Page 51 of Not That Impossible

I heard myself crying out, I felt myself shaking. I saw Liam’s almost startled face in painful detail before he wrapped me up in his arms and held me, held me, held me as I came apart.

12

Isprawled on Liam’s chest, clinging hard because the tension was already beginning to return to his body, when the faint buzzing sound that I’d thought was my ears still ringing from all the noise I’d made, revealed itself to be his phone.

He disentangled himself, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and sat there.

The phone cut out. It started again. Liam sighed.

I pushed up to my elbows. Tentatively, I laid a hand on his back, between his shoulder blades. I squeaked when he twisted sharply, pushed me down, and kissed me hard.

“Oh,” I said when he pulled back. “Oh? Are we—mmm.”

He cupped my face and kissed me again.

By the time I’d regained my wits, he’d left the bed, snagged his trousers from the bedroom floor, hauled them up over his bare arse, and was shrugging on his undershirt.

“You can stay,” I said. “Please stay. We can—”

“No. I have to go.” He sat down to pull on his socks. His phone started buzzing again. He tipped his head in the direction of his coat, which still lay in the doorway where he’d dropped it. “That’s work.”

“How do you—”

“Jasper. Of course it’s work. If it isn’t, it will be soon enough. My shift might have ended, but this Underwood case is a big deal. I only stopped by on the way to the station.”

It wasn’t on the way!I wanted to shout.You came here forme. Specifically for me.

Liam stamped into his shoes, slung his shirt on over his undershirt, and pulled his coat on top.

He patted his pockets once, looked over at me, and nodded. He strode out the door.

I sat there on the rumpled bed, my mouth hanging open.

He…nodded?

That was his idea of goodbye?

To the man he justcameon?

A nod? Was he serious?

What theactualfu—

Liam stalked back in and over to the bed. He slid a hand around the side of my neck and up to grip my hair. He dragged my head back, and kissed me.

And that absolute bastard had to do it softly. His grip was unyielding. His lips were gentle as he stroked over my trembling mouth.

I was still reaching for him when he let go and walked out again.

He didn’t come back.

I managed to control myself and wait at least an hour before I texted him. While I wanted to text something along the lines of,Will you marry me?I settled for,That was fun! Let’s hang out some time!!!

It was low-key. Friendly. It wasn’t even sexual, unless he wanted it to be.

I didn’t want to come across as too desperate. An hour was chill, wasn’t it?

If I was chill, Liam was subzero.

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