Second Thought

Chapter 34

Liam’s POV

            Serenity entered the restaurant and headed toward us. Wow. She looked absolutely beautiful. The dress she decided to wear, showed off all her curves in just the right way. Her legs gleaming in the light as she walked closer toward us. And the way the dress showed off just enough cleavage to make my mouth go dry. She walked in with her head held low but when she lifted it up to look at us, it was like staring at most beautiful piece of art. She took careful detail to her makeup tonight and it clearly showed her effort. Serenity was always beautiful, but I have never seen her more striking than I do right now.

            She started laughing once she sat down. Me and Alexander looking right at each other trying to understand what was so funny. He just shrugged his shoulders. Silence filled the room as we waited for the waiter or waitress. I was eager to get this night started because I was filling more confident than ever. The way she held me the other night let me know that she has feelings for me too because she did it with my brother in the room. She acted as if he wasn’t there and it was just me and her. It felt comfortable with her, like it was so natural. I was lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t even see the waitress walk into the room. That was until a heard a familiar voice. A voice that reminded me of so much love and passion.

            Seeing Erina was the last thing I ever expected to happen. Here I was planning on declaring my feeling for Serenity in more detail, hoping she chose me instead of Alex. But as soon as I saw Erina, my mind goes blank and the only thing it can focus on is her. She looked great. Hell, better than great. She looked like she had been kissed by the sun. Her face was so fully of happiness and for some strange reason, that chilled my heart. With her looking so deep into my eyes, all the feelings for her came rushing back at once. She looked just as surprised as I was. The last thing we ever expected was to run into each. Here of all places.

            “Can we talk?” I was able to finally say. She just nodded her head and we stepped out into another empty room. Rubbing the back of my neck feeling nervous suddenly, my mouth began to speak. “You look great. How are you?”

            She looked at me nervously, “Fine. You?”

            “Fine.” What was I going to say? To declare my love to the only woman that has ever deeply held my heart? Sure. Why not? I’ve got nothing to lose. “Erina...I” But before I could continue, she stopped me.

            “Look Liam. It’s real great seeing you but I need to get back to work.” She turned to leave. Deciding to grab her fast before she left was my only move. She slammed across my chest. Her sensitive touch was enough to break me. We have been away from each other so long, but the need was still clearly there. She looked up at me with those big bewitching hazel eyes. Before I knew what I was doing, my lips found hers. My lips crashed over hers with such intensity as hers melted into mine. This felt so right. Like our lips were perfectly molded for each other. My hand wrapped around to her neck, grasping tightly pulling her further into our kiss. In this moment it was just us. No one else existed. Not Serenity, not Alexander, not anyone. She pulled away just as it was getting heated. “No, Liam. I can’t. I got to go.”

            “Erina, please. Take the night off. Spend it with me.” She looked at me like I had grown a second head.

            “Are you crazy? Just because we shared one amazing kiss doesn’t mean a damn thing.”

            “Amazing?” I asked with pure enjoyment.

            “Shut up! You know what I meant.” Erina was getting furious now but I found it quite cute. She was trying desperately to hold back her own laughter as she caught me beginning to laugh. “This isn’t funny Liam. Really, I need to go.”

            “Please, just one night. We can go some place else for dinner and we can talk.” My eyes blazed into hers, pleading with everything I had. “Just give me a chance. Just one that is all I ask.”

            A long sigh escaped her lips. “Okay. One-night Liam and that is it. Let me go clock out.”

            I decided it would be best if I waited for her here. The last thing I wanted to do was go back to my overbearing ways of constantly being around her. That was one thing we always fought about. She felt like I was smothering her. Not giving her the space that she needed. Smiling to myself, events replayed over in my head at one of the last arguments we had gotten into. That is before I found out she had slept with my brother. The images flashing around in my head was of me following her into the bathroom back home. We were yelling at each other. She was pissed at me because I wouldn’t allow her to go out with her friends. I was pissed because her friends were sluts that slept with any guy they laid eyes on and I didn’t want her hanging around them anymore. She told me to go to hell. So, I followed her into the bathroom and quieted her with some of the best s*x we had ever had.

            “What are you smiling about?” She appeared beside me, holding her things.

            “Nothing. Just memories.”

            She just looked at me with no expression on her face.

            “Where to?”

            “You wanted to take me out remember? Your choice.”

            Clearly, I didn’t think this through. We were still new to this area. The only restaurants I knew of was this one and some fast food joints. “Can I cook you dinner instead?”

            Her eyes filled with excitement. Nodding her head in total agreement. We walked out of the restaurant and outside toward my car. Running over to my Audi, my hand quickly opened the door for her allowing her to climb in. It was a short distance back to the apartment. She was used to my over expensive taste in things so seeing the apartment did little for her. We made our way up the elevator and reached the door. As I opened it she stepped in placing her things on the table in front of the front door.

