Page 88 of Raise Me Up

But Stasi’s words are stuck in my head. I don’t want her to feel alone. Even if she decides she doesn’t want to be romantically involved, that won’t stop me from supporting her as a friend.

I want to be at her Saturday morning yoga classes. I want to drink overpriced juices and steal the strawberries from her plate. I want to snuggle on the couch with her and have her womansplain football to me while I fuck up the rules on purpose just to get a rise out of her.

I want to take her on more dates and fall asleep with her in my arms.

Swallowing becomes an effort. Why do we struggle with involuntary actions when we start thinking about them? Are emotions contagious? Because now I’m all up in my feels, and I don’t know how to escape them.

Lifting a hand to my forehead, I rub at the spot that’s throbbing. A hand catches my wrist. When I crack my eyes open, Liam’s standing between my spread legs wearing a frown.

“Another headache?”

“Probably lack of caffeine or sleep,” I mumble.

But there’s the creeping suspicion that something more is going on. Something worse than migraines. The universe seems to enjoy kicking me while I’m down. Why not throw health issues on top of cutting my musical career short?

Liam drops down onto the couch beside me. I quickly close out of my phone, not ready for that conversation.

“Beau.”

My pulse leaps. “Hmm?”

“Take the rest of the day off. Go home and rest.”

“Nah. I’d rather hang out here.”

Liam takes the shake cup out of my hand and sets it on the floor. He repositions me so my head rests on his warm thigh. Emma peeks overfrom her computer, flashing a quick smile at the two of us. She makes a heart symbol with her hands.

“You can sleep right here,” Liam says. “We’ve got some downtime.”

“What if I refuse?” I waggle my brows.

Eyes glinting with humor, he lowers his voice so only I can hear. “You just want to be punished.”

I smile at him. “So what if I do?”

He strokes his thumb over one of my dimples. “Then you were made for me.”

My heart stutters. I shut my eyes as he explores my features, brushing fingers along the line of my jaw and over the patch of lighter skin I hide under my hair.

I’m satisfied to lie here and let him touch me as long as he wants to.

One second I’m humming in satisfaction, and then next I’m opening my eyes in confusion to an eerily quiet studio, the only light source coming from Liam’s open office door.

Fuck. Did I fall asleep? How the hell did I manage that with musicians coming in and out?

I press the heels of my hands into my eyes.Why am I still so tired?

When I drop my hands away, the room lurches to the side, and my entire body feels like it’s off balance. I cling to the edge of the couch until the spinning sensation fades.

Must be the massive amount of sugar I consumed and the lack of dinner.

I pull out my phone to check the time. There’s a missed text from Stasi.

Did you know it’s Liam’s birthday today???

With a surge of anger, I shove to my feet. Another dizzy spell hits me as I stumble into Liam’s office and find it empty. He left the spare set of keys on his desk with a note to lock up if I decide to come home tonight.

I type out a rapid message to Stasi and send it.