Chapter Twenty Nine
Liam stayed with me for three weeks before he told me it was time for him to leave. Of course, he offered for me to go with him, but I was finally feeling successful here. I liked being somewhere so familiar, but that I also had my own control and independence on.
"Arianne, I have one last offer to you. It isn't set in stone yet, but it's an option for us," he said as we had breakfast together.
I glanced up at him from my bowl of cereal curiously. "Elope to Vegas?" I teased.
Liam chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Something like that. Ed has advised me that it would be a great career move to live in California, near the Hollywood and Los Angeles area. We wouldn't have to live in the big city, because I can see you like being in a smaller town. But I really want you to come with me. I'd love to live with you and wake up with you every single day, just like we are doing here."
I searched his face deeply, but really I was searching myself. Would I want that? Is that what I wanted? Liam stroked my face and cupped my jaw. "You don't have to make any decisions yet. When I come back and visit in a few weeks, we can talk again. Okay?"
"Okay. Thank you." I bounced on my toes to kiss his cheek, but Liam turned his head and captured my lips with his.
Since he had found me, we had become very familiar with each other's lips. It was usually Liam that instigated it, because I still felt a little nervous and shy, but I didn't back away from him. Except when he tried to give me a hickey in the middle of the grocery store. That time I had to punch his chest and tweak his sensitive nipple to get him to release me.
Liam's hand came down hard on my rear end suddenly, making me yelp in surprise. Usually, he did this to explore my mouth with his tongue, but this time he was just teasing me and using the little jump I did to pull me out of my chair. "Are you ready for me?" he asked breathlessly when I was transported to the bed.
"Y-you mean... Like... the frick frack?" I asked. Half innocently, half playfully. Liam had a love-hate relationship with how uncomfortable I felt with sexual things, so I liked to mess with him sometimes.
"Yes. Frick frack," he grunted. "I hate that damned phrase." He kissed me softly, brushing the hair from my forehead. "I want to make love to you, Arianne." I started to talk, but he covered my mouth with his hand. He knew that I was really good at talking myself out of things, so Liam was trying to keep me away from that. "I can honestly say, looking at you now, I have never truly had anything more than casual sex with someone. Even if they were my girlfriend. It was just sex. It didn't mean anything more than a good shag. As much as I might have tried at first, I couldn't ever do that to you. Especially knowing what your douche bag ex did."
"Speaking of-" I started, but was cut off again.
"Not now, okay? I'm... I'm pouring my heart out here. And I don't do this often. But I mean it this time."
I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You don't have to explain yourself, Liam. I know what you feel because I feel it too. This is a mutual thing. I don't want you to think that in order for me to put out you have to be all talk." My head lifted to kiss his lips chastely. "But I do have to tell you that I actually spoke to Daniel."
Liam gave my forehead a long kiss. "Who is Daniel?"
"My ex. The ex," I replied.
He flipped us over suddenly, so I was sitting on his hips, his large hands resting on my rear end tightly. "What the hell? Did he touch you? I swear, I'll kill him," he growled.
