Page 148 of Summertime Friends

It would have been easy to make Callum come back here to work on this, but Emerson wanted space. And Edward was right; I’d do the same. Working on this deal was specific and personal.

So I stayed.

We completed the deal and the quick takeover. Everything moved fast, but it was important, and I was proud to be able to do it. Every early morning and late night was worth it.

An hour or two passed from when I put myself horizontally on the couch. It was post-run, and I had nothing to do on this rainy Saturday but watch the Premier League when there was a knock on my door. I waited to answer the door, assuming it was the lunch that I ordered for myself. The match has only two minutes left of play, and Arsenal and Chelsea were tied. I left specific notes to leave it at the door, anyway.

Whoever it is at the door knocks again.

EMERSON

Emotions from the last time I stood outside his door flood my system.

Pushing those anxious emotions and memories aside, I remind myself that I’m here now. Mistakes in the past, this is our now, and with my whole heart, I believe he’ll see it that way, too. Like they always say, the third time’s the charm. Right?

But I tell myself this is actually the first time because I’m finally ready—completely there, completely in it.

Taking a final breath, I lift my hand to the door before I chicken out. Quick, fleeting thoughts of self-doubt cross my mind.

What if he’s not here? You wait.

What if he doesn’t love you back? Stop joking around. Liam loves you.

What if he turns you down? Then we’ll pick ourselves up and move on, being proud of ourselves for finally going after what we want.

This is it, Emerson. Don’t be a coward.

Folding my hand into a fist, I knock on his door.

There’s no response.

I knock again.

I know he’s here. There is a tingle in my body, my heart rate picking up the way it does whenever he’s near. It intensifies as I hear footsteps amplifying. The sound of a lock being flipped echoes in the hallway.

This is it.

The door opens.

I lift my head, and our eyes lock.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hi,” he replies. A massive smile slowly appears.

I stare at it, getting lost in how much I love his smile. How much I love him.

“States, what are you,” Liam can barely get out before I drop my bag and wrap my arms around his neck. Slipping my hands into his soft brown hair. I push my lips to his.

Liam kisses me back. My lips part as his tongue finds mine. Like they were only ever meant for each other, our kisses move as mindlessly as the act of breathing. His hands come to my lower back, and he guides us inside his flat. Removing one hand, he shuts the door behind us and pushes me against it. My bags are still in the hallway, neither of us giving an ounce of care. Liam returns hishand to me, cupping the right side of my face. The gentle caress on my face is warm, and I lean into it instinctively. We keep kissing, neither of us wanting to pull away except for desperate gasps of air that aren’t each other. But if I had it my way, he’s the only thing I’d breathe for the rest of my life. We’re like two stupid high schoolers who just discovered kissing and can’t get enough of it. Liam pulls my bottom lip into his mouth and bites down, causing me to moan softly into his mouth. He groans in response.

With the satisfaction of knowing that there will be plenty more of this to come, I break our kiss.

Staring into my eyes, Liam pushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I break our kiss, satisfied that there will be plenty more of this to come.

“States, what are you doing here?” he asks.

“I’m done pretending that I don’t love you.” There is no need for the fluff. “You’re everything to me. I wish I could tell you I knew it from the day you walked into my life, but the day I walked out of that door made me realize how much I care about you. I loved you then, and I love you now. I’m in love with you.”

---