Page 57 of Because of Liam

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Well,I’m a college student now. Or at least I’ll be in a couple of weeks. After I decided to do it, I went back home and got all the paperwork and transcripts I needed. The advisor told me they have a special program for veterans and because I want to start in the summer, they would expedite my enrollment.

I filled out a bunch of paperwork at Riggins, and I’m bringing more home, but barring anything else, I can start the summer section in two weeks. Right after commencement.

As soon as we step out of the building, I pull River into me and kiss her. It’s a no holds barred kiss.

She melts into me like sunshine into water. I kiss her until her legs go weak and I have to hold her up. Not that I’m letting her go, anyway. I kiss her until my lips hurt and I lose my breath.

I feel giddy, like I’m five years old again and it’s Christmas morning.

When our lips part, no more than an inch, my forehead to hers. We stay rooted to that spot, our breaths coming in rapid shallow pants, her chest pressed to mine, moving together and slowing down.

After a few minutes the outside world gets ahold of us again, and I’m aware of more than just her and her taste on my lips. I’m back to reality—snippets of conversations reach us in the gentle warm May breeze. The scent of late spring is heavy in the bright late morning light.

A couple of catcalls, followed by a few claps let us know we have an audience.

I laugh then and River laughs with me. We’re both a little bewildered in this moment. We’re both a little tentative in our newfound . . . connection? Friendship? Relationship?

I don’t know what this is, but I want more. I need more. Whatever this is, it’s more than lust, of that I’m sure.

I walk River to her building, her hand in mine, our fingers laced. We’re silent as we walk the few minutes to where she’s taking her finals. When she stops in front of a three-story red brick building, half of it covered in ivy. I know she’s reached her destination.

There are people all around us. The campus is busy and abuzz with students running in and out of doors, books in hand, trying to cram in one last minute of studying. This will be me soon enough. This could have been me a year ago if I had come home when I was discharged. But I wasn’t ready then. Not ready to face Logan or live among normal people again. I needed that time to heal my wounds. Both the physical and the less visible ones.

She looks at me, a question in her eyes. I have the same question. What now? What is this we have? Where do we go from here?

I answer them.

“I’m not sure, but I want to explore whatever this is we have between us. I like this. I like us a lot.” I wave the hand that’s not holding hers between us.

She nods, still no spoken words.

“Let’s take it a day at a time. See where it leads us.”

“Okay, I can do that,” she says.

“I don’t want anything between us, River. No more walls. No more hiding.”

“Okay, I can do that.” She repeats her previous words, and it makes me smile.

“But no holding back either. I like no-filter River.”

“Oh, thank fuck!” She lets out a huge breath and my smile turns into a laugh.

“It won’t be us if we’re walking on the proverbial eggshells. Let’s be honest with each other. Always. Okay?”

She smirks now. “Okay.”

I let her hand go and cup her face, leaning into her, and kissing her again. Softer, slower this time. There are a lot of people around and I can feel their eyes on us. Some of them are her friends or classmates for sure.

“What time are you done for the day?”

“Around three-thirty.”

“I’ll pick you up. Just text me where to meet you.”

“You don’t have to. I can—”

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