Page 61 of Fighting With Light

He laughs again. “Yeah, but you liked it, didn’t you?” he asks smugly.

I lift a shoulder. “So what if I did?”

He laughs and crashes his lips to mine. “You can’t handle all the charm, can you?”

“No, it’s just too much for me,” I tell him, trying to keep a straight face.

He groans and kisses me again. “Je deviens obsédé par toi et ces lèvres,” he says and lifts off of me.

“What does that mean?” I ask him.

“It means it’s time for us to go to bed. I have a competition to win tomorrow.” I watch him leave the bedroom, likely to check all the windows and doors again, like he does every night. I rest my head back on the bed and smile at the ceiling.

This was anamazing night.

23

Liam

Closing my eyes, Itake a deep breath and look at the organizer behind the table. I didn’t even get checked in for them to tell us we had to postponeagain.To say I am annoyed is a major understatement. My skin feels like it’s about to come off my body because I’m so itchy to get on the water, and the longer I wait, the more nervous I get. The goal is to be calm and relaxed. I haven’t done my normal workouts for the past couple of days in anticipation of surfing. But no, Mother Nature has to send in a storm to ruin everything.

Aelia hasn’t said a word to me all morning since we got back, likely sensing how pissed I am.

I stand in the living room watching as the ocean thrashes against the cliffs and the rain pelts the windows. I should work on digging into the transportation process once the guns get to the States. But I’m more curious about my father’s potential interaction with cocaine that comes over the border through Mexico. The mystery can’t solve itself until I move my feet. Maybe I should work out instead, just a little one, to get the blood pumping.

“Liam?” Aelia whispers behind me.

I look at her over my shoulder, and back to watching the epic waves crash against the cliffs. I can feel her get closer, but I keep my back to her. I’m not mad, just irritated at the situation. It’s important to keep cool with bumps in the road, but I’m struggling today, and the mission we’re on makes it difficult. I just want to make it to the next leg in El Salvador and hopefully go right into some beautiful waves. Then we can jet down to Colombia.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asks, placing her hand on my chest. I swear it feels like my heart just jumped as it thuds against her palm.

I shrug and keep looking out the window.

“I’m sorry your competition got canceled. I know that probably doesn’t help.”

Her hand drops from my chest and I consider doing some push-ups or running. I don’t know,something.

“Liam?” Her soft voice rips through my irritation and I turn. Her hair is a little frizzy from the warm, humid air, and gold hoops hang from her ears. She’s wearing a cropped hoodie with a sports bra and frilly shorts that look like they are supposed to be for running, but aren’t for athletics at all. I glance down at the sliver of her stomach exposed from the cropped shirt and swallow thickly.

“I’m going to go work out,” I tell her and run my hand through my hair. I need to move. I need to do something. I reach for the back of my t-shirt and whip it off, tossing it onto the couch. I start to leave, and then she grabs my hand. My body freezes and I feel caught. I feel like I should give in to her, not just because she wants it, but because I want to.

But last night, when she kissed me while adrenaline ran through our bodies. The high of excitement for getting the pictures we needed was maybe even more exhilarating than catching a big wave or climbing a difficult route. Normally if I had done that with my brothers, it would have been fun, but with Aelia, it was…thrilling, I want to do it again.

Last night was not just confirmation that our chemistry was off the charts. I knew that because I felt it almost immediately the moment she spoke to me. Last night proved that we are a good team, and I know without a doubt the instant we cross the line we’ve been inching our toes over, I will be submersing myself in the outcome I have always been afraid of because when this is over, she will leave. She will go back to her family and, for once, want to be there because her father won’t. She deserves that. She deserves to spend time with her mom and even her brothers.

I’ll have my family, but not much will change because I’m bouncing around the world and they’re in California. Kai has a family now, Emerson doesn’t seem interested in anything like that, and I don’t know what I want because I’ve nevergiven myself the chance to envision what that could look like, other than being alone.

I look down at Aelia’s hand in mine and my fingers move around hers. My heart thrums and my mouth goes dry. The rain turns into white noise as I look her in the eye, and I see nothing but longing coming from them.

“Liam,” she rasps.

My name on her lips feels like her fingers in my hair—it soothes.

I tug her hand, pulling her into my front, and she catches herself on my chest at the last second.

With one hand at her lower back, I clasp her jaw and tilt her chin up with my thumb. She stares up at me with parted lips I want to taste and savor.

“I want you, Aelia,” I tell her over the gravel in my throat.