            “It’s beautiful Liam.”

            “Thank you. Come.” My hand reached for her and to my surprise, she reached for it back. Once we were in the kitchen, I gathered all of the ingredients to make her favorite dish. Pan-fried salmon with roasted potatoes. She took a seat at one of the barstools that rested against the middle island in the kitchen. I began my cooking. After 30 minutes the food was done. I sat a plate down in front of her and took a seat across from her. I watched as she placed the first bite of salmon to her lips.

            “Wow. I had forgotten how good a cook you were.”

            “This is my first time cooking since…Um. Well you know.”

            “Oh, I see.” Her voice was so faint, and she began to shift uncomfortably.

            We finished the rest of our dinner in silence. I couldn’t find the right words that I wanted to say to her. Obviously, I knew what to say. But I couldn’t just release it all on her like that. Her time was short with me and I wanted to do this right. Placing the dishes in the sink, my body turned to face her, but she was gone. My heart sunk into my chest and my heart started beating rapidly. That was until my eyes caught her movement on the other side of the living room. Oh great, she was looking around. Then it hit me. She was headed in the direction to Serenity’s room. I tried walking as fast I could over to her. I didn’t want to cause alarm by my movements but the last thing she needed to see was me sharing an apartment with another woman. It did no good. I wasn’t quick enough. As I caught up with her, she was already inside of her room. s**t.

            “Whose room is this? Are you seeing someone?”

            “No. Yes. I mean no it isn’t like that.” Her eyes scanning my every emotion. “Her name is Serenity.”

            “She was the one at dinner with you and Alexander?”

            “Yes.”

            “She’s beautiful.” Her hand traced over the outfit serenity wore for work. Still laying on her bed. “Wow! I think I need to go.” I saw the way she looked at the outfit. Oh man. She thought it was some kind of sexy lingerie. Probably thinking it was for me.

            “Erina. It isn’t like that. Those clothes are for her job. Not for me. Me and Serenity are…well we are…” but I couldn’t find the words to describe what we were. We weren’t together and Serenity cared for Alexander, but I did too. Didn’t I? Right now I couldn’t remember. My only thoughts were on Erina.

            “Its none of my business Liam. Whatever you do is your choice. We aren’t together now so you are free to love whom ever you chose. As long as your happy.”

            The words escaped my mouth without any thought, “I love you.”

            “Liam, don’t.”

            “I can’t help it. I’ve never stopped loving you. You know you are the only one that will truly every hold my heart. I’m not sure I’ll ever love again. The feelings I have for you never left. I’m still crazy about you.”

            “How can you say that when you have another woman in your home? Do you not care about her feelings at all?”

            “She loves Alexander. Not me. Plus, she knows how I feel about you. We have had the conversation many times.”

            “Tell me about it. I want to know what happened after I left.”

            I did just that. This was the only woman I knew I could never lie to. I never wanted to. I told her of how I knew Serenity and all the events that have transpired over the past few months. No detail was unimportant. Sharing it all with her was the best choice here. She needed to know complete honesty.

            “Sounds like a lot has happened.” She began to chuckle a little. “First off, your brothers an ass but it sounds as if he really cares for this girl. Secondly, you an ass for thinking you could manipulate her just like he has. Was that the only reason that you wanted her because of what happened between me and Alexander?”

            Honestly, I haven’t thought about it like that. But it makes sense. Don’t get me wrong, my feelings for Serenity were real but I couldn’t say for sure if they started because of the rage I felt for my brother after what he did. “I’m not sure. A little piece of me believes it is. Serenity is important to me and I do have feelings for her, but I don’t love her. I don’t know if I could ever love another woman the way I love you. Let’s not talk about her anymore. I’ve missed you. Can you tell me what you have been up to maybe?”

            “Sure.” She plunges into story after story about moving place to place with her so called friends. That is until they left her alone with a guy one night that was being too handsy. She said that she told them he made her feel uncomfortable, but they were too busy with their male friends to care. She went into detail about the worse night of her life and also one of the best. As the guy was filling her up about to take advantage of her, a guy stepped in and saved the day. Of course this is where this story is going. I knew it. She was with someone else. She sensed my mood and began to tell me that they became good friends and she moved to Georgia with him. She said they tried to be more, but it just felt wrong for the both of them, so they became friends instead. Relief washed over me. “And that leads me up until now.”

            “That is some story. I hope that fucker got what he deserved though.”

            She smiled, “he did.” After moments of comfortable silence, she spoke again. “So, where is your room?” I stood and she followed me across the living room, into my room.