Page 112 of Wants and Needs
“You are,” I insist and press my body to his. Having Cher between us just makes it better. “You’re everything I never thought I needed.”
“Are you sure?” His twisted mouth is his insecurity tell, so I kiss it back to its normal pouty self.
“I’ll never regret walking up that hill to talk to you,” I promise.
“Me either . . . chahita.”
The Urdu term of endearment stops my heart, but the insecurity I see in his wobbling smile springs me into action. I smash my lips to his in the most uncoordinated way, but I don’t care.
“Darling,” I whisper when I pull back. My heart is going crazy inside my chest and my eyes sting, but I can’t look away from his earnest blue eyes.
“Did I say it correctly?” he asks softly. “I researched the pronunciation and?—”
“It was perfect.” I have to swallow hard. “And I love it. It’s what Mum called Dad all my life.”
“It is?” His beautiful smile blooms and brightens everything around us.
“I love you so much.” My voice might be gravelly but I nod afew times, so hopefully he can see how much this means to me. “So much, darling.”
“I like hearing you say that,” he murmurs with a softer smile.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it now that I have.”
“That’s good, because...” He straightens and stares at me with solemn eyes. “I think it’s time we revisit the living arrangements discussion.”
“It wasn’t really a discussion,” I mumble.
“Well, we had opposing opinions, so I think that qualifies.”
I let out a sigh. I’ve been aware I’m never going to win an argument with Liam. Not only because we rarely disagree on important matters or because he’s so smart and knows so damn much about the human brain, but because he’s too cute.
“You still think you should give up your apartment and the best option is for us to live in the brownstone that’s not even mine?” I ask.
“I do, but I have an exciting new idea.”
“All right.” I link an arm with him and steer us to cross the street to the park. “I’m all ears.”
“What if we buy half of the brownstone from CJ?”
“What? Divide it into two separate houses? How would that even work?”
“No, no.” He shakes his head. “I mean just paying him half the value so it stays his but our names are also on the deed. That way he can still come over whenever he wants but it would feel like it’s your house as well. We can redo the whole second floor into whatever we want, leave the ground floor as a living space, the first floor is for guests, and the fourth floor is CJ’s.”
I pull on his arm when I stop dead in my tracks.
“And you’d really be fine giving up your apartment? That’s your space, Liam, and I never want you to give up anything for me.”
This time his exhale sounds irritated. I always secretly like it when he’s irritated because it’s just another way he shows me he’s comfortable with me.
“Building a home with you would be much greater than whatever I’d be giving up, and besides, if I feel the need to have my own space, there are five other rooms in the brownstone I can use when and if that happens.”
We resume our walk and Liam puts Cher on the ground.
“In that case,” I say at last. “I love this idea. We’ll ask CJ what he thinks when they come over for Christmas, yeah?”
“That sounds great.” He nods once. “We’re not going to the play until eight, right?” he checks, though he’s the one who set it up with Michelle. Turns out she didn’t back out from investing in ESoothe because of anything Dirk did or didn’t do, she just truly believed that she wouldn’t be the right partner for Liam and that he would prosper without her anyway.
“That’s right,” I confirm.
