Falling for Him (12 page)

“I don’t have an exact number.”

She didn’t have a number? Perhaps he had her all wrong. Maybe she dated more than he knew. A green beast began to churn in his gut. “How many men have you gone out on dates with?”

“Two. Well, three, but really only two.”

He relaxed a bit. “Which is it? Two or three.”

“One wasn’t really a date at all.”

“How’s that?”

“I really don’t want to relive my horrible social life. I want to enjoy this evening. Can we drop it?”

“Was it really that bad?”

She looked through the window into the darkness, sighing before continuing. “My first date was with a pledge who’d been assigned to find an ugly girl to bring to a campus party in order to get into his frat.”

Shock filled him. Any man who thought she was ugly was insane or blind. Or maybe even both. No wonder she had terrible self-esteem if that was the kind of experiences she’d had with the opposite sex.

“You’re not ugly.”

Her silence spoke volumes. She didn’t realize just how stunning she truly was. The fact she had no airs was one thing, but to not see the face before her in the mirror was another. He wanted to change her perception and help her see herself for the woman she was. How dare some frat asshole tear her down.

Liam pulled the car to the side of the road and threw the car into park, anger filling him over an ignorant frat boy. “What was his name?”

“His name? Why?” Olivia looked stunned, her eyes wide.

“Perhaps he needs a little lesson in respect.”
With my fists.
Surprise filled Liam at the violence he felt in order to defend her honor. He hadn’t gotten into a physical fight since St. Anne’s when he was in middle school, and even then, it had only been to protect himself.

“It was years ago. I’m over it.”

“You’re an incredibly beautiful woman who is most certainly not over it. He was an ass and very wrong and should be reminded how to be a gentleman. The man would have to be legally blind to think you’re ugly. You most certainly aren’t.”

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest, but the longer she watched him, the softer her face became. “I don’t need you to keep trying to fight my battles for me.”

“If I don’t stand up to tell you you’re worth more, then I’m as bad as that jerk who hurt you. Not everyone out there is like him. You just need to let people into your life, those that aren’t assholes.”

“If I let people in, I stand to get hurt more.”

“Being hurt is a part of life, and it makes us stronger. Hiding away isn’t living. It’s surviving.”

“What do you know about surviving? You have your own issues you need to focus on.”

“And what would those be?”

“A twenty-year pity party, for one.”

“It wasn’t a pity party. I didn’t hole myself up in my room for twenty years. I went and found a solution for the problem and in the course of doing so, have helped a lot of people along the way.”

She looked away from him. “It’s just hard to put down my guard. I want to reach out, but each time I have, I’ve been burned. You … well, have always been special to me. I suppose I fear if we try this and it doesn’t work, then I lose twice as hard.”

“Or you could consider the alternative. You could win twice as big. I think you’re ready to come out from the shadows and live. I want to be there when you do.”

“We’ve known each other all my life and you suddenly notice me? Why?”

“I’ve always noticed you.” He reached out and caressed her cheek once more. “But it wasn’t until recently that I realized you’ve grown up on me. I suppose since we’ve known each other for so long, you were just too close. At dinner, I finally saw a glimpse of the woman I didn’t know and wanted to.”

He gathered her face in his palm, rubbing his thumb over her full lips before leaning in to taste her. The kiss was tender, hesitant. He feared she would bolt, so he started softly, a whisper over her flesh. Liam pulled back slightly and saw the wonder in her stare. She didn’t speak, just stared at him timidly, a question in her gaze.

“What was that for?” Her voice was so low he barely heard the words flutter from her lips.

“I think it was obvious what that was for, Olivia. I’ve wanted to do that for days and I’d like to do it more in the future.”

As her lips broke to ask another question, he silenced her with his mouth, kissing her deeper, allowing his tongue to tease inside her opened lips. She thought too much, she needed to feel. He wanted her to experience the depth of his attraction, not continue to doubt it. When she sighed and leaned in for more, he deepened the embrace; he forged deeper and sampled her taste.

