Unplugged (Blue Phoenix, #3)(41)

“Don’t be.” I curl my hand around his neck. “That’s the best kiss I’ve had since, well, Christmas.”

Liam kisses a spot on my brow between the eyes, with a calmness not matched by his rapid breathing. “I want you, Cerys. I don’t just mean I want to do things to you that I’ve thought about for months, but you. Can we get to know each other better?”

I laugh. “That’s very polite of you following a kiss like the one you just gave me.”

“I’m trying to be realistic. I don’t want to scare you away.”

I could stand here in my tiny kitchen with this larger than life guy all evening and it wouldn’t be enough. He angles his head toward me. “Don’t kiss me again,” I tell him.

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t cope if you never came back.” And I couldn’t stop myself; if he so much as brushed a finger against my skin, I’d be his. Here. Now.

“I will come back and this time every day I’m away from you, I’ll be in touch so you know I haven’t forgotten you, even if it’s just a text.” He takes my hand. “Let me have your mobile number and I promise.”

Is this happening? Has Liam really walked into my house, told me he wants me, and kissed me in a way that blows my mind again? The loneliness of the months since I spilt with Craig – no, the loneliness I had even before we spilt – lays my raw heart open looking for someone to heal the empty pain. How easy would it be to let go and give in to the swell of physical need surging me toward Liam, to allow the promise in our lips from that night to find the natural conclusion.

The unspoken hovers because we don’t need to express the words exchanged between us; there’s more intimacy in the shivering feeling of Liam looking directly into my heart and soul, a place nobody has touched before. The reason I know Liam sees mine is that his are reflected back in his emerald eyes.

CHAPTER 18



CERYS



I push Ella’s bag onto her back as we arrive at school. The English summer is heating up and Ella counts down the days to the end of school. Next term, she starts ‘big school’ and she’s as excited about that as the oncoming summer holidays. I doubt we’ll do much in the summer break; I don’t have the money for a holiday anywhere. I promise Ella lots of trips to the park and picnics with friends; time and fun together is precious. Wherever I’m making memories with Ella, that’s special.

Liam keeps his promise and he texts me constantly through the day, we follow each other’s vastly different lives through snapshots of daily events and messages. Now it seems unusual if I don’t hear from him several times a day. He didn’t stay long after Ella’s party. She woke again, interrupting the intensity of our reunion and he left. In a small way, I’m glad she did because her need for me distracted me from my need for Liam.

Ella wriggles from my hug and skips across the tarmac school playground toward the double-doors into school. Big girl Ella won’t let me come in with her anymore, even though her school days are mornings only until September. Almost a big girl.

My phone beeps.

<Morning. How’s the school witches?>

I giggle and reply to Liam’s message. <Wishing they had a rock star like me>

<Why? Do they know?>

<We were on Facebook. You were eating cupcakes at the party>

<Forgot about that. Any other pictures?>

<No>

<Huh. Insulting. Nobody cares what I do :( >

<I told you. You’re not very interesting>

<Suits me>

<Shouldn’t you be in bed? What time is it over there?>

<I’m a rock star. I’m allowed to stay up late>

Phoebe bumps me, and I’m pulled out of mine and Liam’s world back to the school yard. “Texting your man again?”

“He’s not my man; I haven’t seen him since Ella’s party.”

Phoebe purses her perfectly made-up pink lips. “Mmm-hmm.”

The past two weeks have been filled with whispers and rumours, and Phoebe is the only person I’m comfortable talking to about Liam. Yes, we unfortunately hit Facebook, thanks to a sneaky photograph of Liam eating party food, but that was the limit of media exposure. I’m happy because I don’t want the world thinking I’m his after a couple of hours together.

I text <Have to go>

<I have a surprise for you>

<Oh?>

<Yeah. Chat later>

I pull a face at the phone and Phoebe laughs at me. “Cute. You’re like teens.”

“We knew each other as teens.”

Phoebe tucks her arm through mine as we head back toward the school gates. “Teen sweethearts reconnecting? Even cuter!”

“Not exactly. He was too old for me then; I’m friends with his sister.”

“So you were around each other a lot because of that?”

“Yes, Blue Phoenix rehearsed at Liam’s house. I got subjected to their early stuff and believe me, it wasn’t good.”

“I don’t believe that! They’re an amazing band.”

“Once they started playing their own stuff, it improved. Marginally. When you’ve heard ‘Stairway to Heaven’ rehearsed on repeat for two hours, it doesn’t sound so good anymore.”