Uncrushable (Forehead Kisses #3)

by Abby Reynolds

  When I woke up the next morning, Liam was wrapped tightly around me, his arms still acting as steel cages. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. I felt refreshed and vibrant, something I hadn’t felt in so long I couldn’t recall. Being with Liam finally helped me sleep.

  He stirred slightly then opened his eyes. They locked onto mine, taking me in through the morning light drifting through his window. His hair was messy and all over the place. The sleepiness to his eyes gave him a lazy look. Just like always, he looked sexy as hell.

  “Morning,” he said with his deep voice.

  “Morning.” I couldn’t believe I was waking up next to him. It was a dream.

  His hand was across my stomach, covering it entirely with just his palm. He dragged me closer to him, eliminating any possible space between us. He released a sigh then buried his face in my neck.

  I could lay like this all day.

  “How did you sleep?” he whispered in my ear.

  “Like I’ve never slept before.”

  I felt his mouth move as he smiled. “Me too.”

  “I don’t want to go to class…”

  “Then don’t.” He pulled me tighter.

  God, that was tempting. “I have an exam for my third class.”

  “Who cares?” he teased.

  “Well, if I don’t pass Calculus the credential program will kick me out.”

  He moved from my neck and sat up. “You’re in the credential program?”

  “No, not yet. I applied the other day. I hope I get it. I think my chances are good since there’s such a demand for math and science teachers.”

  He stared at me for a moment, the shadow on his chin looking darker than yesterday. “I didn’t know you applied.”

  “Yeah…” I didn’t know what else to say.

  “Well, I hope you get it.”

  “Me too.”

  He kept staring at me.

  “What?”

  “Isn’t that guy in your calculus class…?”

  “What guy?”

  His eyes flashed in irritation. “The one hitting on you at the bar.”

  Was he jealous…? “Yeah.”

  He nodded slightly. “All the more reason to ditch.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “There’s only one man in my heart.”

  “And only one in your bed.”

  “That too.” I was loving this. Liam was always so calm and collected. I’d never seen him lose his cool like this.

  He cuddled next to me again. “I feel like I’ve missed so much…”

  “Me too…”

  “When will you know if you’re accepted?”

  “Pretty soon. I think in a week.”

  “That’s quick.”

  “Well, they don’t have a lot of applications for the math and science positions…”

  He smirked. “I guess not.”

  Should I tell him about the support group I applied for? No. There was no point in mentioning it unless I got it. “Don’t you have class today?”

  He groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Why don’t you just drop out now?”

  “I’d rather finish the remaining weeks. Otherwise, it would make all the work for nothing.”

  “I guess.”

  He sat up and pulled the blankets down. Looking at his back made me shiver. The lines of muscle rippled as he moved. He was a mass of muscle and power. As ashamed as I was to admit it, I wanted to be under him, to feel him the way I used to. But he wasn’t ready for that so I wouldn’t push him. He had to come to me in his own time.

  He stood up then ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. “I’m going to shower.”

  My eyes widened as I looked at his bare chest. Sculpted and defined, he was perfect. I hadn’t paid much attention the night before because I was too emotional to think about him in that way. But now I was definitely thinking about him in that way. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, I looked away. “Okay.”

  He walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

  I wish I could watch.

  When he came downstairs, the coffee was made, and eggs and toast were on the table. He shoveled the food onto his plate then grabbed a mug. “Thanks for making this.”

  “Sure.” I felt my warm mug in my hands.

  He sat across from me then ate his food quietly.

  I tried not to stare at him but it was difficult.

  Then my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and read the message.

  Where the fuck were you last night? I just got home and I can tell you haven’t been here.

  There weren’t dishes in the sink and the shower wasn’t wet. The coffee hadn’t been made. It was pretty obvious I never came home last night. I stayed at Liam’s.

  You did? Why?

  What do you mean why?

  He’s sleeping with that girl Theresa.

  The dark thought came into my mind but I pushed it away. Liam wouldn’t lie to me. If I really trusted him, I needed to start proving it. No, he isn’t.

