Page 61 of Recklessly You
I roll my eyes. Egotistical man.
“Fine ass, huh? Of course, you’re the one who smacked my ass in public. It still has your handprint on it.”
“I’m surprised I didn’t fracture my hand on your buns of steel. No wonder you’re always doing squats with the barbell.”
He laughs.
“I’m glad my hands are imprinted on your ass. At least now people know who it belongs to,” I say as I button up my jeans.
He passes me a water bottle he brought with him. “It’s all yours, baby.” He winks, and I gush like a complete idiot.
* * *
Coming from New York,I’m used to the big city life. I’ve always lived in a fast-paced city. Moving to California has given me a sense of quietness. It is busy but not compared to Manhattan. I hardly stepped out of the city in Manhattan to enjoy the outdoors. I’ve never felt so content in my life.
“Almost there,” Liam utters, holding my hand as we walk uphill.
My feet stop moving as I take in the expanse of rolling golden hills dotted with vibrant clusters of California poppies swaying in the breeze. I fill my lungs with the fragrant air, and a sense of peace overwhelms me.Beautiful.
“Wow, this is…just wow, Liam. Beautiful,” my voice comes out in a whisper.
His arms wrap around my waist. He blows kisses along my neck. He searches for his phone in his pocket.
“Selfie?” he asks.
I’m taken by surprise. For a man who clearly wants less than casual, he sure has a strange way of showing it. I really don’t think he realizes it.
We take photos of him kissing my neck, one of us smiling, and the rest he takes of me lying in a bed of poppies. The photo of us looks amazing—we look like a couple in love. I know it’s wishful thinking. Initially, I wanted casual, but being with Liam makes me want more.
“Send them to me?” I ask.
He nods and texts them to me.
After a few minutes, we begin walking back to the lake, where Monkey is waiting. The weight on my chest has been heavy as I think about what Andrea said to me about Liam’s father. We’ve been practically living together for the past few months, him at my place, and now I’ve been staying with him. I know what relationships are, although he fails to acknowledge we are anything but fuck buddies. I’m dying for him to let me in and tell me more about himself. In reality, I know nothing about him when he knows everything about me. I’ve told him about my family, friends, even my relationship with Eric was like. I’ll admit it’s frustrating.
He stops and places a poppy behind my ear. “Beautiful,” he breathes.
My heart comes to a complete halt. Those beautiful eyes hold so much pain, and he has become a master at masking it. Only I can see through him. Getting on my tiptoes, I kiss the end of his nose.
“Liam,” I whisper. “Tell me about your dad.” My lips go into a straight line.
His demeanor changes as he steps back and shakes his head. “Not now, Sophie.” He picks up his pace, walking toward the lake.
“Liam, your mom told me your father passed away. I’m so sorry. She didn’t tell me what happened. She said it was your story to tell.”
He spins around, and I run right into his chest. “Exactly. It’s my damn story to tell. And I sure as fuck don’t want to talk about it.”
“It will help if you talk about it.”
A dark laugh drips from his lips. “You want to fix me, Sophie? Is that what it is? You think I’m some broken puppet who needs fixing?”
“No, Liam, of course not. I just want to help you…to be there for you.”
Anger grabs him by the jaw, his fist tightening into a ball. “Help? Help me?” he bellows. “You don’t know shit about me, Sophie. The only real problem you had was with your shitty ex. You’ve lived a cushy life with two parents, a brother. Soon you’ll have nephews and nieces. A fucking family. You’re a queen on a pedestal, never had to struggle in life,” Liam spits, his nostrils flaring, burning with rage. The veins on his neck are visibly pulsing underneath the skin.
I see the pain within him. I understand his anger, some of it, but I don’t know what has caused it.
“That’s because you don’t tell me shit about you, Liam!” I shout, my chest heaving. “We’ve been messing around for months now, sleeping in the same bed. You’d think you would have opened up to me. It’s like I’m sleeping with a stranger every night!” My heart squeezes with pain at how he’s looking at me.
