The Ending I Want

by Samantha Towle

  I’m starting to sweat from just watching him.

  Not to be a total pervert and ogle him, I walk over to him, moving around to the side, so as not to come up behind him and startle him.

  He catches sight of me and smiles. He yanks his earbuds out. “Morning, gorgeous.” He slows the treadmill down a touch, bringing him to a jog.

  “Morning yourself.” I take a seat on what looks like a weight bench.

  “I thought you’d sleep longer since I kept you up so late last night.”

  The glint in his eyes tells me that he’s thinking about everything we did. It sets off a warm shiver down my spine and sends my stomach butterflying.

  I bite my lower lip. “The bed was cold without you.”

  “Sorry, babe. I’m an early riser. I sleep six hours, if I’m lucky. And if I stay awake, lying next to you, then I’ll only end up waking you up for more sex.”

  “And I totally wouldn’t mind if you did that.”

  The look I get this time is seductive. It sends the butterflies into overdrive.

  “I’ll remember that for next time.” Liam picks up a bottle of water from the cup holder on the treadmill, and he takes a drink.

  The buzz in my head intensifies. The room spins, and a pain shoots across my forehead.

  Not now. Not in front of Liam again.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  I hear a hint of concern in his voice.

  I realize my eyes are shut, and my hand is pressed to my forehead. My other hand is curled around the edge of the bench. I blink open my eyes and rub the heel of my hand against my forehead, trying to force the pain away, wanting to downplay it so that he won’t worry.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I lie with a forced smile. “Just all that champagne last night. My head is a little fuzzy.”

  I hate lying to him, but the alternative isn’t an option. If I tell Liam the truth, I know what will happen. He’ll try to talk me out of my decision.

  I don’t want to be talked out of it.

  “Have you had anything to drink?” he asks.

  “It was the drink that got me in this state.” I convey humor in my voice as I lift my eyes to him.

  “I mean, water, smart-arse.”

  “No.” I shake my head. Then, I immediately regret doing it as the pain increases.

  “Here, drink this.” He lifts his half-full water bottle and then throws it to me, and I catch it. “You need something to eat, too. I’ll feed you after I’ve finished up here.”

  “You’ll make someone a good husband one day, Hunter.” I manage a teasing smile.

  His return look is less than humorous.

  I unscrew the cap on the bottle and put it to my lips. I can taste Liam on it. I like that a lot. Might make me weird or a little gross, but I don’t care. I drink the water he gave me. Once the bottle’s empty, I screw the cap back on and put it down.

  My headache is now a low throb. I need to grab some pain pills from my purse before it comes back with a vengeance.

  “What are your plans for today?” Liam asks.

  “Dunno.” I lift my shoulders.

  He gives me a contrite look before saying, “I’ve got to go into the office again today.” He checks the time on his Apple Watch. “Pretty soon, in fact.”

  “Everything okay at work?” I ask.

  “Yeah, just a few issues with a company I’m buying out. I need to call some people. Shout at them.” He gives a slow smile.

  “Such a big boss man.”

  “And don’t you forget it.” His smile curves into a sexy one, and then it suddenly downturns. “I feel like shit for leaving you alone though.”

  “Don’t feel bad. I’m a big girl, Hunter. It’s not your job to entertain me twenty-four/seven. Your job is to run your businesses.”

  With all the time he’s been spending with me since I arrived in England, it’s easy for me to forget that Liam has a day job—an I-own-multiple-multimillion-dollar-companies day job.

  “I’ll find a way to entertain myself.”

  His brows pull together. “But I like to entertain you, Boston. It’s become my new favorite pastime.”

  “I’m your new favorite pastime? I’m afraid to ask what you did before me.” Screw other women probably.

  I suddenly feel a little sick. Probably because of the headache.

  “When I say that, what I mean is, fucking you is my new favorite pastime. Getting to spend time with you is, of course, the bonus.”

  “Nice save.”

  “I thought so.” He grins. “So, today…what about shopping?”

  “What about shopping?”

