Page 9 of Unfinished

“I’m not making you do anything, I’m getting the time you agreed to.” When I gave him a confused expression, he explained, “In any contract you have to list specifics. I said it was just for tonight, and until the sun rises, it’s still tonight. So if I have to go home with you so I can get all of the agreed upon time, I will.”

“There is no contract.”

“We had a verbal agreement, which is binding in the state of California.”

“Un-fucking-believable.” Still, I laughed at his explanation.

We fell quiet again for another five minutes. The driver often looked at us in the mirror, but kept quiet. He was probably wondering how the hell we even ended up on each other’s radars.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I muttered.

Liam gripped my chin and turned my face to him as he leaned close, “Everything. I want everything.”

His lips pressed against mine and my eyes closed as my chest felt like it was exploding. This was pure insanity and there was no way this ended well for me. He didn’t even have a single clue what my life was like, but at that moment, I was finding it hard to care. My heart pounded, my head felt light, and I didn’t want this to end ever.

His tongue brushed against my lips and I opened for him. Our kiss became needy and frantic and he pulled me closer. I was ready to be wrapped up in this kiss, to give in fully to my attraction to Liam, but when the car slowed in front of my house, reality came crashing down and I pushed Liam away and narrowed my eyes at him.

“We can’t do this, go back to the party.” I opened the door and exited the car quickly.

Liam was out of the car almost immediately and as I rounded the trunk to walk up to my house he blocked me. The driver took off immediately, probably not wanting to be in the middle of whatever this was. Coward.

“Hannah, if I walk away right now, I feel like I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering about the one who got away. I’m not asking or expecting anything from you other than time to find out more about each other,” Liam explained.

“There is no possible reason for you to be interested in me.”

“I’ll give you that. You aren’t at all what the world would expect from me, but I find I couldn’t care less what the world would expect. For the first time, I’m going after something I actually want, for myself, and no one else. You said it, I was born to be an employee. I need something real, something I choose.”

Liam stood there looking at me where a range of emotions flashed across his face. Sadness, anger at his family, then finally desperation. Meanwhile, my pulse jumped and I was so close to giving in to him.

“Liam,” I breathed as I tried to sidestep him, but he grabbed my wrist and wouldn’t let go.

“This doesn’t end tonight,” Liam declared.

“You said our agreement was binding.”

“I’ve got all summer to chase you down and I happen to love the chase. I will prove to you how interested I actually am in you.” Liam stepped close to me, taking up all of my space.

“Trust me, you will be sorely disappointed in me.”

“Wrong, I’d only be disappointed if I let this slip through my fingers.” Liam crushed his lips to mine and before I thought to stop myself I kissed him back. His warm hand wrapped around the back of my neck and his other slid down to my hip to pull me closer.

Pressed up against him, I slid my fingers into his hair and lost myself in our kiss. Our breathing sped up and tightness pulled at my chest. Heat flooded through my veins, making it impossible to deny the attraction. He wasn’t right for me at all, so why did this feel so right? He was the type of guy that would consume me fully and leave me broken.

When we finally broke the kiss, I breathed in deeply and my cheeks flushed hot. My heart beat out of my chest and my eyes were wide looking at him with curiosity. I wanted to learn more about Liam, and how he made me feel like I was falling and floating at the same time.

“Go back to the party Liam,” I whispered and he gave me a grin that looked like trouble.

“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon,” he asserted with a knowing look.

Shocked by my body's reaction, I slowly stepped around Liam. Once inside my house with the door locked behind me, I sank to the ground, lifting my fingers to my lips as I asked myself out loud, "What the hell was that?"

Chapter 4

Liam

That kiss proved to me that Hannah was exactly what I wanted. I wouldn't let my family's societal expectations prevent me from pursuing her either. Even if she didn't fit the image they thought I should pursue. I was certain that no matter how much time passed, whether it be one night, one summer, or an eternity, it would never be enough time to be with Hannah.

When her front door closed, I looked around the neighborhood. The houses were small, older cars were parked in the driveways, a dog barked in the distance, and sirens blared nearby. I still couldn’t give a shit about our differences because Hannah made me feel things I didn’t even know I had the ability to feel.

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