Begin Again novel Chapter 66

Liam was long gone, but Eden was still lost in her little world, replaying their encounter in the printing room, unable to believe her body's treachery and her heart's betrayal.

After their confrontation in Linda's office and her breakdown on the sidewalk, she'd decided to get over him and put her silly fantasies behind her.

She'd done well for herself in the past month, stayed away from him even when her heart and body had screamed at her to run to him.

But now all the progress she'd made, all the steps she'd taken to put some distance between them had come to a screeching halt. And all it took was a malfunctioning printer and a passionate encounter in the supplies room.

Eden was instantly wet again just thinking about Liam's little demonstration; only he can make simple instructions on fixing a printer sound dirty and seductive.

She was still mystified by how horny she was at the sound of his voice and words alone, and she couldn't understand how she wanted him to fuck her good even when she's still so furious with him.

One thing she knew for sure though, whatever delusion she was under in the past four weeks had now been firmly shattered.

She wasn't over Liam, hadn't even begun to get over him. All she's managed to do in the past month was to avoid him. But now she was back where she'd started—craving him as much as she needed the very air to keep breathing.

A soft tap on her door cut through her jumbled thoughts; she looked up just in time to see Clara stroll in with two mugs in her hands.

"I thought you could use one," her friend said as she closed the door with her heel and crossed the room.

She placed both cups on the messy desk and sat down in one of the visitor's seats, crossing her legs demurely in front of her.

"Thanks," Eden smiled and reached for the pink mug, with white hearts and 'Best Mom In The World' written in big fancy letters, brimming with black tea. It was a gift from Aiden and Brenda for surviving her first week on the job.

"So," Clara rubbed her hands together, her full lips stretching into a slow, knowing smile.

Oh boy, Eden groaned silently. Liam's work wife was in the mood to spill some tea. Having spent the past month in close quarters with her, wading through Gibby's handover bootcamp, she knew Clara's gossip face very well now.

"So who banged who? And was it in the men's bathroom again?" Eden asked, taking a sip from the cup, well aware she'll regret entertaining her because once Clara started, she couldn't stop; she's like an energizer bunny.

"Well—" She leaned on the desk and rested her chin in her hands, her eyes sparkling with expectation. "—I'm here to hear all about you and the Dragon!"

The announcement caught Eden by surprise, she gasped and sprayed her tea all over her desk and the documents Liam had printed for her, almost choking to death at the other woman's words, stunned out of her head to learn she's the subject of office gossip.

While she wheezed and gagged and bargained with God for her life, Clara leaned back in her seat, sipped her tea and waited for her to resuscitate herself.

"Gosh, Clara, I almost choked to death, and you're just sitting there!" Eden croaked when she could speak again, wiping her mouth on the sleeve of her blazer.

"Anyway, what about Mr Anderson?" She added, dabbing a tissue over the documents Liam had proudly stapled himself. She really should have given him a gold star, or at least acknowledged his attempts to please her, but—

"Oh, it's Mr Anderson now?" Clara cut through her thoughts in a sing-song voice, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"It's always been Mr Anderson," Eden retorted sharply.

Clara smirked. "Not in the printing room, he wasn't!"

"Oh, dear!" Eden hid her face in her hands, smudging her glasses. "You saw us?"

"It wasn't intentional, I promise and I didn't watch the whole thing," Clara nodded and crossed her legs. "I had to print stuff, and well I saw you two—"

"Don't say it," Eden cut her off quickly as she took off her glasses and wiped them on her shirt. She didn't want to hear a replay of her temporary lapse in judgement.

"Anyway, it was a mistake. Mr Anderson and I are not like that." She carried on, inspecting her glasses under the desk lamp, making sure they're clean before she put them back on again.

"Hey, no judgement, here," Clara laughed. "Anywho, I just wanted to say I support whatever is going on with you and the boss. He looks so much happier today than he has over the past few weeks, and a content Dragon is good for all the drones."

She added with a thumbs-up. "So, good job! Keep taming him!"

"Ugh!" Eden groaned. "It's not like that. He hates me, and I hate him. End of story."

"Not from what I saw," Clara wagged her finger, the beads in her faux dreads chinking gently as she threw her head back, laughing. "It's only a matter of time before whatever is between you two, burns out of control."

"Are you okay, do you need more room?" He murmured in her hair, his voice sending tingles down her spine.

He had to stop with the low, gruff voice thing, she thought. As if her panties weren't soaked enough earlier, now he was trying to melt them off too.

"I'm fine, thank you, Mr Anderson," she managed to croak, staring straight ahead while counting the floors as the car surged downward.

She breathed in sharply, convinced she'll burst into flames when Liam's hand lightly brushed hers, interlocking their fingers.

She surreptitiously peeked at their entwined hands, liking the feel of his touch. But as much as the idea of being so close to him excited her, they were in a very public space, and anyone could see them. It was bad enough Clara knew. More people knowing their little secret would be a disaster. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held it firmly until they reached the ground floor.

"Have a great evening, Sir," everyone bowed and curtsied at Liam as they sprung out of the lift.

But he barely acknowledged them. He quickly held her back when she tried to dash out of the elevator with the rest of the crowd.

His security detail stepped out to give them some privacy, closing the doors behind them.

In a heartbeat, Liam drew her close to him, and his lips were on hers before she even knew what hit her.

For two minutes, Eden was utterly lost in his embrace as the world and everything else in it disappeared into the background, and only her moment with him took centre stage.

"Every time you're with the lawyer, it's me you'll be thinking about," he whispered when they drew apart. His arms though remained around her waist possessively as he looked into her eyes. "Every time he kisses you, it's my mouth, you'll crave. Every time he touches you, it's my hands you'll miss."

"I won't," Eden shook her head, her voice shaky with need.

"Then I haven't done a good job of convincing you."

With that, Liam leaned in again, and this time he was relentless when his lips hungrily crushed hers, sending her to the edge of madness with his skilful tongue.

By the time he set her down, she was out of breath and out of control and utterly consumed by him.