40

AUDREY
Time was unbelievably fast, I didn’t notice it was already noon, and I had fallen asleep in Liam’s arms on the couch. I carefully sat up so I wouldn’t wake him and so I could stare at his beautiful face even more.
Liam Cross had the face of an archangel, so beautiful and so serene. He must’ve been sent from the heavens to watch over me; it’s then I apprehended that hope was not dead.
I ached to touch his face, trace the line of his chiseled jawline and his incredibly long eyelashes for a guy, but it’d be too embarrassing if he noticed. Then I realized we hadn’t had anything in our stomachs but tea since morning.
“Liam?” I whispered in his ear. “Liam…”
He didn’t hear me, so I decided to just get up first and take a shower. He’d probably wake up by then. I stepped out of the couch and was about to stand up when I felt his arms curl around my waist, and he brought me back next to him. I landed over his hard rock body.
Still having half-closed eyes, Liam gazed into mine. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to take a shower. You’re still sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Hmm.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “What a lovely face you have. You remind me of Pierre Joseph Cooman’s ‘Portrait of A Young Woman.’”
I giggled. “Who is that?”
“A noted painter in the 19th century. He has paintings of landscapes, historical subjects, and beautiful women. One particular portrait reminds me of your face. She looks like you.”
I blushed, no one had ever made me feel so self-conscious before, and I was beginning to get annoyed by it myself. Liam would probably think I was so easy to please. Though, I was actually more surprised by his knowledge and love for the arts.
“Then she must be plain-looking if she looks like me,” I teased, chuckling.
“She’s the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen.” He ran his thumb on my cheek. “You have the most beautiful face I have ever seen,” he rephrased in a whisper. “Am I making you nervous?”
I nodded.
He smiled. “Probably because I’m the first to hold you like this.”
“I have never fallen asleep next to someone before.” I looked away and got up so he would no longer see how red my face was. “I’m… I’m going to take a shower.”
Liam pulled himself up and sat, still chuckling. “What time is it?”
“Past twelve. We need to grab lunch. I’m hungry. If you want, there’s a restaurant downstairs.”
“Whatever you like,” he concluded. “I’m going to call your brother first. He must be worried we haven't called him yet.”
“Oh, of course.”
“All right.” Liam stepped out of the couch and then stretched out his arms in the air with the hem of his shirt winched up slightly, revealing a little view of the defined cuts and lines of his stomach. I looked away instantaneously with my widening eyes.
Heavens, have mercy on me! He’s just like Adonis, dashing and handsome—the god of beauty and desire. There’s no way I could bear being alone in the same room with this guy without having any intrusive thoughts. My young and naïve hormones kept waking up whenever I was with him.
“I’ll knock on your door in thirty minutes,” Liam said, and he lowered himself to grab his phone. It had probably fallen on the couch while we were sleeping. I lifted my face to look at him once more, but at that exact moment, his mouth landed on my lips that had never been kissed.
But Liam moved away. “That’s… That’s unintentional. I’m sorry.”
I stared at his flustered face, and there was this sudden crazy activity going on in my brain that’d been wanting it to happen that I wasn’t aware of.
“Then this probably isn’t.” Adrenaline rushed through me. I stood up as well and brazenly cupped his face and kissed him again. It was brief and really fast, but enough for me to feel the softness of his mouth.
He looked at me in a daze, but eventually, his face turned amused, and he flashed a pleasant smile.
I cleared my throat. “Um, you should probably head out so I can… um… prepare.”
“Uh-huh.” He rested his hands on his waist. “Right. I should. But is that… that’s your first—”
“Liam.” I pushed him to the door. I squeezed my eyes shut. “Just go.”
He chuckled. “Okay, I got it. I got it.” He stepped out of the door, and before he could speak another word, I shut the door in his face.
I squealed in utter embarrassment as soon as he was out of sight.
Dang! What the heck did I just do?
We went to a restaurant downstairs that seemed Italian. When we approached an attendant, I was informed that there was already a table under my name. Samuel must’ve already arranged it for me.
A waiter took out our orders, two plates of beef capriccio that had already been paid and a bottle of our very own red wine. The name ‘Hopkins Winery Est. 1948’ was printed on the label. Despite everything that had happened to the family, this sight still brought a smile across my face.
The waiter poured our glasses, probably not knowing about me, which was a little amusing and somewhat ironic.
“Don’t you think this is too much? And you’re underage to be drinking this,” Liam said.
“I’ve tasted different types and brands of wines in my life because of the family business. And I don’t even look sixteen,” I whisper the last sentence.
“How about saving money? How much does this plate cost?”
“Samuel’s already paid for it, so we’re actually not spending a cent.” I picked up my wine glass, swirled its contents, and tasted a mouthful. “It’s a shame this is still the best wine in town. Now I’m running away from it.”
Liam placed a table napkin on his lip and then picked up his utensils. “Should I take you back? We’ve got time.” I wasn’t sure if he was kidding or if he was serious. His face didn’t show any emotion.
“No, no!” I instantly declined. “If only I’d known you long before, I probably would’ve asked you to take me away. I can’t stay here anymore, Liam.”
“You were going to ask me?”
“I would. No question asked.” I ate a portion of my food.
His eyebrows met, but a smile played on his lips, then he munched his food as well. “I didn’t know I gained your trust that much. We’ve only known each other for a few hours.”
I blinked. “Why? Should it take a long time?”
He laughed. “You’re an amazing, beautiful girl, Audrey. Coming from you, this is flattering. And with your eyes looking at me like that, I wouldn’t wonder why I’m smitten.”
I blushed again. Liam really knew how to make my insides churn up for him with his words alone. He wasn’t petrified of being transparent, like an open page of my favorite book.