Page 2 of Begin Again, Part 2

"It's here." Liam held it up in the air. Eden dashed over to grab it. When she tried to reach for it, though, he grabbed her instead, and she clumsily fell on his lap.

"Mr Anderson," she said breathlessly, surprised by his swift move.

"Liam," he whispered, his lips hovering so close to hers, she could smell the bourbon on his breath.

"Liam," she said, matching his quiet tone. "I don't think I should be here."

"You are exactly where you should be," he said hoarsely, scanning her face. "Stay with me for a little while. I don't want to be alone right now."

Eden knew she shouldn't. Not like this, in the dark. Not when he was drinking. It wasn't a lot judging by the still-full bottle on the coffee table next to the untouched glass. But, this—whatever this moment was—was a terrible idea.

"Please?" he pleaded, his eyes lingering on her lips, robbing her lungs of air and igniting an ache inside her so intense she thought she'd die from craving him.

"Okay," Eden agreed, even when her mind screamed at her to abort the mission and go home before she messed up their lives even more.

"I'll stay," she added just to hush the terrified voice in her head, warning her this was a disaster of epic proportions waiting to happen. The words were barely out of her lips when Liam swooped down on her and drew her closer, gathering her in his arms as his mouth smashed hers in a desperate kiss. Everything disappeared into the background, and it was just the two of them and his heartache.

It took Eden a while to realise that the tears she tasted on her lips and the sobs filling the room weren't hers alone.

"People died," Liam wailed harder in her arms, and she held him tight, trying to keep him from falling to pieces. "Innocent men with wives and kids died. Why didn't they just burn the trucks? Why did they have to kill innocent people?"

"I don't know." Eden kissed his forehead, wishing there was more she could do for him. "But it's not your fault."

"It is!" Liam shook his head. "This happened under my watch. What the fuck was I doing? I saw it coming, I stepped up security, but it just wasn't enough!"

"You couldn't have known," Eden insisted. "You couldn't have foreseen this."

"I should have known. It's my job to know what's going on!"

"It's okay." She kissed him slowly, meaning to soothe him and quell his rage. But their kiss sparked out of control quickly. Before she knew it, her dress was on the floor, and the only thing between them was her underwear and his pants, as she straddled him and greedily ran her hands all over his defined chest and rock-hard abs.

"Princess," Liam whispered on the side of her lips, his breath fanning her face as he traced his tongue on her jawline. "You have no idea how much I need you right now."

"I need you too," she purred, hating herself for giving in so easily. But he was hurting, and this was the only way she could comfort him.

Wordlessly Liam eased her onto the couch and moved over her. Every part of her flushed body trembled with anticipation as he slipped her lacy underwear off. Eden was so glad she'd worn a matching set for once. Not just any, but one of the few sexy ones she owned.

She clumsily fumbled with Liam's belt, mewling deliriously when she unzipped his pants, and he tumbled out, pulsing hot and heavy in her hand as her fingers wrapped around his girth.

"Fuck!" Liam groaned and kissed her harder as she stroked and caressed his throbbing hard length. She couldn't see him in the dark, but she knew he was still as beautiful as she remembered because he felt as perfect as he had that first time, and she desperately wanted him inside her.

A phone rang somewhere. Their kiss deepened. Their caresses grew more fervent as they did their best to ignore the intrusion.

"I want you," Liam growled as he nudged her legs apart and settled between her thighs, pushing close to her core while he held himself up on his forearms.

Eden moaned loudly and bit her lower lip when she felt the bulbous tip of his swollen cock at her entrance as he rubbed her slowly, teasing her, opening her up to him. She closed her eyes in anticipation, her body humming with desire, the molten heat in her centre threatening to engulf her as she waited, craving him. But just when she thought he would drive into her and fuck her like crazy, Liam collapsed over her, crying on her shoulder as she felt him grow flaccid.

She didn't need an explanation or a reason. She already knew. He desperately needed and wanted her. But he was terrified. For whatever reason. Just like Linda had said.

In theory, Liam's anxiety had sounded ridiculous. Laughable even.

But now that she'd just had a front-row seat to his fears and was confronted by his feelings of crushing defeat, failure and self-doubt, Eden couldn't help but want to weep with and for him.

Knowing she caused this soul-crushing anxiety in him when she left him filled her with guilt and overwhelming helplessness so profound she was so convinced it would drown her the longer she stayed on that couch and listened to the sound of his heartbreak.

He moved away from her, and she tried to reach for him. "Liam?"

"It's late; you should head home," he said as he sat up and threw on his pants.

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