Page 48 of Liam
“And we made out,” I whisper, my cheeks burning. “He touched me. Made me come on his fingers. It was intense and wonderful and...”
I trail off, swallowing hard. Mia squeezes my hand.
“And then he stopped. Pulled away like I’d burned him,” I continue, my voice cracking. “He mumbled some excuse and left. After that, he acted like nothing had ever happened. Like he didn’t even recognize me. Wouldn’t even look at me in class. Thank God I didn’t sleep with him.”
Mia pulls me into a hug. “Oh, Aleria. I’m so sorry. What a jerk.”
I laugh against her shoulder. “It’s not like he promised me anything. I was the one who read too much into it.”
Mia pushes me back, holding me at arm’s length. “No, Aleria. Don’t you dare blame yourself. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
I shrug, trying to blink back the tears threatening to spill. “It doesn’t matter now. It was a long time ago.”
“But you’re working with him,” Mia points out. “And clearly, it’s still affecting you.”
I nod, unable to deny it. “I was sure I was over it. That Icould handle working with him. You know, for the project's sake. But being around him every day, seeing him be all...Liam-like. It’s stirring up old feelings that I thought were long gone.”
Mia’s expression is a mix of concern and determination. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. First, we’re going to fix your makeup because, honey, you look like a raccoon right now.”
I can’t help but laugh at that, even as Mia dabs at my eyes with a tissue.
“Second,” she continues, “we’re going to go back out there, and you’re going to give Jake a fair shot. He seems like a great guy, and he’s obviously into you.”
I nod, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. Jake deserves better than me mooning over my boss all night.”
“And third,” Mia says, her tone serious, “when this date is over, you and I are going to have a long talk about how to handle this Liam situation. Because I’ll be damned if I let him hurt you again.”
I feel a rush of affection for my best friend. “What would I do without you, Mia?”
She grins, linking her arm through mine as we head for the door. “Probably combusted in a lab accident by now. Come on, let’s go save your date before they think we’ve escaped through the bathroom window.”
Mia’s right. I need to figure out what’s going on with my feelings for Liam. But for now, I have a date to salvage. Perhaps I can make it through the rest of the night without mentioning Liam’s name again.
I’m doomed.
The rest of dinner passes in a blur of me trying to act likea normal human being. By the time we finish our meals, I’m exhausted from the effort.
“There’s a nice park nearby,” Mark suggests. “Shall we take a walk?”
Mia jumps on the idea. “Great idea! Some fresh air will do us all good.” The look she gives me says,“And maybe help you remember how to converse without mentioning your boss.”
Jake’s hand brushes against mine, and I glance at him. He’s looking ahead, a small smile on his face. Before I can overthink it, his fingers slip between mine.
His hand is warm and slightly rough. It feels...nice. Comfortable. My fingers curl around his.
“You’re not like any other girl I’ve met,” Jake says.
I smile, a warmth blooming in my chest. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is.” Jake leans in, his eyes flicking down to my lips. My pulse quickens, and a flutter of anticipation blooms in my chest. I tilt my head, angling toward him. The scent of his cologne envelops me, a warm, spicy aroma that makes my head spin.
I part my lips, my eyelids growing heavy. Shit, did I remember to pop that mint after dinner?
His hand cups my cheek. I lean into his touch, my eyes closing as the distance between us shrinks.
Over his shoulder, a flash of movement catches my eye. A jogger in the distance, his silhouette familiar. Dark hair, broad shoulders.
My eyes snap open, all thoughts of the kiss evaporating. It can’t be. It’s not possible. But it looks so much like...
