Healing Hearts

Chapter 6: Personal Walls

For the rest of the week, Emma threw herself into work, determined to keep her mind off the increasingly complicated feelings she had for Liam Montgomery. After their impromptu lunch, she couldn't deny that something was happening between them—something she wasn't sure she wanted.

Her mind kept returning to the way Liam had looked at her, the casual flirtation, the ease with which they had fallen into conversation. It was dangerous territory. She had no room for distractions, especially when it came to someone like Liam. He wasn't just any man—he was a billionaire with the world at his feet, and she was just a doctor trying to keep her life together.

But no matter how hard she tried to distance herself, Liam wasn't making it easy.

Three days later, as Emma walked out of the hospital after a long shift, she found him leaning against his sleek black car, waiting for her with a grin that suggested he'd been there for a while.

"You're stalking me now?" she said, unable to hide her surprise.

Liam chuckled. "I prefer to call it persistence. Can I give you a ride home?"

Emma shook her head, already feeling the familiar tug of attraction pulling her toward him. "I don't need a ride."

"Come on," Liam insisted, opening the passenger door. "You've been working all day, and it's late. Let me give you a break for once."

Emma hesitated, glancing at her car parked just down the street. She knew she should say no. She knew she should walk away and keep things professional. But the temptation to let her guard down, just for a moment, was too strong.

"Fine," she said, giving in with a sigh. "But just this once."

Liam smiled in triumph and gestured for her to get in. As she slid into the plush leather seat, she realized how absurd the situation was. Here she was, sitting in a billionaire's luxury car after a gruelling day at work, pretending like this wasn't the strangest thing that had happened to her in a long time.

The car's interior was quiet, a stark contrast to the constant noise of the hospital. Emma leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to enjoy the comfort.

"You look exhausted," Liam said softly as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"I am," Emma admitted. "It's been a long week."

Liam glanced at her, concern flickering in his eyes. "You work too hard."

Emma let out a short laugh. "Coming from the man who's probably been in back-to-back meetings all day?"

"Fair point," he conceded. "But at least I get to sit down most of the time. You're on your feet saving lives."

Emma shrugged. "It's part of the job."

There was a pause, and for a moment, the air between them shifted from light-hearted to something heavier. Liam's eyes softened as he glanced at her, his voice dropping a little lower. "I don't know how you do it. Juggling everything the way you do."

Emma didn't know how to respond. The truth was, she didn't have it all together—far from it. She was constantly overwhelmed, constantly doubting herself, but she wasn't about to open up about that to Liam. Not yet.

"I manage," she said instead, keeping her tone casual.

Liam didn't push further, but Emma could sense that he wasn't satisfied with her answer. He seemed to want more from her, something deeper than the surface-level banter they usually shared. It made her uneasy. The walls she had built around herself felt like they were starting to crack, and she wasn't sure how to stop it.

They drove in silence for a few more minutes, the city lights flashing by as they headed toward Emma's apartment. She found herself glancing at Liam out of the corner of her eye, trying to understand why he was so determined to be in her life. Was it just the challenge of winning her over, or was there something more to it?

When they reached her building, Liam pulled up to the curb and put the car in park. He didn't say anything at first, just turned to face her, his expression serious now.

"You know, Emma," he said quietly, "you don't have to keep shutting me out."

Emma stiffened, the familiar instinct to push people away kicking in. "I'm not shutting you out."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "You've been doing it since the moment we met."

Emma looked away, her heart pounding. He was right, of course. She had been putting up walls since day one, but it wasn't because of him. It was because of everything else—her job, her past relationships, the fear of getting too close to someone who could hurt her.

"I just... I need space," she said, her voice quieter now. "I have a lot on my plate, and I can't afford to get distracted."

"Who said anything about distracting you?" Liam asked, his voice soft but persistent. "I'm not asking you to drop everything. I just want to be part of your life."

Emma swallowed, unsure of what to say. Part of her wanted to let him in, to drop the defences and see where this could go. But the other part—the cautious, pragmatic part—was screaming at her to run in the other direction.

"I don't know if I can do that," she said honestly, her eyes meeting his.

Liam didn't flinch. Instead, he leaned closer, his voice steady and reassuring. "You don't have to decide right now. Just... don't shut me out completely."

Emma's breath caught in her throat, the weight of his words sinking in. For the first time in a long time, someone was asking her to take a chance, to let them in, and she didn't know if she had the courage to do it.

"I'll think about it," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "That's all I'm asking for."

Emma nodded, unsure of what else to say. She opened the car door and stepped out into the cool night air, her mind racing as she headed toward her apartment building.

As she reached her front door, she paused and glanced back at Liam's car. He was still sitting there, watching her, but he didn't say anything. He just gave her a small, hopeful smile before driving off into the night.

Emma stood there for a moment, staring after him, feeling more conflicted than ever. She had spent so long building walls around herself that she didn't know how to take them down. But with Liam, it was starting to feel like maybe—just maybe—it was worth trying.