~Day 32~
I couldn't believe what had conspired over the past 24 hours. I went from hoping that maybe the RAF would take a better look at my case, to having my job back. Plus I had been on flights for a total of 30 hours now, technically making this entire journey over 2 days long.
Liam and I were absolutely exhausted. We had just landed back in London and were waiting for our luggage at the carousel. Annoyed I had even packed a bag, I huffed, my head leaning onto Liam's shoulder so I could close my eyes. He reached his hand up to gently pat me on the cheek before reaching his arm around my waist.
"What time even is it?" I asked my eyes still shut. I could feel Liam shift to pull out his phone.
"5 in the morning," he responded making me pretend to cry.
"I didn't know I could get more jet-lagged than I already am," I said dramatically, opening my eyes to see the bags finally rolling out onto the conveyor belt. "Shit I forgot to text William," I remembered pulling out my phone knowing he was our ride home.
"No-Ronnie I'm just going to get us a cab it's too early," Liam said making me nod remembering it was literally 5 in the morning. We watched the luggage roll out, me spotting both our bags a few spots down from each other. We hurried over to the belt, picking our suitcases up before walking outside to the pick-up area. Liam had ordered a cab on his phone so we walked out to see a small black sedan waiting for us already.
Liam opened the trunk, throwing our bags in before we both hopped into the backseat. Liam gave the driver his address and we both put our seatbelts on. I looked out the window reminiscing on the last time I was at the airport. I had surprised Liam and we had been bombarded with paparazzi. I looked back into the car to see Liam staring over at me with a soft smile. I pouted back at him wondering why he had been staring, making him laugh.
"Come here," he said quietly, opening his arms up. I leaned over, pulling my arm out of my seatbelt so I could reach him, nuzzling my head in his chest. "Go to sleep, I'll wake you when we get back," he said gently, kissing the top of my forehead as I drifted off to sleep.
No more than 30 minutes later I felt Liam shaking me softly, mumbling at me to wake up. I looked up, the sky still pitch black except for a little light starting to form near the edge of the sky. I rubbed my eyes to see we were outside of Liam's house. Liam got out of the car and to the back, grabbing our bags from the driver as I followed, both of us walking up to his front door.
"You're staying here till we both get some rest," he ordered opening the door and leading me inside.
"That was the shortest nap of my entire life," I said making him chuckle as he immediately walked up the stairs without turning a single light on. I grasped the railing barely being able to see anything with my eyes still adjusting. Once inside his room he flicked on a small lamp in the corner, setting our bags on his bed. I walked over to mine pulling out one of the pair of pajamas I had packed thinking we'd be staying on base a few nights. I also grabbed my toothbrush before walking into Liam's bathroom. I turned the light on, blinding myself in the process making me groan. I quickly changed my clothes and brushed my teeth so I could turn the light off as soon as possible.
I entered back into Liam's room to see him sitting on the edge of the bed without a shirt on, looking down at his phone. I sucked in a huge breath seeing his chiseled back muscles being reminded he had been working out a lot lately. Liam heard me because he turned around cocking an eyebrow at me before standing up off the bed.
"I liked it better when you had to wear my clothes," he smirked, walking past me into the bathroom making my jaw drop. My cheeks heated up immediately, my stomach being flooded with butterflies as I threw my clothes into my bag and pushed it onto the floor. I walked over climbing into the left side of his bed, throwing the covers back and pulling the sheet up over my legs. He then walked back out still no shirt on, so I could see his abs this time. He smirked at me knowing he had caught me looking making me roll my eyes and lay down. If he didn't cut it out I was not going to be able to sleep.
I heard him switch the light off, throwing his phone onto the nightstand next to his bed before climbing in beside me. This time he pulled himself under the covers making me able to feel how warm he was. He scooted in close to me, pulling an arm under the pillow I was laying on so my head was tilted up towards his. I could see his eyes sparkling in the morning sun that was just beginning to peek through his windows.
I smiled, putting my arm around his body to pull him closer to me. He obliged wrapping his other arm around my back, so I was facing his chest. Heat was radiating off his skin, making me nuzzle my face in closer to stay warm.
"Goodnight Ronnie," he said kissing my temple, as I leant in and left a small peck on the center of his chest.
"Goodnight Liam."
•
I woke up surrounded by warmth. Opening my eyes ever so slightly, I went to roll over until I realized I couldn't, being pulled tight by Liam's arm. I rubbed my eyes, opening them further to see Liam laying to my left, his eyes still shut and breaths coming out in little puffs. He looked beautiful. I stared at him analyzing every detail of his face from his perfect nose to his chiseled jaw before I saw him start to stir. I quickly nuzzled my head back into his chest, in fear of being caught staring again. He hummed, wrapping both arms around me tightly pulling me in closer.
"Morning Ronnie," he mumbled kissing me on the head making me smile.
"Morning Liam," I responded squeezing him back tighter. We just laid there for a few moments taking the time to relish being in each other's arms before having to get up and deal with the day.
"What time is it now?" Liam murmured, rolling over to left to pick his phone up off his nightstand. "Damn, 3 already?" He asked making me groan, a whole day wasted.
"And I still feel tired," I said as he set his phone back down wrapping his arm back around me.
"We're going to have to get out of this bed at some point," Liam tsked tapping my cheek with his finger making me pout. I felt like I was on cloud 9 and all I was doing was laying here.
