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CIARA FINISHED THE phone call with Estella around eleven. It took her a little longer to leave the beach, because she sat there alone for a few minutes. Once she had fixed her makeup, she headed home.
It was right before midnight when she walked up the stairs to her flat. She was searching for her keys from her coat’s pocket. When she found them and pulled them out, she looked up.
Liam was sitting on the floor beside her flat door. “Ciara.” He stood up.
Ciara frowned. “What are you doing here?” She hadn’t expected to find Liam at her door. She had been planning to just go to sleep.
His frown matched hers. “I came here after I got your message. I thought I’d come check on you, but you weren’t home.”
“You’ve been here the whole time?” Ciara moved to open her flat’s door. She didn’t even glance at Liam while doing so—too afraid to meet his gaze.
“I left for a little while, but then I came back.” Liam’s gaze was fixed on Ciara, but her eyes were solely focused on the doorknob.
“Oh.” She turned the key in the lock until it clicked.
“Look, I was worried. Where were you?”
“I took a walk,” Ciara lied, casting her gaze down. She let Liam in and then stepped inside, closing the door.
Liam crossed his arms. “Did you walk a marathon?”
“No. I was on the phone with someone.”
“Did you notice any of the messages I left? Or any of my calls?” Liam’s voice held a hint of accusation.
Ciara could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t meet his gaze. “No. Sorry.” She shrugged off her coat and hung it. “But as you can see, I’m fine.”
“Why are you trying to avoid me?” Liam asked, exasperated.
“I’m not,” Ciara lied.
“Why would you cancel our plans and say you’re sick then?” Liam sighed in frustration. “Did you go after the witch hunters alone?”
Ciara rolled her eyes. “No.”
She walked to the kitchen, thinking about getting a glass of water. Liam followed her. She spotted the whiskey bottle on the kitchen counter and shoved it back in her liquor cabinet.
“You’ve even forgotten your jacket in the washing machine,” Liam said and pursed his lips together. He clearly hadn’t missed the half-drunk whiskey bottle, either.
Ciara had completely forgotten about the stupid jacket, and it was probably ruined already. It had been wet in the washing machine for a day. In her mind, she cursed herself, but she didn’t let it show.
“I had to hurry to work, so I forgot it,” she said dismissively.
“What’s wrong?” Liam took a step closer to Ciara. “You won’t even look at me, and I can tell you’re trying to get rid of me.”
Ciara’s shoulders tensed. “Maybe I just want to be alone,” she said, trying to appear indifferent.
“I know it’s not that!” Liam snapped, throwing his arms up in frustration. “Something is wrong. Are you still angry about the whole reforming thing?”
“Of course I’m angry about that!” Ciara snapped back, gripping the edge of the kitchen counter.
“And that’s why you’re avoiding me? Yet first you agreed to see me.”
“Why does it matter so much?” Ciara huffed out.
“Because I absolutely hate that you’re avoiding me,” Liam confessed desperately, taking another step closer to Ciara.
She felt bad for making him feel that way. Still, she couldn’t tell him that he had broken her heart.
“Look, I’m sorry. I just had the whole evening planned and—”
“I’m so sorry I ruined your and Iris’s announcement then,” Ciara huffed, annoyed.
“My and...” Liam tilted his head. “What?” he asked, his voice rising a little. “What does Iris have to do with any of this?”
Ciara sighed sharply. She really needed a cigarette. But she would have to walk past Liam to get to the balcony, and he would try to stop her.
“She’s your girlfriend. Or fiancée. I don’t know how it works in your situation.” Her already broken heart was beating fast with anxiety.
“What?” Liam exclaimed. “Why would you think that?”
“It’s obvious.” Ciara rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe Liam was acting so clueless.
“How is it obvious? Because I’m not with her!” Liam said, raising his voice.
“If you say so. But even if so, I don’t see what’s the problem. I’m sure you had a nice evening with her.” Ciara’s voice was bitter, but at least she finally turned to look at Liam.
Liam furrowed his eyebrows and gaped at Ciara. “Why do you think Iris would have been there?”
“Now you’re just playing dumb,” Ciara accused sharply. “I saw her!”
“What?” Liam exclaimed. “You didn’t even show up!”
“I was at the door, but then I changed my mind,” Ciara admitted, tapping her foot impatiently. She needed to get past Liam to get to the balcony for that cigarette.
“I don’t get...” Liam frowned, trying to look for words. “Why would you...” Liam shook his head, and that was when his gaze settled on the bracelet on Ciara’s wrist. “It’s broken.” Both his voice and his eyes softened.
Ciara’s eyes widened, realising the bracelet wasn’t hidden under her sleeve anymore.
“Who were you with? W-why would it break like that? They don’t break unless...” Liam didn’t finish the sentence, but the concern on his face grew.
“You knew it was a love bracelet?” Ciara asked breathlessly, staring at Liam.
If he knows, does that mean...
“Of course I knew,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “You were with Kellan?”
Like Kellan had mentioned to Ciara, Liam had seen it glow bright red when Kellan had been around.
“No,” Ciara said and walked past Liam. She made her way to the little table next to the balcony door where her cigarettes were.
Ciara reached out to grab the pack, but Liam took her hand into his to stop her.
“Please, don’t,” he pleaded and grabbed her other hand, too.
Ciara wanted to take the cigarette pack, but she couldn’t. Not because of Liam’s hold—which she could have easily freed herself from—but because she was too flustered by how close he was standing.
“Please, tell me what’s wrong?” Liam pleaded.
Ciara took a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk about it. Okay?”
