Begin Again novel Chapter 29

Eden watched the older woman dash down the hall and vanish from view, painfully aware of the thick tension swirling in the room, occasionally drowned out by the sounds of office chatter, phones going off and the keyboards rattling away.

She figured she should leave as well while things were still a bit civil between Liam and her, especially if she wanted their future chat about Aiden to happen.

But, one glance from him, as if he could read her thoughts and see deep into her soul, fixed her in her chair.

He reached for the tray of refreshments Eden had forgotten until now and took one of the brightly decorated styrofoam cups, with a Rise Coffee Shop logo stamped to its side, and the word 'macchiato' scrolled in pretty, feminine-like handwriting on the white lid.

They had outlets nationwide, mostly in shopping malls, but Eden remembered seeing one in the food court, on the first floor, when she played with the interactive map.

She's a sucker for their chai lattes and would kill for one right now, or anything warm really.

Liam returned to the window wall, his back pressed against the pane and sipped his coffee. It was probably cold now. Still, he seemed to enjoy it because the hard shadow on his face was momentarily gone as he closed his eyes, appreciating the rich dark taste of the stained espresso.

Eden stared longingly at the two remaining cups on the tray, but she didn't dare reach for one. Not when Liam kept shooting daggers at her with his eyes.

"I don't know why you are so angry with me," she said when it became clear if anyone had to get the conversation going, it would have to be her.

Liam laughed. But the chilling sound, rumbling deep from within his chest, terrified her. And so did the glint in his eyes.

"You fucking treated me like a one night stand!"

"I could say the same for you!" She shot back as she quickly gathered up her things and tried to dash from the room. She'd taken just about all she could of his shitty attitude. She was insane to think she could work at Anderson Logistics. Now that her curiosity about him has been satisfied, and her school girl illusions shattered, Eden was done.

But, in a heartbeat, Liam had her in his arms, and before she knew what hit her, his lips were everywhere, on her mouth, on her jaw, in her neck, while his hands feverishly ran up all over her body, pressing her curves to him as he held her close.

Their first kiss in two years was everything a first kiss shouldn't be. Sad. Angry. Bewildered.

Liam's tongue in her mouth was as devastating as his touch. He tasted bitter, like the rich dark beans of his coffee, and sweet like caramel; two things she didn't know she craved until now.

He didn't have to shout and scream and yell to show her his heart. She felt all of his emotions, wrapped in this single moment, as they clung to each other in a desperate embrace.

He reminded her of a bittersweet memory, a moment in time; fleeting, fragile, and forever out of grasp.

"Two years," he growled on her lips, running his hands through her hair as she nestled into him, drowning in his caresses. "This is all I've wanted for two years."

It was all Eden's wanted too. Maybe that's why she'd applied for the job at Anderson Logistics even when she knew she shouldn't because he's now happily married and he didn't need any complications in his life.

"Why did you leave me, Princess?" He asked, tugging at her mouth, gently nipping her lower lip.

Good grief, Eden thought, curling her toes, where did he learn to kiss like this, and how did he know she'd like it?

"Why?" He paused in her neck, leaving a scorching trail of butterfly kisses on her skin. His warm breath, mixed with his intoxicating scent— a perfect blend of his ridiculously expensive woody cologne, a faint whiff of his manly sweat and minty soap— sent a swirling ache between her thighs.

Eden was as terrified out of her head as she felt safe in his arms because she knew, if he wanted her, if he asked, she wouldn't have the strength to refuse him.

"Tell me, Princess, why did you run away from me?" Liam demanded, kissing her harder, almost as if he was punishing her.

"We both knew it was one a time thing." She said at last, her breathing hard and erratic, like the whirlwind of emotions relentlessly thrashing her heart.

She desperately wanted to take her words back when she saw the light in his eyes die out.

Liam released her from his grasp and pushed her away, almost angrily.

"You are right," he said, the passion burning hot in his eyes just seconds ago, gone. "It was a one-time thing."

