Begin Again

2|Make Me Forget

Liam was the lucky random stranger, and Eden didn't care that a Barbie look-alike was trying to call dibs on him.

"He's with me!" She slurred, propping herself between them.

Dressed in the shortest latex dress Eden had ever seen, Barbie looked ready to murder her, her collagen-pumped lips twitching with distaste as she sized her up.

Liam chuckled, his cheeks and ears turning as red as his hair. "Yeah, I'm with her."

"Your loss!" Barbie flicked her platinum-blonde hair extensions over her shoulder, throwing Eden one last glacial stare.

"Thanks," Liam said as they watched her vanish in the herd of vacant-eyed zombies swaying to the music. "You saved my life."

"Don't mention it." She hiccupped. "And thanks for getting us in."

"I guess being shameless helps sometimes?" Liam said with a hint of a smile in his voice, and she liked him a little then.

A slow jam came on. Out of the corner of her eye, Eden saw Simon and Olive make their way to the dance floor. She panicked and threw herself in Liam's arms. "Pretend you're my boyfriend, okay? Pretend you're in love with me."

"Whatever you want, Princess!" Liam wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

Eden tried to ignore the rush of excitement pulsing through her body at his touch. But it was no use. She was too damn aware of him as they moved to the music. She'd read somewhere one could tell a lot about a person from how they danced. It was true. What she assumed was arrogance earlier was, in fact, confidence on Liam's part.

"Am I a good boyfriend?" he asked, touching their foreheads lightly. Eden's brain screamed at her not to get excited when his five o'clock shadow grazed her cheek. But she was already a quivering mess despite the warmth in the room.

"If your day job doesn't work out, you could always sign up with Rent-A-Boyfriend."

Liam's eyebrows shot up. "Is there such a thing?"

"I don't know." Eden laughed. "I've never needed their services before."

Until now. Until today.

She threw her arms around his neck and drank him in. He was too damn fine for his own good. It didn't help that he smelled divine, too—a leathery, woodsy scent infused with a hint of bourbon or maybe cognac. If she continued to cling to him, it was only a matter of time before she jumped straight from the frying pan and into the fire.

They moved in silence for a minute or three, and Eden was happy to be in his arms. Even when the song ended, and another came on, she carried on dancing. Liam wasn't in a hurry to let her go either.

Her curiosity eventually got the best of her. She had to know. "Other than dancing with random strangers, why are you here tonight?"

Crush was okay for mortals like her. But rich gods like Liam had their own clubs, where entry was a black card and an eight-figure bank balance. He looked like an eight-figure income kind of guy.

"Celebrating my last night of freedom," he replied.

"I see," Eden said, nodding. It was his bachelor party, and his entourage of Calvin Klein models suddenly made sense. She instantly regretted her bad attitude earlier. If it was her last night of freedom as a single woman, she wouldn't want to spend half of it outside either.

"Are you happy?" she asked, resting her head on his chest. "Should I congratulate you?"

Liam laughed in her hair. "No. But it is what it is. What about you?"

"I'm here to forget." Eden looked up, her heart leaping to her throat at the intensity in his eyes. If he continued to stare at her like she was the only woman in the room, she might forget her heartbreak and sadness.

"Forget what?" Liam asked.

"Everything. Make me forget, please?"

She didn't know what she was asking for until his mouth crushed hers in a fiery kiss, driving her to the cusp of madness. For a little while, all she was aware of was this moment with Liam's arms around her waist, pressing her to him. She leaned closer, craving more of him, needing all the warmth from him. He had a swimmer's body, firm and taut in all the right places. She liked it. She could see herself with him. He'd make a good rebound guy.

When they came up for air, his voice hoarse, the ocean in his eyes stormy with yearning, he asked, "Did you forget?"

"Almost." Eden was excited and terrified all at once, because she knew she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

Liam grabbed her hand and led her out of Crush. While they waited for the valet to bring his car around, Eden texted her friends, letting them know of her change of plans.

When the valet pulled up, Liam held the passenger door open for her and snapped on her seat belt before jumping in behind the wheel.

Eden was vaguely aware of the familiar streets and landmarks as they sped through Rock Castle.

They drove into a long winding road of a private estate tucked away from commoners like her. She gawked at the contemporary house perched on the hill when the car stopped. Illuminated by ground lights along the driveway, the all-white structure was breathtaking. With its smooth, classic lines and minimalist accents, it was an architect's dream. The massive steel gate yawned open with a click of a button on Liam's remote control attached to a set of keys.

A trio of housekeepers and a butler came out to greet them. "Mr Anderson, should we prepare dinner?"

Liam brushed him off. "No need, Dave. You can take the rest of the night off."

The front door hadn't even shut behind them when Liam drew her close to him, kissing her with little restraint this time as he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist while he carried her up the glass staircase through a long hallway.

"Do you still want to forget?" he asked when he placed her on the platform bed, searching her face.

Eden nodded. She wanted to forget the past few weeks and thaw the ice around her heart.

She peeled off his clothes while he dropped light kisses along her neck and undressed her. For hours, Liam did exactly as she'd asked. He made her forget with his hands, cry out his name with his tongue, and tremble and shudder in his embrace with his body.

"Did you forget?" he asked much later, as they lay panting in each other's arms, their bodies glistening with sweat.

"Yes," Eden replied, wishing with all her heart there was such a thing as Rent-A-Boyfriend. She'd ask for Liam all the time. If he wasn't her rebound guy and she wasn't his last night of freedom, her first time would have been so perfect.

He leaned over, kissing her so gently as he took her again. Slowly this time. His bold thrusts and searing caresses sent her world spinning again.

"God, you are beautiful, Princess," he whispered, shuddering over her.

She clung to him, overcome by emotion, as another tremendous wave of pleasure hit her hard.

"Are you okay?" He kissed her forehead and tucked her in his arms, holding her close to him.

When Eden was sure she had her bearings straight, she finally looked at him and smiled, "I am."

She'd never be okay after this. Not when he was getting married soon. Not after he'd wielded so much power over her body.

And now, her fragile heart.