Until There Was You(65)

Then it was over, and Posey forced open her eyes. He was looking at her, that light still in his eyes. She swallowed, rather loudly. “Not bad,” she announced. “It’s just that with all the hype, I don’t know. I guess I expected more.”

Liam burst out laughing, so surprising her that she jumped back. “I really like you,” he said.

“My life’s work is done, then,” she said, hoping he didn’t notice that she seemed to be shaking.

“So…take you to your house?” he asked, opening her car door.

“Just driving me home, big guy. Don’t get any ideas.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

Posey was somewhat surprised she could form sentences, as her brain was roaring with white noise. Her limbs were flooded with a hot buzz, and her heart clattered in her chest as Liam started the car and pulled into the street.

“You going to the parade this weekend?” Posey heard herself ask after a mile or five.

“I guess so,” he answered, turning onto South Church Road. “Does Guten Tag still go all out?”

“We sure do.”

He pulled into her small driveway, and Posey had the car door open before he came to a full stop. “Okay, see you soon,” she said, bolting.

“Uh…good night,” she heard him call.

She practically ripped the church door off its hinges, slammed it closed behind her and slumped to the floor as her wobbly legs gave out. From the great room, Shilo woofed twice before collapsing back in front of the wood-stove. Gretchen had said she’d be working late, thank goodness. Meatball gave a little squeak of welcome, and wind gusted around the steeple, the only sound other than the roaring in her ears.

Now that she was safe, the reality of that kiss sank in. If he could make her feel this much with one chaste kiss, then what—

A knock on the door made her jump. “Who is it?” Her dog, purchased for protection, gave a snuffling snore.

“It’s Liam.”

Posey scrabbled up off the floor and opened the door a few inches. “Yes?”

His expression was wry. “You forgot your purse.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

He handed her the battered leather backpack. “Have a good night,” he said, turning to go.

“You, too. Um, Liam?”

He turned back, and without further thought, she’d grabbed the front of his leather jacket, yanked him inside and kissed the stuffing out of him. One hand was gripping his damp, soft hair, and the other was inside his coat already, and she felt him smile against her mouth, and thank the heavens, he was kissing her back, pushing her against the wall of the little foyer (oh, the wall!), his strong, solid arms wrapped around her tight and sure. He slid one hand down her back, pressing her against him, and his heat and strength, his mouth on hers, was un-bleeping-believable; she was panting already. He dragged his mouth off hers, then kissed her neck, and Posey’s knees buckled.

Then Liam pulled back, kissed her lightly on the mouth once more, and looked at her, his eyes narrowed. “I have to say,” he murmured, running his thumb along her lower lip, “I’m a little surprised.”

“Mmm,” she managed. His weight was the only thing holding her up.

“I wasn’t even sure you liked me.”

“Who says I do?” she managed. He grinned, and without her explicit permission, her fingers tightened their grip on his shirt.

“Do you like me enough that I can I come in and stay for a little while?” he asked, leaning against her a little more purposefully. Elvis! One lean, and she was halfway to the moon.

She didn’t answer. Waited for a reason to say no.

None came.

“Want me to go?” he whispered before kissing her jaw, trailing a finger down her throat.

“Nope,” she said, her voice calm.

“You sure?”

“Yep,” she said. Now or never, Posey. She grabbed his hand and towed him through the great room. “Shilo, you remember Liam,” she said as they passed her dog, who snuffled in response before resuming his power nap. Through the kitchen strewn with Gretchen’s detritus. Don’t let him change his mind. Don’t let him over-think this.

At the top of the stairs, Posey pushed open the door to her bedroom, then stopped abruptly, dropping Liam’s hand. Then, even though it wasn’t easy, she forced herself to really look at him.

Liam Murphy. With her. Despite aeons of adolescent yearning and a goodly amount of more recent lust, Posey had never actually believed that anything like this would really happen. That he would choose her. That he would look at her the way he was, intently, seriously.

Then he reached out and touched her lips, gently, almost reverently, and that’s what did her in.

Before he even kissed her again, she was in love.

Again.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

LIAM SQUINTED AT the clock, the only thing illuminating the room: 12:13 a.m. He’d fallen asleep for a few minutes. Not that he hadn’t earned a nap, he thought with a grin. He might’ve been a little out of practice, but yeah, he could say that things hadn’t been half bad.

In fact, things had been pretty flipping fantastic.

Reaching over, he was a little surprised to find the bed was empty. After that Olympic round of sex, he’d expect her to be out cold, too. Well, there was something…a cat, apparently, because it mewed softly, then jumped down. But no human.