Page 111 of A Simple Reminder
His lips press softly against the crown of my head, and he speaks into my hair, his voice low and steady. “I know this isn’t how we’d want it to go, but please…think about it. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I don’t want to lose you either,” I mumble into his chest, the confession escaping before I can stop it.
“Then think about this.” He tilts my chin up with his index finger, forcing my eyes to meet his. “This will save your career. I can’t stand watching you cry over people not wanting to work with you. It makes me want to break their legs, and let’s be honest—that wouldn’t exactly help our case.”
I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me, even as my chest feels heavy. “No, it wouldn’t.”
His thumb brushes against my cheek, wiping away a stray tear.
“Please don’t think I feel forced into this.”
How did he know that was exactly what I was afraid of? That he’d feel trapped, obligated to be stuck with me.
“It’s written all over your face, Soph,” he says as if reading my thoughts. “I know what ticks in that beautiful head of yours. Like I told you before—you and I are inevitable.Rouhi. Nasibi”
He cups my face, his eyes searching mine, full of conviction. “You are my soul and my destiny. I would’ve proposed to you as soon as it was deemed ‘appropriate’ by everyone around us. If I had my way, I would’ve put a ring on your finger the moment I saw you at Lucas and Leora’s wedding.”
“Liam…”
He leans in, pressing his forehead to mine. “You’re it for me, Sophie. And I’ll spend every day proving it to you, whether we fake an engagement or not.”
The rawness in his voice, the absolute certainty in his words, shakes me to my core. I close my eyes, letting his presence hold me. Everything is starting to feel just a little bit lighter.
“I–” I try to speak but he stops me with his soft lips and I melt into him.
“Don’t make a decision now. I want you to really think about this. Whatever you decide, I’m with you, and we’ll figure it out together.” He kisses the tip of my nose, “Okay?”
His words are like a balm, quieting the chaos.
I press my cheek to his chest, letting the rhythmic beat of his heart ground me. For a moment, I let myself simply be here, wrapped in the quiet comfort of him.
“Dance with me,” he says suddenly.
I pull back slightly, blinking up at him. “What? Now? We’re kind of in a complicated situation.”
His lips twitch into a small smile, his eyes glinting with that familiar playfulness that always gets under my skin. “Then make it less complicated. Dance with me.”
“There’s no music.”
He shrugs, his bright smile widening. “We don’t need any music.”
For a moment, I hesitate, but the way he’s looking at me as if I’m the only thing in the world that matters, makes it impossible to say no. Slowly, I let my hands slide around his neck as his arms wrap firmly around my waist, pulling me closer.
I rest my head on his chest and we sway together, our movements slow and unhurried, as if the world outside doesn’t exist.
The absence of music doesn’t matter. There’s something between us—something deeper, something neither of us can deny. It feels like we’re moving to a melody only we can hear, the music of us.
At this moment, I’m not stressed. I’m not afraid. I’m not unsure. It’s the opposite. Here, in his arms, I’m safe. I’m calm. And I’m more certain than I’ve ever been.
I love this man—more than I even realized. More than I ever thought possible.
I love him so much it overflows, consuming me, filling every part of me until I don’t know where I end and he begins.
Because standing here with him, wrapped in his warmth, I feel like I could fly.
It’s not just that he gives me strength—he gives me wings.
He makes me believe I can do anything I set my mind to, that nothing will stand in my way as long as he’s by my side.
