“What if this doesn’t work out?” she asked quietly.
“Then it doesn’t work out. Let’s not concern ourselves with what might or might not happen and just enjoy tonight, yes? Can you do that?”
She took a deep breath, pressing her lips together and shaking out her arms. “Yes. All right. I’m ready to throw some deadly weapons.”
I stepped behind her, wrapping my arms around her and pressing my lips to the curve of her shoulder. “Good girl,” I murmured into her skin.
She shivered and I smirked.
Chapter 34
Terrible Aim
Cerise
“Try again,” the man coached.
Liam rolled his shoulders and readied himself, gripping the ax as he reared back and released it. It clattered to the ground.
“You’re letting go much too soon.” The man mimicked how to throw as he explained the technique for what must have been the tenth time. “When your arm gets to this position, that’s when you release.”
“All right. I got it,” Liam said with bravado.
“I’m going to go check on the rest of the customers,” the man said, obviously irritated at our ineptitude. “You two be careful and remember my instructions.”
I leaned against the wooden partition, crossing my arms and watching Liam curse under his breath as he tried and tried again to make the ax stick to the target. His brow furrowed, bright green eyes framed by his glasses.
I couldn’t look away from him, mesmerized. He had rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, his forearms the most delicious distraction. Prior to our expedition, if someone had told me I would fall for Liam Pendragon, I would have laughed in their face. But now…
I shook my head. I really was, wasn’t I? Falling for him.
But I still didn’t know how to do this. Were we just supposed to visit each other when we could? Despite the fact that we were both incredibly busy with our jobs? It’s not like we got a significant amount of time off in academia. I couldn’t miss my classes or my research to travel to his town regularly. And I couldn’t ask him to do the same.
So, I was going to do what he said and see where this went. We’d try and if it didn’t work out, then it didn’t work out.
But I want it to work out.
Liam seemed to know and understand everything about me. Always knew what I was thinking or feeling. What would get me out of my head. He even knew how to turn me on, doing things I never thought I would enjoy but, coming from him, made me feel things I had never thought possible.
“Well, this is utterly unachievable,” Liam complained, tossing the ax to the ground. “How do they even do this?” He gestured to the other patrons.
I laughed. “Having trouble?”
He adjusted his glasses. “Perhaps we are not cut out for ax-throwing after all.”
I hadn’t had any better luck than Liam. But I was feeling feisty, thanks to him, and had an idea. “Let’s turn it into a little game.”
He approached, looking at me with curiosity. “Game, huh?”
“Whoever hits the target first, wins. We will take turns throwing until one of us succeeds.”
He stepped closer, his eyes raking lazily along my figure, his gaze heated. “What’s the prize?”
“Whatever the winner wants it to be.”
“I already know what my prize will be.”
I boldly ran a finger along the collar of his shirt. “As do I.”