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“Liam.” Her voice was warm. As he entered the room, she got to her feet and crossed to him. For a split second, Liam thought she was coming to kiss him, but then she lifted her hand for a high-five. Liam slapped his palm against hers with a smile. “We did it!”
“We did. You were amazing, Amelia. Even I almost thought you were really my wife.”
“I almost thought so too!” Amelia chuckled. “And Stanley seemed to buy it. I saw him pull you aside for a man-to-man chat.”
“Yeah. He told me he wanted a stronger relationship and gave me some marriage advice.” Liam raised his eyebrows. “He’s always been so formal and distant until now.”
“Well, you won him over. Great job!”
“It was definitely you who won him over. And Grace.”
“Grace did so well!” Amelia beamed. “I was so proud of her. She isn’t used to being around that many screaming kids, I think, but she seemed to take to the other kids easily.”
“I was proud of her, too. And I was proud of you. It couldn’t have been easy to pretend to be married to me all day.”
“Well…” Amelia blushed and looked down. “It wasn’t that hard. Like I said, it almost felt real, for a moment there…”
“It almost felt real for me, too.” The atmosphere in the room changed in a split second, like a thunderstorm coming on. The air between them was suddenly charged, and Liam was very aware that Amelia was only a few steps away. She’d changed from her dress into a pair of pajama pants with black polka dots on them and an overlarge black T-shirt. It was the most relaxed he’d ever seen her. Seeing Amelia like this, in the way she must sleep, felt far more intimate than any of their other interactions.
“Would it be so bad?” Amelia asked softly. “Being in a real family?” Her gaze was still directed down at her socks.
“Maybe not.” Liam’s voice was deeper and more gravelly than usual. “Today felt… nice.”
“Yeah?” At this, Amelia lifted her eyes to meet Liam’s gaze. Once again, the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. Liam felt a spark between them, so strong that he wouldn’t be surprised if a shock were to pass between them if they touched. Amelia’s eyes were such a beautiful brown. Her lips were so full and pink. Now, so close to her, Liam spotted a smattering of freckles across her soft cheeks.
“Yeah.” Liam stepped closer, just a fraction of an inch. They’d been this close before, but one of them had always pulled away. This time, neither of them moved. Slowly, he lifted one hand and ran his thumb along the curve of Amelia’s cheek. “You’re beautiful.”
She blushed, but didn’t look away.
A wild mix of emotions rushed through Liam. He was no stranger to kissing beautiful women, but kissing Amelia would be different. Very different. It could endanger their whole relationship and the bond she had with Grace. Or it could mean everything.
“Amelia,” Liam breathed.
“Liam.” Her voice was higher than usual and slightly breathless. Those pink lips were ever so slightly parted.
Slowly, giving Amelia plenty of time to pull away, Liam bent his head to hers. Instead of pulling away, though, Amelia tilted her head back and rose onto her toes, bringing her lips to meet Liam’s. The electricity between them crackled again as their lips brushed, sending an unprecedented wave of sensation rushing through Liam’s body. In that moment, he knew a kiss wasn’t going to be enough. Not nearly.
Yet, using all the self-control he could muster, he brushed his lips against Amelia’s once more, then pulled back. Her cheeks were more flushed than ever and her brown eyes were wide.
“If you don’t want this—” Liam began. He didn’t get a chance to finish, though, because Amelia wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Liam responded instinctively by putting his arms around her. Amelia’s curves were so soft against his chest, and her parted lips invited him in again.
Liam captured her mouth in another kiss. This time, he poured all he couldn’t say into the kiss — the feelings he couldn’t find the words to express, the fears that he was losing his focus, the intense pull he felt towards her. She responded by parting her lips to deepen the kiss.
Suddenly, Liam’s hands were under Amelia’s shirt, skimming across the smooth expanse of her back. Her skin was so soft, and touching her like this, kissing her until she moaned, had Liam wishing that this moment would never end.
Then Amelia’s hands were at the hem of his shirt, tugging, until Liam lifted his arms and the shirt came off. Emboldened, he slipped his hands under the hem of her pajama shirt, and she willingly let it slide off.
She was wearing nothing beneath.
Some part of Liam’s mind that wasn’t overcome with attraction to the beautiful, half-naked woman in front of him remembered that they were in a house with a child. He grabbed Amelia around the waist and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him, pulling them closer, and Liam carried her down the hall to his bedroom.
“This is the one room I haven’t made my mark on,” Amelia said breathlessly as Liam carried her in and set her on the bed. “It’s just like when I arrived — all gray walls and no personality.”
“I get the feeling you’ll leave your mark here yet,” Liam said. He kissed her again, and they fell back onto the bed. Liam paused, balanced above her, and took a mental picture of her in his bed, her beautiful blond hair splayed around her, her brown eyes wide, her lips inviting.
Then, for a long time, they were both far from rational thought.
CHAPTER 17
