Dirty Laundry

There was nothing about finding Liam that was easy. Nothing about hunting down his apartment and taking that long elevator ride up that would be simpler a second time around. I nearly walked away more times than I could count, but once the elevator dinged and announced I was on Liam’s floor, I knew I couldn’t turn back anymore.

It was now or never, and it had to be now.

I had never been to Liam’s apartment before, and I wouldn’t have had any clue where to go if Sloane hadn’t texted me his address. The building was just as nice as I had expected it would be, and I wondered if Liam kept his place as prim and proper as the lobby below.

My heart was pounding as I walked down the hallway, and I stopped once I reached apartment 24E. Ironically enough, I could hear music coming from inside his apartment that seemed to have the same beat as my racing heart.

With a deep breath, I lifted my hand up (it felt like it weighed a million pounds) and pounded loudly against the door so he could hear me over the music. There was the sound of shuffling and the music turned down a few notches before the door was opening slowly in front of me. I could have easily puked right then and there.

Liam was wearing a pair of black athletic shorts and NY Rangers shirt. I had never seen him wearing anything but suits, button ups and other high class clothing, so it caught me off guard.

“Mia?” He said dumbfounded as he looked at me, his eyebrows pushed together. “What are you doing here?” He shook his head, breathless. “Um, come in, please.”

He held his hand out and propped the door open more. It took all my strength not to faint as I walked through his doorframe and into his eloquently decorated apartment. There were papers strewn out on a coffee table in front of the television, with his phone sitting beside them.

“Sorry, I was just finishing up some paperwork.” He shuffled towards the table and condensed the many papers into a neat little stack before pointing towards the sofa behind him. “Have a seat.”

I happily obliged, thankful for anything that would mask my knocking knees, and sat on the opposite end of the sofa as him, both of your bodies twisted to face one another.

“What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you it’s just – ” He shook his head, chuckling nervously. “Sorry, I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“It’s okay,” I said, giving him a shaky smile as I tucked my hair behind my ear. The two of us sat in silence for a moment, both completely still until Liam leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

“I though you hated me,” he breathed out, his voice low as he looked at me. It wasn’t a surprise that he thought that, because I hadn’t done anything to make him think otherwise. I felt awful for that.

“No, of course not.”

“You’re sure?”

“Liam, I –” I took a deep breath, shaking my head softly. I had raced over to Liam’s so quickly that I hadn’t even figured out what I was going to say to him. No better place to start but the beginning. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” He said quickly, scooting on the sofa so he was closer to me. “Mia, you have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one –”

“No, Liam I – I’m sorry for pushing you away.” I folded my hands in my lap as I tapped my fingers together nervously. “I’m so sorry.”

Liam shook his head quickly. “Don’t be sorry, Mia. I never should have said what I said. I swear I would take it back if I could. I was an idiot, Mia. I’m sorry.”

My eyes blinked wildly as I looked at Liam, who was staring at me intently. I couldn’t believe after everything I had done to him that he was the one apologizing. After how stupid and how blind I had been, that he would be the one who felt like he had done something wrong when he had never been anything but right.

Fueled by nerves, confusion or something else entirely, I moved towards Liam, placing one hand on his forearm while our eyes met, his blinking curiously. He was opening his mouth to speak when I leaned forward, gripping onto his arm a little too lightly, and quieted him by pressing my lips against his.

I could feel him tensing beneath me, his lips pressed together and unmoving, and my heart sunk as I pulled back and shook my head.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have –”

“No, it’s okay,” he interrupted. “It’s okay.”

And his hand was reaching out for my cheek, pulling me closer to him, and his lips quieted me just as quickly as I had done to him. This time, his entire body was pulling me against him while his lips moved against mine with more passion and fervor than I could have hoped for.

When he pulled away slowly, all the air ripped from my lungs and his fingers ran across my skin as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

“What changed your mind?” Liam breathed out, his eyes looking straight into mine. “I – I thought I lost my chance with you.”

I shook my head quickly, a soft laugh escaping my lips as I looked at him. He was perfect in every sense of the word and I couldn’t believe it took me that long to see it.

“Remember in my office? When you said that you would always be there?” He nodded and I continued, shrugging my shoulders as I smiled at him. “I guess always finally came.”

Liam smiled back at me and his grip on me tightened. “I’m glad,” he said, pressing his lips together. “I hated waiting.”