His eyes trace over my features for so long that I start to fidget in my seat.
“I’ll let you in on another little secret. I would never lie to you and tell you something that I don’t mean. Trust me on that.”
Staring into his eyes. I find myself believing him.
“Do you have any sibling?”
The smile on my face dies.
“No, um, I’m a foster child. I never met my parents and I don’t have any siblings as far as I know.”
Liam nods. I expect to see sympathy when I look up at him. That’s what I usually see when I tell someone I was in foster care.
I hate it.
Instead of looking him in the eyes I start rambling like I do when I get nervous. “I was in the foster care system from the time I was a baby up until I was eighteen. I moved around three times and…yeah it wasn’t the best. But honestly it could have been worse for me than it was. I ‘ve heard horror stories of other kids being abused and neglected. None of my foster parents ever abused me, they mostly just ignored me. It was alright I got used to it and when I turned eighteen, I went to college and met Jayden and Lisa and they became my family and I couldn’t ask for a better one.”
Snapping my mouth shut silence fills the space between us. Holy shit. I just rambled out part of my life story.
Suddenly his hand appears below my chin and he tilts my face up until I’m looking into his eyes. Instead of pity, I see what looks a lot like…pride and compassion?
“Do you have any idea how amazing you are?”
“What?” I ask shocked.
“You’re amazing. How many people do you know that could get through the foster care system? Come out strong. Go to college, get a good job and then spend a good deal of their time helping other kid? You’re an incredible woman, Ava.”
I’m both shocked and stumped. Nobody’s ever said anything so sweet to me before in my life.
“I-I- thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he says simply.
“So, you own Temptation, Tempest and several other nightclubs and restaurants, right?” I say changing the subject.
He nods and then proceeds to tell me about the other nightclubs and restaurants he owns. He also talks about the restaurant that’s being built in London and the nightclub that’s being built in New Orleans. The passion that he speaks with is awe inspiring. It’s clear that he loves his work and how much it means to him.
“Um excuse me. We’re closing in five minutes,” the man behind the counter tells us.
Glancing at my watch I see that it’s almost ten o’clock. We’ve been talking for almost three hours.
“Okay, we should get going then,” Liam says glancing at his watch.
He helps me shrug on my jacket and then we make our way outside the shop.
The streets are pretty much deserted with a few people walking up and down the sidewalk.
“Did you park next to the library?” he asks.
“Oh no, I don’t drive. I live close enough to walk.”
He stops abruptly and turns to frown down at me.
“You walk? Everywhere?”
I frown back at him.
“Well yeah, Everything I need is in walking distance.”
“That’s not safe. Come on I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Oh, that’s alright. I don’t mind walking.” I say not wanted to inconvenience him.
“I don’t want you walking home. It’s not safe Especially this late at night.”
“And I told you I don’t mind. It’s only like a ten-minute walk.”
“Ten minutes? Do you have any idea what can happen to a woman walking alone at night in one minute let alone ten?”
My hands land on my hips “I’m very aware of what can happen. And like I said I’m fine walking.”
His eyes narrow on me. “Are you always this stubborn?”
“Are you always this pushy?”
We stand there on the sidewalk glaring at each other before I realize what we’re doing.
“Are we really standing here arguing about a ride home?” I ask.
Liam scratches the back of his head a small smirk pulling at his lips. “I think we are.”
We share a look before we both burst out laughing.
“I think we just had our first argument. You know what happens after a first arguments right?”
“What?” I say smiling up at him.
He steps closer, his hands going to my waist and his eyes darkening. “We’re supposed to kiss and make up.”
My breath catches in my throat as my hands move to the front of his jacket. His eyes focus on my lips and I feel like my heart is about to beat out of my chest. Slowly, he leans down. I lean up and his lips touch mine.
The first contact sends a shock wave through my system. The touch of his lips against mine is light. He pulls back slightly before going back in with more pressure.
Desire shoots straight to my core and a gasp parts my lips. He wastes no time diving in. A groan leaves him as his arms band around my waist pulling me up against him. I feel him hard against my stomach. My arms wind around his waist as I practically climb him to get closer.
He lips, sucks and bites at my lips before driving his tongue into my mouth. We kiss until we’re both panting. We kiss so long my brain starts to grow foggy from lack of oxygen.
“Hey get a room!” somebody shouts.
I pull away startled staring up at him with wide eyes panting to regain my breath. He stares back at me, his eyes darker than I’ve ever seen them. My clit is throbbing, I’m so turned on I can barely see straight. What has he done to me?
