sorry—I should have listened to Georgie, to myself first. But one good thing came out of it.”
“Oh?”
“It taught me to hope. The truth as I knew it was that you despised me. That we would never be because you couldn’t stand to be near me. You told me plainly I was the last man on earth you’d ever choose, but if you hated me as much as I believed, you would have answered Catherine with the truth without hesitating.”
When he thumbed my cheek, I leaned into his hand, smiling. “That’s fair—I’d abused you so badly to your face, I probably wouldn’t have spared you for Catherine’s sake.”
“What did you say that I didn’t deserve? You might have been misinformed, but I earned every word on my own merit. When I think about what I said to you, I hate myself. I’ve spent the last weeks regretting every word I spoke in anger. How could I ever win you after that? I haven’t said anything to convince you to accept me.”
“Until now.”
“Until now.” The adoration on his face struck a match in me—I could have basked in its glow forever. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
“I’ll forgive you on one condition.”
“Anything.”
“Kiss me.”
Smiling, he leaned in and said against my lips, “Always.”
One word, and I was his. One kiss, and I was gone.
He’d marked me the first time our lips met, but this time, I was claimed. I had no choice as I melted in his arms, our lips a seam and our hearts thundering.
But if I did, I’d choose him.
The surprise of the last few minutes dissipated with every sweep of our tongues, every shared breath. He breathed me in, and I let him. I was through fighting, past resisting, and the comfort I found in his arms shocked and soothed me. Because with that kiss came a certainty, an unnamed feeling of rightness.
And I couldn’t for the life of me understand how we hadn’t been doing this from the start.
My hands wanted to learn the shape of him, my lips wished to know his taste. And for that reason, it was a long time before we finally parted, breathless and soul-sated.
Our bodies were another matter altogether. But we’d have time to sate them when we were alone.
I smiled up at him. He smiled down at me.
“What will everyone think?” I mused, my arms hanging around his neck.
“That we’re crazy.”
“They wouldn’t be wrong.”
“Are you embarrassed?” he asked quietly.
“Only of how I behaved.”
He relaxed. “It’s going to be awkward.”
“Luckily, I’m great at awkward. I mean, not as awkward as you are, but—”
He was laughing when he kissed me, our teeth briefly meeting as if to prove the point. But again I sighed into him, the kiss deepening until our bodies searched for more. His hands roamed, cupping my ass, toying with the waistband of my jeans, tracking the curve of my waist. I could have climbed him like a gym rope—in fact, I was just about to when we heard a snicker from the hallway.
Our lips popped when they disconnected, but our bodies didn’t budge. Liam held me in place with his hand on my back like he didn’t want to let me go. And I didn’t want him to either, not even with my brother and Georgie amused and shocked in our eyeline.
Georgie leaned into Jett. “See? I told you,” she said to him.
“Told him what?” Liam asked with a brow arched.
“Just that you were a gentle breeze away from finally admitting you’re obsessed with each other,” Jett answered.
“It’s been painful to watch,” Georgie noted. “Do you ever do anything the easy way?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I asked.
When Liam laughed, I looked up at him with wonder at the sound. Our eyes locked again, smiles fading as our lips came closer, wishing for something else to occupy them.
“Jeez, get a room,” Georgie said.
Liam finally let me go with the exception of my hand, which he wrapped up in his.
“I think champagne is in order.” Georgie tugged Jett in the direction of the kitchen. “Please don’t make me come back in here to get you,” she called over her shoulder. “It’s been too good a day to ruin it by seeing something I shouldn’t.”
When they were gone, he pulled me into his chest again. “Can I take you to dinner tonight?”
“Only if I can stay here after.”
“Always.” He brushed my cheek with his knuckles, his eyes following the motion. “Did we just …”
“I think we did.”
“It feels wrong to be