Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the gesture and I met his gaze with a small smile. It was just the two of us, strolling around late at night, no stuffy gala to worry about, no colleagues to impress. My muscles relaxed as the tension of the night left my body.
Some people regarded us strangely due to how eloquently we were dressed, though Liam had left his jacket and cravat in the carriage, but I ignored the stares. I just wanted to be near him.
Liam led us to a tavern, the hanging wooden sign depicting a picture of an owl. He opened the door for me, placing a hand on my lower back, and led me inside.
My senses were immediately flooded with the scent of ale and the most delicious smelling food. My stomach growled, theamalgamation of herbs and spices tempting me. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was, barely having eaten two bites at the gala, but now I wanted to devour whatever it was I smelled.
“People are staring,” I whispered as Liam guided me to a booth in the back.
“It’s because you’re so gorgeous.” He squeezed my hip and sat, pulling me to sit next to him on the leather cushion.
“We don’t fit in here…” I said, scanning the casual crowd.
“Good,” he replied. “Then it’s outside of your comfort zone, which is perfect.”
I stared at him. “And what’s outsideyourcomfort zone?”
“Whatever the opposite of fun is.”
Moments later, a waitress appeared, her gray hair pulled in a bun at the nape of her neck. Wiping her hands on her ivory apron, she said, “Good evening. What can I get for the two of you?”
“Two pints of your best ale and two orders of the beef pie,” Liam said with confidence.
“Very good.” The waitress walked off.
“I didn’t even get to look at the menu,” I chastised.
Liam slipped his arm around my waist. “Trust me. Their beef pie is the best. Besides, I’m making the decisions tonight, so you just relax.”
Why did that fill me with such a sense of relief? The remainder of the tension left me at his declaration.
“Did you eat anything at dinner?” he asked me.
I shook my head. “I tried to, but my stomach was in knots and it just made me nauseous.”
He regarded me with tenderness, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my jaw before pulling away. “Eat as much as you want.”
A few minutes later, our meals arrived. Steam rose from the golden crust of my pie as I picked up my fork, breaking the flaky top and releasing the scent of rosemary, garlic and tender beef. Bringing a bite to my mouth, I groaned, closing my eyes as I letthe flavors dance across my tastebuds. The meat was so tender it melted in my mouth. I didn’t think I had ever tasted anything this decadent.
I opened my eyes to find Liam watching me. “What?”
His eyes dipped to my lips and he cleared his throat before regaining his composure. “We need to talk.”
My stomach did a flip. I didn’t know if I was ready for this. “About what?”
“You know exactly what, Cerise.”
I took a sip of ale, looking away as I steeled myself. Liam touched my chin and turned me to face him again. “You disappeared. After the rescue. What happened?”
“It’s not like you called or wrote either,” I shot back, irritated he was blaming it on me.
He sighed. “You’re right. I didn’t. I was afraid it would push you further away. I’m sorry. But then you sent that bullshit letter about being friends. So, I’m going to ask you again. What happened?”
“I—” I shook my head, unsure how to get the words out. “I don’t know. I guess I was just trying to get back to my old life.”
He tilted his head, scrutinizing me. “Your old life without me in it?”
“Yes.” My voice sounded small. “And I’m incredibly busy now with this grant proposal and teaching, and trying to stay on top of everything…”
