The Warmest Winter✓

Fifteen

Multiple thoughts run through my head when I return to my hotel room. While searching for the keycard, the door surprisingly opens from the inside, and my eyes meet Liam's. It seems like he's on his way out, holding his cellphone, and my corrupted mind begins to wander unnecessarily.

"Where are you going?" I ask him immediately.

"Shouldn't the normal question be, when did I come back?" Liam replies, his tone casual.

"I'm not in the mood, Liam. Where are you going?" All I think of is that woman.

"To get my woman, I can't sleep without her," Liam answers and lifts his phone that has my caller ID on the display. "I was about to call you, since I couldn't find you here. I knew you'd be with Sam, so I was heading over there."

Oh! I mutter inwardly. I need to talk to him before I lose my mind.

"Okay, let's go in," I suggest calmly, but my voice betrays the attempt to sound unbothered. "I didn't know you'd be back so soon given the company you had." And here we go, turning on the bitchy mode.

I can't help it!

"Your sarcasm is quite strange today; you hardly talk this way. Is there any problem?" asks Liam as we both dive inside the room, and he shuts the door afterwards.

"What do you mean?" I head straight towards the bedroom so that I can finally undress and take a shower.

"Your tone of voice is rather disturbing, Kira," Liam states matter-of-factly, stalking me. "Is this about the earlier incident? Are you still bothered that you found me with them?"

You bet. I sit heavily on the bed.

A short silence prevails as I take off my ankle boots. He keeps calm until I finally say, "You have every right to hang out with the people you consider friends, so I don't really have any reason to be mad about that." I rise up from the bed.

"So then?" Liam insists.

"So then I—" I pause, staring undecidedly at him.

Should I just blurt it out?

"What, Kira?" Liam urges.

"Nothing. I need a shower. I'll be quick." I grab my shoes and place them near the closet.

"Have you had dinner?" Liam asks, not knowing what else to say regarding my dark mood.

"Yeah," I answer while tugging my top off. "And you?" I gaze at him over my shoulder.

"I had a very late lunch, I'm still full." He takes a seat on the bed, his mood less bright than he was this morning.

"A late lunch? What is that?" I manage to smile, and for once he chuckles at the sight.

"I ate around five, so I'm not really hungry. Unless we're going to have dinner together, I'm not thinking of going out again."

"Seriously, Liam? Don't you know there's a room service?" I look him in the eyes while unzipping my latex miniskirt. He's lying lazily on the bed, arms crossed behind his head. "You can order some food and eat later." I shrug off my skirt, his eyes are intent on my half-naked body.

"I know, but I was hoping we would eat together. Just the two of us." He smiles.

"But I'm full." I pick the skirt and toss it on the couch.

"Okay." He sighs, looking tired and disappointed.

"You're not hungry," I conclude, slowly unhooking my bra. "If you were, no excuse would stop you from eating." I tug it off and throw it towards him.