by Simone Grey
“I’m sorry babe, I didn’t think they’d be here tonight. We can go somewhere else if you want,” he says looking over at me.
I force a smile. “No, it’s okay. This is what you planned so I’m more than happy to do this with you.”
He searches my eyes “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I say nodding.
“Alright, I’ll come get your door. Keep your head down so the flashes don’t mess with your eyes.”
“Okay.”
As soon as he steps out of the car, the questions and the camera start firing off.
“Hey Liam, how’s the family?”
“Hey Liam, are you still dating Victoria?”
“Is it true that your reconciling with her?”
Victoria? Who is that?
He ignores them, hands the keys over to the valet, and quickly makes his way over to my side of the car.
Opening my door, he holds his hand out for me.
When I place my hand in his and step out of the car, the rapid clicks of the camera and the questions seem to start coming even faster.
“Hey, Liam who’s the mystery woman?”
“Does Victoria know about her?”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
“Is she pregnant?”
What the hell? What kind of invasive question is that?
It catches me so off guard, I stumble slightly. Liam wraps his arm around my waist pulling me more firmly against him as we make our way into the restaurant.
Only when we get inside and the door shuts behind us do I take a deep breath.
“Are you alright?” he asks.
“Uh yeah, I think so,” I say.
Threading his fingers through mine he lays a kiss on the back of my hand as we approach the desk. A man in a white button-down shirt and black pants steps from behind the counter with two menus already in hand.
“Mr. Trace, welcome back sir. Your table is ready. Right this way.”
As he leads us to our table, I take in the interior of the restaurant. Dark wood table covered in black tablecloths, high chandeliers, wood floors. It’s beautiful.
He leads us to a secluded table near the back of the restaurant.
“Your waiter will be right with you.”
“Thanks Marcus.” Liam says
Marcus smiles easily at us before departing and leaving us with our menus.
“Wow this place is beautiful, how long has it been open?” I ask looking around.
“My dad opened it about ten years ago. It started out as a family style restaurant, but it slowly morphed into a place for celebrities and more famous people to be able to come and get away.”
“Ah, I see.”
Looking at the menu, everything looks good.
“Do you mind if I order for you? I think there’s something you’ll really like.”
“Not at all. Good for it.”
The waiter returns and Liam orders our food.
“So, this was the first restaurant your father opened up right?
He’s just about to answer when I hear a deep voice say.
“Well, well, well look who’s here.”
I look to my left and she a man that bores a striking resemblance to Liam. If it wasn’t for the beard the other man is sporting, they could almost pass for twins. The woman standing next to him also has a white chef jacket on and a big smile on her face.
Liam’s face breaks out into a smile and he stands up to give the man a hug and the woman a hug and kiss on the cheek. Then three pairs of eyes settle on me.
My cheeks instantly heat up. Liam comes over to my side of the table pulling me up out of my seat and wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Ava, this is my older brother Gavin and his wife Natalie. Nat and Gav this is my girlfriend Ava.”
Holy shit, that’s the first time I’ve heard him call me his girlfriend out loud and it sends a burst of pleasure through me.
I look up into his eyes to see him smiling down at me. I can’t help the smile that lights up my face before turning back to Gavin and Natalie. I hold out my hand.
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
Gavin shakes my hand. “The pleasure’s all ours. Believe me.”
I go to shake Natalie’s hand but instead she pulls me in for a hug. Initially I stiffen, not really used to physical contact with strangers, before I loosen up and hug her back.
“Oh I’m so excited to meet you!” Natalie says squeezing me one more time before stepping back.
She has a wide infectious smile on her lips that makes me smile back at her. Her energy and obvious happiness making it easy for me to loosen up.
“It’s really nice to meet you too,” I murmur back.
“So, is this your first time here?” Gavin asks me.
“Yes, I’ve passed by here several times, but I’ve never actually been inside. Sorry,” I say apologetically. I don’t want them to think I’m a snob or something. This is Liam’s family. The people he cares about the most.
But Gavin and Natalie just smile and wave me off.
“No worries. We’ll just have to give you a reason to come back,” Gavin says.
“Oh I’m sure she has plenty of reason to come back” Natalie says dividing a look between Liam and me.
I look up at him to find him staring at me with the focused look of intensity that I’ve come to adore.
“Well we’ll let you two get back to your dinner. It was nice meeting you Ava,” Gavin says.
“You too.”
“Yes, we have to get together soon,” Natalie says.
“I would love that.” And I would.
They leave and I can’t help but notice how Gavin holds Natalie close. They really are sweet, and I tell Liam as much.
“Yeah, they’re the best. They’ve been married for about seven years now.”
Just then the waiter comes back with our food.
Two plates with large, juicy steaks, loaded mashed potatoes and green beans are set out in front of us. The waiter tops off the champagne and water before leaving just as fast as he came.
We dig in. The first bite of steak has a blissful sigh slipping from me.