"Then why are you so angry?" She asked, wishing she could have a moment to catch her breath. She felt out control and in disarray, and she desperately wanted to understand what had just happened. If anything, she should be upset. Not him. He's a married man, yet he'd kissed her like he was still single.

He's a married man, and she'd kissed him back, even when she knew this.

Did this make her a horrible human being, like Olive?

"Why are you so upset with me?" She asked again.

Liam ignored her question and held up her left hand.

"You're married," he stared at Simon's ring on her finger, a kaleidoscope of emotions flitting on his face. He laughed in disbelief as he dropped it back down. "Does he know you throw yourself at any man that comes along?"

Eden bowed her head, at a loss for words.

She knew the ring would get her in trouble someday; she never imagined it would be with Liam, though. It was always her safety blanket, a protective covering that's kept all the judgemental stares and unwanted questions at bay. But now, it felt like an albatross around her neck.

"Does he know you purr like a kitten when you're in my arms?" Liam carried on, his mouth—the same one he'd used moments ago to make her forget the existence of a world beyond these four walls—was now twisted venomously; his beautiful, handsome face, hard and unyielding.

"You don't know anything about me!" Eden said firmly. "Stop making assumptions. Just stop it!"

"I plan to. Now that I've seen you and your miserable life, I can finally sleep easy at night."

As much as she wanted to cuss him out and call him every swear word in her very thick book of choice words, he was still Aiden's father. She tried to be as diplomatic as she could. "I'm sorry I left without seeing you that day. I thought I'd save us both the trouble. You had no business hooking up with random women on your last night of freedom. You were set to get married soon."

"What are you talking about? Getting married? To who?" Liam demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed to slits, his macchiato long abandoned.

"It doesn't matter now," Eden put up her hands, not paying attention to his words, she was too far gone in her anger to pause and hear him. "I need this job, so if you can put your feelings aside—"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ms McBride. I don't have any feelings for you. Not then, and certainly not now. You need a job, and I'm doing my civil duty to help those in need," Liam snarled, his words cutting her as much as the look of disgust on his face.

"Very well then," Eden nodded and smiled courteously, "Now that we've established there are no feelings on both sides, I'll take the job. But, I won't start until you are certain this is what you want."

"Who the hell do you think you are? What makes you think you are in position to negotiate with me?" Liam roared, rage, unlike anything she's ever seen before marred his face, and it's only in that moment she realised she'd hurt him, but she still couldn't understand how. They both knew their meeting would be brief, like two ships passing in the night. It made no sense to her that he'd be so furious over something that was not meant to be taken seriously.

"I never wanted to hurt you," she said softly.

"You think you hurt me? Please, you're just a mousey librarian I was stupid enough to pay attention to. I must have been truly fucking drunk out of my head to touch you. And I've regretted that night every single goddamn day of my life for the last two years!"

His words wounded her more than she cared to admit, for a mind-blowing moment she felt like a speeding train had hurtled straight at her, and knocked all the air out of her lungs, ripping her heart to pieces.

She gawked at him, open-mouthed, unable to believe that they have such very different sentiments about their encounter.

If he hated their night so much, if he loathed her as much as the look in his eyes said he does, there's no way he'd accept Aiden. She can never tell him about his son.

Somehow, through the searing pain splitting her heart in two, Eden managed to find her voice and hold on to the last remnants of her sanity.

"There's no need to be so harsh. I get it; you'd never look at me twice. But thank you for that night. I don't have any regrets. You gave me a beautiful memory and something I treasure more than my life," she said gracefully. "Be well, Liam."

With her head held high, her back ramrod straight, Eden grabbed her handbag, and blindly made her way out of the meeting room, hot tears of sadness and rage fogging up her glasses.

Gibby followed her to the elevators, firing questions faster than she could answer.

"You have to go to group security now for your access card," she grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving.

But Eden shook it off. "I don't think Mr Anderson will want to go forward with the contract. I'll tear up my copy. I suggest you do the same."