  “Why don’t you go shopping? You haven’t hit up any of the stores since you’ve been here.”

  “Um…” I curl my toes in against the hard floor. “Shopping’s not really my thing.”

  Well, it is. I love to shop as much as the next girl, but there’s no point in buying new clothes if I’m not going to be here to wear them.

  But then I could always buy my funeral outfit.

  Wow, that was morbid, even for me.

  Definitely no to the shopping then.

  “Isn’t shopping an all women’s thing?” Liam says.

  I raise a brow. “That’s a stereotypical thing to say, Mr. Hunter.”

  “You got me. Sorry, Miss Shaw.” He lifts his hands in surrender, but the smile on his lips says otherwise. “So, no to the shopping. Why don’t you hang out here until I get back? Watch a movie in the cinema room.”

  That gets my attention. “You have a cinema room? How am I just finding this out now?”

  Liam chuckles. “The door at the end of this hall—that’s the cinema room. It’s well stocked with movies.”

  “And that’s my whole day planned.” I smile. Leaning back on my hands, I stretch my legs out.

  “Popcorn and sweets are in the kitchen, so just help yourself.” He stops the treadmill and steps off.

  “What are sweets?”

  He walks toward a cupboard, opens the door, gets a towel out, and turns back to me. He presses the towel to his face, drying the sweat from it. “Candy to you.”

  “Ah. I think I’m going to need an English phrase book to learn these new things.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll teach them to you. You’ll be an expert in English lingo in no time.” He hangs the towel around his neck and tilts his head in the direction of the door. “I’m gonna go take a shower. Wanna join me?”

  I get to my feet and tread softly toward him. He watches me the whole time.

  Stopping just before him, I press a hand to his sweat-slicked chest. I have the sudden urge to lick the place where my hand is.

  Looking up at him, I seductively bat my lashes. “Are we going to have sex while we’re in the shower?”

  A smile teases his lips. He leans down and presses his lips against mine, kissing me. I can taste the salty sweat on his lips. It’s a surprising turn-on.

  “Of course.”

  “And are you going to spank me again?”

  Fire sparks in his eyes, and his smile returns, wider this time. “Only if you’re really dirty.”

  “Oh, I’m really, really dirty.” I lift my lips.

  “Then, get your arse in the shower. Now.”

  “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  Warm fingers are stroking my cheek, and I can hear a television on in the background.

  Where am I?

  Liam’s apartment. Cinema room. I was watching a movie. I must’ve fallen asleep.

  I blink open my heavy eyes to see Liam’s autumn eyes staring back at me.

  God, he’s beautiful.

  “Hey.” I stretch my arms out, smiling at him. “I fell asleep, watching a movie.”

  “So I see. Which movie was it? Just so I know not to watch it. Couldn’t have been that good if you passed out.”

  I don’t tell him half the reason I fell asleep was because I’d been fighting a headache that hit not long after he’d left for work, and I’d spent most of the mor
ning either in the bathroom, vomiting up the breakfast he’d made me, or lying in his bed with the shades drawn.

  It wasn’t until lunchtime that I’d felt half-human, so I’d showered the smell of vomit off me while remembering what Liam had done to me in the shower that morning. Even though it’d made me smile, it’d actually made me feel lonely, too.

  Lonely for him.

  After my shower, I had taken some more pain pills, and then I’d come into the cinema room and put a movie on.

  “Latest Bond film,” I tell him.

  “I’ll give it a miss then.” Lifting my legs, he sits on the sofa beside me and puts my legs back in his lap.

  Liam’s cinema room is amazing. Instead of separate cinema chairs, he has one huge black U-shaped sofa that is loaded with these über soft gray-and-black cushions. It’s the comfiest sofa I have ever sat my ass on.

  In the center of the room is a glass coffee table, and the walls are padded. On the far wall is the screen, which is quite possibly the size of the ones you see in a theater. It’s freaking awesome.

  “How was work?” I ask him, turning to lie on my back.

