Page 20 of Begin Again, Part 2

If he had his way, she'd be his—mind, body and soul—by the end of the night, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that. She'd thought about it a million times before, but now that they were on the precipice of making all her fantasies come true, she realised she was terrified out of her mind, scared shitless of how making love with Liam again would change the dynamic of their relationship. She sighed and shut the file on Kayla Randolph, her eyes staring unseeingly out of the window, while she absently smoothed down her new dress. The fabric was a little itchy on her skin. No surprises there since nylon always irritated her. But she liked how the dress sat on her and accentuated her silhouette. She should have gone for comfort over elegance, though. Now she'd spend the whole evening itching like crazy.

"What's wrong?" Liam reached for her hand, and she swatted it away. They were not that couple. They didn't hold hands and ask each other what was wrong. They were not a couple, period. Like he said the other night when he almost fucked her in his office, they were only going to be sex, so it would be silly of her to allow them to act like a real couple.

"Nothing!" she whispered and watched him flinch, his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes dark with mild irritation.

"It can't be nothing when you've been sighing since we left the boutique."

"I don't want to talk about it," Eden said softly.

Where would she start explaining her fears to him, and what would she even say?

"Sir, we're here," Stephen announced as they stopped in front of the restaurant. Liam stared at her, waiting for an explanation, but Eden wasn't in the mood to explain herself. She opened her door and slipped out, leaving him cursing behind her.

"Do you have no class at all?" he barked as he came around the car. "Don't you know any decent guy holds the door for his lady?"

"I'm sorry, I thought chivalry was dead!" She shrugged carelessly as she walked up to the entrance. "And I am not your lady!"

"Deny it all you want, Princess, but you are mine, and tonight I'll prove it once and for all!" Liam shot back and grabbed her hand, refusing to release it even when she tried her best to wiggle away.

"I can walk on my own," Eden said as she tried again to snatch her hand away.

But he held it firmly in his.

"I know that," he growled. "But pretend you're a lady, and you have some class, okay? I'm sure you can do that for a couple of hours."

Chapter

Seven

SHE’S A KEEPER

Vic Randolph and his wife Kayla were already seated and nursing their martinis when Liam strolled into La Famiglia with Eden at his side, her hand firmly in his. They got down to business as soon as the introductions and pleasantries were out of the way. Eden played the hostess to perfection, going over and beyond to be attentive to Randolph's wife as she catered to her every whim and need. Kayla Randolph was a pretty little thing, and half the man's age, but with enough plastic on her face and body to fill a landfill. Liam liked her, though. She was affable and well-mannered. Not like the trophy wives he'd met in the past. Every time he looked up from his discussion with the founder of LUSSO, he'd smile a little when he found Eden and Kayla deeply engrossed in their conversation. He was pleased to see that he'd made the right decision by bringing her along. They were around the same age and had similar interests and backgrounds. With her boisterous personality, Clara wouldn't have been able to build rapport with Kayla as quickly as Eden had. If there was one thing he'd learned over the past two years in the CEO's seat, the wife was usually the person he had to impress when it came to clinching lucrative deals. Kayla was so impressed with Eden, she even invited her to sit with her at Fashion Week.

"Thank you, I'd like that," Eden smiled demurely and picked up her dirty martini. She turned to him as she twirled her drink in her hand. "Mr Anderson, can we?"

Liam stifled a groan when the memory of her slender fingers on his cock earlier in the changing room, and the pleasure they'd brought him, roared to life. He'd tried the whole night not to think about their encounter because working himself into a frenzy before a negotiation as huge as LUSSO wouldn't serve him well. Now, as he watched those damn sexy fingers slide up and down the side of her glass, remembering how good they felt when they'd glided over his hard-on, he couldn't help but think how much he wanted them around him again—

"Sir?" Eden said as she brought an olive to her lips, her teeth gently sinking into its flesh, luring it inside her mouth with her tongue. She took a slow sip from the glass, her eyes holding his over the rim. "Will that be okay with you?"

Well aware she was toying with him, Liam shifted in his seat, trying to ease the erection straining in his pants. He was grateful for the voluminous white tablecloth. It did a fantastic job hiding his raging desire for her.

"Of course, we can all sit together," he said, his smile as firm as his dick as he picked up his bourbon and gulped it down in one go, suddenly furious with himself for getting distracted and even more annoyed with Eden for making him all hot and bothered when he was trying to focus on LUSSO.

She'd pay dearly for her little stunt, he vowed.

The conversation stayed on fashion for some time, with Kayla rattling on about her favourite designer's summer range before it moved on to art. For a while, Liam was happy to sit back and listen to Eden and Randolph discuss his art collection, liking the way her eyes lit up every time her favourite artists came up. Randolph even tried to commission a portrait of his wife from Eden, but she declined with a smile, explaining she hadn't picked up a paintbrush in two years because her son kept her so busy.

"But when the time frees up, I'd love to paint her." Eden touched Kayla's hand lightly.

Randolph turned to Liam and raised his glass. "She's a keeper. Hold on to her."

Eden, though, was quick to set the record straight. "Oh no, he's my boss. It's nothing like that."

Randolph chuckled and winked at her, and Liam's smile broadened as he did his best to mask his irritation, realising for the first time that the only thing worse than being friend-zoned was being firmly placed in the boss zone.

By the time they got through their main course, they were getting along like a house on fire. One would swear they were just two couples on a double date.

Halfway through the contract signing, Eden excused herself to go to the restroom. Kayla followed her, leaving Liam alone with Randolph, and they spent a few more minutes discussing the deal.

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