Taylor
I could barely breathe.
My lungs were not functioning properly from the moment I walked in my shop and saw that Liam Kennedy was standing in it. My skin was hot and cold at the same time, and my heart was beating so rapidly that I could hear the muffled sound of it in my ears.
I had never been in a situation where I wanted to physically attack another woman—just jump on her and start a catfight where we slapped each other and pulled hair. I almost did that exact thing to poor, dear Regina Fox. I honestly came close to pummeling her right there in my store when I saw her wrap her arms around Liam. What in the world made her feel like she had the right to do such a thing? I remembered it as Liam followed me toward the back of the store, and it made me clinch my fists.
Liam and I were going to "take his measurements" but that was just an excuse. At this point, I was too shaken to even operate a measuring tape. I marched right past the platform and into a dressing room. It was the most private place I could think of without taking Liam to the bathroom in the back room, which would've raised all sorts of questions from Colton and the guys in the back.
I walked all the way into the dressing room, not stopping until I reached the very back wall. I turned, leaning against the wall with a sigh. Liam was standing outside the dressing room, regarding me like he was surprised that I went straight into the dressing room rather than stopping at the platform. I stared directly at him, trying desperately to regulate my breathing and feeling so overwhelmed that I wanted to break down and cry. I could not believe that he was standing in my store.
He calmly stepped into the dressing room, closing the curtain behind him, and causing me to hold my breath completely. I was out of breath like I had been running for my life, and now I was trapped—only I put myself there—I wanted to be there. I was experiencing every emotion rolled into one—happiness, anxiousness, fear, love, desire, anger.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered breathlessly once he closed the curtain and turned to face me. The dressing room was small, so there was only a couple feet of space between us.
"I'm here for work," he said, taking a small step closer. "And I wanted to come see you while I was in the neighborhood."
I could feel him—smell him.
"Why'd you bring those girls in here?" I asked. I had told myself to try to be discreet, but apparently, that plan was out the window. I would just have to say what was on my mind since I could think to do nothing else.
He gave me a little smile, seeing how frustrated I was. "Because we were in the neighborhood and I couldn't walk by this place without coming in to talk to you."
"I don't like them," I said.
He gave me a shrug. "They're harmless. And they're big clients for us, so I have to aim to please."
"So, part of the job is that your clients get to hang all over you like that? Or is that just what they do in Australia?"
"Are you jealous?" he whispered slowly, taking a step closer still.
"No," I insisted. "It's just mean to come in here with some girl all over you like that."
"Mean?" he asked incredulously, staring at me. "I didn't ask her to do that. I didn't expect her to do it. That's just how she is."
"Well, I don't like her. And I don't want you guys in my store acting like that. It's not professional."
He stepped closer to me, wearing a barely there grin that said he was amused by my behavior. He was taller than me, even with my heels on, so I had to look up at him as he came closer and closer. It was completely obvious by the rapid rise and fall of my chest that I was having trouble breathing. I couldn't fathom that he was standing right in front of me. I wanted to cry.
"I'm mad at you, too," he whispered, staring straight at me with his devastating whiskey-colored eyes.
"Why? I didn't do anything. I don't have some guy hugging all over me."
"Why would you name your dog after me?" he asked.
"I didn't."
"Bishop?" he said.
"After the motorcycle."
"That is me," Liam said. "You know that's my family name."
"I just did it because I like the motorcycles," I said, lying through my teeth. "It has nothing to do with you."
"That's another thing," he said, grimacing at me. "Why would you buy a motorcycle without talking to me first? I would have made sure you got the right size and features. I would've bought it for you."
"How'd you know I bought a motorcycle?"
"Colton told me. He said you looove Bishop Motorcycles."
I rolled my eyes, feeling angry and embarrassed. "I don't love them, and I should have never bought it. All it does is remind me of you." I used my finger to poke his chest angrily when I said the word you, and this made him grin at me like he thought I was funny.
"It's not funny," I said, feeling the urge to laugh and cry all at once. "I should've never bought it. I've never even learned to ride it. It's just sitting at my house, doing nothing."
Liam was so close to me that, in places, his body was touching mine. He stared at me with a tiny, sweet smile in spite of the fact that I was losing my temper. He was only inches from my face.
"Taylor," he whispered.
"What?"
"I'm glad you bought a motorcycle, and I'm glad you named your dog after me."
"Why? You like knowing someone's on the other side of the country pining away for you?" I asked sarcastically.
"Yes, I do," he said, drawing even closer and pushing me gently against the wall. "I like that very much."
His proximity was overwhelming.
Gorgeous.
Manly.
Totally overwhelming.
"Well, great! Good news for you. Because all I've tried to do, for the last four months, is forget about you, Liam, and all I've done is fail at it."
"Thank God," he said, staring down at me.
His body was pressed against mine. He was gloriously pressed against me, and there was literally nowhere else on this whole earth I would rather be. The energy between us was so charged, we could have started a fire.
"Don't you dare kiss me," I whispered through gritted teeth with my mouth next to his. "I have to go back to work, and so do you."
I kept a serious expression, but he knew I was saying the exact opposite of what I really wanted.
