Begin Again novel Chapter 84

"Is that why you left me that night?" Liam whispered as he lowered his head and brushed her temple lightly with his lips.

Eden trembled at his touch, and he desperately wanted to hear her purr his name the same way she had in the printing room.

"Answer me!" He groaned on her lips. When she didn't, he gently pried her mouth open with his tongue; she sighed tearfully as her arms came around his waist.

He hit the emergency button, stopping the lift in between floors.

He had five minutes before the maintenance guys jumpstarted it to life. Five minutes was enough to have his fill of her.

And for a blissful five minutes, he lost himself in her embrace and her sweet floral scent as he greedily took all that her lips and tongue could offer him.

"I've thought about you for two years. I hungered for you." He whispered, running his hands through her hair and all over her body.

She whimpered his name as she ran her hands on his chest and her mouth remained locked with his. "Liam. Someone might see us. We have to stop—"

"I don't want to stop. I want you. I need you." He growled, pressing her firmly to him. He thought he'd go out of his mind if he had to go one more day without her kisses. Yes, she drove him nuts half the time, but only in her arms did he feel so radiantly alive.

"You don't want me," she cried, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Then, what is this?" He demanded as he held her hand over his erection.

"Good Lord," Eden moaned softly as she gently kneaded him through his pants.

"This is what you do to me, Princess." He told her as he captured her mouth again and kissed her long and hard. "Only you can do this to me."

"I want—" Before she could state her desires, the elevator whirred to life, and they were moving again.

They stopped on the eighteenth floor, and Liam shielded her with his body and hid her face in his chest while the technicians checked if everything's okay.

"Everything's fine, thank you." He told them tersely and closed the doors, and they carried on to their floor.

"Have dinner with me tomorrow night," he said as he glanced at her.

Eden seemed shy suddenly, making a point of avoiding his gaze while she fixed her clothes and ignored his request. "This can't happen again. You were right back then; our night was a mistake. And this is a mistake too. One I don't intend repeating."

He clenched his jaw and scowled at her. "So you felt nothing right now?"

She nodded her head. "Absolutely nothing."

Liam shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Okay, then. But you will come to dinner tomorrow night. It's not a request. Clara will send you the details."

"I don't mix business with pleasure, Mr Anderson," Eden said boldly.

"Luckily for you, Ms McBride, it's all business. I want your friend, and you'll help me get her."

She's not Gibby, but she's eager to learn and please him.

He had pleasing of his own to do.

"I need you to book out a restaurant for me, the Portuguese place on 8th Street." He told her before she could slip out of the door.

"Yes, Sir. How many people and how soon?" She asked as she retraced her steps back into the room and sat down again.

"Two people. Tomorrow night."

"Of course," she nodded as she took notes on her tablet, her eyes widening with each of his demands—from the seven hundred and thirty daffodils to the live music performance by an indie band Liam didn't even know about until he overheard Eden fangirling over them with the other assistants.

"I know it's not my place to ask, but is it a proposal, Sir?" Clara asked. "Because I can think of a few more things to make it extra special. Maybe a fireworks display, and we can hide the ring in her dessert?"

"You're right; it's not your place." Liam pointed at the door and nodded at her to make herself scarce. "Once you've secured the booking, notify Ms McBride of the place and time. 7:00 PM. If she's not on time, you'll take a pay cut!"

"Sir?" His assistant cried in a small voice, confusion and fear darkening her eyes.

"Just kidding, Clara, but I'm counting on you to pull this off."

Happy with his plan, Liam returned his attention to the next important item on his agenda— onboarding Lydia Edwards as Anderson Logistics's brand ambassador.