At first, she returned his kisses tentatively, holding back before she grew more assured. She soon melted into his embrace, responding as passionately as he, the fervor growing between them. He lowered the hand cupping her cheek to stroke her neck and slowly let it drift down the soft swell of her breast, testing her. When she arched her back slightly, he knew she was hungry for his touch, as hungry as he was to caress her.

He bore the weight of her globe in his hand, squeezing the firm flesh and felt the nipple harden below his grasp. A soft moan escaped her lips and her kisses grew more rapid. She bit his lip and he gasped, shocked she would be so forward. He leaned back to look at her, taking in the wanton sight of her and knowing he had to have more.

But not in his car. She deserved better than that, especially after seeing the small glimpse into her past experiences with males. Olivia needed a full-out romantic assault to erase her history.

“Did I do something wrong?” she breathed out huskily.

“No. You absolutely didn’t. You did everything right,” he said before he sighed and pulled away. “But we may miss our dinner reservation.” Liam slid back into his seat and adjusted his pants to give his hard cock a little more space to breathe. Hopefully, it would go down before they reached the restaurant or he’d be in trouble.

Casting a glance at her and her kiss-swollen lips, he was quite sure he would struggle to contain the beast within. He pulled out onto the street and turned on the car’s defroster to defog the window as they sped into town.

Chapter 11

Olivia sat at the intimate table in the low-lit romantic space, feeling as if every eye in the restaurant was on her. She pulled at the collar of the dress, trying to cover the exposed swell of her breasts. Her lips still stung from his heated kisses and her body was a tuning fork, vibrating all over, needing his hands to calm her. She was shocked by her reaction to him. She was even more shocked by his apparent response to her, which only made it even more confusing when he’d pulled away from her.

She’d been a willing, wanton participant in what had happened between them and she’d wanted more. His hands on her had felt amazing, obliterating the horrid past experience she’d had and the embarrassment and shame she’d felt that night so long ago. In his arms, she’d been reborn, the fire within threatening to engulf her and burn her to a crisp.

Once he drew away from her, a tide of self-consciousness had submerged her, making her wonder if it hadn’t been her partner who had ruined the evening, but perhaps it had been her. Her mind told her if Liam had enjoyed their embrace, he wouldn’t have pulled away from it.

She hadn’t wanted to listen to her demons. Once she’d seen how affected he was, she realized the doubt in her mind was foolish. His hands had shaken on the steering wheel as he’d taken them to the restaurant. His pants had shown an obvious tenting that made her realize how intoxicating his lust had been. He had felt exactly what she had, but had controlled his desires. To know she’d had that effect on him had made a smile come to her lips. Olivia had the power to make him want and that was a heady thought.

She still trembled slightly from their exchange. Her panties were wet with desire, and her body had been fully prepared to take it to the next level.

Liam now sat across from her, and his long, large body made her feel cramped once again. He took up so much space, but she was beginning to enjoy it. He quietly ordered from the wine list as she tuned out, watching how graceful he seemed. As she sat there restless, he was now calm and collected. Her agitated state made it feel as if all eyes were on her, the feeling of being on display unsettling. Liam’s words came back to haunt her. If she hid in the shadows, that’s where she would always be.

Did she really want to stand out? Maybe there was a small part of her looking for acceptance from the world around her. As an artist, she would hope her work was well received and loved by readers. It was so much easier to hide behind a book or a computer screen, secretively seeking that recognition via words on a page. She’d always said she didn’t need society, yet if she wanted to find success, she supposed eventually she’d have to come out of her shell and be more social.

She sat up in her chair, ignoring the ache in her back. She glanced around the room, observing the faces of those who looked her way. She didn’t ignore their stares, but challenged them with a smile. They returned her smile, some with a nod. That hadn’t been so difficult.

Liam handed her a menu as he opened his own. “What are you hungry for tonight?”

You. I’m hungry for you.
The words were on her lips as she opened the leather-bound menu, and she glanced dizzily over the pages, not really reading anything before her. Her gaze drifted as she realized a woman approached the table. Olivia took in a breath as she neared, her nerves getting the better of her.