  “Dull. I would have much rather been here with you.” His hand is running absentmindedly up and down my bare leg.

  I’m wearing shorts and a T-shirt, which I packed in my overnight bag to sleep in. As I ended up sleeping naked last night, I thought I’d wear them as my lounge-around clothes.

  “Here with me, watching a boring film?” I chuckle.

  “Yeah, but boring with you is much better than being stuck in a meeting with a bunch of men. With you, if we’re both bored, then at least we can make up our own fun together.” His eyebrows rise, his lips lifting, and pure sex is written all over his face.

  “True.” I grin, biting my lower lip.

  I touch my feet together and realize they’re cold. Lifting my legs, I tuck one foot inside his suit jacket and the other between his firm thighs.

  He’s wearing a navy blue three-piece suit. He looks incredibly sexy in a suit. But then again, he looks just as sexy without one…more so actually.

  Naked Liam is a beautiful sight to see.

  “Comfy?” he asks, grabbing the foot that’s burrowed inside his jacket through the fabric.

  “Very. Thanks.”

  He starts massaging my foot.

  “Mmm, that feels good.” I shut my eyes.

  “Don’t fall asleep again. We’re going out soon.”

  “We are? Do I have a say in this?”

  I have a feeling I already know the answer. And I know I shouldn’t be lazy because it’s not like time is my luxury, so I shouldn’t waste it. I’ve already lost enough time today being sick and sleeping.

  But I’m just super comfy right now.

  “No. But trust me when I say, you’re going to want to do this. Tonight, we’re going to be checking something else off your list.”

  My mind starts to work quickly, running through my list and what I have left to do. “Ooh, what?”

  He smiles. “I’m taking you to a rock concert.”

  That gets my attention. I pull my foot from between his legs and the other from his hand. I sit up. “A rock concert. Really?”

  “Really.” He smiles again.

  “Who are we going to see?”

  “The Mighty Storm.”

  “Holy shit!” I get up onto my knees. “Are you serious?”

  His lips creep up into a smile. “As serious as a heart attack.”

  I tilt my head, confusion furrowing my brow. “I have no clue what you just said.”

  “You’ve never heard of that saying?” Liam looks surprised.

  “Nope. But then I’m not an old man like you,” I tease, shrugging.

  He grabs ahold of my waist, his fingers digging in, and he tugs me onto his lap, so I’m straddling him. I rest my hands on his shoulders.

  “Any more of your lip, and I’ll spank your arse.”

  “Ooh, is that a promise?” I grin.

  Liam chuckles, shaking his head. “Dirty girl. And when I say that I’m as serious as a heart attack, I mean, yes, I’m serious.”

  “So, why not just say you’re serious?”

  “Because I’m old, and us old people like our sayings.”

  That makes me laugh.

  “So, Boston, you and I are going to watch The Mighty Storm in concert tonight, and we’re also going to meet the band backstage.”

  “Holy fuck!” I scream. I actually scream, making Liam wince. “Sorry,” I say. “But this is exciting! I fucking love The Mighty Storm! They’re my favorite band ever!” Did Liam know this? Did I tell him? Or is it just a coincidence?

  Either way, who cares? I’m going to see The Mighty Storm!

  “I can’t freaking believe we’re going to see them! And actually meet them in person! Oh my God! I’m going to meet them for real!” I scream again. “How did you manage to score backstage passes for The Mighty Storm? Not that I’m complaining because I’m totally not. I’m the absolute opposite of complaining right now. I’m like the most grateful person ever.”

  Liam chuckles.

  “But, seriously, how did you get backstage passes? I imagine getting backstage passes to meet The Mighty Storm would be like trying to win a golden ticket to get inside Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.”

  Or like getting gold dust.

  He got me gold dust.

  I don’t know whether to hug him or kiss him or give him a blow job right now.

  He smiles again and gives a lazy shrug. “I got them because I’m me.”

  And that’s all he says. Because it’s all he needs to say.

