-

nlight streamed through the thin curtains, bathing the room in a warm light. I tossed over in

i

is dark, brooding eyes, his calloused fingers, the way his smile had that sm

yesterday. It wasn't even the way he walked or how his muscles tensed in the sun-it was all of it. All of our memor

een a

still a

e worked. A casual contact, nothing unusual, and yet it had felt like a jolt, an ele

oul

oul

uched only lightly against the skin, hoping the fabric would muffle my mind. I didn'

merged from my bed

i

there-like he had never been away. His eyes snapped to me the moment I came outside, a glimpse of something raw flash

e low, the word an offering and

ment's hesitation. I resented the fact that he could still

as studying me. I could feel his eyes on me, tracing the lines of my body

d casually, breaking the silen

ment was harmless enough, but it was too familiar

erythin

tle harder than I meant it. "There's still a lot of work to

n didn't falter. Instead, he just nodded slowly. "Of c

asn't having a tantrum like I wished he would. That he wasn't begging. He wasn't doing anyth

s crumbl

t

and never come back. But I couldn't. He had over me in ways I did not wish to admit, a

iting for permission, I spun on one heel and march

diculous. He w

hom I had lo

s to resist the magnet pulling me in his directio

*

wandering. It was impossible not to wonder what Liam was doing. Whether he was present, bare chested, sweaty, the way I had envisioned him at that mom

needed to think about now. I needed to get to work. But whenever I looked

ong. I couldn't

ing, his shirt soaked with sweat, sticking to his back. His shoulders were broad,

needed him to understand this wasn't an open door-not a door he

hat same hard, unflinching gaze. "I tol

th him staring at me the wa

g my arms over my chest. It was hard to keep the anger when al

at was taking place. "You have a lot of pride," he said in a quiet,

ving forward on him. "You don't get to just co

the gap between us. "Who told me I was trying to co

my throat. "I don't want you to

ed cologne and the faint sheen of perspiration. He stepped closer, his han

You want me, Aria. I know it in your eyes. You'v

No," I said, but even I didn't bel

a lie. The truth was standing right there in fron

ouldn't even move my eyes. His fingers brushed against my c

es from mine. "You don't need to pl

en certain if I