Page 43 of Heart to Heart
“I already ate, but thank you. Are you okay? I can’t believe I left you two there like that. I am so sorry.”
“We’re fine, honey. I have my knitting needles.” Rosemary patted her handbag. “If he came back, I’d have been ready for him.”
Dahlia looked confused. “What? What are you talking about?”
Holly huffed a laugh. “I’ll tell you over burgers, Mom. And it’s okay, Liam. I mean, I can’t believe he did what he did but I’m fine. I think he might have been drunk or on something. He was never rough with me before. Like, he turned out to be an idiot and a cheater, but he was never a violent asshole, you know?”
I nodded. “He won’t bother you again. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Honestly, I’m not worried about him. His face after you threw his ass through the door spoke volumes. He won’t be coming anywhere near me.”
I grabbed her hand. “Come with me.”
“Oh! All right, I’m coming.” She gestured for Dahlia and Rosemary to wait for her as I pulled her into the garage for some privacy.
“Me and you, Holly—” My voice was a desperate growl. He could have seriously hurt her and I couldn’t stand that I hadn’t been here. I tipped my head back in frustration, unsure of what to say now that I’d brought her in here. Her nearness made my senses spin and the fact that I could have lost her drove me crazy.
“Hey,” she whispered and ran her hands up my chest to cup my cheeks in her palms. She searched my eyes. “I’m okay, shh. It’s okay, he’s gone. It’s over now.”
I shook my head. “No. It isn’t. Look—this is not pretend, me and you. This isn’t a game I’m playing. With the holidays and the going slow and—”
“What are you talking about? I’m not playing a game either. I wouldn’t do that—”
“You’re mine.” I tried to keep the possessive desperation out of my voice, but if her sharp intake of breath was any indication I don’t think I completely succeeded. “You’ve been mine this entire time and you know it. If he lays so much as a fingertip on you again, I’ll kill him, and you know that too. This is not me being jealous. This is me protecting you. He’s bad news, Holly—”
“Shh, I know.” Her eyes blazed into mine. “He scared me, I admit it. And you’re a protective type of man. You found me in the woods and took care of me—I haven’t forgotten about that. You wish you were here today to step in too, don’t you?” I nodded briefly in answer. “I know you care about me, and I know you’ll keep me safe if it came down to it. You take care of people, Liam, it’s what you do, and I get that. I love that about you. And I also know you’re aware I went through something before coming back to Sweetbriar and how much it scared me. But I don’t want you to think that’s why—” She bit her lip and looked away from me as she hesitated to complete her thought.
“What? Go on. Tell me.”
Her eyes shot to mine. “That’s not why I want you, okay? That’s not—why I’m yours.”
“Sunshine, I know that. But I really like hearing you say it.”
“Well, now what are we supposed to do?”
I shrugged. “Can I kiss you, just once? Then we can go back to going slow again. Maybe I’ll find a holiday we can get lost in.”
She nodded, her cheeks reddening as her eyes shifted to the side. “We need the same things, Liam. Please believe that. I know what you want, and I want it too.”
“Do you, sunshine? I don’t think you have any idea. I want a lot when it comes to you. One kiss will never be enough. But I can wait. I’ll wait forever if that’s what it takes to have you.”
Slipping my hand around the nape of her neck, I pulled her into me. The pulse at the base of her throat beat rapidly against my thumb as I drew her face up to mine.
“What are you waiting for?” she breathed. We were inches apart, sharing the same air. I was so close to getting what I’d asked for but couldn’t seem to take it. “I’m right here, Liam. Take what you need.”
I crushed my mouth to hers. The touch of her lips sent a shockwave through my entire body. It was necessary, fucking essential, to feel her like this. The cold tension that had burrowed inside of my chest dissipated as I felt her melt against me, gripping my forearms to hold herself up. I swept an arm around her waist, digging my fingertips against her hip. “I got you,” I groaned against her lips.
“Yes, you do,” she affirmed. “You know you do. You were right about that.”
I broke the kiss. “They’re waiting for you.” Reluctantly, I let her go.
“Yeah, I should get back out there.”
I reached behind myself and opened the door, stepping aside so she could reenter the house.
Rosemary shot us a knowing grin. “All done for now?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She laughed at my response.