Page 58 of Liam

“You wanted to be a fireman?” Benny asks.

“More than anything.”

“I could totally see you as a fireman,” Mia adds.

“You think?”

“Absolutely.”

“So what happened?” Benny asks. “Why aren’t you a fireman now?”

I shrug. “I guess I realized I wasn’t all that brave.”

21

Liam

Every inch of me aches, I’m covered in sweat, and I have a stitch so painful it’s making my eyes water. Add that to the heavy downpour of rain that appeared out of nowhere, and I’m having the time of my fucking life.

I left for my run less than an hour earlier, and until two minutes ago, it was nothing but birds chirping and clear skies ahead.

I can’t remember the last time I physically pushed myself this far, but after the night I had, I needed to get out of my head, and this was the only way I could think to do it. The conversation with Mia and Benny forced me to dig up memories involving Addie, and the emotions that came with those memories weren’t all that great. The dream I had about her once I finally got to sleep? The complete opposite.

It’s one thing for my mind to be as conflicted as it is, but now my body seems to want to play ball, and I’mfucked.

Beyond it.

In my dream, she was naked, on her knees, her lips thinned and spread around my cock, and her eyes—her eyes were on mine the entire time, widening right before I… woke up. Hard as a fucking rock.

Christ.

I don’t even know why I’m thinking about this now—rehashing it in detail like I am. It’s taken almost an hour just to get my cock to calm the fuck down, and now I’m back to the beginning.

I need to cut this shit.

Immediately.

I just need to get to the studio, collapse in the tub under a stream of ice-cold water, and possibly fall asleep. Or die. Whichever comes first.

But I can’t do either of those things, because Addie is running toward the studio at the same time I am—also caught in this stupid rain—and I really should have timed my run better. She’s in denim shorts and a plain white tank, purple ribbon in her hair—not that any of that matters.

I slow when we get to the porch steps, letting her get to shelter first. She stands her skateboard up against the rails, then moves to the edge of the porch, looking up at the now gray skies. “Where the fuck did this come from?” she yells over the sound of rain hitting the tin roof.

“No idea,” I attempt to say, but the only thing that comes out is a grandpa-stylewheeze. Realtough. I open the door for us and square my shoulders, act is if my body isn’t screaming for reprieve. Once she’s inside, I tell her, “I’ll get you a towel to dry off.”

“And maybe a change of clothes?” she asks, and it’s only now I realize how drenched she is. Her top is practically see-through. Notpractically. Actually. I can clearly make out the color of herbra, the shape of her breasts, the dip of her cleavage, and what I wouldn’t give to just rub my face?—

“Liam!” she snaps, lifting her arms to cover herself. All it does is bring attention to the rest of her. The fabric of her top clings to her flesh, outlining her waist and the curve of her hips andgoddamn.Fantasy Addie has nothing on the real thing. She giggles, and I slowly come back from my haze. I blink hard, stop my mind from going places it shouldn’t. Or maybe it should. Maybe I’ve suppressed these thoughts long enough and—“That towel?”

“My bad.”I lead her first to the bathroom, where I grab a towel, then to the bedroom for the change of clothes, where I pause in front of the dresser, look over at her standing just in the doorway, her arms at her sides and her tits on full display. My cock stirs at the sight of her, and I’m sure she notices because she’s looking right at the bulge I’m too far gone to hide. “Clothes…” I attempt to say, but the dryness of my mouth makes it impossible to speak. I open the only drawer I keep clothes in, asking over my shoulder, “I don’t keep a lot in here. Boxers and a shirt, okay?”

“That’s fine,” she answers, suddenly right next to me. “Are you okay? You seem…”

My shoulders drop, and I turn to her. Things are going to be awkward no matter what, so I may as well own it. “I may have had a dream about you last night.”

“A dream?”

Pressing my lips tight, I nod, waiting for her mind to catch up with my words. I can tell the exact moment it does, because her dark eyes widen, just like they did in my dream, right before?—

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