“Yep. Next time, I’ll cook you dinner. I promise I’ll knock your socks off. If you ever need to plan a library fundraiser, I’m also perfectly competent to order everything you’d need, set up, serve, bus, and wash dishes. You name it, if it’s needed to run a restaurant, I can do it.”
“You’re making a lot of big promises. First a hero who will ride in on his white horse to throw down anytime I need it? And now a chef who promises to knock my socks off? I’m going to have to guard my heart carefully around you.”
She said it with a laugh, but I didn’t see anything funny about that. I saw everything I wanted. I let every ounce of the emotion I was feeling come out in my next words. “Jenna, if you decide to trust me with your heart, I promise I’ll keep it safe.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jenna
I’d never thought about what it would feel like to be electrocuted. Just a little, like if you stuck your finger in an outlet. But now I wondered if it would feel like this. Like every cell in my body was on fire. Cells that I didn’t even know existed. And my brain was certainly fried, because I wasn’t freaking out. I was too excited to freak out. And happy, so wildly happy.
“Thank you,” I said to Liam as he held the door open for me to step out of the restaurant. “And thank you again for dinner.”
“You already thanked me, and it was my pleasure.” The warmth in Liam’s expression sent another zap through me.
Then, as we walked through the festive square, he reached his hand out for me, and in a snap decision—see, my brainwasfried—I grabbed it, lifting his arm and wrapping it around my shoulders. With his cooperation, of course, because I wasn’t moving his thick, muscley, veiny arm without his help.
I nestled into his side, slipping my arm around his back as he tightened his arm around my shoulders. He was so much biggerthan me, his thigh brushed against my hip and my head rested in the little nook where his chest and arm met. I loved it. Nothing about it made me feel uneasy, except it wasn’t easy to hold onto his huge hand. I shifted my hand, grasping onto just his pinky and ring fingers. That was better. Everything about this felt right. Not that I wanted him to let go, but if I did, I knew without a doubt that he would immediately.
He smelled good, woodsy and minty. I had no idea where or how mint grew, but if there was a small mint plant growing in a forest among the mighty, towering trees, that was how he smelled. Strong and earthy and protective, and also fresh and clean.
Liam pressed a kiss to my temple. “I like this, Firefly.”
What did he call me?“Firefly?” I asked, looking up at him.
He smiled, looking happy but serious too, as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You have this light that shines from within you, brightening even the darkest night. It’s a part of you, so powerful that you don’t let anything dim it. Even in the darkness, you spread light and joy.”
Oh my God. I felt tears fill my eyes, but I couldn’t stop them. That was beautiful and so...perfect. How could he know? I’d never wanted to become bitter and ugly, never wanted to have a dark soul. Even when my fear threatened to pull me under, I fought against it, working hard to stay positive and think the best of people and to enjoy life. I loved that he saw me that way. That he sawme.
He wiped my tears away with his thumb. “Like a firefly. Can I call you that?”
I nodded, a big, trembling smile on my face. “I love it.”
“C’mere, Firefly.”
He speared his hand through my hair and slowly lowered his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding onto his warmth and strength. Holding each other as close as wecould get with only our hands and lips and tongues touching, we said it all with that kiss.
I don’t know how long we kissed for, and for the first time, I didn’t care who saw. I only knew that it felt good, and I wanted more.
“Liam,” I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice.
“I know, Firefly. I feel it, too.”
Then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, he put his arm around my shoulders again, and I wrapped my hand around his two fingers and nestled into his side, and this time I grabbed ahold of the back of his shirt too.
I felt safe.
Protected.
Excited.
What would it feel like to do more with him?
And then I glanced down, and my stomach dropped. A huge erection tented his pants.
I’m not scared of Liam’s penis. I’m not scared of Liam’s penis.
“What’s wrong?”