“Liam, dear, I’m sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I was quite certain this was Olivia Owens and I had to stop by to say hello.”

The woman looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t place her. The sensation of being under the microscope intensified, and she felt like squirming under the observation, but she forced her shoulders higher. “Yes, you’re quite correct.”

“I thought so.” The older woman held out her hand to Olivia. “I’m Julia York. I’ve been a friend of your mother’s for years. We’ve done some of the charity events together at the club. I think you helped us a few years ago with a fund-raiser.”

Olivia sighed in relief, the woman’s face seemingly familiar. “Yes, Mrs. York, I remember you.”

“Well, you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman from the teenager I remember. I’m so happy to see you out and enjoying yourself.” The woman smiled at them both. “Make sure you tell your mother I said hello.”

“Of course.” She felt tongue-tied, unsure how to respond. At the last second, she added, “Thank you for stopping to say hello.”

“You’re quite welcome, dear. I hope to run into you again soon.” Turning to Liam, Julia patted him on the shoulder. “And tell your parents hello as well.”

Liam nodded and sat back, his arms crossed over his chest, inspecting Olivia.

She hated to be stared at. “What?”

“Was that hard?”

Olivia bit her tongue, her initial response wanted to hiss out with malice, but she reined it in. He was being way too arrogant. “No, it wasn’t hard.”

“You should see yourself sitting there, shoulders tall, with a smile on your face. That’s what drew her to you in the first place.”

She sighed. Liam had to ruin the magical moment they were sharing to play nursemaid. “Okay,
Mom
.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like a nag. I’m just proving my point. When you open up and smile, you attract attention. You’re a beautiful woman, and you don’t give yourself enough credit.”

Olivia’s first instinct was to bristle at his comments, usually finding it easier to sulk away versus facing any compliment. The praise felt too good to ruin with her normal fierce behavior. Her walls were lowered a bit, and she hadn’t suffered a hit. Perhaps he had a point.

She felt freed. Her eyes had been opened and she saw herself in a new light. She was tired of being the sullen girl, brooding in a corner, hiding away from life. Her disability hadn’t caused all this, she had. And now she had to fix it herself. No surgery was going to change her self-image. It might open the doors for her to do more, but there were many doors she’d closed on herself.

The surgery was Liam’s keys to redemption, but hers was within herself. Olivia couldn’t rely on Liam’s prodding, either. She was truly on her own in this and she needed to let go of the voices and self-loathing if she wanted to find her way. She already felt better letting her defenses down a smidgeon. It would be slow, steady work, but she knew she could make it.

She smiled as she ate her dinner, laughing at Liam’s jokes, loving his wit and charm. She soaked up his warmth and his knowing glances. They toasted one another, the wine going straight to her head. Olivia smiled when he admitted a secret obsession for her favorite author and laughed when he suggested they go on a road trip to discover themselves, traveling across America on a couple of motorcycles.

Tonight, she felt like a different person. She felt beautiful and charming. Suddenly, she realized how simple it was to ease into this role. This was the woman she’d always been inside. Letting her out made Olivia stronger.

* * * *

Liam hadn’t enjoyed himself this much on a date in … well, in forever. Olivia had opened up to him over dinner, discussing her favorites and challenging him about his. They’d talked all night about what they wanted in life and their secret wishes. She had never been more beautiful than she was that night. Somewhere during their evening, he realized he was falling head over heels.

As the waiters began to close down the dining room, he become conscious that they’d talked all night and the restaurant was completely empty. He’d been so focused on her and their conversation, he hadn’t even seen everyone leave, or note the fact they were completely alone. In his mind, they’d been alone all night long. Her company was the only one he’d wanted.

“I suppose we should leave. It looks like they’re nearly ready to boot us out.” Liam collected his credit card from the sleeve on the table and reached in to add more cash to the tip, knowing they’d monopolized the table most of the night.

Olivia lifted her head and looked around the empty restaurant, apparently as shocked as he was they were alone. “Where did everyone go?”