Page 108 of Falling for Love

His words left me reeling, my heart thundering in my chest as I clung to the front of his shirt.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied gently. “I just need you to feel it. Feel every single thing I’m about to do to you.”

And then, slowly, giving me every opportunity to pull away, he leaned in. His lips met mine in a firm and tender kiss, filled with a kind of certainty that left me weak.

It wasn’t rushed or frantic. Our kiss was deliberate, and I melted into him.

My hands trailed to his shoulders as the world around us faded.

His touch and presence were overwhelming in the best way, filling the cracks I hadn’t even realized were there.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, and we breathed hard. His hands stayed on my waist as I struggled to process what had just happened.

“I mean it, Evie,” he said softly, his voice full of conviction. “I’m not going anywhere. Not unless you tell me to.”

I closed my eyes, leaning into him as my thoughts raced. There were so many reasons to be cautious, so many reasons to keep my walls up. But standing there in his arms, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years—hope.

And love.

“I don’t want you to go anywhere.” I tugged on his shirt and smiled. “Now, kiss me again.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Evie

Liam’s grin was easy and confident, but there was something tender in the way his fingers laced through mine. I’d led him to my bedroom and tried to push away every ounce of worry pulsing through me.

“You ready?” I whispered, asking myself more than him.

The warmth of his touch sent a ripple through me as a mix of anticipation and vulnerability I wasn’t sure how to navigate.

“I’m ready for whatever you’ve got,” he said, his voice low, teasing, but with an edge of sincerity that made my stomach flip.

The air in the room felt charged. Whatever we’d been balancing for months finally exploded into emotion we couldn’t keep in.

We needed this.

I needed this.

The spark in Liam’s eyes made my heart squeeze and heat pool in my belly.

“I’ve got you, Evie. I always will.” His fingers traced along my jaws, moving to cup the back of my head.

His lips brushed mine softly but with hunger.His kiss was slow and deliberate as if he wanted to memorize the moment just like me. Liam’s rough and strong hands framed my face as our kisses intensified with every passing second.

A little moan escaped as his tongue parted my lips, but he stopped.

“Evie,” he murmured, his voice a mix of a question and a promise, his forehead resting gently against mine.

I smiled, my hands finding his shoulders, steadying myself against the pull he had on me.

“You don’t have to be so careful,” I teased. “I won’t break.”

His laugh rumbled low in his chest, and the sound sent a shiver racing through me. It was like that was the permission he needed.

Liam’s hand slipped to the small of my back as he pulled me closer. “But I’m not going to rush this. Not with you.”

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