Professional Restraint

19 Everything is Fine

Ella

Liam pulls back reluctantly, his eyes locked on mine and breathing heavily, leaving me reeling in a lusty fog as my heart races. As my senses slowly come back to me, I catch the telltale ringtone of my cell phone, warning that Sophia's calling.

"I-I should get that," I stammer, unable to look away from his hungry gaze.

Liam sighs and clenches his jaw but sets me back down on the ground, trailing his hand up my thigh, across my ass, before settling on the small of my back. His touch sets off goosebumps in its wake, making me ache for more. With all of my resolve, I slip away from him and pick up my phone.

"Heya, Soph," I answer, trying to sound casual but inwardly cursing myself for how breathless my words came out.

"El! Girl, are you okay? You sound like you just ran a marathon," she replies, not hiding her concern.

"Yup, everything's fine," I say all too quickly.

Liam's lips twitch like he's struggling to suppress a smirk as he watches me. I swallow hard, taking in his state. My eyes roam over his tousled hair, swollen lips, disheveled shirt... something that he doesn't bother to fix. My heart feels like it's going to beat right through my chest as I chew on my lip.

"-Earth to Ella, you in there somewhere?" Sophia calls with a laugh.

"What? Sorry I was..." I trail off, completely at a loss for words.

Too busy checking out my sexed up co-worker?

"That good, eh?" she teases.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I immediately reply, straightening out my dress.

"So I hear," she chuckles. "How fine is he, Elle-bell?"

"W-what?!" I stammer, feeling my cheeks heat even more.

Not only is her timing terrible, but I swear she has this place rigged to spy on us. How else would she know what we were up to?!

As if he knows exactly what's going on in my brain, Liam starts to undo his cuffs. The way his forearms flex and his deft fingers work steals all of my attention. Through it all, he watches me wordlessly, but his eyes hold such promise that my core quivers in response.

"El!" Sophia yells through the phone.

"I'm here," I mumble, unable to look away.

"Are you?" she counters with a knowing laugh. "I was just calling to see if you were okay, and to remind you to let me know day or night if you needed anything or if Liam wasn't behaving, but I have a feeling someone else is seeing to your needs."

"Soph!" I chide, feeling like I might burst into flames at any moment.

"Relax El," she laughs. "It's okay to live a little, you know? But on a serious note, is everything really okay? He's not being a dick or crossing any lines, is he? You know I have less than zero issues with neutering him!"

"Oh my god Soph," I groan, covering my eyes with my hands. "Everything's—"

"Fine?" she says, cutting me off. "So I've heard..."

I drop my hand and catch Liam's attention, mouthing sorry, to which he nods before I slip away, practically running to my room. The entire way I feel his heated gaze on me, only stopping once I'm in my room, leaning against the door.

I can't even think straight in his presence!

"Sorry, timing was just... Everything is fine," I promise, wanting to reassure her. "I'm seeing a whole different side of Liam out here. Did you know he could rock climb?"