Second Chances

Part 21

*Annabel's PoV*

Liam brought me home, and laid me in his bed. "I love you, Annabel..." he said, cuddling next to me, "I promise to never let anyone hurt you." I smiled, and leaned in to kiss him, but Liam pulled away.

Not again.

I started to cry, and Liam started to wipe my tears, "No...No, I love you. I just want to take everything slowly." "But I'm not innocent anymore..." I said, whimpering, "You might as well take the rest on me. Apparently, I'm a good lover..." I started to cry again, and Liam started nuzzling me. "Oh, Annabel.... I refuse to take anything from you. You're so valuable, that I'm willing to wait." I half-smiled, "Liam, can we cuddle tonight?" He nodded, and pulled me under the sheets. He laid on his back, and I laid on his chest. His heartbeat still shaking and he was sweaty from running all day. So much in fact, that I squirmed off. “Ick… You need to change.” I said, with a little grin. He sat up and grinned also, before talking off his shirt, and laying back down. I inched back on his still heaving chest, and started tracing his muscles. “Better?” he asked, tangling his fingers in my hair, which was draped across him, covering my face. I nodded, “Much…” and cuddled in, before falling asleep.

For the next few days I stayed by Liam’s side. I quit my job, and met with my therapist more often.

One day, about 3 weeks later, We were having a “Family Dinner” here, which included Niall, Diana and Ryan, Louis and Eleanor,  Zayn and Perrie, Harry and Kate, and Liam and Myself. As Harry and Kate were talking about their honeymoon on the Caribbean beach, I felt sick. “Excuse me.” I said, before going to the bathroom and throwing up. Afterwards, I flushed, and felt Liam help me up, “I’ve never seen you get sick over my cooking before.” I smiled at him in the mirror, before washing my face, and brushing my teeth. “It’s not you.” I said, as I finished, “I just got the stomach bug.”

After I said that, my eyes widened, “Liam, you remember a couple weeks ago when I went to Troy’s house.” That’s all we have told our friends; we didn’t want them to know the rest of the painful details. “Mhmmm…” Liam said, “I hate it, but I do… why?” I turned to him, “Do you think Troy used protection?”