, surprise coloring his features. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s not a big deal. I just didn’t want to sit in a hotel room all night.”

He blinks. “How old are you?”

“Didn’t your mother teach you never to ask a woman that?” I tease, trying to avoid the sudden intensity in his gaze.

“I think I should know how old my wife is.”

He’s got me there. “I’m twenty-six. How old are you?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“What’s your sign?” I shoot back, wanting more information now that’s he’s finally sharing something with me.

“My what?”

“Your astrological sign. I’m a Virgo,” I explain.

He shrugs. “Dunno. My birthday’s April 21st.”

I grin at him. “Of course. Taurus.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Are you going to tell me what that means?”

“Not a chance,” I sing back at him, linking our arms together and tugging him along. “Now tell me what time you were born so we can figure out your moon and rising.”

15

WHITNEY

“Come on, just open your gullet and knock it down,” Liam says, tilting his shot glass towards me. It’s our third one of the night, and we haven’t even gotten our entrees yet. I suppose the Vegas waiters are used to this level of drinking during dinner, since ours didn’t bat an eyelash when Liam proclaimed we needed to take another shot.

I scoff. “Open my gullet?”

“Yeah, come on. Don’t be a?—”

“If you say pussy, I’m going to be highly offended,” I interrupt him with a near-growl.

“I thought offended was your resting state,” he shoots back.

Refusing to justify that with a response, I follow his instructions and take the shot down in one gulp, shuddering when the liquid makes its way down my throat.

“Hey! We were supposed to cheers for your birthday,” he says before downing his own, handling it like a champ. The man doesn’t even flinch.

When our food arrives, we stuff our faces in silence, both of us having drank too much on empty stomachs. Liam excuses himself from the table to use the bathroom and returns a few minutes later.

“You look weird,” I tell him, studying his expression.

---