Page 17 of Forever Yours
Chapter Twenty
Love isn’t simple. It’s easy to fall in love, but to have someone love you back in the same way is an amazing thing. I hope to find that one day. -Sophie
Sophie
“You really want to do this?” Liam’s skeptical expression makes me giggle and I nod back.
“You know this didn’t go so well for you last time, right? You remember?” He sounds both concerned and slightly amused.
I roll my eyes and elbow him roughly. He grunts in response. “Yes, I want to do this, silly. Last time we did this I was ten and scared of everything. I’m a lot older now.” I cross my arms. “I think I can handle a ghost tour.” I say this, but my insides feel like jelly.
Of course, I remember the last tour we went on when we were kids. It was not a fond memory. I’ve never been a wimp, but ghost stories scared the piss out of me when I was a kid. It didn’t help that Brian and Liam would tell ghost stories at night and then chase me around our small trailer. I kept a flashlight hidden under my covers just because of their late-night antics.
The day that he’s talking about, we hid in the back of the ghost tour group. No one asked for tickets for the three little ragamuffins, probably assuming we were with some of the numerous grown-ups. We listened with rapt attention to the stories that centered on the myths of the haunted houses of Savannah. The beautiful old Georgian style houses looked the part, and I remembering standing in awe looking at homes big enough to fit several of the trailers in my trailer park.
The story that haunted me that day was one of a captain in the Confederate Army who had returned from the war, only to kill his entire family. A large painting of him hung in the front room of the now bed and breakfast. I swear his eyes followed me as we moved from room to room. Those eyes haunted me in my nightmares.
Being the only girl in our small group, I had managed to hold it all together until I lay in bed that night. I woke up screaming after dreaming of small, beady eyes following me. Liam was there in a flash. He held me, dried my tears, and fell asleep next to me. He never told my brother about my dream because he knew that Brian would torment me relentlessly.
I am determined to make it through this tour with my dignity intact. The line for tickets moves up and we shuffle forward.
Liam leans down and whispers in my ear. “After this tour, we can go back to my place, and I’ll make you forget all about scary stories.” He kisses the shell of my ear and I feel his hand drift downward toward my ass. His hand squeezes my butt cheek, and I am instantly aroused. I have on a thin skirt because it’s still muggy out. I close my eyes and imagine his strong hand wondering under my skirt to stroke my folds. In the two weeks we’ve been having sex, I’ve learned that we are both insatiable. I always want him. He seems to feel the same. We both jump when a baby nearby starts crying.
I turn around and wink at him. “Maybe it’ll be me holding you to keep away the nightmares.”
A few hours later, Liam makes good on his promise to make me forget everything but him. We make love, and it’s different. Liam takes his time with me. There’s nothing rushed about the way he touches me or the way he looks into my eyes while he thrusts inside of me. He kisses my hair as he spoons me after we come down from the high of our orgasms.
“Okay there little one? Think you can sleep without nightmares tonight?” His whisper is full of concern, and he strokes my arm lightly.
“I think I could sleep through a four-alarm fire after that orgasm.” I say back sleepily.
He kisses my hair again. “Good. I’ll always be here for you, my sweet Sophie.”
I lay there until I hear his breathing become slow and steady. He’s obviously asleep. My eyes are wide open and there’s a knot in my belly. Despite what I said to Liam, fear smothers me and keeps me from sleeping. Only, it’s not the thought of ghosts or eyes following me that keeps me awake. It’s the thought that Liam will not always be able to keep his promise. I fall more in love with him every day. How will I ever be able to be around him once he’s decided to move on?
Chapter Twenty-one
My dad left one day and never came back. My brother left for the army the day he turned eighteen. Are any men meant to stay? - Sophie
Sophie
I sigh heavily and flip the page of my horrendously large textbook. I’m supposed to be studying Emily Dickenson’s poetry and all I can think about is my relationship with Liam. Or lack of relationship? Friends? Lovers? Both. He claims to be unable to love anyone, but he’s doing a good impression of it with me. Is this a fling for him or something more? Will I have anything left of my heart once this is over?
I sigh one more time, and then I hear a whisper. “Everything okay? You seem stressed. Hard test coming up?’
I look up and see masses of curly red hair around a delicate beautiful face. Emerald eyes stare back at me with empathy.
“Oh no, I’m sorry I bothered you. Just thinking about some stuff.” I wave away the concerned look on her face. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
She smiles conspiratorially and leans forward. “Is it about a guy? You have that look on your face like you’ve been bitten by the love bug, but you aren’t quite sure what to do about it.” She sits back and holds her hands up. “I totally understand if you don’t want to talk to a complete stranger, but I’m here to listen if you need it.” She gazes back down at her book, and I notice that the book isn’t a textbook. It’s a romance novel complete with a half-naked man on the cover.
I lean forward and fold my hand under my chin. “What are you reading?” I can’t help but be interested in this quirky girl who absolutely guessed right about my troubles.
She looks around and then leans forward again. “Oh, this is wonderful. It’s a new romance by one of my favorite authors. It’s a brother’s best friend trope, which I love.” She sighs and gets dreamy-eyed. “There’s something about an older brother’s best friend and that temptation that I love. I never had a brother, but it all sounds wonderful. Growing up in love with someone, and then getting those feelings returned? Amazing.”
My heart drops. Brother’s best friend trope? There’s a whole trope about my situation?
She reaches out her hand and pats mine. “Are you okay? You’ve gone a little pale.”