  He’s with her all the time. And she’s hot. Believe me, Liam isn’t the kind of guy to just be friends with a girl.

  He wouldn’t lie to me.

  Did he actually tell you he wasn’t sleeping with her?

  Yes. Now stay out of it, Scotty.

  My screen went dark because he didn’t text me again.

  Liam eyed me from across the table. “Everything alright?”

  “Yeah.” I put my phone back in my pocket.

  Judging the concerned expression on his face, he didn’t believe me. “I’m guessing that was Scotty.”

  “Of course.”

  He nodded. “He’s not my biggest fan right now.”

  I didn’t have anything to say, so I said nothing at all.

  “He thinks I’m sleeping with Theresa, doesn’t he?” He stared me down, watching my face.

  “I don’t care what he thinks.” I held his gaze.

  His eyes searched mine before he dropped them back to his plate.

  I looked at the clock and realized I needed to leave. “I should get to class.”

  “Okay.” He abandoned his food and stood up, walking me to the door.

  After I grabbed my bag, we stood on the threshold. I really wanted him to kiss me, to feel his mouth against mine. But I didn’t get my hopes up.

  “What are you doing later?” he asked.

  Thinking about you, what I do every second of my existence. “I don’t have any plans.”

  “Let’s work on the garden together.”

  I wanted to burst into tears. I missed the afternoons we would spend in comfortable silence, pampering the plants and taking care of the soil. “I would love to.”

  His hands moved to my waist and they spanned my entire back. He pulled me close, pushing his concrete chest against mine. Feeling him like this was heaven. Now I didn’t want to go to class. I wanted to stay right here forever.

  He kissed the top of my head. “Bring an overnight bag this time.”

  My heart fluttered at his words.

  Class was excruciating because I’d rather be with Liam than learn about math. Normally, I was interested, but today, there was only one thing on my mind. Last night was the best sleep I’d gotten in the past three months. With Liam, the mass of muscle beside me, I drifted into a pleasant slumber.

  When my calculus class was over, I headed to the door.

  “Hey, Keira.”

  I turned to see Ryder smiling at me. “Oh, hi.” I forgot this guy was in my class. Honestly, I would have forgotten about him entirely if Liam hadn’t brought him up twice.

  He walked with me to the door. “Boring, huh?”

  I smirked. “My mind was just elsewhere.”

  “Mine too,” he agreed. “So, you hungry?”

  Um, what? “Sorry?”

  “You want to get something to eat?” He kept his pace beside me as we left the classroom.

  “I told you I wasn’t interested.” My wo
rds came out a little harsh.

  He raised his hands and put a smile on his face. “I was asking as a friend…”

  Oh. Now I felt like a bitch. “Sorry.”

  “Besides, I heard you and Liam broke up three months ago…I just assumed you had enough time to move on.” He shrugged. “Honestly, I’ve had a crush on you since the beginning of the semester. I just finally had the guts to ask you out.”

  I wasn’t expecting him to say that. “I had no idea…”

  He kept smiling. “You seem to be off in your own world most of the time.”

  I kept walking when a shadow passed over me. I stopped, realizing a concrete wall just moved in front of me.

  Liam stared at Ryder, his eyes threatening. He didn’t look at me once, just focusing on the guy next to me. His jaw was clenched and his eyes burned in undisguised hatred.

  Okay…this was awkward.

  Ryder flinched when he noticed Liam. “Hey, man. Good fight the other night.”

  “Thanks.” Liam’s tone was dark. He kept staring at him, silently telling him to leave.

  I’d never seen Liam act like this before. I wasn’t sure what to do.

  Liam put his hand on my waist then pulled me to him. “Hey, baby.”

  Baby? I missed hearing him call me that…

  Ryder’s gaze shifted back and forth between us. “I guess I’ll see you guys later…” He turned around and walked off, his shoulders sagging.

  Liam kept staring at him until he was thirty feet away. His hand never left my waist.

