Page 114 of Not That Impossible

Also, while I trusted Adam when he said that Ray wouldn’t sue, I’d feel better if Liam told me Ray couldn’t.

These were the reasons I’d been giving myself for coming over, anyway.

Really, I had been drawn here by the soul-deep yearning for Liam that was in my blood and would never die. I was having the worst day. I just wanted to see him.

“Which is ridiculous,” I said. “You romantic prat.” I leaned forward and rested my forehead on the steering wheel with a groan.

Still slumped over the wheel, I turned my head to gaze morosely out of the side window at his house.

Liam was standing on his doorstep with his arms crossed, looking right at me.

I switched the engine on, threw the car into gear, and peeled out of therewellover the speed limit.

Once I’d turned at the end of the road, I pulled over and parked the car, my heart thundering.

Wow.

Just when I thought I’d hit rock bottom of embarrassing myself in front of that man, I found a secret trapdoor to another level of humiliation, and fell right through it.

I got caught stalking him, and my genius response was tocommit a traffic crime right in front of him.

My phone pinged.

Oh, god.

I gingerly picked it up and tilted the screen to face me.

Jasper.It was from Liam.

That could mean anything.

It could be,Hey. What’s up?

It could mean,You absolute disaster of a human being. I despair of you.

It could mean,Get your arse back here right now. I want to arrest you for speeding in a residential area where there are dogs and cats and children, you delinquent.

One way or another, I was fairly sure it was a summons.

Swallowing hard, I started the car and drove slowly back. I pulled over and parked at the bottom of his drive, blocking in his car. I got out and looked up at the house.

He wasn’t waiting for me on the doorstep, which for some reason I’d expected. I shut the car door and walked up the drive. I didn’t have to knock; the door opened before I even raised a hand.

Liam stood there, haloed by the cosy glow of lamplight behind him. I couldn’t quite see his face. When he didn’t say anything, I shifted awkwardly and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Um,” I said.

“Are you coming in?” Liam said, when I didn’t have a follow-up to my brilliant conversational opener.

“Yes?”

“You don’t seem too sure.”

“I’m sure.”

Liam smiled, put a hand on my waist, and drew me inside.

I looked down at that gentle touch, then back up at his face. I could see him clearly now, and his expression was soft. Like it had been in the coffee shop.