“Can you at least tell me where you were?” Liam’s voice softened, becoming soothing.
“I was outside.” She would never tell him where she had been exactly. It would have been too humiliating. “I was, uh, on the phone with Estella.”
“Estella?”
“Theo’s mother.”
Liam paused. “H-how is she?”
The two of them had rarely talked about Theo. And somehow neither of them seemed to want to change that.
“She’s fine. I should call her more often.”
“How is she spending Christmas?” Liam asked.
“With her friend’s family.”
“What about you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m going to my parents’ place. Come with me.”
Ciara hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She had no Christmas plans, and she had spent the holidays at the Rosslers’ house in the past. Henry, Jenna, and the other Rosslers would be there too.
Taking a deep breath, Ciara said, “Okay.”
“Did you see Kellan today?”
“He picked me up for work. We had some stupid meeting.”
“So he’s more than just your boss,” he said, his voice shaky.
“A friend, maybe.” Ciara swallowed, afraid to say her next words out loud. But she knew that if she didn’t say them right then and there, she’d never work up the courage to say them. “The gem breaking had nothing to do with him,” she said breathlessly, hoping Liam knew what that meant.
Liam went silent. “So...” He struggled to find his voice. “So it wasn’t glowing because of him.”
“No.”
There it was. Her confession. He finally knew, and all he did was let go of her hand.
She was about to apologise for ruining everything, but Liam pivoted her around to face him. Her hand flew against his chest, and she stumbled onto him. Her breath hitched from the sudden closeness.
He reached out his hand to cup her face, and her heart fluttered in her chest. His fingers brushed down her cheek, leaving her skin tingling, and they stopped below her jawline. He gently raised her chin, so she finally met his gaze.
She could have sworn his breath hitched when she gazed into those hazel eyes she had missed for so long.
“C-can I stay over tonight?” His voice was husky, hooking her in.
Ciara’s heart thundered in her chest, and she lost her voice for a second. She knew what the question meant—the hidden meaning behind it. “Y-yes.”
His breathing was heavy—even shaky—and hers matched it.
His eyes flickered between her eyes and lips as he slowly wrapped his left arm around her waist. His eyes flickered back to her eyes as if asking for permission—asking if he could go on.
His gaze fell back down on her lips, and he brought his face closer to hers. His warm, uneven breaths hit her skin, sending pleasant sparks throughout her body.
He looked back up into her eyes, asking for permission one last time. She nodded slightly, and her heart went wild.
She wanted his lips on hers. No, she needed them. She was done waiting and...
His right hand slid to the back of her head, entangled in her hair, and he leaned in, his lips finding their way to hers.
Finally.
The kiss was tender. Gentle.
Ciara’s hands gripped his shirt possessively, pulling him harder against her. The gentleness was gone.
Liam’s lips were rough from the cold winter weather, and his stubble scratched Ciara’s skin. And she was hooked in the eager kiss.
His hand dropped from her hair. She nearly pulled away, dissatisfied with the loss of contact, but then she heard her cigarette pack being shoved off the table behind her. His hands travelled under her thighs, and he hoisted her onto the table, not breaking the kiss.
His hands moved with a will of their own, sliding up her thighs to tug at the hem of her jumper. He broke the kiss, staring deep into her eyes, and pulled the restricting piece of clothing off her. The second the jumper hit the floor, Liam’s lips were already back to exploring Ciara’s lips, hungry and demanding.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, entangling her hands in his hair. She had wanted to run her hands through his hair for so long. And it was every bit as good as she had imagined.
They kicked off their shoes and socks in a hurry, their hands dancing on each other’s skin. He teased her, tugging at the hem of her top.
She grinned against his lips and unbuckled his belt. His shirt went off, flying, and hers was next.
His muscular arms wrapped around her, and he pulled her off the table against his chest, their half-bare bodies touching. Ciara’s knees went weak, but his powerful arms kept her where she was.
He pulled her to the bedroom eagerly. They hit every piece of furniture and wall possible on their way, throwing off the rest of their clothes.
By the time her back hit the soft mattress, his lips had found their way to her neck and from there continued exploring every inch of her skin. “Ciara.” His voice was heavy and warm against her tingling skin.
“Liam,” she moaned.
***
CIARA LOOKED AROUND, trying to spot the person she was most excited to see. But she couldn’t see Liam anywhere.
“Ciara!” Henry called out, rushing over to her. “He’s leaving for Peru.”
“I know he is. Wait...” Ciara’s eyes widened. “Right now?”
Henry only had time to nod before Ciara rushed through the crowds. She ran out of the tournament area, forgetting all about the cheers and her victory.
For a moment, she thought she was too late, but then she spotted him walking away.
“Liam!”
He stopped dead and spun around. “Ciara?” he said, seeing the girl run to him. “What are you doing? You just won. You should be celeb—”
Ciara cut him off by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his lips to hers. For a moment, he stood frozen. When he finally came to his senses, realising his long-time crush was kissing him, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
The kiss was sweet and short, even though it felt like an eternity for both of them. They were out of breath from excitement when they pulled away.
“I know things have been...weird between us. And I know you’ll be in Peru soon, so I thought I’d...I had to do that before it was too late,” Ciara rambled.
Liam smiled. He reached to touch her face and ran his thumb over her lips to make her stop talking. “I’m glad you did.”
Relief washed over Ciara, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“I-I don’t know how, but I want to make this work,” Liam said, moving a few strands of hair behind Ciara’s ear. “I-I can come visit as often as possible and—”
Ciara smiled and pecked Liam’s lips. “So you want to make this official?”
“A thousand times, yes.”