"Only if you make me some coffee," I bartered with a sly smile, Liam kissing me on the forehead in return before loosening his arms around me so that he could get up. He stretched, before grabbing some clothes out of his dresser and heading into the bathroom to get ready. I rolled over, sprawling out across the bed as much as I could having felt like I hadn't moved an inch all night. My mind started to wander, thinking about everything that had happened in such a whirlwind. I tried to block it out, standing up and walking over to my suitcase. I sifted through my stuff, finding a shirt and leggings I had packed, whilst grabbing my makeup bag. I pulled my phone charger out as well and plugged it into the wall next to Liam's dresser to charge my phone.
As my phone turned back on, Liam came out of the bathroom changed into new clothes. He brushed past me, kissing me on the back of the head as he made his way behind me and out of the bedroom. I followed his steps, walking into the bathroom and changing into my clothes as he had done moments earlier. I shoved my pajamas back into my suitcase, zipping it up before grabbing my phone off his dresser. I had a few new messages from my father asking if I had been stuck with the horrible investigator again. I chuckled, replying back to him that I thankfully hadn't and told him I'd be home later this evening.
I locked my phone, shoving it in the pocket on the side of my leggings before walking down the stairs to see Liam brewing a pot of coffee. I smiled, walking up behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist making him jump suddenly.
"Shit-you scared me," he chuckled, still frozen in front of me. I squeezed him quickly in return as he turned around to face me, the coffee pot in his hands. "How do you like your coffee?" He asked pouring it into two mugs on the counter.
"A bit of milk is fine," I said, walking over to his fridge to grab it out. He stuck both mugs out signalling me to add some into his as well. After pouring the milk in, I set the jug back in the fridge, both of us grabbing the cups and walking over to the couch. We sat down, me pulling my legs up to lean into him.
"Going to have to promise you'll come to my office for morning coffee on base," Liam smirked while taking a sip. I raised my eyebrows realizing our relationship was going to be very different in a few weeks, and we had yet to even get to really enjoy it.
"I don't even want to think about how early in the morning that will have to be," I chuckled, remembering the 6 AM drills; and here it was, 3 in the afternoon, and we were just getting out of bed needing a coffee to act alive. I snuggled deeper into Liam's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of being close to him.
"No comfy couches on base either," he hummed making me laugh. For having been on base for almost the entirety of the past 2 years, I sure was having second thoughts about going back.
"When do you think we'll get called back?" I asked knowing they had said the process usually took around 1-2 weeks but could take much longer. It also wasn't guaranteed we would be deployed back immediately given the current situation.
"Not sure, hopefully later, I'm enjoying the pay without having to do any of the work," he smirked taking another sip of his coffee. We sat there in silence for a few minutes both in our own thoughts.
"I don't know how I'm going to tell my dad I'm going back," I said, staring off into space as I spoke. "He didn't even want me to go when it was only temporary."
"Understandable, I'm sure my folks won't be thrilled with my decision either. Not their decision to make I guess," Liam said matter-of-factly, making me nod my head. He was only a year older and it felt like he was at a completely different point in life than I was. I was still living at home, he was out on his own. I felt like I was the glue holding my family together and that every time I left the house it became a complete disaster.
"Have you thought about going to University?" I asked, knowing that the RAF could be used as a way to receive tuition assistance.
"That was my plan originally, I realized after getting promoted I liked the RAF more than I thought. If I got placed at a base in England I might re-consider it," Liam explained with a smile.
"Yeah, even with what we've been through I'd love to land a full-time position. Would keep me from having to spend time exploring other careers paths," I said making Liam nod in agreement as I laid my head back into his shoulder. He pulled his arm around my back, bringing me in closer.
"That's right, Ronnie-who-lacks-a-plan-B," he teased making me smack him across the chest.
"You've had a whole extra year to plan your life out!" I sassed back making him chuckle.
"It's okay though, if you had already planned it, it would've been put into action before I even had time to try and ask you to be my girlfriend."
"You're so right!" I laughed, knowing just how driven I was. The second I would've found out I had been discharged from the RAF, I would've moved on-pursuing that second dream immediately most likely leaving Liam and the RAF in my dust.
"I know how you are Ronnie, you're a lot to handle, so it's a good thing I find that attractive," Liam smirked making me gasp and look up at him.
"I am simply just a woman who knows what she wants, I don't see what's wrong with that," I said nonchalantly, looking away with a posh attitude.
"Nothing, except my dwindling opportunities to be the one to take care of you," Liam said with a smile making me look back with my cheeks flushed, a small smile on my face.
"I appreciate how much you care about me, as much as I despised you for treating me differently, I can look back now and understand your mindset and the fact that you actually treated me quite well. Pushed me around in a wheelchair for 2 weeks, showed me that plaque of my mother, and was there for me when my family didn't show." I confessed, looking up at him while letting out a breath.
"I haven't stopped caring for you since you moved away Ronnie," he disclosed making my smile get even bigger than it already was.
"Well, I don't know how I got so lucky then," I breathed, absolutely awed at how far we had come in our journey. Instead of replying, Liam leaned forward pressing our lips together. I smiled into the kiss, feeling like everything was finally falling into place in my life. His hand reached up to my cheek, his thumb brushing back and forth across it as our lips molded together. I pulled my free hand up to the collar of his sweatshirt, tugging on it to keep him close to me. I could feel him smirk onto my lips, our noses brushing as he eventually pulled back to look me in the eyes.
"I'm the lucky bastard."