Unplugged (Blue Phoenix, #3)(60)

“Come on, Ella. Let’s find Emily. Maybe she can fix you a snack before you go back to bed.” I lift her onto the floor.

“Night, Liam.” Ella leans down and kisses his cheek. His discomfort with her affection lessens as the days pass, but this time his hug is awkward, and I know why as a shocked Dylan looks on. As far as Ella’s concerned, anybody I show affection to should get hers too.

“I’ll be back soon,” I say to Liam and kiss him gently on the mouth.

Luckily, he’s not as reticent about showing affection to me and gives me a slow, lingering kiss.

****

LIAM



I brace myself for Dylan’s reaction as Sky unfolds herself from the sofa and heads toward the kitchen with her empty bottle of wine, still snickering.

“Dude...” Dylan says and shakes his head.

“What?”

“The kid! You’re real daddy material!” He snorts and drinks.

“She’s part of Cerys’s life, man, so she’s part of mine.”

“Mmhmm.” A bowl of corn chips rest on the table in front and Dylan grabs a handful. “I never thought I’d see you with Cerys Edwards.”

“Yeah, I never thought I’d see you stick with one girl. I guess we’re all full of surprises.”

“Touché. So you’re serious then?”

“I think so.”

“Is she the reason for the wedding disaster?” continues Dylan, shovelling more chips into his mouth.

“Not beating around the bush, are you?”

Sky reappears with a bottle of red wine, face flushed. I know enough about Sky to spot when she’s had too much to drink. “What’re you talking about?” she asks.

“Liam’s wedding.”

Sky’s eyes widen. “Are you getting married again?” I open my mouth to retort and she puts a hand over hers. “I mean a proper one.” She shakes her head. “Crap, I mean one you’ll turn up for...”

“Sky, you’re drunk and digging a hole,” says Dylan and laughs. “I asked if Cerys was the reason for the last disaster.”

“Can we not discuss my personal life?” I snap. “What about you guys? Set a date yet?” I’m secretly pleased by the shifting looks and lack of response. Ha.

“No,” says Dylan eventually.

Sky pours a glass and takes a long drink without replying.

Silence. Great, my attempt at a comeback is a conversation killer.

“I like Cerys,” says Sky. “Hang onto her.”

“I intend to.”

“But don’t scare her; your life is a world away from hers, especially with Ella.”

“I know.” I’m irritated by their continued intrusion into my personal life.

“Just talking from experience, Liam.”

Dylan rubs Sky’s shoulders and hugs her close; she snuggles into him and kisses his arm. Their love is obvious to everyone around. Could I ever have that with Cerys?

Cerys reappears and with her, the absolute certainty we can. She only has to enter a room I’m in, and the world retreats to me and her. I love Cerys, and when we’re apart, everything inside aches for her in a frightening way I haven’t experienced before. She crosses over and sits on my lap, resting her head on mine, in a way as natural as I see in the couple with us. I nudge her neck, she smells of roses and chlorine from the pool, of Cerys and home. I hold her tight and bury my face into her warm skin, wishing we could live here forever and never let her go back to Wales.

CHAPTER 26



CERYS



Ella paddles at the edge of the surf, filling her bucket with water. She heads back to where I sit on the rug with Liam and pours the water into the moat by her sandcastle. Ella’s face is pink so I call her over to touch her cheeks, which are too hot. She’s not used to the strong sun, so I know our last day on the beach will be short.

I sit between Liam’s legs, resting my head against his warm, naked chest. Encompassed by Liam and this life, reality retreated; but is returning the way the tide edges toward us.

“Are you sure you won’t stay longer?” he asks.

“I think the longer we stay, the more Ella will get used to this and the harder it will be to explain this was just a holiday.”

“You could stay here as long as you wanted though,” he presses.

“She starts school in a few weeks. In Cardiff.”

Liam’s hot breath huffs against my neck. “I guess.”

I twist and see the disappointment in his eyes. “We keep having this conversation.”

“I don’t like being away from you.”

“Wherever I am, you’ll be away from me sometimes; it’s your life. So I’d prefer to be somewhere I’m comfortable when you are away.”

“Like a Malibu mansion?” he asks, poking me.

I pull a ‘stop talking about this’ face and place my lips on his instead. “Like a terraced house in Cardiff.”

“Ugh. Cerys. I’m going to buy a place there.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am. Suit yourself if you don’t want to live there.” He rests back on his arms again, the muscles in his biceps flexing as he does.

Wanting to avoid an argument, I go to Ella, and crouch down to help her with the moat. She’s getting frustrated that the water seeps away however hard she tries to fill the space. The last couple of days, Ella’s been moodier with darkened smudges beneath her eyes. This holiday excitement is having a bad effect on her behaviour; she’s spoilt.