“This is so good.”
A low growl has my eyes snapping open and I see Liam looking at me with his jaw clenched.
“What’s wrong?”
“You can’t make sounds like that and expect me not to get hard. I’ve been walking around with a hard on since I saw you in that dress. Have pity on me please.”
A blush hits my cheeks. “Sorry.”
His eyes narrow. “You’re not even a little sorry, are you?”
Unable to keep the smile off my face I reply “Nope.”
The truth is the fact that I can make a man like Liam react the way he does to me is something I never thought would happen. It makes me feel beautiful, sexy and desired.
Feeling bold I fork a bite of my mashed potatoes and hold it up to his lips
He opens up for me never taking his eyes off mine. The desire that shoots through me, has me clenching my thighs together. God, I want this man.
We continue to play this game feeding each other bites between conversation. Once we’ve finished the main course, we decide to share a large slice of lemon meringue pie that Natalie made for us. It is absolutely amazing.
He’s feeding me the last bite of it when a feminine voice from behind me says “Well, isn’t this cozy.”
Liam stiffens before looking over my shoulder, a glare shooting from his eyes.
Dread immediately twists in my belly. I know before I turn around, I’m not going to like what I see.
I turn around anyway.
A woman with long dark wavy hair, perfectly tanned skin, and a short skintight black dress that shows all of her curves stands there glaring daggers at me. And there are plenty of curves to show. She’s gorgeous, easily one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in person.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Liam snaps
.
I look over at him shocked at his tone.
The woman glares back at him “Well I have to eat, and this is the hottest restaurant in Chicago.”
Liam’s nostrils flare the anger clear on his face. Uncomfortable would be too light of a word to describe what I’m feeling right now.
The woman’s eyes land on me again and seem to narrow even further as she takes me in from head to toe.
Like flipping a light switch, a fake smile covers her face “Don’t be rude, introduce me to your friend.”
A muscle clenches in his jaw and I can tell it’s the last thing he wants to do.
“Ava, this is Victoria. Victoria this is Ava my girlfriend.”
While it brings me some relief that he introduced me as his girlfriend, that relief is short lived as I remember the paparazzi shouting questions at him about a woman named Victoria.
Still I manage to say, “Hi. Nice to meet you.”
The look she gives me isn’t friendly at all “Likewise. Although I think what he meant to say was that I’m his fiancée.”
Shock ripples through me rooting me to the spot. Time seems to slow down, it feels like my heart stops for a moment before it takes off in a faster rhythm bringing a flush to my skin.
“Ex.” Liam hisses. “Ex-fiancée. We broke up a long time ago. Which brings me back to my original question. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Well you would know if you would answer my calls.”
“We have nothing to say to each other.”
“I really need to talk to you about something.”
“Well what is it?”
She glares over at me. “Something privately.”
“Whatever you have to say you can say in front of my girl.”
I see something akin to hurt flash across her face. “So that’s how you’re going to do me? After all we’ve been through together.”
“Um, maybe I should give you two a minute?” I start to rise. I don’t really want to leave him alone with this woman, but I’m past the point of being uncomfortable.
Liam grabs a hold of my hand. His eyes soften when he looks at me. “No babe, don’t leave.”
Turning back to Victoria his eyes harden again.
“We have nothing to say to each other. If it’s that important speak now.”
She’s quiet for a moment before she says, “This isn’t over.”
And then she’s gone.
Silence descends on our table like a dark cloud.
Taking my hand in his he says, “I’m sorry about that,” he says softly.
“Um it’s okay,” I murmur not meeting his eyes.
I can’t because I’m afraid of what might show on my face right now. The events from the last few minutes are on replay in my mind. I’d known he’d been engaged before from Lisa telling me, but it had slipped to the back of my mind. I found myself only focusing on he and I.
Looking at Victoria brings a rush of insecurities up inside of me. She was freaking stunning. How could he go from somebody who looked like that to…well me? Shame crowds my mind. I hate that my thoughts have even gone in this direction.
That’s what you get for dating somebody in the limelight.
God, I’m such an idiot.
The waiter comes back over, and Liam asks for the check. I’m so lost in my own mind that I don’t even notice he’s standing next to me until he lays a hand on my shoulder.
“Come on let’s get out of here.”
Placing my hand in his we exit the restaurant to much of what we came in with. The paparazzi yell more questions. We ignore them.
Instead of turning for my place, he heads in the opposite direction.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“I want to show you something.”
We drive for a few more minutes before he pulls into a secluded area surrounded by trees. He navigates the truck until we get to an area that has a small playground. He gets out of the car and comes around to my door. Helping me out he leads me over to a pair of swings.
Sitting down in one I wait for him to speak.
“My mom and dad used to bring us here when we were kids. I didn’t have a normal childhood because my dad was so well known but they tried to make it as normal as possible by bringing us to this park a few times a week.”
