Page 74 of Savage Temptation

“I do. I love him.” I smiled back, my heart settling a little, finding that what he did had no relevance towards how I felt for him. My heart knew who it beat for. “It will take time to get used to the idea.”

“I know. Whatever you decide, just put him out of his misery. He’s been a bigger pain than usual, and we both know my brother can be a real dick.”

I couldn’t help but join her in her laughter before squaring my shoulders and setting my mind on where to go from here.

I still wasn’t a hundred percent fine with all of it, and it would take a lot more than two weeks and a pep talk to get me there, but somehow my heart felt more at ease.

I’d need time to be comfortable with this new reality. Maybe knowing more about the business and their lives could help. Maybe Liam could help me understand it better.

We walked back to AD, our conversation taking a sharp left into lightness. Before heading up, I hugged Alison, thanking her for lunch and for the clarity she was able to provide me.

Once I got to my desk, I saw Liam’s office door was still closed. I inhaled deeply, summoning all my courage to face him, gently knocking on the door before opening it.

“Do you have a minute?” I asked, immediately being met by a smile and a small nod.

“Of course.”

I closed the door behind me, showing him I was okay with being alone and isolated with him.

Liam got up from his chair, only stepping out into the open space, not making a move to close the gap between us. Every single move he made was carefully thought through, not wanting to freak me out.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to come talk to you. It was just a lot of information I wasn’t expecting.” I said, my eyes traveling from his to the floor and back, as I rubbed my thumb in the palm of my hand. Liam didn’t speak, making me feel even more uneasy. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be going to LA with you if you still want me to.”

“Of course I do.” He quickly replied. “Are you sure you’re fine with being alone with me?”

“What? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Jamie, you were shaking when you left my apartment.” He said without tearing his gaze from mine, a worried expression knitting his brows together.

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that… I was caught off guard.”

“I know, I’m not trying to push you. I told you that you would run, that you would think less of me.” He said, defeat clear in his voice as he turned his back to me going back to his seat.

“Liam…” I called, slowly motioning towards him. “I’m… I’m not running. I’m right here.” I opened my arms, showing him my feet were rooted in place, waiting for him.

He spun his head in my direction as soon as my words hit him. I had merely finished a blink and Liam was an inch away from me. An inch away from my lips, his hand hovering on each side of my face but not touching me. I could feel his heavy, warm breaths on my face while his eyes bore into my soul, looking for a sign of uncertainty.

“Are you sure?” He exhaled.

I could feel his need to touch me, to hold me tight to his chest, but still, he waited for my reply.

“I am.”

As soon as my words left my mouth, Liam held my face in his hands and crushed his lips to mine in an earth-shattering kiss, pouring all his need and urgency into it and reassuring my heart that this was exactly where I belonged.

Chapter 21

Liam

Jamie, my Jamie Harden, had accepted my shadows.

There was an angel with Dornier as his last name looking down on us from Heaven, and I was sure he had a hand in that.

Having her sitting in the car on our way to the airport was the only thing thrilling about this trip to LA.

It would take time for her to feel a hundred percent at ease with it all, or me, for that matter. That much was clear in the way she was clasping the strap of her handbag against her chest, sitting so far away from me I thought she might blend into the car’s door.

Carl glanced at me through the rearview mirror, wary of the tense atmosphere that had filled the SUV since we picked Jamie up at her apartment.

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