Page 7 of Falling For Liam
I end the call, and I feel the atmosphere in the room change. The air around me suddenly seems thick. I swallow down my apprehension before looking up. My eyes run from his shoes up the dark denim, over his low-slung waistband and then the white cotton of his shirt. Just being in the same room as him affects me just like it did the day I first met him, but it’s not until I meet his eyes that I get the full force of his intensity. His rich chocolate eyes are almost black as they stare down at me on my knees in front of him. His lips are pressed into a thin line and I can see a muscle pulsing in his neck.
His dark eyes bore into mine and it’s as if he can see everything I’m trying to hide from the world.
I’m so lost to him in those few moments that everything outside of this room is forgotten. It’s the most freeing feeling.
Sadly, it doesn’t last, because before long Liam swallows, blinks, and schools his features. He reaches down and lifts me from the floor as if I weigh nothing. Our eyes hold for a brief second when I’m at full height, but he tears himself away in favour of collecting my bags.
“Come on.”
I don’t have it in me to argue, so I wait until he has everything, grab my wine, and follow him up the stairs.
The smell of camomile and lavender assaults me as we head towards the guest room, but I don’t have time to appreciate it because no sooner has he put my bags on the bed than he’s unzipping the holdall and rummaging through it.
“What are you doing?” I snap. I’m not sure why; it’s not like I’ve got anything to hide, but it feels like a bit of an intrusion into my privacy.
The look he pins me with stops any further argument falling from my lips, and I continue watching as he pulls out the shorts and vest top pyjama set I packed.
“Sit.”
I do as I’m told, and my eyes almost pop out of my head when he drops to his knees by my feet.
“Relax, Liv. You’re safe here,” he whispers, the harsh tone to his voice from only moments ago long gone.
I want to agree. I’m safe from my living nightmare, but there’s nothing safe about me being alone in a bedroom with this man.
Sparks shoot up my leg the second I feel his fingertips against my skin. His eyes meet mine immediately. He felt it, too.
“Interesting knot you’ve done here.” He stares back down at my shoes as he runs his fingers over the thin black straps wrapped around my ankles. The contact has goosebumps covering my entire body. He’s fascinated, and his eyes remain focused as he expertly undoes the knot tying the straps at the back of my leg.
My eyes stay locked on his hands, my heart beating erratically, as he slowly peels the fabric away from my skin before running his fingers over the top of my foot and sliding the shoe off.
Biting down on my bottom lip and grabbing onto the sheet beneath me in an attempt to stop myself from reacting more than I already am, I watch as he repeats his previous actions on the other foot.
When he eventually drops my second shoe to the floor, he sits back on his heels and looks up at me. My breath catches at the sight of his dark and hungry eyes.
I open my mouth to say something, but he soon puts a stop to it.
“Don’t,” he barks before getting up and leaving the room.
I breathe for the first time in what feels like hours. When he’s in the room, he steals every bit of my attention.
“It’s ready, come on.” His voice is calmer and he sounds a little more in control of himself as he rounds the corner.
I silently follow behind him, wondering if there’s anything I wouldn’t do if he asked it of me, until I come to a stop in Nicole’s bathroom. My breath catches when I see the bath full of bubbles and flickering candles on every surface he could find.
“Liam,” I breathe, his consideration making me speechless.
“Just relax. I’ll be here when you get out.”
After holding my stare for a second, he turns to leave.
“Wait,” I say in a rush.
He looks back over his shoulder, desire and concern in his eyes, and I know what I’m about to ask of him is unfair, but I don’t want to be alone right now.
“Would you sit with me?”
He looks confused for a few seconds before what I’m asking settles in. His eyes flick to the bath behind me before coming back to mine.
