“If you think for a second I’m letting you go, you’re dead wrong. Do you have any idea what you mean to me?”
I give him a subtle shake of the head, and he leans his forehead against mine. I close my eyes on instinct.
“You’re my sanctuary. We could be looking out at the most beautiful skylines in the world or sitting on the open tailgate in the driveway. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, as long as I have you with me, I’m home.”
His words burrow deep into my chest. Nobody has ever made me feel the way Liam does—wanted, needed, and dare I say… loved.
“You’ve always been my safe place,” I murmur. It’s a quiet confession. I don’t like to be perceived as vulnerable. I’m usually the queen of deflection, but not tonight. “When I was at my lowest, I always found my way to you. You were always there—without fail.”
“I always will be.”
Several long moments pass. I sip my wine and we stare out at the river.
“Ruby,” he says, his voice low and raspy. “This thing between us. I don’t want it to end. In fact, I want more.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want you. All of you. In every way. I want the whole world to know you’re mine.”
“We can’t.”
He turns me to face him and places my wine glass on the table, holding my hands in both of his. “Why not?”
“You’ve only seen a small taste of what it can be like with the media, and it’ll get worse from here on out. They’re like a dog with a bone. They won’t let this go so easily.”
“I can handle it.Wecan handle it.”
“What about Aiden? If they get wind that you have a son, there’s no telling what could happen. I worry about what effect that might have on him.”
“We’ll protect him. Plenty of celebrities manage to keep their kids out of the public eye.”
“What happens when this doesn’t work? I can’t lose you.” Another excuse trips off my tongue, but I’m losing the battle of wills with each one.
“You won’t lose me. No matter what happens between us, I will always be here for you. You’re a part of me, Ruby. Have been for a decade. Will be until my heart stops beating and long after.” He tenderly places our joined hands over his tattoo, and whatever fight I had left dissolves.
I swallow around the lump in my throat as I stare up into those fathomless eyes, the bright lights of the city reflecting back at me. His tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip, and the world around us stills.
There’s this overwhelming sense of rightness when we’re together, and when we’re apart, it’s like a phantom pain. There are parts of me that only exist when I’m with Liam, and there’s this softness in him that only I get to witness. It’s something special to find that the other half of your soul resides in another person, as though every piece and part of you belongs to them and them alone, and vice versa.
“Kiss me, Liam.”
He brushes the tip of his nose over my cheek ever so slowly, the air between us crackling with unspoken desire. “Have you been aching for me, baby?”
“Yes,” I whisper, his lips barely a breath away from mine. “I need you.”
“Tell me you’re mine again, and I’ll give you what you want. I’ll give youeverything.”
I let out a huff of air and melt into him. “I’m yours. I’m so fucking yours.”
He slants his lips over mine as his right hand threads through my hair, angling my head to the side to give him better access. It’s slow at first, tentative, but oh so perfect in its simplicity. His lips are soft, as though he’s savoring each gentle brush. When he slips his tongue into my mouth, a smallwhimper escapes me. He tastes like wine and something entirely too addictive.
He pulls my body flush against his, bowing me backward slightly as he deepens the kiss. My hands instinctively cling to his back, grappling for purchase. I feel every rippling muscle beneath my palms, and a steady ache grows between my thighs.
We fit together seamlessly, his body molding perfectly to mine. I’ve waited my whole life for this man, and now that I know what it’s like to belong to Liam Murphy, I may never be the same again.
He groans into my mouth, and his cock grows hard against my belly. “Fuck. We have to stop.”
“Why?” I ask, breathless and frantic.
