love in the mix - a tayvis au <3

14 - new chances

Emma stirred awake to the soft morning light streaming through her curtains, her head resting on Liam's chest. For a moment, she stayed still, savoring the warmth of his body against hers, the rise and fall of his breathing calming her like a slow rhythm. She couldn't help but smile. The events of last night felt like a blur of emotion and tenderness—an experience she'd never imagined would feel so... right.

Liam shifted beside her, his eyes fluttering open. As he woke up, his arms instinctively tightened around her. "Hey," he whispered groggily, a sleepy smile tugging at his lips.

"Hey," she replied, her voice equally soft.

They lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, neither wanting to break the spell. The intimacy of waking up together felt almost sacred, like they had entered a new chapter of their relationship. But eventually, Liam's face grew more serious, his brows knitting together slightly.

"Emma," he began, his tone a little hesitant, "about last night... I just want to make sure—was it okay? Like, really okay? I know... I mean, for girls, the first time isn't always... you know, it's not always that great."

Emma could sense the worry in his voice, the genuine concern that he might have hurt her or made her uncomfortable. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked into his eyes, wanting to reassure him.

"Liam," she said softly, reaching out to touch his cheek, "it was okay. Really. It was more than okay. It wasn't perfect or anything, but it was special... because it was with you."

He relaxed a little, though the furrow in his brow didn't completely disappear. "Are you sure? I just... I don't want you to feel like you have to say that."

Emma smiled gently. "I'm sure. Trust me. I'm glad it happened. I wanted it to happen. And we can do it again sometime."

Liam nodded, finally allowing himself to believe her. "Okay, good. I'd love that, I just... I care about you so much, Emma. I want to make sure I do right by you."

She leaned in and kissed him softly, her lips lingering on his. "You always do, Liam."

The morning continued in that peaceful, cocoon-like intimacy until they heard a soft knock on the bedroom door. Emma's eyes widened, and she scrambled to sit up. "Oh my God, it's your mom," she whispered urgently.

Liam's face turned pale. "What do we do?"

Before they could figure out a plan, Taylor's voice came through the door, calm but firm. "Emma? Liam? I brought breakfast. Can I come in?"

Liam took a deep breath. "Yeah, Mom, come in."

Taylor opened the door, holding a tray with coffee, orange juice, and a plate of croissants and fruit. Her eyes flickered from Emma to Liam, taking in their disheveled hair and the fact that they were still in bed together. For a moment, her expression was unreadable, but she forced a small, tight smile. "Morning, you two. I thought you might be hungry."

"Uh, thanks, Mom," Liam said awkwardly, sitting up straighter. "We, um, we were just about to get up."

Taylor set the tray on Emma's desk, her eyes studying her son and Emma closely. She had her suspicions, but now wasn't the time to dive into it. "Why don't you two have breakfast, and then I'll take Liam home?"

Emma nodded, her face flushed. "Thanks, Ms. Swift."

Taylor left the room, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone, Liam exhaled deeply. "Do you think she knows?"

Emma shrugged, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Probably. But let's just eat and see how it goes."

They ate breakfast in a mix of nervousness and stolen glances, each nibbling on a croissant and sipping orange juice as if it could wash away the tension in the air. When they finished, Taylor returned and drove Liam home. The car ride was quiet, Taylor's eyes focused on the road, and Liam's focused on his shoes.