The point of a bar was to take their time chatting and cuddling, which Liam was determined to take full advantage of. He knew she had been out with someone else the night before based on context cues and her outright refusal to deny it when asked.A friendly competition for her affection. Don’t mind if I do.Despite seeing someone else, it didn’t stop Eden from wrapping an arm around his and pushing her whole body in his direction while they chatted about what made them tick and what they were looking for in a potential relationship.
“…I travel a lot,” he said frankly, while their dessert plate was taken away and they ordered another round of drinks from their macabre server. “Mostly to California and Texas, but it’s all for work. Short meetings that are too private for Zoom. My company doesn’t have traditional offices, so we rent meeting spaces around the country for when we have in-person to-dos, but mostly, it’s dinners and nightclubs. The only space we properly own is a small private plane for putting around.”
“So, you’re saying I could have a decent amount of time to myself.”
“Sounds like something a girl who likes to date around would wistfully say.”
She lightly smacked him on the shoulder. “We’re casual right now. Say, what happened with that girl you saw the other day? Did you get a second date?”
“Her? No way.” The last thing Liam wanted to think about right now wasBenson,and that was who that question conjured. For all he knew, Jana had gone home with him.Wouldn’t be the first time he got the girl.Liam was good at stealing them back, though. But Jana didn’t seem worth it. “We didn’t really vibe. Not like I do with you.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“Sweetheart.” He slinked his arm along the back of the booth, looming over her as she giggled with a hand over her mouth. “I’dnever‘just say’ such a thing. You and I have more chemistry than a makeup lab. The only reason I haven’t taken you home yet is because I enjoy talking to you just as much. The night is young.”
“It’s ten!”
“See? It’s young.”
He knew he already had the deal sealed. Eden was loosened up and flirty – honestly, she was seductive in this long-sleeved getup with a plunging neckline and fuck-me pumps that must have been grateful there was no ice that week. He had mentioned his place by the river was only a ten-minute drive away via rideshare, and she was amenable to checking out the view.I wonder if she slept over at the other guy’s house last night.Eden had mentioned something about getting home around noon and spending most of the afternoon doing some chores while showering and getting ready for their date in the evening.
Liam didn’t mind, and it wasn’t even because of his kink. Something was reassuring about a beautiful woman keeping her options open.When she ultimately chooses me, it’ll be extra sweet.Liam loved winning.
“Okay, okay,” she said with a curling hand against his chest, the two of them quite cozy one and a half drinks into the night. “Let’s play a little game. You tell me something about yourself, and I’ll tell you something about me. Something deep.”
“Mm, dealer’s choice what the question is?”
“Sure.”
“Fine. You first.”
“Me?” Eden’s forehead brushed against his chin, her silky dark hair holding the scent of flowers.Reminds me of a certain shower we took together.How far they had come in one week. “All right. When was your last super serious relationship?”
“Whoa. That’s cutting.”
“Hm? Too intense for an official first date?”
The image of the person in question in Liam’s life flashed before his eyes. “Intense in that it was kind of messy? Sure.”
“That bad?”
“Ah, well…” Liam didn’t want to come off as someone who couldn’t talk frankly about his exes. He just shouldn’t… disparage them. “I’ve been in semi-serious relationships and long-term dating with women over the past few years, but nothing serious enough that we earnestly talked about the next stage. The last person like that was… well, guess it was five years ago.”
Eden tilted her head, waiting for him to continue.
“It was a hot and heavy relationship.” Liam tried not to blush.Thinking of sex should not make me blush.He was a grown and experienced man, wasn’t he? He had done things that would get him arrested in some countries!Never mind what happens ina certain place called La Mariposa.Like that last weekend. He was pretty sure the orgy was illegal in some places.
Yet when he thought of his ex – the one deserving of the titleex –he was a bit shy.
“We weren’t together very long, but it felt like forever. You know the feeling? Like you just click immediately and everything falls into place. You see a future with them. There are people in your life who think you’re nuts because they don’t understand it, but when you’re with that person, you know it was meant to be. Anyway, we were engaged within six months.”
“Engaged!”
“Yup. And I blew it. I opened my big mouth and blew it up. But I guess it wasn’t going to work out anyway if wanting to open our relationship blew it up.”
“I see. So, you’re poly?”
“Ah… it’s complicated.”