Page 54 of Had To Be You

The dress Liam surprised me with fits perfectly, which blows my mind considering I’ve never told him my size. He’s been attentive and charming, the chemistry between us almost overwhelming at times.

We enjoy dessert and espressos and I feel satisfied and happy, lost in the glow of the candlelight as Liam motions to the waiter. Then suddenly he stands and walks around to the back of my chair, helping me from my seat. “We need to go now, Ells. I have somewhere I want to take you.”

He catches me by surprise, but I grab my purse and allow him to guide me from the table, back into the waiting town car parked just outside the restaurant. Thirty minutes later, our driver stops in front of an old, weathered building with peeling paint. I meet Liam’s eyes and the look in them makes it clear that he’s up to something. Before I have a chance to press him on it, the door to the car opens and Liam scoots out. I watch him button his suit jacket then offer his hand, helping me from my seat. Stepping out into the cool night air, he immediately pulls me into his arms.

“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing here?” I ask, staring up at him, still wrapped in his embrace. Somewhere in the distance, a musician is strumming his guitar and singing the lyrics to a Coldplay song. And it’s perfect. So incredibly, heart-twistingly, straight-out-of-a-romance-novel perfect.

“Not yet.”

“Liam. Are you sure you got the directions right? I didn’t picture you for a man who frequents raves. You are full of surprises,” I joke, reaching up towards his neck and adjusting his collar.

He raises an eyebrow and laughs. “Well, now you know all of my secrets. Closet raver, right here. I can’t stop,” he jokes and gives me a quick, chaste kiss on my lips before taking my hand and leading me down the sidewalk.

We walk for a block or so along the dark street when we encounter a crowd of people under bright lights. I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what I see when I look up. My eyes go wide, and I gasp, covering my mouth with my palm. “No!” I shout. “Liam, are you serious?”

I whirl around to face him, tilting my head to the side. “Seriously? You did this for me?” I ask. Tears prick my eyes as he pulls me in close to his side and kisses the top of my hair. My palm is still covering my mouth.

“I did. I hope you like it,” he murmurs into my hair, the vibrations of his voice sending goosebumps over my skin. I look up at the marquee sign again to make sure I didn’t just imagine it. I didn’t. It has Cats written across it in lights and just the sight of it makes me squeal. It’s an off-Broadway production since the original Broadway show closed over ten years ago.

“I had no idea the production had ended when I looked into buying us tickets, so this one will have to do. I hope that’s okay?”

The tears in my eyes threaten to spill over. I’m overcome with emotion for this man who once again has rendered me breathless. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him fiercely. “Liam, it’s more than okay. It’s everything. You are everything. Thank you.”

We are greeted at the door by a host dressed in an all-black suit who welcomes us and motions for us to follow him to our seats. Liam’s hand is laced in mine as we walk down the steps of the theater to our row. We take our seats, which are center and five rows up from the stage. Liam presses a slow kiss to my lips, which surprises me, considering he does not do PDA. It’s unexpected and when he pulls back I cock my head to the side with a puzzled expression. His eyes are bright, his grin laced in mischief, and his dimple is holding my heart hostage.

“I couldn’t resist. You are killing me in that dress.”

“I’m definitely not complaining. You can kiss me anytime, anywhere.”

“Anywhere?” he asks, a smirk taking over his face, teasing and taunting me. This man is irresistible in so many ways.

“You know what I meant. Now, can you behave yourself until the show is over because I don’t plan on missing a second of this play. No seduction on your part will be enough to take my eyes off of that stage. Is that understood?”

“Understood.” He leans into my shoulder, his mouth at the sensitive spot just under my ear, and whispers, “That whole bossy thing you just did was hot as fuck. Can you do that again when I get you back to the hotel tonight?”

“I can,” I say, kissing him chastely. “And I will.”

We watch the two-and-a-half-hour show in silence. The entire time, his hands seem to always be in contact with me. His fingers laced with mine, on my knee, in my hair. Tracing circles on my shoulder. Every now and then he’ll press a kiss to the top of my head.

The show is incredible. It brings me back to my childhood and Friday nights when my mom would transform the family room floor into a giant pillow bed with blankets and stuffed animals and popcorn and treats. We’d cozy up together and she’d ask me what movie I wanted to watch, knowing the answer would always be Cats because it was my all-time favorite. I can so clearly remember her snuggling up beside me, knowing all the showtunes, singing every line and every word right along with me. I imagine her voice and her laugh, and I miss her.

I wipe my weepy eyes with the tips of my fingers and Liam notices, squeezing my thigh in his hands. You okay? he mouths.

I nod, blinking my eyes to clear the tears that are blurring my vision. “The play just reminds me of my mom,” I whisper. “I’m fine. I just miss her.”

“I’m sorry, babe.”

“I’m fine, Liam. Way more than fine. This is incredible.”

He smiles back at me, that soft, shy smile that he seems to save just for me. It can bring me to my knees. That unfamiliar feeling creeps into my chest and this time I’m certain what it is.

This is love. What I am feeling right now is without a doubt love. The two of us together are tearing down the walls around our hearts that we’ve spent our whole lives building. We are learning to trust each other, to show each other who we really are. Those three little words have been on the tip of my tongue now for days, but I can’t tell him, as much as I want to, for fear of his reaction. If it wasn’t reciprocated the rejection would kill me. So, I swallow the words down and instead show him in the only other way I know how to.

Leaning into him, I take his face in my hand and kiss him, hoping that with this kiss, I’m saying everything I wish I could say to him. Everything I want him to know. Withdrawing from the kiss, I look into his eyes with a fierce, uncompromising honesty. My adoration for this man who has gone out of his way to make me feel special, to care for me. I feel exposed and euphoric and completely at ease, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with Liam.

The look in his eyes tells me he feels the same. But it’s mixed with something else, something that I’m unable to pin down. Fear? Liam never loses control and I’m sure the feeling of falling in love scares the shit out of him. Reaching across my lap for my hand, he entwines his fingers in mine and we go back to watching the show.

After a standing ovation and the curtain closing, the lights flicker back on in the theater. I turn to face him, an overwhelming look of gratitude in my eyes. “I still can’t believe you did this all for me.”

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