"Don't tell me what to do," he said, also maintaining a serious expression.
"Both of us have to go back to work," I said.
"I don't care about work. I quit that job."
"No you didn't," I said, squinting at him.
He scanned my face, looking at me like he was right on the verge of ravaging me. My insides turned to hot liquid, and I felt like I might just melt into a pile of boneless mush right there in the dressing room. I leaned against the wall, feeling thankful that it was there to support my weight. I wanted to kiss Liam Kennedy so desperately that I almost took matters into my own hands. I could barely catch my breath.
"We really have to go back to work," I said hoping to make him go ahead and do it.
"Fine," he said with a shrug and a disappointed shake of his head. He swiveled on his heel and stood to the side, making a way for me to walk past him.
I hated him for calling my bluff.
I hated him for having the willpower to let me walk out of there.
I wanted to call his bluff right back and storm out, but there was just no way I could. I had been imagining this moment for four months, and I just couldn’t allow my own stubbornness to override my desire. My desire trumped everything else.
I reached out and took a hold of the front of his shirt, bringing him, without permission and without reservation, back to his rightful spot where he was pinning me against the wall. There were no more words exchanged. Liam pressed himself against me, and his mouth met mine.
Longing and passion collided in an electric symphony as our mouths connected. He kissed me like he was as desperate for me as I was for him. I had never given myself to anyone the way I gave myself to Liam. I was completely vulnerable, melting in his arms and letting him control every rhythmic movement.
After a long moment where Liam established his feelings for me in a very obvious and tangible way through a passionate kiss, he finally broke contact and pulled back.
He was as breathless as I was.
His chest was moving up and down as he smiled at me, shaking his head.
I ran my hands over my face, feeling like I needed to take a second to get myself together after such a heated encounter. I hated that there were people waiting for us in the next room.
Liam leaned against the side of the dressing room, resting his head against the wall and gazing at the ceiling for a second as he took a deep, calming breath. I reached out and grabbed his hand pulling it toward my mouth and kissing the back of it gently. He looked at me when I did that.
"I miss you," I said.
I had already made myself so vulnerable to him that I figured I might as well go ahead and tell him the truth. There was a mirror on the wall to my right, the one opposite the one Liam was leaning against, and I turned and stepped in front of it so that I could look at myself and make sure I was presentable enough to go back out there. My hair was in a bun, and I smoothed the wispy pieces that had come loose before running my fingertips over my face strategically to make sure my makeup was in place.
My back was facing Liam, and he stepped toward me, positioning himself behind me, and taking me gently by the waist. I watched in the mirror as he took a hold of me and lowered his head, placing gentle kisses on the side of my exposed neck. Chills covered my body as I watched him, and again, I found it difficult to breathe. I leaned back, relaxing into him, and giving him more access to my neck. He kissed me a few more times before glancing up to look at me in the mirror. We stared at each other through our reflections, and I held his arms securely in place around my waist like a seatbelt.
"We have to go out there," I whispered.
"I know."
"I don't want to," I said.
"Me neither."
I turned in his arms, looking straight at him rather than at his reflection. "Don't kiss any of those girls," I said.
He gave me a sideways smirk as if I should know better than to say such a thing.
"Seriously," I said. "She's gonna try to do it. She's too familiar with you. She's a rock star, and they do crazy stuff like that. So, don't let her. I'm jealous. There, I said it. I'm jealous. I don't like her hugging on you. How long are you supposed to hang out with her? Do you have to go dog shopping? Do you have to work with them tomorrow? How long are you in town?"
He took me by the face—his big, warm hands wrapping around my cheeks gently as he stared at me. He grinned at me like he thought it was sweet that I was so flustered. "I'm here till Monday, and honestly, I don't know how much time I'm going to have to spend with the band between now and then. They're in pretty desperate need of security, so I am planning on getting a couple of guys over here as soon as possible, but I might get roped into puppy hunting tonight. I’m not sure. Can I call you after I figure some things out?"
I nodded.
He still had a hold of my face, and he smiled sweetly at me. "Taylor, you have no need to worry, baby girl."
My gut clenched when he said those words. I had focused on my career for so long that I felt like I had outgrown the right to be called anyone's baby girl. I had taken care of myself for so long that I yearned to feel, for once, that someone else wanted to take care of me. Tears rose to my eyes as Liam stood there, staring at me.
"I have never wanted anything as much as I want you," he said.
I swallowed. I thought about my career. I thought about how much I wanted success, and how driven and focused I had been on achieving it. And, in those brief seconds, I asked myself what I would choose if I was forced to pick out of Liam or my work. The answer was Liam. I would give anything to be with him.
"I've never wanted anything this much, either," I said.
He smiled, kissing my cheek quickly before he dropped his hands. "Okay, so give me a few hours to figure out what's going on with the band, and I'll call you."
I nodded.
"You can stay back here if you don't feel like going out there and having them beg you for your dog."
"I don't," I said. "Plus, I need to gather my wits and catch my breath."
He squeezed my hand. "I'll call you in a little while."
"Okay," I said.
And without another word Liam Kennedy turned and stepped out of the dressing room, leaving me breathless and shaken, and altogether full of hope, joy, and love.