Page 115 of Begin Again, Part 1

Liam waved off her long overdue apology and set down his empty glass. "That's okay; it's all in the past. But we need to talk about the solution to my problem."

"Which is?" Eden frowned, startled by the notion they were back to the real reason he hired her. She still didn't understand what he expected from her because his problem was likely psychological, and she couldn't fix him if he wasn't broken.

"I want you, Eden," Liam said with conviction. "And since you are the only woman I react to, the only woman I want, the only solution here is to make you mine."

Eden was floored by his announcement, the butterflies in her stomach skipping out of control again while her heart jumped to her throat. His half-empty bottle of wine didn't seem like a terrible idea now. Maybe a glass, even half, would do a fantastic job of calming her nerves because, frankly, her Evian water wasn't cutting it. But the last time she touched alcohol, she ended up in Liam's bed and pregnant with his child she was yet to inform him of.

To avoid another catastrophic mistake, she picked up her water instead, her hand shaking slightly. "I don't think that's going to be possible."

"Why not?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed. "You don't believe I can make you mine, Princess? You doubt me?"

The only person she doubted was her. It would be so easy to give in to Liam, to be swept up in the excitement of possibility, to fall in love with the idea of 'what ifs' and allow herself to be consumed by her insatiable hunger for him. Maybe for a little while, she could trick her mind into believing she was okay with just having his body. But she knew herself, and she knew her heart. Soon she'd want more. There was no room for more in what Liam was proposing, though. He simply wanted sex. And she wanted his heart and for him to be part of Aiden's life. But—

"Eden," Liam's low drawl yanked her out of her thoughts and back to the room.

She blinked at him, smiling uncertainly. "Yes?"

"I said I'll give you time to think about it." He tipped his freshly topped-up glass at her before bringing it to his lips.

"Think about what?"

"You and me, of course. I know we'll be magical. We burned bright once before. There's no reason why we can't again. But I want you to come to me willingly."

She shook her head. "I won't. I'll never come to you. I don't want you."

It was a big fat lie. Liam was the only man she would ever want. But she was just an obsession for him. One he'd tire of as soon as she fixed him.

"Of course, I can't tell you what to do, but while you take your time to figure things out, I don't recommend you see anyone else," Liam said. "End it with the lawyer, for his sake. We both know this thing between you two won't go anywhere. Not when your body cries only for me, like mine yearns only for you."

"You're insane!" Eden pushed her soup bowl away and threw on her blazer. "If you think I'll show up every time you want to scratch your itch, think again."

"You're right; I am insane with need for you. Eden, you consume. I crave you with every fibre of my being."

His admission sent a deep ache in her core, and her stomach clenched as memories of their one night of passion, and all the other heated, teasing moments they'd shared since, flooded her mind like a film reel. Despite all her talk, she knew that if Liam wanted to take her right now, she'd never have the strength to deny them the one thing they desperately needed because she felt just as strongly for him.

They fell silent for a while, both weighing his words. But their moment of reflection was interrupted when the main course, an exquisitely plated polvo à lagareiro—a scrumptious dish of baked octopus with potatoes in herbed garlic oil—arrived.

The presentation was stunning, and Eden wanted to snap a few photos for Lydia's vlog. But she somehow resisted the urge and looked for something to distract herself. The damp water stain pooling under her glass was the perfect distraction. She stared at it for some time, thinking of the right words to say, a snarky comment, the perfect rebuttal to Liam's cockiness. But her mind drew a blank, failing her at the most critical time when she needed to show him she wasn't the least affected by his crazy proposal.

"I take it we're in agreement about the lawyer." Liam picked up his fork, took a small piece from his plate, and brought it to her lips.

She parted her mouth slightly and took a bite, blushing when she couldn't stop her delighted moans. It tasted divine, pretty much like how she imagined a night with him would be.

"End it with him," he said, reaching down on his plate. This time, he pushed the food into his mouth and chewed slowly, his eyes twinkling at her crestfallen face.

"I thought you weren't planning to tell me what to do?" Eden reminded him.

"I'm not," he said, holding her spellbound with the ocean in his eyes. "But if you can't reach a decision, I'll make one for you."

She reached for her glass, and they both slipped into another bout of tense silence, this one louder and longer than before.

As Eden watched Liam sip his wine and nibble on his pricey seafood, she had a moment of clarity, like a giant lightning bolt striking her from the sky. She had to stop feeding this sexual tension between them and break things off because when it was all said and done, the only person who'd be left with a broken heart when Liam's interest in her waned was her. She'd be a fool to think it would last, that she'd be the only person he would ever want.

Disillusioned by the harsh truth, Eden made a promise to herself. This was the last time they'd ever meet like this. After tonight, she would get over him, even if it killed her.

One of her favourite indie bands came on the makeshift stage. She'd been dying to see them in concert, but could never go because of Aiden. She didn't even know how Liam managed to book them, since they rarely took private gigs. But she was thrilled and grateful to him that she got to see them live at least once.

They played something desperately mournful, and Eden lost herself in the music for a little while. This moment, this night, their dinner, the live music, and the flowers would have been perfect if they hadn't had such a bad start.

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