  Sometimes, I forget just who Liam is and how rich he is. I guess it’s because he doesn’t live an excessively wealthy lifestyle. Sure, he has a nice apartment, but he’s not flashy. He goes to the pub with his friends and takes me to the carnival.

  To me, he’s just Hunter. Amazingly sweet, hot, funny, fantastic-in-bed Liam Hunter.

  Leaning my face to his, I plant a firm kiss on his lips. “You are awesome,” I tell him.

  “Only awesome?”

  I tip my head back and look in his eyes. “Nope. You’re phenomenal.” I kiss him again on the lips. “And wonderful.” Another kiss. “And incredible.” I place my hands on his cheeks. “You are perfect, Liam Hunter.” I brush the tip of my nose over his, staring down into his autumn eyes.

  “I’ll take all of those.” He tugs me down to his mouth, leaving a whisper of air between our lips. “But I want a proper thank-you kiss.”

  So, I give him one.

  And when I let him up for air, he’s breathing hard, and he’s also hard beneath my ass.

  “You need help with that?” I wiggle my ass against his erection.

  His eyes move from me to the clock on the wall and then back to me. He sighs. “It’ll have to wait until later, babe. We need to get ready and head to the stadium soon.” He gives my ass a slap.

  So, I climb up off him and excitedly head to get dressed for my date with The Mighty Storm.

  I’m going to meet The Mighty Storm! I’m going to meet Jake Wethers!

  Oh God. What in the hell am I going to wear?

  “Are you sure you’re okay in the standing area?”

  I tip my head back against Liam’s chest and smile up at him. “I’m sure.”

  “We can use my company’s private box if you change your mind. Just say the word.”

  I can see his company’s private box. It’s way up high above the seating. I know company boxes are supposed to be exclusive, but it just seems too far away from the stage and the action.

  I want to be right where we are, in the thick of it.

  Sure, it’s pretty cramped, bodies all squished together, and I’m also sure the squishing will increase when The Mighty Storm comes onstage. But I honestly don’t mind.

  I want to experience a rock concert.

  This right here is the experience.

  It also helps that I have Liam pressed up against
my back, his hands resting on my hips with his fingers hooked through the belt loops on my jeans, while he acts like my very own personal body shield.

  Seriously, no one can get too close with his six-three huge body covering mine.

  He’s already warned one guy for getting too close. Poor guy. I told Liam to chill, which earned me a rumble of displeasure in response.

  On the drive to the stadium, Liam said he’d gotten tickets for standing near the stage, or we could use his company box. The choice was mine. Of course, I said standing.

  Being down here with him feels right.

  Liam might be wealthy, but he just fits in just fine with me and everyone else.

  Dressed in blue jeans, brown working boots, a fitted black T-shirt, and a biker-style jacket, he looks droolworthy. And more like he should be a member of The Mighty Storm than the businessman he is.

  We unknowingly coordinated our outfits, which caused us to laugh.

  I’m dressed in a black tank top and blue jeans with brown flat ankle boots and a leather jacket that I brought in my overnight bag with me to his place. I thought I’d wear these clothes to save me from going back to the hotel to change.

  “I’m fine here,” I tell him, looking back to the stage. “And you can bet I won’t be changing my mind. I’m near the front of the stage—meaning, I’m literally within grabbing distance of Jake Wethers.” I grin, rubbing my hands together.

  We’re on the second row back. I had a clear view of the opening band, who just finished five minutes ago. We’re so close to the stage that I could make out the words the guy had tattooed on his neck. That means I’ll be able to see Jake Wethers’s tattoos and his face and super hot body up close as well.

  I know I’m meeting Jake and the rest of the band after the show. But, seriously, I want to pee just at the thought of them coming out onstage. What will I be like when I’m actually face-to-face with them?

  God, please don’t let me act like a total basket case when I meet them.

  My only saving grace is that Liam will be there to keep me under control.

  Speaking of, he’s been quiet for a while.

  I tilt my head back again to look up at him.

  His face looks tight. I can see the muscles in his jaw working, like he’s grinding his teeth, and his lips are pressed together in a firm line.