  What should I say? The whole episode was odd. Liam acted like a wolf guarding his pack.

  “Let me know if he bothers you again,” he said darkly.

  “Well, he wasn’t really bothering me…” He wasn’t. He seemed like a good guy. When I turned Liam down, he didn’t give up. Could I really dislike Ryder for trying to get a girlfriend?

  “He wasn’t?” Surprise moved into his eyes.

  “No. He was nice.”

  His hand dropped. “You weren’t scared?”

  “No…”

  He looked at me with new eyes. “Really?”

  “Yeah. I can take care of myself.”

  Liam stared at me for a long time, silent.

  “I told you I’m done being scared.”

  “I can see that.”

  Tired of missing his hand on me, I reached out and grabbed it.

  He looked down at our joined hands but didn’t pull away.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Outside my classroom. You’ve never done that before.”

  He shrugged. “It was on my way.”

  “On your way where…?” His last class was over an hour ago and it was on the other side of the campus.

  He looked away and didn’t respond to me.

  “Liam?”

  He clenched his jaw and sighed. “I’m jealous. I didn’t want some other guy to swoop you up while we…worked through our problems.”

  “No other guy could ever swoop me up. I was yours even if you weren’t mine.”

  “I’ve always been yours,” he whispered.

  “Well, you don’t need to worry, Liam. You can trust me.”

  “I know I can.”

  “Then why be jealous?”

  He took a step and pulled me forward. “I don’t know…I guess I understand how you feel about Adrianna.”

  A small laugh escaped my lips. “Adrianna is a psychotic terror. Ryder is a nice guy looking for a date. Not comparable at all.”

  He smirked slightly. “Yeah, that’s true.”

  I smiled while I watched him. “I like it when you’re jealous.”

  “You do?” He turned to me, warmth in his eyes.

  “Yeah, I like the way you claimed me, making sure he knew I wasn’t up for grabs.”

  He released a breath. “Good. I’m glad I didn’t make you mad.”

  “Make me mad?” I asked incredulously. “Every girl on this campus wants you but you only want me. And you want every guy to know I’m yours. Believe me, I’m not mad.”

  A light blush moved into his cheeks. “I’m glad you see it that way.”

  I moved closer into his side. “I do.”

  His hand left mine and moved around my waist. Then he pulled me into him and kissed me on the cheek.

  My skin burned as soon as his lips pressed against me. The affection he gave me was enough to make my body increase twenty degrees in a few seconds. It felt so good that I bit my lip, unsure why.

  He pulled away then grabbed my hand again, walking with me. “Hungry?”

  No. “Yes.”

  “Lunch?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.” His thumb brushed over mine while he pulled me beside him.

  I was in heaven.

  We reached the cafeteria and walked inside. Mexican food was on the menu today, just like usual. It was hard to find anything else in Southern California. But I didn’t mind. I loved it.

  “Enchiladas?” he asked.

  He remembered. “Sure.”

  “Take a seat and I’ll get it.”

  He was being a perfect boyfriend all over again. “Okay.”

  He dropped my hand then got in line.

  I sighed happily then walked to a table by the window. Things seemed to be getting back to normal. I knew Liam wouldn’t have warmed up to me if I hadn’t made some progress. I guess going to the fight and not jumping to conclusions when I saw Theresa at his house really helped. Although, I still didn’t know what his relationship to Theresa was. But I wouldn’t be stupid enough to ask at this point.

  I surveyed the tables around us and noticed a thin brunette laughing with her girlfriends. The high-pitch giggle strained my ears because I knew whom it belonged to. Lo and behold, Adrianna was sitting just a few feet away.

  Ugh.

  Just looking at her made me want to slam her face into concrete. I wasn’t a violent person and didn’t have violent tendencies, but I really wanted to yank her hair out and cause her misery. All she had done since Liam became mine was sabotage our joy and happiness. Someone needed to put her in her place. Since Liam was too much of a gentleman to be too aggressive, I’d have to do something about it.

