Page 29 of Until We're More
“What would you want a girl to say to you?” I asked, since it applied to texting Kevin, and more than that, I wanted to know. What did Liam Roth look for in a girl? It’d be semi-torturous when it didn’t match my traits, but strike thatwantfrom the record, because Ineededto know.
“I’d want her to be herself,” he said, and I rolled my eyes, nice and big so he’d be sure to see.
“That’s such a mom thing to say.” A string pulled in my heart as I recalled a conversation where, after crying about not having any friends, I was told I’d probably have more if I wasn’t such an exhausting chatterbox. “One my mom never would say to me.”
“And there we have why you don’t believe anyone would want to hang out with you, and that pisses me off.” His features changed to that deadly expression he wore when he stepped into the cage. I should take notes for my intimidation tactics, but instead the tears I’d tried to smother rose, rapid blinking doing nothing to stop it. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, you’re right. And still I feel guilty for not calling and checking in. I just know it’ll end with me going over to clean or cook something, or to buy groceries.”
“They’ve had your cooking before, and they still ask you to do that?”
I laughed through the tears that started to fall, and I appreciated the hell out of his ability to make me laugh right now. “I stuck to those easy boxed or mostly pre-prepared meals. Or I’d grab takeout through a drive-through, so I’m also guilty of adding to their super-unhealthy diet.”
“You’re not responsible for them. They failed you, not the other way around.”
I sniffed and shrugged. “If I hadn’t had you…I think I would’ve gotten lost. Maybe I would’ve ended up right along with them. But I can’t. That’s another reason why I have to secure a good high-paying job. To prove I’m contributing to society.”
“Then I’ll help you land that job.”
Another couple tears slipped down my cheeks. Once the crying tap turned on, it was always so hard to get it to stop.
Worry and that helplessness that didn’t look right on Liam crept into his features. “Chels. What can I do? I feel like shit for making you cry.”
“You didn’t make me cry. You pointed out the truth, andthatmade me cry.”
He lowered his arm from the back of the couch to my shoulders and curled me to him, and I happily snuggled close. A sense of security I only felt with him wrapped around me like a blanket. I also tried not to think about how this was the least sexy thing ever. Not that being sexy around Liam was important. This whole conversation proved how much I needed him in this capacity.
My body wasn’t exactly listening to reason, though, my heart skipping at the way his strong arms enveloped me. Instead of letting myself indulge in the emotions that tiptoed toward the sexual desire side of the line, I resolved to take steps to ensure I didn’t mess up what we had.
And I’d start with making a date with Kevin first thing tomorrow.
Chapter Twelve
Liam
No one ever tells you the things about living with girls that you should know. Not that anyone had ever told me what it was like or encouraged me to live with a girl, but my bathroom sink had been turned into a beauty salon. If I moved one thing, three things fell off the edge of the small vanity.
Whenever I turned in the shower, same result. Bottles fell from everywhere, which made it hard to close my eyes, imagine I had company, and do what I needed to do to relieve the pressure of wanting Chelsea.I should’ve just taken the edge off with the blonde from the bar.
So far, my attempts to do the right thing had left me extremely agitated. I hadn’t had sex in way too long, and my shower sessions weren’t doing it for me. On top of all that shittiness, Chelsea was going out with Kevin this evening.
From now on, I was doing the wrong thing.
Like right now, I was going to wrap my hand tighter around my cock, picture Chelsea in those little shorts, and pretend that I didn’t have to refrain from following through on the moves I wanted to make on her. With her shampoo bottles surrounding me, her familiar peach scent everywhere I turned, it was easy to picture her shoving aside the shower curtain. Stepping into the stream of warm water. That tank top she had on the night she’d been cooking growing more see-through by the second, her nipples straining against the fabric.
A knock brought me up short.Fuck.
“Oh, hey,” Chelsea said, her voice muffled through the bathroom door. “You are home. I wasn’t sure. Is it okay if I use the TV for the next thirty minutes?”
I blew out a breath and worked to keep my voice even. “Go for it.”
“Cool. Then I’ll have to hop in the shower and get ready for my date.”
Why don’t you forget your date and get in the shower with me now?“Sounds good,” I gritted out.
As soon as I heard her footsteps heading away from the door, I leaned my head against the shower wall, letting the spray of lukewarm water run down my back. If I didn’t get out soon, she’d end up taking a cold shower, and clearly I was the one who needed one of those…
By the time I emerged from my bedroom, I’d about decided to take another trip to the bar tonight. But I couldn’t summon up even an ounce of excitement over the idea of going and making small talk with women, so I was back to wondering how the hell to fill my time as I walked toward the living room, thoughts on finding a snack—I was starving.
