Page 19 of Love Me

“You got it.”

While I make their coffees, I can’t help but admire the way Wes holds onto Lily. His arm is wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him, like her touch gives him everything he needs. She is so clearly smitten with him that she just exudes happiness. I guess when you’re loved the way you need to be loved, why wouldn’t that show outwardly?

After handing them their drinks, they head out as Liam iswalking in. Butterflies take flight in my stomach because it’s the first time I’ve seen him since our agreement last night. I need to speak with him alone to see if it was all a fever dream or if it really happened.

He’s wearing denim jeans with his tan boots and a jacket, a backwards Aspen Ridge Distillery hat, and looking effortlessly put together like we hadn’t polished off a bottle of hard alcohol last night, the big jerk.

“What up, Owen?” Liam says to Officer Hopkins, giving him a fist bump. The two of them have been friends for years, and when Owen decided to be a police officer, it was an ongoing joke that he’d no doubt have to arrest his friend at some point, with all the crazy shit the Hayes siblings get themselves into.Especially as of late.

Liam walks around the counter and my breath seizes in my lungs as I watch him take purposeful strides in my direction. What the hell is he doing? He’s a man on a mission, and he slides his big hand around my waist, confidently pressing my body flush with his. I inhale deeply, breathing in the intoxicating scent of burnt sugar and oak.

His lips press against my temple and my eyes close briefly, enjoying such an intimate hug, my brain signaling the rapid sendoff of happy hormones. Fingers deftly toy with the tiny space where my shirt ends and my jeans begin, lightly touching the bare skin with skillful fingertips. My breathing is shallow and ragged, but I feel a calmness wash over me that is associated with and so specific to him. All my worry and anxiety, all of it washes out into the abyss as he holds me close and forces my senses to hyperfocus on him—his delicious woodsy, sweet smell, the feel of his fingers, the warmth of his big body, the sound of his steady heartbeat.Peace.

Owen coughing loudly into his fist snaps me out of this spell and my spine straightens. Liam pulls back just enough to look atme, but my eyes are stuck on Owen, trying to gauge his reaction. Liam’s fingers make contact with my chin, gently tilting my head back to him and I go willingly. Mother above, what is happening?

“Eyes on me, beauty. How was your morning?”

I can’t help but smile brightly at him, although I’m confused as fuck. My body and brain are not on the same page. Abort! I need to put space between us, stat. This is Liam for fuck’s sake. I can’t be so desperate for physical affection that the first time I receive any, I’m a lost puppy begging for more. Am I truly that starved for attention? I inwardly cringe and squirm, suddenly not feeling confident in my own skin as I can’t imagine what a desperate mess I must look like to him. Taking a deep breath, I answer his question with a well-practiced smile.

“I’m exhausted but it’s been a good morning. How are you?”

“Better now.” He smirks. “Charlie still sleeping?”

“Yes,” I reply, slightly breathy.

“Either of you assholes going to tell me what the fuck is going on right now or are you going to continue to pretend I’m not here?” Owen says and we both snap our attention back to him. Slapping Liam’s chest hard, I try to push him away, but he doesn’t budge. Instead, he holds his grip around my hip steady and jerks me back into his big-ass body.

“Good morning, Owen. I’m sure you’re tired. Your usual?” I ask, hoping like hell he isn’t going to ask questions.

“Yup. But you’re not going to get out of telling me what’s happening right now. It’s freaking me the fuck out.”

“Hannah and I are dating?—”

“—It’s nothing,” Liam and I say in unison.

“It’s not nothing. She’s just worried about what people are going to think. Isn’t that right, beauty?”

Liam continues to move his fingers back and forth on thetiny strip of bare skin at my lower back and it’s distracting as hell, the bastard. He’s playing dirty and successfully screwing with my already-fucked-with head.

“Hmm?” I ask, not hearing what was just said past the sound of my blood rushing in my ears unable to focus on anything other than that slow glide of his fingers, back and forth, back and forth.

“You’re shittin’ me right now. You two finally got together? Well, shit. Who knows?”

“Honestly, man, we’ve been keeping it to ourselves for a while now. We haven’t wanted to make an announcement of it. You know how people are,” Liam says resolutely, like this is the easiest thing he’s ever had to do.

“You idiot, you need to tell people, you know how many people all have bets on this?”

I nearly choke on my saliva, now firmly back in reality. I’ve heard the rumors, but bets? I internally die over the fact that I’m proving their point that a male and female can’t be as close as Liam and I are without having some type of feelings. Ugh. Kill me now, please.

“Can you keep it PG in public though, don’t want Hannah to be arrested for her second offense.”

I shoot Owen an evil glare, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Try to keep it to yourself for a bit, huh? We still need to tell our families. It’ll spread like wildfire as soon as Han tells Ms. Nettie,” Liam states.

“Fucking right it will. Everyone three towns over will know.”

I roll my eyes and move away from these idiots to pour him his coffee, Liam’s hands falling from my waist, the cool air replacing his warm touch. Handing the to-go mug to Owen, I don’t release it after he reaches for it.

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