  Liam headed toward our tables carrying the trays. I was glad we were right in Adriana’s view. She could see we were back together and nothing she could do would keep us apart.

  Liam put the can of soda in the center of the table. “Coke?”

  We always shared one because neither one of us wanted all the sugar. “Sure.”

  He sat down, oblivious to Adrianna and her gang of broads.

  I knew I couldn’t rush Liam by being physical with him. If he were ready for that, we would have done more than just sleep the night before. So, I reached out and placed my hand on his knuckles, stroking the worn and weathered skin. “Thanks for lunch.”

  “My pleasure.” He pulled his plate toward him then grabbed a fork.

  When I glanced at Adrianna, she had a noticeable scowl on her face. She looked like she just inhaled something sour. The taste was making her nauseated. Her fists clenched tightly, clearly displease by what she saw.

  Take that, cunt.

  Liam studied my face. “What are you looking at?”

  I turned back to him. “A whore.”

  He cocked an eyebrow because I never spoke like that.

  When I glanced back at Adrianna, she was marching to our table, livid.

  She stopped in front of Liam, her hands on her hips. “You’re with her?”

  Liam didn’t flinch when she came to his side. His hand holding the fork remained steady. “I’ve been with her.” He didn’t look at her, his eyes focused on his plate or me.

  “All she’s ever done is hold you back.” She was talking so fast spit was flying out of her mouth.

  “He asked for the news, not the weather,” I jabbed.

  “Shut the hell up unless you want to get slapped.�
�� She glared at me, her eyes dilating.

  “Just be aware I’ll slap you back,” I threatened. “And believe me, I can do more than slap.” The meaning of my words was unmistakable. I held her gaze firmly, not backing down.

  She turned back to Liam, bored with me. “She’s not even pretty. She wears man clothes and there’s nothing good underneath.”

  “Then you clearly haven’t seen her naked,” Liam said with a bored voice. He took a bite of his enchiladas and continued to not look at her.

  I felt the warmth move into my cheeks.

  “What the hell do you see in this girl? I’m the one who’s always been supportive of you. I’ve been in love with you for years. What’s wrong with me?” Her eyes conveyed the emotion of her words. She was really worked up over this.

  “Someone’s desperate…” The words left my lips before I could stop them.

  “If you don’t want to look even uglier than you already do, I suggest you shut your mouth,” she spat.

  “If I’m so ugly, why does Liam prefer me to you?” I challenged. “Then you must be really hideous.”

  That just pissed her off even more. She turned back to Liam. “Why would you want to be with a girl that let her boyfriend beat her—”

  Liam was on his feet faster than I could process. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed. He towered over her with his height and projected a shadow that stretched across the floor. The menace in his eyes burned holes in her skin. “Fuck. Off.” He shoved her back gently, making her stumble. He stood his ground and told her off silently.

  She massaged her wrist with tears in her eyes then stormed out of the cafeteria.

  For just an instant, I actually felt bad for her. Liam was an intimidating guy, and if she really loved him like she claimed, feeling him push her away like that must have been heartbreaking.

  Liam sat down and studied my face. “Don’t feel bad for her.”

  “How did you know…?”

  “I can see it in your eyes.” He continued to eat his food like nothing just happened. “She’s always been a bitch. When she started hanging around me and the guys, I knew she just liked getting the attention from them. And of course, they didn’t mind because she showed off her ass all the time. It’s clear she has self-esteem issues if she flaunts her way through life. She’ll never be my type and she knows it.”

  “But…isn’t that the type of girls the others are?”

  “Yes,” he said bluntly. “But she’s also annoying as hell. And I guess I saw her as a friend at one point…now I can’t remember why.” He finished his burrito then pushed it away. “It’s still pisses me off that you think I’d ever sleep with her.” He shook his head and clenched his jaw. “I couldn’t get it up for her if I tried. I loathe her and despise her. And if I’ve ever loved you, how could I be with a woman that was so vicious to you?”