it every morning. How can I feel like this after only two months? I knew Corey for eighteen months and still wasn’t ready to move in with him. With Liam, every time he leaves, I feel like a part of me is missing. Every time I see him, I become whole again.
He hops out of bed. “I should get going. I have to drive out to Stamford today.”
My happiness sours. “I wish you wouldn’t.”
“He tossed my apartment, Ella.”
“And what is confronting him going to accomplish?”
“It’s going to show him he can’t control me. I want to see his face, knowing he didn’t find what he was looking for. It’s not often Dirk Campbell doesn’t get his way.”
“You want to go there to gloat?”
He pulls his pants on. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“If you insist on going, take me with you.”
He stills and turns, a frown snapping between his brows. “No fucking way.”
“Why not?”
“One, because Dirk is an asshole. And two, I don’t want you anywhere near that part of my life.”
I run a finger along his arm. “Am I part of your life?”
He stares at the bed. I wonder if he’s thinking about what we did last night. He looks back at me. “Yes, of course.”
“Then take me with you.”
“It’s not a good idea,” he says.
“Neither is you going alone.”
He sits on the chair and pulls his socks on. “Why do you want to go? Tell me the truth.”
I get up, put on my robe, and sit on his lap, straddling him. “Because you’re part of my life, Liam. You are important to me. I want you to be safe.”
“And you think you can keep me safe?”
“I’ll be your buffer. Neither of you will do anything stupid if I’m there. Besides, you’re trapped. I’m not letting you go without me.”
“You can’t keep me from going, El.”
I open my robe and expose my breasts. “I suppose not, but I can do everything in my power to make you stay.”
He outlines my breasts with his fingers, sending chills through me.
“Take me with you.”
“God, woman, you’re demanding.”
I shimmy on top of him. He’s going to say yes.
He appraises me like a starving man in front of a steak dinner. “And after last night, I think I trust you more than anyone I’ve ever known.”
My heart leaps, and it takes all my willpower not to tell him how much I love him.
~ ~ ~
I fiddle with the radio as we drive to Stamford in Crew’s old Nissan. “You don’t have your own car? Or did you sell it when you moved to the city?”
“I used to drive one from Dirk’s car lot. He took it back when I moved out. Since Crew and Bria live and work together, they only need one car, so he lets me use this one.”
“I’m surprised it still runs.”
“He’s taken very good care of it. Do you have a car?”
“I don’t even have a license.”
“You’re twenty-three, El.”
“I’ve lived in the city all my life. There’s never been a need.”
“Everyone should know how to drive.”
“I know how to drive. I learned from watching TV.”
“You can’t learn how to drive from watching television.”
“Want to bet?” He exits the highway even though we’re nowhere near Stamford. “Where are you going?”
“To win the bet.”
“You want me to drive?”
“Why not? It’s an old piece of shit. What better way to start?”
“You’re crazy.”
“Don’t think you can do it, eh?”
“Oh, I can do it.”
He pulls into a large empty parking lot, parks in the middle of it, and turns off the car. “Prove it,” he says, smiling ear to ear.
We get out and switch seats. I put my seatbelt on and turn the key. It makes a god-awful grinding noise. Liam laughs.
“Shut up.”
“Sorry. When the car starts, stop turning the key. Okay, go ahead.”
I place my hand on the gear shift, determined to do this without any help. I put it in drive and press on the gas. We surge forward and almost run into a light pole.
“Ella!” he screams.
I slam on the brakes, and Liam has to brace himself or hit the front window.
I turn to him. “That’ll teach you for not wearing your seatbelt.”
He puts it on. “We’re in a fucking parking lot. I didn’t think I’d need one. Are you trying to kill me? This time ease your foot off the brake and the car will move forward slowly. Then lightly touch the gas, don’t stomp on it. I thought you said you knew how to do this?”