In our stars (Break)

Bleach and Coffee Stains -7

He felt empty. Hollow and on edge. It was scary how one kiss made him feel like he was truly living but the aftermath made him restless at night. Carter had thrown him a bag of frozen peas still finding the whole situation hilarious. It had taken some of the physical pain away.

 He had thought about he what she said and he realized he was objectifying her, they weren't in a relationship yet he told her what to do and he offered to travel halfway across the world with her. Idiot. He had face-timed his family the previous day, not having a good enough explanation when his mother asked him why his lip was split. A worried mother could do better interrogating than the FBI. He couldn't hold off his family for long. It had been a week and a half and he knew Cassidy was returning that weekend. Although he had fueled the fire, he wanted an apology but knew he would not get it from his firey girl.

A few days later he drove to her house, her car was parked in the driveway. He knocked on the door, faking confidence. The door opened a crack, he could see half her face. Every time he saw her, she grew more beautiful. Her honey coloured eyes bore into his, she had been expecting him sooner or later.

"You aren't going to kiss me again, are you?"

"No promises." He laughed trying to make the situation light-hearted.

Cassidy's face darkened.

"Okay, okay, I was only kidding!"

She opened the door fully and he could see she was dressed in old jeans and a baggy t-shirt. She had her hair in a bun and she had gloves on her hands.

"Cleaning day." She led him to the living room of her house as he sat down and took it all in. It was not what he expected. He thought her house would be clinical and cold,  he anticipated not overly expressive with a lack of personal touch. However, he saw beautiful paintings, decoupage on the walls and bright light that filled the room. He was learning more and more about his auburn-haired princess each day. There was a single photograph in an almost hidden, dim part of the room. It was of a younger, happier Cassidy, next to a blonde haired girl who shared her expression. He almost got up to take a closer look but forgot his plan when Cassidy sat down on the couch next to him, she passed him a glass of cola and she had a steaming mug of coffee in her own hands.

They both started talking at the same time. Laughter threatened to spill the contents of the cups.

"We need to stop doing that." Liam's whole body was telling him to kiss her again or at least to touch her. He put his glass down He yearned to feel the warmth of her skin under his fingertips.

 "Look, I just want to apologize, I thought about what you said and you are right, I was acting like I owned you and that was only because I was scared and I said some impulsive things. I am an Alpha and it can make me edgy sometimes."

He used this as an excuse to move closer to her, "Am I forgiven?"

Cassidy was silent. She looked down at her mug and contemplated. She wanted to forgive him, she really did, but how could she be sure she wasn't falling deeper and deeper into an inescapable rabbit hole. Even Alphas could be manipulative. She knew that better than most.

 That kiss, as sensational as it was, reminded her of a past she had tried to forget. It reminded her of the hold people could have on her. She felt like her naive teenage self, ignoring all warning signs until it was too late. Each day she found herself falling more and more for this man that she truly didn't know and it scared her. Shook her to her very core. And that is why it wasn't as simple as forgiveness. It would unlock the door to her heart. A door that she didn't want to be opened.

"Liam, I..." She trailed off, looking at the emotion in his eyes. She forced a smile.

"You'll have to make it up to me I guess."

"Says the woman who almost ruined my hope for having children?"

"Okay then maybe, I'll have to make it up to you."

The smile he gave her made her want to pull out her phone and take a picture. He was far too beautiful. Far too angelic and pure, she couldn't understand how someone, as broken as her, could be paired with him. She knew that eventually, she would break him.

Pushing her pride aside, she inhaled sharply. "I'm also sorry, for...um....hurting you." She gestured towards his lip, she had bitten him, hard.

"Wow an apology, my day has officially been made."

Cassidy's jaw dropped. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Liam laughed, "Pretend I never said that and we're even."

She tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly irked. "I'm not sorry for what I said, you know. Just the-"

"The abusiveness?"

He leaned closer to her and she could feel his warm breath on her face, "Well I'm not sorry for kissing you."

His fingers rested on her own and every cell in her body was telling her to keep leaning closer. He angled his head and kissed her softly underneath her jaw. Maybe he didn't want to get bitten again.

 He was slow yet deliberate, testing the waters. He knew she could disappear, or flip a switch she was a temperamental little wolf that couldn't be tamed. He loved it.  Slowly he placed his other hand on her knee, she smelt like bleach but he didn't care. He knew he hadn't wanted anything as badly as he wanted her, but of course, fate didn't allow them this simple bliss as the ringing of a phone startled them both and resulted in coffee spilt over both parties. It seemed that a girl worth kissing was not easily kissed.