Page 11 of Anywhere with You (With You #1)

My mom looks at Allison. “So, you’re Ash?” she questions. Aiden has pretty much been a permanent fixture at my house whenever I’m here. He has talked a lot about Allison or ‘Ash’, as he calls her.

“Yes, we call each other by our initials. It’s something we started when we were really young.

I moved in with my gran when I was ten. I lost my parents in a car crash.

I was scared and lonely.” She looks at Aiden and smiles.

“Ace here made sure I knew my way around school and we bonded. We’ve been best friends ever since.

” Allison discretely wipes a tear that’s starting to escape.

It takes everything in me not to wrap her in my arms. The thought that she’s sad or hurt rips my heart out.

“I’m so sorry about your parents, dear,” my mom tells Allison. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s fine. It was a long time ago,” Allison replies. “May I use your restroom?” she asks softly.

Hailey speaks up, “Of course, it’s the last door down the hall on your right.”

Allison leaves the table, and I release the breath I’m holding.

“You alright, son?” my dad asks.

I nod, not wanting to get into the fact that Allison has me tied in knots. That the thought of her in pain is making my arms ache to hold her.

After a few minutes Hailey says, “I’m going to go check on her.”

“No.” I stand from the table. “Let me do it.” I quickly excuse myself and head down the hall. I know that I, as well as Allison, are going to be the topic of conversation, but I can’t bring myself to care. I want to be there for her.

I stop in front of the bathroom door and lean my forehead against it. I can hear her soft cries. I knock softly. “Allison, it’s Liam. Can you let me in, sweetheart? ”

“Just give me a minute, I’ll be fine,” she chokes out.

“Please,” I whisper.

I hear her shuffling toward the door and then hear the handle turn.

When she pulls the door open, her face is blotchy and her eyes are red and swollen.

Without even thinking, I step inside and shut the door.

I pull her close to me and wrap her in my arms. I kiss the top of her head, and as I do, she begins to cry harder.

I’m not sure how long we stay like this, but while I’m holding her I lose a piece of myself to Allison Shay Hagan.

She pulls away from me slowly. “Sorry about your shirt,” she whispers.

I pull her chin up with my thumb and forefinger, so she’s looking me in the eye. “Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?”

She shakes her head. “I feel like such a baby. It was years ago, I should be able to talk about it.”

“Is there something in particular that upset you?” I ask softly as I hug her back to my chest and slowly rub my hand up and down her back.

“Not really, it’s just…” she sniffles.

“What, baby, what happened?”

“It’s just family dinners. I miss those, for the last eight years it’s just been Gran and me.”

I can’t get words to pass through the lump in my throat.

My only reply is to pull her tighter. As I do, she in turn wraps her arms tight around my waist. After getting my emotions under control, I pull away from her and cup her face in my hands.

I wipe her tears away with my thumbs. “You are amazing, you have so many people who love you, Aiden, his parents, Hailey. My parents adore you.” I swallow back my emotions.

“You have me,” I whisper, never tearing my eyes from hers.

“Liam,” she murmurs.

Her plea sends me over the edge, and I slowly bring her face to mine as I lean down.

I stare at her lips and then back to her eyes, letting her know my intent.

I need to kiss her more than I need my next breath.

I wait, as my intentions set in, I can see when understanding flashes across her face, she licks her lips.

I lean a little closer, closing the space between us.

Hesitating, giving her the opportunity to stop me.

She doesn’t.

When my lips touch hers, I feel the tremor in my hands, which are gently holding her close to me.

She must have felt it too because she places her hands over mine as I continue to caress her cheeks while I kiss her.

She opens her mouth, and I slip my tongue inside.

The taste of her on my tongue causes me to release a deep moan, and as I do Allison slows the kiss and rests her forehead against my chest.

“Liam.”

“Mmm.” Again I’m at a loss for words. I have kissed my share of girls and not once did any of those kisses elicit this kind of reaction from me. I’ve never in my life felt this kind of connection with any other human being.

“What are we doing?”

I kiss her forehead before I pull back to look her in the eye. “I was kissing the most amazing girl I’ve ever met.” I need her to know she’s different from anyone else I’ve ever been with.

She blushes. “I want more, Liam. Not that I expect a proposal next week, but you’ve already made it clear you won’t make a commitment, so what are we doing?”

I shake my head and pull her back to my chest. “I don’t know, baby. All that I can tell you is that kiss was incomparable to anything I’ve ever felt. You wreck me, you know that?” I ask, searching her face for understanding.

“Well, since that was officially my first kiss, I don’t have anything to compare it to, but this feeling,” she grabs my hand and lays it over her heart, “this connection that makes my heart race is uncharted waters for me. I wish I could hold onto it and never let go,” she sighs, “but I need all of you, Liam. I don’t want to share you, and I can’t just be a fling.

My heart can’t take it.” She brushes her hand across my cheek.

“If you ever decide you can give me all of you, you know where to find me.” She lifts up on her tiptoes and gives me one last chaste kiss on the lips.

“Thank you for listening…and for the kiss,” she says as she turns and walks out of the room.

I stand here, trying to regain control of my emotions while her words race through my mind.