Page 128 of Begin Again, Part 2

"Of what?" Liam brushed away the water from his face and peered at her.

"That you'll leave me four weeks before the wedding."

His eyebrows furrowed, Liam searched her face. "What are you talking about? Why four weeks? That's a very specific time frame."

"Well, Simon left me four weeks before our wedding," she said sadly.

Liam shut the taps, pulled her down on the wet tiles, and held her. Bit by bit, she opened up to him and told him about the end of her engagement, her devastation when Simon left, and her destructive actions, culminating in their hook-up and, ultimately, Aiden.

"So it's not that I don't want to marry you. I'm just terrified. I came so close to the altar, and I swore I'd never go down that road again," Eden finished off, shivering at the sudden chill in the room. The hot steam swirling inside the shower moments ago had dissipated, cooling down the tiles.

"Look at me," Liam said.

Eden shook her head. She didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes because she knew how much he hated seeing her cry. But no matter how hard she tried to keep it together, she couldn't. Maybe because it was the first time she'd shared her heartbreak with anyone other than her friends. It was the first time she'd allowed herself to be so vulnerable in front of Liam and let him into that dark period in her life.

"It's an order, Princess," he growled, turning her face to him. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, temple, jaw, and finally, her lips.

"I'm not Simon," he whispered. "I won't leave you four weeks before our wedding. I won't leave you, period."

"But—"

"No buts." Liam placed his finger on her lips. "You are my heart. How can I ever leave my heart behind?"

Eden cried harder in his arms, and he held her tight.

"You have to let all that hurt Simon left behind go now. You have to let it go and make room for me in your heart. I want to make you happy, and I know I can. But you have to let me in."

"Okay," she said. "I want that."

"Good." Liam pulled her to her feet and began soaping her body. "Now, here's the plan. We'll go along with the engagement party, and I'll stall the wedding for as long as possible. But when you're ready to get married, you'll have to propose to me."

"Why should I propose to you?" Eden laughed and slapped her thigh, soap suds splashing him in the face. It was the funniest shit she'd heard in a while.

"Because I'll say yes." Liam sounded amused as he turned on the taps again and pushed her under the jet sprays, but the deadpan look in his eyes told her he wasn't joking.

"You're serious?" she said, squinting at him as she pushed her hair back.

"As a heart attack." Liam nodded and drew her in his arms. "I don't handle rejection well. So from now on, the ball is in your court. Woo me, and I promise I'll say yes. But you have to be creative. None of that shit of hiding the ring in a cake or something equally lame. Think outside the box."

"You forget I no longer report to you, sir," she stood on tiptoes and kissed his cleft. "So I don't take orders from you."

"Since I haven't received your resignation letter yet, I'm still your boss, Princess," he said seriously. "Now, on your knees."

Eden complied, knowing full well what was coming. But Lord, she didn't study for this and had no freaking clue what was expected of her. She'd wing it, pretty much like her job as his assistant.

"Touch me," Liam commanded.

That, Eden knew how to do. So she did, growing bolder the harder he grew in her hands.

"Now," he looked at her, maintaining eye contact, his face taut with hunger, his eyes stormy with need. "Take me in your mouth."

Eden gently brought her mouth around him.

"Princess," he groaned and leaned on the wall when her lips wrapped around his swollen tip. She slowly worked her way down his length, taking every inch of him until he was partially buried in her mouth.

For a good few minutes, all Eden heard was the sounds of the water sprays falling around them, and Liam's guttural growls as she gently used her lips and tongue in tandem with her hands to rock his world.

Chapter

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