Mated to the Rogue *DISCONTINUED*

N I N E T E E N

"You know," Liam said calmly and paused, waiting for confirmation that I was listening. It was the next day after school and we were sitting at his small kitchen table, both minding our own business.

I looked up from my English paper that was due tomorrow and glanced at his face which was still angled down, observing my free hand clasped in his. I'd been staring at the words In conclusion for nearly five minutes but whenever I had an inkling of a thought the feel of the rough pad of his thumb tracing the creases in my hand would chase away any ideas that landed in my mind.

"We've never been on a date."

"Hm," I replied, still distracted by his touch.

"Let's go out, Lia," he said more insistently but didn't change the tantalizing pace of his thumb.

"But why?" I asked. "Isn't this enough?"

"Every second I spend with you is more than enough, but don't you want to show me off to the world?"

I pretended to think for a minute. "No, actually."

He let out a comically offended gasp and I chuckled. "Plus, I'm not done with my homework yet."

He rolled his eyes. "You only have one paragraph to go, Lia."

"To write. I still have to proofread, revise, and edit."

He tilted his head. "Aren't those all the same thing?"

I shook my head. "It's been too long since you went to school, Liam."

He rolled his eyes playfully, lightly pinching the skin between my thumb and pointer finger. "Sometimes you talk to me like I'm a middle aged accountant named Jim."

"Seriously, Jim, this is due tomorrow." I tried pulling my hand away to try to gather my thoughts but he didn't let go, instead grabbing my other hand as well.

"Please?" he pleaded. "Come on, live a little."

I sighed. "I don't know..."

He clapped his now free hands together. "Ok great. How does the beach sound?"

~*~

"Liam," I whined, drawing out the last syllable in his name.

"What?" he responded, still leading the way through the thick shrubbery.

"I thought we were going to the beach, not the middle of nowhere," I huffed.

"Just come on," he said, and I could hear the excitement in his voice.

I let out an unintelligible noise but slowly followed after him, dragging my feet.

"How much weight can you carry?" I asked suddenly.

"I dunno."

"A lot?" I was now eyeing his muscular shoulders.

"That's a relative question. I mean, I probably couldn't carry an elephant-"

That was enough for me.

That was enough for me.

"Brace yourself!" I cried, launching myself off the ground and wrapping my arms and legs around his body.

"What the-" he said, startled, and stumbled forward a few steps.