The Coldest Summer✓

Nineteen

"Morning." My voice is crispy. 

I watch Liam descending the stairs gaily, taking my breath away. He's wearing a black fitted sweatshirt, his hands inside the pockets of his gray joggers.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I'm good," I reply and proceed to wherever I was going.

"Wait." Liam grabs my wrist deftly. "Are you angry at me?" he asks, a frown on his face.

"Do I have any right to be?" I pull my hand out of his.

His lips harden, seemingly confused. "What is the matter with you?"

"Nothing," I breathe.

He scowls, and a heavy breath escapes him. "About yesterday," he starts, and evidently he thinks that's the reason for my foul mood, "I had to go with Samantha because I received the call when we were—"

"You're not obligated to explain a thing to me, Mr. Darcy!" I resume my journey to the kitchen.

"But I want to," Liam barks softly, just enough for me to hear. He's tailing me, and I just keep walking. "Listen, we can avoid this nonsense if—"

"If we tell her everything?" I finish it for him sharply, standing by the kitchen door. "Do you think it's that easy for me?" I can already feel the threatening tears brimming in my eyes.

I take a deep breath to reclaim my composure.

"Listen." Liam seizes my face with his palms. I stay put as his eyes lock with mine.  "I feel like I've known you forever, Ms. Jones. I have absolutely no idea why, but I don't want to let you slip away from me. It's crazy but I can feel it."

Yes, I know the feeling. And it's a very stupid feeling considering that we've known each other for just . . . a week maybe?

This is bullshit!

"But it's still wrong! I can't just go on with this and disregard her. We shouldn't have started this, Liam. I'm calling it off!" I turn around to enter the kitchen, only to bump into Julian holding a big sandwich, his eyes wider toward us. "Great." I huff a soft laugh.

"Hi," he utters, mouthful. "Sir . . . Liam?" He quickly regards his boss.

"Just go ahead with your agenda, Julian," Liam tells him dismissively.

Watching the crazy boy, I really feel like laughing. He looks at me coyly but I don't care whether he saw us or not. He knows everything, after all.

"Have a nice day, Julian," I say when he walks past me.

"Okay." He nods stiffly.

"And you, too, Mr. Darcy. Just go on with your agenda and—" The kitchen door slams shut, and in a few seconds I'm into Liam's grip, right behind it. 

"Stop thinking of negativity, Kira," he snaps. I breathe softly in a flustered manner. My name sliding from his lips is quite a torture. "I won't give up on us so easily, and don't ask me to go away."

"But—"

"I was only thinking of you." He cuts me short, desperation lacing his voice. "No matter how much Samantha kept talking and talking; only you occupied my mind because I could not think straight imagining what you'd be thinking. I'm sorry." He sighs, fear clouding his face.

Jesus! Why is he doing this? I struggle to move but his arms are too strong around my body.

"Listen, somebody may come here, so let's—"

Liam's lips shut my mouth ferociously, holding me tightly as he kisses me. I hold my breath, feeling his tongue coaxing mine possessively, demandingly, igniting the smoldering fire in me. My protest slowly dies, and deeply I kiss him back, circling my arms around his neck.