I was falling for him, harder and deeper every day.
One night, after dinner in Vegas and a lazy evening of letting Liam worship my body, we ended up talking about what came next.Not in a rushed way, not with pressure, just honest clarity between us.We agreed that once we returned to New York, we wouldn’t hide our relationship much longer.I knew things with my brother and father had to be handled carefully, but within the first week or two, when the time was right and things settled back into a normal routine after CES, we planned to have that conversation with them.To make our relationship official.To date openly.To live our lives without pretending we were just coworkers.
And as we packed our things on the final morning, preparing to fly home, a steady calm settled over me.I wasn’t nervous.I wasn’t uncertain.I knew exactly where we stood.By the time we left Vegas, I was secure in what we had.Secure in him.Whatever delicate steps we had to take at work until we were ready to reveal our relationship, whatever conversations lay ahead, none of it shook my confidence in us one bit.
Liam and I were on steady, unquestionable ground.And for the first time in a long time, I knew the future I wanted.And it was with him.
Everything went better than expected at the electronics show.There was obvious enthusiasm for our portable EV charger from representatives of companies that were interested in selling it for us when we launched the product.There was no doubt that this device was going to be a game changer for our company.
Back in New York on Monday morning, I looked forward to seeing Liam again in the office.Being with him in Vegas had felt so natural, so easy, that the idea of slipping back into pretending we were just coworkers made my heart sink a little.But I understood why we needed to be careful making thoughtful decisions about our relationship, instead of impulsive ones.There was Liam’s investment in the company to consider, and neither one of us wanted to risk our professional reputations until we were ready to announce things on our terms.
As usual, I was one of the first people to arrive.Even Liam’s office was dark.I settled at my desk, arranging my calendar for the day and getting caught up on important emails.I heard the elevator open multiple times over the next hour, followed by the murmured conversations of employees in the hallway.
My dad walked by at one point, talking to his assistant.He sent me a smile, already knowing the Vegas trip had been a success.Liam and I had a meeting scheduled with him and Parker to go over CES more in detail, but I’d kept him well updated while we were out of town.
Once the urgent emails were handled, I headed to the breakroom, desperate for caffeine.Someone had already brewed a pot and I grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee, then stirred in two sugars.
I heard someone enter, but before I could turn around strong arms slipped around my waist, pulling me back against a solid chest.Liam’s lips brushed my neck, and I melted against him instinctively.
That reaction only lasted a second, though.I stiffened as I remembered where we were.I turned around and tried to step back, but I bumped into the counter and Liam caged me in with his arms on either side of me, a wolfish smile on his lips.Despite the risk of being caught, my heart rate accelerated and desire thrummed through me.
“We shouldn’t do this here,” I said, my eyes shifting over his shoulder to the open door.There was no one else around for now, but someone could walk in at any moment, and I didn’t want them to find us in what could appear to be a compromising position.
“You’re right.”Liam released a low, regretful sigh as he stepped back, giving me space even though he clearly didn’t want to.“I can’t seem to help myself around you.”
I laughed softly.“It’s not easy for me, either.”
“Good.”He pushed his hands into his pockets, as if that would keep him from reaching out and touching me again.“So, I wanted to ask if you’d like to go with me to my sister-in-law’s art show.It’s the last Saturday of this month.”
My eyes widened in surprise.“Your sister-in-law is an artist?”
He nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting in one of those irresistibly charming smiles of his.“She is.Fallon is insanely talented, and the gallery is donating half the proceeds to a women’s shelter.My whole family will be there.”
A flutter stirred in my chest.“Are you asking me as a friend or as your date?”
“As my date.”His gaze softened, earnest and hopeful.“And as my official girlfriend.I know we’ll be telling your family soon, probably by next week, so I want to make sure you keep that Saturday open.I’d like you to meet my family, too.”
My heart gave a definite flip.“So…we’re really doing this, huh?”
“Oh, we so are,” he said with certainty.
“Then, yes,” I said, smiling.“I would love to.”
Liam’s cell phone rang, pulling his attention from our conversation.He withdrew it from his pocket and glanced at the screen before giving me an apologetic look.“It’s Simon.I’d better take it.”
“Of course.”
He walked out of the breakroom, picking up the call while I grabbed my cup of coffee and returned to my office.I found a list of potential vendors on my desk.I’d asked Jenny to compile the information from the people she met at CES, but I didn’t expect her to get it to me so quickly.
Settling into my chair, I started to research each name on the list, but I didn’t get very far before Liam appeared in my open doorway.I smiled automatically, but as he stepped inside, I immediately sensed a difference in him from just fifteen minutes ago in the breakroom, when he’d been happy and relaxed.Something in him had shifted.His shoulders were tight, his jaw tense, and there was a frown on his face.
Concerned, I stood and rounded my desk.“Hey.What’s wrong?”
“Why do you think something’s wrong?”he asked.
I folded my arms across my chest and raised a brow.
He grimaced and rubbed a hand along the back of his neck.“I guess you can already read me pretty well, huh?”
