Emerald Eyes

Chapter 8 - The Comfort

The unexpected sight causes me to leap up and scream.

Liam, his tall, broad-shouldered figure hulking atop the bed and holding a cup is startled by my yell.

"Fuck, sweetheart." He catches himself in the nick of time but a few drops of whichever hot liquid is in the cup splashes over its porcelain sides and onto his arm.

"Liam. God." I press a palm over my heaving chest. "You scared me. When did you come up here?"

"I got to your bedroom moments before ye, hoping to find you here," he says. "I brought you some tea."

My attention drifts to the cup in his hands. He looks adorably sleep-deprived with his tousled hair and bags under his eyes. The faintest scent of sea-brine turns the edges of my mind hazy.

"You brought me tea?"

His face softens in a way that worsens the haze. "No. Aye," he says, and I wonder if he's unable to decide whether to admit to checking up on me. "Barry's tea."

An hour ago, he was leading a rescue mission for my mother, and beating the hell out of several six-foot-two criminals. Now, he's incoherent over a cup of tea.

"Nana O'Grady said you appeared distressed over everything that's been going on downstairs. Figured this might help you relax and... get some sleep. A side note: I like mine with raw sugar and a touch of milk."

"Thank you. That's so thoughtful," I say mechanically, his soft expression still doing strange things to my mind.

His fingers brush mine when I take the cup. A tiny current of electricity sizzles over my skin. My body tightens with the effort of containing a physical reaction and I feel a familiar tremor coming on.

No. Oh my God. No. Not again.

With a vice-like grip, I latch my fingers around Liam's forearm as my heart drops to my stomach, an all too familiar fear overpowering my senses, blurring my vision.

"Alexandra." Liam's soft voice fills my ears as I stare into nothingness.

"Alexandra, are you alright?"

"Uh-huh," I murmur between ragged breaths, unable to fill my lungs with enough oxygen.

His warm palm covers my hand, squeezing it gently. "Close your eyes," he whispers. My eyelids flutter shut. "Take a deep breath-"

And I do.

"Good, now hold it in."

After what feels like an eternity, Liam says: "Exhale."

I repeat this process, seemingly for hours until the anxiety is gone.

Until I can move my arms.

Until the haze lifts from my mind and heart.

With his soft, warm hand placed on mine, steadying me every step of the way, Liam whispers into my ear: "Feeling better?"

I pull away and walk over to the nightstand, hugging myself. "Yes." I clear my throat. "Thanks."

Not sure what else to say to him, and finding myself fleeing from his kindness, I start pacing around.

"How about you have some of this amazing, relaxing tea blend?" Liam's smile appears genuine as he leans against the wall in a non-threatening fashion. "I did go through a lot of trouble brewing it, and bringing it upstairs without Kieran noticing me."

"Bringing out the big guns," I tease. "Why, Liam Cavanaugh, are you trying to impress me?"

"Depends." He hands me a cup and watches as I take a small sip of the golden-colored liquid. "Is it working?"