“That’s really sweet. I’m sure the family time was good for you guys.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes and the rhythmic sway of the swing calms me.
“I met Victoria at a fashion show in Venice a few years ago. She was modeling and I was there to support Levi, my brother.” he begins. “We hit it off and began dating. A few months later we were engaged. We were only engaged three months before I found her fucking another dude when she was supposed to be working.”
Shock slams into me and I look over at him in surprise. His eyes are focused on the rocks on the ground.
“At first I was angry, so fucking angry but I was never…hurt. When I separated myself from the situation, I recognized that I never loved her the way a man is supposed to love the woman he’s about to marry. I know this is going to sound screwed up but it’s the truth. I never felt for her even a tenth of what I felt when I first met you or what I feel right now.”
I look over at him and this time he’s staring at me with that same intensity he’s looked at me with before. My breath catches in my throat.
“I’m sorry she did that to you.”
“I’m not. There were signs early on in our relationship that hinted at the kind of person she is, but I ignored them. I couldn’t ignore the cheating.”
I swallow thickly. “Sometimes the way I feel about you scares the crap out of me.” I blurt out.
“Why do you say that?”
Deciding to lay it all out there. “Because…how can I feel so strongly about somebody I just met? It’s crazy but I can’t help it.”
“I thought the same thing initially, but I love you.”
My breath catches. “You-you love me?”
He looks at me intensely “Yes, I’m pretty sure it happened the moment I laid eyes on you standing across my bar.”
I don’t hesitate. “I love you too.”
He’s up off the swing pulling me into his arms before I’ve even finished the sentence. The kiss he lays on my lips is sweet and gentle. The emotions swirling around inside of me are so intense it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. My fingernails dig into his shoulders to keep myself upright.
When we pull apart, I whisper, “Take me home.”
Without another word he takes my hand and leads me back to the passenger’s side of his car. I get in and then we ‘re zooming off towards what I guess is his apartment.
He parks in a garage. We bypass the doorman and get into the elevator. He puts in a code and as the doors slide closed he backs me up against the elevator wall.
My breath hitches in my throat as he kisses my forehead, my nose and my freckles. My fingers clutch his hard biceps, fingernails digging in.
“I love these fucking freckles; it was one of the first things I noticed the night we met.”
“I thought the first thing you noticed was my ass,” I breathe.
He pauses his eyes alight with heat and humor. “That too.”
The elevator door opens, and his hands go to said ass squeezing and lifting me up. I wrap my arms around his neck and legs around his waist as he begins walking.
My lips find his and I nip at his lower lip until he opens. I suck his tongue into my mouth until he groans his grip on my ass tightening.
He bends down and I slid from his arms onto the bed. He strips me out of my dress and heels.
His stare feels like a caress as he takes me in from my face to my toes, his eyes darkening even more.
“You’re so beautiful.” And the way in which he says it makes me believe him.
He begins yanking off his tie and I sit up on the bed wanting to touch him. Needing it like I need my next breath.
> “Let me,” I say.
I begin stripping off his shirt, noting the feel off his muscles shifting underneath my hands.
Once his shirt is gone, he makes quick work of getting rid of his pants. I lean back and take him in.
His muscles bulge, the six pack abs and the tattoos are a sight to behold.
His hands find my ankles dragging me to the edge of the bed before he kneels.
My breath hitches when he drags my panties down and throws them behind him.
“You don…you don’t have to do this.”
His eyes meet mine from between my legs as he wedges one and then the other shoulder between them stretching me wide.
“I want to, and you will too in a minute. Trust me.”
I’ve never felt so exposed in all my life, but I do trust him. More than I’ve ever trusted anybody in my life.
He leans down breathing deeply. His eyes close a look of what I can only describe as rapture crossing his face.
“Fuck you smell good.”
“Liam…” I murmur, desire unfurling inside me swiftly.
His tongue comes out to lick me in one swipe. Pleasure arcs through me sending my back up off the bed.
He holds my hips in place to keep me from moving around as he goes to work.
His tongue winds up one side and down the other, never touching where I need him to the most. I whimper wanting him, no needing him to relieve the pressure building up inside of me at an alarming rate.
He groans “You taste so fucking good.”
His tongue took another long lick of my lips before wrapping around my clit and sucking hard. A scream tears from my throat the pleasure so intense that it sends me over the edge. I come hard screaming his name in the process.
I lay spent trying to catch my breath. I feel the bed shifting and then I feel his breath on my face. My eyes flutter open to find his face a few inches from my own. His eyes have darkened to a mossy green.
His tongue sweeps into my mouth as he presses his body into mine. I feel his dick hardened against my stomach and just like that I’m wet again.
I moan as I wrap my arms and legs around him wiggling to get closer to him.
The kiss gets wetter and wilder and I’m writhing against him trying to get some sort of friction going to offset the ache he’s created inside of me, yet again.